Summary of U.S. Stock Investment News for February 20, 2026

Part One: Top Ten Most Important and Trending News Summaries (Focusing on hot stock announcements, key earnings points, and market-driving events)

1. U.S.-Iran Tensions Escalate: $Trump Media & Tech(DJT.US) stated he will decide within the next 10-15 days whether to reach a deal with Iran, or else "something bad" will happen; the U.S. is preparing to strike Iran as early as Saturday, pushing oil prices to a six-month high, boosting energy stocks but dampening overall risk sentiment.
2. Fed Minutes Leaned Hawkish: FOMC minutes showed strong inflation stickiness and robust employment, raising the bar for rate cuts; officials saw no need to rush further easing, leading to a rebound in Treasury yields and pressure on stocks.
3. Walmart (WMT) Cautious on Guidance: Post-earnings guidance reflects uneven U.S. economy, stock fell over 1%, dragging down consumer stocks; but Amazon surpassed Walmart milestones in some areas.
4. Meta (META) Cuts Employee Stock Awards: To support AI investment, most employees' stock options reduced by about 5%, highlighting AI cash-burning strategy.
5. Private Credit Crisis Concerns: Blue Owl Capital limited fund redemptions and sold loans, stock plunged nearly 6%, sparking concerns over liquidity and valuation in the $1.8 trillion private credit market, dragging down financials.
6. Nvidia and Other AI Stock Volatility: AI panic eased somewhat, but tech stocks overall dragged the market; $NVIDIA(NVDA.US) and Meta expanded AI infrastructure agreement.
7. Unexpected Drop in Jobless Claims: Initial claims fell to 206k (better than expected), showing labor market resilience, but continuing claims were flat.
8. Pending Home Sales Index Hits Low: Down 0.8% m/m, housing market weak.
9. Wayfair Stock Plunges: Expansion plans may hurt profits, investors concerned.
10. Other Stock Moves: Etsy up on deal; Carvana plunges post-earnings; Pfizer leverages Viagra experience to push obesity drug.

Part Two: Ten+ International Macro Economic Dynamic Indicators and Related Data (Focusing on key U.S. and global indicators, based on latest available data)

1. Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA): 49,395.16, down 267.50 points (-0.54%).
2. S&P 500 Index: 6,861.89, down 19.42 points (-0.28%).
3. Nasdaq Composite Index: 22,682.73, down 70.91 points (-0.31%).
4. VIX Fear Index: 20.23, up 3.11% (risk appetite declining).
5. WTI Crude Oil Price: ~$66.43/barrel, up ~0.36% (geopolitical risk boost).
6. Gold Price: ~$5,017/oz, slightly up but capped by rate cut divergence.
7. U.S. 10-Year Treasury Yield: ~4.07%-4.09%, held steady after small intraday fluctuations.
8. U.S. Dollar Index: Hit a near four-week high, strong rebound.
9. U.S. January Nonfarm Payrolls: Added 130k, job market warming up (unemployment rate fell to 4.3%).
10. U.S. CPI Inflation Rate: January annual rate 2.4% (near 5-year low), core CPI 2.5%.
11. Initial Jobless Claims: 206k, better than expected (labor resilience).
12. Pending Home Sales: Down 0.8% m/m, hit record low.
13. Fed Target Rate Range: Maintained at 3.5%-3.75%, no rush to cut signals.

Part Three: Summary of Reports/Views from Renowned Investment Banks and Analysts (Macro forecasts and stock views)

• Goldman Sachs: Emphasized improved market breadth has boosted mutual fund returns; but warned U.S. stocks had the worst start to 2026 relative to global markets (since 1995), AI trade may be excessive; cut target price for some stocks (e.g., Grocery Outlet) to $9, maintained Sell rating. Macro view is sustainable non-inflationary slowdown, but warming labor market weakens rate cut argument.
• Morgan Stanley: Maintained Hold rating on Goldman Sachs Group; overall market outlook focuses on 2026 global economy and strategy forecasts, highlighting wealth management and investment banking opportunities, but cautious on some consumer/retail guidance. Analysts believe Fed rate cut expectations remain (two 25bp cuts before year-end), but inflation stickiness and geopolitical risks increase uncertainty.
• Other Views: Fed officials overall see higher bar for rate cuts; with robust employment + sticky inflation, 2026 growth slows but no recession; some analysts see private credit event as a "Bear Stearns moment" warning, liquidity stress could spread.

Part Four: Investment Recommendations Based on the Above Analysis

Short-term Investment Recommendations (Intraday/Recent Trading, Higher Risk, Driven by Geopolitics and Data):

• Buy: Energy stocks (e.g., crude oil-related ETFs or XOM), due to U.S.-Iran tensions pushing oil higher; defensive consumer staples (e.g., PG, KO), safe-haven demand.
• Sell/Reduce: Financial stocks (especially private credit-related, like Blue Owl peers), liquidity concerns intensify; tech growth stocks if AI panic resurges, high short-term volatility, wait for pullback.
• Wait and See: Await tomorrow's PCE inflation and GDP data; if inflation mild, short-term rebound play possible, otherwise prioritize safety. High intraday volatility, recommend strict stops.

Long-term Investment Recommendations (6-12+ months, Allocation-Oriented):

• Maintain long-term bullish view on AI/tech core (e.g., Nvidia, Meta), but diversify risk, avoid over-concentration; if Fed confirms soft landing, growth stocks still have room.
• Increase allocation to defensive + value sectors: Energy (geopolitical premium persists), Healthcare (e.g., Pfizer's obesity drug potential), high-dividend consumer.
• Monitor Fed path: If inflation continues falling near 2%, restarting rate cuts will benefit overall market; but geopolitical risks (Middle East) and potential spread of private credit stress could trigger broader adjustment, recommend holding 10-20% cash as buffer.
• Overall: 2026 U.S. stocks offer more structural opportunities than a broad bull market, stock-picking + diversified allocation, long-term positive on U.S. economic resilience but wary of policy and geopolitical uncertainty.

Investing involves risks, please assess independently.