Market Summary - February 19, 2026

Overview

Asian markets experienced a rise led by Wall Street, with the Nikkei index up by 0.7%. This increase was attributed to tech and foreign inflows, despite reduced trading volumes due to Lunar New Year closures in Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan. The MSCI Asia-Pacific index (excluding Japan) rose by 0.4%, while South Korea's Kospi surged over 3% following a significant AI chip deal between Nvidia and Meta Platforms.

European Markets

In contrast, European stocks saw a slight decline, with the pan-European STOXX index dipping by 0.1%. This downturn was influenced by mixed corporate earnings and escalating geopolitical tensions, particularly between the US and Iran. Notably, Airbus shares fell by 5.4% after the company lowered its jet production targets, while Nestlé's shares rose by 3.5% due to strong sales growth.

Commodity Prices

Gold prices continued to climb, reaching $5,012.83 per ounce, driven by safe-haven demand amid US-Iran tensions. Silver also saw a significant increase, rising to $79.24 per ounce, supported by tight supply and low exchange inventories.

Currency Movements

The US dollar softened slightly but remained above recent lows. The euro stabilized around $1.18, while the Japanese yen weakened following a major investment announcement from the Trump administration. The Australian dollar held steady, while the New Zealand dollar recovered slightly after a recent drop.

Economic Outlook

Looking ahead, market participants are focused on upcoming earnings reports from Alibaba and Walmart, as well as initial jobless claims and trade surplus data from December. Positive data could bolster growth projections for Q4 2025 and provide a short-term lift to the US dollar, although long-term challenges remain.