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Here’s what’s happening in the stock market today:
US stock markets closed mixed yesterday with slight gains in the Dow and Nasdaq amid steady trading volume, while futures point to a modestly higher open today amid strong commodity rallies and key earnings reactions. Precious metals like gold are surging to records, boosting sentiment despite elevated volatility.
Major Indices 📊
S&P 500 (^GSPC) closed at 6,978.03, down -0.01% or -0.57 points from previous close of 6,978.60.
Dow Jones (^DJI) ended at 49,015.60, up +0.02% or +12.18 points from 49,003.42.
Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) finished at 23,857.45, up +0.17% or +40.35 points from 23,817.10.
VIX rose +3.49% to 16.92, signaling increased market caution.
Commodities 🛢️💰
Crude oil futures climbed +4.02% to $65.75.
Gold futures soared +4.99% to $5,568 per ounce, hitting near-record highs alongside silver.
Market Movers 🚀📉
Gainers: Meta (META) up over 8% premarket on earnings beat; IBM +8% after Q4 results topped estimates.
Other notables: Dollar General (DG) highlighted for growth potential.
Losers: Limited specifics, but consumer services like Denny's down -8.52% in recent sessions.
Key Events 🗞️
Markets digest recent Fed policy hold and earnings from Meta, Microsoft, Tesla; IBM Q4 beat drives upside.
10-year Treasury yield around 4.24%, steady post-Fed.
Precious metals rally amid uncertainty; trading volume higher at 19.03B shares yesterday.
Investor Sentiment 👀
Cautious optimism prevails with VIX up but indices stable; focus shifts to earnings season and Fed outlook amid commodity strength and bond yields. Futures suggest mild gains: S&P up 0.2-0.25%, Nasdaq +0.16-0.4%.
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TRADE OF THE DAY:
MRNA
Name: Moderna, Inc.
Symbol: MRNA
Current Price: Approximately $47.19
Trade
Sell to Open: 1 MRNA Feb 13, 2026 40/35 Put Vertical
Total Credit Received: $77.00
Credit per Contract: $77.00 (for one contract covering 100 shares)
Direction: Bullish
Probability of Profit (PoP): 83.15%
Potential ROI:
Max Risk (Loss): $423.00
ROI: ($77 ÷ $423) × 100 ≈ 18.2%
Trade Explained in Simple English:
You’re selling a bullish put credit spread by selling the $40 put and buying the $35 protective put, both expiring February 13, 2026. You receive $77 upfront and will keep this credit if MRNA stays above about $39.23 at expiration. Your maximum loss is capped at $423 if the stock falls below $35. This trade benefits from time decay and a bullish outlook on Moderna staying above the break-even level.
Wall Street Highlights:
News Beyond the Numbers
The Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged as expected, with Chair Jerome Powell highlighting a stabilizing labor market and elevated inflation while avoiding comment on his ongoing Justice Department investigation. Read more.
Tesla reported its first-ever annual revenue decline for 2025 despite beating Q4 estimates, announcing plans to shut down production of Model S and X to pivot toward Optimus robots. Read more.
Seagate Technology surged after projecting Q3 revenue and profit above Wall Street expectations, driven by strong demand in its storage business amid AI growth.Read more.
Microsoft beat earnings expectations with $81.3 billion in revenue, but its stock dropped due to investor concerns over slowing Azure cloud growth and elevated AI capital spending. Read more.
IBM released Q4 results showing revenue up 8% to $17.5 billion, fueled by double-digit growth in software and infrastructure segments, with over 5% revenue growth forecasted for 2026.Read more.
Disclaimer: The content provided by OptionPicks is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as investment, financial, legal, or tax advice. We are not registered as a broker-dealer, investment adviser, or financial advisor with the SEC, FINRA, or any other regulatory authority. Options trading involves substantial risk and is not suitable for every investor. Past performance is not indicative of future results, and no representation is being made that any subscriber will or is likely to achieve profits or incur losses similar to those mentioned. You should consult with a licensed financial professional before making any investment decisions.
