Here’s what’s happening in the stock market today:
US stock futures point to a mildly positive open this Tuesday morning, with S&P 500 and Nasdaq futures up slightly amid optimism from yesterday's strong close and solid factory data, while Dow futures dip marginally. Precious metals like gold and silver show volatility after recent sharp swings, and oil prices edge lower, reflecting mixed commodity sentiment.
Major Indices Performance 📊
S&P 500 futures up 0.21% at 7,017.50, building on yesterday's close near record highs around 6,939.
Nasdaq 100 futures gain 0.50% to 25,979.75, boosted by tech resilience including chipmakers.
Dow Jones futures down 0.04% at 49,505, after surging over 500 points yesterday led by industrials.
Market Movers 🚀
Memory chip stocks like Western Digital and Seagate led gains yesterday, up significantly in S&P 500 trading amid AI demand.
Oracle shares reversed lower after a $50B AI funding announcement, highlighting tech sector divergence.
Dow components such as McDonald's and Procter & Gamble showed modest gains in recent sessions.
Key Events Driving the Market 🗞️
US ISM Manufacturing PMI released yesterday beat expectations, supporting economic optimism and stock climbs.
Fed holds rates steady at 3.5-3.75% as of January, with markets eyeing potential cuts later in 2026 amid Trump admin boom forecasts.
Upcoming: US JOLTS job openings data today, plus Australia cash rate decision, influencing global sentiment.
Investor Sentiment 👀
Markets blend caution from Fed pause and policy uncertainty with bullishness on growth projections and cyclical rally in chips/small caps. Trading volume remains steady as investors position ahead of labor data. 🐂📈
TRADE OF THE DAY:
META
Name: Meta Platforms, Inc.
Symbol: META
Current Price: ~$695.47
Trade
Sell to Open: 1 META Feb 13, 2026 660/655 Put Vertical
Total Credit Received: $62.00
Credit per Contract: $62.00 (assume 1 contract = 100 shares)
Direction: Bullish
Probability of Profit (PoP): 84.43%
Potential ROI:
Max Risk (Loss): $438.00
ROI: ($62.00 ÷ $438.00) × 100 ≈ 14.2%
Trade Explained in Simple English:
This is a bullish put credit spread where you sell the 660 put and buy the 655 put on META, both expiring February 13, 2026. You collect $62 upfront when entering the trade. As long as META stays above about $659.38 at expiration, the spread expires worthless and you keep the credit. Your maximum loss is capped at $438 if META finishes below $655, while your potential profit is limited to the credit received.
Wall Street Highlights:
News Beyond the Numbers
PayPal announced the appointment of HP Inc.'s Enrique Lores as its new President and CEO effective March 1, 2026, replacing Alex Chriss amid a board review of execution pace. Read more.
Oracle plans to raise between $45 billion and $50 billion in gross cash proceeds in 2026 through debt and equity to fund its massive AI cloud infrastructure expansion. Read more.
Pfizer released positive top-line results from a trial of its injectable GLP-1 receptor agonist for obesity treatment despite Wall Street concerns over its earnings. Read more.
Tesla reported sharp declines in new-vehicle registrations across key European markets like Norway and France in January, signaling ongoing challenges for its EV business. Read more.
Walt Disney reported solid revenue gains driven by its parks business but faced a net profit decline due to higher costs, as its CEO search narrows. Read more.
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