SVET Markets Weekly Update (February 23–27, 2026)
Week 9 closed in red for both stocks and crypto.
On Monday, stocks fell sharply, with the S&P 500 down 0.9%, Nasdaq 100 dropping 1.2%, and the Dow losing 1.6%, as AI disruption fears and trade tensions hit risk assets. President Trump raised global tariffs to 15% under Section 122, prompting Europe to pause its US trade deal ratification, though Congress may not extend beyond the 150‑day limit after the Supreme Court blocked reciprocal tariffs. Software and payments stocks tanked, with IBM down 13% on Anthropic’s coding tools and AmEx off 7% amid AI unemployment warnings; Walmart rose 2%. Nvidia edged higher before earnings. In crypto, top losers were Bitcoin (-2%), Ripple (-2%), and Ether (-1%).
On Tuesday, stocks rebounded, with the S&P 500 and Dow up about 1% and the Nasdaq gaining roughly 1%, reversing Monday’s slide. Legacy tech sentiment improved as Salesforce rose around 4% and IBM about 3%, easing worries that AI will rapidly replace established software. AMD jumped roughly 9% after Meta signed a multiyear deal to use about 6 gigawatts of its GPUs for AI data centers. DocuSign added nearly 3% after Anthropic’s Claude Cowork integrated with its platform, underscoring AI as a complement, not a threat. This optimism helped offset concerns over a new global tariff lifted from about 10% to 15%, while Home Depot climbed about 2% on its first earnings beat in a year. Crypto moves were mild, with Binance Coin down about 2%.
On Wednesday, stocks rose ahead of Nvidia’s earnings, signaling AI demand strength. S&P 500 and Dow futures gained 0.5%; Nasdaq 100 climbed 1%. Nvidia shares rose 1%, AMD added 1% after a 9% surge on Meta’s 6-gigawatt GPU deal for AI data centers. Software stocks rebounded as markets eyed legacy model durability. Trump’s State of the Union avoided tariff hikes after SCOTUS blocked IEEPA. Bitcoin and broader crypto market rallied.
On Thursday, stocks were mixed, the S&P 500 fell 0.5% and the Nasdaq dropped 1.1%, while the Dow inched higher. Semiconductor losses overshadowed gains in financials after Nvidia slid 5.5% despite beating earnings and revenue estimates. Investors grew wary of high AI-related spending, dragging peers like Applied Materials (-4.9%) and Lam Research (-4.1%). Financials offset part of the weakness as JPMorgan rose 0.9% and American Express added 2.5%. Salesforce jumped 3.9% on stronger-than-expected profits, though its cautious revenue outlook reflected broader AI disruption concerns. Cryptocurrencies saw mild daily moves, with Ripple leading declines at -2.19%.
On Friday, stocks fell, wrapping up February in the red as the S&P 500 and Nasdaq each slipped about 0.4%, while the Dow dropped around 1%. A hotter inflation report hinted that firms are passing tariff costs to consumers, clouding the Fed’s rate-cut outlook. Market sentiment worsened after major layoffs at Block and weak forecasts from CoreWeave, which plunged nearly 19%. Nvidia declined about 4% amid doubts over sustained AI spending, while Dell jumped roughly 22% on strong AI server demand and a large buyback plan. Financial giants like Apollo and Jefferies sank almost 9% on private-credit worries. Still, corporate buyback approvals hit a record $233 billion this month. In crypto, Bitcoin slipped 3%, Ether 5%, and Ripple about 3%.
Week 10 brings key data that could reshape views on the global economy and central bank moves. The US releases its February jobs report after strong labor signals delayed expectations for Fed rate cuts, alongside ISM PMIs and retail sales. PMIs from China, Canada, South Korea, and several ASEAN countries will deliver early February snapshots. Investors also watch Eurozone inflation and unemployment, plus the ECB’s latest meeting accounts. Australia and Brazil report Q4 GDP, while the UK’s spring budget update and China’s “Two Sessions” outline broader policy directions.
Comment: This Is the Moment to Panic — The Era of Forced Entrepreneurship Has Begun.
The corporate comfort zone for white-collar workers is collapsing. Layoffs, AI-driven automation, and shrinking hiring pipelines mark the dawn of a new age: forced entrepreneurship.
Too many professionals still cling to the illusion that hiring will bounce back. It won’t. This revolution is not about creating new office jobs — it’s about machines that build better machines. Technology now improves itself, leaving fewer roles for people in the process.
Even those still employed should treat their paychecks as temporary. Learning to profit independently — through capital, innovation, and practical business skills — is becoming an existential necessity. Corporations serve only shareholders, and governments are consumed by geopolitical rivalries, not by rescuing middle-class careers.
The difference between startup founders and entrepreneurs is simple: founders chase investors’ money, while entrepreneurs chase customers and profits. In the long run, only the latter will thrive.
The world is undergoing foundational changes — technological, economic, social. The “good old times” of stable employment and predictable careers are gone, perhaps forever.
Now is the time to cultivate entrepreneurial skills. Not as an option, but as survival.
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SVET Markets Weekly Update (December 22–26, 2025)
On Monday, stocks climbed as the Dow rose less than 1% to a new high, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq gained about 1%, led by large-cap tech and AI shares. Nvidia, Broadcom, and Oracle all advanced on renewed AI optimism ahead of key US jobs and inflation data. In currency markets, the offshore yuan strengthened to about 6.9 per dollar — its highest in nearly three years — after Chinese regulators urged banks to trim exposure to US Treasuries, signaling a gradual shift toward stronger domestic assets. In Australia, private house approvals grew less than 1%, marking steady but cooling housing demand. In crypto, Ether jumped 1%, Ripple rose 1%, and Bitcoin edged up less than 1%.
On Tuesday, Markets were mixed as the Dow hit a new high, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq slipped, with weak December retail sales (flat vs roughly 0.4% expected) weighing on sentiment and pressuring retail and financial stocks. AI‑related capital spending and new AI advisory tools unsettled some financial names, though tech traded unevenly and Spotify jumped about 15% on strong results. Gold climbed above about $5,100 per ounce, near a two‑week high, as softer US data boosted expectations for roughly three Federal Reserve rate cuts this year, with central bank buying and geopolitical tensions adding support. In crypto, major tokens dropped, with Ether, Binance Coin, Ripple, and Bitcoin all down around 2–4%.
On Wednesday, stocks rose on a volatile, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq up around 0.3% and the Dow setting a record above 50,200. Strong non-farm payrolls, up about 130,000, and a lower unemployment rate highlighted a solid labor market and undercut expectations of imminent Fed easing. AI infrastructure names like Micron, Texas Instruments, and Lam Research climbed over 5%, while software firms such as Salesforce, ServiceNow, Intuit, Oracle, and Palantir slid, reflecting fears of AI-driven disruption. T‑Mobile fell roughly 5% on weak user growth and Humana dipped about 1%. The US ran a January budget deficit near $95 billion, smaller than last year. Crypto lagged, with Ether down about 3%, Bitcoin 2%, and Ripple 2%.
On Thursday, stocks fell as tech weakness erased early gains — the S&P 500 slipped 2%, the Dow 1%, and the Nasdaq 100 nearly 2%. AI-linked sectors faced renewed doubts about the profitability of massive compute spending and automation risks. Apple sank 5% in its worst drop since spring, while Amazon, Meta, Broadcom, and Palantir fell around 2%–5%. Cisco plunged over 12% on weak guidance, though defensives like Walmart (+4%) and McDonald’s (+3%) gained after earnings, and Micron rose on HBM4 chip progress. A strong jobs report kept rate-cut hopes low ahead of Friday’s CPI data. Fed Governor Stephen Miran cautioned that policy may be overly tight and advocated rate cuts to sustain growth. Bitcoin dipped less than 1%, tracking modest crypto market moves.
On Friday, stocks were flat with the S&P 500 and Dow barely moving and the Nasdaq up about 0.2%, leaving major indexes roughly 2% lower for the week as softer January inflation failed to boost risk appetite amid AI volatility. Inflation cooled as expected, keeping markets positioned for multiple Federal Reserve rate cuts this year. Big tech and chip names like Nvidia, Apple, Alphabet, Meta, and Broadcom fell around 1–2%, while software firms Salesforce and Oracle gained more than 2%, and Applied Materials and Arista Networks jumped roughly 8% and 5% after strong earnings. In crypto, Ether rose about 5%, Bitcoin 4%, and Ripple roughly 3%, leading digital‑asset gains.
On Week 8, mid‑February data will shape views on the global economy amid trade, monetary, and fiscal uncertainty. The Federal Reserve will release minutes from its latest pause, while the US reports fourth‑quarter GDP plus new income and spending figures. Canada updates inflation, and European PMIs will signal momentum in key economies. With China’s New Year holidays, attention turns to Japan’s fourth‑quarter GDP and inflation, and Australia’s central bank minutes. Earnings from Walmart, Airbus, Newmont, BHP, Palo Alto Networks, Booking, Analog Devices, Warner Bros, and Air Liquide will also guide markets.
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