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Stock Markets February 19, 2026

U.S. equities close lower as Financials, Consumer Services and Tech drag markets down

Dow slips 0.54% while breadth shows more decliners than advancers on NYSE; mixed extremes among individual stocks across major exchanges

By Derek Hwang VZ CAT PG SHW
U.S. equities close lower as Financials, Consumer Services and Tech drag markets down
VZ CAT PG SHW

U.S. stock indexes finished lower on Thursday with the Dow Jones Industrial Average leading the losses, retreating 0.54% by the close in New York. The S&P 500 and NASDAQ Composite also ended the session lower. Weakness in the Financials, Consumer Services and Technology sectors helped push the broader market down, while individual large-cap names and small-cap issues showed wide dispersion, producing both multi-percentage gains and steep declines on the day.

Key Points

  • Major U.S. indexes closed lower: Dow -0.54%, S&P 500 -0.28%, NASDAQ -0.31%.
  • Market breadth on the NYSE showed more decliners than advancers (1394 to 1329); Nasdaq had more advancers (1698) than decliners (1613).
  • Notable individual moves included Omnicom +15.41%, Deere +11.61% (all-time high), EPAM -17.01% (five-year low), and Moleculin Biotech -44.28% (all-time low).

U.S. equity markets ended Thursday's session to the downside, with several sectors registering notable weakness and a number of individual issues experiencing outsized moves in both directions.

At the close on the NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.54%. The S&P 500 slipped 0.28%, and the NASDAQ Composite dropped 0.31%.

Top and bottom movers on the Dow

  • Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:VZ) was the best performer on the Dow, climbing 1.23% or 0.59 points to finish at 48.64.
  • Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) advanced 1.14% or 8.56 points to close at 760.53.
  • Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) added 1.08% or 1.70 points to end at 158.56.
  • Sherwin-Williams Co (NYSE:SHW) led decliners on the Dow, slipping 2.23% or 8.15 points to 357.61.
  • Boeing Co (NYSE:BA) dropped 2.18% or 5.22 points to finish at 233.71.
  • Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS) fell 1.83% or 17.08 points to 916.65.

S&P 500 extremes

  • Omnicom Group Inc (NYSE:OMC) led the S&P 500 advancers, up 15.41% to 80.97.
  • Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) climbed 11.61% to settle at 662.18.
  • Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) gained 9.38% to close at 51.53.
  • EPAM Systems Inc (NYSE:EPAM) was the weakest S&P 500 name, down 17.01% to 139.16.
  • Pool Corporation (NASDAQ:POOL) lost 14.52% to 218.25.
  • Booking Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:BKNG) fell 6.15% to 4,007.47.

NASDAQ standouts

  • Dermata Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:DRMA) surged 51.83% to 1.94.
  • ABPRO Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:ABP) rose 39.40% to 0.81.
  • Namib Minerals (NASDAQ:NAMM) jumped 37.12% to 3.62.
  • Moleculin Biotech Inc (NASDAQ:MBRX) tumbled 44.28% to 2.68.
  • Davis Commodities Ltd (NASDAQ:DTCK) declined 31.18% to 0.13.
  • DirectBooking Technology Co Ltd (NASDAQ:ZDAI) fell 27.25% to 5.30.

Across exchanges, declining issues outnumbered advancers on the New York Stock Exchange by 1394 to 1329, with 103 names unchanged. On the Nasdaq, 1698 stocks rose, 1613 declined, and 237 finished unchanged.

Several companies hit notable price milestones during the session. EPAM Systems' shares fell to five-year lows after a 17.01% drop to 139.16. Deere & Company reached an all-time high, increasing 11.61% or 68.91 points to end at 662.18. Pool Corporation moved down to a five-year low, and Booking Holdings traded at a 52-week low after a 6.15% decline. Moleculin Biotech and Davis Commodities each fell to all-time lows during the session.

Volatility and commodities

The CBOE Volatility Index, which gauges implied volatility of S&P 500 options, rose 3.06% to 20.22.

In commodities trading, April gold futures rose 0.07% or 3.34 to 5,012.84 a troy ounce. U.S. crude oil for April delivery increased 2.06% or 1.34 to 66.39 a barrel, while the April Brent contract advanced 1.81% or 1.27 to trade at 71.62 a barrel.

Foreign exchange and dollar

In currencies, EUR/USD was essentially unchanged, moving 0.08% to 1.18, while USD/JPY increased 0.15% to 155.03. The U.S. Dollar Index futures rose 0.16% to 97.78.

The session was characterized by mixed benchmarks and a wide dispersion among individual stocks, with notable strength in a handful of names offset by steep losses elsewhere. Market breadth on the NYSE favored decliners, even as many Nasdaq names advanced. Volatility ticked higher and commodity markets showed modest gains in precious metals and crude oil.

Risks

  • Elevated share price volatility as measured by the CBOE Volatility Index, which rose 3.06% to 20.22, may increase short-term market uncertainty - impacting equities broadly.
  • Concentrated, large percentage moves in individual stocks (both gains and losses) suggest heightened idiosyncratic risk for investors in single-name positions, particularly in small-cap and biotech issues on the NASDAQ.
  • Wider sector weakness in Financials, Consumer Services and Technology contributed to the market decline, indicating sector-specific headwinds that could press valuations in those industries.

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