Major Averages Rise Following Fed Meeting Minutes
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Feb 18 2026
0mins
Should l Buy MSFT?
The major averages finished broadly higher following the release of minutes from the latest Federal Reserve meeting, with earlier gains supported by optimism around corporate earnings, particularly in technology and select cyclical segments.According to the Fed minutes, several participants indicated that they would have "supported a two-sided description of the Committee's future interest rate decisions," reflecting the possibility of "upward adjustments" in the federal funds rate. Additionally, Fed members said that cutting rates further could be "misinterpreted" as implying diminished policymaker commitment to the 2% inflation objective.Looking to commodities, gold was sharply higher, rebounding from yesterday's losses as the "safe haven" asset continues to have a tumultuous year. Oil was also sharply higher as well.Get caught up quickly on the top news and calls moving stocks with these five Top Five lists.1. STOCK NEWS:Berkshire Hathawayin New York Timesand cut its stake in AmazonPalo Alto Networksreportedand cut its FY26 earnings outlookModernasaid the FDA willof its seasonal influenza vaccine submissionMSG Sportsisthat would separate its New York Knicks business from its New York Rangers businessmeeting show that participants see the possibility of a rate increase2. WALL STREET CALLS:Palantirto Outperform from Neutral at MizuhoBioAge Labsto Buy from Hold at JefferiesWorkdayto Market Perform at CitizensGenuine Partsto Hold from Buy at TruistWilliams TradingCrocsto Sell on eroding U.S. demand3. AROUND THE WEB:Microsoftpresident Brad Smith told CNBC that U.S. tech firms should "worry a little bit" about the subsidies their Chinese competitors receive from their government in the AI raceActivist investor Starboard Value is asking Riot Platformsto speed up its transition from Bitcoin miner to a data center company that could house hyperscaler tenants, Bloomberg saysJPMorgan Chaseintends to open over 160 branches in 30 states in 2026 as the company further invests in its brick-and-mortar network, FT reportsMicrosoftis on pace to invest $50B by the end of the decade to help AI expand to countries across the 'Global South,' specifically emerging or lower-income countries in the southern hemisphere, Reuters saysAT&Tis being sued by NYC pension funds for blocking a shareholder vote on workforce diversity disclosures, Reuters says4. MOVERS:Sabreincreases afterand naming Shawn Williams as Chief Commercial OfficerImmunitygains after the European Commissionfor AnktivaMister Car Washand Caesarshigher afterAxcelisfalls afterand providing guidance for Q1HF Sinclairlower afterand announcing the departure of CEO Tim Go5. EARNINGS/GUIDANCE:Insuletand provided guidance for FY26LCI Industries, with CEO Jason Lippert commenting, "We delivered a very strong 2025"Clean Harbors, with EPS and revenue beating consensusWingstopand provided guidance for FY26, with CEO Michael Skipworth commenting, "Our team continues to demonstrate operational excellence as we opened 493 net new restaurants and expanded into six new international markets"JLL, with EPS and revenue beating consensusINDEXES:The Dow rose 129.47, or 0.26%, to 49,662.66, the Nasdaq gained 175.25, or 0.78%, to 22,753.64, and the S&P 500 advanced 38.09, or 0.56%, to 6,881.31.
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Analyst Views on MSFT
Wall Street analysts forecast MSFT stock price to rise
34 Analyst Rating
32 Buy
2 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 392.740
Low
500.00
Averages
631.36
High
678.00
Current: 392.740
Low
500.00
Averages
631.36
High
678.00
About MSFT
Microsoft Corporation is a technology company that develops and supports software, services, devices, and solutions. Its Productivity and Business Processes segment consists of products and services in its portfolio of productivity, communication, and information services, spanning a variety of devices and platforms. It comprises Microsoft 365 Commercial products and cloud services; Microsoft 365 Consumer products and cloud services; LinkedIn, and Dynamics products and cloud services. The Intelligent Cloud segment consists of its public, private, and hybrid server products and cloud services. It comprises server products and cloud services, including Azure, and enterprise and partner services, including Enterprise Support Services. Its More Personal Computing segment primarily comprises Windows and Devices, including Windows OEM licensing; Gaming, including Xbox hardware and Xbox content; Search and news advertising, comprising Bing and Copilot, Microsoft News, and Microsoft Edge.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Technical Background and Market Trends: Meta's CTO Andrew Bosworth has previously noted that inactivity after death affects user experience, which partly informed the patent's rationale, while similar technological attempts date back to 2017 when Microsoft applied for a chatbot patent based on personal data.
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- Need for Skill Transformation: Nadella emphasizes that understanding new tools and skills is the best protection against job loss, drawing parallels to the unforeseen proliferation of personal computers, suggesting that AI will similarly transform the workforce, requiring proactive adaptation from employees.
- Widespread Impact Warning: Anthropic engineer Boris Cherny cautions that the shift will extend to nearly all computer-related jobs, with many workers facing a painful transition, particularly those who are disengaged or idly sitting in their roles, making them ripe for disruption.
- Social Control and Technology Acceptance: Nadella notes that rapid waves of unemployment will be challenging, but political systems and elections provide society with control over outcomes, asserting that the public will not accept technology that fails to deliver broad benefits.
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- Market Reaction: Dow E-minis fell by 494 points (1.01%), S&P 500 E-minis dropped by 72.5 points (1.05%), and Nasdaq 100 E-minis decreased by 332.75 points (1.33%), reflecting investor anxiety about the future economic outlook amid geopolitical tensions.
- Airline Stocks Hit: Travel and airline stocks suffered significantly due to flight cancellations and closures of Middle Eastern airspace, with rising jet fuel costs adding to investor unease and exacerbating market volatility.
- Fed Policy Outlook: As inflation readings continue to pile up, expectations for the Fed to raise interest rates have strengthened, particularly given the increasing divisions among Fed officials regarding the path of rates, prompting investors to closely monitor upcoming economic data.
See More
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- Credit Worthiness of SoftBank Group: S&P has indicated that the credit worthiness of SoftBank Group is likely to deteriorate.
- Investment Assets Impact: The decline in credit worthiness is expected to affect the value of SoftBank's investment assets.
See More
S&P Warns That SoftBank Group's Investment Portfolio Liquidity Will Decline Due to Increased Stake in OpenAI.
- Impact on SoftBank's Investment Portfolio: S&P indicates that the liquidity of SoftBank Group's investment portfolio is expected to decline.
- OpenAI's Growing Influence: OpenAI now accounts for a larger share of SoftBank's investment portfolio, contributing to the anticipated worsening of liquidity.
See More
