The Morning Bull – US Market Morning Update Monday, Feb, 16 2026

US stock futures are pointing higher this morning, with key contracts on the S&P 500 and Nasdaq up around 0.3% to 0.4%, as investors react to cooler inflation and falling bond yields. Headline US inflation is at 2.4% and core inflation, which strips out food and energy, is at 2.5%, the lowest since March 2021, indicating that the cost of living is still rising but more slowly. The 10 year US Treasury yield is near 4.07%, which effectively makes borrowing a bit cheaper. The key question now is whether potential rate cuts help rate sensitive areas like real estate and smaller companies more than they squeeze income focused bond investments.

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On The Radar

Earnings from tech, energy and financial names will share the spotlight with fresh signals from inflation and bond markets.

• Semis focus: Analog Devices (ADI) reports Q1 2026 results on Wednesday, highlighting demand trends across industrial and auto chips.
• Travel bellwether: Booking Holdings (BKNG) posts Q4 2025 numbers on Wednesday, giving a read on global travel spending.
• Security and software: Palo Alto Networks (PANW) reports Q2 2026 on Tuesday, updating views on cybersecurity budgets.
• Energy majors: Occidental Petroleum (OXY) and Devon Energy (DVN) report this week, outlining capital plans and cash return priorities.
• Rates backdrop: Softer US CPI and lower 10Y yields keep Fed policy expectations in focus for equity and bond positioning.

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This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data
and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your
financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data.
Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material.
Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned.

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