Thursday, February nineteenth, 2026
Now we have an honest quantity of grist for the inventory market mill this morning, with key earnings stories becoming a member of key financial information. Pre-market indexes have slid into the purple from early-morning highs, however are leveling off at the moment: the Dow is -133 factors, -0.27%, the S&P 500 -19, -0.28%, the Nasdaq -92, -0.37% and the small-cap Russell 2000 -10, -0.39%.
Jobless Claims Stay Traditionally Low
Thursday morning Weekly Jobless Claims are out once more forward of right this moment’s open, with an Preliminary Jobless Claims headline of 206K under the 223K anticipated and the marginally upwardly revised 229K from the earlier week. At present’s headline is the bottom tally since early January, which was the newest time we submerged under 200K new jobless claims.
Persevering with Claims ratcheted up barely from the prior week (Persevering with Claims are reported per week in arrears from Preliminary Claims) to 1.869 million — nonetheless an traditionally low quantity, however greater than the downwardly revised 1.852 million the earlier week. Take into accout we have been in a spread between 1.90-1.98 million longer-term jobless claims for many of 2025.
U.S. Commerce Deficit Deepens Unexpectedly
Additionally this morning, the U.S. Commerce Deficit was up to date. This headline sank to -$70.3 billion, a lot decrease than the -$56.0 billion analysts have been in search of — although nonetheless roughly half of the place we have been again in March of final 12 months, straight forward of tariff initiatives. The near-term low on the deficit was -$28.75 billion again in October, which was the slimmest headline in 16 years.
Relatedly, Retail Inventories got here in flat for December , down from the +0.1% analysts have been anticipating however up from the -0.5% reported for the prior months. Wholesale Inventories, in the meantime, reached expectations of +0.2%, which was the place we have been within the November print, as effectively. Take into accout, these figures are from far sufficient in the past we can’t disregard holiday-season distortions.
Philly Fed Posts Two-Straight Up-Months
In the meantime, the regional manufacturing survey in and round Philadelphia, higher generally known as Philly Fed, reached 16.3 for the month of February. That is roughly double expectations and the best we’d seen since September of final 12 months. Over the previous six months, we’ve seen three in constructive territory and three adverse, with the primary back-to-back Philly Fed features since March of 2025.
Earnings Replace, at a Look: Walmart, Deere & Etsy
Walmart WMT misplaced its title of America’s High Retailer this morning (to Amazon.com) however nonetheless posted gentle beats on high and backside strains in its This autumn report this morning. Earnings of 74 cents beat by a stable penny, whereas revenues of $190.66 billion have been up 12 months over 12 months and beat expectations by +0.32%.
The corporate, reporting for the primary time beneath CEO John Furner, did specific issues about tariff prices going ahead, however shares are up +1% in early buying and selling, including to the +13.7% features 12 months up to now. For extra on WMT’s earnings, click on right here.
John Deere & Co. DE posted robust surprises in its fiscal Q1 report this morning, with earnings of $2.42 per share on $8 billion in quarterly revenues outpacing estimates by +26% and +5.2%, respectively. Full-year steering was additionally raised for the heavy equipment producer, with its inventory transferring up one other +6% forward of right this moment’s open, including to its +27.4% progress 12 months up to now. For extra on DE’s earnings, click on right here.
Craft e-commerce staple Etsy ETSY carried out effectively in its This autumn report this morning, beating on earnings by 4 cents to 92 cents per share on revenues of $881.64 million a smidge forward of expectations. Shares have rocketed up +21.23% in early buying and selling, pushing the inventory into constructive territory 12 months up to now, after having bought off -20.6% up to now in 2026. For extra on ETSY’s earnings, click on right here.
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Zacks’ Analysis Chief Names “Inventory Most Prone to Double”
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