Market Trends 21 January 2026 - 18 February 2026

Gasoline futures jump on big U.S. stock draw as traders brace for spring pump-price season
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Gasoline futures jump on big U.S. stock draw as traders brace for spring pump-price season

U.S. gasoline futures rose 1.7% to about $2.00 a gallon Thursday after government data showed a 3.2 million barrel drop in stockpiles, far exceeding forecasts. Crude prices also climbed as traders tracked U.S.-Iran tensions. Refinery utilization hit 91%, the highest in a month. AAA reported the average U.S. pump price at $2.92 a gallon, steady from last week.
February 19, 2026
Lumentum stock jumps nearly 5% as Mizuho lifts target to $645 in AI optics trade
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Lumentum stock jumps nearly 5% as Mizuho lifts target to $645 in AI optics trade

Lumentum Holdings shares jumped 4.8% to $590 Tuesday after Mizuho raised its price target, following strong quarterly results and guidance. The company reported $665.5 million in revenue and expects $780–$830 million next quarter, with a backlog over $400 million. Peers traded mixed. Lumentum will update investors at the Optical Fiber Communication Conference on March 17.
February 17, 2026
XRP price today: Ripple token holds $1.48 as Standard Chartered slashes 2026 target
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XRP price today: Ripple token holds $1.48 as Standard Chartered slashes 2026 target

XRP held near $1.48 after Standard Chartered cut its end-2026 price target to $2.80 from $8, citing broader digital asset weakness. U.S. markets were closed for Presidents Day, with trading set to resume Tuesday. XRP traded between $1.45 and $1.51 in the past 24 hours, with $3.4 billion in volume. Investors await Federal Reserve minutes and key U.S. economic data later this week.
February 16, 2026
Natural gas price heads into Presidents’ Day week down 5% as traders track LNG flows and storage
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Natural gas price heads into Presidents’ Day week down 5% as traders track LNG flows and storage

U.S. natural gas futures settled at $3.243 per mmBtu on Friday, down 5% for the week despite a late rebound. Storage dropped by 249 bcf to 2,214 bcf, now 5.5% below the five-year average, according to EIA data. Spot prices at the Waha Hub in Texas stayed negative for a sixth day due to pipeline constraints. Traders are watching weekend weather forecasts and LNG export demand ahead of the next storage report Feb. 19.
February 14, 2026
Lithium price outlook nudges battered stocks higher as Albemarle jumps on Kemerton move
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Lithium price outlook nudges battered stocks higher as Albemarle jumps on Kemerton move

Albemarle shares climbed 4.4% to $165.93 Friday after the company reported a $455.9 million quarterly net loss and announced it will idle a processing line at its Kemerton plant in Australia. Lithium prices on the London Metal Exchange rose 0.3% to $16,590 per ton. Chile’s Cochilco expects short-term lithium prices to stay high as inventories remain low. Investors are watching Asian trading ahead of China’s Spring Festival break.
February 13, 2026
Natural gas price snaps back above $3.20 after a 3% dip as storage, warm forecasts collide
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Natural gas price snaps back above $3.20 after a 3% dip as storage, warm forecasts collide

March U.S. natural gas futures rose 1% to $3.249/mmBtu by early afternoon, rebounding from a 3% drop. The U.S. Energy Information Administration reported a storage draw of 249 Bcf, leaving inventories 130 Bcf below the five-year average. Warmer forecasts may curb demand, while output remains high. Traders await next week’s storage data and weather updates.
February 13, 2026
Zebra Technologies stock pulls back after buyback-fueled jump — what’s next for ZBRA
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Zebra Technologies stock pulls back after buyback-fueled jump — what’s next for ZBRA

Zebra Technologies shares fell 2.6% to $267.11 in early Friday trading, following a 17% surge after the company forecast 2026 sales growth of 9% to 13% and announced a $1 billion buyback. Morgan Stanley raised its price target to $323, maintaining an Equal Weight rating. Zebra posted Q4 net sales of $1.48 billion and non-GAAP EPS of $4.33, with $76 million in restructuring charges.
February 13, 2026
Lithium price ticks up in China; Albemarle, SQM climb as earnings near
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Lithium price ticks up in China; Albemarle, SQM climb as earnings near

Albemarle rose 3.2% and SQM gained 5.8% in midday New York trading as China’s spot lithium carbonate prices climbed for a third day. Sigma Lithium jumped 13.2%, while Lithium Americas slipped 1.5%. Traders are positioning ahead of Albemarle’s earnings report after the close. Shanghai Metals Market data showed battery-grade lithium carbonate at 138,483 yuan a ton, up 3% from Tuesday.
February 11, 2026
Glencore share price today: GLEN rises in London as copper firms ahead of results
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Glencore share price today: GLEN rises in London as copper firms ahead of results

Glencore shares rose 1.3% to 502.7 pence in early London trading Wednesday. Three-month copper on the LME gained 0.31% to $13,155 a tonne, while the FTSE 100 edged up 0.2%. Glencore’s $1 billion buyback programme for 2025/2026 is underway. China’s coal imports are projected to fall 5.1% in 2026 amid rising domestic output and shifts in Indonesian supply.
February 11, 2026
National Grid share price rises early as US cold snap and UK data-centre power debate sharpen focus
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National Grid share price rises early as US cold snap and UK data-centre power debate sharpen focus

National Grid shares rose 0.8% to 1,302.5 pence in early London trading Wednesday after reporting record U.S. gas deliveries during a polar vortex. The company warned high commodity costs could mean higher bills for customers. In Britain, the grid operator flagged risks from data centres built in areas without surplus power. Two senior executives bought small amounts of stock under an incentive plan.
February 11, 2026
Ethereum price tumbles, but NFT museums and creator royalties are creeping back into the story
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Ethereum price tumbles, but NFT museums and creator royalties are creeping back into the story

Ether dropped about 3% to $1,946 in early New York trading Wednesday, tracking a similar slide in bitcoin, which fell near $66,828. Large bitcoin holders bought 53,000 coins over the past week, according to Glassnode, but broader participation stayed weak. ETF outflows continued for both tokens. Ethereum supporters pointed to museum NFT pilots and creator payouts as potential sources of demand.
February 11, 2026
Memory chip prices could nearly double this quarter as TrendForce lifts DRAM forecast to 95%
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Memory chip prices could nearly double this quarter as TrendForce lifts DRAM forecast to 95%

TrendForce now expects conventional DRAM contract prices to surge 90%-95% in Q1, up from its previous 55%-60% estimate, citing ongoing AI and data center demand. NAND flash contract prices are forecast to rise 55%-60%, while enterprise SSD prices may increase 53%-58%. PC DRAM prices are projected to jump over 100% quarter-on-quarter as shortages worsen.
February 2, 2026
Average smartphone price tops $400 for the first time as premium phones lift revenue
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Average smartphone price tops $400 for the first time as premium phones lift revenue

Global smartphone revenue reached a record $135 billion in Q4 2025 as the average selling price topped $402 for the first time, according to Counterpoint Research. Shipments rose just 4%, but premium models drove higher prices. Apple captured 57% of industry revenue, while Samsung’s shipments climbed 17% but its average price fell. Analysts warn rising memory chip costs could squeeze margins in 2026.
February 1, 2026
Apple May Absorb Rising DRAM Costs for iPhone 18 Amid Price Hikes, Analysts Suggest
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Apple May Absorb Rising DRAM Costs for iPhone 18 Amid Price Hikes, Analysts Suggest

Apple plans to keep iPhone 18 prices unchanged despite surging memory and DRAM costs, sources say. Samsung and SK hynix have raised LPDDR5X RAM prices by over 80% quarter-on-quarter. Analysts expect Apple to absorb higher expenses, relying on its services division to offset the impact. The company has shifted to quarterly memory pricing talks with suppliers.
January 28, 2026
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