News 18 February 2026

Bitcoin price stuck near $67,000 as Fed minutes and ETF outflows keep traders cautious
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Bitcoin price stuck near $67,000 as Fed minutes and ETF outflows keep traders cautious

Bitcoin slipped 0.2% to $67,062 in volatile U.S. trading Wednesday, while ether rose 0.6% to $1,974.90. U.S.-listed spot bitcoin ETFs have seen $8.5 billion in outflows since Oct. 10, Bloomberg reported. Riot Platforms jumped 9.4% after Starboard Value pressed for a faster move into AI data-center deals. The Federal Reserve releases meeting minutes at 2 p.m. ET.
February 18, 2026
Vertiv stock price today: VRT edges up as executives talk 800V power, liquid cooling at Barclays
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Vertiv stock price today: VRT edges up as executives talk 800V power, liquid cooling at Barclays

Vertiv shares rose about 1% Wednesday, trading near $246 after executives detailed AI data center product and capacity plans. Management reiterated 2026 margin targets despite warning of near-term inefficiencies as new capacity ramps. Vertiv’s backlog reached $15 billion, up 109% from a year ago. Investors remain focused on the pace of backlog conversion and pricing as competition intensifies.
February 18, 2026
Why Palo Alto Networks stock is down: PANW deal costs squeeze the profit outlook
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Why Palo Alto Networks stock is down: PANW deal costs squeeze the profit outlook

Palo Alto Networks shares fell 5.7% to $154.22 after the company cut its annual adjusted profit forecast to $3.65–$3.70 per share, citing higher integration costs from acquisitions. Fiscal Q2 revenue rose 15% to $2.594 billion. Acquisition-related costs jumped to $24 million from $10 million a year earlier. The company raised its revenue outlook to as much as $11.31 billion for fiscal 2026.
February 18, 2026
Exxon Mobil stock climbs as oil jumps on geopolitics — here’s what traders watch next
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Exxon Mobil stock climbs as oil jumps on geopolitics — here’s what traders watch next

Exxon Mobil shares climbed 2.5% to $149.83 by late morning Wednesday as crude prices rebounded. Brent rose 2.9% to $69.38 a barrel after Russia-Ukraine talks broke down and U.S.-Iran tensions persisted. Exxon said its Guyana gas pipeline is ready but needs more local demand; parts of the Stabroek Block remain under force majeure due to a border dispute. Mobil Oil Australia was fined A$16 million for misleading fuel claims.
February 18, 2026
Walmart stock price slides in New York trade as earnings, CEO outlook near
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Walmart stock price slides in New York trade as earnings, CEO outlook near

Walmart shares slipped 1.1% to $127.43 in New York trading Wednesday, underperforming a rising S&P 500. Options markets are pricing in a 5% swing after Thursday’s earnings, the first annual forecast under new CEO John Furner. Leadership changes include David Guggina, a former Amazon executive, taking over Walmart U.S. Fourth-quarter revenue is expected at $190.43 billion, according to LSEG data.
February 18, 2026
Oracle stock price rises as Michigan data-center power deal and Fed minutes keep ORCL in play
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Oracle stock price rises as Michigan data-center power deal and Fed minutes keep ORCL in play

Oracle shares rose 1.2% to $155.86 by late morning Wednesday after an early dip. DTE Energy announced a long-term deal to supply 1.4 gigawatts of power to Oracle’s planned Michigan data center. Investors focused on Oracle’s funding plans and capital spending as markets awaited Federal Reserve minutes. A securities class action seeks damages for Oracle shareholders over alleged risks tied to AI-related spending.
February 18, 2026
Eli Lilly stock slips even after Zepbound-Taltz psoriasis data; investors eye what’s next for LLY
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Eli Lilly stock slips even after Zepbound-Taltz psoriasis data; investors eye what’s next for LLY

Eli Lilly shares dropped 1.8% to $1,017.86 by late morning Wednesday, underperforming the S&P 500. The company reported late-stage trial data showing its Zepbound-Taltz combination improved skin and weight outcomes in psoriasis patients versus Taltz alone. Investors remain cautious about Lilly’s ability to expand use-cases and defend pricing as competition increases.
February 18, 2026
Microsoft stock steadies near $400 as AI spending pledge lands ahead of Fed minutes
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Microsoft stock steadies near $400 as AI spending pledge lands ahead of Fed minutes

Microsoft shares rose 0.8% to $399.97 Wednesday morning, pushing its market value near $3.6 trillion. The company pledged $50 billion in AI investments for developing markets by 2030 at a New Delhi summit. Investors await Federal Reserve meeting minutes at 2 p.m. EST for rate clues. CFO Amy Hood recently warned higher memory-chip costs could pressure cloud margins.
February 18, 2026
SLB stock price rebounds as Equinor awards OneSubsea North Sea upgrade — what to watch next
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SLB stock price rebounds as Equinor awards OneSubsea North Sea upgrade — what to watch next

SLB shares rose 2.6% to $51.14 in morning trading Wednesday after its OneSubsea joint venture won a subsea upgrade contract from Equinor for Norway’s Gullfaks field. Oilfield services stocks climbed as crude jumped nearly 3% following stalled Russia-Ukraine peace talks and renewed U.S.-Iran tensions. Investors are watching for U.S. inventory data and SLB’s conference appearances for further direction.
February 18, 2026
Lumentum stock price rises in New York after Mizuho lifts target to $645 — here’s what’s next
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Lumentum stock price rises in New York after Mizuho lifts target to $645 — here’s what’s next

Lumentum shares rose 1.2% to $607.53 Wednesday after Mizuho raised its price target to $645, citing strong AI-networking demand. The stock hit $615.26 earlier in the session. Lumentum recently reported Q2 revenue of $665.5 million and forecast Q3 revenue of $780 million to $830 million. Investors are watching upcoming events, including the OFC conference on March 17.
February 18, 2026
Applied Materials stock rises in regular session as chip tools rally; AMAT investors eye March talks
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Applied Materials stock rises in regular session as chip tools rally; AMAT investors eye March talks

Applied Materials shares climbed about 3% to $369.78 Wednesday morning, tracking gains across semiconductor stocks. The move followed last week’s upbeat forecast citing AI-driven investment. Management will speak at Morgan Stanley and Cantor Fitzgerald investor conferences in early March. Investors are watching for updates on chip equipment demand and any impact from the company’s $252 million U.S. export settlement.
February 18, 2026
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