New York, Feb 24, 2026, 05:44 EST — Premarket
- Morgan Stanley shares last traded at $166.80, down 4.8% from the prior close
- The bank filed an S-3 shelf registration statement covering up to $200 billion of securities
- Traders are watching tariff headlines, rate talk and Nvidia’s results this week
Morgan Stanley shares were little changed in premarket trading on Tuesday after the bank filed a shelf registration that would allow it to sell up to $200 billion of securities over time. The stock last traded at $166.80.
The filing lands after a rough Monday for U.S. stocks, when investors sold risk and dumped financials along with much of the market. A Reuters report cited renewed tariff uncertainty and fresh anxiety about how quickly new AI tools could disrupt business models. (Reuters)
That matters for Morgan Stanley because the firm’s earnings can swing with markets — trading volumes, dealmaking appetite and client risk-taking tend to fade when volatility turns ugly. The stock is also a bellwether for the wider U.S. investment bank group when fear moves from tech to everything else.
A shelf filing is often plumbing, not a siren. It gives companies flexibility to issue debt or equity later, without saying when or how much will actually come to market.
Rates are another pressure point. In a Reuters column, Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic said renewed inflation would be “super concerning” and that “you’d have to have hikes on the table.” (Reuters)
On Monday’s tape, Morgan Stanley fell 4.9%, underperforming some large-cap peers in a broad slide for banks and brokers. Goldman Sachs dropped 3.3% and Wells Fargo fell 4.0%, according to MarketWatch’s market data recap. (MarketWatch)
Morgan Stanley’s filing covers a grab bag — debt, units, warrants, purchase contracts and stock — and also securities from its finance subsidiary with the parent guaranteeing payments, the prospectus shows.
But the downside case is easy to sketch. If tariff threats turn into policy and growth expectations wobble, corporate deal flow can slow and markets revenue can get choppy; any large equity raise in that kind of tape would likely weigh on the stock.
Investors also have a very large AI signpost this week. Nvidia reports on Wednesday, and Reuters said the results are being treated as a key test for the broader AI trade after the recent shakeout. (Reuters)
Beyond earnings, traders are looking to the next big macro markers: February jobs data on March 6 and the Fed’s March 17–18 meeting, after Fed Governor Christopher Waller said stronger hiring could tilt him toward a policy pause. (Reuters)
