Charles Payne: This is creating an environment of anxiety

Fox Business | February 12, 2026 at 09:30 PM UTC
Bullish 85% Confidence
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Key Points

  • AAII members show a sharp increase in bearish sentiment (38.7% vs. 31.0% historical average), indicating widespread anxiety.
  • Despite strong earnings season with 'off the charts' stock responses, AI angst has wiped billions off tech stocks globally, including Indian IT stocks and US real estate service stocks.
  • Software sector fundamentals remain robust with declining P/E ratios, 'through the roof' growth, and net profit margins (26%) significantly outperforming the S&P 500 (14%).
  • Wall Street shows record high short interest in software, while retail investors are 'buying the dip' in the sector.

AI Summary

Charles Payne discusses the current market environment, highlighting a disconnect between investor anxiety driven by 'misinformation' and strong underlying fundamentals. He points to increased retail investor bearishness and AI-related angst causing global tech stock declines, yet emphasizes robust earnings, strong software growth, and high profit margins, suggesting a potential opportunity for informed investors.

Model Analysis Breakdown

Model Sentiment Confidence
Gemini 2.5 Flash Bullish 85%
Consensus Bullish 85%