Nasdaq 100 and S&P500: Inflation Relief Fails to Lift Tech Stocks Much in US Stock Market Today

• January CPI rose 0.2% monthly and 2.4% yearly, below consensus estimates, providing the Fed breathing room but not changing rate cut expectations as inflation remains above the 2% target.
• AI-related fears triggered sector-wide selloffs: Charles Schwab down 10%, Morgan Stanley down 6%, Workday and CBRE dropped double-digits, Walt Disney fell 3%, and Netflix declined 7% for the week.
• Technical analysis shows the S&P 500's 50-day moving average at 6,895 has become key resistance, with potential downside risk to the 200-day moving average at 6,405 if 'buy the dip' strategies fail.

Market Summary: Tech Stocks Lag Despite Cooler Inflation Data

Key Inflation Data

U.S. CPI rose 0.2% in January, bringing annual inflation to 2.4%, below consensus estimates. Core CPI met expectations. Despite this positive news, major indices showed mixed performance on February 13, 2026, with the Dow and S&P 500 posting modest gains while the tech-heavy Nasdaq struggled.

Market Implications

The cooler inflation data provides the Federal Reserve modest breathing room but does not alter policy expectations—no rate cuts are anticipated. Inflation remains above the Fed's 2.0% target. The muted market response reflects lingering concerns from Thursday's sharp tech-led selloff, with investors treating the data more as relief than a bullish catalyst.

AI Disruption Fears Drive Broad Selloff

Artificial intelligence concerns triggered sector-wide selling that extended beyond software into financial services, real estate, and trucking. Major casualties this week include:

• Charles Schwab: down 10%
• Morgan Stanley: down 6%
• Workday: sharply lower
• CBRE: double-digit decline
• Netflix: down 7%
• Walt Disney: down 3%

Analysts warn AI-related credit issues could emerge from excessive capital deployment, posing systemic risks to banking and broader financial markets.

Technical Analysis

The S&P 500 faces critical resistance at its 50-day moving average (6,895.19). A failure to reclaim this level could trigger a decisive move toward the 200-day moving average at 6,404.87. The traditional "buy the dip" strategy at the 50-day may be losing effectiveness.

With earnings season concluded, investors lack fundamental catalysts, raising concerns about continued selling pressure into next week.