Equities Mixed After CPI Data; Wall Street Sees Worst Week Since November

04:46 PM EST, 02/13/2026 (MT Newswires) -- US equity benchmarks ended mixed on Friday as traders evaluated inflation data, capping Wall Street's worst week since November.

The Nasdaq Composite fell 0.2% to 22,546.7, extending losses to a fourth consecutive day. The S&P 500 and the Dow Jones Industrial Average edged up 0.1% each to settle at 6,836.2 and 49,500.9, respectively. Seven of the 11 sectors posted gains, led by utilities, while communication services saw the biggest drop.

Stock and bond markets will be closed Monday for the Presidents' Day holiday.

In economic news, US consumer inflation eased last month, with core price growth marking the slowest pace in nearly five years, Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed Friday.

"While price pressures remain nominally elevated, there is little evidence of a sustained acceleration in inflation," Stifel Chief Economist Lindsey Piegza said in a report. "Still, the lack of downward improvement in cost pressures back down to the (Federal Reserve's) 2% target coupled with a modest strengthening in labor market conditions at the start of the year and stronger than expected growth in the second half of last year, should leave the (Federal Open Market Committee) firmly affixed on the sidelines."

Markets widely expect the Fed to keep its benchmark lending rate steady for the second consecutive policy meeting in March, according to the CME FedWatch tool.

"Unless inflation unexpectedly decelerates or the labor market deteriorates, there is little justification let alone a sense of urgency to further adjust policy from here," Piegza said.

This week, the Nasdaq dropped 2.1%, while the Dow lost 1.2%. The S&P declined 1.4% for the week and turned negative for the year. The three indexes marked their biggest weekly declines since mid-November.

"Recent trading has been marked by outsized cross-sector moves, reflecting a growing 'sell now, ask later' mindset, as markets attempt to price in the disruptive reach of (artificial intelligence)," Saxo Bank Head of Commodity Strategy Ole Hansen said in a Friday report. "Investors have rotated away from previously dominant winners -- including several of the 'Mag 7' technology giants -- into other sectors and, in some cases, away from US equities altogether."

US Treasury yields were lower, with the 10-year rate last down 5.1 basis points at 4.05% and the two-year rate dropping 4.6 basis points to 3.42%.

In company news, Constellation Brands (STZ) shares slumped 8%, the worst performers on the S&P 500. The beer and wine company's appointment of Nicholas Fink as chief executive is neutral to slightly negative and could have "sizable implications" for it, Deutsche Bank said in a note e-mailed Friday.

iPhone maker Apple's (AAPL) shares fell 2.3%, while chipmaking giant Nvidia (NVDA) dropped 2.2%, both among the steepest declines on the Dow.

Applied Materials (AMAT) shares jumped 8.1%, the second-top gainer on the S&P 500. The semiconductor equipment maker late Thursday issued an upbeat fiscal second-quarter outlook at the midpoint and reported better-than-expected results for the prior three-month period.

Moderna (MRNA) reiterated its full-year revenue growth outlook Friday, while the drugmaker posted better-than-projected results for the fourth quarter. The company's shares climbed 5.3%.

Magna International's (MGA) US-listed shares surged nearly 19% as the Canadian auto parts supplier issued a 2026 outlook above Wall Street's projections following higher-than-expected quarterly results.

West Texas Intermediate crude oil was last up 0.1% at $62.75 a barrel.

Gold rose 2.1% to $5,054 per troy ounce, while silver gained 1.8% to $77.02 per ounce.

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