Hi there,

Important Reminder: US markets closed on Monday.

Yesterday, Friday, February 13, 2026, Wall Street closed a volatile week on a mixed note as investors balanced cooling inflation data against persistent "AI anxiety" in the technology sector. While the Dow and S&P 500 managed marginal gains, the Nasdaq edged lower as a "sell first, ask later" mentality continued to grip mega-cap tech names.

📉 Active Option Trade Tracker

Our active positions remain in a very strong position as we head toward the final stretch of February. We have seen excellent stability in our breakeven cushions.

• TLT Feb 20th Short $86 Put: ROI +0.84%.
• US 500 Feb 27th Short 6400 Put (IG): ROI +1.39%.
• XSP Feb 27th $640 Short Put (IBKR): ROI +0.59%.

No action required on any of these trades. We are letting them run to expiry, where we remain on track to achieve our full target ROIs. Both the US 500 and XSP trades currently sit 6.5% above breakeven with a 94% probability of profit.

New Risk Management Course

Following our recent members' meeting and our deep dive into 'Black Swan' events, I’ve built a specific risk management course to protect your capital. Whether you're trading XSP on IBKR or US 500 on IG Index, this module is essential for anyone running non-cash-secured puts. It outlines our institutional Triple-Lock Defense, showing you exactly how to use the 200-DMA and VIX 35 levers to survive the 'Waterfalls' that wipe out most leveraged traders. Don't wait for the next gap-down to test your strategy—get the survival kit now.

📋 Long-Term Buy Watchlist Update

We continue to stay disciplined with our entries, letting the recent sector rotation bring quality names down to our preferred valuation levels.

• DELL, NVDA & AMD: These remain at the top of our list. After a difficult week for semiconductors, these leaders are nearing critical support zones where we anticipate adding them to our long-term buy-and-hold portfolio.
• New Additions to Watchlist: MSFT, NFLX, AMZN, and MA (Mastercard). We are expanding our focus to these quality compounders as the market re-prices growth expectations.
• Wait & See: For CRM, PYPL, and ORCL, we remain on the sidelines. We are looking for these stocks to stabilize and form a solid base before we commit capital.

📅 Market Review for Friday, February 13, 2026

Overview: The headline Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose just 0.2% in January, bringing the annual rate down to 2.4%—the slowest pace in nearly a year. While this initially sparked a rally, it was quickly dampened by a fresh wave of "AI panic" that saw investors rotate out of high-multiple tech leaders and into defensive sectors like Industrials and Healthcare.

🏛️ FX & Crypto Review

• Bitcoin (BTC): Rose to $68,733, showing some resilience after a mid-week dip.
• EUR/USD: Rose to 1.1883 as the cooling inflation data boosted hopes for a Fed rate cut, weakening the Dollar.
• XRP: Traded near $1.38, consolidating with the broader altcoin market.

📈 Major Indices & Commodities

• S&P 500: Gained +0.05%, closing at 6,836.17.
• Dow Jones Industrial Average: Edged up +0.10%, closing at 49,500.93.
• Nasdaq Composite: Slipped -0.22%, finishing at 22,546.67.
• Gold: Surged +2.48% to $5,043.92 per ounce as investors sought a safe haven from tech volatility.
• Silver: Bounced +2.98% to settle at $77.40 per ounce.
• WTI Crude Oil: Settled virtually flat at $62.81 per barrel.

📊 Specific Stock Performance (Verified Closing Prices)

• COIN (Coinbase): Up +16.46% ($205.15). The standout winner following a massive earnings beat and strong subscription growth.
• AMAT (Applied Materials): Up +8.08% ($212.44). Hit an all-time high after providing a very bullish outlook for 2026.
• DELL (Dell Technologies): Down -0.55% ($114.52). Watchlist: Holding steady while enterprise software names face heavier selling.
• NVDA (Nvidia): Down -2.23% ($182.78). Watchlist: Pressure continues as the AI trade becomes more selective.
• NFLX (Netflix): Down -3.09% ($86.12). New Watchlist: We are watching this pullback closely for a long-term entry point.

📞 Strategy Call Assistance

If you require assistance with trade setup, risk management, or strategy review, please schedule a strategy call.

• PREMIUM Plan Members: Strategy calls are included in your plan.
• All Other Members: Strategy calls can be scheduled at a rate of €100 per half hour.

Happy Investing

Share Navigator Support

www.sharenavigator.ie