Stock Market Update Wednesday February 25, 2026
- Feb 25
- 2 min read
Stock Market Update Wednesday February 25, 2026 Equities extended their advance today, with mega-cap technology once again providing the primary upside catalyst. The S&P 500 (SPX) is now within striking distance of fresh all-time highs, supported by continued strength in AI-linked names. In after-hours trade, NVDA is up roughly 3%, lifting sentiment across index futures, with SPY and QQQ also modestly higher. That said, the software complex is showing some divergence. IGV is lower after the close, pressured by weakness in CRM (-5%), SNOW (-2%), and a sharp -16% move in TTD.
From a sector perspective, today’s rally was narrowly led by technology. Semiconductors outperformed into NVDA’s earnings release, while software attracted pre-earnings positioning ahead of key prints from CRM, SNOW, and TTD. Financials, which have faced headwinds from rate volatility and macro uncertainty, staged a meaningful rebound. XLF gained 1.7% on the session, though it remains negative week-to-date.
Score Board:
SPX +0.8%
QQQ +1.4%
IWM +0.4%
Away From Stocks: the 10-year Treasury yield ticked up modestly to 4.06%, reflecting a slight repricing higher in long-end yields. Commodities were relatively contained. Crude is holding just below $66 per barrel as markets await the upcoming U.S.–Iran meeting, a potential catalyst for supply expectations. Gold edged higher and is hovering just below 5200.
Crypto saw outsized volatility. Bitcoin rallied as high as $70,000 in the wake of NVDA’s results before retracing to $69,000, still up nearly 7% on the session. The move underscores ongoing cross-asset risk appetite tied to AI-driven equity momentum. Implied volatility compressed meaningfully. The VIX fell below 18 after hovering closer to 20 into NVDA earnings and amid geopolitical uncertainty tied to Iran. Today’s move lower signals a notable unwind of event premium and a broader improvement in short-term risk sentiment.
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