Wall Street demonstrated a positive trajectory on Wednesday as investors digested fourth-quarter earnings results alongside fresh economic data. All major indexes—the Nasdaq Composite, S&P 500, and Dow Jones Industrial Average—closed higher, reflecting an optimistic market sentiment.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 0.6%, gaining 307.65 points to settle at 49,482.15. Among the 30 components of the index, 13 were in the green, while 17 faced declines. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite climbed by 1.3%, surging 288.40 points to finish at 23,152.08. The S&P 500 also saw gains, increasing by 0.8% to close at 6,946.13. In the sector performance of the S&P 500, five out of the 11 broad sectors registered gains, while six moved downward. Notable performers included the Information Technology Select Sector SPDR (XLK), which increased by 1.8%, and the Financials Select Sector SPDR (XLF) with a 1.7% rise. In contrast, the Industrials Select Sector SPDR (XLI) fell by 0.8%.
Investor anxiety appeared to lessen, as evidenced by the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX), which decreased by 8.3%, closing at 17.93. Trading volume reached 17.50 billion shares, below the 20-session average of 20.27 billion. The S&P 500 posted 50 new 52-week highs and nine new lows, while the Nasdaq Composite recorded 127 new highs against 94 new lows.
In corporate news, several companies reported their fourth-quarter results. United Therapeutics Corporation announced adjusted earnings of $7.7 per share, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $6.78, although its revenues of $790.2 million fell short of the consensus by 1.88%. Following the news, shares of United Therapeutics rose by 13%.
Meanwhile, Photronics, Inc. reported adjusted earnings of $0.61 per share, exceeding the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $0.54. Its revenues of $225.07 million also surpassed expectations, contributing to a notable 14.7% increase in its stock price. Conversely, Owens Corning fell by 2.5% after reporting adjusted earnings of $1.1 per share, which missed the consensus estimate of $1.33, alongside revenues of $2.14 billion that also fell short of expectations.
In the realm of economic indicators, a government report highlighted that U.S. commercial crude oil inventories (excluding those in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve) saw a significant increase of 16 million barrels for the week ending February 20, 2026. This contrasts with the previous week’s revised decrease of 9 million barrels.
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