Your Weekly Market Wrap-Up

16th - 20th February 2026

Global Highlights

U.S. Markets

U.S. equity indices recouped most of the prior week’s losses, even as economic growth slowed more than expected toward the end of 2025. The market reacted positively after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to overturn the Trump administration’s broad global tariffs. However, the decision did not clarify whether the government is required to refund tariff revenues already collected.

European Markets

European indices posted solid weekly gains, driven by improved earnings expectations, broadly supportive macroeconomic data, and investors’ efforts to diversify away from the technology-heavy U.S. market. In the UK, CPI inflation eased to 3.0% year over year in January—its lowest level in nearly a year.

Asian Markets

Japanese equities recorded modest declines as GDP growth in the final quarter fell short of expectations. While markets in China were closed for the Lunar New Year, the International Monetary Fund noted that China has shown resilience to economic shocks, while highlighting rising challenges to its traditional growth model. The IMF forecasts China’s economy to expand by 4.5% in 2026.

Weekly Spotlights

On February 20, the U.S. Supreme Court invalidated the IEEPA-based tariffs imposed on global trading partners. The U.S. administration responded promptly, signalling its intention to invoke Section 122 to impose a uniform 10% tariff across all trading partners, while using the following 150 days to conduct additional trade-related investigations. From a market standpoint, the uncertainty surrounding the Supreme Court’s tariff ruling has now been removed.

Market Performance

Weekly market performance by asset
Asset Name	Weekly Closing Level	Weekly % Return
S&P 500	6,909.51	1.07%
DJIA (Dow Jones)	49,625.97	0.25%
Nasdaq Composite	22,886.07	1.51%
Nikkei 225	56,825.70	-1.19%
FTSE 100	10,686.89	2.30%
Shanghai Composite	4,082.07	0.00%
Sensex (BSE)	82,814.71	0.23%
ADX Index (UAE)	10,608.80	-0.26%
Gold	5,080.90	0.83%
Brent Oil (USD/bbl)	71.76	5.92%

Outlook

Looking ahead, a slightly looser Federal Reserve stance, modest fiscal stimulus from the new tax bill, receding tariff uncertainty, and steady economic growth—alongside accelerating earnings in the broader market—create conditions for market leadership to broaden, with cyclical sectors, small‑ and mid‑cap equities, value strategies, and international markets trading near their historical average valuations and well positioned to benefit from improved liquidity.

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Disclaimer

This commentary is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. For detailed insights, contact our investment team.