Noor Trends News, Technical Analysis, Educational Tools and Recommendations

February, 2026

• 19 February 2026 12:02 am

  Fed Minutes Signal Patience as Policymakers Keep Rates on Hold

  

  The latest meeting minutes from the Federal Reserve reveal a clear preference among most policymakers to keep interest rates unchanged for now, reflecting persistent uncertainty over the inflation outlook and the underlying strength of the US economy. Officials agreed that holding rates steady at this stage allows the central bank …

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• 18 February 2026 11:12 pm

  Fed Minutes Deliver a Clear Message: Rates on Hold, Policy Path Wide Open

  

  The Federal Reserve’s January 2026 policy minutes confirm a central bank committed to patience, flexibility, and data dependence. Policymakers voted 10–2 to keep the federal funds rate unchanged at 3.5%–3.75%, with two dissenters favoring a 25 basis point cut. The decision reflected a desire to evaluate the cumulative impact of …

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• 18 February 2026 10:38 pm

  Oil Surges As Markets Trade Geopolitical Headlines, Not Fundamentals

  

  Crude oil prices jumped more than 4% on Wednesday as traders reacted to heightened risks of conflict between the United States and Iran. The surge followed the conclusion of Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Geneva, which ended without progress, adding to uncertainty across global energy markets. Brent crude rose $2.80 to …

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• 18 February 2026 9:41 pm

  Explainer: Earnings Strength and Deal-Making Offset AI Cost Fears on Wall Street

  

  Wall Street closed modestly higher by the evening of February 18, 2026, as investors balanced strong corporate earnings and a revival in merger activity against lingering concerns over the rising costs of artificial intelligence. The rebound was led by technology stocks, helping markets recover from recent pullbacks and stabilizing sentiment …

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• 18 February 2026 8:32 pm

  Dow Jones Surges 300 Points Ahead of Fed Minutes as Nvidia Rallies on Meta Deal

  

  The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed roughly 300 points, or 0.65%, on Wednesday, marking the third consecutive session of gains as investors stepped back into equities following last week’s AI-driven selloff. The S&P 500 rose 0.6% and the Nasdaq Composite gained about 0.5%, led by semiconductor stocks and beaten-down mega-cap …

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• 18 February 2026 7:31 pm

  Fed Minutes in Focus as Markets Look for Clarity on Interest Rate Direction

  

  Markets are turning their attention to the release of the latest Federal Reserve meeting minutes, which are expected to provide deeper insight into the discussions behind the decision to keep interest rates unchanged at the last policy meeting. Investors are closely watching for clues about how policymakers view inflation, employment …

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• 18 February 2026 5:37 pm

  U.S. Stock Futures Rise Ahead of Fed Minutes and Fresh Earnings

  

  U.S. stock index futures traded higher on Wednesday, as investors positioned themselves ahead of the release of minutes from the Federal Reserve’s latest policy meeting and a new round of quarterly corporate earnings. At 05:15 ET (10:15 GMT), Dow Jones futures climbed 260 points, or 0.5%, S&P 500 futures advanced …

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• 18 February 2026 4:23 pm

  Lagarde May Exit ECB Early to Shape Succession Ahead of French Election, FT Reports

  

  European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde is planning to step down from her role ahead of schedule, potentially before the end of her term in October 2027, in a move that would allow French President Emmanuel Macron to influence the selection of her successor, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday. …

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• 18 February 2026 3:29 pm

  Fed Minutes in Focus as Policymakers Weigh Inflation Progress and Rate-Cut Timing

  

  Minutes from the U.S. Federal Reserve’s January 16–17 policy meeting, due for release at 2:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday, are expected to shed further light on why policymakers opted to keep interest rates unchanged last month and what conditions may be required to justify future rate cuts. At its January …

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• 18 February 2026 2:56 pm

  Bitcoin Extends Losses as U.S. Data, Fed Minutes Keep Risk Appetite Muted

  

  Bitcoin slipped further on Wednesday, extending recent losses as investors remained cautious ahead of key U.S. economic data and comments from the Federal Reserve, dampening appetite for speculative assets such as cryptocurrencies. The world’s largest cryptocurrency fell nearly 1% to $67,746.6 by 01:19 ET (06:19 GMT), offering little reaction to …

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• 18 February 2026 1:56 pm

  Nvidia and Meta Rally on Strategic AI Infrastructure Partnership as AMD

  

  Shares of Nvidia and Meta Platforms moved higher in premarket trading on Wednesday after the companies announced a multiyear strategic partnership aimed at significantly expanding Meta’s artificial intelligence infrastructure using Nvidia’s advanced technologies. Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) stock rose 1.6% in premarket trade, while Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) gained around 1%, …

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• 18 February 2026 1:23 pm

  European Stocks Advance as Earnings Impress and U.K. Inflation Cools

  

  European equity markets edged higher on Wednesday, supported by a steady stream of encouraging corporate earnings and fresh data showing a sharp slowdown in U.K. inflation, which reinforced expectations of an interest rate cut by the Bank of England. By 03:15 ET (08:15 GMT), Germany’s DAX rose 0.7%, France’s CAC …

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• 18 February 2026 11:32 am

  U.K. Inflation Drops Sharply in January, Strengthening Case for BoE Rate Cut

  

  U.K. inflation cooled more than expected in January, reinforcing expectations that the Bank of England could move to cut interest rates as early as its next policy meeting in March. Annual consumer price inflation slowed to 3.0% in January, down sharply from 3.4% in December. The December reading had marked …

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