Market Summary: What Happened Yesterday and What Awaits Us Today, February 26:

Wall Street rises for the second session… and gold continues its upward trend amid market anticipation

US stock indices ended Wednesday’s session higher for a second consecutive day, supported largely by technology shares as investors positioned themselves ahead of Nvidia’s highly anticipated earnings report. The results are widely expected to provide fresh signals on the strength and sustainability of the artificial intelligence investment cycle.

The Nasdaq Composite led the gains, rising 1.3%, while the S&P 500 advanced 0.8% and the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.6%. The positive momentum follows sharp volatility earlier in the week driven by concerns over a potential slowdown in AI-sector growth and continued uncertainty surrounding US trade policy.

Nvidia shares moved higher ahead of the earnings release, reflecting investor expectations that the company’s outlook could significantly influence the broader technology sector, given its central role in AI chip development. Salesforce also rose ahead of its results, while earnings season more broadly produced mixed reactions, with some companies posting strong gains and others facing declines due to disappointing forecasts.

Advanced Micro Devices shares slipped after strong gains in the previous session, which had been supported by news of an AI-related computing partnership with Meta Platforms.

Elsewhere, Bitcoin recovered toward the $69,000 level after briefly dipping below $64,000 overnight, suggesting improving risk appetite. The yield on the 10-year US Treasury note rose to around 4.05%, a level closely watched for its impact on borrowing costs and equity valuations.

In commodities, gold edged higher, silver posted stronger gains, oil prices softened slightly, and the US dollar weakened modestly against major currencies.

Market outlook

Investor attention now turns squarely to Nvidia’s earnings and forward guidance. A strong outlook could reinforce bullish sentiment around AI-driven growth, while weaker signals may revive caution, particularly given ongoing trade tensions and rising bond yields.