Rosemeyer Management Group
February 2026 Market Snapshot
February in Review
February saw another volatile month as multiple crosswinds jolted markets. The US Supreme Court ruled against President Trump’s emergency use of retaliatory tariffs last April, which muddied the waters of global trade relations moving forward. Escalating tensions in the Middle East wearied investors, and lingering concerns of artificial intelligence (AI) disruption in the tech sector led to rotation away from US mega-cap tech stocks. US indices finished the month mixed with the S&P 500 slightly lower, while the Dow and small cap indices finished slightly higher. Emerging market equities continued a strong start to the year as global growth broadened. The US bond market impressed with modest returns on falling bond yields.
| Index | 1 Month | Year-to-Date |
|---|---|---|
| Dow Jones Industrial Average | 0.31% | 2.12 % |
| Standard & Poor's 500 Average | -0.76% | 0.68% |
| Russell 2000 (Small Cap Index) | 0.80% | 6.20% |
| Total U.S. Stock Market | -0.49% | 1.13% |
| MSCI ACWI ex USA (Intl. Index) | 5.02% | 11.30% |
| Barclay's U.S. Agg. Bond Index | 1.64% | 1.75% |
Source: Morningstar
Looking Forward
After markets closed for February, armed conflict broke out in the Middle East between the U.S.-Israel
coalition and Iran. The scope and duration of the hostilities will likely define the coming weeks and months
for global markets. Investor focus rests specifically on the Strait of Hormuz – a crucial chokepoint for the
world’s oil shipments. A closure or significant disruption of oil shipping lanes could lead to increasing crude
oil prices, putting upward pressure on global inflation. Any signs of a prolonged Middle East conflict could
rattle investor sentiment, although markets thus far have remained resilient amidst the tensions. While
geopolitical risks are heightened, economic news has remained largely positive with February business
surveys pointing to continuing expansion in broad swaths of the economy. The consumer price index
signaled cooling inflation for the fourth straight month with year-over-year inflation reading at 2.35%. These
strong fundamental indicators have buoyed markets especially as skepticism over AI profitability and
expenditures has continued. Equity rotations away from mega-cap tech stocks and towards value sectors
that stand to benefit from AI infrastructure growth has led to broad market strength even while the headline
tech stocks have faltered. Investors will continue to monitor these various market influences very closely as
we move into March.
On a Personal Note
It is March! Spring is around the corner (we hope) and basketball seasons of all levels are entering their postseasons. Whether your bracket gets busted or you are rooting on your loved ones at the
high school and collegiate level, this time of year can be “madness.” We wish all local teams the best of luck as they seek to make deep postseason runs. We also want to congratulate all local wrestlers who have finished or are nearing the end of their season!
Rosemeyer Management Group
Advisory services offered through RMG Wealth Management LLC
i JPMorgan.com, March 2, 2026
Past performance doesn’t guarantee future results. The views and material presented in these materials were created and intended to provide background assistance and education. No product or service is offered in connection with the dissemination of this information, and no recommendation regarding the purchase or sale of any security is made, intended or should be implied by these materials.
