New York, Feb 16, 2026, 10:02 EST — The market has closed.
- Nvidia finished Friday at $182.81, off 2.2%. U.S. markets remained closed Monday for Presidents Day.
- Nvidia has shed roughly $89.7 billion in market value since the beginning of 2026, with the wider retreat in AI-related megacaps taking a toll.
- Next up for investors: Nvidia’s results and outlook, due Feb. 25.
Nvidia (NVDA.O) won’t see any trading until Tuesday, as U.S. markets take a break for Presidents Day on Monday. The chipmaker’s stock dipped 2.2% in its last session, closing out at $182.81. Volume was busy, with roughly 162 million shares moving on Friday. (AP News)
The stock’s drop comes as investors dig into the real payoff from AI expansion, wondering if the big outlays will actually deliver returns fast enough to justify these sky-high prices. Since the start of 2026, Nvidia has shed roughly $89.7 billion in market value, Reuters calculated, putting its market cap near $4.44 trillion at Friday’s close. (Reuters)
This week is cut short by the holiday, and traders are left parsing whether big tech’s latest drop is just a breather or the start of something more lasting. Nvidia’s upcoming outlook could tip the balance, since its guidance typically drives sentiment for chip stocks linked to data centers.
The Nasdaq slipped 0.22% last session while the S&P 500 managed a small gain, buoyed for a moment by softer U.S. inflation data that nudged up hopes for rate cuts. “An anchor,” is how Michael James at Rosenblatt Securities put it when talking about large-cap tech. He also described markets heading into the long weekend as being on “wobbly legs.” (Reuters)
Semiconductor names split directions Friday. Advanced Micro Devices tacked on 0.7%, but Broadcom ended down 1.8%.
Nvidia has pulled CEO Jensen Huang from next week’s India AI Impact Summit, where he was slated to appear, blaming “unforeseen circumstances” for the change. (Reuters)
Capital spending disclosures from the top AI buyers are getting close attention, with investors watching for hints that the expansion is either cooling off or costing more. Longer-term narratives have taken a back seat as focus tightens on immediate margin performance.
Still, the stock faces obvious risks. If management sticks to a cautious tone, investors may stay skeptical over whether AI infrastructure spending will deliver. And U.S. licensing restrictions haven’t budged—Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick reiterated this month that Nvidia’s H200 chip sales to China remain heavily limited. (Reuters)
Tuesday’s open will show if the cash exodus from AI megacaps continues or finally cools. Nvidia, for its part, remains squarely in the spotlight.
Nvidia is set to release its fourth-quarter and full-year fiscal 2026 earnings this Wednesday, Feb. 25. The company’s conference call begins at 5 p.m. ET, and written commentary from the CFO will follow soon after the results hit, according to Nvidia. (nvidianews.nvidia.com)
