New York, Feb 15, 2026, 13:55 EST — The market has closed.
- Goldman Sachs shares barely budged in the previous session, following news that the bank’s chief legal officer plans to step down on June 30.
- With U.S. markets shut Monday for Presidents Day, banks and brokers are heading into a shortened trading week.
- Traders eye the Epstein document releases for possible ripple effects, while also tuning in to the Fed’s next policy cues.
Goldman Sachs stock finished Friday just barely higher, inching up under 0.1% to close at $905.14. Shares moved between $869.80 and $908.35 during the session, with news circulating that chief legal officer Kathryn Ruemmler is set to retire June 30. (SEC)
This shakeup hits at a sensitive moment: the chief legal officer runs point on a big bank’s compliance and reputation shields, and now there’s renewed heat over Jeffrey Epstein. According to Reuters, Justice Department records just made public reveal Ruemmler took gifts from Epstein and counseled him on how to deal with press questions about his crimes. (Reuters)
The timing bumps up against a long weekend. Per the exchange’s holiday calendar, the New York Stock Exchange will shut on Monday, Feb. 16 for Washington’s Birthday. (New York Stock Exchange)
David Solomon, the chief executive, told CNBC he “reluctantly accepted” Ruemmler’s resignation, adding that she described the ongoing coverage as “noise and distraction” for the firm. According to Solomon, the situation made her job tougher, and she ultimately decided it was the right moment to leave. (Reuters)
The Associated Press says Ruemmler plans to step down at the end of June, following a Justice Department release of emails that highlighted her ties to Epstein—along with gifts she accepted from him. Those revelations have thrown a spotlight on potential issues with Goldman’s conflict and gift rules. (AP News)
Trading in Goldman shares got volatile fast. Early Friday, the stock tumbled and pulled the Dow lower, with Goldman one of the hardest hit, according to MarketWatch. Later, shares managed to pare back much of those losses. (MarketWatch)
Investors paused after softer U.S. inflation numbers, yet the market tape dragged heading into the holiday, with all three major indexes chalking up their heftiest weekly drops since November, Reuters reported. “We’ve been on wobbly legs a couple of weeks now and with the three-day weekend approaching, it’s not surprising,” said Michael James of Rosenblatt Securities. (Reuters)
Goldman’s news lands as deal-making remains turbulent. A number of firms have scaled back or pushed out their U.S. IPO timelines for 2026, wary of volatile markets pressuring valuations. Yet, Goldman analysts—cited by Reuters—still point to more listings on tap this year, even as the recent software sector selloff spotlights risks around pricing. (Reuters)
The risk on the other side isn’t complicated: reputation issues don’t tend to resolve neatly or quickly. Should the Justice Department’s Epstein files reveal additional information, the bank might find itself under fresh scrutiny from clients and counterparties—regardless of whether anyone can immediately gauge the financial toll. (Financial Times)
Next up for investors: they’ll get their first real look at market sentiment when U.S. trading resumes Tuesday. Eyes then jump to the Federal Reserve’s Jan. 27–28 meeting minutes, slated for release at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 18. Those minutes could easily sway rate bets and send bank stocks moving. (Federal Reserve)
