New York, February 11, 2026, 15:38 (EST) — Regular session
- MercadoLibre shares slipped in late trading, following a volatile session that saw sharp moves earlier in the day.
- U.S. jobs numbers came in stronger than expected, sending yields higher and dampening optimism for rate cuts.
- Markets are eyeing the U.S. CPI report set for Feb. 13, with MercadoLibre’s earnings following on Feb. 24.
MercadoLibre Inc (MELI.O) slipped roughly 0.3% to $2,020 in afternoon trading Wednesday, after bouncing around in a $1,974 to $2,054 range. Shares had started the session at $2,053, not far from Tuesday’s close at $2,025.32.
Traders adjusted their rate outlooks after January’s U.S. payroll numbers landed at 130,000—well ahead of the 70,000 economists had expected in a Reuters poll—with unemployment sliding to 4.3%. Still, the figures aren’t enough to knock the prospect of a June Fed cut off the table, according to Joel Kruger, market strategist at LMAX Group. “The data trims but does not derail expectations for a June Fed cut,” he said. Reuters
This is hitting MercadoLibre, which moves like a growth stock these days. Higher bond yields? Investors start discounting future earnings more, so pricey stocks can take a hit even if there’s no headline from the company itself.
Jobs numbers grabbed attention, but there was another big shift lurking. According to the Labor Department, employment growth over the 12 months ending March 2025 was actually 862,000 jobs lower than previously reported. That’s from their annual “benchmark” update, which matches up payroll figures to more complete employer data. This year’s change? The 2025 job gain now shows just 181,000, down sharply from the original 584,000. Reuters
Inflation’s up next on the macro docket. The Bureau of Labor Statistics drops its January CPI report at 8:30 a.m. EST, Friday, Feb. 13—a data release known for jolting yields and reshaping risk appetite almost instantly.
MercadoLibre shareholders are working with a compressed timeline. The company set Feb. 24 as its tentative release date for fourth-quarter earnings.
MercadoLibre operates Latin America’s largest online marketplace, alongside its rapidly expanding payments and finance unit, Mercado Pago. Investors frequently use the stock as a proxy for trends in regional consumer spending, e-commerce commission rates, and the pace of fintech lending growth.
Traders zero in on a handful of basics: commerce volume and shipping expenses for retail, credit metrics and funding costs for the loan portfolio. If there’s stress showing up in Brazil—the company’s biggest market—the stock often reacts fast.
The risk here is simple enough: hotter inflation and stubbornly high rates put pressure on valuations before earnings even get a chance, and if credit quality slips, that could easily make things worse.
Coming up: U.S. inflation hits Friday, followed by MercadoLibre’s results and outlook set for Feb. 24.
