NEW YORK, Feb 24, 2026, 06:41 ET — Premarket.
- Palantir slipped 3.4% Monday, with investors unloading riskier software names.
- Fresh questions around tariffs are back in focus for traders, along with a renewed tussle over which sectors could see the most upheaval from AI.
- Nvidia reports on Wednesday, setting up the next key moment for AI-related stocks.
Palantir Technologies Inc (PLTR) dropped 3.4% to $130.60 on Monday, as the stock continued to retreat with other AI-driven software names that have swung sharply both higher and lower throughout the year.
Palantir’s stock is basically a gauge for “AI software” mood swings — traders pile in for growth, toss it aside when enthusiasm cools. U.S. equities turned lower Monday, software names taking a heavy hit. Investors grew jittery over tariffs and potential fallout from AI, rotating out of risk. “The question about AI is twofold: How much is it going to cost, and who all is going to be disrupted?” said Tom Hainlin, national investment strategist at U.S. Bank Wealth Management. Reuters
Stock index futures ticked up early Tuesday, hinting at a positive open for Wall Street — but all eyes stayed glued to Washington. President Donald Trump’s temporary 10% global tariff kicked in Tuesday, following a Supreme Court decision. Not long after, he dangled the prospect of a 15% rate, offering no specifics on when it might hit. That ambiguity kept traders on edge. “The lack of clarity regarding their duration and scope keeps volatility elevated,” said Antonio Di Giacomo, senior market analyst at brokerage XS.com. Reuters
Palantir remains in focus. Earlier this month, it reported a significant rise in U.S. government revenue and put its 2026 revenue outlook at $7.18 billion to $7.20 billion. CEO Alex Karp maintained the company embeds protections in its surveillance tech to curb government abuse. Still, as eToro analyst Zavier Wong pointed out, “valuation question marks won’t disappear.” Reuters
Palantir provides data-integration and analytics tools to both governments and businesses—a setup that seems defensive at first glance, but the stock moves can be highly cyclical. When the market shifts its appetite from “the future” to “the present,” Palantir shares often take the hit.
This week, Palantir’s story isn’t the whole picture. Investors are facing a bigger question—are they still ready to shell out for software growth as tariff headlines swirl and the AI narrative faces real-world scrutiny?
The mood can swing sharply. A tougher line on tariffs, or renewed worries that AI could squeeze sector margins, might knock pricey stocks back down — and Palantir rarely moves incrementally.
Palantir holders are left weighing if Monday marked a full capitulation or just kicked off a fresh slide. Lately, the stock’s been behaving less like a bet on upcoming results and more like a proxy for risk appetite.
Nvidia will report earnings after the U.S. market wraps on Wednesday, Feb. 25, with the call scheduled for 5 p.m. ET — a moment that tends to jolt sentiment across AI-related names like Palantir.
