February 19, 2026
Defensive Sectors Hold Up As Geopolitics Weigh On Us Stocks
On February 19, U.S. stocks pulled back as rising oil prices and escalating U.S.–Iran tensions weighed on risk sentiment, even as a few defensive sectors such as utilities and healthcare cushioned the decline. Standout movers included Texas Pacific Land, Insmed, Moderna, and Omnicom, which rallied on earnings and company‑specific news.