U.S. stocks rebounded in Tuesday’s session after Monday’s selloff, with the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) leading as investors rotated back into software and select megacap tech while crypto bounced sharply. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) closed at 6,890.07 (+52.32, +0.77%) and the Dow (^DJI) ended at 49,174.50 (+370.44, +0.76%) in the most recent completed U.S. session (Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026), according to verified Yahoo Finance data (fetched 14:00 UTC Feb. 25). CNBC also framed the move as a comeback led by software stocks.
Key Takeaways:
- You’ll get the verified closes for Tuesday’s U.S. session (Feb. 24) across the S&P 500 (^GSPC), Nasdaq (^IXIC), and Dow (^DJI), plus what drove the intraday reversal.
- You’ll see where the biggest single-name volatility showed up (Keysight (KEYS) +23.05%, ImmunityBio (IBRX) +17.50%) and how to frame those moves heading into the next catalyst.
- You’ll leave with a practical “what to watch next” map: earnings (DPZ, OKE, D, FANG), policy/geopolitics (U.S.–Iran talks), and AI-cycle headlines (Nvidia (NVDA), AMD (AMD), Oracle (ORCL)).
Prerequisites: You should be comfortable separating confirmed closing data (verified market data) from narrative drivers in headlines. You’ll also want a basic process for tracking earnings dates and guidance (your broker calendar + issuer releases) because several of the biggest moves this week are earnings-driven.
Market Overview
In the most recent completed U.S. session (Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026), all three major averages finished higher:
| Index (Feb. 24, 2026 close) | Close | Change | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| S&P 500 (^GSPC) | 6,890.07 | +52.32 | +0.77% |
| Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) | 22,863.68 | +236.41 | +1.04% |
| Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) | 49,174.50 | +370.44 | +0.76% |
Range data underscored how “two-way” Tuesday remained despite the positive close: the Nasdaq (^IXIC) traded from 22,528.26 to 22,895.48, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) ranged from 6,815.43 to 6,899.17 (verified market data, fetched 14:00 UTC Feb. 25). CNBC said software stocks “staged a comeback,” aligning with the Nasdaq’s outperformance.
What it means for the next few sessions: after a rebound day with wide intraday ranges, the market typically becomes more sensitive to “confirmation catalysts” (earnings guidance, policy headlines, and rates). That makes Wednesday’s pre-market tape and this week’s earnings calendar more important than the rebound itself.
Outlook and Key Events Ahead
Economic Calendar
The near-term macro setup is being pulled in three directions: (1) easing in some borrowing-rate indicators, (2) policy/geopolitical risk, and (3) a market still trying to price the durability of the AI capex cycle.
On housing and consumer credit conditions, Yahoo Finance’s rate roundups point to a still-high but competitive cash-yield environment and a mortgage market that remains a swing factor for housing-linked earnings:
- Mortgage and refinance interest rates (Feb. 25, 2026)
- High-yield savings rates (Feb. 25, 2026)
- Money market account rates (Feb. 25, 2026)
Separately, CNBC reported mortgage rates hit their lowest level in nearly four years, but said demand remained weak as affordability constraints persist. For equities, the actionable angle is that “rates down” doesn’t automatically translate into “housing up” if transaction volumes stay depressed—something to keep in mind as you interpret results from housing-exposed retailers and lenders.
Forward-looking watch: if borrowing costs continue to ease but homebuying activity doesn’t respond, investors may shift from a “rates tailwind” narrative to a “demand ceiling” narrative—changing how the market prices Home Depot (HD), Lowe’s (LOW), and banks with mortgage exposure.
Earnings Watch (this week)
This week’s verified earnings calendar includes Dominion Energy (D) (EPS est. $0.64), ONEOK (OKE) (EPS est. $1.48), Diamondback Energy (FANG) (EPS est. $1.88), and Domino’s Pizza (DPZ) (EPS est. $5.38) among others (verified market data).
Two earnings-driven narratives already matter for Wednesday’s setup:
- Home improvement retail: Home Depot (HD) reported results Tuesday, and Lowe’s (LOW) reported Wednesday morning. CNBC highlighted Home Depot’s quarter and outlook framing (HD earnings) and Lowe’s beat with >10% sales growth (LOW earnings).
- Enterprise software positioning: Workday (WDAY) was in focus after weak revenue guidance, per CNBC (WDAY earnings/guidance). Even with Tuesday’s positive close for WDAY in verified data, guidance-driven repricing can spill over into adjacent software names if investors interpret it as demand normalization.
Forward-looking watch: focus less on “beats” and more on guidance quality and commentary about customer budgets. In this tape, the market is punishing uncertainty more than it’s rewarding marginal upside surprises.
Central Bank & Policy
Policy risk remains a live input. CNBC’s recap of President Trump’s State of the Union is part of the political backdrop investors are using to handicap fiscal priorities and trade posture (CNBC takeaways; see also CNBC’s video recap of economic remarks: CNBC video).
On rates, Yahoo Finance highlighted a debate around the path of cuts (Fed officials signal twist on cuts). You don’t need to trade the headline—you need to trade what it does to duration-sensitive multiples (software, semis) and to banks’ net interest margin expectations.
Forward-looking watch: if “cuts get pushed out,” expect renewed pressure on long-duration growth and a bid for cash-flow defensives—especially if AI-disruption fears flare again.
Technical Levels & Sentiment (practitioner framing)
Tuesday’s session produced a clean “up day” in the indexes but with broad intraday ranges. That combination often signals fragile confidence: buyers showed up, but sellers were active enough to create wide bands.
- S&P 500 (^GSPC): watch whether the index can hold above the 6,815 intraday low from Tuesday while retesting the 6,899 session high area (verified range data).
- Nasdaq (^IXIC): the 22,895 session high is the near-term “breakout confirmation” level; failure to reclaim it quickly can turn Tuesday into a dead-cat bounce narrative (verified range data).
Forward-looking watch: if futures strength (see below) fades at the open, it would reinforce that the market is still trading headline-to-headline rather than trending.
Risks & Catalysts
Three catalysts stand out heading into the U.S. open:
- AI cycle headline risk: CNBC reported Dow futures up 150 points Wednesday morning, citing gains in Nvidia (NVDA) and Oracle (ORCL) (CNBC live updates). CNBC also published an exclusive first look at Nvidia’s “Vera Rubin” AI system (CNBC). These are sentiment drivers even when they don’t change near-term revenue.
- Geopolitics and oil: CNBC previewed the next round of U.S.–Iran talks (CNBC). Oil closed higher Tuesday (WTI CL=F $66.03, +0.61%), so any escalation headline has a cleaner path to energy-led index rotation.
- Event-driven single names: activist pressure can create sharp repricing. CNBC reported David Tepper sent a letter to Whirlpool (WHR) pushing for changes (CNBC).
How this ties to our prior coverage: Monday’s volatility and “AI disruption” narrative has been a recurring driver. We recently covered how narrative breaks can hit liquidity and spreads in crypto-adjacent markets (Jane Street lawsuit linked to Terraform: market-structure implications) and how demand signals can diverge from a risk-on tape (Tesla’s Europe registrations decline: investor implications). Tuesday’s rebound doesn’t invalidate those risks—it raises the bar for confirmation.
Top Movers
Below are notable movers from Tuesday’s completed session using verified closes. The “reason” column reflects the most relevant catalyst available in the provided sources; where a move is likely earnings-related but not explicitly confirmed in sources, it’s framed as context rather than asserted as fact.
| Ticker | Price (Feb. 24 close) | Change % | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keysight Technologies (KEYS) | $301.48 | +23.05% | Large post-results repricing; KEYS was on the verified earnings calendar this week (EPS est. $1.73). |
| ImmunityBio (IBRX) | $11.55 | +17.50% | High-beta biotech move into earnings week; IBRX is on the verified earnings calendar (EPS est. -$0.08). |
| Ultra Clean Holdings (UCTT) | $71.96 | +17.18% | Semicap-adjacent momentum on a rebound tape; AI supply-chain sensitivity remained high in headlines. |
| Leonardo DRS (DRS) | $43.82 | +14.89% | Defense exposure remained in focus amid AI/security headlines (see CNBC’s Anthropic defense deadline coverage). |
| Beam Therapeutics (BEAM) | $32.29 | +13.98% | Biotech risk-on participation alongside broader growth rebound. |
| TJX Companies (TJX) | $157.66 | -0.02% | Flat on an up day; consumer defensives have been part of the rotation narrative during AI-driven volatility. |
| Lowe’s (LOW) | $278.59 | +1.54% | Positioning into earnings; CNBC reported Lowe’s beat with >10% sales growth (published Feb. 25). |
| Workday (WDAY) | $130.23 | +0.79% | Still in focus after CNBC reported weak revenue guidance (published Feb. 24). |
| First Solar (FSLR) | $243.21 | +0.44% | Modest gain; solar/clean energy remained headline-sensitive to rates and policy expectations. |
| Circle (CRCL) | $61.37 | +0.33% | Crypto-linked equity firmness alongside bitcoin’s +3.49% move (BTC-USD). |
Forward-looking watch: the biggest percentage movers (KEYS, IBRX, UCTT) can become “liquidity magnets” for momentum traders for 1–3 sessions after a breakout. If the broader indexes chop, these names often mean-revert hard—size positions accordingly.
Sector Performance
Tuesday’s price action was consistent with a growth-led rebound: the Nasdaq (^IXIC) outperformed the Dow (^DJI), and CNBC highlighted a software-led comeback (CNBC). In single names, Ultra Clean (UCTT) and Keysight (KEYS) reflected a bid for tech/AI-adjacent exposure, while consumer-linked Lowe’s (LOW) rose into earnings.
Crypto-linked risk also improved: bitcoin (BTC-USD) rose 3.49% to 66,319.48 (verified market data). That matters for equities that trade as “crypto beta” and for sentiment in fintech broadly, including PayPal (PYPL)—a name we previously flagged as prone to event-driven swings (PayPal stock analysis amid takeover interest and volatility).
Forward-looking watch: if bitcoin strength persists while oil stays firm, the market may be pricing both “risk-on” and “tail-risk hedges” simultaneously—often a sign that positioning is cautious under the surface.
Macroeconomic Developments
Macro headlines remain dominated by the intersection of rates, housing affordability, and policy uncertainty. CNBC’s housing coverage emphasized that even with mortgage rates at multi-year lows, demand can lag if affordability remains stretched (CNBC). Yahoo Finance’s daily rate trackers reinforce that cash yields and borrowing costs remain central to household decision-making (Yahoo Finance mortgages).
On the policy side, markets are also absorbing messaging from the State of the Union cycle (CNBC) and Fed-cut expectations debates (Yahoo Finance).
Forward-looking watch: the market’s next “macro trade” likely comes through yields and the housing complex. If housing remains stuck despite lower rates, it can pressure consumer confidence and cap cyclical upside even on AI-driven rallies.
Commodities and Global Markets
Commodities and crypto were broadly supportive of risk assets Tuesday:
- Gold (GC=F): $5,205.20/oz (+$49.40, +0.96%)
- WTI crude (CL=F): $66.03/bbl (+$0.40, +0.61%)
- Bitcoin (BTC-USD): 66,319.48 (+2,239.44, +3.49%)
The combination of gold up and bitcoin up is notable: it can signal simultaneous demand for upside participation and hedges, rather than a clean “risk-on vs. risk-off” regime. That fits with the headline-driven environment we discussed in our prior metals coverage (gold markets outlook as prices surged above $5,000).
Geopolitics remains a direct oil catalyst. CNBC previewed U.S.–Iran talks as Trump threatens Tehran (CNBC), which is relevant given WTI’s firm close.
Forward-looking watch: if oil accelerates from here on geopolitical headlines while equities remain bid, expect a rotation toward energy cash flows and away from the most rate-sensitive growth longs.
Common Pitfalls or Pro Tips
- Pitfall: treating a rebound close as “fear is over.” Tuesday’s wide index ranges (e.g., Nasdaq 22,528–22,895) show active two-way trade. Use ranges to set risk, not just the close.
- Pitfall: mixing pre-market stories with completed-session moves. For example, CNBC’s Wednesday pre-market narrative (NVDA/ORCL helping futures) is a different time window than Tuesday’s closes. Keep those buckets separate in your notes.
- Pro tip: trade the “second-order” earnings signal. Workday (WDAY) guidance commentary can move other enterprise software names even if they don’t report for weeks. Track what management says about deal cycles, seat expansion, and renewals (as reported by CNBC), then map that to your watchlist.
- Pro tip: use cross-asset confirmation. When bitcoin (BTC-USD) is up +3.49% and gold (GC=F) is also up +0.96%, assume positioning is cautious and headline-sensitive—avoid over-sizing “clean trend” bets.
Conclusion
Tuesday’s rebound (S&P 500 +0.77%, Nasdaq +1.04%) reset the tape after Monday’s selloff, but the wide ranges and headline intensity suggest positioning remains fragile. Your edge into the next U.S. open is to focus on guidance quality (WDAY, LOW, HD), AI-cycle headlines (NVDA, AMD, ORCL), and geopolitical oil catalysts (U.S.–Iran) rather than chasing the prior day’s close.