Markets Await Friday CPI; US Indices Edge Higher Pre-Midweek

U.S. equity indices opened firmer on February 12, 2026, as traders weighed the day’s strong employment data and the easing unemployment rate, with heightened focus on the pending CPI report due Friday, February 13, to assess inflation trends and potential Federal Reserve policy moves. Earlier concerns over a potential government shutdown receded, and bond yields steadied. Key indices: Dow Jones +255.96 (0.51%) to 50,377.36; Nasdaq Composite +76.60 (0.33%) to 23,143.07; S&P 500 +28.81 (0.42%) to 6,970.28; Philadelphia Fed +78.75 (0.95%) to 8,370.61. Tech shares led withTaiwan Semiconductor ADR up 0.52% at USD 376.16. Macroeconomic highlights: The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield fell to 4.16%; light crude oil down 0.54% to USD 64.28; Brent crude down 0.61% to USD 68.98; gold down 0.26% to USD 5,085.00; and the dollar index at 99.185. Economic data to watch include the number of initial jobless claims, with a reading of 227,000 vs. expectations of 222,000 and the prior 232,000; and continuing claims of 186.2K vs. 185K and 184.1K. Wall Street analysis suggests a potential S&P 500 path of +8,000 in 2026, followed by a ~13% decline to ~7,000 in 2027, though some view a 30% drawdown in the worst case as plausible amid reevaluations of large tech valuations balanced by AI’s long-term benefits.