US Stocks Fall as Private Equity Slumps, Apple Drags S&P Lower

U.S. stocks closed lower on February 19, 2026, as a slump in private equity shares and a decline in Apple Inc. (AAPL) weighed on major indices. The S&P 500 fell 0.28% to 6,861.89, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 0.54% to 49,395.16. The Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.31% to 22,682.73. Blue Owl Capital (OWL) plunged 6% after announcing a $1.4 billion asset sale and pausing fund redemptions to reduce debt. The move dragged peers including Apollo Global Management (APO) and KKR (KKR) down 1.9% to 5.2%. Apple fell 1.4%, acting as the biggest drag on the S&P 500. Conversely, energy stocks rose 0.6% as oil prices climbed on geopolitical tensions. Deere & Co. (DE) surged 11.6% after raising its annual profit forecast.