Trading the Markets: February 18, 2026
Trading the Markets: February 18, 2026
Podcast25 min 57 sec
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Note: AI-generated summary based on third-party content. Not financial advice. Read more.
Quick Insights

Consider adding PAX Gold (PAXG) to your portfolio as a hedge, as tokenized gold is seeing significant adoption and is expected to remain strong. The short-term outlook for Bitcoin (BTC) is bearish, with any potential rally towards $74,000 viewed as a selling opportunity before a true bottom forms in Q2 or Q3. The Artificial Intelligence sector is experiencing significant momentum, with the best opportunities found in AI-adjacent infrastructure and hardware companies. For a specific crypto investment, the decentralized exchange Hyperliquid is considered a good buy due to its unique utility in offering on-chain commodity trading. While overall stock market sentiment is improving, confirm the rally's strength by watching for market breadth indicators to rise into the 70s.

Detailed Analysis

US Stock Market (NASDAQ)

  • The NASDAQ index recently bounced off its 200-day moving average, a technical level that has acted as a strong support multiple times in the last four months.
  • The key question is whether this is a sustainable rebound or a "dead cat bounce" before another move lower.
  • Several indicators suggest a growing appetite for risk in the market, which supports the case for a real rebound:
    • High beta stocks (more volatile) are outperforming low volatility stocks.
    • Consumer discretionary stocks (wants) are outperforming consumer staples (needs).
    • The financial sector is showing strength with a nice bounce.
    • Tech and software stocks, which had been weak, appear to be stabilizing.
  • Credit spreads (a measure of risk in the corporate bond market) remain tight, which is a sign of a stable financial environment.
  • A market breadth indicator, which measures how many stocks are in an uptrend, is rising and currently sits around 62-63. The speaker would like to see this number get into the 70s to confirm that the rally is broad-based and healthy.

Takeaways

  • The market is showing signs of a potential bottom and a return of risk-on sentiment.
  • Investors should monitor the market breadth indicator. If it continues to rise into the 70s, it would be a strong confirmation that the rally has strength and is not just limited to a few large stocks.
  • The current environment appears more favorable for stocks than for crypto, according to the speaker.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stocks

  • The speaker notes a "huge bounce" in AI-related stocks, with significant gains across their watchlist.
  • The momentum is particularly strong in companies related to "hardware scarcity" and other "AI adjacent" infrastructure.
  • The current market action in AI stocks is described as being like "alt season" in crypto, where select assets experience explosive growth. This is where the most significant speculative action is currently happening.

Takeaways

  • The AI sector is currently one of the hottest areas of the market, presenting significant opportunities.
  • Investors interested in this theme could look beyond just software companies to the entire ecosystem, including hardware and infrastructure providers that are essential for the growth of AI.

Rackspace Technology (RXT)

  • Rackspace Technology is an IT company that provides hardware infrastructure for data centers, such as server racks.
  • The company announced a partnership with Palantir, a major player in data analytics and AI.
  • Following the announcement, the stock price surged 240% in a single day.
  • This is presented as a prime example of the "alt season" happening in AI stocks, where news and narratives can cause extreme price movements.

Takeaways

  • Partnerships with established AI leaders like Palantir can act as a massive catalyst for related infrastructure and technology stocks.
  • While the potential for gains is enormous, the 240% single-day move also highlights the extreme volatility and risk associated with chasing these narrative-driven trades.

Bitcoin (BTC)

  • The speaker believes the correlation between Bitcoin and the stock market is "largely broken" for now.
  • Bitcoin has been trading very similarly to the software sector (IGV ETF), which has been weak. The speaker calls crypto the "bastard stepchild of the software tech sector at the moment."
  • The short-term sentiment is bearish. The speaker expects Bitcoin will likely go lower.
  • A potential rally to the $74 level would be viewed as a selling or shorting opportunity, not the start of a new bull run.
  • A true bottom for the crypto market is not expected until Q2 or Q3 of the year.
  • A sustainable recovery depends on several factors:
    • A new Fed chair implementing policies that improve liquidity.
    • Positive regulatory developments, such as the Clarity Act.
    • A general increase in risk appetite across all markets.

Takeaways

  • The outlook for Bitcoin is cautious to bearish in the short-to-medium term.
  • The speaker advises against expecting a new bull market to begin soon and suggests that any significant price jumps might be opportunities to reduce exposure.
  • A true market bottom is likely still "some months" away and is contingent on significant macroeconomic and regulatory shifts.

Hyperliquid

  • Hyperliquid is a decentralized exchange (DEX) that has recently leveled off in price but is holding at a support level.
  • The speaker "still maintain[s] that it's a good buy."
  • The primary bullish factor is its unique ability to allow users to trade commodity perpetuals (perps) on-chain, including gold and other futures contracts. This utility is attracting users and volume to the platform.

Takeaways

  • Hyperliquid is presented as a potentially undervalued crypto project with a clear and growing use case.
  • Investors looking for crypto assets with unique utility beyond simple speculation may find it interesting, especially given its role in bringing traditional commodity trading onto crypto rails.

Gold & PAX Gold (PAXG)

  • The speaker believes Gold has bottomed out and will "continue to remain strong," likely outperforming Bitcoin in the near future.
  • PAX Gold (PAXG), a tokenized version of gold, is highlighted as a major story.
  • Wintermute, a large market maker, is launching an OTC desk for tokenized gold products, which will increase liquidity and accessibility.
  • On-chain gold trading volume in Q4 exceeded the top five gold ETFs combined, showing significant adoption. Users are attracted to the ability to trade gold 24/7 on crypto rails.
  • A listener noted that historically, after a major rally, gold tends to trade sideways for about five months. The speaker agrees this is a valid observation based on technical charts (DMARC 13 on the monthly), and that the odds favor a period of consolidation or a minor correction.

Takeaways

  • PAX Gold (PAXG) is recommended as a "really, really strong approach" for crypto investors who want to hedge their portfolios and reduce volatility without moving their funds out of the crypto ecosystem. The speaker's advice is to "get on it, basically."
  • While the long-term outlook for gold is strong, investors should be aware that after its recent run to all-time highs, a period of sideways price action or a slight pullback is possible before the next move up.

SPX (Meme Token)

  • This discussion refers to a token named SPX, treated as a meme coin, not the S&P 500 index.
  • On-chain data shows that large holders, or "whales" (those with 100,000+ tokens), have been actively "buying the dip."
  • This accumulation by large holders has been in a steady uptrend since February 4th.

Takeaways

  • The fact that large, convicted buyers are accumulating SPX at lower prices is a bullish sign.
  • This "whale" activity suggests that major players believe in the token's potential for a rebound, even as the broader market has been weak. This could be an indicator of a potential price floor being established.
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Episode Description
Bijan Maleki hosts Real Vision contributor Kris Bullock to break down the charts and highlight their favorite RV trade ideas before taking questions from the audience. Tune in every Wednesday at 1pm ET LIVE on Real Vision, YouTube, and X. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
About Real Vision: Finance & Investing
Real Vision: Finance & Investing

Real Vision: Finance & Investing

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