The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) experienced a significant downturn today, Friday, February 13th, 2026, dropping 669.42 points, a 1.34% decrease. The main driver of this decline was a technology sector sell-off spurred by concerns over the disruptive power of artificial intelligence and specific corporate earnings news.
A major catalyst for the negative sentiment was a significant drop in the stock of Cisco (CSCO), which plunged 12.67%. Despite reporting better-than-expected quarterly results, the company's forecast for lower-than-anticipated profitability raised concerns about rising memory-chip prices impacting margins. This news had a ripple effect across the tech industry, pulling down other major players as investors grew wary of potential AI-related disruptions to established business models.
The tech-heavy sell-off was evident in the performance of other Dow components. Apple (AAPL) saw its shares fall by 5.50%, while IBM (IBM) and Microsoft (MSFT) were also down 5.06% and 1.07%, respectively. The widespread nature of the decline among these tech giants underscores the market's current anxiety surrounding the long-term impacts of artificial intelligence. In contrast to the broader market trend, some consumer staples and healthcare stocks showed resilience. Walmart (WMT) was a notable gainer, with its stock rising 3.39%. McDonald's (MCD) also saw a positive day, with an increase of 2.67%, as did UnitedHealth Group (UNH), which was up 1.74%.
Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications.