Good morning investors! Stocks fell again as AI worries continue.
Today we cover:
A new housing crisis?
Big earning reports
Top healthcare jobs
📊 Economy and News
Is There a 'New Housing Crisis'?
The U.S. housing market faces what the National Association of Realtors (NAR) chief economist Lawrence Yun calls a “new housing crisis,” driven by high prices, limited supply, and low buyer activity.
Existing-home sales fell sharply by 8.4% from December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.91 million in January — the biggest monthly drop since February 2022 and the slowest pace since December 2023. Sales were also down 4.4% from January 2025.
The median home price rose 0.9% year-over-year to $396,800, marking the highest January price on record. Tighter inventory (1.22 million homes for sale, a 3.7-month supply — still below the balanced 6-month level) helped sustain price gains, though inventory was up 3.4% from a year earlier.
Homes took longer to sell (46 days vs. 41 days a year ago). First-time buyers accounted for 31% of sales, up from 28%. Sales were weakest in lower-price segments (below $250,000) and strongest in the $1 million+ range.
Many potential buyers remain "stuck," with little movement in the market and renters missing out on wealth-building. Sales declined across all regions, especially in the South and West.
Global hits:
The U.K. economy grew a modest 0.1% in the fourth quarter of 2025.
Singapore launches AI support measures, tax breaks in 2026 Budget.
Russia blocks WhatsApp as messaging app crackdown gathers pace.
Expensive power: Electricity prices jumped 6.9% in 2025 year over year, more than double the headline inflation rate of 2.9%. Prices will continue to rise through the end of the decade as data centers make up 40% of electricity demand growth, as per Goldman.
Reminder: Tariff collections surged in January, with the U.S. collecting some $30 billion in customs duties. This put the year-to-date tally at $124 billion, up 304% from the same period in 2025.
👨 Sponsored by Surf Air Mobility
You may not know much about the private aviation industry but it’s expected to grow to $100B industry by 2035, and Surf Air Mobility (NYSE: SRFM) is looking to dominate the market.
The company operates one of the largest commuter airlines in the US but are working on something bigger. In partnership with Palantir, they’ve created an AI-powerd platform, SurfOS, which helps increase efficiency throughout the entire private aviation ecosystem.
The result? Brokers book flights more easily, operators optimize scheduling for planes and crews, and owners can track how often their assets are being used. Everyone wins.
They’ve already seen a 36% reduction in operational expenses utilizing the SurfOS with their own fleet and in 2026 are expanding the product commercially.
📈 Stocks
S&P 500 6,832.76 (-1.57%)
DJIA 49,451.98 (-1.34%)
NASDAQ 22,597.15 (-2.03%)
BRENT CRUDE 65.41 (-2.58%)
* Prices as of Feb 13th, 12:20 AM UTC
Big Earning Reports
Some major companies announced earnings yesterday:
Restaurant Brands International reported quarterly earnings and revenue that topped Wall Street’s expectations. Strong international sales fueled company-wide same-store sales growth of 3.1%. Popeyes was the laggard of the portfolio, with same-store sales declining during the quarter. Outside of the U.S. and Canada, Restaurant Brands’ same-store sales climbed 6.1%. International Burger King restaurants, which represents the bulk of the segment, saw same-store sales growth of 5.8%. Analysts were projecting international same-store sales growth of just 3.7%. The stock fell 5% after the report.
Dutch payments giant Adyen’s stock dropped as much as 20% after reporting H2 2025 earnings. Net revenue at the company increased 17% year-on-year on a reported basis. But gains were “moderated by slower growth” from APAC-headquartered online retailers and a weaker U.S. dollar.
German luxury car manufacturer Mercedes-Benz Group reported a steep drop in full-year profit and warned of challenging times ahead, following a year marred by intense competition from Chinese rivals and global tariff costs.
Interesting: Nuveen, the investment management wing of TIAA, is acquiring London-listed asset manager Schroders.
A new tool from AI company Algorhythm Holdings has made trucking companies the latest victim of the market’s AI jitters, with some top names faling 20%.
Waymo begins deploying next-gen Ojai robotaxis to extend its U.S. lead.
Surprising: FTC tells Tim Cook to look into reports Apple News is censoring conservatives. Elsewhere, Anthropic said it closed a $30 billion funding round at a $380 billion post-money valuation.
Spirit Airlines said it sold another 20 aircraft as it continues to slim its fleet. The airline is in its second bankruptcy in less than a year and has held talks with Frontier Airlines and an investment firm, though these have not yielded a deal. Also, the carrier is recalling about 500 flight attendants from furlough.
Major changes: FedEx on Thursday outlined projected revenue growth over the next three fiscal years, targeting roughly $98 billion in consolidated revenue for fiscal year 2029.
The company also expects its third-quarter earnings per share to exceed Wall Street estimates due to an “exceptional” peak season.
FedEx is preparing to spin off its freight business into a separate publicly traded company in June.
Important: A prospective SpaceX IPO is boosting enthusiasm on Wall Street, but all the current action in tech capital markets is on the debt side. The Google owner’s rare long-dated century bond drew strong demand this week, mainly among pension funds looking to match their longer-term liabilities.But market strategists warn that 100-year bonds remain relatively “untested waters.”
💵 Personal Finance
Top Jobs in Healthcare in 2026
Here are the top 10 fastest-growing health care jobs, ranked by projected percentage growth from 2024 to 2034, based on BLS data. Several offer six-figure median annual pay (figures are for 2024):
Nurse practitioners Growth rate: 40.1% Median pay: $129,210
Medical and health services managers Growth rate: 23.2% Median pay: $117,960
Physical therapist assistants Growth rate: 22% Median pay: $65,510
Physician assistants Growth rate: 20.4% Median pay: $133,260
Psychiatric technicians Growth rate: 20% Median pay: $42,590
Ophthalmic medical technicians Growth rate: 19.8% (noted as approximately 20% in some summaries) Median pay: $44,080
Occupational therapy assistants Growth rate: 19.2% Median pay: $68,340
Hearing aid specialists Growth rate: 18.4% Median pay: $61,560
Home health and personal care aides Growth rate: 17% Median pay: $34,900
Substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors Growth rate: 16.8% Median pay: $59,190
With strong demand persisting, professionals from other industries may transition into health care. Many positions require specific education, certifications, or degrees, so checking prerequisites is essential for anyone considering a switch.
Career experts recommend building connections through networking, informational interviews, and highlighting transferable skills—such as communication, problem-solving, and patient interaction—from prior experience. Framing your career story around relevant accomplishments can make you a standout candidate, even without direct health care background.
💰 Be a Better Investor
“Buy when everyone else is selling and hold until everyone else is buying. That's not just a catchy slogan. It's the very essence of successful investing.”
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