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SPY|QQQ Thursday 1PM 2/12/2026

February 12, 2026 3 min read

**Market Sentiment Analysis**

**Overall Market Sentiment**

**SPY (S&P 500 ETF):**
From the 30-minute intraday chart for the past 13 bars, SPY appears to show a modest downtrend. The prices are hovering around $683-$685 range, with significant volume noted earlier in the session, potentially suggesting distribution at the top. The drop in volume in subsequent bars could hint at a loss of momentum in this bearish direction. Moving averages (not exact, indicated by recent price behavior) would generally suggest sideways to slightly bearish sentiment short-term.

**QQQ (Nasdaq-100 ETF):**
For QQQ, the general sentiment appears to be a consolidation pattern with a slight bearish bias over the last 13 bars. The range is narrow between $602 and $604, and the volume is also showing a declining trend, following heavy selling pressure initially. This pattern suggests that momentum is lacking for a decisive move either upward or downward at present, with a potential slight skew towards bearishness.

**VXX (Volatility Index):**
VXX has shown a mild upward trend in recent bars, indicating a slight increase in market volatility over the same period. Any stabilization or increase in volatility could provide headwinds against significant bullish moves in SPY and QQQ unless resolved swiftly. Given that VXX’s latest closes are relatively higher, investor caution is likely increasing.

**Sector Analysis:**

Upon examining sector ETFs over the past 30 days, several are showing mild weaknesses. XLF (Financials) and XLE (Energy) indicate some heavy selling pressure recently, suggesting these sectors might face difficulty in their current state. On the contrary, XLK (Technology) and XLV (Healthcare), although not exceptionally strong, appear to resist declines better, stabilizing amid broader weakness. This suggests any sector rotation might currently be favoring defensive or tech-oriented positions due to economic uncertainty.

**Key Levels to Watch:**

**SPY:**
– Support: $682 as immediate support based on recent price action.
– Resistance: Look for substantial resistance around $686, where sellers may be concentrated.

**QQQ:**
– Support: The recent lower bound near $601 presents short-term support.
– Resistance: A critical level of resistance around $605 should be closely watched.

**Scenarios:**

**Bullish Scenario:**
For SPY and QQQ, any positive or better-than-expected economic data, or strong earnings reports, can trigger a breakout above respective resistance levels ($686 for SPY and $605 for QQQ). This could propel the market higher, especially if accompanied by a meaningful decrease in VXX levels indicating reduced volatility and risk apprehension.

**Bearish Scenario:**
Continued economic uncertainties or a resurgence in geopolitical tensions, alongside poor economic indicators, could push SPY below $682 and QQQ below $601, leading to a potential further sell-off. Increasing VXX levels could exacerbate bearish pressures by elevating market fear and selling activity.

**Overall Commentary:**

Currently, the market sentiment leans slightly bearish to neutral, with volatility creeping up as indicated by VXX. The apparent lack of momentum, especially in tech-heavy QQQ and sector-specific pressures within Financials and Energy, accentuates caution. Investors are likely vigilant, anticipating potential catalysts that could resolve this sideways behavior. Given the current setups, traders should be alert to breaks of key levels, signaling a defined move direction.

Below are charts to support the analysis:

– SPY Chart: finviz dynamic chart for  SPY
– QQQ Chart: finviz dynamic chart for  QQQ
– VXX Chart: finviz dynamic chart for  VXX
– Sector ETFs:
– XLC Chart: finviz dynamic chart for  XLC
– XLY Chart: finviz dynamic chart for  XLY
– XLP Chart: finviz dynamic chart for  XLP
– XLE Chart: finviz dynamic chart for  XLE
– XLF Chart: finviz dynamic chart for  XLF
– XLV Chart: finviz dynamic chart for  XLV
– XLI Chart: finviz dynamic chart for  XLI
– XLK Chart: finviz dynamic chart for  XLK
– XLB Chart: finviz dynamic chart for  XLB
– XLRE Chart: finviz dynamic chart for  XLRE
– XLU Chart: finviz dynamic chart for  XLU

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