Morning Dose: Inflation Print Alert Futures Drop on CPI Fears – Friday 2/13/2026

Yeah, good morning! It is definitely a moody Friday the 13th out there. We are seeing a continuation of that selling pressure from yesterday. Futures are dipping lower across the board. The S&P 500 futures are down about 10 points, sitting at 6,842, and the Nasdaq is off by roughly 40 points.

It is all about the inflation print. We have the January CPI reading dropping at 8:30 AM Eastern. That is the lone economic data release today, but honestly, it is the only one that matters. The consensus is looking for a 0.3 percent increase for both headline and Core CPI.

Exactly. Traders are already pricing out a rate cut until June. A solid jobs report earlier this week already eroded confidence in an early cut. If this CPI number comes in hot, you can expect yields to spike and equity futures to take another leg down. It is a classic 'good news is bad news' scenario for the Fed policy outlook.

Oh, absolutely. Applied Materials, ticker A-M-A-T, is looking like the star of the show. They beat EPS expectations by seventeen cents and guided Q2 above consensus. The stock is gapping up nearly 11 percent pre-market. They are talking about the global semiconductor industry hitting one trillion dollars by 2026, which is fueling a lot of optimism.

You bet. Arista, ticker A-N-E-T, is up about 10 percent. They beat on top and bottom lines and gave strong guidance. It seems like the infrastructure trade—building out the hardware for AI and data centers—is still very much alive, despite the software jitters we saw yesterday.

Yeah, Airbnb is waking up. Ticker A-B-N-B is up over 5 percent. They missed slightly on earnings per share, but they beat on revenue and gave a really solid outlook for Q1. They expect growth to accelerate to double digits this year. Traders are forgiving the earnings miss because the forward guidance looks robust.

Ouch. Yeah, look away if you are long. Pinterest, ticker P-I-N-S, is getting hammered, down nearly 20 percent. They reported in-line results, but the guidance for Q1 revenue was below consensus. Wall Street is punishing any weakness in ad-spend outlooks right now. We are seeing a slew of downgrades hitting the stock this morning too.

Yeah, DraftKings is down about 15 percent. They beat on earnings but guided 2026 revenue below consensus. It is a recurring theme this earnings season—if your forward guidance is soft, the exit doors get crowded very fast.

There are reports circulating that the administration might be planning to roll back tariffs on steel and aluminum products. It is part of an affordability push. That could be interesting for the industrial sector, so keep an eye on names like Aluminum Corporation or heavy manufacturers. It might provide some relief on input costs.

It is mixed. We have reports that major automakers are reducing electric vehicle capacity due to falling demand. However, look at Rivian this morning! Ticker R-I-V-N is gapping up over 20 percent after beating earnings and providing guidance. So, while the legacy guys are pulling back, Rivian is finding some buyers today.

We are in a consolidation phase with a bearish tilt. The S&P futures are hovering around 6,842. If we break below the 6,840 level, we could see a test of the 6,780 support zone. On the upside, we need to reclaim 6,880 to stabilize. But honestly, the VXX—the volatility index—is creeping up. It suggests traders are hedging. The risk-on sentiment is fragile.

Caution is key. Don't chase the open until we see the reaction to the CPI number. If the data is cool, look for a bounce in those beaten-down software names. If the data is hot, defensive sectors or just sitting on cash might be the best trade. Also, watch the semiconductor momentum—if AMAT holds its gains, it could drag the whole tech sector higher despite the macro headwinds.

Absolutely. Manage your risk, watch your stops, and don't fight the trend. Let's see what the CPI print gives us.