On February 18, 2026, shares in Asia experienced an upward trend, particularly in Japan, where the benchmark rose by more than 1%. This increase occurred in the context of most Asian markets being closed due to the Lunar New Year holidays. The positive performance of Japan's market was notable, especially following a quiet conclusion of trading on U.S. stock exchanges. Notably, in Bangkok, the SET index climbed by 0.5%, reflecting broader regional market movements. In the U.S. market, while the Nasdaq composite saw a modest gain of 0.1%, specific stocks led to fluctuations. Paramount Skydance notably advanced by 4.9% after Warner Bros. Discovery indicated that they would allow Paramount to submit its best and final offer to acquire the entertainment company. This resulted in a competitive battle for market shares, especially with Paramount attempting to outbid a Netflix offer. Following this news, Discovery rose by 2.7%, while Netflix moderately gained 0.2%. However, some U.S. tech giants experienced significant downturns, particularly Alphabet, which fell by 1.2%. This decline occurred amidst market concerns regarding the impact of artificial intelligence on established industries. Investors began to contemplate the possibility that AI may disrupt sectors without delivering expected profits. A survey from Bank of America revealed record levels of financial managers expressing that companies were 'overinvesting' in AI technology, which suggests potential future pullbacks in investment strategies, particularly for companies such as Nvidia that produce chips used in AI development. In addition to the stock movements, other financial metrics presented a clear picture of the market conditions. The price of U.S. benchmark crude oil rose by 20 cents, reaching $62.53 per barrel. Meanwhile, currency trading saw the U.S. dollar exchange value gain against the Japanese yen, moving from 153.29 to 153.54 yen. Precious metals also saw increases, with gold rising by 0.9% and silver experiencing a 2.2% gain. These figures provide noteworthy context for understanding market dynamics during this period, reflecting investor optimism and cautious behavior across several sectors of the economy.