Global Markets: U.S. Major Indices Close Lower, Storage Concept Stocks Rise Across the Board, Micron Technology Up Nearly 10%

U.S. Stock Market: The three major U.S. stock indices closed lower across the board on February 11. At the close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 66.74 points to 50,121.4, down 0.13%; the S&P 500 declined 0.34 points to 6,941.47, a 0.0% decrease; the Nasdaq Composite dropped 36.0 points to 23,066.47, down 0.16%.

Popular tech stocks were mixed, with Google and Microsoft down over 2%, Amazon down over 1%, Intel up over 2%, Nvidia, Apple, and Tesla gained less than 1%.

McDonald’s Q4 revenue was $7.01 billion, beating analyst expectations of $6.83 billion; same-store sales grew 5.7% in Q4, versus an expected 3.76%; adjusted EPS for Q4 was $3.12, compared to an expected $3.04. McDonald’s stock edged slightly lower after hours. AppLovin reported Q4 revenue of $1.658 billion, up 66% year-over-year; net profit was $1.102 billion, up 84%. AppLovin fell 7% after hours. Cisco’s second fiscal quarter revenue was $15.3 billion, beating the expected $15.12 billion; product revenue was $11.64 billion, versus an expected $11.29 billion. Orders from AI HyperScaler cloud service providers accelerated to $2.1 billion in Q2. Revenue guidance for Q3 is $15.4–$15.6 billion, with analysts expecting $15.18 billion. Cisco dropped 7% after hours.

Storage concept stocks, metals, and mining sectors led gains, with SanDisk up over 10%, Micron Technology nearly 10%, Western Digital and Applied Materials up over 4%, BHP and Vale up over 3%. Cryptocurrency-related stocks plummeted, with Robinhood down over 8%, Coinbase and Strategy down over 5%, Circle down over 3%.

Most Chinese concept stocks declined, with the Nasdaq Golden Dragon China Index down 0.65%. China Internet giants saw gains: China Telecom up over 12%, Kingsoft Cloud nearly 10%, TSMC up over 3% to a new high, Bilibili and NIO up over 2%; NetEase fell over 4%, iQiyi down over 2%.

European Markets: The three major European stock indices showed mixed performance on February 11. The FTSE 100 closed at 10,472.11, up 118.27 points or 1.14%; France’s CAC 40 closed at 8,313.24, down 14.64 points or 0.18%; Germany’s DAX closed at 24,856.15, down 131.7 points or 0.53%.

Commodity Markets: International oil prices rose on February 11. At the close, NYMEX WTI crude futures for the current month increased $0.93 to $64.89 per barrel, up 1.45%. COMEX gold futures rose $76.80 to $5,107.8 per ounce, up 1.53%. COMEX silver futures increased $3.70 to $84.085 per ounce, up 4.60%. Spot gold rose $59.03 to $5,084.53 per ounce, up 1.17%. Spot silver increased $3.52 to $84.31 per ounce, up 4.36%.

Overnight Highlights

U.S. Non-Farm Payrolls for January Surpass Expectations with 130,000 Jobs, Market Cuts Fed Rate Cut Bets

On Wednesday, U.S. Labor Department data showed that non-farm employment increased by 130,000 jobs in January, significantly exceeding market expectations and marking a turnaround after a weak employment growth year. This provides stronger momentum for the new year and somewhat eases concerns about a labor market slowdown, supporting the Fed’s current policy of holding interest rates steady.

AI Infrastructure Investment Continues, Meta Spends Over $10 Billion to Build 1-GW Data Center

On Wednesday, February 11, Meta announced that as part of its large-scale AI infrastructure plan, it has begun constructing a new data center. The investment exceeds $10 billion, located in Lebanon, Indiana, with a capacity of over 1 gigawatt. This power scale is enough to supply electricity to hundreds of thousands of U.S. households.

Trump Praises Strong January Non-Farm Data, Calls for Large Rate Cuts Again

On Wednesday, February 11, President Trump praised the latest non-farm payroll data and reiterated his view that U.S. interest rates should be significantly lowered. The Labor Department reported that in January, 130,000 jobs were added, far exceeding the expected 55,000; the unemployment rate decreased from 4.4% to 4.3%, the lowest since August 2025.

Congressional Budget Office Projects Federal Budget Deficit of $1.9 Trillion in FY2026

On February 11, the Congressional Budget Office released the “Budget and Economic Outlook: 2026–2036” summary. Under current tax and spending laws, the federal deficit is projected to be $1.9 trillion in FY2026, or 5.8% of GDP; by 2036, the deficit will expand to $3.1 trillion, or 6.7% of GDP.

OPEC Maintains Global Oil Demand Outlook, Market Watches US-Iran Developments

On Wednesday, OPEC maintained its global oil demand growth forecast for this year and next, noting that due to production declines in Venezuela, Iran, and Kazakhstan, OPEC+ overall output decreased in January. The latest monthly report expects global oil demand to increase by 1.34 million barrels per day in 2027, slightly below the 1.38 million barrels per day increase forecasted for 2026. This growth is supported by easing inflation, supportive fiscal policies, and improved global trade.

US Fusion Startup Raises $450 Million to Build Commercial Power Plants by 2030

In a recent funding round, US fusion energy startup Inertia Enterprises raised $450 million, claiming the funds will be used to develop laser fusion power plants. The Series A was led by Bessemer Venture Partners, with participation from Threshold Ventures, Long Journey Ventures, and GV (formerly Google Ventures).

Apple’s New Siri Development Faces Setback, Several AI Features May Be Delayed

According to sources, Apple’s long-anticipated upgraded Siri has encountered setbacks, with recent testing revealing issues that could delay the release of several highly anticipated new features. It is reported that Apple planned to include these features in the iOS 26.4 update in March but is now considering spreading them across subsequent releases. Some features may be delayed until iOS 26.5 in May or even iOS 27 in September.

European Power Equipment Leader Posts Record High After Earnings, Stock Price Multiplied Tenfold in Less Than Two Years

Thanks to a surge in power equipment sales driven by demand for computing power, Siemens Energy rose over 6% after earnings, reaching a new all-time high. This marks a tenfold increase in stock price in less than two years for this manufacturer of gas turbines, data center transformers, circuit breakers, and other grid equipment.

Starter Motor Fire Risk Prompts BMW Recall of Multiple Models Globally

On February 11, BMW announced a global recall of several models. The company stated that during inspections, they found that after multiple starts, the electromagnetic switch inside the starter motor could wear abnormally, causing difficulty or failure to start, and potential short circuits. There is also a risk of localized overheating, which could lead to fires. BMW advises owners not to leave vehicles unattended with the engine running.

Trump Says He Will Be Prime Minister, Calls Iran Deal “Preferred”

On February 11, President Trump met privately with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu at the White House, then posted on social media that reaching an agreement with Iran would be the “preferred” option. The meeting lasted about three hours. Trump described the meeting as “very good” and emphasized his insistence on continuing negotiations with Iran, but no substantive agreements were reached between the U.S. and Israel.