Stocks

Wall Street Review: Stocks Close February Lower on AI, Private Credit Fears

Technology and financial shares led the declines.
Wall Street Review: Stocks Close February Lower on AI, Private Credit Fears
Stock Market numbers are displayed at the New York Stock Exchange on Feb. 27, 2026. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
Panos Mourdoukoutas
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Wall Street ended the week and the month of February on a weaker note, as mounting concerns over artificial intelligence (AI) and renewed strains in private credit markets pressured equities. Technology and financial shares led the declines.

For the week, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 1.31 percent to 48,977, hovering near its Feb. 24 low and finishing nearly flat for the month. The S&P 500 slipped by 0.44 percent to 6,878, remaining above its weekly low but down by 1.43 percent for February. The Nasdaq Composite dropped by 0.95 percent for the week and 4.82 percent for the month. The Russell 2000 lost 1.18 percent for the week and 1.03 percent for the month.

Panos Mourdoukoutas
Panos Mourdoukoutas
Author
Panos Mourdoukoutas is a professor of economics at Long Island University in New York City. He also teaches security analysis at Columbia University. He’s been published in professional journals and magazines, including Forbes, Investopedia, Barron's, IBT, and Journal of Financial Research. He’s also the author of many books, including “Business Strategy in a Semiglobal Economy” and “China's Challenge.”