AI Still Has Legs, but Valuation Risk is Back in Focus

2026-02-20 11:30:03 ET

The tech rally that powered markets through 2025 is being tested in 2026.

In early February, a broad tech selloff hit markets, fueled by various elements, including aggressive artificial intelligence (AI) capital spending guidance from hyperscalers, as well as the rapid release of new AI models, which sparked disruption concerns within the software sector. This powerful combination forced investors to separate durable AI leaders from stocks whose gains were driven mainly by sentiment and stretched valuations.

Technology benchmarks saw significant losses. From December 31, 2025, to its February 5 year?to?date low, the S&P Technology Index (INDEXSP:SP500-45) dropped by nearly 7 percent. Software-focused measures were hit especially hard; the iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (BATS:IGV) declined by almost 25 percent.

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