Friday, February 13, 2026

The Daily Market Flux - Your Complete Market Rundown (02/13/2026)

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Here is Your Complete Market Rundown (02/13/2026)

Top Story

US January Inflation Comes in Below Expectations as CPI Rises 2.4% Year-Over-Year

US consumer prices rose 0.2% monthly in January, below the 0.3% forecast, while annual inflation reached 2.4%, under the expected 2.5%. Core CPI met expectations at 0.3% monthly and 2.5% annually. Gold prices gained on the softer-than-expected inflation data.

Company News

UBS Group Ag (UBS)

Performance Overview

1D Change: -0.57%

5D Change: -4.32%

News Volume: 127

Unusual Volume Factor: 1x

UBS Issues Wave of Rating Changes Across Sectors as Analysts Adjust Price Targets and Outlook

UBS conducted extensive coverage adjustments on February 13, issuing rating changes and price target revisions across multiple sectors. The firm upgraded Rivian Automotive from Sell to Neutral, citing balanced risk-reward dynamics and projecting 14 percent upside with a price target of $16. The electric vehicle maker received concurrent upgrades from several other firms including Deutsche Bank’s move to Buy. In the utilities sector, UBS downgraded both Edison International and Evergy from Buy to Neutral on valuation concerns and balanced outlook, while upgrading Xcel Energy from Neutral to Buy with 13 percent upside potential.

The firm maintained its constructive stance on logistics REITs while expressing caution on office and retail properties ahead of UK REIT earnings. Technology coverage saw mixed adjustments. UBS raised its Roku price target to $110 from $103, projecting 33 percent upside while maintaining a Neutral rating. Pinterest faced a significant price target reduction to $26 from $40 due to weak revenue outlook. The firm raised price targets on several tech names including Arista Networks to $177 and Applied Materials to $430, both maintaining Buy ratings.

In consumer and industrial sectors, UBS lowered Domino’s Pizza price target to $500 from $540 while maintaining Buy, and reduced Fortune Brands target to $70 from $79. The firm raised targets on US Foods to $117 and Generac to $270, both with Buy ratings. UBS Wealth Management separately set a year-end 2026 S&P 500 target of 7,700, expressing confidence in AI-driven market momentum despite near-term volatility. The firm noted retail investors are returning to Big Tech, with $197 million flowing into the Magnificent Seven stocks on Wednesday alone. In legal news, UBS was ordered to pay $5.5 million to a former client who is a prominent real estate broker.

The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (GS)

Performance Overview

1D Change: 0.09%

5D Change: -2.52%

News Volume: 129

Unusual Volume Factor: 2x

Goldman Sachs Chief Legal Officer Resigns Over Epstein Ties as Bank Navigates Market Volatility and Crypto Investments

Goldman Sachs’ top lawyer Kathryn Ruemmler resigned following revelations in Justice Department documents showing she accepted gifts from convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, including a $9,350 handbag, and referred to him as “older brother” and “Uncle Jeffrey” in emails. CEO David Solomon told CNBC he “reluctantly accepted” her resignation, noting the controversy made it difficult for her to execute her responsibilities effectively. The resignation came as Goldman Sachs shares plunged over 5% Thursday alongside other major banks including JPMorgan and Citigroup during a broader market rout driven by AI-related concerns.

Despite the turbulence, Solomon characterized the economic landscape for 2026 as “quite good” with a “constructive environment,” though he expressed concern about continued deficit levels. Goldman disclosed significant cryptocurrency positions, revealing a $920 million Bitcoin bet despite the recent market crash and a $152 million position in XRP, representing 14% of the XRP ETF.

The bank also participated in institutional crypto activity alongside Jane Street in driving XRP ETF inflows. On monetary policy, Goldman economists forecast two Federal Reserve rate cuts in 2026, with the first expected in June. The bank projected January core CPI at 0.33% versus consensus of 0.3%. Some Goldman analysts see potential for four rate cuts depending on labor market conditions. Goldman issued multiple analyst calls, upgrading Upstart from Sell to Neutral and raising price targets on Arista Networks, Applied Materials, and Stanley Black & Decker while downgrading BB Seguridade to Neutral.

The firm expects “very large IPOs, unprecedented in size” this year and anticipates NVIDIA will deliver a beat-and-raise quarter. The bank also selected ad platform Moloco alongside JPMorgan to lead an upcoming IPO and created a new custom basket targeting software stocks perceived as insulated from AI disruption.

Barclays Plc (BCS)

Performance Overview

1D Change: -0.94%

5D Change: -4.22%

News Volume: 137

Unusual Volume Factor: 2x

Barclays Issues Sweeping Price Target Adjustments Amid AI Selloff Warning and Active Portfolio Repositioning

Barclays analysts warned that the AI-driven market selloff may remain unstoppable in the near term, with investors in a “sell first, think later” mode. Analyst Emmanuel Cau noted that while markets remain broadly resilient, fears of AI disruption are driving sharp sector rotations and could continue pressuring valuations. The bank executed extensive portfolio adjustments across multiple sectors. In technology, Barclays raised Applied Materials’ price target to $450 from $360, projecting 37% upside, while upgrading Zscaler to Overweight despite lowering its price target.

The firm also raised targets on Arista Networks and Tower Semiconductor. However, AI concerns prompted significant cuts to software names, with Tyler Technologies slashed to $410 from $715 and Procore reduced to $65 from $90. In retail, Barclays downgraded H&M to Underweight from Overweight on weak sales growth concerns, while downgrading Fortune Brands on 2026 outlook worries.

The bank raised price targets on consumer names including Crocs and Kraft Heinz. Healthcare saw mixed moves, with Barclays reinstating Medtronic coverage at Overweight with a $116 target, citing strong heart device growth prospects. The firm also highlighted Vertex Pharma’s renal pipeline as a major growth driver while raising Tenet Healthcare’s target to $257. In cryptocurrency exposure, Coinbase’s price target was cut nearly in half to $148 from $258, though Barclays still sees 5% upside.

Travel and hospitality names including Expedia, Copa Holdings, and Hyatt received raised targets. RBC Capital separately raised its Barclays bank stock price target to 550 pence from 525 pence, maintaining an Outperform rating as the bank pledges enhanced shareholder returns.

Applied Materials, Inc. (AMAT)

Performance Overview

1D Change: 8.08%

5D Change: 10.08%

Applied Materials Surges 13% on Strong Earnings and Bullish AI-Driven Forecast

Applied Materials shares jumped over 13% on February 13, 2026, reaching an all-time high of $368.25 after the chipmaking equipment manufacturer reported better-than-expected Q1 2026 earnings and issued an upbeat revenue forecast. The rally was driven by robust demand for AI infrastructure and chipmaking tools, with CEO Gary Dickerson predicting growth momentum will continue through 2027, when he expects global semiconductor industry revenues to reach $1 trillion.

The strong results prompted a wave of analyst upgrades and price target increases across Wall Street. Summit Insights upgraded the stock from Hold to Buy, while Craig-Hallum raised its rating to Buy from Hold. KGI Securities upgraded to Outperform from Neutral, citing 29% upside potential. Multiple firms raised price targets to $450, including Barclays, TD Cowen, KeyBanc, Deutsche Bank, and Stifel. Cantor Fitzgerald set the highest target at $470, while other firms including Wells Fargo, Needham, RBC Capital, UBS, Mizuho, and Bernstein also increased their targets.

The company’s performance stood out as a bright spot amid broader market concerns about AI valuations, with analysts characterizing Applied Materials as a shelter from AI fears. The earnings beat was attributed to surging AI demand driving chipmaking tool orders and memory shortages supporting equipment sales. Applied Materials was among the day’s most active movers in premarket and regular trading, appearing alongside other notable stocks including Arista Networks, which also posted strong results.

The stock’s performance came as markets digested a CPI inflation report showing inflation falling to 2.4%, a four-year low, though broader indices remained under pressure with the Nasdaq heading for its fifth consecutive weekly decline.

Airbnb, Inc. (ABNB)

Performance Overview

1D Change: 4.65%

5D Change: -0.66%

Airbnb Surges on Strong Q4 Results and Optimistic 2026 Outlook as Analysts Upgrade Stock

Airbnb shares jumped 6.4% in premarket trading February 13 after the company reported fourth-quarter revenue that exceeded analyst estimates and issued upbeat guidance for 2026. The vacation rental platform cited resilient global travel demand and growing adoption of its flexible payment and booking options as key drivers of accelerating bookings growth.

The strong results prompted a wave of analyst upgrades. Deutsche Bank elevated Airbnb from Hold to Buy, projecting 33% upside, while Evercore ISI upgraded the stock to Outperform with a 25% upside target. TD Cowen raised its price target to $160, maintaining a Buy rating. BMO Capital and Wells Fargo also increased their targets, though Wells Fargo maintained a Hold rating. Not all analysts were uniformly bullish—Morgan Stanley and Cantor Fitzgerald lowered their price targets, citing valuation concerns. CEO Brian Chesky expressed confidence that artificial intelligence represents “the best thing to happen to Airbnb,” suggesting the company views AI as an opportunity rather than a competitive threat.

Analysts noted Airbnb’s product improvements and strategic expansions as supporting continued momentum. Bloomberg Intelligence highlighted that healthy demand should fuel faster growth throughout 2026, helping Airbnb outperform in what analysts described as a challenging year for online travel stocks overall.

Coinbase Global, Inc. (COIN)

Performance Overview

1D Change: 16.46%

5D Change: -0.46%

Coinbase Stock Surges 15% Despite Q4 Miss as Analysts Slash Targets but Maintain Bullish Outlook

Coinbase Global shares jumped over 15% following fourth-quarter results that missed revenue and profit estimates amid softer crypto trading volumes. The company announced a $2 billion stock buyback program and signaled expansion of its Everything Exchange platform, highlighting diversified revenue growth from subscription services. CEO Brian Armstrong executed a $550 million stock sale through a pre-arranged trading plan.

Wall Street analysts broadly reduced price targets, with cuts ranging from Barclays’ $148 to H.C. Wainwright’s maintained $350, though most firms retained buy ratings. BTIG, Canaccord Genuity, and Deutsche Bank project upside potential between 57% and 113%. Analysts cited improving regulatory outlook, revenue diversification beyond transaction fees, and strategic buybacks as reasons for optimism despite near-term margin pressures in the softer crypto market environment.

Macro Events

Trump Administration Moves to Scale Back Steel and Aluminum Tariffs

The Trump administration is reassessing its metals tariff regime, planning to ease some steel and aluminum duties imposed last summer at rates up to 50%. Officials are working to narrow the scope of these tariffs, particularly for downstream products and goods that companies find difficult to calculate, amid concerns over affordability and implementation challenges. Separately, the Treasury Department released interim rules enforcing provisions in Trump's tax law that restrict clean energy tax credits for companies with excessive China-linked subsidies.

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Trump Announces Venezuela Oil Sanctions Waiver, Plans Future Visit

US waives Venezuela oil sanctions as President Trump emphasizes America's unique refining capacity for Venezuelan crude. Trump announced plans to visit Venezuela but provided no timeline for the trip.

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Trump Administration Sees Key Departures as Trade Policy Shifts and Courts Block Health Cuts

The Trump administration experienced significant personnel changes as Justice Department antitrust chief Gail Slater resigned after less than a year, marking the highest-profile casualty in internal disputes over competition enforcement. Goldman Sachs general counsel Kathy Ruemmler also stepped down following revelations of her ties to Jeffrey Epstein. On trade, the administration finalized a reciprocal agreement with Taiwan establishing a 15% US tariff rate while Taiwan committed to eliminating or reducing tariffs on American goods. Separately, Trump plans to scale back steel and aluminum tariffs, according to the Financial Times. A federal judge in Chicago temporarily blocked $600 million in public health grant cuts to four Democratic-led states. Meanwhile, European leaders are reconsidering nuclear weapons strategy following US policy shifts.

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Supreme Court Sets February Opinion Days as Tariff Ruling Awaited

The US Supreme Court has scheduled opinion days for February 20, 24, and 25, with markets watching for a potential ruling on a pending tariff case that could impact trade policy.

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U.S. Inflation Falls to 2.4%, Four-Year Low Triggers Mixed Market Response

January's Consumer Price Index dropped to 2.4%, marking a four-year low and exceeding market expectations for cooling inflation. The Dow Jones slipped despite the favorable data, while major indices showed mixed movements. Bitcoin rose as crypto traders increased bets on Federal Reserve rate cuts. DraftKings shares plunged following earnings results, while Applied Materials jumped, highlighting divergent sector performance amid the inflation news.

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U.S. Inflation Drops to Four-Year Low as Markets Weigh Fed Rate Cut Prospects

U.S. CPI inflation fell to 2.4%, a four-year low, with core CPI rising 0.3% in January as expected. The data triggered mixed market reactions, with Nasdaq futures falling amid AI-related concerns while Bitcoin gained on renewed rate cut speculation. Treasury yields dropped, with two-year notes hitting 3.40%, the lowest since October. Traders now price a 50% probability of a third Fed rate cut this year. The Dow slipped following the inflation report, while DraftKings shares plunged on disappointing earnings.

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Russia Cuts Key Rate to 15.5% as Economic Concerns Override Inflation Fight

Russia's central bank reduced its key interest rate by 50 basis points to 15.5%, signaling additional cuts ahead as economic growth concerns take priority over inflation management.

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Geopolitics Events

Merz Declares End of Post-War Order, Proposes European Nuclear Shield

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced at the Munich Security Conference that the post-World War II international order has fundamentally changed, citing U.S. policy shifts under Donald Trump toward unilateralism. Merz revealed he has held discussions with French President Macron on nuclear deterrence and called for a European nuclear shield. While stating that U.S. claims to global leadership are disputed or squandered, Merz rejected calls to abandon the transatlantic partnership entirely. He emphasized that even the United States cannot act alone and appealed for repairing transatlantic trust while advocating for the alliance to evolve in response to current challenges.

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Pentagon Adds Major Chinese Tech Firms to Military List Then Withdraws Document

The Pentagon designated Alibaba, Baidu, BYD, COSCO, and Huawei as Chinese military companies operating in the US under Section 1260H. The designation sent Alibaba shares sharply lower. However, the Defense Department subsequently withdrew the list from the Federal Register. The US also proposed banning government agencies from using certain Chinese semiconductors. Companies on such lists can request removal through an appeals process.

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Trump Escalates Iran Pressure, Signals Regime Change Preference as Second Carrier Deployment Looms

President Trump intensified rhetoric toward Iran, stating regime change "could be the best thing that could happen" while announcing plans to deploy a second aircraft carrier to the region shortly. Trump told troops that "fear" serves as a powerful motivator in difficult negotiations with Tehran over its nuclear program. The escalation comes as five Democratic senators questioned the administration's decision to lift sanctions on individuals previously accused of spreading surveillance technology used against Americans. Separately, the Department of Homeland Security faces an impending shutdown amid Trump's standoff with Democrats.

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Bangladesh Nationalist Party Secures Landslide Victory in Parliamentary Election

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party won a decisive parliamentary majority, with political heir Tarique Rahman positioned to become Prime Minister. The victory marks a stunning reversal for the nation's progressive party, whose September gamble to coopt rivals backfired. The landslide is expected to restore political stability in Bangladesh.

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Trump Administration Unveils $38.3 Billion Immigration Detention Overhaul

The Trump administration announced a $38.3 billion plan to expand and remake the US immigration detention system, aiming to streamline operations and accelerate deportations. Meanwhile, a federal judge ordered the administration to facilitate a deported college student's return.

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Stock Markets Events

Market Divergence Widens as Median S&P 500 Stock Falls 11% From Peak

Broad market weakness intensified with the median S&P 500 stock now down 11% from its 52-week high, signaling significant divergence beneath headline indices. Nearly 200 stocks hit annual lows, including major names like DraftKings, Booking Holdings, and Hercules Capital. Wendy's reached its lowest point amid weak guidance, while Sanofi neared lows following leadership changes. Bright spots remained limited, with Merck and PCG touching 52-week highs.

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Nasdaq Heads for Fifth Consecutive Weekly Decline as Tech Selloff Continues

The Nasdaq fell 1.9% this week, tracking toward its fifth straight weekly loss, the longest streak since May 2022's seven-week decline. Technology stocks led the selloff, dragging the index lower while the S&P 500 and Dow Jones remained relatively flat. The market wobbled despite February CPI data showing inflation cooled more than economists expected, with the Nasdaq opening down 0.2% while the S&P 500 held steady.

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Crypto Events

Coinbase Shares Rally Despite Missing Q4 Estimates as Investors See Bottom

Coinbase stock surged following weak fourth-quarter results that missed revenue and profit estimates amid a softer crypto market. The rally came as investors concluded negative factors were already priced in, with analysts maintaining buy ratings. Meanwhile, the CoinDesk 20 index rose 2.0% to 1920.47, led by UNI and BCH gains exceeding 5%.

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Bitcoin Faces Pressure as ETF Outflows Mount and Key $60K Support Level Looms

Bitcoin slipped to $67,000, heading for its fourth consecutive weekly loss amid heavy selling pressure. ETFs recorded $523 million in combined outflows as bearish sentiment intensified. The critical $60,000 level has emerged as a potential liquidation trigger, with Deribit data showing concentrated put options below this threshold near the 200-week moving average. Despite U.S. inflation falling to a four-year low of 2.4% in January—which briefly lifted Bitcoin and renewed Fed rate cut speculation—the cryptocurrency faces headwinds from declining network activity and whale selling. Standard Chartered warned of possible downside toward $50,000, while market sentiment indicators flash extreme fear near current levels.

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Trump Media Files SEC Applications for Two Cryptocurrency ETFs

Trump Media's Truth Social Funds has filed with the SEC to launch two cryptocurrency exchange-traded funds. The first ETF will track Bitcoin and Ethereum with Ether staking capabilities. The second, called the Cronos Yield Maximizer ETF, will focus on Cronos tokens with staking rewards. The filings mark a significant expansion into digital asset investment products.

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Corporate Actions Events

SpaceX Considers Dual-Class Share Structure for Planned IPO to Preserve Musk Control

SpaceX is weighing a dual-class share structure for its upcoming IPO that would grant Elon Musk super-voting power, allowing him to maintain control despite holding a minority stake. The approach mirrors governance models used by major technology companies and a strategy Musk previously proposed for Tesla.

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Oil And Gas Events

WTI Crude Tests $61 Support as Oversupply Concerns Drive Weekly Losses

WTI crude oil faces weekly declines amid oversupply fears and failed breakout attempts, testing key $61 support levels. Natural gas weakens below $3.20, while pump prices edge toward $3 per gallon. Market focus shifts to Iran and OPEC+ supply outlooks, with Venezuela's natural gas reserves emerging as potential development target.

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OPEC+ Signals Likely Return to Oil Output Increases Starting April

OPEC+ members are leaning toward resuming oil production increases from April after pausing output hikes throughout the first quarter, according to sources. Eight key member nations see scope to restart supply increases, though no final decision has been made. Talks will continue ahead of the group's March 1 meeting, where delegates will finalize output plans for April and beyond.

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One Gas and Canadian Utilities Hit 52-Week Highs Amid Mixed Energy Sector Signals

One Gas Inc reached a 52-week high of $85.35, while AltaGas, Enbridge, and Hydro One also hit yearly peaks. Oil prices headed for weekly losses on Iran and OPEC+ uncertainty. U.S. rig count remained flat at 551, with oil drilling declining to 409 rigs while gas activity rose to 133.

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Venezuela's PDVSA Restricts Oil Sales to Licensed Companies Only

Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA now sells crude exclusively to individually licensed firms, sources report, as oil sales exceed $1 billion with funds no longer directed to Qatar account.

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Technology Events

FTC Intensifies Microsoft Investigation, Probing Cloud and AI Business Practices

The Federal Trade Commission has escalated its examination of Microsoft, interviewing competitors about the company's cloud computing and artificial intelligence operations, according to Bloomberg reports.

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Environment Events

ECB Fines Credit Agricole €7.6 Million for Climate Risk Management Failures

The European Central Bank penalized France's second-largest bank Credit Agricole €7.6 million for inadequately managing climate-related and environmental risks, marking regulatory enforcement on financial institutions' climate oversight obligations.

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Earnings Events

European Stocks Mixed as AI Concerns and Earnings Weigh on Markets

European equities opened lower and traded mixed following Wall Street's AI-driven sell-off, with investors digesting corporate earnings reports while awaiting key economic growth data.

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Moderna Exceeds Q4 Revenue Expectations Despite FDA Setback

Moderna surpassed fourth-quarter revenue estimates driven by stronger-than-expected COVID vaccine sales, though shares declined following an FDA regulatory setback announced alongside the earnings report.

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© 2026 Market Flux. All rights reserved.


Love Bitcoin

https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1r43lx6

Biggest Stock Movers

Stocks were mixed higher Friday after U.S. consumer prices rose 2.4% in January, cooler than economists' expectations.

These stocks were moving:

$Applied Materials (AMAT.US)$ jumped 8% after the semiconductor-equipment maker beat analysts' earnings and revenue estimates for its fiscal first quarter. The company also issued a better-than-expected forecast for the current quarter. CEO Gary Dickerson said the company expects its semiconductor business to grow by more than 20% this year.

(ICYMI, read Broadcom Attracts Bullish Call Option Trade, Unfazed by 20% Slump: Options Chatter)

$Moderna (MRNA.US)$ reported a fourth-quarter loss of $2.11 a share on revenue of $678 million. Analysts had expected a loss of $2.54 a share on revenue of $635 million. Shares rose 5.3%.

$Arista Networks (ANET.US)$ rallied 4.8% after the networking-equipment company topped Wall Street's targets for fourth-quarter earnings and revenue. The company maintained its forecast for a 62% to 64% gross margin this year, easing concerns higher memory prices. The results came just a day after shares in peer Cisco Systems slumped 12% after Cisco reported that surging memory costs had dragged on its margins over the fiscal second quarter.

$Coinbase (COIN.US)$ Global jumped 7.7%. The cryptocurrency exchange operator reported fourth-quarter revenue that missed expectations and swung to a loss in the period on steep declines in the price of Bitcoin and other digital currencies. Investors may be using the earnings miss as an opportunity to buy the dip, seeing as shares have fallen 50% over the past three months amid a brutal crypto selloff.

$Airbnb (ABNB.US)$ gained 5.7%. The vacation rental's fourth-quarter profit fell short of analysts' expectations. Solid revenue guidance may be driving shares higher: For the current quarter, Airbnb anticipates revenue of $2.59 billion to $2.63 billion, above what Wall Street had forecast.

$DraftKings (DKNG.US)$ slumped 12% after the sports-betting company missed Wall Street's fourth-quarter earnings expectations and issued soft revenue guidance for the current year. The results could fuel worries about the threat that prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket pose to sportsbooks, although DraftKings did launch a prediction market of its own in the fourth quarter. Polymarket has a data sharing partnership with Dow Jones, the publisher of Barron's.

$Expedia (EXPE.US)$ Group fell 5.4% even as the online travel agency reported better-than-expected earnings and revenue for the fourth quarter. Shares took a beating last week on fears that AI will replace many service-based industries and those worries may have been driving the selloff Friday.

$Fastly (FSLY.US)$ gained 1.6%, a day after the IT infrastructure provider rose 72% on better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings and solid guidance. The stock's jump Thursday was its largest daily percentage increase on record, according to Dow Jones Market Data. At their intraday high, shares had risen as much as 92%.

$Maplebear (CART.US)$ added 15% after the food-delivery platform, also known as Maplebear, beat Wall Street's adjusted earnings and revenue targets for the fourth quarter. At the midpoint, Instacart's guidance for first-quarter adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization also beat expectations.

$Pinterest (PINS.US)$ tumbled 21%. The social-media company's fourth-quarter adjusted earnings met expectations, but revenue fell short. Pinterest sees growth slowing in the first quarter, guiding for revenue that was weaker than Wall Street forecasts.

$Rivian Automotive (RIVN.US)$ soared 23% after the electric-vehicle maker reported a fourth-quarter gross profit of $120 million, when Wall Street was expecting the company to break even. Rivian sold 9,745 cars in the fourth quarter, down from 14,183 a year earlier. For 2026, the company anticipates delivering between 62,000 and 67,000 cars, up from about 42,000 vehicles in 2025.

$Roku Inc (ROKU.US)$ jumped 21% after the streaming device maker topped analysts' fourth-quarter earnings estimates and issued strong guidance for the current year. The company gets a cut of subscription fees for channels and streaming services that are bought through its platform, so its revenue gets a boost when users sign up for streamers to watch events like the Olympics and the FIFA World Cup.

U.S. steel stocks fell after the Financial Times reported that President Donald Trump planned to cut some tariffs on steel and aluminum goods. $Steel Dynamics (STLD.US)$ fell 6%, $Nucor (NUE.US)$ dropped 5.6%, $Cleveland-Cliffs (CLF.US)$ s fell 7.1%, and $Reliance (RS.US)$ declined 4%.

$Advance Auto Parts (AAP.US)$ rose 4.3%. The auto-parts retailer posted fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of 86 cents a share, well ahead of analysts' estimates of 41 cents. Revenue in the quarter declined 1.2% to $1.97 billion but also topped forecasts of $1.95 billion. Same-store sales in the period gained 1.1%, below expectations.

$Tri Pointe Homes (TPH.US)$ rallied 27% to $46.41 as Japan's Sumitomo Forestry agreed to acquire the home builder for roughly $4.5 billion. Sumitomo said it would buy the stock at $47 a share.


The BTC Sell Cycle Just Happened So What Usually Comes Next?

The recent Bitcoin sell cycle just played out, and it clearly shook market confidence. Sharp downside moves always feel extreme in real time, especially when sentiment flips from optimism to fear very quickly.

But historically, Bitcoin tends to move in phases — expansion, distribution, correction, and then rebuilding. None of these phases feel comfortable while they’re happening. The correction phase is usually where leverage gets flushed, weaker hands exit, and narratives get reset.

This is often where longer-term structure starts forming again.

After major sell cycles in previous market periods, Bitcoin didn’t immediately reverse. More often, it entered a period of slower movement — sometimes sideways, sometimes grinding down — before momentum eventually returned. These phases usually feel “boring” or uncertain while they’re happening.

Right now, uncertainty is normal. Liquidity usually tightens after aggressive upside, and markets often take time to stabilize before any clear trend returns.

So the bigger discussion is about what typically follows a sell cycle.

Historically, major corrections have often acted as reset phases rather than cycle-ending events. Momentum, when it returned, usually came after patience was tested.

No one knows exact timing. No one knows exact bottoms.

But the pattern question is still worth asking:

Is this sell cycle just another reset before the next expansion phase… Or is this time structurally different?

Curious how others here are looking at this phase — recovery setup, extended consolidation, or something else?


Thursday, February 12, 2026

With the recent announcement, lets flashback to when Payday 2 became the REAL first John Wick game!

Let's go back a decade plus to October 22nd, 2014. Guardians of the Galaxy was pretty good in the summer, GTA V is coming out on PS4/Xbox One in less than a month, you have NO idea what a Bitcoin is, but you know it makes money somehow, and it's the seventh day of Crimefest 2014. So far, it's been good, a big preview to the big event this year (getting my boy and yours Hoxton out of jail), a revamp to the skills system and the introduction of the new Perk Deck cards, a couple livestreams, PD:TH for free for 24h, shit's been good and its looking to get better. So you sit down, see the community notification that the next day is up, see a suspiciously larger than predicted download start, and you go to the main page to see what new things are here.

...to watch a fuckin movie advert!?

Yes, long before the days of spin-off films and Netflix miniseries, the directorial debut of Chad Stalehski that starred a "considered washed up" Keanu Reeves, then best known for The Matrix, Point Break and Bill & Ted, would have a notably unique way of advertising itself by having the character be the fifth member of the Payday gang, instead of Hoxton, the REAL fifth member (and not even that, fuck you Houston, you were here fifth!). Overkill even doubled down on the crossover by having Chains and Wick know each other from back when, plus giving him his own Perk Deck, sunglasses masks and AKIMBO WEAPONS, SOMETHING WE HAD BEEN ASKING FOR SINCE PAYDAY 2 LAUNCHED IN 2013!

Naturally, I remember the reaction to Wick's introduction into the game to be...as nuanced as any controversial take on the internet could be. #KickTheWick was in immediate turbo use, especially when the character picker at the time was just "here is your preferred guy, and if they're already taken, it's the roulette wheel", partially due to it being a glorified ad and mostly because no-one knew what was about to happen, which was people going to see it because it was in Payday so why not, and coming back to go "Guys, I don't wanna alarm you, but John Wick's actually really fucking good!". One year on, and Wicks initial hatred was considered a relic even by then, thanks in part to the film being good, more in part to it being outplayed a month on and, realistically, because we were having a big DLC and balance bloat issue, and then Overkill just REALLY started pooping the goose during the next Crimefest!

So, to cut off the point I made in the title, do we count as the first real John Wick game? Honestly no, he was a guest character brought in before he was famous who quickly became one of the balloons we could use to further stand out. We had a weapon pack, a map pack featuring Lance Reddick (R.I.P.), a shitty VR game that no longer exists and a poster in the background of a scene in John Wick 2 (which the Wiki spoiled me on during opening weekend, and I STILL will not forgive them for that). We started off alongside it, and it had rapidly outgrown us by the time 3 happened, hell, it has had other games that didn't need our help to be mid! So seeing the trailer for the untitled game and seeing comments going "finally, a REEEL John Wick game", it's...well, it's true, but it's nice to say that it wouldn't be the first game he was in.

And we'll always have Hitman...


Silver crashed 11% but COMEX lost 8.9M oz in 2 days -- Registered below 100M for the first time, 15 days to March FND [Deep Dive v4]

Silver Outlook v4: February 12 to May 31, 2026

Author: DeadlySecret Date: 2026-02-12 (updated at close) Data through: 2026-02-12 (Wednesday close) Previous versions: v1_2026-02-09 | v2_2026-02-10 | v3_2026-02-11

What Changed Since v1/v2/v3

Metric v1 (Feb 6) v2 (Feb 9) v3 (Feb 10-11) v4 (Feb 11-12) Change (v1->v4)
Silver price $77.95 $83.31 $84.50 $75.07 (Feb 12 close) -$2.88 (-3.7%)
Gold price $4,965 $5,058 $5,076 $4,920 -$45 (-0.9%)
Gold/Silver ratio 63.7 60.7 60.1 65.57 +1.87
March OI (contracts) 76,091 73,142 68,366 65,494 -10,597 (-13.9%)
May OI 29,265 32,851 35,749 38,368 +9,103 (+31.1%)
Total OI (all months) ~135,258 136,134 ~134,006 ~134,056 -1,202 (-0.9%)
COMEX total inventory 394.5M oz 390.5M oz 386.3M oz 379.2M oz -15.3M (-3.9%)
Registered 102.5M oz 102.3M oz 101.4M oz 93.0M oz (Feb 12 report) -9.5M (-9.3%)
Eligible 292.0M oz 288.2M oz 284.9M oz 286.2M oz (Feb 12 report) -5.8M
Feb delivery MTD 4,061 4,490 4,592 4,595 (complete) +534
Shanghai premium est. ~$0 $8/oz $8/oz $8/oz New data
Settlement (Feb) $76.76 $82.23 $80.218 $80.218 (Feb 10) +$3.46
SLV $67.67 (-11.61%) New
SPX 6,832.77 (-1.57%) New
Transcripts 64 / 37 speakers 104 / 54 speakers 113 / 63 speakers 119+ / 69+ speakers +55 files, +32 speakers

v1 -> v2 -> v3 -> v4 Prediction Scorecard

v1 Prediction (Phase 1: Feb 9-14) v2 Update v3 Actual v4 Actual (Feb 12 close) Grade
Price range: $70-90 Narrowed to $78-88 $80.61-$86.32 $75.07 (BELOW range) C
March OI: ~65-70K by Feb 14 Revised to 68-73K 68,366 (Feb 10) 65,494 (Feb 11 VoI, ahead of schedule) A+
Inventory drain: 4-8M oz/week Revised to 6-10M/wk 4.2M in 1 day 2.3M oz on Feb 12 (7.0M in 2 days) A+
"Further margin adjustments possible" No changes yet No changes yet No changes yet Pending
"Recovery toward upper end" Confirmed ($83.31) Confirmed ($86.32 intraday) FAILED — crashed to $75.07 (-10.97%) F

Overall Phase 1 grade: B- -- OI and inventory predictions continue to track well, but the price prediction failed badly. The Feb 12 selloff (-10.97%) was a broad risk-off event (SPX -1.57%, gold -3.23%, all PMs sold) that was NOT anticipated by the fundamental analysis. The physical thesis (drain, OI, registered below 100M) remains intact, but the market doesn't care about fundamentals during correlation-driven liquidation events.

Executive Summary

CLOSING UPDATE: Silver crashed to $75.07 on February 12 (-10.97%) in a broad risk-off selloff (SPX -1.57%, gold -3.23%). SLV closed at $67.67 (-11.61%), only $2.16 above the Feb 5 crash low. The gold/silver ratio blew out to 65.57 (+8.74%). This was correlation-driven liquidation, not a change in physical fundamentals. COMEX inventory continued draining (-2.34M oz to 379.2M oz). CPI on Feb 13 is the next catalyst.

The key developments since v3:

  1. COMEX registered silver crashed to 93.03M oz -- down 5.11M oz in a single day (Feb 12 report) from reclassifications out of registered across 5 depositories. Registered has fallen 9.5M oz since v1 (Feb 6)
  2. Inventory drain continued at extreme pace -- 4.70M oz left COMEX on Feb 11 (vs 4.20M on Feb 10). The two-day average is ~4.45M oz/day, an annualized drain rate of 1,113M oz/yr against current holdings of 379.2M oz
  3. March OI dropped to 65,494 -- the roll is proceeding steadily, with Feb 10's -4,762 (VoI) being the largest single-day exit since Feb 5. Feb 11 saw another -2,872 (VoI). March OI has now shed 32,455 contracts since Jan 27 and is still 3.5x registered inventory
  4. May OI surged to 38,368 -- absorbing 2,619 of March's Feb 11 decline (~91% transfer rate). May has grown 53% since Jan 27
  5. February delivery is essentially complete -- 4,595 contracts (22.975M oz) with only 3 notices on Feb 11. Attention shifts entirely to March
  6. SLV divergence analysis reveals abnormal mechanics -- counter-cyclical AP flows, -19.4% NAV discount during crash, 907-basket creation event (32.9M oz in one day), and a persistent mean discount of -1.15% suggesting systematic underperformance vs physical silver

Updated central thesis: We are now 15 days from FND (Feb 27). March OI at 65,494 is still 3.5x registered (93.0M oz). At the current roll pace (~3,000-5,000/day), March should reach ~25,000-40,000 by FND. Even at the low end, with historical standing rates elevated (13%+ based on 2025 precedent), that's 3,250-5,200 contracts standing (16-26M oz). Against 93.0M registered -- or potentially ~70-80M by FND given the drain -- this is tight. But the extreme scenario (>15,000 standing) is what would truly stress the system.

Table of Contents

  1. Current State: Updated Numbers
  2. Phase 1-2 Scorecard
  3. Delivery Activity: February Complete
  4. March OI Trajectory Update
  5. Inventory Update: Registered Below 100M oz
  6. The May Handoff
  7. SLV vs XAG: The Paper-Physical Divergence
  8. Updated Week-by-Week Outlook
  9. Expert Consensus and Divergences
  10. Updated Price Scenarios
  11. Updated Risk Matrix
  12. Key Dates Calendar
  13. Conclusion

1. Current State: Updated Numbers

1.1 Price Snapshot (Feb 12 close)

https://preview.redd.it/f7wwsa1n95jg1.png?width=2400&format=png&auto=webp&s=cc795e479b41710f1d555e710c292d356a661e66

Metric Value Change vs v3 Change vs v1
Silver (XAGUSD) Feb 12 close $75.07 -$9.43 -$2.88
Silver Feb 12 high $84.03 (European session)
Silver Feb 12 low ~$74.80
Gold (XAUUSD) Feb 12 close $4,920 -$156 -$45
Gold/Silver ratio 65.57 +5.47 +1.87
SLV close $67.67 (-11.61%)
SPX close 6,832.77 (-1.57%)
All-time high (Jan 29) $121.67 -- --
Crash low (Feb 2 intraday) $64.06 -- --
Recovery from crash low +17% ($75.07) -- --
Drawdown from ATH -38% ($75.07) -- --

Silver crashed 10.97% in a single session — the largest decline since the Jan 30 flash crash. This was a broad risk-off event: all precious metals, equities, and risk assets sold together. The gold/silver ratio blew out to 65.57, indicating silver was disproportionately hit by leveraged long liquidation. SLV closed at $67.67, only $2.16 above the Feb 5 crash low of $65.51.

1.2 COMEX Inventory

Category v1 (Feb 5) v2 (Feb 9) v3 (Feb 10) v4 (Feb 12) Change (v1->v4)
Registered 102.55M oz 102.26M oz 101.39M oz 93.03M oz -9.52M (-9.3%)
Eligible 291.96M oz 288.21M oz 284.88M oz 286.20M oz -5.76M
Total 394.51M oz 390.47M oz 386.27M oz 379.23M oz -15.28M

Feb 12 total inventory: 379.23M oz — another 2.34M oz physically withdrawn despite the 11% price crash. The physical drain does not respond to paper price moves. Total drain since v1 (6 trading days): 15.28M oz (-3.9%).

Registered crashed to 93.03M oz — down 5.11M oz in a single day from reclassifications (dewarranting) across 5 depositories. There is now only 93M oz of delivery-ready silver in COMEX against 65,494 contracts (327.5M oz) of March OI — a ratio of 3.5x.

https://preview.redd.it/l15h2ctv95jg1.png?width=2100&format=png&auto=webp&s=ccd2a6fa0e6a44e77dc283d1ada8d76fa6806cf8

Updated drain rate:

Period Total Drain Daily Rate Annualized
v1 (26-day, through Feb 6) -- 785K oz/day 196M oz/yr
v2 (24-day, Jan 6-Feb 9) -- 900K oz/day 225M oz/yr
v3 (Feb 9-10, 1 biz day) 4.20M ~4.20M oz/day 1,050M oz/yr
v4 (Feb 10-11, 1 biz day) 4.70M ~4.70M oz/day 1,175M oz/yr
v3-v4 avg (Feb 9-11, 2 biz days) 8.90M ~4.45M oz/day 1,113M oz/yr

The drain rate has been at ~4.5M oz/day for two consecutive days. Even if this pace moderates to ~2M oz/day (the Jan 6-Feb 11 average of 1.3M/day adjusted for recent acceleration), total inventory would drop to ~350-360M oz by FND, with registered potentially at 75-85M oz.

1.3 Open Interest Profile (Feb 11 session -- from VoiDetailsForProduct.xls)

Contract OI (Feb 11) M oz Change vs v3 (Feb 10)
Feb 2026 170 0.9 -102
March 2026 65,494 327.5 -2,872
Apr 2026 602 3.0 +53
May 2026 38,368 191.8 +2,619
Jul 2026 17,342 86.7 +53
Sep 2026 4,565 22.8 +82
Dec 2026 6,539 32.7 +122
Total ~134,056 ~670 +50

Note: All OI data from CME VoiDetailsForProduct.xls. March OI change of -2,872 reflects VoI Feb 10 (68,366) → VoI Feb 11 (65,494).

March shed 2,872 contracts on Feb 11 (VoI). May absorbed 2,619 -- a transfer rate of ~91%. Total OI was essentially flat (+50), meaning virtually no one is exiting silver entirely -- they're rolling forward.

1.4 CFTC Positioning (still Feb 3 data)

https://preview.redd.it/4aqcyc2y95jg1.png?width=2100&format=png&auto=webp&s=f41b26103c829843f28df988cbe47489615f1766

No new COT release. Next expected: Feb 14 release (for Feb 11 data).

Metric Value (Feb 3) Trend
Total OI 143,180 Down 13,457 from Jan 27
Commercial short 80,973 Down from 101K in Dec -- covering
Top 4 short % 35.6% Spiking
Top 8 short % 48.6% Spiking

2. Phase 1-2 Scorecard

Phase 1: Feb 9-14 -- Post-Crash Stabilization (IN PROGRESS, Day 4 of 6)

Metric v1 Forecast v2 Forecast v3 Actual v4 Actual (Feb 12) Grade
Price $70-90 $78-88 $80.61-$86.32 $81.90-$83.75 (Feb 12 range) A
March OI 65-70K by Feb 14 68-73K 68,366 (Feb 10) 65,494 (Feb 11, already hit low end) A+
Inventory drain 4-8M/wk 6-10M/wk 4.2M in 1 day 8.9M in 2 days A+
Volatility High Moderating $5.71 range (Feb 11) $1.85 range (Feb 12, narrowing) A
Key catalysts Employment, CPI Employment (Feb 11), CPI (Feb 13) NFP +130K, benchmark -898K CPI pending (Feb 13) A+

Phase 1 assessment: Exceeding expectations. March OI already hit the lower bound of the v1 target range 3 days early. Inventory drain rate is above worst-case projections. Volatility is narrowing as the market consolidates, which is constructive for a base before the next move. CPI on Feb 13 is the last major Phase 1 catalyst.

3. Delivery Activity: February Complete

3.1 Updated February Delivery Notices (through Feb 11 -- essentially complete)

Intent Date Daily Cumulative Running % of ~4,870 est. starting OI
Jan 29 1,881 1,881 ~39%
Jan 30 633 2,514 ~52%
Feb 02 251 2,765 ~57%
Feb 03 190 2,955 ~61%
Feb 04 608 3,563 ~73%
Feb 05 181 3,744 ~77%
Feb 06 317 4,061 ~84%
Feb 09 429 4,490 ~93%
Feb 10 102 4,592 ~94%
Feb 11 3 4,595 ~94.4%

Total Feb delivery: 4,595 contracts = 22.975M oz

Only 3 contracts on Feb 11 -- February is done. Remaining open Feb positions (170 contracts) are either EFP'd or abandoned. Attention shifts entirely to March.

https://preview.redd.it/xhzatepz95jg1.png?width=2100&format=png&auto=webp&s=4e48e047a0e8897285e9f43cba9efd40e62e1b36

3.2 Who Is Delivering? (YTD Report through Feb 11)

Firm Feb Issues Feb Stops Net Significance
JP Morgan 1,802 1,334 +468 issued Largest on both sides; net issuer in Feb
Wells Fargo 938 502 +436 issued Second largest net issuer
Deutsche Bank 526 369 +157 issued
Macquarie 459 648 -189 stopped Net accumulator
Stonex 133 482 -349 stopped Consistent physical accumulator
HSBC 144 265 -121 stopped
Scotia Capital 0 223 -223 stopped Taking delivery
Morgan Stanley 0 188 -188 stopped New significant stopper
Goldman Sachs 5 80 -75 stopped Still accumulating

Notable: JP Morgan is the largest participant on both sides -- issuing 1,802 and stopping 1,334. This is consistent with their role as the dominant market-maker and SLV custodian. The net-stopper diversification (Macquarie, Stonex, Scotia, Morgan Stanley, Goldman) suggests broadening institutional demand for physical silver.

3.3 YTD Delivery Context

Month 2024 2025 2026
January 6.8M oz 11.8M oz 49.4M oz
February (complete) 6.5M oz* 23.9M* 22.975M oz
YTD 13.3M 35.7M ~72.4M

2026 YTD deliveries are more than double the 2025 full Jan+Feb combined. February alone in a minor month delivered nearly as much as February 2025.

4. March OI Trajectory Update

4.1 Updated Daily Unwinding

https://preview.redd.it/1vzjr7z0a5jg1.png?width=2400&format=png&auto=webp&s=53525a07e482e6f3995479cd0ec5ef2066042c23

Date March OI Daily Change Days to FND Source
Jan 27 97,949 -1,071 -31 Databento
Feb 1 91,790 -6,159 -26 Databento
Feb 2 86,440 -5,390 -25 Databento
Feb 3 86,446 +6 -24 Databento
Feb 4 85,819 -627 -23 Databento
Feb 5 80,502 -5,317 -22 Databento
Feb 6 76,091 -4,411 -21 Databento
Feb 9 73,128 -2,957 -18 Databento
Feb 10 68,366 -4,762 -17 VoI
Feb 11 65,494 -2,872 -16 VoI

The roll pace remains steady at ~2,500-5,000/day. Feb 10's -4,762 (VoI) was the largest single-day exit since Feb 5. Feb 11's -2,872 is moderate but consistent. At the current average pace of ~3,500/day (last 5 sessions), March OI would reach:

  • Feb 14 (3 trading days): ~55,000
  • Feb 21 (8 trading days): ~37,000
  • Feb 27 FND (12 trading days): ~23,000

This tracks with historical patterns where the roll accelerates further in the final week.

4.2 Roll Analysis: March -> May Transfer

Since Jan 27, March has lost 32,455 contracts. Where did they go?

Destination Change (Jan 27 -> Feb 11) % of March decline
May 2026 +13,367 41.2%
Jul 2026 +78 0.2%
Sep 2026 +83 0.3%
Dec 2026 +241 0.7%
Positions closed entirely ~18,686 57.6%

Updated roll assessment: The May transfer rate has increased from 36.3% (v3) to 41.2% -- a clear trend of more holders choosing to stay in silver via May rather than exit. On Feb 11, the transfer rate was ~91% (2,619 to May vs 2,872 lost from March), suggesting the margin-hike liquidation wave has largely passed. The remaining March holders are increasingly committed.

4.3 Updated Standing Projections

https://preview.redd.it/2ochy9b2a5jg1.png?width=2100&format=png&auto=webp&s=ded019f99488f7af8490a1f75995c5b453dadfae

Starting from 65,494 contracts (Feb 11), projected to ~23,000-35,000 by FND:

Scenario Standing % Contracts at FND (est. 30K base) M oz % of Registered (~93M)
Historical median (3.5%) 3.5% ~1,050 5.3 6%
Historical norm (5%) 5% ~1,500 7.5 8%
Elevated historical (7%) 7% ~2,100 10.5 11%
2025-like (13%) 13% ~3,900 19.5 21%
High stress (20%) 20% ~6,000 30.0 32%
Extreme (30%) 30% ~9,000 45.0 48%

Note: These projections use an estimated 30,000 contracts at FND. If the roll is slower and 40,000+ remain, all percentages scale up proportionally.

4.4 Comparison to March 2025 at Same Stage

https://preview.redd.it/nvt4fgc5a5jg1.png?width=2400&format=png&auto=webp&s=70f25bcb938f98b344fc05c9a6d4c26329b681ad

Metric March 2025 (T-16) March 2026 (T-16)
OI at T-16 ~98,000 65,494
OI as % of peak 79% 55%
Registered at FND ~158M oz ~70-85M oz (est.)
Standing at FND (Mar 2025 actual) 15,691 (12.7%) ?

March 2026 has 33% less OI than March 2025 at the same stage, but 38-51% less registered silver to deliver. The key ratio -- delivery demand to deliverable supply -- is tighter in 2026.

5. Inventory Update: Registered Below 100M oz

https://preview.redd.it/jlnt9l78a5jg1.png?width=2100&format=png&auto=webp&s=4950cc2fbefbe48bb8964be92da2de508966a4a6

5.1 Total COMEX Inventory Timeline

Date Total Inventory Daily Change
Jan 6 426.5M oz --
Jan 27 411.7M oz --
Feb 1 405.7M oz -1.5M/day avg
Feb 4 398.0M oz -2.6M/day
Feb 6 394.5M oz -1.75M/day
Feb 9 390.5M oz -2.0M/day avg
Feb 10 386.3M oz -4.20M (1 biz day)
Feb 11 381.6M oz -4.70M (1 biz day)
Feb 12 379.2M oz -2.34M (1 biz day)

Total drain Jan 6 -> Feb 12: 47.3M oz in 27 business days = 1.75M oz/day average

The pace is clearly accelerating:

  • Jan 6-27: ~700K oz/day
  • Jan 27-Feb 6: ~1.7M oz/day
  • Feb 9-10: ~4.2M oz/day
  • Feb 10-11: ~4.7M oz/day
  • Feb 11-12: ~2.3M oz/day (moderated but still elevated)

5.2 Vault-Level Analysis (Feb 12 report, activity date Feb 11)

Depository Registered Eligible Total Reg Chg Total Chg
JP Morgan 12.04M 150.15M 162.19M 0.00M -1.13M
Brink's 16.12M 40.64M 56.76M -1.44M 0.00M
Loomis 7.37M 23.30M 30.67M 0.00M -0.05M
CNT 12.97M 15.31M 28.28M -2.37M 0.00M
Asahi 23.95M 2.56M 26.51M 0.00M -0.43M
HSBC 3.47M 21.15M 24.62M 0.00M 0.00M
MTB 6.50M 12.17M 18.67M -0.54M -0.60M
Delaware 1.55M 16.26M 17.81M -0.41M -0.13M
Others 9.04M 4.67M 13.72M -0.35M 0.00M
Total 93.03M 286.20M 379.23M -5.11M -2.34M

Key observations:

  • 5 depositories reclassified registered to eligible (dewarranting): CNT (-2.37M), Brink's (-1.44M), MTB (-0.54M), Delaware (-0.41M), IDS (-0.35M) = -5.11M total
  • CNT Depository had the largest registered drop: -2.37M oz — 15% of its registered silver dewarranted in one day
  • Physical withdrawals of -2.34M oz from JP Morgan (-1.13M), MTB (-0.60M), Asahi (-0.43M), Delaware (-0.13M), Loomis (-0.05M)
  • JP Morgan's eligible pool dropped to 150.15M oz (52.4% of all eligible) — continues as dominant withdrawal source
  • Zero metal was received into registered. Eligible actually increased net (+2.77M) due to registered reclassifications outweighing withdrawals

5.3 Updated Registered Projection

Date Optimistic (1.5M/day total) Base (2.5M/day) Accelerated (4M/day)
Feb 12 (actual) -- 379.2M --
Feb 14 (end Phase 1) 376M 374M 371M
Feb 21 (end Phase 2) 369M 362M 351M
Feb 27 (FND) 363M 352M 335M

Estimated registered at FND (assuming registered = ~24.5% of total, current ratio):

  • Optimistic: ~89M oz
  • Base: ~86M oz
  • Accelerated: ~82M oz

All scenarios project registered below 90M oz by FND. With today's 93.0M as the starting point and active dewarranting, registered could fall even faster than total inventory.

6. The May Handoff

6.1 May OI Status

https://preview.redd.it/ady4v90aa5jg1.png?width=2100&format=png&auto=webp&s=52ef84806a615f09276b1a5655492bbaf1858774

May OI: 38,368 contracts (191.8M oz) -- up 2,634 from Feb 10, the highest yet.

Date May OI Growth from Jan 27
Jan 27 25,001 --
Feb 3 25,641 +640
Feb 6 29,265 +4,264
Feb 9 32,851 +7,850 (+31.4%)
Feb 10 35,749 +10,748 (+43.0%)
Feb 11 38,368 +13,367 (+53.5%)

The May roll-in has been remarkably consistent: ~2,500-2,900 contracts per day over the last 3 sessions. At this pace, May could reach 55,000-65,000 by FND. This would make May 2026 one of the most heavily positioned silver delivery months in recent history.

6.2 The Cascading Risk

https://preview.redd.it/jq8yl54ba5jg1.png?width=2100&format=png&auto=webp&s=6fe01764d77175a4ad6bf8df26f38e448b06282f

The cascading risk from v3 is updated with tighter numbers:

If March delivery takes 20-30M oz from registered (~93M):

  • Post-March registered: ~63-73M oz
  • May at 55K contracts with 10% standing: 27.5M oz against 63-73M available
  • That's 38-44% -- tight

If March delivery takes 50M+ oz:

  • Post-March registered: ~43-53M oz
  • May at 10% standing: 27.5M oz against 43-53M
  • That's 52-64% -- severe stress territory

If March forces emergency measures (rule changes, cash settlement):

  • May holders will be even more determined to stand for delivery to test the system
  • This is the self-reinforcing feedback loop

7. SLV vs XAG: The Paper-Physical Divergence

7.1 Key Finding: SLV Market Price Tracks Spot Perfectly

Metric Value
SLV/XAG ratio mean 0.9061
SLV/XAG ratio range 0.9052-0.9066 (0.15% band)
Cumulative return spread (YTD) -0.02 pp

SLV's market price is essentially a perfect proxy for spot silver, adjusted for its 0.9069 oz-per-share. No divergence in market price.

7.2 Where the Divergence Is: NAV and Fund Mechanics

https://preview.redd.it/ile2at0ea5jg1.png?width=2085&format=png&auto=webp&s=09d40676b91dcfcc721e38d8ba0b122d083c006b

Metric Value
Mean NAV premium/discount -1.15% (persistent discount)
Max premium +4.39% (Feb 9)
Max discount -19.38% (Jan 30)
2025 Market vs LBMA benchmark return gap -4.40 pp (3x the 0.50% fee)

The -19.4% NAV discount on Jan 30 (crash day) reveals the arbitrage mechanism broke down -- Authorized Participants couldn't or wouldn't create baskets during the crisis.

7.3 Counter-Cyclical Flows: Silver Leaves During Rallies, Enters During Crashes

https://preview.redd.it/kl7uzf2fa5jg1.png?width=2085&format=png&auto=webp&s=97a1f5eef46ad8d24d4e0a0d76788edbc52153c1

Period Shares Change Implied Oz Change Direction
Jan 5-29 (rally) -32.5M (-5.6%) -29.5M oz OUT
Jan 30-Feb 2 (crash) +36.3M (+6.6%) +32.9M oz IN
Feb 3-11 (stabilization) -10.8M (-1.8%) -9.8M oz OUT
Net (Jan 2-Feb 11) -6.9M (-1.2%) -6.3M oz OUT

This is the opposite of normal ETF behavior. APs are using SLV as a physical silver buffer pool:

  • During rallies: redeem baskets, pull silver out to sell at high prices or deliver on COMEX
  • During crashes: create baskets, park silver back to exploit NAV discounts

The 907-basket creation event on Feb 2 (~32.9M oz in a single day) is extraordinary. For context, that's 33% of current COMEX registered inventory, deposited in one session. This silver almost certainly came from LBMA London vaults via book-entry transfers at JP Morgan (SLV's custodian).

7.4 Implications for the Thesis

  1. SLV holders systematically underperform physical silver (-4.40 pp vs benchmark in 2025, more than 3x the stated fee)
  2. The SLV-LBMA-COMEX triangle allows APs to arbitrage silver between venues -- SLV is a source/sink for the physical market
  3. During extreme stress, the arbitrage mechanism can break (as it did with -19.4% discount), meaning SLV's "paper silver" promise temporarily fails
  4. Net-net, SLV has lost 6.3M oz YTD despite the massive crash-day deposit, consistent with the broader physical drain thesis
  5. SLV redemptions during rallies may have been supplying silver to meet COMEX delivery demand -- creating a hidden pipeline between ETF investors' holdings and futures market deliveries

8. Updated Week-by-Week Outlook

https://preview.redd.it/8ac2hq4ga5jg1.png?width=2700&format=png&auto=webp&s=b97b45b8b134b9dec1daa8b7ad33d4791a3faced

Phase 1: Feb 9-14 -- Post-Crash Stabilization (IN PROGRESS)

Status: Day 4 of 6. March OI ahead of schedule.

Metric v3 Forecast v4 Actual (Feb 12) Updated (Feb 12-14)
Price $82-90 $81.90-$83.75 $80-88
March OI 63-68K 65,494 (Feb 11) 58-63K by Feb 14
Inventory drain 10-15M oz 8.9M in 2 days 12-18M oz (Phase 1 total)

Key catalysts remaining:

  • Feb 13: January CPI Data -- inflation/rate cut signal. Wages at +3.7% y/y from NFP report keeps some inflation risk. A hot CPI could temporarily dampen rate-cut expectations and pressure silver. A cool CPI would be bullish
  • Feb 14: COT release (for Feb 11 data) -- first updated positioning since Feb 3. Should show further commercial short covering and potentially even higher concentration ratios

Phase 2: Feb 14-21 -- Acceleration Phase

Updated expectations:

  • The weak NFP + massive benchmark revision (-898K) from Feb 11 tilts the Fed toward earlier rate cuts
  • Post-CPI, the macro picture will be clearer -- this determines whether Phase 2 is range-bound or breakout
  • March OI drops to ~37,000-45,000
  • May OI rises past 48,000-55,000
  • Physical dealer shortages persist
  • COT release on Feb 14 may show extreme positioning, attracting media attention

Price range: $80-95 March OI target: ~37,000-45,000 by Feb 21

Phase 3: Feb 21-27 -- Final Roll Week (CRITICAL)

Updated expectations:

  • If March OI > 20,000 on Feb 25, stress signal (unchanged)
  • The improving roll-to-May rate (now 41.2%) suggests committed holders
  • Registered at ~75-89M oz by this point
  • Pre-FND positioning likely to generate sharp price moves

Price range: $82-112 March OI target: 3,000-12,000 by Feb 27

Phase 4: Feb 27 - Mar 5 -- FND Week

Updated scenario matrix:

Standing M oz Market Reaction v4 Probability
<5,000 contracts <25M Relief. Orderly month. 22% (was 25%)
5,000-10,000 25-50M Elevated but manageable. Premiums rise. 35%
10,000-15,000 50-75M Stress. Registered barely covers. 23% (was 22%)
15,000-20,000 75-100M Severe stress. EFP premiums spike. 13% (was 12%)
>20,000 >100M Crisis. Cash settlement risk. 7% (was 6%)

Net shift: -3% from relief, +3% toward elevated/stress scenarios. Registered breaking below 100M and the two-day extreme drain rate both support higher standing probability.

Price range: $80-122

Phase 5: Mar 5-27 -- Delivery Month

Price range: $85-$128 (raised floor) Key indicator: Daily registered changes. Below 50M oz = crisis mode.

Phase 6: Mar 27 - Apr 15 -- Post-March Assessment

Price range: $90-$120

Phase 7: Apr 15-29 -- May Pre-Roll Buildup

Price range: $95-$135

Phase 8: Apr 30 - May 31 -- May Delivery Month

End-May price scenarios:

Scenario Price Range v4 Probability
Bear (deleveraging, rule changes) $50-78 9% (was 10%)
Base (orderly but tight) $88-108 38% (was 40%)
Bull (delivery stress persists) $108-145 37% (was 35%)
Extreme (delivery failure) $145-200+ 16% (was 15%)

9. Expert Consensus and Divergences

Based on 119+ transcripts across 69+ speakers. 6 new transcripts processed Feb 12

The most balanced view from v3 remains relevant: the same data can support both a genuine shortage story AND a leverage/negotiation play. The new China angle adds complexity -- China was behind both the short attack AND the physical buying. This suggests China may be using silver markets as a tool for broader geopolitical positioning rather than pure investment.

10. Updated Price Scenarios

10.1 Scenario Table (Updated with Feb 11-12 data)

Date Bear Base Bull Extreme
Current (Feb 12) $83.15 $83.15 $83.15 $83.15
Feb 14 $72-78 $80-86 $86-93 $93+
Feb 27 (FND) $65-72 $80-92 $94-120 $120+
Mar 31 $56-72 $90-108 $118-145 $145+
Apr 30 $50-66 $94-110 $122-155 $155+
May 31 $46-60 $98-114 $130-172 $172+

10.2 Updated Probability Weights

Scenario v1 v2 v3 v4 Rationale
Bear (deleveraging) 15% 12% 10% 9% Roll transfer to May improving; margin liquidation mostly done
Base (orderly but tight) 45% 43% 40% 38% Registered below 100M adds uncertainty to "orderly"
Bull (delivery stress) 30% 33% 35% 37% Drain rate confirms physical demand; May OI building fast
Extreme (delivery failure) 10% 12% 15% 16% Two consecutive 4.5M+ oz drain days; China angle; SLV mechanics

Net shift: +2% toward bull/extreme outcomes, -2% from bear/base.

11. Updated Risk Matrix

11.1 Upside Risks (silver goes higher than expected)

Risk Probability Impact Trigger
March standing exceeds 20K contracts 18% +$20-40 Physical demand persistence
COMEX registered drops below 50M oz 28% +$15-30 Accelerated drain
SLV creation/redemption disruption 15% +$15-30 Following China trust pattern
Japan debt crisis -> metals surge 25% +$20-40 Yield spike, yen divergence
Bitcoin continues crashing -> metals 40% +$5-10 Crypto risk-off
Gold pushes above $5,500 30% +$10-20 Dollar weakness / rate cuts
China actively bids for physical 20% +$20-50 Shanghai premium widens
Cool CPI (Feb 13) -> rate cut rally 35% +$5-15 Below-consensus CPI

11.2 Downside Risks (silver goes lower than expected)

Risk Probability Impact Trigger
Additional CME margin hikes 25% -$10-20 Continued volatility
Hot CPI (Feb 13) -> dollar surge 30% -$8-15 Above-consensus CPI
COMEX introduces cash-settlement silver 15% -$15-25 Rule change
Repeat coordinated short attack 8% -$10-20 Temporary (actors banned, but others could emerge)
Broad market deleveraging 20% -$20-30 Equity crash
Geopolitical resolution 25% -$5-15 De-escalation
Eligible-to-registered conversion wave 15% -$5-10 Premiums induce vault owners to register metal

11.3 Systemic Risks (tail events)

Risk Probability Impact Mechanism
COMEX force majeure on silver 5% Extreme Delivery exceeds registered + willing eligible
Paper-physical price split 12% Severe Two-tier market with dealer premium >50%
LBMA silver market freeze 5% Extreme London runs out of available silver for lease
Flash crash below $50 8% Severe Algorithmic cascade in thin liquidity
Flash spike above $200 5% Extreme Short squeeze + delivery failure

12. Key Dates Calendar (Updated)

Date Event Significance Days Away
Feb 12 (TODAY) v4 Report Data consolidation 0
Feb 13 January CPI Data Inflation/rate cut signal -- MOST IMPORTANT THIS WEEK 1
Feb 14 COT release (for Feb 11 data) Updated positioning 2
Feb 25 March Last Trade Day (SIH26) Last day to trade March contract 13
Feb 26 March First Position Day Position accountability begins 14
Feb 27 March First Notice Day Standing determined -- MOST CRITICAL 15
Mar 2 March First Delivery Day Physical delivery begins 18
Mar 27 March Settlement Day March contract settles 43
Mar 31 March Last Delivery Day Final physical delivery 47
Apr 30 May First Notice Day (SIK26) May standing determined 77

13. Conclusion

The data since v3 continues the trend of incrementally bullish developments:

  1. Registered silver crashed to 93.03M oz -- down 5.11M in a single day from dewarranting across 5 vaults. There is now less delivery-ready silver than at any point in this cycle
  2. Two consecutive extreme drain days (4.2M + 4.7M = 8.9M oz in 2 business days) confirm this is not a one-off event but an accelerating trend
  3. March OI declined to 65,494 -- the roll is proceeding on schedule, with the largest single-day drops in recent sessions. March OI hit our Phase 1 lower target 3 days early
  4. May OI surged to 38,368 -- absorbing 41.2% of March's decline (up from 36.3%), with total OI flat. No one is leaving silver
  5. February delivery is essentially complete at 4,595 contracts -- the market's attention now shifts entirely to March
  6. SLV analysis reveals abnormal fund mechanics -- counter-cyclical AP flows, a -19.4% NAV discount during the crash, and net loss of 6.3M oz YTD despite a massive single-day deposit. The paper-physical plumbing is under stress
  7. 6 new expert voices reinforce the supply-stress thesis, with China's growing role in silver pricing adding a new geopolitical dimension

v4 probability-weighted expected price by May 31:

  • Bear: $53 x 9% = $4.77
  • Base: $106 x 38% = $40.28
  • Bull: $151 x 37% = $55.87
  • Extreme: $186 x 16% = $29.76
  • Weighted average: ~$131/oz (up from v3's ~$127, v2's ~$115, v1's ~$103)

The central risk is unchanged: what happens on Feb 27. With 65,494 contracts still open and 15 days to go, the standing number will determine everything. The base case sees 5,000-10,000 contracts standing (25-50M oz) against ~70-85M oz registered -- tight but potentially manageable with EFPs and eligible conversions. The tail risks have increased again.

Key monitoring points for the next 24-48 hours:

  • Feb 13 CPI -- the last major data point before the roll enters its final phase. Hot CPI = temporary headwind. Cool CPI = tailwind. Either way, the physical setup is unchanged
  • Daily March OI decline rate and May OI growth
  • Inventory: does the 4.5M+ oz/day pace continue?
  • Physical dealer availability worldwide
  • Feb 14 COT release -- will likely show extreme concentration ratios

15 days to First Notice Day. The clock is ticking.

This report represents analysis based on data available through February 11-12, 2026, including web research and 119+ expert transcripts. All forward-looking projections are scenario-based and conditional. This is not financial advice.


Did I time it just right again?

https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1r37mfi