February may be the shortest month of the year, but it managed to pack in plenty of action.
On the economic front, the data was a bit of a mixed bag. Inflation came in slightly cooler than expected, and the labor market surprised to the upside with stronger than expected jobs growth. However, GDP growth disappointed and consumer sentiment remained subdued. Taken together, the data pointed to a resilient but softening economy.
US markets reflected this nuance, with results differing across asset classes. The Nasdaq 100 was the notable laggard, falling 2.26%, as AI focused tech stocks faced some headwinds. The S&P 500 slipped a modest 0.76%, while the more blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average eked out a small gain of 0.31%. Smaller companies fared considerably better, with the CRSP US Small Cap Index climbing 2.74%. Market breadth continued to improve as small-cap and value stocks outpaced their large-cap growth counterparts, and defensive sectors held up better than more cyclical areas of the market.
International markets were a bright spot for the month, outpacing the US as a whole. Developed international stocks posted a strong 6.10% gain, and emerging markets added 2.89%, continuing the recent trend away from concentrated tech stocks and into more reasonably valued market segments. Additionally, encouraging economic data in Europe and a somewhat weaker US dollar have made foreign assets more attractive to domestic investors.
Bonds had a solid month as well. Aggregate US bonds rose 1.64%, benefiting from a meaningful decline in interest rates as the 10-year Treasury yield fell from 4.26% to 3.97%. The move lower in yields was driven by the cooler-than-expected inflation reading and a broader investor shift toward more defensive and safe-haven assets.
Despite some pockets of uncertainty, February was a broadly positive month for diversified investors. The mixed economic data and tech turbulence created some noise, but the market’s ability to look past short-term disruptions highlights the value of staying the course. Maintaining a well-diversified portfolio and keeping focus on longer-term goals can help when navigating the inevitable periods of uncertainty that come with investing.
I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream!
Well, everyone except Nestlé that is…
The world’s largest food company announced it’s in negotiations to sell off its remaining ice cream brands as part of a broader restructuring. The goal is to sharpen the focus on its stronger coffee, petcare, food, and snacks businesses.
This isn’t the first de-icing for the company. In 2019 Nestlé sold its US ice cream portfolio, including household names like Edy’s, Drumstick, and Häagen-Dazs.
Nestlé isn’t alone in exiting the freezer aisle in recent years either. Unilever spun off its frozen dairy brands, including Ben & Jerry’s and Magnum, in late-2025.
It seems some of the biggest names in the food business have come to the same conclusion: their futures might be sweeter without ice cream.
While the rest of the world races toward the next innovation, Gen Z is hitting rewind.
The iPod, discontinued by Apple in 2022, is making a quiet but notable comeback.
Younger consumers are increasingly turning to the old-school music device as a way to unplug from the constant pull of smartphones and social media.
Searches for the iPod Classic and iPod Nano jumped 25% and 20% respectively in 2025 compared to the prior year. Since 2022, total sales of refurbished iPods have grown at an average pace of 15.6% per year.
Part of the appeal is practical too. As schools try to crack down on internet-connected devices, students have found the iPod to be a workaround to listen to music without all the distractions.
In the attention economy, the most forward-thinking move might just be a step backward.
Broad Market Returns
| Asset Class | 1 Month | 3 Month | YTD | 1 Year |
| S&P 500 (VOO) | -0.81% | 0.70% | 0.62% | 16.93% |
| NASDAQ (QQQ) | -2.34% | -1.81% | -1.14% | 20.11% |
| Large Cap Growth (VUG) | -4.29% | -6.01% | -5.53% | 14.11% |
| Large Cap Value (VTV) | 3.76% | 9.37% | 8.52% | 18.89% |
| Small Cap Growth (VBK) | 2.38% | 5.48% | 6.02% | 17.81% |
| Small Cap Value (VBR) | 3.05% | 9.15% | 8.55% | 18.65% |
| Developed International (VEA) | 6.10% | 16.01% | 12.44% | 42.30% |
| Emerging Markets (VWO) | 2.89% | 9.10% | 8.07% | 33.65% |
| REITs (VNQ) | 5.39% | 5.72% | 8.14% | 5.91% |
| Aggregate Bonds (BND) | 1.60% | 1.52% | 1.82% | 6.10% |
| Corporate Bonds (VCIT) | 1.32% | 1.39% | 1.56% | 8.22% |
| High Yield Bonds (JNK) | -0.01% | 1.22% | 0.62% | 6.97% |
| Long Term Treasuries (VGLT) | 4.19% | 1.91% | 4.06% | 3.65% |
| International Bonds (BNDX) | 1.53% | 1.53% | 2.06% | 3.81% |
Market Health Indicator
The Market Health Indicator (MHI) measures market health on a scale of 0 – 100, analyzing various market segments such as economics, technicals, and volatility. Higher scores indicate healthier market conditions.
Fun Facts
- Thanks to 3D printing, NASA can “email” tools to astronauts by transmitting digital designs to the International Space Station.
- The world’s longest concert by multiple artists lasted 437 hours, 54 minutes, and 40 seconds.
- “One” is the only number that is spelled with its letters arranged in descending order.
- Dogs have sniffing lateralization, a split-nostril ability allowing them to analyze scent, direction, and emotional significance simultaneously.
– The Aspire Wealth Team
