By: Razan Hilal, Market Analyst
As of February 2026, Nasdaq price action is signaling a turning point in how equity markets are valuing exposure to artificial intelligence. After months of optimism-driven gains, repeated failures near key resistance levels indicate that investors are reassessing whether AI can justify elevated multiples. The index’s inability to regain momentum highlights a broader shift from narrative-led positioning toward risk-controlled allocation.
Razan Hilal, Market Analyst at FOREX.com, specializes in technical analysis of U.S. equity indices with a focus on momentum shifts and valuation-driven inflection points.
Nasdaq leaders are weakening as AI valuation assumptions face increasing scrutiny. Hilal explains that AI is now being viewed "not as a growth engine, but more as a threat to company software and business margins", a shift that is materially altering investor expectations. This reassessment has coincided with five failed attempts to clear the 26,000 level, validating resistance as a structural barrier. As a result, AI-heavy leaders are no longer providing the stabilizing influence they once did
Concentration in AI-linked stocks is increasing Nasdaq’s sensitivity to downside moves. Hilal points to extended consolidation below the 25,000 level as evidence that momentum has turned fragile. With RSI slipping below neutral and key supports at 24,200 and 22,700 coming into focus, downside scenarios are becoming more relevant for portfolio risk planning. Consequently, AI exposure is shifting from a source of upside leverage to a driver of volatility.
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--- Written by Lindo Xulu, StoneX TV Journalist
--- Expert: Razan Hilal, Market Analyst, FOREX.com
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