Dow Jones Hits Record Close Amid Cooling Inflation

On Friday, Feb. 20, 2026, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 230.81 points to a record 49,625.97, while Dow futures climbed 221 points to 49,679.00. Investors reacted to cooling inflation data that increased odds of a Federal Reserve policy pivot, lifting growth and e-commerce leaders such as Amazon (up 2.40% to $209.93) even as Walmart slid 2.63% to $121.63.