Category: News
Funcionarios de la Fed prefieren que baje inflación antes de reducir tasas de interés, revelan actas
Por CHRISTOPHER RUGABER
WASHINGTON (AP) — Muchos funcionarios de la Reserva Federal quieren ver que la inflación baje más antes de respaldar recortes adicionales de las tasas de interés este año, en particular si el mercado laboral continúa estabilizándose, según muestran las actas de la reunión del mes pasado.
La “gran mayoría” de los 19 participantes del comité que fija las tasas señaló que había indicios de que el mercado laboral se ha estabilizado, después de que la tasa de desempleo subiera a finales de 2025, según las actas. Y la mayoría de los funcionarios coincidió en que la tasa clave del banco central estadounidense está cerca de un nivel que ni estimula ni frena la economía. Las actas se publicaron el miércoles, tres semanas después de la reunión del banco central del 27 y 28 de enero.
Los funcionarios de la Fed en esa reunión acordaron mantener estable su tasa clave en torno al 3,6%, después de recortarla tres veces a finales del año pasado. Dos funcionarios —los gobernadores de la Fed Stephen Miran y Christopher Waller— votaron en cambio por recortar otro cuarto de punto.
Las actas subrayaron la naturaleza profundamente dividida del comité, con la aparición de varios grupos: “Varios” funcionarios afirmaron que recortes adicionales “probablemente serán apropiados” si la inflación continúa disminuyendo. Pero “algunos” funcionarios se inclinaron por mantener las tasas sin cambios “durante algún tiempo”, lo que sugiere una pausa más prolongada. Y varios otros señalaron que podrían haber respaldado un lenguaje en el comunicado emitido tras la reunión que indicara que el próximo movimiento de la Fed podría ser tanto un recorte como un aumento de tasas, si la inflación se mantiene por encima de su objetivo del 2%.
Señalar apertura a un posible aumento de tasas parece ser un cambio significativo respecto de reuniones anteriores. El presidente Jerome Powell afirmó tras reuniones del año pasado que la idea de un aumento de tasas no estaba sobre la mesa.
Powell dio a entender tras la reunión de enero que el banco podría esperar algunos meses antes de volver a recortar las tasas. En una conferencia de prensa, sostuvo que la economía y la contratación habían mejorado desde que el banco central se reunió previamente en diciembre, y añadió que la institución estaba “bien posicionada” para evaluar cómo evoluciona la economía en los próximos meses antes de tomar nuevas medidas.
La decisión de mantener las tasas sin cambios se dio a pesar de la insistencia del presidente Donald Trump para que la Fed reduzca su tasa clave hasta un 1%, un nivel que pocos economistas recomiendan. Cuando la Fed recorta su tasa clave, con el tiempo puede reducir las hipotecas, los préstamos para automóviles y los préstamos empresariales, aunque esas tasas también están influidas por los mercados financieros.
Las actas señalaron que la “gran mayoría” del comité de 19 integrantes coincidió en que los riesgos de pérdidas de empleo y de un deterioro del mercado laboral habían disminuido, probablemente una razón clave por la que votaron por mantener las tasas sin cambios. La Fed suele recortar las tasas para impulsar el gasto, el crecimiento y la contratación.
Las cifras publicadas la semana pasada sugieren que es poco probable que el banco central recorte pronto. La inflación sigue elevada, según la medida preferida de la Fed, y el informe de empleo de enero mostró que la contratación repuntó el mes pasado. Esas tendencias respaldan a los funcionarios de la Fed que sostienen que la economía no necesita más recortes de tasas.
Los precios al consumidor aumentaron un 2,4% en enero en comparación con un año antes, informó el gobierno la semana pasada, no muy lejos del objetivo del 2% del banco central.
Pero la Fed se centra en una medida distinta de la inflación, que se ubica más alta. Cuando se publique el dato más reciente el viernes, se espera que haya aumentado aproximadamente un 3% respecto de un año antes. La medida preferida de la institución da mucho menos peso a los costos de vivienda y alquiler de apartamentos, que se han enfriado considerablemente, y como resultado se sitúa por encima del índice de precios al consumidor.
También la semana pasada, el gobierno informó que la contratación mejoró en enero, con empleadores que sumaron 130.000 puestos de trabajo, el mayor aumento en poco más de un año, mientras que la tasa de desempleo bajó a un mínimo de 4,3%, desde 4,4%.
El gobernador de la Fed Michael Barr señaló el martes que el informe de empleo es una prueba de que el mercado laboral se está “estabilizando”, mientras la inflación se mantiene por encima del 2%.
“Con base en las condiciones actuales y los datos disponibles, probablemente sea apropiado mantener las tasas estables durante algún tiempo”, manifestó Barr.
Por separado, Austan Goolsbee, presidente del Banco de la Reserva Federal de Chicago, dijo a CNBC el martes que la Fed podría reducir las tasas “varias veces más” este año, si hay evidencia de que la inflación se está acercando al 2%.
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Esta historia fue traducida del inglés por un editor de AP con ayuda de una herramienta de inteligencia artificial generativa.
LIS Technologies Initiates Engagement With NRC
LIS Technologies Initiates Engagement With NRC
LIS Technologies (LIST) initiated its first engagement with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in preparation for starting up the company’s laser uranium enrichment technology facilities.
LIST submitted a Standard Practice Procedures Plan for the company’s smaller-scale demonstration facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. This is part of a process for obtaining approval from the NRC to start handling classified information related to nuclear technology.
It’s a relatively minor step, but important in the context of finally engaging the regulator. The company is currently pursuing novel uranium enrichment technology that could dramatically reduce operating costs through improved efficiencies.
Laser enrichment technology is considered the third generation of uranium enrichment methods. The first was gaseous diffusion, which was only used back in the day of the Manhattan Project. Due to its extreme power consumption, newer technology was developed for the second generation – gas centrifuge. Centrifuges are still in use across the world today. For third generation technology, laser enrichment is currently under development by multiple companies including LIST, ASPI, Hexium, and GLE.
We recently detailed some of the major announcements from LIST regarding their newly announced $1.4 billion facility in Tennessee, as well as some of their recent funding rounds and ongoing coordination with Nano Nuclear. They are working towards creating a vertically-integrated fuel chain and reactor developer.
With the company now initiating the formalities of pursuing an NRC license for handling nuclear material and technology, “show me the money” will certainly start coming to the front of investors’ minds. With the recent funding round only yielding about $17 million, the company will likely pursue more significant private placement events or potentially an IPO/SPAC.
Tyler Durden
Wed, 02/18/2026 – 15:05
https://www.zerohedge.com/energy/lis-technologies-initiates-engagement-nrc
Playoffs Liga de Campeones: Gordon marca cuatro goles en el 1er tiempo y Newcastle golea a Qarabag
Associated Press
Anthony Gordon anotó cuatro goles en el primer tiempo y Newcastle arrolló 6-1 a Qarabag en los playoffs de la Liga de Campeones el miércoles.
Newcastle se fue al descanso con ventaja de 5-0 en Azerbaiyán y, salvo un improbable desplome en el partido de vuelta en casa la próxima semana, avanza con paso firme hacia los octavos de final.
Gordon completó su triplete en 33 minutos en el estadio Tofik Bakhramov de Bakú y marcó el cuarto en añadido del primer tiempo.
Malick Thiaw también se hizo presente en el marcador para el equipo de la Liga Premier, que realizó 16 remates en una primera mitad arrolladora.
Elvin Jafarguliyev descontó para Qarabag, que ha sido una de las historias sorpresa de la Liga de Campeones esta temporada tras clasificarse a los playoffs. Pero un disparo de Jacob Murphy, desviado, completó la goleada para Newcastle, que será el quinto equipo inglés en los octavos si avanza.
Prueba para el Inter
Inter de Milán afronta un complicado viaje a Bodø/Glimt más tarde el miércoles.
El pequeño equipo noruego logró victorias sorpresivas sobre Manchester City y Atlético de Madrid para meterse en los playoffs.
Ubicado al norte del Círculo Polar Ártico —más al norte que cualquier equipo en la historia de la Liga de Campeones—, la recompensa por su impresionante campaña es un duelo con el subcampeón del año pasado, el Inter, que lidera la liga italiana.
Club Bruges recibe al Atlético de Madrid y Olympiacos se enfrenta a Bayer Leverkusen.
En los playoffs del martes, Paris Saint-Germain remontó una desventaja de dos goles para vencer a Mónaco 3-2 y Real Madrid derrotó a Benfica 1-0.
Galatasaray ganó 5-2 ante Juventus y Borussia Dortmund venció a Atalanta 2-0.
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Deportes en español AP: https://apnews.com/hub/deportes
League of Women Voters of Central Kane County urges early mail-in voting amid USPS changes
With the March 17 primary election a month away, leaders from the League of Women Voters of Kane County on Tuesday cautioned voters planning to use mail-in ballots to send in their ballots by March 10 — or drop them off in person at official ballot drop-off sites in the week before the election — to ensure their vote is counted.
Standing outside the Batavia Post Office at 500 N. Randall Road on Tuesday, Patti Lackman, the League of Women Voters of Central Kane County co-president, described how changes within the United States Postal Service have led the group to issue updated guidance on voting by mail.
One change is a recent USPS decision that went into effect Jan. 1 that means mail is postmarked the day it is processed at a USPS facility, rather than the day the item was mailed. That means ballots mailed close to the March 17 deadline could potentially not be postmarked by Election Day and therefore deemed invalid.
At Tuesday’s press conference, Lackman said there has been “quite a bit of public discussion lately” about ensuring ballots are postmarked by Election Day, but said that a state requirement that ballots be received by election authorities within two weeks after Election Day has gotten less attention, in light of potential disruptions or delays in mail delivery because of changes to USPS services.
Changes to USPS processes are part of the Delivering for America plan, a years-long strategy of service cuts and other changes that began in 2021 under former Postmaster Louis DeJoy, according to the Associated Press.
Among the changes is an initiative called Regional Transportation Optimization that went into effect in 2025, which means that mail dropped off at post offices and collection boxes more than 50 miles from a regional hub is collected the next day instead of the same day, according to the Postal Regulatory Commission, the regulatory agency that oversees USPS. The commission has said that slower service standards for some locations is included within the plan, and has highlighted possible negative impacts on rural communities.
In December 2025, the postal service changed its rules to clarify that the postmark does not necessarily mean the date the piece of mail comes to the postal service, according to the Associated Press. For opponents, that change brought with it concern over mail-in ballots, spurring, for example, a letter by U.S. senators to USPS expressing fear that it could mean more mail-in ballots being rejected.
At Tuesday’s press conference, Lackman acknowledged the postmarking changes and the possibility that the changes being undertaken by USPS will make first-class mail delivery “slower and less predictable.” She also noted that first-class mail in Illinois was delivered on time — within the three- to five-day standard given by USPS — only 71.5% of the time, according to data from USPS for mail delivered between July and September 2025. The national average during that time was just under 80%.
She also cited the possibility of winter weather impacting mail service.
“The truth is that we don’t know yet how the changes made … to the mail process infrastructure could worsen with the impact of weather,” Lackman said.
As a result of these concerns, Lackman referred to March 10 as a “cut-off date” for mailing ballots. After that date, she encouraged those voting by mail to drop off their ballots at a ballot drop-off location — which essentially bypasses the use of the postal service by taking one’s ballot directly to the local election authority.
The League of Women Voters of Central Kane County is not alone in sounding the alarm about getting mail-in ballots mailed well in advance of the election.
For example, Democratic Cook County Clerk Monica Gordon recently urged mail-in voters to send in their ballots early, tying her concerns to the recent postmarking change.
A USPS spokesperson did not immediately return a request for comment on Tuesday, but USPS has previously pushed back against the concerns about mail-in ballots, though it says it has long recommended voters drop off their ballots before Election Day.
The USPS change comes after President Donald Trump said last year he might take control of the postal service, which operates as an independent agency with leaders appointed by the president. It also follows numerous unsupported claims by Trump that mail-in voting is prone to rampant fraud. In addition, Republicans, led by U.S. Rep. Mike Bost of downstate Murphysboro, have challenged the Illinois law allowing mail-in ballots postmarked by Election Day to be counted 14 days later, a case that the U.S. Supreme Court recently said could move forward.
Karen Brooker, of the LWV of Central Kane County, explained that changes to how the postal service operated had been in discussion for years, starting when President Donald Trump brought on former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy during his first presidential term.
But concerns over the possibility of postal delays and an interest in ensuring voters had “clear instructions” prompted the organization to provide additional guidance to voters in advance of the upcoming primary.
“We just want to make sure that voting by mail is accessible, and that people aren’t disenfranchised because their … ballots arrive late,” Brooker said.
Brooker also noted that changes to the postal service are still being implemented, meaning there could be other impacts to voting in November that the League of Women Voters is not aware of at this point.
Nevertheless, Lackman on Tuesday reiterated that the LWV of Central Kane County has “complete confidence” in the safety and security of mail-in ballots.
“Your vote is your voice, and every vote should be counted,” Lackman said Tuesday.
Early voting for the March primary in Kane County began on Feb. 5, according to Kane County Clerk John Cunningham, and continues through March 16. Early voting is currently open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the County Clerk’s Office locations at 719 S. Batavia Ave., Bldg. B, in Geneva, and 5 E. Downer Place, Suite F, in Aurora.
On March 2, early voting will become available at 23 sites in Kane County, including on nights and weekends at some sites, the County Clerk’s Office said in a recent news release. A list of all early voting sites, dates and times is available on the Kane County Clerk’s Office website: https://clerk.kanecountyil.gov/Elections/Pages/Early-Voting.aspx.
Drop boxes for mail-in ballots are available at the Kane County Clerk’s Office locations in Geneva and Aurora and at Elgin City Hall, the news release from Cunningham said.
Voters can also cast their ballots at any polling location in the county on March 17, the day of the primary election.
Voters can enter their last name and address to find all the candidates and local referendum questions they will see on their ballot using the clerk’s website at: clerk.kanecountyil.gov/Elections/Pages/Voter-Search.aspx.
Early voting is currently available at sites in DuPage, Will and Kendall counties as well.
DuPage locations include the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St.; the DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton, Downers Grove Village Hall, Bartlett Community Center and the Addison Township Office. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays and 9 a.m. to noon Saturdays.
Will County residents can vote early at the Will County Clerk’s Office, 302 N. Chicago St., Joliet. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays through Friday, March 6. Starting March 7, weekend and early evening hours will be available.
Starting March 2, voters also can cast ballots at 23 satellite locations throughout Will County.
In Kendall County, early voting is currently available in the Election Office of the Kendall County clerk in the Kendall County Office Building at 502 S. Main St. in Yorkville. Hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays through March 6. Starting March 7, weekend and early evening hours will be available.
The Associated Press contributed.
mmorrow@chicagotribune.com
Un perro suelto hace un cameo olímpico en la pista de esquí de fondo en Milán-Cortina
TESERO, Italia (AP) — Un participante sorpresa en la acción del miércoles en los Juegos Olímpicos de Milán Cortina tenía cuatro patas y cero preocupación por los tiempos de carrera.
Mientras esquiadoras de fondo de élite se esforzaban por llegar a la meta en las series del sprint por equipos femenino, un perro se metió en el recorrido y corrió junto a las atletas por la recta.
Las competidoras se mantuvieron concentradas mientras los espectadores vitoreaban al intruso canino antes de que cruzara la línea de meta y fuera sujetado por los responsables del recinto.
Más tarde, los funcionarios explicaron que el perro se había escapado de un dueño local mientras salía a pasear cerca.
El incidente ocurrió el mismo día y en el mismo recorrido en el que se hizo historia olímpica: Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo, de Noruega, ganó su décima medalla de oro, un récord, y la quinta en los Juegos de Milán Cortina.
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AP Juegos Olímpicos de Invierno: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics
Young entrepreneurs get a market for their ideas at Moraine Valley Community College
The Jafar sisters were so excited about selling their creations they could barely sleep. The next day, they’d be among the young businesspeople featured at the recent Youth Entrepreneur Fair at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills.
So they stayed up late, making sure their crocheted animals and food concoctions were just right.
“I tested out a bunch of recipes, tweaked them, found the perfect ones and wrote them in a recipe book,” said Salma Jafar, who is 15 and attends Universal School in Bridgeview. “These are the most sellable.”
Her goodies included cookies, brownies, cake poppers and cinnamon rolls, as well as flavored coffees. She was joined in offering goodies by Jana Jafar, 8, who was selling various intricate candied concoctions
The siblings were among dozens of children and teens selling their wares at the event, now in its third year. Other offerings included paintings, candles, soaps, puzzles, jewelry, scarves and blankets. There was also a contest overseen by judges who work at Bridgeview courthouse.
Like many of the sellers, the Jafars learned their trades from their mom.
“I’ve been in the kitchen my whole life,” Salma Jafar said. “I found my passion and decided to share it.”
Her siblings Lamar and Leen Jafar, 14 and 11 respectively, who were selling crocheted animals, were inspired after seeing similar items for sale at malls.
“It all started with my two daughters…they fell in love with crochet,” said their mom, Noor Issa.
Issa said her daughters originally wanted to sell on Etsy, “I felt like that wasn’t good for their age,” she said, and then heard about the Moraine Valley event.
Jana Jafar, 8, sells homemade candy at the recent Youth Entrepreneur Fair at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills. (Janice Neumann/Daily Southtown)
“They loved the idea,” she said. “Salma is such a good baker, Jana loves candies. “It’s such a great opportunity, spending their time on good things instead of online.”
The main goal was to teach the budding entrepreneurs how to attract customers, communicate well and sell their items.
“When folks are coming by, smile, introduce your products and sell hard,” Rush Darwish told them before opening the doors to potential customers.
Darwish, president of the Arab American Business and Professional Association, co-sponsored the event with Sundus Madi-McCarthy, an academic adviser and teacher at Moraine Valley.
“It teaches them an important financial responsibility,” said Darwish. “We have the resources to put these children in a position to start their businesses, generate revenue and support their families.”
He said the youngsters are at an ideal age to learn how to succeed in business.
“They take our advice at a much higher level than adults,” Darwish said.
Madi-McCarthy came up with the idea for the fair with help from her twin daughters who sell pet products at the event each year. Heyam and Joori Madi-McCarthy own Pet City, which offers pet check-ins, pet sitting, dog walking, overnight stays and pet toys and treats. Her son also sells rocks and gems at the event.
“My kids wanted to host their own business fair,” Madi-McCarthy said. “It provides the kids the opportunity to learn, grow, create, come out of their shells and find the bravery to make this happen.”
Armando Salas greets customers as he sells jewelry he had made during the recent Youth Entrepreneur Fair at Moraine Valley Community College in Palos Hills. (Janice Neumann/Daily Southtown)
Vlad Volshyn, who attends Oak Ridge School in Palos Hills and whose family is from Ukraine, was there with his mother, Natalia, selling resin trinkets, jewelry, coasters with cat pictures and notebooks with jeweled covers. He got his inspiration from the art pieces his mom made and used to decorate their home.
He made some of his own to add to those decorations, an effort that requires him to be “really patient and focused.”
“They looked so cool,” Vlad Volshyn said. “I started selling and I just loved it.”
Armando Salas, who attends Hilda Walker Intermediate School in Tinley Park, happily greeted every passer-by he could. He was selling bracelets and keychains for the second year at the fair.
“My mom used to make them for herself when she was a kid,” he explained.
Adam and Samhan Noor, both 11, were selling marshmallow treats, which they made together and marketed by offering free samples.
Valintina Banisalman, was selling crocheted scarfs, which she learned to make in a class.
“I found out it was really fun,” she said.
Janice Neumann is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/18/youth-entrepreneur-fair-mvcc/
Raro tesoro de Paul McCartney y Wings llega al Salón de la Fama del Rock este verano
Por MARK KENNEDY
NUEVA YORK (AP) — Una colección de instrumentos, atuendos, letras manuscritas, fotos inéditas y recuerdos de giras de Paul McCartney formará parte de una exposición en el Salón de la Fama del Rock & Roll este verano, anunciada como la primera gran muestra museística que presenta a McCartney y Wings.
“Paul McCartney and Wings” —compuesta por objetos del archivo personal del músico, así como donaciones de integrantes de la banda y colaboradores— se centrará en el periodo comprendido entre el debut solista homónimo de McCartney en 1970, la formación de Wings en 1971 y la posterior disolución del grupo en 1981.
La exposición abre el 15 de mayo en la sede del Salón en Cleveland, donde McCartney ha sido incorporado dos veces: como miembro de los Beatles en 1988 y como solista en 1999. Las entradas ya están a la venta.
La noticia de la exposición llega en un momento en que se celebran todas las etapas de la carrera de McCartney, incluidas las próximas biopelículas de Sam Mendes sobre los Fab Four y un nuevo documental de McCartney, “Man on the Run”, que se estrenará en Amazon Prime Video.
En años recientes, McCartney ha ofrecido vistazos de su carrera y su vida en iniciativas como imágenes que tomó durante la Beatlemanía —“Photographs 1963–64: Eyes of the Storm”— y los libros “Wings: The Story of the Band on the Run Book” y “The Lyrics”.
Oklahoma Governor Declares State Of Emergency As Fast-Moving Wildfires Scorch The Panhandle
Oklahoma Governor Declares State Of Emergency As Fast-Moving Wildfires Scorch The Panhandle
Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt declared a State of Emergency as a massive wildfire spread across the panhandle region of the state and crossed into Kansas.
The Ranger Road Fire has burned 145,000 acres and is one of four wildfires raging in the northwest region of the state. In total, the fires have scorched about 156,000 acres.
Latest from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture:
Ranger Road Fire: 145,000 acres, 0% contained
Stevens Fire: 5,500 acres
Side Road Fire: 3,300 acres, 25% contained
43 Fire: 2,200 acres, 20% contained
The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture shared this update on wildfires:
Ranger Road Fire: 145,000 acres, 0% contained
Stevens Fire: 5,500 acres, 25% contained
Side Road Fire: 3,300 acres, 25% contained
43 Fire: 2,200 acres, 20% contained
🎥Tammy Lawrence
Follow our live blog:… pic.twitter.com/9ywZAQ8BZa
— KSN News Wichita (@KSNNews) February 18, 2026
“I’ve declared a State of Emergency in Beaver, Texas, and Woodward counties as wildfires continue to impact parts of Oklahoma,” Stitt wrote on X.
I’ve declared a State of Emergency in Beaver, Texas, and Woodward counties as wildfires continue to impact parts of Oklahoma.
Please join me in continuing to support and pray for these affected communities, families, farmers, as well as our first responders who are working…
— Governor Kevin Stitt (@GovStitt) February 18, 2026
Storm chaser Jaden Pappenheim published a drone video showing a large swath of charred land in the aftermath of the Ranger Road Fire in Beaver County.
HEARTBREAKING First Light of the Ranger Road Fire aftermath across Beaver County, Oklahoma, this morning. The Ranger Road Fire has burned approximately 145,000 acres, injured four firefighters, and destroyed a few homes. Please keep everyone impacted by yesterday’s fires in your… pic.twitter.com/qPMkVkFpjB
— Jaden Pappenheim (@PappenheimWx) February 18, 2026
More than 5 million people were under red-flag warnings from New Mexico and Texas to Colorado and Kansas earlier today.
Drought and wildfire risks are elevated across the western half of the U.S.
Here are some high-value energy infrastructure assets, including refineries, natural gas hubs, and power plants, that are either near the wildfires or in areas with elevated wildfire risk.
So far, there has been no official word on fire-related damage to Oklahoma’s cattle industry. The state is a top cattle producer, ranked No. 2 nationally, with roughly 4.6 million cattle and calves and nearly 2 million beef cows, making it a very critical part of the U.S. beef supply chain.
Tyler Durden
Wed, 02/18/2026 – 14:30
Lewis University moves in-person classes online at Oak Brook campus due to nearby ICE office
Lewis University moved in-person classes online at its Oak Brook campus this week after learning that Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents are leasing space in the building they rent.
The move comes amid national pushback to President Donald Trump’s expansion of immigration agents, including attempts to open warehouses for long-term detention and expand office space. The White House’s efforts have faced opposition in Democrat-run cities and states but also in Republican strongholds as public opposition mounts to the administration’s heavy handed approach to immigration.
Lewis University operates at 1111 W. 22nd Street in Oak Brook and recently learned that the U.S. General Services Administration is leasing office space within the building for ICE administrative offices, the school said in a statement.
The school moved all in-person classes and activities online for the week from Feb. 16 through Feb. 21, the school said.
“In light of social media attention referencing the potential for protests at the site, and the community’s concerns regarding ICE, we are taking precautionary steps to support a safe, productive, and welcoming learning environment for all,” Lewis said in a statement.
In a statement, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said it won’t confirm its locations due to the public backlash.
“Is it really news that when a federal agency hires more personnel that they need more space?” the statement said, noting it hired an additional 12,000 ICE officers and agents across the country.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/02/18/lewis-university-ice-office-oak-brook/
Calm Market Waters Hide Fierce Undercurrents
Calm Market Waters Hide Fierce Undercurrents
Authored by Michael Lebowitz via RealInvestmentAdvice.com,
The price movement in the broad S&P 500 index is relatively calm. Yet the market’s undercurrent, as measured by sharply diverging returns across stock sectors and factors, is anything but calm. The current market picture we paint is well embodied by a quote from Jules Verne in 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
“The sea was perfectly calm; scarcely a ripple disturbed its surface. But beneath this tranquil exterior, powerful currents were flowing with irresistible force.”
Given this divergence between the calm market surface and the volatility of its underlying stocks’ returns, let’s get a better grip on the market’s undercurrent and decipher what it may be trying to tell us.
A Calm Market
The graph below shows that the S&P 500’s upward trend has recently flattened into a tight range with minimal volatility. Such consolidation is common after a sharp upward price trend, as the market experienced since early April.
The next graph shows the average true range (ATR) for the index. ATR is a measure of realized volatility. As we define it, ATR is the percentage difference between the highest and lowest intraday prices over a rolling 20-day period. The current ATR is only about 3%, near the bottom of the range since 2015. It is also less than half the ten-year average.
Both charts point to a relatively calm market with limited volatility. It’s worth noting that implied volatility (expected volatility) on the S&P 500 is around 20. While not low, it doesn’t suggest that investors expect significant volatility in the weeks ahead.
The Markets Undercurrent
While the broad S&P 500 market index is relatively calm, its undercurrent is anything but tranquil. Significant rotation trades, characterized by heavy trading activity in and out of various sectors and factors, have led to large daily divergences in the performance of certain sectors and stock factors.
We use the dispersion of returns to quantify the market’s fierce undercurrent. For this article, we take the 20-day percentage price changes for sector and factor groups and then calculate the standard deviation of those changes. The more divergent the returns, the higher the standard deviation.
The first graph below shows that the current standard deviation of returns across all sectors is at its second-highest level since early 2023.
The following graph uses factors such as growth and value, market cap, and momentum. It also shows that returns among various factors are highly dispersed.
Next, we share a graph, courtesy of Nomura, that delves deeper into the recent dispersion. It compares the average move for all S&P 500 stocks over the last 20 days to that of the S&P 500 index. As the graph shows, the relative volatility of individual stock returns versus the market is now at levels last seen during the financial crisis and the dotcom crash.
Cross-Sector Correlation
To further quantify the market’s strong undercurrent, we examine the correlation of returns among the S&P 500 sectors. The first table shows the correlation between the weekly returns thus far this year. The second table is for 2025.
In 2026, the average correlation among all sectors is a mere 0.066, compared to the statistically significant 0.517 in 2025. Moreover, the standard deviation of the correlations is much greater this year than last year. This, as with the graphs above, further indicates that the various sectors are currently showing a large divergence in weekly returns compared to last year.
We also ran the average correlation from 2019 through 2025, including the tumultuous pandemic sell-off and sharp recovery, and arrived at an average correlation of .68 and a standard deviation of .175.
Our Takeaway
The market’s surface may look calm, but beneath it, passive investors are actively shifting between narratives, valuations, and risk exposures. This reflects changing sentiment among investors about economic growth, inflation, monetary and fiscal policy, and the current political leadership.
Historically, periods of elevated sector dispersion tend to occur during market transitions rather than steadily trending bull or bear markets. However, high dispersion after a long bullish trend is not automatically bearish. It may just represent the market searching for its next regime rather than distress.
Furthermore, as we shared, high sector and factor dispersion is occurring alongside low cross-sector correlations. Typically, correlations between stocks are high during periods of crisis. As the old saying goes, “correlations go to one during a crisis.”
Therefore, if correlations begin to rise and the market heads lower, the recent bout of high dispersion may not be a lasting shift in investor preferences but an omen of a downward trend.
Summary
Periods of high return dispersion are an opportunity for investors. As return performance gaps widen and valuation spreads develop, the ability to quantify the current rotation regime and anticipate the next one can deliver outperformance relative to the broader index.
While the calm market undercurrent is fierce, it is in and of itself not of great concern. But, as we noted earlier, if we start to see returns among sectors and factors become more aligned, especially downwardly, our concern will heighten.
Tyler Durden
Wed, 02/18/2026 – 14:15
https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/calm-market-waters-hide-fierce-undercurrents
