Ten large-cap stocks experienced significant declines during the week of February 23-27, 2026. Notable losers include First Solar (down 18.59% due to worse-than-expected Q4 results and below-estimate FY26 guidance), Zoom Communications (down 17.38% following mixed Q4 results and weak forward guidance), and Novo Nordisk (down 6.59% after announcing Chinese trial results and potential price cuts for Ozempic and Wegovy). Other major decliners include Donaldson, TopBuild, Corebridge Financial, Nu Holdings, KKR, Korea Electric Power, and Pure Storage.

Markets rallied on Wednesday with risk appetite returning as investors positioned ahead of Nvidia's earnings report. The Nasdaq 100 climbed 1.2%, S&P 500 rose 0.7%, and Bitcoin jumped 7%. Tech and software stocks led gains, while energy and consumer staples lagged. Notable earnings movers included strong performances from Circle Internet Group, CAVA Group, and Everus Construction Group, while GoDaddy, First Solar, and CoStar Group declined.

Microsoft experienced its worst trading day since March 2020, plunging 12% and erasing $400 billion in market cap despite beating earnings expectations, as investors focused on slowing Azure cloud growth and cautious AI monetization guidance. The selloff dragged major tech indices lower, with the S&P 500 down 1% and Nasdaq 100 down 1.6%. Bitcoin fell 5% to $85,000, while travel stocks surged and Meta bucked the tech weakness with strong earnings.

Elon Musk's endorsement of solar energy as the 'linchpin' of the global power transition at the 2026 World Economic Forum in Davos sparked a rally in solar stocks. Musk highlighted solar as the solution to the AI power bottleneck and criticized U.S. solar tariffs as 'artificial barriers.' He also predicted space-based solar satellites could provide the lowest-cost energy for AI within two to three years.

Three Motley Fool contributors share bold 2026 predictions: Alphabet's Gemini will reach market share parity with ChatGPT, the solar industry will double market performance, and homebuilder stocks will rise 30%. They also recommend three stocks: Prologis (industrial real estate/data centers), Array Technologies (solar trackers), and Floor & Decor (home improvement retail).

Rio Tinto has energized a new 25-megawatt solar facility at its Kennecott copper mine in Utah, bringing total solar capacity to 30 megawatts. The project reduces Scope 2 emissions by 6% and features over 71,000 solar panels containing tellurium produced at Kennecott. The installation demonstrates a circular North American supply chain involving 5N Plus and First Solar, with the project completed two months ahead of schedule.

Pomerantz LLP is investigating potential securities fraud claims on behalf of investors in First Solar, Instil Bio, and Corcept Therapeutics. First Solar's stock fell 10.29% on January 7, 2026, following a Jefferies downgrade to Hold due to lowered guidance, significant de-bookings, margin compression, and limited deployment opportunities expected in 2026.

Ten large-cap stocks experienced significant declines during the week of January 5-9, 2026. Notable losers include Madrigal Pharmaceuticals (down 11.57%), First Solar (down 14.46% following a Jefferies downgrade), Astera Labs (down 12.18%), and Roblox (down 9.99%). Other major decliners include CoStar Group, American International Group, NRG Energy, Las Vegas Sands, Johnson Controls International, and HDFC Bank. The declines were driven by analyst downgrades, leadership transitions, and executive changes.

Energy investors face mixed signals in 2026 as oil prices remain depressed due to global oversupply, while renewable energy projects face policy headwinds from the Trump administration's pause on offshore wind projects. Despite challenges, analysts highlight opportunities in well-capitalized midstream companies, cost-efficient oil producers, and renewable energy leaders positioned to benefit from long-term demand trends and infrastructure spending.

First Solar stock dropped over 10% after analyst Julian Dumoulin-Smith downgraded the company from buy to hold, reducing his price target from $269 to $260 per share. The downgrade was driven by concerns about persistent debookings (customer project cancellations), management's repeated guidance reductions, and limited government support for alternative energy following the passage of the Big, Beautiful Bill.

The S&P 500 reached new record highs on Wednesday, with the Nasdaq 100 outperforming at +0.7%. Alphabet surpassed Apple as the world's second-largest company by market value, climbing 2.3% while Apple traded flat. Tech stocks led gains, with Intel jumping 7% on new product announcements. Commodities and crypto weakened, with oil, metals, and Bitcoin all declining amid mixed macroeconomic signals.

Solar stocks delivered impressive gains in 2025, with the Invesco Solar ETF surging 48% despite initial policy uncertainty. As the sector enters 2026 with improved sentiment and clearer policy visibility, NextPower and First Solar are highlighted as two leading companies positioned to capitalize on continued momentum, though key technical support levels will be critical to watch.