Stocks YTD 2026: Rotation, Profit Taking, and Capital Self-Deportations

Creatix / February 19, 2026

Best-Performing Stocks YTD in 2026

According to recent market data tracking stock performance from January 1 through mid-February:

Top YTD Gainers:

• KOS (Kosmos Energy Ltd.) — ~+90% (Energy sector)

• FSLY (Fastly, Inc.) — ~+85% (Tech/Internet)

• TROX (Tronox Holdings plc) — ~+82% (Basic Materials)

• DHX (DHI Group, Inc.) — ~+76% (Tech)

• VAL (Valaris Ltd.) — ~+75% (Energy)
  … plus others in energy and tech showing strong double-digit gains. (Stock Titan)

Characteristics of this outperforming cohort:

• Energy & cyclical sectors lead, unknowns benefiting from higher commodity prices and stronger global demand.

• Small- and mid-caps are prominent, showing higher volatility and room for large percentage moves.

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Worst-Performing Stocks YTD in 2026

On the downside, some stocks are lagging significantly:

Top YTD Laggards:

• CCXI (ChemoCentryx) — ~-80% – steep biotech selloff

• CALY (Topgolf Callaway Brands) – substantial loss

• U (Unity Software) – tech weakness

• Large-cap names also underperforming include:

  • Intuit Inc – ~-31%

  • Humana Inc – ~-27%

  • Rivian Automotive Inc – ~-25%

  • Coinbase Global Inc – ~-24%

  • Salesforce Inc – ~-22%

  • Oracle Corp – ~-21%
    … alongside a broader list of names with notable declines. (FinanceCharts)

Themes among the laggards:

• Many well known "losers" are previous winners (tech, fintech, EVs, cloud) now selling off.

• Some cyclical and consumer exposure names are also down, suggesting profit taking or rotation away from high-valuation areas.

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What These Trends Say About the Market in 2026

 1. Sector Rotation From Mega-Cap Growth to Value/Commodities

• Energy stocks and select cyclical plays are outperforming broad tech and growth leaders, indicating a rotation into sectors tied more closely to the real economy and commodity strength.

• Goldman Sachs noted that energy has outpaced the S&P 500 so far in 2026, signaling this shift. (Business Insider)

 2. Tech Stocks Are Under Pressure

• Some of the largest technology names — including AI and cloud-focused firms — have been weak relative to the market.

  • Apple, for example, has been one of the worst performers in the Dow early this year. (The Motley Fool)

• This reflects valuation reset pressures and profit-taking after years of dominance.

 3. Volatility and Macro Risks Persist

• Markets experienced sharp swings earlier in the year, partly driven by geopolitical developments and policy uncertainty. A notable sell-off on January 20, 2026 highlighted how quickly sentiment can change. (Wikipedia)

• Broader market narratives — including concerns about an AI bubble and trade tensions — continue to influence investment flows. (Wikipedia)

4. Divergence Is High Between Winners and Losers

• Gains are concentrated among a relatively small subset of stocks that benefit from specific macro or sectoral trends (energy, materials).

• Meanwhile, a wide range of stocks across consumer, tech, and healthcare segments are lagging or down, reinforcing divergent market leadership.

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Takeaways 

• Rotation trends suggest investors are favoring sectors historically seen as “value” or economically sensitive in response to macro pressures.

• Bullish breadth is narrow: strong gains in a few areas don’t yet translate into broad market strength — caution may still be prudent.

• Idiosyncratic risk remains high: individual company fundamentals, earnings outlooks, and industry headwinds (e.g., semiconductor supply, EV adoption rates, regulatory pressures) are driving distinct performance patterns.

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International (non-U.S.) stocks are outperforming U.S. stocks year-to-date in 2026,

This according to a wide range of market data and recent performance figures:

• Seeking Alpha
• LSEG
• Morningstar, Inc.
• Fidelity

Current Performance (YTD 2026)

• Global equities ex-U.S. are up around ~4.2% YTD, ahead of the U.S. market’s more modest gains near ~0.5%. (Seeking Alpha)

• This extends a trend of non-U.S. markets outperforming U.S. stocks that began in 2025 — where international equities significantly beat the S&P 500. (Morningstar, Inc.)

• Analysts highlight that international stocks outpaced their U.S. counterparts last year (e.g., developed and emerging markets both delivered strong gains). (LSEG)

Drivers of International Outperformance

• Valuation and style rotation: International markets, especially value-oriented and cyclical sectors, have been more attractively priced relative to the U.S. market, which has been dominated by high-growth tech. (The Motley Fool)

• Currency effects: A weaker U.S. dollar boosts returns for U.S. investors holding foreign stocks, amplifying international gains. (A Wealth of Common Sense)

• Global growth and diversification: Accelerating global earnings and growth forecasts in parts of Europe, Asia, and emerging markets are adding tailwinds. (Schwab Brokerage)

Some Nuance

• Not all regions are uniformly outperforming; for example, European markets have felt pressure from earnings and AI-related sentiment, even if the broader trend still favors international over U.S. YTD returns. (Reuters)

• Some investment strategists expect U.S. stocks could regain leadership later in 2026, even as international markets stay strong. (S&P Global)

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What It Means

Broad global rally is happening: Stocks outside the U.S. are not only participating in the market rally but in many cases leading it so far in 2026.
Diversification matters: The strength of international equities highlights the benefit of global diversification — particularly when the U.S. market underperforms relative to the rest of the world.
Style and valuation shifts are key forces: cheaper valuations, cyclical exposures, and currency dynamics are helping non-U.S. stocks outperform the dominant U.S. indices.

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Asia and Latin America are beating U.S. stocks so far in 2026.

• Asia (EM Asia): iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Asia ETF (EEMA) is +10.07% YTD (as of Feb 13, 2026). (BlackRock)

• Latin America: iShares Latin America 40 ETF (ILF) is +17.92% YTD (as of Feb 17, 2026). (BlackRock)

• U.S. (S&P 500 proxy): an iShares S&P 500 index fund shows roughly flat (~0.07% YTD) around the same window. (BlackRock)

What that likely says about the 2026 market so far

• “U.S. exceptionalism pause” / rotation: leadership is broader and more global than the mega-cap U.S.-led runs of recent years.

• Valuation + cycle tilt: Latin America often benefits when commodities/energy/materials are strong; Asia can benefit when global trade + manufacturing + EM growth are being repriced.

• Dollar effect can matter: if the USD is softer, foreign-equity returns can look better in USD terms (a common tailwind for U.S.-based investors in international holdings).

Now you know it.

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