AI Scare Back in the Market: ETFs That Stayed Steady

Concerns about the disruptive impact of artificial intelligence resurfaced on Feb. 23, 2026, triggering a selloff in delivery, payments and software stocks. The wave of anxiety pushed International Business Machines IBM to its steepest decline in 25 years, per Bloomberg, as quoted on Yahoo Finance. IBM shares slid 13.2% on Feb. 23, 2026.

SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust DIA lost about 1.6% on the day, State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust SPY retreated 1% and Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (QQQ) slumped more than 1.2%.

The market reaction followed a bearish report released over the weekend by research firm Citrini Research, which highlighted potential risks AI could pose to several industries. Adding to investor unease, AI startup Anthropic said in a blog post on Feb. 23, 2026 that its Claude Code tool can modernize COBOL, a legacy programming language widely used on IBM systems. No wonder, IBM shares were badly hit.

The developments triggered a sharp selloff across several companies. Other firms also suffered losses. DoorDash, American Express, KKR, and Blackstone each dropped at least 6%. Shares of Uber, Mastercard, Visa, Capital One, and Apollo Global Management also fell sharply.

Report Sparks Concerns About Software Stocks

Risk analyst Nassim Nicholas Taleb cautioned that markets may be underestimating structural risks tied to the AI boom and warned that the software sector could face rising volatility and even bankruptcies, as quoted in the above-mentioned source.

Meanwhile, one scenario suggested by Citrini Research was that dominant delivery services could be challenged by cheaper “vibe-coded” alternatives built using AI.

The report also imagined a future where AI agents help consumers avoid transaction fees charged by payment processors such as Mastercard and Visa, per Bloomberg, as quoted on Yahoo Finance.

ETFs That Stayed Steady

Against this backdrop, below we highlight a few winning exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that won on Feb. 23, 2026.

Energy – VanEck Oil Services ETF OIH

OIH gained 0.8% on Feb. 23, 2026 and rose 2.8% over the past week. There has been a rally in oil prices lately due to U.S.–Iran tensions. As a result, the energy sector has remained resilient.

Shipping – Breakwave Tanker Shipping ETF BWET

The fund offers exposure to crude oil tanker shipping. Global shipping stocks rose due to increased freight rates caused by ongoing disruptions in major trade routes – particularly the Red Sea – which force vessels to take longer journeys. BWET jumped 6% on Feb. 23, 2026.

Medical – iShares Genomics Immunology and Healthcare ETF IDNA

Biotechnology stocks have been in great shape in 2026. Positive clinical trial data, improving valuations and supportive macro conditions have boosted the sector. Since IDNA holds many biotech and life-science companies, the sector rebound has benefitted the fund considerably. The ETF IDNA was up 2.7% on Monday and is up 16% this year.

Bear Market – AdvisorShares Ranger Equity Bear ETF HDGE

The AdvisorShares Ranger Equity Bear ETF seeks capital appreciation through short sales of domestically traded equity securities. With Wall Street sliding on Feb. 23, 2026, ETFs offering inverse exposure had reason to gain. HDGE was up 2.39% on Feb. 23, 2026.

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This article originally published on Zacks Investment Research (zacks.com).

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