IBOV 169,511 ▼ 0.95% IPSA 10,914 ▲ 0.32% IPC MEX 68,436 ▲ 0.71% MERVAL 3,298,843 ▼ 1.61% COLCAP 2,386.78 ▲ 1.53% BVL PERÚ 56,473.49 ▼ 0.01% USD/BRL5.09▲ 0.66% USD/MXN17.20▼ 0.19% USD/CLP885.60▼ 0.66% USD/COP3,430▼ 1.73% USD/PEN3.37▼ 0.92% USD/ARS1,433▲ 0.21% USD/UYU40.32▲ 1.14% USD/PYG6,069▲ 0.98% USD/BOB6.85▲ 1.68% USD/DOP58.37▲ 0.60% USD/CRC451.13▲ 1.89% USD/GTQ7.61▲ 2.20% USD/HNL26.66▲ 1.33% USD/NIO36.62▲ 0.72% USD/VES591.04▲ 0.74% USD/PAB1.00— 0.00% USD/BZD2.00— 0.00% USD/JMD157.33▲ 0.25% USD/TTD6.76▲ 1.40% EUR/BRL5.91▲ 0.77% BRENT 79.91 ▼ 3.92% WTI 76.19 ▼ 5.65% IRON ORE 161.91 — — COPPER 6.51 ▲ 0.35% GOLD 4,345 ▲ 0.39% SILVER 69.85 ▼ 0.32% SOY 1,144 ▲ 2.17% CORN 415.00 ▼ 0.12% WHEAT 606.75 ▲ 2.88% COFFEE 264.95 ▲ 0.76% SUGAR 14.29 ▲ 4.46% ORANGE JUICE 152.55 ▼ 1.39% COTTON 78.09 ▲ 6.35% COCOA 4,302 ▲ 10.82% BEEF 246.68 ▼ 1.58% CATTLE 367.33 ▲ 1.60% LITHIUM 83.88 ▲ 1.83% PETR4 38.65 ▼ 1.05% VALE3 81.51 ▲ 0.43% ITUB4 40.38 ▼ 0.05% BBDC4 17.58 ▼ 0.40% ABEV3 16.38 ▼ 1.15% BBAS3 19.26 ▼ 0.67% B3SA3 14.89 ▼ 1.65% WEGE3 42.52 ▼ 0.61% PRIO3 55.98 ▼ 1.96% SUZB3 42.83 ▲ 0.56% RENT3 40.87 ▲ 0.54% AZZA3 17.48 ▲ 0.23% CSAN3 3.29 ▲ 0.61% RAIZ4 0.42 — 0.00% PCAR3 1.85 ▲ 5.11% GMAT3 3.94 ▼ 0.25% PSSA3 50.07 ▲ 0.24% CVCB3 1.35 ▼ 2.17% POSI3 3.79 ▲ 1.07% SLCE3 14.13 ▲ 0.07% NATU3 8.61 ▲ 1.53% BRKM5 8.26 ▼ 11.37% RANI3 7.88 ▼ 0.25% CSNA3 6.14 ▲ 0.82% CMIN3 4.37 ▼ 0.46% USIM5 10.22 ▼ 5.37% GGBR4 23.56 ▲ 0.86% ENEV3 24.55 ▼ 2.04% NEOE3 33.80 — 0.00% CPFE3 43.61 ▼ 1.04% CMIG4 10.66 ▼ 0.65% EQTL3 37.74 ▼ 1.77% LREN3 15.09 ▼ 1.44% VIVT3 33.13 ▼ 0.03% RAIL3 13.03 ▼ 1.81% KLABIN 17.10 ▼ 0.06% RAIA DROGASIL 17.62 ▲ 1.91% RDOR3 33.63 ▼ 0.50% HAPV3 11.35 ▼ 0.61% FLRY3 14.77 ▼ 1.40% SMTO3 16.10 ▼ 0.12% UGPA3 23.73 ▼ 1.54% VBBR3 27.76 ▼ 3.41% BBSE3 37.54 ▼ 0.64% BPAC11 50.67 ▼ 0.41% CURY3 32.45 ▼ 1.90% AERI3 2.32 ▼ 0.85% VIVARA 21.12 ▼ 2.18% COMPASS 24.94 ▼ 0.48% VAMOS 2.90 ▼ 2.68% SANB11 26.99 ▼ 0.37% ASAI3 7.92 ▼ 0.63% SBSP3 28.06 ▲ 0.68% WALMEX 52.09 ▼ 1.14% GMEXICO 217.09 ▲ 1.36% FEMSA 218.52 ▲ 0.48% CEMEX 22.33 ▲ 0.31% GFNORTE 187.64 ▲ 0.34% BIMBO 58.40 ▲ 0.53% TELEVISA 10.12 ▼ 0.59% AMX 23.11 ▼ 1.03% GAP 426.83 ▲ 0.53% ASUR 303.09 ▲ 0.69% OMA 234.30 ▼ 0.21% KOF 184.34 ▼ 0.17% GRUMA 293.46 ▲ 0.69% KIMBER 37.83 ▲ 1.20% SQM-B 74,483 ▲ 0.45% COPEC 6,075 ▲ 1.24% BSANTANDER 73.90 ▼ 0.12% FALABELLA 6,010 ▲ 0.67% ENELAM 78.50 ▼ 0.63% CENCOSUD 2,261 ▼ 0.61% CMPC 1,056 ▼ 0.24% BANCO CHILE 180.88 ▲ 0.21% LATAM AIR 24.60 — 0.00% YPF 77,400 ▼ 7.19% GGAL 8,325 ▲ 1.40% PAMPA 5,200 ▼ 1.70% TXAR 693.50 ▼ 0.86% ALUAR 1,015 ▼ 1.36% TGS 9,530 ▼ 3.64% CEPU 2,355 ▼ 0.67% MIRGOR 16,850 ▼ 1.75% COME 45.01 ▲ 0.07% LOMA NEGRA 3,650 ▼ 2.34% BYMA 302.50 ▼ 0.74% TELECOM ARG 4,395 ▼ 3.51% ECOPETROL 15.42 ▼ 1.72% BANCOLOMBIA 80.40 ▲ 0.32% GRUPO AVAL 5.45 ▼ 0.46% CREDICORP 366.33 ▲ 1.11% SOUTHERN COPPER 193.93 ▲ 0.37% BUENAVENTURA 35.30 ▲ 1.26% MERCADOLIBRE 1,684 ▲ 2.31% NUBANK 12.75 ▲ 2.53% XP 15.68 ▼ 0.82% PAGSEGURO 8.94 ▲ 0.73% STONE 10.88 ▼ 1.00% GLOBANT 36.73 ▼ 0.39% TECNOGLASS 44.84 ▲ 2.18% GAP AIRPORT 247.75 ▲ 0.12% ASUR 303.09 ▲ 0.69% OMA AIRPORT 108.91 ▼ 0.08% AMX ADR 26.76 ▼ 1.56% FEMSA ADR 127.16 ▲ 0.65% CEMEX ADR 13.02 ▲ 0.97% PETROBRAS ADR 17.08 ▼ 1.53% VALE ADR 16.01 ▲ 0.03% ITAU ADR 7.90 ▼ 0.63% SANTANDER BR 5.38 ▼ 0.37% AMBEV ADR 3.20 ▼ 1.69% CSN 1.22 — 0.00% GERDAU 4.64 ▼ 0.55% LATAM ADR 55.55 ▲ 1.26% BTC 65,601 ▼ 1.04% ETH 1,779 ▼ 0.89% SOL 72.92 ▼ 1.43% XRP 1.21 ▼ 2.40% BNB 605.10 ▼ 2.00% ADA 0.17 ▼ 2.61% DOGE 0.09 ▼ 1.74% AVAX 6.76 ▼ 1.13% LINK 8.15 ▼ 1.69% DOT 1.00 ▼ 1.51% LTC 44.78 ▼ 2.23% BCH 215.97 ▼ 3.82% TRX 0.32 ▼ 0.64% XLM 0.22 ▲ 2.94% HBAR 0.08 ▼ 2.24% NEAR 2.32 ▼ 2.82% ATOM 1.97 ▲ 0.22% AAVE 73.18 ▼ 0.85% SELIC 14.50% EMBRAER 76.57 ▼ 1.82% EMBRAER ADR 60.19 ▼ 2.13% JBS 12.21 ▲ 0.16% JBS BDR 62.25 ▲ 1.30% MBRF3 15.75 ▼ 0.19% MBRFY 3.04 ▼ 1.52% EGX 52,047 ▼ 0.50% USD/ZAR16.21— 0.00% USD/NGN1,356▼ 0.14% NIKKEI 69,405 ▲ 0.13% CSI300 4,884 ▼ 0.15% HSI 24,494 ▼ 1.40% NIFTY 23,989 ▲ 0.57% KOSPI 8,727 ▲ 2.11% JCI 6,255 ▲ 4.12% USD/JPY160.40▲ 0.04% USD/CNY6.76▼ 0.02% DAX 24,952 ▲ 0.23% CAC 8,456 ▲ 0.85% FTSE 10,494 ▲ 0.60% MIB 52,404 ▲ 1.10% IBEX 19,137 ▲ 0.55% STOXX 636.58 ▲ 0.34% EUR/USD1.16▲ 0.16% GBP/USD1.34▼ 0.13% SPX 7,541 ▼ 0.18% DJI 52,029 ▲ 0.69% NDX 30,281 ▼ 0.86% RUT 2,965 ▼ 0.01% TSX 35,280 ▲ 0.01% VIX 15.98 ▼ 1.36% USD/CAD 1.3985 — 0.00% US10Y 4.4510 ▼ 0.40% IBOV 169,511 ▼ 0.95% IPSA 10,914 ▲ 0.32% IPC MEX 68,436 ▲ 0.71% MERVAL 3,298,843 ▼ 1.61% COLCAP 2,386.78 ▲ 1.53% BVL PERÚ 56,473.49 ▼ 0.01% USD/BRL 5.09 ▲ 0.66% USD/MXN 17.20 ▼ 0.19% USD/CLP 885.60 ▼ 0.66% USD/COP 3,430 ▼ 1.73% USD/PEN 3.37 ▼ 0.92% USD/ARS 1,433 ▲ 0.21% USD/UYU 40.32 ▲ 1.14% USD/PYG 6,069 ▲ 0.98% USD/BOB 6.85 ▲ 1.68% USD/DOP 58.37 ▲ 0.60% USD/CRC 451.13 ▲ 1.89% USD/GTQ 7.61 ▲ 2.20% USD/HNL 26.66 ▲ 1.33% USD/NIO 36.62 ▲ 0.72% USD/VES 591.04 ▲ 0.74% USD/PAB 1.00 — 0.00% USD/BZD 2.00 — 0.00% USD/JMD 157.33 ▲ 0.25% USD/TTD 6.76 ▲ 1.40% EUR/BRL 5.91 ▲ 0.77% BRENT 79.91 ▼ 3.92% WTI 76.19 ▼ 5.65% IRON ORE 161.91 — — COPPER 6.51 ▲ 0.35% GOLD 4,345 ▲ 0.39% SILVER 69.85 ▼ 0.32% SOY 1,144 ▲ 2.17% CORN 415.00 ▼ 0.12% WHEAT 606.75 ▲ 2.88% COFFEE 264.95 ▲ 0.76% SUGAR 14.29 ▲ 4.46% ORANGE JUICE 152.55 ▼ 1.39% COTTON 78.09 ▲ 6.35% COCOA 4,302 ▲ 10.82% BEEF 246.68 ▼ 1.58% CATTLE 367.33 ▲ 1.60% LITHIUM 83.88 ▲ 1.83% PETR4 38.65 ▼ 1.05% VALE3 81.51 ▲ 0.43% ITUB4 40.38 ▼ 0.05% BBDC4 17.58 ▼ 0.40% ABEV3 16.38 ▼ 1.15% BBAS3 19.26 ▼ 0.67% B3SA3 14.89 ▼ 1.65% WEGE3 42.52 ▼ 0.61% PRIO3 55.98 ▼ 1.96% SUZB3 42.83 ▲ 0.56% RENT3 40.87 ▲ 0.54% AZZA3 17.48 ▲ 0.23% CSAN3 3.29 ▲ 0.61% RAIZ4 0.42 — 0.00% PCAR3 1.85 ▲ 5.11% GMAT3 3.94 ▼ 0.25% PSSA3 50.07 ▲ 0.24% CVCB3 1.35 ▼ 2.17% POSI3 3.79 ▲ 1.07% SLCE3 14.13 ▲ 0.07% NATU3 8.61 ▲ 1.53% BRKM5 8.26 ▼ 11.37% RANI3 7.88 ▼ 0.25% CSNA3 6.14 ▲ 0.82% CMIN3 4.37 ▼ 0.46% USIM5 10.22 ▼ 5.37% GGBR4 23.56 ▲ 0.86% ENEV3 24.55 ▼ 2.04% NEOE3 33.80 — 0.00% CPFE3 43.61 ▼ 1.04% CMIG4 10.66 ▼ 0.65% EQTL3 37.74 ▼ 1.77% LREN3 15.09 ▼ 1.44% VIVT3 33.13 ▼ 0.03% RAIL3 13.03 ▼ 1.81% KLABIN 17.10 ▼ 0.06% RAIA DROGASIL 17.62 ▲ 1.91% RDOR3 33.63 ▼ 0.50% HAPV3 11.35 ▼ 0.61% FLRY3 14.77 ▼ 1.40% SMTO3 16.10 ▼ 0.12% UGPA3 23.73 ▼ 1.54% VBBR3 27.76 ▼ 3.41% BBSE3 37.54 ▼ 0.64% BPAC11 50.67 ▼ 0.41% CURY3 32.45 ▼ 1.90% AERI3 2.32 ▼ 0.85% VIVARA 21.12 ▼ 2.18% COMPASS 24.94 ▼ 0.48% VAMOS 2.90 ▼ 2.68% SANB11 26.99 ▼ 0.37% ASAI3 7.92 ▼ 0.63% SBSP3 28.06 ▲ 0.68% WALMEX 52.09 ▼ 1.14% GMEXICO 217.09 ▲ 1.36% FEMSA 218.52 ▲ 0.48% CEMEX 22.33 ▲ 0.31% GFNORTE 187.64 ▲ 0.34% BIMBO 58.40 ▲ 0.53% TELEVISA 10.12 ▼ 0.59% AMX 23.11 ▼ 1.03% GAP 426.83 ▲ 0.53% ASUR 303.09 ▲ 0.69% OMA 234.30 ▼ 0.21% KOF 184.34 ▼ 0.17% GRUMA 293.46 ▲ 0.69% KIMBER 37.83 ▲ 1.20% SQM-B 74,483 ▲ 0.45% COPEC 6,075 ▲ 1.24% BSANTANDER 73.90 ▼ 0.12% FALABELLA 6,010 ▲ 0.67% ENELAM 78.50 ▼ 0.63% CENCOSUD 2,261 ▼ 0.61% CMPC 1,056 ▼ 0.24% BANCO CHILE 180.88 ▲ 0.21% LATAM AIR 24.60 — 0.00% YPF 77,400 ▼ 7.19% GGAL 8,325 ▲ 1.40% PAMPA 5,200 ▼ 1.70% TXAR 693.50 ▼ 0.86% ALUAR 1,015 ▼ 1.36% TGS 9,530 ▼ 3.64% CEPU 2,355 ▼ 0.67% MIRGOR 16,850 ▼ 1.75% COME 45.01 ▲ 0.07% LOMA NEGRA 3,650 ▼ 2.34% BYMA 302.50 ▼ 0.74% TELECOM ARG 4,395 ▼ 3.51% ECOPETROL 15.42 ▼ 1.72% BANCOLOMBIA 80.40 ▲ 0.32% GRUPO AVAL 5.45 ▼ 0.46% CREDICORP 366.33 ▲ 1.11% SOUTHERN COPPER 193.93 ▲ 0.37% BUENAVENTURA 35.30 ▲ 1.26% MERCADOLIBRE 1,684 ▲ 2.31% NUBANK 12.75 ▲ 2.53% XP 15.68 ▼ 0.82% PAGSEGURO 8.94 ▲ 0.73% STONE 10.88 ▼ 1.00% GLOBANT 36.73 ▼ 0.39% TECNOGLASS 44.84 ▲ 2.18% GAP AIRPORT 247.75 ▲ 0.12% ASUR 303.09 ▲ 0.69% OMA AIRPORT 108.91 ▼ 0.08% AMX ADR 26.76 ▼ 1.56% FEMSA ADR 127.16 ▲ 0.65% CEMEX ADR 13.02 ▲ 0.97% PETROBRAS ADR 17.08 ▼ 1.53% VALE ADR 16.01 ▲ 0.03% ITAU ADR 7.90 ▼ 0.63% SANTANDER BR 5.38 ▼ 0.37% AMBEV ADR 3.20 ▼ 1.69% CSN 1.22 — 0.00% GERDAU 4.64 ▼ 0.55% LATAM ADR 55.55 ▲ 1.26% BTC 65,601 ▼ 1.04% ETH 1,779 ▼ 0.89% SOL 72.92 ▼ 1.43% XRP 1.21 ▼ 2.40% BNB 605.10 ▼ 2.00% ADA 0.17 ▼ 2.61% DOGE 0.09 ▼ 1.74% AVAX 6.76 ▼ 1.13% LINK 8.15 ▼ 1.69% DOT 1.00 ▼ 1.51% LTC 44.78 ▼ 2.23% BCH 215.97 ▼ 3.82% TRX 0.32 ▼ 0.64% XLM 0.22 ▲ 2.94% HBAR 0.08 ▼ 2.24% NEAR 2.32 ▼ 2.82% ATOM 1.97 ▲ 0.22% AAVE 73.18 ▼ 0.85% SELIC 14.50% EMBRAER 76.57 ▼ 1.82% EMBRAER ADR 60.19 ▼ 2.13% JBS 12.21 ▲ 0.16% JBS BDR 62.25 ▲ 1.30% MBRF3 15.75 ▼ 0.19% MBRFY 3.04 ▼ 1.52% EGX 52,047 ▼ 0.50% USD/ZAR 16.21 ▲ 0.12% USD/NGN 1,356 ▼ 0.03% NIKKEI 69,405 ▲ 0.13% CSI300 4,884 ▼ 0.15% HSI 24,494 ▼ 1.40% NIFTY 23,989 ▲ 0.57% KOSPI 8,727 ▲ 2.11% JCI 6,255 ▲ 4.12% USD/JPY 160.40 ▲ 0.04% USD/CNY 6.7557 ▼ 0.01% DAX 24,952 ▲ 0.23% CAC 8,456 ▲ 0.85% FTSE 10,494 ▲ 0.60% MIB 52,404 ▲ 1.10% IBEX 19,137 ▲ 0.55% STOXX 636.58 ▲ 0.34% EUR/USD 1.1610 ▲ 0.14% GBP/USD 1.3428 ▲ 0.14% SPX 7,541 ▼ 0.18% DJI 52,029 ▲ 0.69% NDX 30,281 ▼ 0.86% RUT 2,965 ▼ 0.01% TSX 35,280 ▲ 0.01% VIX 15.98 ▼ 1.36% USD/CAD 1.3985 — 0.00% US10Y 4.4510 ▼ 0.40%
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Tuesday, June 16, 2026

Intelligence Latest News Intelligence Brief

USA & Canada Intelligence Brief for Tuesday, February 17, 2026

By Juan Martinez · February 17, 2026 · 14 min read

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What Matters Today

Read about USA & Canada Intelligence Brief for Tuesday, February 17, 2026 on The Rio Times.

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Tuesday, February 17, 2026

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Tuesday Edition

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What matters today

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1 Rev. Jesse Jackson dies at 84 — Civil rights icon, MLK protégé, and two-time presidential candidate dies Tuesday morning surrounded by family in Chicago; Trump calls him “a force of nature”; public commemorations to be held in Chicago; nation mourns amid politically charged moment

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2 Geneva dual diplomacy — US-Iran nuclear talks produce “guiding principles” agreement; Russia-Ukraine Round 3 opens under shadow of 71-missile, 450-drone overnight strike; Witkoff and Kushner mediate both tracks from same city on same day

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3 Carney launches $6.6B Defence Industrial Strategy — Canada’s first-ever defence procurement overhaul prioritises domestic suppliers; targets 70% domestic procurement share from 33%; 125,000 new jobs over decade; 5% GDP defence target by 2035

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4 Wall Street slides on AI disruption fears — Nasdaq -1%, S&P 500 -0.7% as SaaS stocks crater; Danaher acquires Masimo for $9.9B; DHS shutdown Day 4 as Congress on recess; General Mills cuts 2026 outlook; Nvidia earnings Feb 25 looms; BTC ~$68,500

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01
\nMarket Snapshot
\nIntraday Feb 17 · First session post-Presidents’ Day

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PAIR / INDEX LEVEL DAY CHG SIGNAL
S&P 500 ~6,810 -0.7% ▼ below 50-DMA; SaaS & chip stocks lead selloff; AI disruption fears persist
Nasdaq 100 ~21,050 -1.0% ▼ fourth straight weekly decline; Oracle -5%, Salesforce -3%, AMD -4%
Dow Jones ~49,250 -0.5% ▼ Chevron -2.6%; Caterpillar -2.1%; Travelers +1.8% leads; banks outperform
TSX Composite ~25,400 +0.2% ▲ defence sector surges on Carney industrial strategy; energy names firm on Brent
USD/CAD ~1.415 flat — loonie steadies; Carney defence spend CAD-positive; trade uncertainty lingers
US 10Y Treasury ~4.03% -5bp ▼ fresh 2-month low; mild Jan CPI aftermath; Fed minutes Wed; flight to safety
Gold ~$5,015/oz -0.6% ▼ mild profit-taking; Iran talk progress eases haven bid; still near record levels
WTI Crude ~$62.50/bbl -0.6% ▼ testing channel support ~$62; Hormuz tensions offset by demand concerns; Brent ~$67.40
Bitcoin ~$68,500 -0.5% ▼ risk-off continues; down 46% from Oct $126K ATH; ETF outflows 4th straight week
DXY (Dollar Index) ~97.3 +0.5% ▲ mild safe-haven bid; 10Y yield decline limits upside; GBP weakness supports

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02
\nConflict & Stability Tracker

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Iran — Geneva Nuclear Talks

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“Guiding principles” agreed Tue; Witkoff/Kushner mediate; Iran offers 2-week return with text; 2nd carrier group + 18 F-35s deployed; IRGC Hormuz drills close lanes; zero enrichment vs curbs gap

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Ukraine — Geneva Round 3

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Umerov vs Medinsky; 71 missiles + 450 drones overnight; Odesa devastated; Trump: “come to the table fast”; territory deadlock; June deadline; continues Wed

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\nEscalating
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DHS Shutdown — Day 4

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Congress on recess until Feb 23; 90% of 272K workers exempt but unpaid; Dems demand ICE body cameras, use-of-force reform post-Pretti shooting; no signs of compromise over Presidents’ Day weekend

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\nTense
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US-Canada Trade & Defence

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Carney launches $6.6B “Buy Canadian” defence strategy; 5% GDP by 2035; CUSMA review pending; new Chief Trade Negotiator to US named; strategic autonomy doctrine deepens

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03
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The Man Who Made America Look, and the Market That Looked Away

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Jesse Jackson died on Tuesday morning in Chicago, and the nation he spent six decades trying to change paused, briefly, to acknowledge the loss. He was Martin Luther King’s protégé, the man who stood on that Memphis balcony, the first Black candidate to turn a presidential primary into a genuine contest, the inventor of the Rainbow Coalition as both a metaphor and a political machine. Trump called him “a force of nature.” Sharpton called him “a movement unto himself.” The tributes crossed partisan lines — as they do for the dead — but arrived in a country more divided over the questions Jackson spent his life asking than at any point since the movement he helped lead. Meanwhile, the machinery of American power ground on in Geneva, where Witkoff and Kushner mediated both the Iran nuclear and Russia-Ukraine tracks from the same Swiss city — producing “guiding principles” with Tehran while presiding over a horseshoe table where Umerov and Medinsky faced each other beneath the shadow of 521 Russian munitions launched overnight. Wall Street returned from Presidents’ Day to sell technology stocks with accelerating conviction: the Nasdaq dropped over 1%, the S&P fell below its 50-day moving average, and the AI disruption thesis — once a growth engine — is now eating the companies it was supposed to empower. Oracle, Salesforce, CrowdStrike, AMD: the casualty list grows weekly. North of the border, Carney unveiled Canada’s most ambitious defence strategy in a generation — a $6.6 billion “Buy Canadian” plan to transform military procurement from 33% domestic to 70%, with a 5% GDP defence target by 2035. The message to Washington was unmistakable: Canada is building strategic autonomy, not because it wants distance from the US, but because it can no longer afford to depend on it.

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04
\nDevelopments to Watch

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CHICAGORev. Jesse Jackson, Civil Rights Giant and King Protégé, Dies at 84

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The Rev. Jesse Louis Jackson, the towering civil rights leader whose moral vision and fiery oratory reshaped the Democratic Party and American political life, died Tuesday morning at the age of 84. His family confirmed he passed peacefully, surrounded by loved ones. Jackson had been living with progressive supranuclear palsy and Parkinson’s disease and had been hospitalised since November. Born in Greenville, South Carolina in 1941, Jackson was ordained in 1968 and worked alongside Martin Luther King Jr. until King’s assassination on the Memphis motel balcony where Jackson stood. He founded Operation PUSH in 1971 and later the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, which became a cornerstone of American civil rights organising. His two presidential campaigns — finishing third in 1984 and a strong second in 1988, winning 13 states and 7 million primary votes — registered more than a million new voters and proved a Black candidate could build a national coalition. President Trump praised him as “a force of nature like few others before him.” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called him “a voice for the voiceless.” The Rev. Al Sharpton described Jackson as his mentor and “a movement unto himself.” Bernice King posted a photograph of Jackson alongside her father with the words, “Both now ancestors.” Public commemorations will be held in Chicago. Jackson is survived by his wife Jacqueline and six children, including former Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr.

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GENEVAWitkoff and Kushner Mediate Dual Negotiations as Geneva Becomes Diplomatic Epicentre

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US envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner mediated both the Iran nuclear and Russia-Ukraine peace tracks from Geneva on Tuesday — a logistical and diplomatic feat without modern precedent. On the Iran track, the second round of indirect talks concluded with what Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi called “a general agreement on a set of guiding principles.” Iran offered to return within two weeks with detailed proposals. The US maintains its demand for zero enrichment and zero nuclear weapons; Iran insists on its right to enrich for civilian purposes, offering a temporary pause rather than a permanent ban. The Pentagon has deployed two carrier strike groups and an additional 18 F-35 fighter jets to the Middle East, while Iran’s IRGC simultaneously conducted naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, closing shipping lanes. On the Ukraine track, Umerov and Medinsky sat across a horseshoe table as Russia launched the largest combined aerial strike of 2026 overnight — 71 missiles and 450 drones across 12 Ukrainian regions. Odesa’s DTEK energy facilities suffered what the company described as devastation. Trump told reporters on Air Force One that Ukraine had “better come to the table fast.” The territory deadlock persists: Russia demands the remaining 20% of Donetsk; Kyiv refuses. Military chiefs are discussing ceasefire monitoring mechanisms. Talks continue Wednesday.

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MONTRÉALCarney Launches Canada’s First Defence Industrial Strategy — $6.6B “Buy Canadian” Overhaul

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Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled Canada‘s first-ever Defence Industrial Strategy from a Montréal manufacturing plant on Tuesday, marking the most significant shift in Canadian military procurement since confederation. The $6.6 billion plan, built on five pillars, prioritises domestic suppliers and targets increasing Canadian-built defence procurement from the current 33% to 70% over the next decade, with a goal of creating 125,000 new jobs. The strategy positions Canadian industry to capture $180 billion in defence procurement opportunities and $290 billion in defence-related capital investment over the coming decade, with an anticipated $125 billion downstream economic benefit by 2035. Carney said the work of defending Canada was “the work of building Canada” and framed strategic autonomy as essential, not isolationist. The centrepiece is the Defence Investment Agency, a new standalone entity that will serve as a single point of contact for procurement and investment, replacing what Carney called a system that was “too complicated, too slow, and too reliant on international suppliers.” The government also announced BOREALS — a new Bureau of Research, Engineering and Advanced Leadership — to coordinate defence R&D spending, which will increase 85%. Canada is on track to hit the 2% NATO spending target this fiscal year (~$63 billion) and is committed to 5% of GDP by 2035. CAF applications are up nearly 13% since Carney took office.

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WALL STREETTech Rout Deepens as AI Disruption Fears Spread; Danaher Acquires Masimo for $9.9B

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US stocks fell on Tuesday as the AI disruption thesis broadened beyond chip makers to engulf SaaS companies, financial technology, and logistics. The Nasdaq 100 dropped more than 1%, the S&P 500 fell 0.7% and slipped below its 50-day moving average, while the Dow shed roughly 250 points. Oracle, Intuit, and Salesforce fell between 3% and 5% on fears that AI automation tools would displace demand for enterprise software. CrowdStrike plummeted 7% after Mizuho cut its recommendation. AMD fell more than 4%. Nvidia, reporting February 25, traded lower despite a bullish note from Citi projecting outperformance in the second half. The session’s marquee M&A announcement came from Danaher, which agreed to acquire pulse oximetry specialist Masimo for $180 per share in cash — a 38% premium — valuing the deal at approximately $9.9 billion including debt. Masimo shares surged 34%. On the consumer side, General Mills cut its 2026 sales outlook, citing “weak consumer sentiment, heightened uncertainty, and significant volatility.” Southwest Airlines rose nearly 2% after UBS upgraded to Buy. The 10-year Treasury yield fell to a fresh two-month low of 4.03%, supporting rate-sensitive sectors even as technology bled. Fed minutes Wednesday will be closely watched.

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WASHINGTONDHS Shutdown Enters Day 4 — Congress on Recess, No Deal in Sight

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The Department of Homeland Security’s partial shutdown entered its fourth day on Tuesday with no signs of compromise, as lawmakers remain on a scheduled recess through February 23. The shutdown — the third in recent months — was triggered when Senate Democrats blocked a DHS funding bill in the absence of reforms to federal immigration enforcement following the fatal shooting of two US citizens, Alex Pretti and Renee Nicole Good, by immigration agents in Minneapolis in January. Democrats demand body cameras for ICE agents, use-of-force standards, judicial warrants for private property entry, and agent identification requirements. Republicans have resisted most demands while pushing counterproposals on “sanctuary city” crackdowns. Over 90% of DHS’s 272,000 employees continue working under the “exempt” classification, but without pay until the shutdown ends. ICE and CBP operations are largely unaffected thanks to $70 billion in alternative funding from last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Border czar Tom Homan said the administration would not agree to “masks off” policies that could endanger agents. Senate Majority Leader Thune has said members should be ready to return if a deal materialises before the scheduled February 23 reconvening.

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WASHINGTONRFK Jr. Signals FDA Will Act on Kessler GRAS Petition — Processed Food Fight Escalates

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Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. confirmed in a CBS “60 Minutes” interview aired Sunday — and amplified by an HHS statement Monday — that the FDA will act on former Commissioner David Kessler’s petition to revoke the GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) status of dozens of processed refined carbohydrates including corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, and refined flours. The petition, filed last August, argues that the safety classification of these ingredients is based on outdated data and that they contribute to metabolic disease, obesity, and hypertension. Kennedy called the GRAS self-affirmation pathway a “loophole” that had been “hijacked” by food manufacturers, allowing nearly 99% of new food chemicals since 2000 to enter the supply chain without FDA review. While Kennedy stopped short of promising to regulate ultra-processed foods directly, he said he intends to close the self-certification pathway if he gets White House approval. The Consumer Brands Association said the industry “stands ready to work with HHS and FDA.” General Mills’ Tuesday guidance cut — citing weak consumer sentiment — underscored the business sensitivity of any regulatory tightening.

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GAZA / WASHINGTONTrump’s Board of Peace to Pledge $5B for Gaza at Thursday Meeting

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President Trump announced Sunday that members of his Board of Peace initiative will pledge more than $5 billion for reconstruction or humanitarian efforts in Gaza at the board’s inaugural meeting on Thursday. Trump also said members have committed thousands of personnel toward a stabilisation force and local police. The announcement comes as Doctors Without Borders suspended noncritical operations at Nasser Hospital in Gaza due to what it described as security breaches, including armed men in the compound. The hospital disputed MSF’s account, attributing the armed presence to civilian police protecting patients. The pledges represent the first concrete financial commitment from an initiative that had previously operated at the rhetorical level, though details on implementation mechanisms, governance, and the role of the Palestinian Authority remain unclear. The Board of Peace met informally at the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference last week.

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05
\nSovereign & Credit Pulse

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COUNTRY KEY DEVELOPMENT CREDIT SIGNAL
United States DHS shutdown Day 4; Geneva dual diplomacy; Jackson dies; tech selloff; 10Y at 4.03% CPI mild at 2.4% Jan; Fed minutes Wed; rate cut expectations rising; SCOTUS tariff ruling Feb 20; earnings season in focus
Canada Carney launches Defence Industrial Strategy; $6.6B; 125K jobs; 5% GDP by 2035; new Chief Trade Negotiator named On track for 2% NATO spend this year; CUSMA review critical; “Buy Canadian” shifts procurement calculus for US defence firms
Iran “Guiding principles” agreed in Geneva; Hormuz drills close lanes; enrichment pause offered but permanent ban rejected Oil +1% on geopolitical premium; sanctions relief could unlock $100B+ in frozen assets; 3rd round in ~2 weeks
Ukraine Geneva Round 3; 71 missiles + 450 drones; Odesa energy devastated; €90B EU loan signing Feb 24 Half of $120B defence budget foreign-funded; Trump demanding faster concessions; June deadline creates timeline pressure

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06
\nPower Players

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WHO ROLE WHY IT MATTERS
Rev. Jesse Jackson Civil Rights Leader (1941–2026) Died Tuesday at 84; MLK protégé; two-time presidential candidate; Rainbow PUSH founder; reshaped Democratic politics and Black political representation
Steve Witkoff US Special Envoy Mediated both Iran nuclear and Russia-Ukraine talks in single day; Trump’s principal Geneva negotiator; produced “guiding principles” framework
Mark Carney Prime Minister, Canada Launched Defence Industrial Strategy; $6.6B “Buy Canadian”; 5% GDP by 2035; strategic autonomy doctrine; named new Chief Trade Negotiator to US
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. HHS Secretary FDA to act on Kessler GRAS petition; GRAS loophole “hijacked”; General Mills guidance cut validates processed food risk thesis
Abbas Araghchi Iran Foreign Minister Declared “guiding principles” agreed; “path for a deal has started”; central to nuclear framework; addressed UN Disarmament Conference
Rainer M. Blair CEO, Danaher $9.9B Masimo acquisition at $180/share; 38% premium; biggest diagnostics deal of 2026; 18x 2027 EBITDA multiple
Volodymyr Zelenskyy President, Ukraine Accused Russia of stockpiling munitions during pause; demanded partner accountability; faces Trump pressure to concede; €90B EU loan signing Feb 24

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07
\nRegulatory & Policy Watch

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JURISDICTION MEASURE STATUS / IMPACT
Canada Defence Industrial Strategy — $6.6B “Buy Canadian” procurement overhaul Launched Tue; Defence Investment Agency standalone entity via spring legislation; BOREALS R&D bureau; 85% R&D spending increase
US / HHS FDA to act on Kessler GRAS petition — corn syrup, refined carbohydrates Kennedy: “will act on” petition; self-certification loophole targeted; 99% of post-2000 food chemicals bypassed FDA review
US / DHS DHS partial shutdown Day 4 — immigration enforcement reform standoff Congress on recess until Feb 23; 10 Democratic demands; body cameras, use-of-force, warrant requirements; no deal
US / Iran “Guiding principles” framework — Geneva nuclear talks Round 2 Text drafting phase begins; 3rd round ~2 weeks; zero enrichment vs curbs; 2 carrier groups + 18 F-35s deployed
US / SCOTUS Supreme Court opinion dates — Feb 20, 24, 25 Potential emergency tariff powers ruling; could reshape trade architecture; 15% reciprocal tariffs currently in force
US / Gaza Board of Peace — $5B reconstruction pledge Thursday Inaugural meeting; stabilisation force committed; MSF suspends Nasser Hospital operations; implementation details pending

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08
\nCalendar
\nNext 72 Hours

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DATE EVENT SIGNIFICANCE
Feb 17 Palo Alto Networks & Constellation Energy Earnings Cybersecurity bellwether amid CrowdStrike selloff; AI data centre beneficiary; sets tone for tech earnings week
Feb 18 Russia-Ukraine Geneva Talks Day 2 Ceasefire monitoring, Zaporizhzhia NPP, demilitarised zones; military chiefs in parallel session
Feb 19 Fed Minutes — January FOMC Meeting Rate pause rationale; forward guidance clues; CPI at 2.4% supports easing; markets pricing 2-3 cuts by year-end
Feb 20 SCOTUS First Opinion Release Date / Board of Peace Meeting Potential tariff powers ruling; $5B Gaza pledge; Walmart earnings; initial jobless claims
Feb 21 Core PCE Price Index — January Fed’s preferred inflation gauge; decisive for rate path; follows mild CPI; markets sensitive
Feb 23 Congress Reconvenes from Recess DHS shutdown resolution earliest opportunity; Thune has Senate on 24-hour recall notice
Feb 25 Nvidia Earnings — Q4 FY2026 AI bellwether; Blackwell demand, Rubin roadmap, gross margins; Citi bullish; sets market direction

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09
\nBottom Line

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A Nation Mourning While Its Markets Correct and Its Neighbours Rearm

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Tuesday delivered a rare convergence of the symbolic and the structural across North America. Jesse Jackson’s death at 84 is the kind of loss that transcends politics — the man who stood on the Memphis balcony with King, who proved a Black candidate could win presidential primaries, who coined the Rainbow Coalition as both aspiration and apparatus. The tributes crossing partisan lines were genuine, but they arrived in a nation whose government is partially shut down over the conduct of its immigration agents, whose markets are in the grip of an AI-driven correction that is eating the software sector from the inside, and whose diplomats are simultaneously mediating nuclear talks with Iran and peace talks over Ukraine from the same Swiss city. The Geneva outcome was characteristically asymmetric: genuine progress with Iran, where “guiding principles” represents the most substantive framework since the JCPOA, and grinding stalemate on Ukraine, where Russia launched 521 munitions overnight while its negotiator sat at the horseshoe table. Trump’s demand that Ukraine “come to the table fast” lands differently when Odesa’s energy grid is in rubble. Wall Street’s response to all of this was to sell tech. The Nasdaq’s 1% decline extended a pattern that has transformed the AI narrative from growth catalyst to existential threat: Oracle, Salesforce, CrowdStrike, AMD — the rotation out of software and into rate-sensitive value plays is accelerating. The 10-year Treasury at 4.03% suggests the bond market is pricing a Fed that will need to act before the labour market deteriorates further. North of the border, Carney’s Defence Industrial Strategy is the most consequential Canadian policy announcement of the year: $6.6 billion, 125,000 jobs, a 70% domestic procurement target, and a 5% GDP defence commitment by 2035. The strategic autonomy doctrine he articulated at Davos is now backed by concrete industrial policy and a new institutional architecture. The CUSMA review will determine whether this vision survives contact with the White House’s transactional reality. The week ahead is dense with catalysts: Fed minutes Wednesday, SCOTUS opinion dates starting Thursday, the Board of Peace’s $5 billion Gaza pledge, Walmart earnings, Core PCE on Friday, and Nvidia on the 25th. But Tuesday’s lesson is already instructive: America can mourn a civil rights giant, conduct dual-track diplomacy, and watch its tech sector correct simultaneously — and the system, for all its fractures, continues to function. The question is whether functioning is the same as working.

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USA & Canada Intelligence Brief

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Tuesday Edition · February 17, 2026

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This is part of The Rio Times’ coverage of North American economic and financial market developments.

Related: Brazil Morning Call | Global Economy Briefing

Live Market IntelligenceCrypto — Live Market BoardInside: market breadth, the sector heatmap, currencies & rates, the Latin America scoreboard and the full instrument board.

Rio Times · Live Market Intelligence

Crypto — Live Market Board

Digital assets
Jun 16, 2026 · 12:05

Bitcoin · benchmark
65,601
-1.04%
L 65,334day rangeH 65,850

-38.57% over 12 months

Market breadth · 17 names
12% advancing

2 ▲ advancing15 declining ▼

Currencies, rates & key inputs
Ethereum
1,779
-0.89%

Solana
72.92
-1.43%

Gold
4,345
+0.39%

USD / BRL
5.09
+0.66%

Full instrument board
Instrument Last Change YoY Prev. High Low Volume
BTC 65,601 -1.04% -38.57% 66,289 65,850 65,334 23,256,606,720
ETH 1,779 -0.89% -29.99% 1,795 1,731 1,711 9,236,377,600
SOL 72.92 -1.43% -51.67% 73.98 71.54 70.78 1,799,776,768
XRP 1.21 -2.40% -46.09% 1.24 1.25 1.21 2,689,893,632
BNB 605.10 -2.00% -7.05% 617.42 616.85 613.34 1,076,386,048
ADA 0.17 -2.61% -72.47% 0.18 0.18 0.17 482,623,520
DOGE 0.09 -1.74% -49.87% 0.09 0.09 0.09 848,475,840
AVAX 6.76 -1.13% -64.57% 6.84 7.03 6.73 310,073,600
LINK 8.15 -1.69% -39.93% 8.30 8.20 8.11 213,257,424
DOT 1.00 -1.51% -74.16% 1.01 1.03 0.99 102,896,248
LTC 44.78 -2.23% -48.45% 45.80 45.39 45.11 207,261,232
BCH 215.97 -3.82% -53.69% 224.55 212.01 209.77 159,211,648
TRX 0.32 -0.64% +15.29% 0.32 0.32 0.32 477,707,264
XLM 0.22 +2.94% -15.80% 0.21 0.23 0.21 989,178,816
HBAR 0.08 -2.24% -47.38% 0.08 0.08 0.08 99,773,040
NEAR 2.32 -2.82% +2.01% 2.39 2.54 2.33 556,516,096
ATOM 1.97 +0.22% -52.48% 1.97 2.01 1.94 35,559,140
AAVE 73.18 -0.85% -73.47% 73.80 75.99 72.47 184,431,488

Largest moves today
BCH
215.97
-3.82%
XLM
0.22
+2.94%
NEAR
2.32
-2.82%
ADA
0.17
-2.61%
XRP
1.21
-2.40%
HBAR
0.08
-2.24%
LTC
44.78
-2.23%
BNB
605.10
-2.00%

The session read
The Bitcoin eased 1.04%, with breadth negative — 2 of 17 names higher. XLM led, while BCH lagged.

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