Weekly Outlook: Feb 23, 2026
The “Anti-Inflation” narrative has just met the “Protectionist Wall.”
Friday’s tariff decisions were a blunt instrument, but the retail sector is not taking them lying down. The news that a group of the nation’s largest importers is suing the US government for relief has fundamentally changed the calculus for the week. While the Dow 50,000 milestone from two weeks ago gave us a psychological floor, the “Tariff Litigation” era is introducing a high-stakes legal binary to the market.
Capital is now moving toward assets that serve as proxies for the “Cost of Policy.” CI Markets signals a pivot into the beneficiaries of the strengthening Dollar, the “Survivor” retailers, and the repricing of the yield curve under an inflationary regime.
1. The Retail Litigation Proxy Forecast: Target (TGT) Trend Up 🔼
All eyes turn to Target as the representative for the retail sector this week. As a major importer, Target is in the crosshairs of the tariff fight, but the market is already pricing in a “survival of the fittest” outcome. CI Markets forecasts TGT to trend higher this week. The sentiment is clear: if the retail coalition wins its lawsuit, the relief rally could be significant; if it loses, the market expects Target’s scale to allow it to outmaneuver smaller competitors through supply chain agility.
2. The Strengthening Tariff Wall Forecast: US Dollar Index (DXY) Bullish 🔼
Tariffs are historically a Dollar-bullish event, and this time is no different. As barriers go up, the greenback is finding a renewed bid from investors hedging against a more isolated, higher-cost domestic economy. CI Markets forecasts the DXY to move higher this week. Despite the domestic unrest seen over the weekend, the “Tariff Premium” is currently outweighing social risk in the currency markets.
3. The Inflationary Yield Squeeze 🔽
The market is connecting the dots between tariffs and sticky inflation. As importers warn of price hikes, the bond market is pre-emptively repricing for a less-dovish Fed. CI Markets forecasts TLT to trend lower (meaning yields are moving higher) this week. With the 10-year yield finding a floor, the “Yield Search” we tracked earlier is turning into a flight to shorter duration and the safety of the strengthening Dollar.
Conclusion
The signal for the week of February 23 is Litigation Volatility. The market has moved beyond the “Warsh Pivot” and into a direct confrontation between the private sector and the administration’s trade policy.
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