Episode 1268: Wednesday - February 11, 2026

In this episode of Dividend Cafe, Brian Szytel provides an update on a mixed market day with little movement in the indices. The DOW dropped by 66 points, the S&P was flat, and the Nasdaq saw a slight decrease. Bond yields rose following a strong non-farm payroll report, which showed 130,000 new jobs against an expected 55,000, led by the healthcare sector. The unemployment rate also decreased to 4.3%, while hourly wages grew by 0.4% for January, totaling a 3.7% year-over-year increase. Labor force participation ticked up to 62.5%. Szytel addresses questions about inflation perceptions versus reported CPI, explaining the difference between disinflation and deflation. He concludes with a reminder that good news should be seen positively and notes market reactions to Federal Reserve rate expectations.

00:00 Introduction and Market Overview

00:27 Employment Report Insights

01:25 Labor Force Participation Trends

04:00 Inflation and Personal Experience

05:20 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Links mentioned in this episode: DividendCafe.com

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