⚡ MARKET RECAP → The S&P 500 (VOO) rose Wednesday, led by AI chipmaker NVIDIA (NVDA) and other big tech stocks.

🚧 Gateway Gets Go-Ahead → After a court ordered the release of frozen federal funds, the Trump administration delivered the final payments for the $16 billion Gateway rail tunnel between New York and New Jersey — allowing construction to resume next week and ending a political funding standoff.

📱 Zuckerberg on the Stand → Mark Zuckerberg testified in a Los Angeles trial where Meta is defending itself against claims its social platforms are addictive and harmful to children. Plaintiffs argue app design caused mental health damage; Meta rejects the claims and points to safety tools. The outcome could set a major precedent for tech liability.

Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up for free here.

For the week beginning February 16, 2026

💰 Federal Funds Finally Released: After months of political and legal battle, the Trump administration released the remaining federal funds owed to the $16 billion Gateway rail tunnel project linking New York and New Jersey, clearing the way for construction to resume as soon as next week. This comes after a federal judge ordered the release of previously frozen reimbursements.

🤝 Political Victory After Standoff: New York Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James hailed the move as a “major win” for commuters, union workers, and the region’s economy, after Trump had frozen roughly $205 million in funding amid a standoff. The tunnel work had temporarily halted, costing jobs and delaying progress.

🛠️ Infrastructure Impact & Next Steps: The Gateway project is critical to replacing century-old rail tunnels under the Hudson River that serve more than 200,000 daily commuters. With federal funds now flowing, construction is set to restart next week, though appeals and political tensions around cost overruns and future funding continue.

⚖️ Meta CEO Faces Jury in Youth Safety Trial: Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg testified Wednesday in a Los Angeles trial that questions whether Instagram (and other social media platforms) were designed in ways that are addictive and harmful to children. The case centers on a 20-year-old plaintiff who alleges heavy early use contributed to depression and suicidal thoughts — a claim Meta denies, emphasizing its safety tools and policies.

📊 Clash Over Design and Harm: Plaintiffs argue platforms were engineered like “digital casinos,” with features like infinite scroll and autoplay prompting compulsive use. Meta’s defense says complex personal issues — not platform design — explain user harm, pointing to parental controls and age verification efforts. Mosseri, Instagram’s chief, already testified that the company disagrees social media causes clinical addiction.

🌍 Broader Legal and Social Stakes: This case is seen as a bellwether for roughly 1,500 similar lawsuits and could reshape accountability for tech companies over youth addiction and mental health. A jury decision either way may influence future regulations and legal strategies for big tech.

FDA chief warns U.S. is losing ground to China in early drug development, calls for faster trial approvals (CNBC)

Gold and silver have been on a wild ride. How you can add exposure to the metals in your portfolio (CNBC)

Trump Jr. calls banking a ‘Ponzi scheme’ that forced family to create crypto business (CNBC)

_{^{Investment advisory services provided by ML Wealth LLC. Investment Accounts Are Not FDIC Insured • No Bank Guarantee • Investments May Lose Value. For important information and disclosures relating to the MoneyLion Investment Account, see Investment FAQs, Form ADV Brochure, and moneylion.com/investing. Funded managed investing accounts are subject to a monthly account fee of $1 (for accounts valued up to $5,000), $3 (for accounts valued over $5,000, and up to $25,000), or $5 (for accounts valued over $25,000).}}

<sub><sup>This advertising email was sent to you because you have a MoneyLion account. If you would like to unsubscribe, please do so using this link. We respect your right to privacy. Please do not reply to this email with sensitive information, such as an account number, Social Security number, date of birth, bank account information, PIN, password, or Online ID. The security and confidentiality of your personal information is important to us. If you have any questions or want to read more, please visit our Help Center.

MoneyLion and Pathward do not provide, nor do they guarantee, any third-party product, service, information, or recommendation. The third parties providing these products or services are solely responsible for them, as well as all other content on their websites. MoneyLion is not liable for any third party’s failure with regard to those advertised products, services, and benefits. These advertised products and services may not be FDIC insured or bank-guaranteed, and may be subject to a different privacy policy than MoneyLion’s. You should check individual offers, products, and services to become familiar with any applicable restrictions or conditions that may apply. MoneyLion may receive compensation from third parties for referring you to the third party, their products or to their website.

The influencer, creator and other content provided in the MoneyLion App (“Content”) is for informational and entertainment purposes only and should not be construed as legal, tax, investment, financial, or other advice. All Content is intended to be of a general nature, does not address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity, and may not constitute a comprehensive or complete statement of the matters discussed. MoneyLion is not a fiduciary by virtue of any person’s use of or reliance on the Content. You should consult an appropriate professional if you require any legal, tax, investment, financial or other advice. Terms and Conditions for our subscriber referral can be found here.</sup></sub>