Investors’ once-red-hot appetite for tech stocks and crypto is starting to fade. A stretch of weaker-than-anticipated earnings from a few major tech companies, growing risk-off sentiment, continued selling pressure in digital assets, and a clear rotation away from high-beta names have all taken a toll on investor confidence. The flagship cryptocurrency Bitcoin (BTCUSD) has tumbled roughly 21% so far in 2026, while the Technology Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLK) has also slipped into negative territory this year. With volatility creeping back in, investors are once again leaning into defensive names.
That said, one blue-chip dividend company firmly on investors’ radar amid this flight to safety is retail giant Walmart (WMT). Interestingly, the company has also recently entered the $1 trillion market-cap club, a rare milestone typically dominated by tech heavyweights. With its enormous scale and essential-goods focus, Walmart is increasingly seen as a stability anchor in a choppy market, making it a stock worth a closer look right now. Fresh off crossing the $1 trillion market capitalization mark earlier this month, Walmart now stands as the first major brick-and-mortar retailer to reach a valuation tier typically reserved for tech titans.
The stock’s climb has been just as notable. Over the past 52 weeks, WMT shares have advanced 27.5%, and in 2026 alone, the stock is already up a striking 17.8%. That’s well ahead of the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX), which has risen 15% over the past year and only 1.3% so far this year. Shares recently notched a new high of $131.70 on Feb. 6 and continue to trade near that level, underscoring sustained investor demand for this defensive heavyweight even as other parts of the market wobble.
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