Cathie Wood Says Equity Markets 'Yawn' At Supreme Court Tariff Reversal
By Rishabh Mishra | February 23, 2026, 4:17 AM
QQQ +0.88%
SPY +0.72%
ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood characterizes the market response to the Supreme Court's strike-down of federal tariffs as a “yawn,” predicting that the removal of these “tax increases” will act as a significant catalyst for U.S. economic growth.
Market Resilience Amid Policy Shifts
Despite the dramatic 6-3 Supreme Court ruling that invalidated President Donald Trump's emergency-law tariffs, equity markets remained remarkably stable. Wood, founder of ARK Invest, noted that the financial world had largely anticipated the judicial check on executive power.
“I think the markets are treating this with a bit of a yawn.” She attributed the initial volatility on Friday to high-frequency algorithms rather than fundamental shifts, noting that while aggressive growth portfolios experienced a minor setback in defense technology, the broader market remained unfazed.
Tariffs As Economic Friction
Wood remains steadfast in her view that the invalidated duties were essentially a burden on the American consumer and corporate sector. By removing these barriers, she anticipates a reversal of the recent economic cooling.
“We’ve called tariffs tax increases. I don’t like tax increases. Most people don’t like tax increases,” Wood stated. She argued that the ruling effectively acts as a tax cut, which should “accelerate growth” in the coming months.
Wood pointed to the disappointing 1.4% real GDP growth in the fourth quarter as evidence that the tariff regime had failed to improve the trade deficit, instead creating “distortions” in the economy.
The Path To Zero Inflation
A central pillar of Wood’s outlook is the continued collapse of inflationary pressures. With tariffs being struck down, Wood believes the U.S. could see headline inflation drop toward zero or even enter negative territory within the next three to six months.
“The true inflation number… is lower than 1% now,” Wood claimed, citing ARK's internal monitoring of 10,000 consumer prices. She dismissed President Trump's subsequent talk of a 10% to 15% across-the-board tariff as a tactic to maintain “negotiating leverage” rather than a looming economic reality.
“If anything, with tariffs coming down… this should actually accelerate growth,” she concluded.
Blue Chips Gain As Tech Lags In 2026
As of Friday’s close, the Dow Jones index rose 2.57% year-to-date, whereas the S&P 500 was 0.74% higher and the Nasdaq Composite index was down 1.50% in 2026.
The SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE: SPY) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ: QQQ), which track the S&P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, closed higher on Friday. The SPY was up 0.72% at $689.43, while the QQQ advanced 0.88% to $608.81.
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