Feb 10 (Reuters) - S&P Global SPGI.N forecast 2026 profit below Wall Street expectations on Tuesday, amid growing fears of AI-fueled disruptions, sending its shares down 18% in premarket trading.

The company expects adjusted per share profit for full year 2026 in the range of $19.40 to $19.65, below analysts' average estimate of $19.94, according to data complied by LSEG.

S&P was one of the stocks caught in the crossfire of a recent market selloff, driven by a rout in technology shares as investors feared that rapid advancements in artificial intelligence may be reshaping the software and services industry.

The analytics firm has already seen its share price drop 15% so far this year, as of Monday's close.

Analysts, however, have said companies with proprietary data and benchmarks such as S&P Global could be largely insulated, and that AI-driven efficiency gains may still lift margins and help shift sentiment on the stocks.

S&P's forecast comes even as global tech companies are ramping up bond issuance to fund the rapid build-out of AI infrastructure and cloud capacity that has buoyed demand for credit ratings.

The company reported an adjusted net income of $4.30 per share during the fourth quarter, while analysts estimated $4.33. Its total quarterly revenue rose 9% to $3.92 billion.