S&P 500 – 6,716.09 (+0.25%)

Dow Jones – 46,992.26 (+0.10%)

NASDAQ – 22,479.53 (+0.47%)

• U.S. Stock Market: U.S. stocks edged higher on Tuesday as markets cautiously rebounded. Investors remained watchful amid renewed attacks in the Iran conflict, which lifted oil prices and maintained uncertainty over efforts to secure international support for shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz.
• Donald Trump and Iran: Donald Trump has abandoned attempts to rally allies regarding the Iran conflict. He openly criticized NATO and other nations while asserting that the U.S. can continue operations independently, amid rising regional tensions and disruptions to global energy markets.
• Elon Musk and SEC Settlement Talks: Elon Musk is negotiating a potential settlement with the U.S. SEC over delayed disclosures related to his 2022 Twitter acquisition. The discussions could conclude years of legal disputes, with Musk maintaining that the reporting delay was unintentional.
• Arizona Charges Kalshi: Arizona has filed criminal charges against Kalshi for allegedly running an unlicensed gambling and election-wagering platform, escalating ongoing legal battles between state regulators and prediction markets.
• Treasury and Dollar Movements: The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield fell 2 basis points on Tuesday, down roughly 9 basis points for the week. Meanwhile, the U.S. dollar retraced some of its recent safe-haven gains, now approximately 0.75% below its peak against a basket of trade-weighted currencies.
• Oil Prices and Gasoline Costs: Elevated oil prices continue to pressure U.S. consumers. The national average for regular gasoline rose to $3.80 per gallon, about $1 higher than the January low. In high-cost states like California, prices hit $5.50 per gallon.
• Central Bank Watch: A busy week of central bank meetings is expected to provide insights into policy responses to the oil price surge. Investors will focus on the Federal Reserve, which has scaled back expectations for rate cuts, now pricing in just a single 25-basis-point reduction later this year.
• Tech Sector Highlights:
  • Nvidia shares rose modestly after CEO Jensen Huang projected hardware revenue could reach $1 trillion by 2027, driven by AI inference demand. The outlook suggests $50–$70 billion more revenue than Wall Street expects for 2026–2027, prompting JPMorgan to maintain an overweight rating.
  • Lyft gained after announcing plans to integrate “Agentic AI” with Nvidia’s AI to improve ride efficiency. Uber also rose in sympathy.
  • Nebius (NBIS) dropped 10% after announcing $3.75 billion in convertible debt following deals with Meta and Nvidia.
  • Honeywell International fell after warning geopolitical conflict and rising energy costs could impact Q1 revenue.
  • Eli Lilly slipped after HSBC lowered its rating, projecting the obesity drug market to reach $80–$120 billion by 2032, lower than previous expectations of $150 billion+.
• Corporate Updates:
  • Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav may receive up to $887 million for navigating a major M&A deal.
  • Dollar Tree rose after reporting better-than-expected earnings and guidance.
  • Oklo jumped after securing its first license from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, targeting commercial power production by 2028.
• U.S.–EU Trade Deal: The European Union is set to resume delayed ratification proceedings for its trade deal with the U.S., according to European Parliament trade committee chair Bernd Lange.
• Consumer and Airline Stocks: Consumer-focused stocks performed well but remain sensitive to oil prices. Airline stocks, weak earlier in 2026, rebounded Tuesday as customers rushed to book fares amid rising prices.
• Beyond Meat Delay: Shares of Beyond Meat (BYND) dropped over 7% after the company announced a delay in filing its 2025 annual report, adding to financial pressure.
• Bitcoin Market: Bitcoin traded near $74,000 on Tuesday, showing relative strength despite broader market jitters caused by the Iran conflict.

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“NATO is the foundation of peace and security in the 21st century, and its strength depends on the solidarity of its members.”

—George W. Bush 

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Notable Stocks

• Nvidia (NVDA)
• Dollar Tree (DLTR)
• Oklo (OKLO)
• Lyft (LYFT)
• Nebius (NBIS)

Weekly Notables

Tesla To Buy $4.3 Billion Of LG Energy Battery Cells from Disbanded GM Plant

Tesla Inc. is expanding its partnership with LG Energy Solution, agreeing to purchase $4.3 billion worth of battery cells for energy storage systems produced in Lansing, Michigan. The Lansing plant was originally developed for a joint venture between LG and General Motors, but GM exited the initiative in late 2024, selling its stake to LG as part of a broader pullback from EV investments.

Ai Drone Software Stock Jumps 700% In Best IPO Since Newsmax

Shares of Swarmer Inc. surged as much as 700% on Tuesday, marking the strongest U.S. IPO debut since Newsmax Inc. nearly a year ago. The Austin-based company began trading at $12.50—about 150% above its IPO price—and quickly climbed to around $40 during the session. The rapid rise triggered multiple volatility halts, including one within the first minute of trading after an initial drop of more than 10%.

Earnings Spotlight: FedEx (FDX)

FedEx (FDX) is set to report its Q3 earnings on March 19. Analysts expect FedEx to post earnings per share (EPS) of $4.12 for Q3, marking a year-over-year decline of around 8%. At the same time, revenue is expected to reach $23.12 billion, up from $22.2 billion a year ago. Last month, Evercore’s five-star-rated analyst Jonathan Chappell raised his price target on FDX stock from $364 to $380. He noted that the company is showing “promising signs” with stronger demand and effective cost management.

What's Ahead

The Federal Reserve meets later today. The Fed meeting is likely to end with no change in rates but begins with intrigue. The mystery regards Powell's plans, assuming his term ends on time in May. 

March 18: FOMC rate decision, Bank of Japan (BOJ) rate decision, February PPI, and expected earnings from General Mills (GIS), Williams-Sonoma (WSM), Micron (MU), and Five Below (FIVE).
March 19: ECB rate decision and expected earnings from Alibaba (BABA), Accenture (ACN), Darden Restaurants (DRI), and FedEx (FDX).
March 20: No major data or earnings expected.
March 23: January construction spending.
March 24: Expected earnings from GameStop (GME) and KB Home (KBH).