Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange, March 17, 2026. Brendan McDermid | Reuters Stock futures fell Sunday night, weighed by the U.S.' latest warning against Iran, after the major U.S. benchmarks posted their fourth-straight weekly slide. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures lost 143 points, or 0.3%. S&P 500 futures shed 0.4%, and Nasdaq-100 futures pulled back by 0.5%. Those d...
Traders work on the floor at the New York Stock Exchange, March 17, 2026. Brendan McDermid | Reuters Stock futures fell Sunday night, weighed by the U.S.' latest warning against Iran, after the major U.S. benchmarks posted their fourth-straight weekly slide. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures lost 143 points, or 0.3%. S&P 500 futures shed 0.4%, and Nasdaq-100 futures pulled back by 0.5%. Those declines came as the Iran war entered its fourth week, with tensions escalating over the weekend. President Donald Trump threatened an attack on Iranian power plants if the Strait of Hormuz — a key shipping route for oil and other energy products — isn't reopened. Iran responded in turn said it would target U.S. infrastructure, including energy and desalination facilities in the Gulf, if the U.S. carried out its threat. Crude prices rose in early trading Sunday. West Texas Intermediate futures climbed 0.5% to $98.73 per barrel. International benchmark Brent advanced 0.5% to $112.76. "Clearly, Iran is not backing down," wrote Ben Emons, CIO and founder of Fed Watch Advisors. "The risk-off sentiment could worsen substantially this week, with the first visible macro effects in a deluge of global PMI data. … Portfolio de-risking could continue, making cash a viable asset again." The S&P Global Flash U.S. PMI report is due Tuesday morning. Investors will also be keeping an eye on support levels. The S&P 500 last week broke below its 200-day moving average for the first time since May. The Dow and Nasdaq fell around 2% each last week, while the S&P 500 lost 1.5%. For the Dow, it also marks its first four-week losing streak since 2023. 7 Min Ago Watch semis this week, says Fundstrat Fundstrat technical strategist Mark Newton thinks semiconductor stocks could be vulnerable if the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) breaks below $369. It closed Friday's session at $384.74. "There very well could be a rotation back lower in both Memory stocks, Optical names, along with many of the Semi, an...
U.S. stock-index futures fell on Sunday, as new threats of escalation from both President Donald Trump and Iran threatened to intensify the conflict roiling the Persian Gulf region.
U.S. stock-index futures fell on Sunday, as new threats of escalation from both President Donald Trump and Iran threatened to intensify the conflict roiling the Persian Gulf region.
The stock market is having a down year so far, with the S&P 500 down 3% as of March 19. The crypto market is doing even worse. Bitcoin (BTC 3.72%) has lost 19% in 2026 alone, continuing a slump that started last October, and other major coins have declined even more. If there's a silver lining in that sea of red, it's that investing in cryptocurrency is much cheaper than it was a few months ago. W...
The stock market is having a down year so far, with the S&P 500 down 3% as of March 19. The crypto market is doing even worse. Bitcoin (BTC 3.72%) has lost 19% in 2026 alone, continuing a slump that started last October, and other major coins have declined even more. If there's a silver lining in that sea of red, it's that investing in cryptocurrency is much cheaper than it was a few months ago. With that in mind, let's look at the best cryptocurrencies if you want to buy the dip. 1. Bitcoin Sometimes keeping it simple is the way to go. In crypto investing, the simplest option is to buy Bitcoin. It's not the most advanced cryptocurrency, and you can't launch decentralized finance (DeFi) projects or meme coins on its blockchain. But Bitcoin's name value and size make it arguably the safest cryptocurrency investment. The case for Bitcoin is that it's the largest digital asset and has a maximum supply of 21 million coins. Investors buy it as a store of value and to diversify their portfolios, and the supply cap means there's only so much Bitcoin to go around. Expand CRYPTO : BTC Bitcoin Today's Change ( -3.72 %) $ -2614.49 Current Price $ 67661.00 Key Data Points Market Cap $1.4T Day's Range $ 67564.00 - $ 70345.00 52wk Range $ 60255.56 - $ 126079.89 Volume 31B Since the launch of Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in 2024, institutional investors have also been able to get in on the action. Bitcoin ETFs have received $56.7 billion in total net inflows, and they recently recorded seven straight days of net inflows. That's the longest such streak since October and a good sign that Bitcoin still has plenty of institutional support during this downturn. 2. Ethereum Like Bitcoin, Ethereum (ETH 5.06%) is attracting institutional attention, both as an investment and as a settlement layer. About $165 billion in stablecoins are on Ethereum, which is over half the stablecoin market and includes Tether, USDC, PayPal USD, and Ripple USD. When JPMorgan Chase Asset Management lau...
Key Points Bitcoin ETF inflows are picking up, showing that the largest cryptocurrency still has ample institutional support. Ethereum is the top settlement layer for stablecoins and has seven upgrades planned through 2029. Solana's speed and low transaction fees are significant competitive advantages. 10 stocks we like better than Bitcoin › The stock market is having a down year so far, with the ...
Key Points Bitcoin ETF inflows are picking up, showing that the largest cryptocurrency still has ample institutional support. Ethereum is the top settlement layer for stablecoins and has seven upgrades planned through 2029. Solana's speed and low transaction fees are significant competitive advantages. 10 stocks we like better than Bitcoin › The stock market is having a down year so far, with the S&P 500 down 3% as of March 19. The crypto market is doing even worse. Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) has lost 19% in 2026 alone, continuing a slump that started last October, and other major coins have declined even more. If there's a silver lining in that sea of red, it's that investing in cryptocurrency is much cheaper than it was a few months ago. With that in mind, let's look at the best cryptocurrencies if you want to buy the dip. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » 1. Bitcoin Sometimes keeping it simple is the way to go. In crypto investing, the simplest option is to buy Bitcoin. It's not the most advanced cryptocurrency, and you can't launch decentralized finance (DeFi) projects or meme coins on its blockchain. But Bitcoin's name value and size make it arguably the safest cryptocurrency investment. The case for Bitcoin is that it's the largest digital asset and has a maximum supply of 21 million coins. Investors buy it as a store of value and to diversify their portfolios, and the supply cap means there's only so much Bitcoin to go around. Since the launch of Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in 2024, institutional investors have also been able to get in on the action. Bitcoin ETFs have received $56.7 billion in total net inflows, and they recently recorded seven straight days of net inflows. That's the longest such streak since October and a good sign that Bitcoin still has plenty of instit...
Chris Rigg (Sunderland): It was a solid performance from Rigg in a memorable Tyne-Wear derby. He did not do anything exceptional against Newcastle but he did everything really, really well. With Rigg, you know what you are getting from him. James Garner (Everton): He could have just chilled out after getting called up to the England squad this week. But instead, he cracked on and put in a great pe...
Chris Rigg (Sunderland): It was a solid performance from Rigg in a memorable Tyne-Wear derby. He did not do anything exceptional against Newcastle but he did everything really, really well. With Rigg, you know what you are getting from him. James Garner (Everton): He could have just chilled out after getting called up to the England squad this week. But instead, he cracked on and put in a great performance. It was a lovely assist from him to Beto for Everton's opener. Having played with him at Watford, I know he's all about high energy and big tackles. He has got it all and I hope he does well for England to force his way into that World Cup squad. John McGinn (Aston Villa): He's their captain, leader and heartbeat. It's been two massive performances in the space of a week from him. Villa are a decent team. But McGinn makes them a great one. If they are to finish in the top five and challenge for the Europa League title, they will need him to continue performing at this level. Harry Wilson (Fulham): He has made a habit of scoring big goals and he did that again this week. I wonder how they are going to replace him if he decides to leave. They are not going to spend £60m on somebody with his qualities. They need him to sign a new contract as he is a massively important part of that Fulham squad. Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United): It feels like the Portuguese midfielder is becoming a permanent fixture in the team of the week. You have to put him in again after another goal, and also forcing the James Hill own goal. How long can United remain average and keep him before he decides it is time to leave the club?
Make better investment decisions with Simply Wall St's easy, visual tools that give you a competitive edge. The latest update lifts Nvidia's modeled fair value from US$253.02 to US$269.23, a move of about 6% that reflects refreshed assumptions in the valuation work. Analysts linking this change to recent research are weighing AI data center demand, the Blackwell and Rubin roadmaps, and new partner...
Make better investment decisions with Simply Wall St's easy, visual tools that give you a competitive edge. The latest update lifts Nvidia's modeled fair value from US$253.02 to US$269.23, a move of about 6% that reflects refreshed assumptions in the valuation work. Analysts linking this change to recent research are weighing AI data center demand, the Blackwell and Rubin roadmaps, and new partnerships in areas like autonomous vehicles and cloud infrastructure as they refine how they view growth, risk, and valuation support. As you read on, you will see how to track these shifting narratives and what they might mean for your own Nvidia view. Analyst Price Targets don't always capture the full story. Head over to our Company Report to find new ways to value NVIDIA. What Wall Street Has Been Saying 🐂 Bullish Takeaways Multiple firms including BofA, JPMorgan, Wells Fargo, Cantor Fitzgerald and Citi highlight Nvidia’s GTC update that visibility for Blackwell and Rubin related data center sales and shipments has reached at least US$1t through 2025 to 2027, which they view as strong support for the current AI data center thesis. BofA, Wedbush, Morgan Stanley, Rosenblatt, Bernstein and others have raised Nvidia price targets into the US$260 to US$300 range, citing Q4 results and guidance that they describe as solid or better than prior expectations, along with continued traction in Blackwell and related platforms. New Street added Nvidia to its best ideas list. Morgan Stanley replaced Micron with Nvidia as its top semiconductor pick, pointing to what it sees as a supportive entry valuation relative to its 2027 earnings estimates and growing enthusiasm for the longer term AI compute cycle. Several research houses, including BofA and Argus, point to Nvidia’s broadening role beyond core data centers, such as autonomous vehicles, networking, optical components and storage partnerships, which they see as extending the company’s growth runway. 🐻 Bearish Takeaways Some commentary...
Elliott plans to engage with Synopsys to push the business to make more money from its software and services, according to people familiar with the matter.
Elliott plans to engage with Synopsys to push the business to make more money from its software and services, according to people familiar with the matter.
Key Points The Fed has little to no clarity about what the impact of soaring energy prices will be. If there are no rate cuts this year, this would eliminate an expected tailwind for stocks. These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires › How everything can change in an instant! Just one month ago, the futures market was pricing in two quarter-percentage-point interest rate cuts by the ...
Key Points The Fed has little to no clarity about what the impact of soaring energy prices will be. If there are no rate cuts this year, this would eliminate an expected tailwind for stocks. These 10 stocks could mint the next wave of millionaires › How everything can change in an instant! Just one month ago, the futures market was pricing in two quarter-percentage-point interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve by the end of 2026. And, according to futures pricing, there was a growing possibility that the Fed might cut three times, as I wrote back on Feb. 21. Today, however, the futures market sees a nearly 80% chance (78.2% to be exact) that the Fed won't make any cuts to its target interest rate this year. A month ago, futures traders put the chances that the Fed would not cut at all this year at just 5.3%. Will AI create the world's first trillionaire? Our team just released a report on the one little-known company, called an "Indispensable Monopoly" providing the critical technology Nvidia and Intel both need. Continue » And Bloomberg is reporting that bond traders are no longer pricing in any Fed rate cuts this year, either. You can see that by how yields on two-year Treasuries -- which are extremely sensitive to expectations for Fed policy -- are moving. The two-year yield is suddenly trading above the effective Fed funds rate, suggesting the bond market sees no near-term Fed cuts. The Middle East war has rendered the future outlook opaque Why such a huge swing in expectations about Fed cuts? Basically, it's due to the war in Iran and its impact on oil prices (Brent crude is now about 50% higher than it was just before the war began). The Fed and other central banks need some clarity about where the economy is going when they set monetary policy. Right now, they have none. Asked about the impact of the oil shock on the economy and the outlook for interest rates, Powell basically threw up his hands in frustration. "The thing I really want to emphasize is that ...
Oil Up, Stocks Down To Start Week As War Escalates & Gamma Unclenches Following a weekend where geopolitical headlines swung from "winding down" (Friday after the close) to threats, deadlines, and "obliteration" tit-for-tat talk suggesting no end in sight, it is perhaps no surprise that oil prices are up (and so equity futures are down) as we open Sunday night. WTI topped $100 again (but is fading...
Oil Up, Stocks Down To Start Week As War Escalates & Gamma Unclenches Following a weekend where geopolitical headlines swung from "winding down" (Friday after the close) to threats, deadlines, and "obliteration" tit-for-tat talk suggesting no end in sight, it is perhaps no surprise that oil prices are up (and so equity futures are down) as we open Sunday night. WTI topped $100 again (but is fading back a little from the opening spike)... Futs are down around 1-1.5% from the after-hours highs on Friday... 10Y TSY futs are down, implying around a 4-5bps rise in yields... Gold is flat, holding around $4500 (after its worst week in 43 years). Bitcoin has been sliding all weekend and is back below $68k now... Investors are finally beginning to price-in the Iran conflict as a longer energy shock, not a temporary geopolitical scare. With no end in sight, Goldman Sachs trader, Shreeti Kapa says it feels like market has started to reflect inflation risk from a transient energy shock but not really growth downside from a longer lasting shock. Markets have mostly priced a rate shock but limited growth risks. This is much in contrast to the energy shock in 2022, which also led to a much larger negative rate shock as real yields sharply increased from negative levels This reflects a belief still that the war & resulting energy disruptions will be relatively short-lived. If that confidence is misplaced and the energy price increases prove more durable, markets will need to price in a more significant hit to global growth and earnings & inevitably more significant drawdown in global equities . As Bloomberg macro strategist, Michael Ball, highlighted earlier, higher energy costs are inflationary and act as a tax on consumers, margins and confidence. That helps explain why central banks talked tougher this week, causing markets to price a shift to more restrictive path for global monetary policy. Traders moved quickly, pricing in ECB and Bank of England tightening and taking out all...
Futures loom with indexes below key levels and oil prices and yields soaring. President Trump threatened to hit Iran's power plants if Iran doesn't open the Strait of Hormuz.
Futures loom with indexes below key levels and oil prices and yields soaring. President Trump threatened to hit Iran's power plants if Iran doesn't open the Strait of Hormuz.
Oil gained after President Donald Trump gave Iran an ultimatum to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran threatened reprisals. Brent climbed toward $113 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate briefly topped $100. Trump said Iran must “fully open,” the waterway within 48 hours, or have its power plants bombed. In reply, Tehran warned it will target “all energy, information technology, and desalina...
Oil gained after President Donald Trump gave Iran an ultimatum to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran threatened reprisals. Brent climbed toward $113 a barrel, while West Texas Intermediate briefly topped $100. Trump said Iran must “fully open,” the waterway within 48 hours, or have its power plants bombed. In reply, Tehran warned it will target “all energy, information technology, and desalination infrastructure belonging to the US and the Israeli regime in the region” if fuel and energy sites were hit. Global benchmark Brent has surged by more than 50% since the strikes by the US and Israel on Iran in late February. The conflict has shown no signs of abating, with key petroleum-product markets rallying even harder than crude. That’s threatened to unleash a wave of global inflation, bringing turmoil to financial markets from commodities to stocks and bonds. After weeks of war across the energy-rich region that’s affected more than a dozen states, the near‑complete closure of Hormuz — which links the Persian Gulf to global markets — has become a key flashpoint. Iranian officials have been increasingly reluctant even to discuss reopening the artery as they focus on survival. Trump’s ultimatum came at 7:44 p.m. New York time on Saturday. “Now with this 48-hour deadline , Trump has posted himself into a corner,” said Rory Johnston , oil market researcher and founder of Commodity Context Corp. “It is highly unlikely that Tehran will agree to Trump’s terms on such an accelerated timeline under the threat of attack. And Iran is clearly able and willing to match any escalation.” With maritime traffic through Hormuz at a standstill — apart from a handful of transits agreed to by Tehran — Persian Gulf crude producers have been forced to lock in millions of barrels of daily supply, or turn to limited, alternative export routes. The International Energy Agency has warned the global oil market is facing its largest-ever shock, even as it presided over a major release of emer...
Elon Musk took the stage in Austin on March 21 to officially launch Terafab, a joint venture between Tesla (TSLA), SpaceX, and xAI that he called "the most epic chip building exercise in history by far." The ambition is genuine. So is the risk. Investors need to understand both before drawing ...
Elon Musk took the stage in Austin on March 21 to officially launch Terafab, a joint venture between Tesla (TSLA), SpaceX, and xAI that he called "the most epic chip building exercise in history by far." The ambition is genuine. So is the risk. Investors need to understand both before drawing ...
A group of contestants dropped in a forest must hunt or hide – or both – to try to get their hands on £100,000. Expect heroes, villains, fragile alliances and big characters I can only assume that the brilliant minds who were locked in a vault at Channel 4 and commanded to come up with a rival to The Traitors came of age during peak Suzanne Collins fever. The new reality-competition show The Hunt:...
A group of contestants dropped in a forest must hunt or hide – or both – to try to get their hands on £100,000. Expect heroes, villains, fragile alliances and big characters I can only assume that the brilliant minds who were locked in a vault at Channel 4 and commanded to come up with a rival to The Traitors came of age during peak Suzanne Collins fever. The new reality-competition show The Hunt: Prey vs Predator is indebted to The Hunger Games – battle takes place in an arena set in a 100-acre wood (Pooh could never ) and the contenders charge off from podiums in the middle of it when a klaxon sounds. I would love to know how furiously they argued for a lethal element (“Come on, one longbow! Just one!”), but for now at least we remain in the realm of cash prizes only. The pot is £100,000. What do the 10 players have to do to secure it? First, they must divide themselves into two teams: predators and prey. Why would you want to be prey? Because the hunted get to take part in challenges scattered across the arena that will win them shares in the prize pot, which they will get to keep – unless a predator captures them. If that happens, the money is passed over and the roles swap: the hunted becomes the hunter. And on the swapsies go over nine weeks, with the prey voting one predator out each time. Continue reading...
William Klein worked for more than two decades as a US diplomat, including in several senior roles at the United States’ embassy in Beijing from 2016 to 2021. He worked at the American Institute in Taiwan and on the US State Department’s China desk in Washington, and occupied US diplomatic posts in South Asia, the Middle East and the former Soviet Union. He is based in the Berlin office of FGS Glo...
William Klein worked for more than two decades as a US diplomat, including in several senior roles at the United States’ embassy in Beijing from 2016 to 2021. He worked at the American Institute in Taiwan and on the US State Department’s China desk in Washington, and occupied US diplomatic posts in South Asia, the Middle East and the former Soviet Union. He is based in the Berlin office of FGS Global, a strategic advisory and communications firm. SCMP Plus readers get early access to articles in the Open Questions series What should we expect from US President Donald Trump’s visit to China – whenever it takes place? Will it have any impact on the trajectory of China-US relations during Trump’s second term? Advertisement Since the Busan summit [ in South Korea on October 30 ], we have had a truce in the US-China relationship. I wouldn’t call it an armistice. I certainly wouldn’t call it a peace treaty. Both sides clearly have a common interest in not allowing the relationship to deteriorate any further. So the most important outcome of President Trump’s visit to China, whenever it may take place, will be the two sides reinforcing their interest in containing the competition in the relationship, preventing things from going off the rails, or from getting worse. We will certainly see a reaffirmation of the commitments made in Busan with respect to export controls, tariffs, things of this nature. I expect other commercial announcements, like further purchase agreements on the part of China, such as for agricultural goods or commercial aircraft. Advertisement The big question will be: will the two sides announce further measures to loosen some of the export controls or reduce some of the tariffs? It is very difficult to predict. My conversation with both American and Chinese government stakeholders suggests that expectations for the visit are modest. Still, this visit is important for the further trajectory of the US-China relationship.
Good afternoon from Los Angeles. We are hiring a new California editor, someone who will work closely with my team in our growing LA office. Please apply or reach out if you know someone who’d be a good fit. I traveled to Seoul earlier this month to interview the biggest boy band in the world. Once the best-selling act in the world, BTS just took three years off so its members could serve in the S...
Good afternoon from Los Angeles. We are hiring a new California editor, someone who will work closely with my team in our growing LA office. Please apply or reach out if you know someone who’d be a good fit. I traveled to Seoul earlier this month to interview the biggest boy band in the world. Once the best-selling act in the world, BTS just took three years off so its members could serve in the South Korean military. My colleague Sohee Kim and I spoke with the seven-member group about their long-awaited return. You can read the full interview here . Bloomberg made a brief documentary about the state of Hollywood featuring Chris Palmeri and yours truly. Five things you need to know Speaking of K-pop… Netflix is looking to stage a global concert tour with songs from KPop Demon Hunters . The biggest unknown: Who will perform as the band Huntr/x? Josh D’Amaro started as Disney’s new CEO. We wrote about his vision for remaking the entertainment giant. The World Baseball Classic delivered its best TV ratings and attendance yet, the latest sign of a surge in popularity for baseball. David Zaslav will make more than $600 million from the sale of Warner Bros. Discovery. All told, five senior executives are going to bank more than $1 billion. This is the same team that promised to increase profits, only to see the company shrink every year before selling. Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino took the stand in his company’s antitrust trial. The states are coming after him . The return of BTS When the seven members of BTS emerged from a 14th century royal palace on Saturday night, the crowd in Gwanghwamun Square erupted into screams. Lightsticks flickered in unison, casting Seoul in a red glow. Thousands of fans had traveled from across the globe to welcome the return of the world’s biggest boy band. BTS took a break in late 2022 so that its members could fulfill their mandatory military service. Jin went in first, followed by J-Hope and Suga. A group that had been ubiquitous – rele...
Major earnings expected before the bell on Monday include: BioLineRx Ltd. ( BLRX ) Caledonia Mining Corporation Plc ( CMCL ) Lithium Argentina AG ( LAR ) Quarterhill ( QTRHF ) WeRide ( WRD ) For Seeking Alpha's full earnings season calendar, click here .
Major earnings expected before the bell on Monday include: BioLineRx Ltd. ( BLRX ) Caledonia Mining Corporation Plc ( CMCL ) Lithium Argentina AG ( LAR ) Quarterhill ( QTRHF ) WeRide ( WRD ) For Seeking Alpha's full earnings season calendar, click here .