Today: 2 March 2026

Khadija Saeed

A dedicated markets reporter, she covers stocks, macroeconomics, and major business developments with a sharp eye for detail and accuracy.

Heating oil price slips today, but distillate stock squeeze keeps traders on edge

Heating oil price slips today, but distillate stock squeeze keeps traders on edge

U.S. heating oil futures fell 0.8% to $2.59 a gallon Friday, easing after a rally sparked by a sharp drop in distillate inventories, EIA data showed. Distillate stocks dropped 4.6 million barrels to 120.1 million, about 5% below the five-year average. Brent crude slipped to $71.47 a barrel as traders watched U.S.-Iran tensions. National average residential heating oil reached $4.075 a gallon.
20 February 2026
Oil prices near six-month highs as Trump’s Iran deadline keeps Brent and WTI in focus

Oil prices near six-month highs as Trump’s Iran deadline keeps Brent and WTI in focus

Brent crude slipped 19 cents to $71.47 a barrel and WTI fell 14 cents to $66.29, though both benchmarks remain near six-month highs after a 5.3% weekly gain. U.S. crude inventories dropped by 9 million barrels last week, while Saudi exports hit their lowest since September. OPEC+ paused planned output hikes for March. Tensions between the U.S. and Iran and a sharp draw in U.S. stocks kept markets volatile.
20 February 2026
GRAIL stock dives nearly 50% after UK Galleri trial misses key goal, raising FDA questions

GRAIL stock dives nearly 50% after UK Galleri trial misses key goal, raising FDA questions

GRAIL shares plunged nearly 50% to $51.00 after a UK trial showed its Galleri blood test missed the main goal of significantly improving early cancer detection. The study’s results complicate prospects for broad screening and reimbursement. Focus now shifts to U.S. regulators and Medicare-linked evidence. GRAIL reported Q4 revenue up 14% to $43.6 million and said its FDA approval submission is under review.
Wall Street jumps after Supreme Court kills Trump tariffs as US data revives inflation debate

Wall Street jumps after Supreme Court kills Trump tariffs as US data revives inflation debate

U.S. stocks rose Friday after the Supreme Court struck down President Trump’s global tariffs. GDP growth slowed to 1.4% in the fourth quarter, well below forecasts, while PCE inflation accelerated in December. The S&P 500 gained 0.64% and the Nasdaq climbed 1.10% by midday. PMI and consumer sentiment data pointed to softer business activity and stagnant household outlooks.
20 February 2026
Natural gas prices jump near $3.14 as cold snap meets Golden Pass LNG countdown

Natural gas prices jump near $3.14 as cold snap meets Golden Pass LNG countdown

U.S. natural gas futures jumped nearly 5% to $3.141 per mmBtu by early afternoon Friday, rebounding from recent lows. The move followed a smaller-than-expected storage withdrawal of 144 bcf last week and anticipation of Exxon’s Golden Pass LNG plant starting up in March. Output remains near record highs, while traders cited short-covering and colder weather in the East.
Bitcoin price today: BTC rebounds near $68,000 as ETF outflows and Fed signals keep traders cautious

Bitcoin price today: BTC rebounds near $68,000 as ETF outflows and Fed signals keep traders cautious

Bitcoin climbed 1.9% to $67,590 in New York trading Friday, after swinging between $66,255 and $68,241. Spot bitcoin ETFs saw $165.76 million in net outflows on Feb. 19, marking a five-week streak of withdrawals. Crypto stocks were mixed, with Coinbase up 2% and Marathon Digital down 1%. Investors are watching for the March 13 U.S. PCE inflation update and developments on a Washington crypto bill.
20 February 2026
Gold price pops above $5,000 as weak U.S. GDP and tariff ruling shift Fed bets

Gold price pops above $5,000 as weak U.S. GDP and tariff ruling shift Fed bets

Gold rose above $5,000 an ounce Friday after weak U.S. growth data fueled bets on Federal Reserve rate cuts. Spot gold climbed 1% to $5,047.10 by late morning, while April futures gained 1.4%. The Supreme Court struck down Trump’s global tariffs, increasing market volatility and risk appetite for equities. The dollar index slipped to 97.74, and the 10-year Treasury yield edged up to 4.094%.
20 February 2026
Exxon stock price slips today: XOM drops as Guyana gas plans collide with market nerves

Exxon stock price slips today: XOM drops as Guyana gas plans collide with market nerves

Exxon Mobil shares dropped 2.6% to $147.03 in late morning Friday trading, underperforming peers as traders focused on Guyana project updates and crude prices near six-month highs. Guyana’s natural resources minister said Exxon is still assessing gas resources in the Stabroek Block. U.S. crude inventories fell by 9 million barrels last week, according to the EIA. Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and Shell also traded lower.
20 February 2026
Carvana stock slides again as higher reconditioning costs keep CVNA under pressure

Carvana stock slides again as higher reconditioning costs keep CVNA under pressure

Carvana shares fell 1.6% to $327.55 Friday, extending losses after fourth-quarter results showed per-vehicle profit dropped to $6,427 as inspection and depreciation costs rose. Revenue climbed to $5.6 billion with 163,522 retail units sold. Expenses reached $2.16 billion for the quarter. Brokerages cut price targets and short interest stands at about 10.7% of the free float.
20 February 2026
Netflix stock rises as Warner Bros bid fight hits Monday deadline and fresh antitrust twist

Netflix stock rises as Warner Bros bid fight hits Monday deadline and fresh antitrust twist

Netflix shares rose 1.2% to $77.96 Friday as investors tracked a bidding contest for Warner Bros Discovery. Paramount said the U.S. antitrust waiting period on its $108.4 billion bid expired Feb. 19. Warner Bros Discovery shares gained 0.3%, while Paramount Skydance fell 1.0%. Netflix faces a Feb. 23 deadline to match or raise its offer.
Strategy (MSTR) stock climbs with bitcoin bounce as fresh filing lays out funding risks

Strategy (MSTR) stock climbs with bitcoin bounce as fresh filing lays out funding risks

Strategy Inc (MSTR.O) shares rose 2.7% to $133 Friday as bitcoin climbed 2.1% to $67,600. The company’s annual report warned it may need to sell bitcoin or issue more shares if cash reserves run low, with $8.25 billion in long-term debt outstanding. CEO Phong Le said bitcoin would have to fall below $8,000 for years before debt troubles arise. A former officer filed to sell 5,000 shares worth $617,450.
Lumentum stock jumps in Friday trade as AI infrastructure rotation keeps LITE in focus

Lumentum stock jumps in Friday trade as AI infrastructure rotation keeps LITE in focus

Lumentum shares jumped 4.3% to $662.99 Friday morning, hitting a new intraday high amid heavy trading. A regulatory filing showed Executive Vice President Vincent Retort sold 3,441 shares on Feb. 17 under a pre-set plan. Investors have rotated into AI infrastructure stocks, boosting optics and networking names. Lumentum’s recent earnings beat and raised outlook have fueled the rally.
20 February 2026
AppLovin (APP) stock rises on social platform hiring tease as traders look for the next catalyst

AppLovin (APP) stock rises on social platform hiring tease as traders look for the next catalyst

AppLovin shares rose 3.3% to $425.73 Friday after job listings and executive comments signaled work on a new social platform. The company confirmed hiring for a founding backend engineer in Singapore. Chief product officer Giovanni Ge discussed the project in a podcast, following last year’s failed TikTok bid. Investors await further details as competition for ad budgets intensifies.
20 February 2026
1 22 23 24 25 26 680
Go toTop