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Stock Market 2 March 2026

U.S. stock markets fell sharply as the Federal Reserve kept interest rates steady at 3.50%-3.75% but signaled that rate hikes may return, with new projections showing a higher median federal funds rate of 3.8% for 2026. The S&P 500 dropped 1.2%, the Nasdaq fell 1.3%, and the Dow lost over 500 points. Rate-sensitive sectors and major tech stocks were hit hard. Microsoft declined 3.8% to $378.91, with its AI spending plan in focus. Meta dropped about 5.5% amid news of an executive departure linked to AI agent projects. ServiceNow shares fell nearly 6%, and SpaceX lost around 5%, slipping behind Amazon in market value. Ford, General Motors, Stellantis, and Tesla all traded lower, weighing on the auto sector. Coeur Mining dropped 6.8% despite its upcoming addition to the S&P MidCap 400. Coherent shares continued to fall, facing valuation and supply risks despite U.S. funding for its Texas plant. In contrast, Intel rose 3.5% after its 18A-P manufacturing process entered risk production, with Bernstein raising its price target. Vertiv gained 7%, and MP Materials rose 9% on G7 and Pentagon support for critical minerals. Coupang jumped 8.3% despite planning to book $410 million in Korean privacy fines. Fermi surged 12.8% amid a boardroom battle. Nebius spiked after acquiring Eigen AI and ahead of joining the Nasdaq-100. Nokia shares edged up in Helsinki but fell in U.S. trading, with AI infrastructure headlines in focus. TD Bank hit a 52-week high as Canadian bank stocks climbed. Rocket Companies fell 6% as housing stocks remained pressured by the Fed’s stance.
Caterpillar stock rises as CAT pitches CONEXPO automation push, rolls out Cat AI Assistant

Caterpillar stock rises as CAT pitches CONEXPO automation push, rolls out Cat AI Assistant

Caterpillar shares rose 1.4% to $753.29 Monday after the company announced new rentals, service programs, and autonomy demos tied to the CONEXPO-CON/AGG show in Las Vegas. The company will launch Cat Rentals, expand AI features, and demo operatorless machinery. Investors are watching a March 4 keynote and a Jefferies fireside chat March 5. Industrials broadly gained, with the sector ETF up 1%.
Royal Caribbean (RCL) stock drops as oil surge rattles cruise shares — what investors watch next

Royal Caribbean (RCL) stock drops as oil surge rattles cruise shares — what investors watch next

Royal Caribbean shares closed down 3.3% at $300.84 Monday as oil prices surged, extending losses across travel stocks. Norwegian Cruise Line warned of uncertain fuel costs and forecast 2026 profit below estimates, sending its shares down 11% in early trading. U.S. crude settled up 6.3% at $71.23 a barrel after Middle East tensions escalated over the weekend.
Tesla stock ends little changed as February Europe sales data hint at stabilising demand

Tesla stock ends little changed as February Europe sales data hint at stabilising demand

Tesla shares closed up 0.2% at $403.32 Monday after European data showed February registrations surged in France and Spain but fell in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Italy. Investors await figures from the UK and Germany later this week. In Spain, Tesla sales jumped nearly 74% year-on-year. U.S. jobs data due Friday may influence broader market sentiment.
SLB stock price near $51 after-hours as oil jumps on Strait of Hormuz fears — what’s next

SLB stock price near $51 after-hours as oil jumps on Strait of Hormuz fears — what’s next

SLB shares closed nearly flat at $51.34 in late Monday trading despite a sharp jump in crude prices after Middle East strikes disrupted oil shipping. Oil majors Exxon and Chevron rose, while oilfield services stocks lagged. Analysts are watching tanker flows and SLB’s late-April results for signs of spending shifts. OPEC+ will raise output by 206,000 barrels a day in April.
Salesforce stock price slides while software ETF climbs; investors look to Tuesday’s Morgan Stanley talk

Salesforce stock price slides while software ETF climbs; investors look to Tuesday’s Morgan Stanley talk

Salesforce shares fell 1.1% to $192.60 Monday afternoon, trailing a 1.5% gain in the iShares Expanded Tech-Software ETF. The drop followed last week’s revenue guidance that missed Wall Street targets and a $50 billion buyback announcement. Investors weighed new partner-program changes and Salesforce’s push into AI agents. Executives are set to speak at a Morgan Stanley conference Tuesday.
2 March 2026
Aussie Dollar Bulls Crowd In: Analysts Target 73–75 U.S. Cents as GDP Looms

Aussie Dollar Bulls Crowd In: Analysts Target 73–75 U.S. Cents as GDP Looms

The Australian dollar traded near 0.7100 after dipping on war headlines, with Barrenjoey Markets predicting a rise above 75 U.S. cents and ANZ seeing 73 cents by year-end. Australia’s December-quarter national accounts are due March 4, with crowded speculative positions raising the risk of sharp moves. Carry trades and higher local rates support the currency, but global market turmoil threatens volatility.
2 March 2026
Booking Holdings (BKNG) stock price slips as oil spike rattles travel shares; what to watch next

Booking Holdings (BKNG) stock price slips as oil spike rattles travel shares; what to watch next

Booking Holdings fell 0.7% to $4,209.26 in afternoon trading Monday as travel stocks lost $22.6 billion in value amid mounting flight cancellations and a surge in oil prices linked to the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict. At least 4,000 flights were canceled in three days and crude jumped as much as 13%. Booking’s 25-for-1 stock split is set for early April, with a March 6 record date.
AeroVironment stock slides nearly 19% as Raymond James downgrade puts SCAR contract in spotlight

AeroVironment stock slides nearly 19% as Raymond James downgrade puts SCAR contract in spotlight

AeroVironment shares plunged nearly 19% to $204.50 Monday after Raymond James downgraded the stock, citing uncertainty over the Space Force’s $1.4 billion SCAR satellite-communications program. The broker warned a possible contract re-bid could pressure AeroVironment’s backlog and revenue outlook. Investors await the company’s March 10 earnings for updates on contract status.
Eli Lilly stock drops 2% as traders eye China approval and a late-day CFO readout

Eli Lilly stock drops 2% as traders eye China approval and a late-day CFO readout

Eli Lilly shares fell 2.3% to $1,028.07 Monday as health stocks lagged, despite the S&P 500 edging higher. Innovent Biologics won Chinese approval for Jaypirca, a Lilly-partnered cancer drug, after late-stage trial results. Investors remain focused on Lilly’s obesity drug pipeline and upcoming FDA decisions, with orforglipron inventory reaching $1.5 billion ahead of a possible U.S. launch.
Western Digital (WDC) stock slides about 3% as WD exec flags 32TB drive shipments and AI demand

Western Digital (WDC) stock slides about 3% as WD exec flags 32TB drive shipments and AI demand

Western Digital shares fell about 3% to $271.26 in Monday afternoon trading, underperforming major U.S. indexes. WD shipped 3.5 million 32TB nearline hard drives last quarter, according to its sales director. Investors are watching the company’s March 3 appearance at a Morgan Stanley conference for demand updates. Seagate and Sandisk shares also declined.
Costco Stock Gets Fresh $1,100 Target as $1,000 Sell Talk Builds Ahead of Earnings

Costco Stock Gets Fresh $1,100 Target as $1,000 Sell Talk Builds Ahead of Earnings

Evercore ISI raised its Costco price target to $1,100 ahead of Thursday’s earnings, keeping an Outperform rating. Costco shares traded near $1,000 as a Forbes column warned the valuation looks stretched, citing a price-to-earnings ratio near 55. The company reported February net sales up 9.3% to $21.33 billion, with comparable sales rising 7.1%. Investors are watching membership renewals, margins, and online sales growth.
ConocoPhillips stock jumps as oil surges on Hormuz fears — what investors watch next

ConocoPhillips stock jumps as oil surges on Hormuz fears — what investors watch next

ConocoPhillips shares rose 2.6% to $116.38 as crude prices surged after Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran disrupted Middle East output and shipping. Brent crude climbed 6.75% to $77.79 a barrel, WTI gained 5.77% to $70.89. Analysts flagged tanker flows through the Strait of Hormuz as a key risk for prices. U.S. weekly crude inventory data is due March 4.
US economic calendar today: ISM price gauge jumps, Wall Street stalls as jobs report looms

US economic calendar today: ISM price gauge jumps, Wall Street stalls as jobs report looms

Nvidia and Microsoft gains kept the S&P 500 near flat Monday, while airline and cruise stocks fell as Brent crude surged over 7% after Middle East tensions. ISM’s February factory PMI stayed in expansion at 52.4, but input prices jumped to the highest since October 2022. The Dow slipped 0.20%, Nasdaq rose 0.22%. Investors await key jobs and services data later this week.

Stock Market Today

  • NSE India IPO Could Yield 6,400-Fold Returns for Early Investors
    June 18, 2026, 12:15 AM EDT. The National Stock Exchange of India Ltd.'s upcoming initial public offering (IPO) is poised to generate substantial gains. Early investors such as Morgan Stanley, Temasek Holdings Pte., and State Bank of India stand to gain returns potentially reaching 6,400 times their original investments. The IPO marks a pivotal opportunity to unlock long-term value for these major financial backers as NSE's market profile rises.

Latest articles

Wall Street Slips After Hours, Fed Flags Rate Risk

Wall Street Slips After Hours, Fed Flags Rate Risk

18 June 2026
S&P 500 plunged 1.2%, Nasdaq 1.3%, and Dow 507 points after the Fed held rates steady but signaled a possible hike, raising its 2026 rate forecast to 3.8% and PCE inflation projection to 3.6%; all 11 S&P sectors fell, megacap tech stocks slumped, and after-hours index ETFs stayed lower as traders face a shortened week before Juneteenth.
Meta Drops as Fed Signal Hurts Nasdaq, AI Bet Draws Scrutiny

Meta Drops as Fed Signal Hurts Nasdaq, AI Bet Draws Scrutiny

18 June 2026
Meta plunged 5.5% to $567.58, underperforming the Nasdaq, after the Federal Reserve signaled possible future rate hikes and a key Meta executive tied to AI-agent work departed, raising pressure on Meta to prove its costly AI investments can deliver returns as higher rates threaten future profit values.
Microsoft Drops as AI Spend Concerns, Fed Rate News Hit Shares

Microsoft Drops as AI Spend Concerns, Fed Rate News Hit Shares

18 June 2026
Microsoft plunged 3.8% to $378.91—outpacing the Nasdaq’s 1.3% drop—as investors reacted to a possible 2026 Fed rate hike and mounting scrutiny over Microsoft’s soaring AI spending, with capex projected at $190 billion for 2026 and a shareholder lawsuit alleging inadequate Azure growth disclosures adding further pressure.
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