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.