NEWS

The forex market remained highly volatile Wednesday as escalating conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran continued to dominate sentiment, boosting the U.S. dollar as a safe-haven currency while pressuring risk-sensitive pairs amid surging oil prices and uncertainty over global supply chains.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed lower Tuesday, shedding more than 400 points amid persistent volatility driven by the escalating conflict involving Israel

CANBERRA, Australia — Oil prices have spiked sharply in global markets due to escalating conflict in the Middle East, pushing Australian petrol prices higher and raising concerns about inflation and household budgets as the nation grapples with supply vulnerabilities.

Shares of Plug Power Inc. (NASDAQ: PLUG), a leading provider of hydrogen fuel cell systems and green hydrogen solutions, soared more than 23% in heavy trading Tuesday following the release of better-than-expected fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 financial results, coupled with the appointment of a new chief executive focused on execution and profitability.

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Shares of Saudi Arabian Oil Co., widely known as Saudi Aramco, edged lower in early trading on the Tadawul exchange Tuesday, reversing some of the previous session's gains as investors positioned ahead of the company's full-year 2025 earnings report later this week.

The first plane carrying Australians who found themselves stranded as the conflict in the Middle East raged on is on its way to Australia.

8-year-old Chloe Jeffries has been confirmed to have passed away while on a holiday with her family in the ski resort town of Hakuba.

NEW YORK — The Dow Jones Industrial Average tumbled more than 1,100 points in early trading on March 3, 2026, as the deepening U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran triggered a sharp global risk-off move, sending oil prices soaring and reigniting inflation fears across Wall Street.

McDonald's Corp. CEO Chris Kempczinski found himself the unwitting star of a viral social media moment after a promotional video of him taste-testing the chain's new Big Arch burger drew widespread ridicule, with commenters mocking his hesitant bite, stiff delivery and apparent discomfort while praising his own "product."

Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG) shares closed at $306.36 on March 2, 2026, down 1.63% or $5.07 from the prior session, reflecting broader market pressure from escalating Middle East conflict and investor caution over the company's aggressive capital expenditure plans for artificial intelligence infrastructure.

Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) shares closed at $97.09 on March 2, 2026, up 0.88% or $0.85 from the prior session, extending a recent rally fueled by the company's decision to abandon pursuit of an acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery and renewed analyst optimism on its advertising and organic growth prospects.

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) shares closed at $403.32 on March 2, 2026, up 0.20% or $0.81 from the prior session, capping a resilient performance despite broader market volatility tied to Middle East tensions and surging oil prices.

NEW YORK — Dow Jones Industrial Average futures tumbled sharply in pre-market trading on March 3, 2026, with contracts dropping as much as 772 points or 1.6%, signaling a potential open well below 49,000 as geopolitical tensions in the Middle East intensified and oil prices continued their dramatic rally.

Australians stranded in the Middle East may have to rely heavily on commercial flights if they want to get out of the region.

NEW YORK — The S&P 500 (^GSPC) extended losses into early March 2026 trading, pressured by escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East following U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran, which sent oil prices sharply higher and prompted a flight to safe-haven assets.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite plunged on March 2, 2026, as escalating conflict in the Middle East following U.S. and Israeli military strikes on Iran triggered a broad retreat from risk assets, sending oil prices surging and amplifying fears of persistent inflation.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) shares reached a 52-week high in late February 2026, climbing above $50 amid renewed investor confidence in the telecommunications giant's growth trajectory, subscriber gains and shareholder-friendly capital returns.

Johnson & Johnson shares advanced to near their 52-week peak in recent trading, outperforming a broader market pullback driven by escalating Middle East tensions and oil price surges, as investors sought refuge in the healthcare giant's stable earnings, robust dividend and diversified portfolio.

Amazon Inc. shares retreated in early March trading as broader market risk-off sentiment from escalating Middle East conflict pressured tech names, compounding investor caution over the company's massive $200 billion capital expenditure plan for 2026 focused on AI infrastructure and cloud expansion.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged more than 500 points on March 2, 2026, extending recent losses as escalating military conflict in the Middle East — including U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran followed by Iranian retaliation — drove a sharp risk-off move across global markets. Oil prices spiked dramatically on fears of supply disruptions, while safe-haven assets like gold rallied.

U.S. stock futures tumbled sharply on March 2, 2026, as investors reacted to intensified military conflict in the Middle East following joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran over the weekend, spurring a flight to safety, surging oil prices and a retreat from risk assets.

NVIDIA Corp. shares pulled back in recent trading despite the company posting record-breaking fiscal 2026 results and issuing upbeat guidance, as Wall Street parsed details on capital allocation, China export dynamics and the rapid evolution of AI infrastructure demand.

Lockheed Martin Corp. shares climbed sharply in recent trading, reflecting heightened investor confidence in the defense sector amid ongoing global conflicts and robust U.S. military spending priorities.

Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ: PLTR), the data analytics and artificial intelligence software firm co-founded by Peter Thiel, has seen its shares rebound sharply in early March 2026 following a post-earnings pullback, fueled by strong analyst upgrades, accelerating AI platform adoption, and fresh government contracts amid heightened geopolitical tensions.

Intel Corporation (NASDAQ: INTC), the longtime leader in personal computer processors now pivoting aggressively into artificial intelligence and contract chip manufacturing, has staged a notable recovery in early 2026, with shares climbing about 25% year-to-date as investors bet on its turnaround under CEO Pat Gelsinger.

GameStop Corp., the video game retailer once synonymous with the 2021 meme-stock frenzy, is charting a bold new path under Chairman and CEO Ryan Cohen, with speculation mounting over a potential blockbuster acquisition that could redefine the company as a diversified holding entity.

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) shares fell modestly in recent trading as escalating U.S.-Iran conflict drove oil prices higher, raising questions about potential impacts on electric vehicle adoption and broader market sentiment, though the company's long-term AI and autonomy narrative continues to underpin investor interest.

While most Iranian-Australians celebrated the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, some mosques in the country opted to celebrate his life.

Shares of The Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE: GS) tumbled more than 7% in the latest session as escalating U.S.-Israeli military operations against Iran and Tehran's retaliatory strikes injected fresh volatility into global markets, heightening concerns over energy supply disruptions, inflation pressures and broader economic fallout.