Why Western Digital Stock Is Jumping Again as AI Spending Forecasts Climb

Why Western Digital Stock Is Jumping Again as AI Spending Forecasts Climb

Western Digital shares rose 6.7% to $279.59 Tuesday, outpacing the S&P 500 after Citigroup raised its global AI capital-spending forecast to $8.9 trillion for 2026-2030. The company reported 25% higher second-quarter sales and projected $3.2 billion in March-quarter revenue. Western Digital plans to raise $3.17 billion by selling part of its Sandisk stake. Deutsche Bank upgraded tech sector ratings to "neutral."
March 10, 2026

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iPhone Fold Design Leaks Reveal Wide Book-Style Shape as Apple Said to Drop Flip Plan

iPhone Fold Design Leaks Reveal Wide Book-Style Shape as Apple Said to Drop Flip Plan

March 11, 2026
San Francisco, March 11, 2026, 01:54 PDT Apple’s long-rumored foldable iPhone surfaced in leaked CAD files this week, pointing to a wide, book-style handset with two rear cameras, while a separate report on Tuesday said Apple had walked away from an earlier flip-phone concept. Together, the leaks offer the clearest outline yet of what recent reports have dubbed the iPhone Fold. (9to5Mac) The timing matters because Apple is expected to put the device at the center of a premium-only iPhone launch in the second half of 2026, with the standard iPhone 18 pushed back, Reuters reported in January. Forrester analyst
Google’s March Pixel Drop Is Here: Gemini Tasks, Circle to Search Shopping, Pixel Watch Safety Upgrades

Google’s March Pixel Drop Is Here: Gemini Tasks, Circle to Search Shopping, Pixel Watch Safety Upgrades

March 11, 2026
Google’s March Pixel Drop adds Gemini AI tools for multi-step tasks on Pixel 10 phones and expands Circle to Search shopping features. The update includes a March security patch and new safety options for Pixel Watch. Scam Detection is rolling out to six more countries, while Call Notes launches in India. Google says similar Gemini features will reach Samsung’s Galaxy S26 line in the U.S. and South Korea.
Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Goes on Sale Worldwide as Privacy Display Drives Early Orders

Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Goes on Sale Worldwide as Privacy Display Drives Early Orders

March 11, 2026
Samsung began global sales of its Galaxy S26 Ultra, with the model making up over 70% of pre-orders worldwide and 80% in the U.S. Pre-order volume for the S26 line rose nearly 25% from last year. The Ultra starts at $1,299.99 and features a 6.9-inch display, 200MP camera, and built-in Privacy Display. Samsung kept Ultra prices steady despite raising costs on other models as memory-chip prices climb.
CSL Limited Breaks Ground on $1.5 Billion Illinois Plant as Turnaround Pressure Builds

CSL Limited Breaks Ground on $1.5 Billion Illinois Plant as Turnaround Pressure Builds

March 11, 2026
CSL Limited has begun a $1.5 billion expansion of its Kankakee, Illinois, manufacturing site, aiming to add at least 300 jobs and boost plasma-derived therapy output by 2031. The move follows an 81% drop in first-half profit and recent leadership changes. CSL also repurchased 62,472 shares for about A$9.1 million on March 10. Shares closed at A$144.56 Tuesday, up 1.65% but near a 52-week low.
South32 Ltd Looks to Bypass China for Arizona Zinc as Hermosa Nears U.S. Approval

South32 Ltd Looks to Bypass China for Arizona Zinc as Hermosa Nears U.S. Approval

South32 plans to send zinc from its $2.16 billion Hermosa mine in Arizona to North American smelters, not China, after a key U.S. Forest Service draft approval on March 6. The company signed a non-binding letter of intent with Teck Resources to supply its British Columbia smelter. The federal review runs through April 20, with a final decision expected in July. South32 says Hermosa could produce up to five critical minerals.
Telstra Group Limited warns Australia map rules could cut 1 million sq km from coverage claims

Telstra Group Limited warns Australia map rules could cut 1 million sq km from coverage claims

Telstra warned Australia’s draft mobile coverage-map standard would mark areas used by 1.5 million customers a month as having no service, forcing it to remove about 1 million square km from its maps. The Australian Communications and Media Authority must finalize the rules by March 31, with implementation set for June 30. The ACCC supports stricter mapping, citing unreliable current maps and risks for consumers. Optus and TPG also weighed in on the proposed -115 dBm signal threshold.
Suncorp Pushes Ahead With Buyback After Storm-Hit Half, Sets A$14.32 DRP Price

Suncorp Pushes Ahead With Buyback After Storm-Hit Half, Sets A$14.32 DRP Price

March 11, 2026
Suncorp Group bought back 1.19 million shares for A$17.17 million on Tuesday and set its interim dividend reinvestment price at A$14.32 per share. The insurer has now spent about A$223.9 million on buybacks, with A$176.1 million left to reach its A$400 million target for fiscal 2026. First-half cash earnings fell 67% after severe weather pushed natural-hazard costs to A$1.319 billion.
Pro Medicus Ltd locks in A$40 million U.S. renewals as MedStar adds heart-imaging tools

Pro Medicus Ltd locks in A$40 million U.S. renewals as MedStar adds heart-imaging tools

March 11, 2026
Pro Medicus’ U.S. unit renewed two imaging software contracts totaling at least A$40 million, including a five-year, A$31 million extension with MedStar Health that adds heart-imaging tools, and a separate A$9 million deal with Zwanger-Pesiri. Both contracts were signed at higher per-transaction fees and expand the company’s presence in the U.S. market.
Northern Star Resources Ltd shares rebound with gold rally, but guidance cuts still loom

Northern Star Resources Ltd shares rebound with gold rally, but guidance cuts still loom

March 11, 2026
Northern Star Resources rose 2.6% Tuesday as Australian gold stocks rebounded, with the gold index up 2.5% and the ASX 200 gaining 1.6%. The miner is still trading below January levels after cutting FY26 production guidance and raising cost forecasts due to operational issues. Spot gold climbed 1.9% to $5,231.79 an ounce. S&P Dow Jones Indices will add Northern Star to the S&P/ASX 20 on March 23.
NASA satellite crash today: Van Allen Probe A heads for Earth years earlier than expected

NASA satellite crash today: Van Allen Probe A heads for Earth years earlier than expected

March 11, 2026
NASA's retired Van Allen Probe A was expected to re-enter Earth's atmosphere Tuesday evening, with debris possibly surviving the descent, according to the U.S. Space Force. NASA estimated a 1 in 4,200 chance of harm to people. The probe is returning years ahead of schedule due to increased atmospheric drag from solar activity. The exact timing and location of re-entry remain uncertain.
Wesfarmers Limited’s Bunnings Expands Auto Range With 500 New Products in Fresh Growth Push

Wesfarmers Limited’s Bunnings Expands Auto Range With 500 New Products in Fresh Growth Push

Bunnings will add 500 automotive products and expand floor space for the category by 30% across Australia and New Zealand, raising its in-store range to over 1,200 items. The move intensifies competition with specialist auto retailers as Wesfarmers seeks to maintain growth amid uneven consumer spending. Wesfarmers shares rose 1.47% to A$75.46 on Tuesday. Bunnings generated A$10.7 billion in revenue in the half-year to December 31.
Santos Limited greenlights $357 million Moomba Central Optimisation project to cut costs, extend Cooper Basin gas output

Santos Limited greenlights $357 million Moomba Central Optimisation project to cut costs, extend Cooper Basin gas output

Santos Limited and Beach Energy approved a $357 million investment to overhaul the Moomba gas hub in South Australia’s Cooper Basin, replacing seven compressor stations with a single electric-driven facility. Santos expects over $600 million in savings and a 40,000-tonne annual cut in Scope 1 emissions. The project’s economics partly depend on finalising a gas supply deal with South Australia. Completion is targeted in three years.
Fortescue Ltd Completes Alta Copper Deal, Deepening Peru Copper Bet

Fortescue Ltd Completes Alta Copper Deal, Deepening Peru Copper Bet

Fortescue Ltd has acquired all remaining shares of Alta Copper for C$1.40 each, valuing the Peru-focused copper developer at about C$139 million. Alta shares will be delisted from Toronto, Lima, and OTCQX exchanges. Fortescue’s Cañariaco copper project in Peru is not expected to start production until next decade. The company posted a 23% rise in first-half profit to $1.91 billion in February.
Macquarie hires former Ares executive Eli Appelbaum for EMEA lending push as private credit strains deepen

Macquarie hires former Ares executive Eli Appelbaum for EMEA lending push as private credit strains deepen

Macquarie Group has hired Eli Appelbaum from Ares Management to lead its EMEA lending and asset finance business as it expands private credit operations in the region. The firm recently funded AI infrastructure projects, including a €117 million commitment to Polarise’s Munich data center. Macquarie reported less than £50 million exposure to the collapsed UK lender Market Financial Solutions. Industry defaults and fund withdrawals have increased.
ANZ Group Holdings to Reopen Chinchilla Branch as Pressure Builds on Big Banks to Keep Regional Services

ANZ Group Holdings to Reopen Chinchilla Branch as Pressure Builds on Big Banks to Keep Regional Services

ANZ Group will reopen its Chinchilla branch in regional Queensland in the second half of 2026, following the closure of the town’s Suncorp Bank agency on May 29. The move comes after ANZ’s A$4.9 billion purchase of Suncorp Bank and amid government restrictions on regional branch closures until July 2027. ANZ said it will support Suncorp customers during the transition.
NASA Satellite Crash Alert: Van Allen Probe A Set for Earth Re-Entry With Low Risk to People

NASA Satellite Crash Alert: Van Allen Probe A Set for Earth Re-Entry With Low Risk to People

March 10, 2026
NASA said its defunct Van Allen Probe A satellite, weighing 1,323 pounds, is expected to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere around 7:45 p.m. EDT Tuesday, with some debris likely to survive. Officials say there is no targeted landing area and the exact timing remains uncertain. The mission ended in 2019, years earlier than planned, after increased solar activity accelerated the craft’s descent. NASA maintains the risk to the public is low.
Westpac Banking Corporation Sees Consumer Sentiment Lift, but Late-Week Drop Sets Up RBA Test

Westpac Banking Corporation Sees Consumer Sentiment Lift, but Late-Week Drop Sets Up RBA Test

March 10, 2026
Australian consumer sentiment rose 1.2% in March, but late survey responses showed a sharp drop as Middle East tensions escalated, Westpac said Tuesday. The Westpac-Melbourne Institute index reached 91.6, while a rival ANZ-Roy Morgan measure fell to 73.4, its lowest since July 2023. Westpac reported A$1.9 billion in unaudited December quarter profit, but flagged housing supply and inflation as ongoing concerns.
National Australia Bank Survey Shows Australian Business Confidence Turns Negative After RBA Hike

National Australia Bank Survey Shows Australian Business Confidence Turns Negative After RBA Hike

March 10, 2026
Australian business confidence fell to -1 in February, its first negative reading in 11 months, according to NAB’s monthly survey, while business conditions stayed at +7 and sales rose. The decline followed the Reserve Bank of Australia’s Feb. 3 rate hike to 3.85%. NAB’s first-quarter cash earnings climbed 16% to A$2.02 billion as business banking volumes increased. Inflation pressures persisted, with purchase and labour costs up 1.5% for the quarter.
Woodside Energy Launches Trion Drilling Campaign, Testing Mexico Oil Bet Amid CEO Search

Woodside Energy Launches Trion Drilling Campaign, Testing Mexico Oil Bet Amid CEO Search

March 10, 2026
Woodside Energy has begun drilling at the $7.2 billion Trion oil field with Pemex, targeting first oil in 2028. The campaign will drill 24 wells tied to a floating production unit, with capacity for 100,000 barrels per day. The Deepwater Thalassa drillship entered Mexican waters on March 5. Woodside owns 60% of Trion and approved the project in 2023.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia Says Wage Growth Held at 3.1% Ahead of RBA Rate Call

Commonwealth Bank of Australia Says Wage Growth Held at 3.1% Ahead of RBA Rate Call

March 10, 2026
Commonwealth Bank of Australia reported internal wage growth steady at 3.1% for the year to February and about 21,000 jobs added last month. The Reserve Bank meets March 16-17, with markets pricing a 50% chance of another rate hike after February’s increase to 3.85%. Major banks have already passed on higher rates to home-loan customers. CBA’s data shows stable wages despite a tight labor market.
BHP Group Ltd Succession Spotlight Sharpens as Geraldine Slattery Emerges in Twin CEO Race

BHP Group Ltd Succession Spotlight Sharpens as Geraldine Slattery Emerges in Twin CEO Race

BHP Australia President Geraldine Slattery is under consideration to succeed BHP CEO Mike Henry and is also a contender for the top job at Woodside Energy, according to reports from The Australian and Reuters. Woodside is interviewing candidates and plans to name a CEO in early 2026. BHP has not commented on succession. The miner’s next production update is set for April 22.
ConocoPhillips Shares Slide as Oil Plunges 11%, Putting 2026 Cash Plan in Focus

ConocoPhillips Shares Slide as Oil Plunges 11%, Putting 2026 Cash Plan in Focus

March 10, 2026
ConocoPhillips shares dropped 2.5% to $114.16 Tuesday after Brent and U.S. crude prices plunged over 11%, their steepest one-day fall since 2022. The company kept its 2026 production target steady and is aiming for $1 billion in cost cuts this year. ConocoPhillips is also exploring a $2 billion Permian Basin asset sale after closing $3.2 billion in sales last year.
CoreWeave rolls out flexible AI cloud pricing after capex selloff rattled investors

CoreWeave rolls out flexible AI cloud pricing after capex selloff rattled investors

CoreWeave launched Flex Reservations and Spot instances Tuesday, expanding its AI cloud offerings as it ramps up spending to $30–$35 billion in 2026. Shares rose 0.7%. The company’s revenue backlog reached $66.8 billion at the end of 2025, but management warned the rapid build-out will pressure margins. Flex Reservations is in preview; Spot is generally available.
Capital One Financial Corporation Could Get Capital Relief After Discover Deal as U.S. Basel Rewrite Nears

Capital One Financial Corporation Could Get Capital Relief After Discover Deal as U.S. Basel Rewrite Nears

March 10, 2026
U.S. regulators plan a softer rewrite of Basel bank-capital rules, which could benefit Capital One as it absorbs Discover and awaits the Brex deal. The draft is expected in coming weeks and may lower capital requirements for large banks. Capital One completed its $35.3 billion Discover purchase in May 2025 and agreed to buy Brex for $5.15 billion. A proposed 10% cap on credit card rates remains a risk for card-heavy lenders.