Meta’s $50M-a-year News Corp AI deal shows how expensive training data is getting
Meta will pay News Corp up to $50 million a year for U.S. and UK news
Palantir stock price rises as Rosenblatt lifts target and Thiel sale plan looms
Palantir shares rose 3% Wednesday to $151.58 after Rosenblatt raised its price target, citing wartime demand. President Trump announced a federal ban on Anthropic’s Claude tools, with Defense Secretary Hegseth barring military
Select Medical (SEM) take-private deal: $16.50 cash offer, $3.9B value, and the financing behind it
Select Medical agreed to be taken private for $16.50 per share in cash, valuing the company at $3.9 billion. The buyer group
Tidewater lifts 2026 revenue view to $1.48B, keeps $500M buyback as offshore market tightens
Tidewater raised 2026 revenue guidance to $1.43–$1.48 billion and kept $500 million under its share repurchase authorization. Fourth-quarter net income jumped to
Bradesco sets March 31 vote on Bradseg spin-off in Bradsaúde healthcare push
Bradesco filed a distance voting ballot for a March 31 shareholders’ meeting to seek approval for a partial spin-off of Bradseg Participações.
Vale speeds up Base Metals IPO prep as CEO targets mid-2026 readiness
Vale Base Metals aims to be ready for a potential IPO by mid-2026, moving up its target from 2027, CEO Shaun Usmar
Archer Aviation stock slides on bigger loss outlook even as FAA clears key Midnight step
Archer Aviation shares dropped 10.6% after the company projected a wider Q1 adjusted EBITDA loss of $160 million to $180 million. The FAA accepted all of Midnight’s “Means of Compliance,” advancing certification. Archer ended 2025 with $1.96 billion in liquidity and reported a $618.2 million net loss.
Netflix taps Ateme’s TITAN Live for live streaming as it steps up live events
Netflix signed a multi-year deal to use Ateme’s TITAN Live transcoder for live streaming, the French software firm said Tuesday. The agreement
AES Corporation buyout: BlackRock’s GIP and EQT seal $33.4 billion take-private deal
AES will be acquired for $15 per share in cash by a consortium led by BlackRock’s Global Infrastructure Partners and EQT, valuing
Nio orders hit 2026 high after March promos, Deutsche Bank says — but wait times shrink
Nio’s weekly new orders rose to about 3,500 units in early March, the highest level this year, Deutsche Bank said, citing dealer
MARA Holdings stock slides as SEC filing opens door to selling bitcoin stash
MARA shares fell about 8% Wednesday after the company expanded its policy to allow sales of existing bitcoin holdings, not just newly
Grab doubles Indonesia Eid bonus budget to Rp110 billion as new payout rule takes hold
Grab Indonesia will double its 2026 Eid bonus budget for drivers to up to 110 billion rupiah ($6.3 million), covering over 400,000 drivers. The government set a new minimum bonus at 25% of a driver’s average net income, with payouts due by March 14. Industry-wide, 220 billion rupiah will go to 850,000 drivers. Grab shares fell 2.8% in U.S. premarket trading.
American Airlines waives fees as Iran conflict keeps Gulf skies shut and hits airline stocks
American Airlines expanded travel waivers for customers booked through Middle East hubs, Tel Aviv, and Cairo as airspace closures forced mass cancellations and longer routes. U.S. officials arranged charter flights for stranded Americans. Airline shares, including American, fell as oil prices rose and disruptions stretched into a fifth day. Dubai’s airport remained shut, with over 21,000 flights canceled at major Gulf airports since the strikes began.
Nokia taps Google Cloud ‘agentic AI’ as Vodafone, Orange join its Network as Code push
Nokia said it will expand its Network as Code platform to include Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, and Orange, and integrate Google Cloud’s agentic AI into network APIs. The move comes as operators seek new 5G revenue and automation options. Nokia also announced new deals with TIM Brasil and Deutsche Telekom on AI-ready 5G networks. OP Corporate Bank downgraded Nokia to “reduce” with a target price of 6.30 euros.
SoFi’s SoFiUSD stablecoin gets a Mastercard settlement lane — and traders are watching
SoFi said it will let clients settle Mastercard card transactions using its SoFiUSD stablecoin, expanding a partnership with Mastercard. SoFi Bank and Galileo clients are expected to get the option first. The announcement follows CEO Anthony Noto’s $1 million SoFi share purchase last week. SoFiUSD is not FDIC-insured and is backed 1:1 by cash or equivalents.
VA Debt Relief Program for Veterans? Here’s Why Credit Card Debt Usually Won’t Be Forgiven
The Department of Veterans Affairs does not offer general debt relief for veterans’ credit cards or private loans, CBS News reported. Relief from the VA applies mainly to debts owed to the agency itself, such as benefit overpayments. Military families are more likely than civilians to carry high credit card balances, according to Armed Forces Bank. The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act caps interest on pre-service debts at 6% for active-duty members.
Nvidia’s $4 billion photonics bet: why its Lumentum and Coherent deals matter now
Nvidia will invest $2 billion each in Lumentum and Coherent under multiyear optics deals, securing supply of lasers and optical networking components for AI data centers. Shares of Lumentum rose 5%, Coherent 9% after the news. The agreements include multibillion-dollar purchase commitments and capacity rights. Nvidia plans to detail its strategy at the GTC conference in San Jose starting March 16.
BNAI stock jumps as Brand Engagement Network puts its AI Concierge live at Armenia’s Dvin resort
Brand Engagement Network shares rose 23% to $52.30 in premarket trading after announcing a live guest trial of its AI concierge at Seven Visions Resort & Places, The Dvin in Yerevan, Armenia. The system routes guest requests for room service, housekeeping, and bookings directly to hotel staff. The rollout covers select rooms and uses QR codes and messaging. The company’s market value is about $249 million.
Alibaba’s Qwen AI boss steps down as exits hit key model team
Lin Junyang, head of Alibaba’s Qwen AI division, said he is stepping down, marking the third senior departure from the team this year. Alibaba shares fell about 4% in Hong Kong trading on Wednesday. The company has released over 400 Qwen models since 2023, downloaded more than 1 billion times, according to Chinese media. The reasons for Lin’s exit were not disclosed.
Sea Limited shares slide after Shopee spending jump and cooler 2026 growth target
Sea Limited’s U.S.-listed shares fell 16.5% Tuesday after the company warned of higher costs and slower 2026 growth for Shopee’s sales volume. Operating expenses jumped over 28% to $2.43 billion in the December quarter, with marketing costs up at Shopee and Monee. Shopee’s gross merchandise value reached $36.7 billion, up 30.5%. Citi and Maybank called the sell-off an “overreaction” but flagged near-term profit concerns.
Iran war rattles oil, gold and stocks again as Seoul crashes and Wall Street hunts for an off‑ramp
South Korea’s KOSPI closed down 12% Wednesday, triggering circuit breakers, as Asian stocks fell and Brent crude held at $83.76 a barrel amid Iran conflict fears. Gold rebounded 1.5% to $5,155 an ounce. U.S. futures steadied after reports of indirect Iran-U.S. outreach, while Europe’s STOXX 600 gained 0.6%. Samsung and SK Hynix shares each dropped about 20% this week.
Lam Research stock slides after CFO stock sale; Bettinger talks $135 billion chip-tool market
Lam Research shares fell about 6% in premarket trading Wednesday after filings showed CFO Doug Bettinger sold $9.3 million in stock and Chief Legal Officer Ava Harter sold 4,000 shares. Neither sale was under a preset trading plan. Bettinger told a Morgan Stanley conference he expects wafer-fab equipment spending to reach $135 billion in 2026. Lam goes ex-dividend Wednesday, with a $0.26 per share payout set for April 8.
GitLab earnings jolt: $400 million buyback meets softer 2027 profit view as AI tools race ahead
GitLab forecast fiscal 2027 adjusted profit of $0.76-$0.80 per share, missing analyst estimates of $1.05. The board approved a $400 million share buyback. Fourth-quarter revenue rose 23% to $260.4 million, with adjusted profit at $0.30 per share. TD Cowen downgraded GitLab, citing rapid advances by AI coding rivals.
Zillow CEO draws a line on “selective” listings as Compass, Redfin widen private-home push
Zillow CEO Jeremy Wacksman defended a rule blocking listings not widely marketed online within a day, warning that selective marketing raises costs for buyers and sellers. The comments come as brokerages expand “private” and “coming soon” listings. Insider filings showed stock sales and new equity awards by two Zillow directors this week.
Nuburu (BURU) signs Maddox Defense JV for mobile 3D printing of drone parts
Nuburu signed a binding joint venture with Maddox Defense to develop a mobile 3D-printing system for drone and defense parts, funding up to $4 million for Phase I. The partners plan to form a 60/40 commercialization company if initial tests succeed. Nuburu shares traded at $0.28 pre-market. The company recently completed a reverse stock split after a trading halt on NYSE American.
Circle Internet Group stock gets a rates boost as Mizuho lifts target to $100
Circle shares rose 3.6% to $99.63 after Mizuho raised its price target to $100 and maintained a neutral rating. Regulatory filings show CFO Jeremy Fox-Geen and director Rajeev V. Date sold shares in late February. Analyst Dan Dolev cited oil-driven inflation risks that could delay U.S. rate cuts.
Korea stocks crash 12% as Iran war spikes oil and rewrites rate-cut bets
South Korea’s KOSPI plunged 12% Wednesday, its largest one-day drop on record, as chip stocks tumbled and the Iran conflict sent oil prices higher. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix each fell about 20% this week. Wall Street and Asian markets saw sharp swings, with traders focused on the Strait of Hormuz and inflation risks. Europe stabilized, but Spain lagged after U.S. trade threats linked to Iran.
ServiceNow closes Veza deal: the $1.25B identity-security bet tied to AI agents
ServiceNow closed its acquisition of identity security firm Veza on March 2, integrating Veza’s access controls into its Security and Risk products. Veza, based in Los Gatos, California, has 230 employees and nearly 150 enterprise customers. ServiceNow registered 854,359 shares for Veza employees as part of the deal, previously valued at about $1.25 billion in cash. Financial terms were not updated at closing.
New Zealand puts Kimberly-Clark’s Kenvue takeover under review — the March 17 deadline to watch
New Zealand’s Commerce Commission has launched a competition review of Kimberly-Clark’s planned acquisition of Kenvue, with a decision expected by April 28. Kimberly-Clark has offered to divest Kenvue’s feminine hygiene business in New Zealand and Australia. The Commission set a March 17 deadline for public submissions. Kimberly-Clark shares fell 4.7% in U.S. premarket trading.
State Farm’s $5B Auto Insurance Cash-Back Reaches Georgia: $135 a Vehicle on Average
State Farm will pay nearly $279 million to Georgia auto policyholders as a dividend averaging $135 per vehicle, Georgia’s insurance commissioner said Tuesday. The payout is part of a $5 billion national dividend, the insurer’s largest, with payments starting this summer. State Farm cited improved underwriting and lower repair costs. The dividend applies to certain policies active as of Dec. 31, 2025.
Moderna’s $2.25 billion patent settlement: the deal that ends a COVID vaccine fight and reshapes its pipeline
Moderna will pay up to $2.25 billion to settle a patent dispute with Genevant Sciences and Arbutus Biopharma over lipid nanoparticle technology in its COVID-19 vaccine, avoiding a Delaware trial. The settlement includes a $950 million upfront payment and up to $1.3 billion more tied to an appeal. Moderna shares rose over 10% after the news. The deal grants Moderna a global license for certain infectious-disease vaccines.
CrowdStrike forecast tops estimates as Q4 results steady nerves after AI-driven cyber stock selloff
CrowdStrike forecast fiscal 2027 revenue of $5.87 billion to $5.93 billion, above Wall Street estimates. Quarterly revenue rose 23% to $1.31 billion, with adjusted earnings of $1.12 per share, beating forecasts. Costs from the 2024 Windows outage reached $117.7 million for fiscal 2026. Shares closed up 1.7% but slipped 0.8% after hours.
Schroders share price stalls near 585p as new filings spotlight Nuveen takeover path
Schroders shares traded flat at 585p in London, about 27p below Nuveen’s 612p offer. BlackRock disclosed a 6.16% long position, while Societe Generale reported 2.19% long and 1.08% short. Shareholder meetings on the deal are set for April, with completion expected in late 2026. The offer includes 590p cash and up to 22p in permitted dividends.
British American Tobacco share price rebounds — buybacks, UK vape bill and oil shock in focus
British American Tobacco shares rose 0.7% in early London trading after Tuesday’s 3.3% drop, as the UK Tobacco and Vapes Bill returned to the House of Lords. The company disclosed a buyback of 92,891 shares on March 2 for cancellation. Lawmakers backed new enforcement funding and penalties in the bill, which faces its next session on March 5. Investors also watch BAT’s late-March ex-dividend date and U.S. vape enforcement.
NatWest shares steady after buyback update, with oil shock clouding UK rate bets
NatWest shares rose 0.2% to 587.2 pence by 09:44 GMT after two days of sharp losses, following news of a fresh share buyback. The bank bought over 1 million shares late Tuesday at an average 585 pence each for cancellation. Investors remain focused on oil-driven inflation and Bank of England rate signals. Lloyds and Barclays also traded higher after recent declines.
BAE Systems share price rises: buyback update and Iran conflict keep BAES.L in focus
BAE Systems shares rose 1.1% to 2,245 pence by 0919 GMT after disclosing the repurchase of 98,810 shares at a VWAP of 2,216.38 pence. The stock hit a new 52-week high Monday, gaining 6% amid investor focus on the Middle East conflict. European defence stocks also advanced. Investors await further buyback news and BAE’s April 23 ex-dividend date.