Amazon shares rose 2.9% to $214.72 in morning trading Wednesday after the company announced a $21 billion data center investment in Spain and a $427 million campus purchase in Virginia. Amazon will
Rocket Lab shares rose 0.3% to $71.16 Tuesday after CEO Peter Beck filed to sell up to 28,761 shares worth about $2 million. The stock swung nearly 10% intraday. Cantor Fitzgerald raised its price target to $85 following the Geost acquisition, while other analysts cited delays in the Neutron rocket program. Rocket Lab reported record annual revenue of $602 million and a $1.85 billion backlog.
Battalion Oil Corporation said it will raise about $15 million in a private placement at $5.50 per share, with net proceeds of $14.1 million expected. The unnamed institutional investor deal is set to close March 4. Shares surged to $29.70 Tuesday before falling 33% to $18.58 Wednesday. The company recently sold West Quito Draw assets for $60.1 million.
Warner Bros. Discovery shares fell 0.6% to $28.02 Wednesday, staying below Paramount’s $31-a-share cash offer after Fitch cut Paramount’s credit rating to junk. FCC Chair Brendan Carr indicated a fast review of the deal, but political and market concerns remain over debt and media consolidation.
Ross Stores shares rose 6.9% to $211.35 Wednesday after reporting fourth-quarter sales up 12% to $6.6 billion and earnings per share of $2.00, both above guidance. Comparable store sales climbed 9%, and the company launched a $2.55 billion share buyback and raised its dividend. Executives cited strong traffic and broad gains across categories. Ross forecast 7%–8% comparable growth for the current quarter ending May 2.
Western Digital shares jumped 6.3% to $266.36 Wednesday afternoon, rebounding with storage peers after executives cited longer cloud customer order commitments and a firmer price outlook. CEO Irving Tan said top hyperscale clients have placed orders through 2028. Traders are watching Friday’s U.S. jobs report and the Fed’s March meeting for signals on rates and risk appetite.
Hilton signed a deal to manage and rebrand the former Palazzo Versace hotel on Australia’s Gold Coast under its LXR luxury label, with reopening set for 2027 after renovations begin in coming months. The hotel, currently trading as The Imperial, will remain open during the overhaul. Hilton shares were down 0.3% at $305.05 in New York afternoon trading. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Exelon shares rose 0.7% to $49.31 in Wednesday afternoon trading after a session range of $48.65 to $49.32. The company declared a $0.42 per share dividend, payable March 13. KeyBanc raised its price target to $44 but kept an Underweight rating. The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield climbed to 4.082%.
ServiceNow shares climbed 1.3% to $114.66 Wednesday afternoon, rebounding after weeks of losses but still 46% below last July’s high. CEO William McDermott bought nearly $3 million in shares last week, according to an SEC filing. The company recently expanded its buyback authorization by $5 billion. McDermott is scheduled to speak at a Morgan Stanley conference later Wednesday.
IREN shares jumped 12% to $43.59 on Wednesday as bitcoin surged about 7% near $73,700. Trading volume in IREN topped 25.8 million shares. Marathon Digital and Riot Platforms also rose, gaining about 7% and 7.5% respectively. The moves followed a volatile stretch for crypto-linked stocks.
Cisco shares rose 2.1% to $80.64 in afternoon trading Wednesday after announcing TPG Telecom will use Splunk software to upgrade security and operations across Australia. The move comes as Cisco highlights AI and security offerings at industry events and ahead of management’s appearance at a Morgan Stanley tech conference Thursday.
TELUS will take an equity stake in AST SpaceMobile and invest in ground infrastructure to support satellite-to-phone service across Canada, the companies said Wednesday. AST shares rose about 12% after the announcement. Service is planned for late 2026 using standard smartphones and low-Earth-orbit satellites. AST reported Q4 revenue of $54.3 million and a net loss of $74 million.
U.S. stocks rebounded Wednesday afternoon, with the S&P 500 up 0.9% and Nasdaq gaining 1.5% by 1:41 p.m. ET, led by tech shares. ADP reported 63,000 private jobs added in February, while ISM services PMI hit 56.1, its highest since July 2022. U.S. crude inventories rose by 3.475 million barrels. The Fed Beige Book is due at 2 p.m. ET.
NYMEX April ULSD futures rose 2.2% to $3.2584 a gallon Wednesday as Middle East tensions stalled shipping through the Strait of Hormuz for a fifth day. U.S. distillate inventories increased by 0.4 million barrels last week but remain 3% below the five-year average, according to the EIA. Traders are watching Gulf shipping, Friday’s U.S. jobs report, and next week’s EIA update.
Intuit shares rose 1.6% to $440.24 in early afternoon trading Wednesday, extending a six-day rally. CEO Sasan Goodarzi reported strong TurboTax growth and dismissed chatbot disruption concerns. Democrats introduced a bill to revive the IRS “Direct File” program, posing potential competition for paid tax software. Trading volume in Intuit stock topped its 50-day average for two straight sessions.
Salesforce shares fell 0.2% to $195.73 in early afternoon trading Wednesday, tracking weakness across the software sector as investors weigh AI’s impact on subscription models. The company launched an AI-powered “fan companion” for Formula 1 and expanded its buyback program by $30 billion. U.S. private payrolls rose by 63,000 in February, ahead of Friday’s official jobs report. The Fed is expected to hold rates at its March meeting.
U.S. mortgage applications rose 11% last week, driven by a 14.3% jump in refinancing as 30-year fixed rates held at 6.09%, the Mortgage Bankers Association said. Mortgage News Daily reported the top-tier 30-year rate at 6.07%. Housing stocks fell, with Rocket Companies down 0.8%. Treasury yields firmed after strong service-sector data, while Fed officials warned of persistent inflation risks.
Nvidia shares rose 1.5% to $182.77 after announcing a $4 billion investment in photonics suppliers, lifting other AI-linked chip stocks mid-session. Advanced Micro Devices gained 4.8%, Broadcom added 2.4%, and Super Micro Computer climbed 5.9%. Investors await Broadcom’s earnings after the close and Friday’s U.S. jobs report for further direction. Goldman Sachs flagged near-term correction risks for global equities.
XRP jumped 5.8% to $1.45 on Wednesday, tracking a broader crypto rally as bitcoin topped $73,000 and ether climbed to $2,151. Traders cited easing Middle East tensions and renewed U.S. crypto legislation efforts. Nearly $3.9 billion in XRP changed hands, with market value near $88 billion. Investors now await Friday’s U.S. jobs report and updates on the Clarity Act.
U.S. April Henry Hub natural gas futures dropped 3.41% to $2.95/mmBtu by midday Wednesday, reversing part of Tuesday’s gains. Warmer U.S. weather forecasts and weaker LNG feedgas flows pressured prices despite ongoing Middle East risks. Leveraged gas ETFs BOIL fell 7.29% and KOLD rose 7.21%. Traders await Thursday’s U.S. storage report for the week ended Feb. 27.
Spot silver rose 2% to $83.69 an ounce Wednesday, rebounding after a sharp drop as the dollar eased and Middle East tensions kept safe-haven demand elevated. iShares Silver Trust climbed 1.3% to $75.67. ADP reported U.S. private payrolls up 63,000 in February. Traders await Friday’s nonfarm payrolls report for signals on interest rates.
Bitcoin rose above $73,000 on Wednesday, gaining 7.3% to $73,294 after volatile trading. Ether climbed 8.5% to $2,151. U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs saw net inflows of $458.2 million and $225.2 million on March 2 and 3, led by BlackRock’s IBIT. U.S. stocks rebounded after reports of Iranian outreach to the U.S. amid ongoing conflict and oil market jitters.
Gold rose 1.2% to $5,146.76 an ounce Wednesday, rebounding from Tuesday’s sharp drop as Middle East tensions and a weaker dollar spurred safe-haven demand. U.S. private payrolls beat forecasts, but traders remained cautious ahead of Friday’s jobs report. Gold-linked ETFs and miners traded mixed. Platinum is set for a fourth annual deficit in 2026, the World Platinum Investment Council said.
U.S. private employers added 63,000 jobs in February, ADP reported, with January revised down to 11,000. Most gains came from education, health, and construction, while professional services cut 30,000 jobs. Pay growth for job-stayers held at 4.5%; job-changer pay growth slipped to 6.3%. Small firms drove hiring, adding 58,000 jobs.
MongoDB shares rose 0.9% to $254.92 midday Wednesday after a steep drop Tuesday, following muted guidance and slowing growth in its Atlas cloud unit. Fourth-quarter revenue reached $695.1 million, up 27% year over year, with Atlas revenue up 29% but decelerating. Analysts remain divided on whether the outlook signals weaker demand. The company named Erica Volini chief customer officer amid leadership changes.
The Dow Jones rose 324.35 points, or 0.67%, to 48,824.77 by late morning as Amazon and Nvidia gained and oil prices steadied. Brent crude slipped 0.3% to $81.13 a barrel amid shipping paralysis in the Strait of Hormuz. ADP reported U.S. private payrolls grew by 63,000 in February. The ISM Services PMI hit 56.1, signaling expansion.
The FTSE 100 rose 0.8% to 10,567.65, recovering some ground after steep losses driven by Middle East conflict and energy price spikes. Vistry plunged 25.6% on a 2026 margin warning, dragging UK homebuilders lower. Brent crude slipped 0.3% to $81.13. Markets remain sensitive to energy supply risks and upcoming Bank of England policy.