Australian stock market today: ASX 200 futures hint at a bounce as RBA decision nears

Australian stock market today: ASX 200 futures hint at a bounce as RBA decision nears

The S&P/ASX 200 fell 1.94% to 8,901.2 on Wednesday, with BHP down 3.5% and Paladin dropping 8.4%. ASX 200 futures rose 0.3% premarket as oil prices surged over 10% after flows through the Strait of Hormuz halted. Australia’s GDP grew 0.8% last quarter. The Reserve Bank of Australia’s next rate decision is set for March 17.
March 4, 2026

Latest

AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) stock jumps on Telus equity stake in Canada satellite-to-phone plan

AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) stock jumps on Telus equity stake in Canada satellite-to-phone plan

AST SpaceMobile shares rose 13% Wednesday after Telus announced it will take an equity stake and invest in ground infrastructure to support satellite-to-phone coverage in Canada. Telus plans to offer satellite-powered mobile services in remote areas by late 2026. AST also signed a partnership with AXIAN Telecom to launch direct-to-device service in Africa, pending regulatory approval. AST’s market value reached about $17.6 billion.
Robinhood stock jumps ahead of JFK “Take Flight” event as CFO previews $5.5 billion February inflows

Robinhood stock jumps ahead of JFK “Take Flight” event as CFO previews $5.5 billion February inflows

Robinhood shares jumped about 8% Wednesday ahead of its “Take Flight” product keynote in New York. CFO Shiv Verma said February net deposits topped $5.5 billion, with trading activity remaining strong. A surge in bitcoin to nearly $74,000 boosted crypto-linked stocks, including Robinhood and Coinbase. ARK Investment Management bought nearly 160,000 Robinhood shares on Tuesday.
Circle Internet Group stock jumps again as rates drive the USDC story

Circle Internet Group stock jumps again as rates drive the USDC story

Circle shares climbed 5.7% to $105.27 on Wednesday, marking a third consecutive gain. Mizuho raised its price target to $100, citing inflation risks and fewer expected rate cuts. Officer Hossein Razzaghi filed to sell up to 43,119 shares valued at $4.31 million, according to a Form 144. Circle’s rally followed better-than-expected fourth-quarter revenue and higher USDC circulation.
Oracle joins White House power pledge for AI data centers as Oracle earnings near

Oracle joins White House power pledge for AI data centers as Oracle earnings near

March 5, 2026
Oracle signed a White House pledge to cover power costs for new AI data centers, joining Google, Microsoft, and Amazon. The agreement aims to prevent rising household electricity bills as data-center construction accelerates. Oracle will report quarterly results on March 10, with investors focused on cloud spending. The pledge is voluntary and lacks enforcement provisions.
Fortnite’s back: Alphabet’s Google loosens Play Store billing and cuts Android fees

Fortnite’s back: Alphabet’s Google loosens Play Store billing and cuts Android fees

March 5, 2026
Google will allow Android app developers to use their own billing systems and reduce fees, following a settlement with Epic Games that could return Fortnite to the Play Store after five years. The agreement, filed in San Francisco federal court, awaits a judge’s approval with a hearing set for April 9. Google plans to lower its standard in-app purchase fee to 20% and subscription fee to 10%, phasing in changes through 2027.
Morgan Stanley layoffs: Wall Street bank cuts 2,500 jobs across all divisions

Morgan Stanley layoffs: Wall Street bank cuts 2,500 jobs across all divisions

Morgan Stanley has cut about 2,500 jobs across all divisions, roughly 3% of its workforce, according to the Wall Street Journal. The layoffs began last week and peaked Wednesday. The bank did not immediately comment, and Reuters could not independently verify the report. Roles affected include private bankers, back-office staff, and some mortgage-related positions.
Strategy Inc surges with bitcoin above $72,000 as latest filing details fresh buys

Strategy Inc surges with bitcoin above $72,000 as latest filing details fresh buys

Strategy Inc shares jumped about 10% Wednesday as bitcoin topped $72,000. The company disclosed it bought 3,015 bitcoin for $204 million, bringing total holdings to 720,737. Strategy also raised its STRC preferred stock dividend rate for March to 11.50%. The firm sold over 1.7 million common shares and 71,590 preferred shares in the latest period.
Meta signs White House power pledge as AI data centers put U.S. electricity bills in focus

Meta signs White House power pledge as AI data centers put U.S. electricity bills in focus

March 4, 2026
Meta, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, OpenAI, Oracle, and xAI signed a White House pledge to cover new power and grid costs for data centers, aiming to prevent higher household electricity bills. The Trump administration announced the agreement as AI-driven data center expansion faces local opposition and scrutiny over energy use. Critics say the voluntary pledge may be difficult to enforce and may not address power supply delays.
Broadcom stock after earnings: AI chip outlook tops estimates, buyback in focus

Broadcom stock after earnings: AI chip outlook tops estimates, buyback in focus

March 4, 2026
Broadcom shares rose 1.1% to $317.53 in after-hours trading after forecasting second-quarter revenue of about $22 billion, topping analyst estimates. First-quarter revenue climbed 29% to a record $19.31 billion, with AI chip sales up 106% year-on-year to $8.4 billion. The company authorized a new $10 billion share buyback and kept its dividend unchanged. Investors await further details on margins and AI demand in the earnings call.
Amazon stock price jumps after $427 million Virginia campus buy puts AI data centers back in view

Amazon stock price jumps after $427 million Virginia campus buy puts AI data centers back in view

Amazon shares rose 3.9% to $216.77 in after-hours trading Wednesday after announcing a $427 million purchase of George Washington University’s Virginia Science and Technology campus in Ashburn for new data-center capacity. The company faces zoning hurdles and local power constraints for the site. Investors await Friday’s U.S. jobs report as Amazon projects $200 billion in 2026 capital expenditures.
SoFi Technologies’ Mastercard stablecoin deal puts SoFiUSD settlement in focus as CEO buys $1 million of SOFI stock

SoFi Technologies’ Mastercard stablecoin deal puts SoFiUSD settlement in focus as CEO buys $1 million of SOFI stock

SoFi will partner with Mastercard to settle card payments using its SoFiUSD stablecoin, the companies said Tuesday. CEO Anthony Noto bought 56,000 shares for about $1 million, according to a regulatory filing. SoFi shares rose 0.8% to $18.75, while Mastercard slipped 0.1% on Wednesday. SoFiUSD is issued by SoFi Bank and backed one-for-one by cash.
Battalion Oil Corporation taps new investor for $15 million at $5.50 as BATL stock swings

Battalion Oil Corporation taps new investor for $15 million at $5.50 as BATL stock swings

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.
Ross Stores (ROST) stock jumps nearly 7% as spring outlook, buyback plan draw buyers

Ross Stores (ROST) stock jumps nearly 7% as spring outlook, buyback plan draw buyers

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 stock jumps as CEO flags hyperscaler orders through 2028

Western Digital stock jumps as CEO flags hyperscaler orders through 2028

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 takes over ex-Palazzo Versace on Australia’s Gold Coast — LXR brand lands in 2027

Hilton takes over ex-Palazzo Versace on Australia’s Gold Coast — LXR brand lands in 2027

March 4, 2026
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.
ServiceNow stock rises as CEO share-buy filing lands and Morgan Stanley chat nears

ServiceNow stock rises as CEO share-buy filing lands and Morgan Stanley chat nears

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.