MARA Holdings stock slides as SEC filing opens door to selling bitcoin stash

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 mined coins. The miner held about 53,822 bitcoin at the end of 2025, valued near $4.7 billion. Clear Street cut its price target to $9 from $16, citing a lower EBITDA outlook. Rival miners Riot Platforms and Core Scientific also dropped around 7%.
March 4, 2026

VA Debt Relief Program for Veterans? Here’s Why Credit Card Debt Usually Won’t Be Forgiven

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’s $4 billion photonics bet: why its Lumentum and Coherent deals matter now

March 4, 2026
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

BNAI stock jumps as Brand Engagement Network puts its AI Concierge live at Armenia’s Dvin resort

March 4, 2026
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.
Sea Limited shares slide after Shopee spending jump and cooler 2026 growth target

Sea Limited shares slide after Shopee spending jump and cooler 2026 growth target

March 4, 2026
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

Iran war rattles oil, gold and stocks again as Seoul crashes and Wall Street hunts for an off‑ramp

March 4, 2026
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 stock slides after CFO stock sale; Bettinger talks $135 billion chip-tool market

March 4, 2026
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.
Zillow CEO draws a line on “selective” listings as Compass, Redfin widen private-home push

Zillow CEO draws a line on “selective” listings as Compass, Redfin widen private-home push

March 4, 2026
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 (BURU) signs Maddox Defense JV for mobile 3D printing of drone parts

March 4, 2026
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.
Korea stocks crash 12% as Iran war spikes oil and rewrites rate-cut bets

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 closes Veza deal: the $1.25B identity-security bet tied to AI agents

March 4, 2026
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 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’s $5B Auto Insurance Cash-Back Reaches Georgia: $135 a Vehicle on Average

March 4, 2026
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’s $2.25 billion patent settlement: the deal that ends a COVID vaccine fight and reshapes its pipeline

March 4, 2026
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.
British American Tobacco share price rebounds — buybacks, UK vape bill and oil shock in focus

British American Tobacco share price rebounds — buybacks, UK vape bill and oil shock in focus

March 4, 2026
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 steady after buyback update, with oil shock clouding UK rate bets

March 4, 2026
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.
IAG shares slide again as Middle East airspace shutdown hits British Airways

IAG shares slide again as Middle East airspace shutdown hits British Airways

March 4, 2026
IAG shares dropped 5.4% Tuesday as Middle East disruptions forced major Gulf hubs to close or restrict traffic for a fourth day, causing widespread flight cancellations and reroutes. Flightradar24 reported about 21,300 cancellations at seven airports including Dubai and Doha since the strikes began. Airlines face rising fuel costs and mounting losses, with $22.6 billion in market value wiped from travel firms on Monday.
Rio Tinto stock slips in premarket as China policy countdown and new projects set the tone

Rio Tinto stock slips in premarket as China policy countdown and new projects set the tone

Rio Tinto’s U.S. shares fell 0.4% to $94.90 in premarket trading after a 4.3% drop Tuesday, tracking weaker iron ore prices and investor caution amid rising oil. The miner won conditional Canadian government support for a gallium project and approved a $473 million restart at South Africa’s Zulti South mine. Traders await signals from China’s National People’s Congress opening March 5.
Lloyds share price slips again as oil shock dents UK rate-cut bets; buyback and Aegon talk in focus

Lloyds share price slips again as oil shock dents UK rate-cut bets; buyback and Aegon talk in focus

Lloyds Banking Group shares fell 0.5% to 96.48p in early London trading Wednesday after closing down nearly 3% Tuesday. The drop follows a surge in oil and gas prices, which has rattled UK banks and pushed investors to scale back bets on Bank of England rate cuts. Lloyds bought back over 66 million shares this week and issued 220 million new shares for staff awards. The Bank of England’s next rate decision is set for March 19.
Beazley share price today: Stock stuck near 1,290p as Zurich takeover overshadows results

Beazley share price today: Stock stuck near 1,290p as Zurich takeover overshadows results

Beazley shares edged up 0.04% to 1,290.5 pence after reporting a 19% drop in 2025 pretax profit to $1.15 billion and flat interim dividend. Zurich’s 1,335 pence-per-share cash offer remains the main reference point as traders await deal approvals and Beazley’s April updates. Written premiums slipped 1% to $6.10 billion, with cyber premiums down and combined ratio rising to 81.2%.