Technology News 14.03.2026
LIVETechnology news rolling coverageStarted: March 14, 2026, 12:00 AM EDTUpdated: March 14, 2026, 9:20 AM EDT
Exxon Mobil stock price climbs as oil jumps on Iran talks; OPEC+ meeting ahead
Exxon Mobil shares climbed 2.46% to $152.20 Friday as oil prices hit multi-month highs after the U.S. and Iran extended nuclear talks. Brent crude rose to $72.45 a barrel and WTI to $66.56. OPEC+ and Gulf producers signaled possible output increases for April. Investors await the March 1 OPEC+ meeting and Vienna talks next week.
CrowdStrike stock drops as hot PPI and fresh target cuts put CRWD back in focus
CrowdStrike shares fell about 4% to $365.67 Friday after U.S. wholesale inflation rose 0.5% in January, fueling concerns the Fed will delay rate cuts. DA Davidson and Jefferies both cut their price targets but kept buy ratings. CrowdStrike is set to report earnings March 3, with analysts watching annual recurring revenue. The company also launched FalconID, a phishing-resistant authentication product.
PayPal stock price steadies as report cools Stripe takeover talk over PYPL
PayPal shares rose 0.3% to $45.65 Friday after dropping 3.8% the previous session, following reports it is not in talks to sell itself. Semafor said PayPal has prepared for possible activist pressure but is not pursuing a sale. Incoming CEO Enrique Lores takes over March 1. Earlier speculation linked Stripe to a possible acquisition, but both firms declined to comment.
GE Vernova stock slides on hot inflation data as rate worries return — what to watch next
GE Vernova shares fell about 1.5% to $863 Friday as U.S. producer prices rose more than expected, fueling concerns over prolonged high interest rates. The company recently completed a $5.3 billion purchase of Prolec GE and lifted its 2026 revenue outlook to $44–45 billion, but warned of continued wind unit losses. Investors await its first-quarter earnings on April 22.
Mastercard stock price slips as MetaMask rolls out crypto card across the U.S.
Mastercard shares slipped 0.2% to $513.60 in early Friday trading as U.S. stocks fell. MetaMask launched its Mastercard-powered crypto card nationwide, including New York, allowing users to spend digital assets at over 150 million locations. Investors are watching for Mastercard’s next investor conference in early March. Visa shares rose 0.3% to $317.65.
Lithium price shock from Zimbabwe export ban keeps traders edgy heading into Monday
China’s lithium carbonate futures surged over 6% after Zimbabwe halted exports of raw minerals and lithium concentrates, disrupting supply chains. Lithium stocks jumped in China, Australia, and the U.S. Zimbabwe shipped 1.128 million tons of spodumene concentrate to China in 2025. Investors await Zimbabwe’s next move on export permits and China’s futures market reopening on March 2.
Gasoline prices tick up again: UGA climbs as fuel futures firm and summer-blend season starts
The United States Gasoline Fund rose 0.75% to $72.36 as NYMEX RBOB gasoline futures climbed 1.32% to $2.2834 a gallon. U.S. gasoline inventories fell by 1 million barrels last week, while refinery utilization slipped to 88.6%, EIA data showed. The national average for regular gasoline reached $2.982 a gallon, up from a week ago, according to AAA. Traders await the EIA’s next inventory report on March 4.
Heating oil price jumps nearly 3% as Iran talks keep energy markets on edge
NYMEX April heating oil futures jumped 2.93% to $2.5999 per gallon by early afternoon Friday, tracking a broader oil rally driven by Middle East supply concerns. Brent rose to $72.84 and U.S. WTI to $67.54 as traders focused on U.S.-Iran nuclear talks. U.S. distillate stocks edged up, but analysts said geopolitics outweighed inventory data in moving prices.
US economic calendar today: Hot PPI knocks Wall Street, Nvidia drags Nasdaq lower
U.S. stocks fell Friday after January producer prices rose 0.5%, exceeding forecasts and stoking inflation concerns. The S&P 500 lost 0.7%, Nasdaq dropped 1.1%, and Dow slipped 1.3%. Tech and financial shares led declines; Dell and Block gained. Traders now await next week’s jobs and inflation data.
Natural Gas Price Rebounds Today: Henry Hub Near $2.87 as Storage, LNG Headlines Jostle Traders
NYMEX April natural gas rose 3.9 cents to $2.866 per mmBtu by midday Friday in New York. U.S. gas inventories stood at 2,018 bcf for the week ended Feb. 20, 7 bcf below the five-year average, according to the EIA. Traders cited shifting March weather forecasts and strong LNG export demand. The next EIA storage report is due March 5.
Brent crude jumps near $73 as U.S.-Iran talks drag on, OPEC+ decision in focus
Brent crude futures climbed about 3% to $72.84 a barrel by 1422 GMT Friday, reaching multi-month highs as U.S.-Iran nuclear talks were extended and traders priced in higher Middle East supply risk. U.S. West Texas Intermediate rose $2.33 to $67.54. OPEC+ meets March 1 to decide April output. Technical talks resume in Vienna next week.
XRP price today drops as Nvidia jitters and hot U.S. inflation data cool crypto mood
XRP fell 3.7% to $1.34 on Friday, with market value near $82 billion and 24-hour trading volume at $3.3 billion, according to CoinMarketCap. The drop followed Nvidia’s post-earnings slide and a 0.5% rise in the U.S. Producer Price Index for January. Bitcoin slipped 2.3% to $65,924. XRP is down about 28.5% over the past 30 days, Binance data showed.
Bitcoin price today: BTC slips toward $66,000 after hot U.S. PPI jars rate-cut bets
Bitcoin dropped about 2% to $65,400 on Friday as U.S. wholesale inflation data beat forecasts, lifting the dollar and weighing on risk assets. Trading volume reached $41 billion in 24 hours, CoinMarketCap said. Ether fell 4% to $1,913. Investors await next week’s U.S. jobs report and inflation data for clues on Federal Reserve policy.
Gold price today jumps near one-month high as geopolitics, falling yields lift bullion
Spot gold rose 1% to $5,238.75 an ounce on Friday, heading for a seventh straight monthly gain as U.S.-Iran tensions and falling Treasury yields drove safe-haven demand. U.S. gold futures for April delivery climbed 1.1% to $5,254. The yield on 10-year U.S. notes dropped to 3.977%. China’s net gold imports via Hong Kong jumped 68.7% in January from December.
FTSE 100 closes at a fresh record near 11,000 as miners, buybacks lift UK stocks
The FTSE 100 closed at a record 10,910.55, up 0.6% Friday, marking its eighth straight monthly gain as miners rallied on higher metals prices. Sterling weakened after Labour’s by-election loss and rising geopolitical tensions. Wizz Air dropped 8.7% after Indigo Partners sold 10 million shares. IAG fell 7.35% despite reporting record 2025 results and a €1.5 billion capital return plan.
Sensex slips 961 points, Nifty below 25,200 as IT AI fears cap a weak month — what to watch next week
The Sensex fell 961.42 points and the Nifty 50 dropped 317.90 on Friday, led by losses in realty, metal, and FMCG shares. IT stocks slumped, with the Nifty IT index down 19.5% for February, its worst month since 2008, after U.S. firms launched new AI automation tools. Official data showed India’s economy grew 7.8% in the October-December quarter under a revised GDP series. The rupee finished February about 1% stronger.
Bank of America stock drops nearly 5% as hot inflation data rattles banks — what to watch next
Bank of America shares dropped 4.6% to $49.90 by midday Friday as U.S. bank stocks slid, with Wells Fargo and Citigroup also down sharply. A hotter-than-expected January producer price index reading led investors to scale back near-term Fed rate-cut bets. The 10-year Treasury yield slipped below 4%. Focus turns to March inflation data and the Federal Reserve’s March 18 policy decision.
Eli Lilly stock rises as new orforglipron data puts side effects in the spotlight
Eli Lilly shares rose 0.8% Friday after full trial results for its oral diabetes drug orforglipron showed higher discontinuation rates—8.7% to 9.7%—than Novo Nordisk’s oral semaglutide, which saw 4.5% to 4.9%. The study found orforglipron led to greater blood sugar and weight loss, but more side effects. Investors are watching for U.S. regulatory decisions on obesity use, expected in the second quarter.
IonQ stock pulls back after blowout outlook pop — what IONQ investors watch next
IonQ shares dropped 10.3% to $36.67 Friday, erasing part of Thursday’s 21.7% surge after the company forecast 2026 revenue of $225 million to $245 million. The firm reported a projected 2026 adjusted EBITDA loss of $310 million to $330 million and expects its SkyWater Technology acquisition to close by late 2026. Other quantum stocks also fell in morning trading.
Snowflake stock price slides 4% in regular session as investors weigh AI outlook and rate fears
Snowflake shares fell 4.1% to $166.00 Friday, reversing gains from a post-earnings rally. The drop followed a strong forecast and record customer deal, but investors remain cautious amid doubts over AI returns and persistent inflation. Snowflake reported $1.28 billion in quarterly revenue, with product revenue up 30% year-on-year. Focus turns to customer usage trends ahead of the Snowflake Summit in June.