New York, March 3, 2026, 10:16 AM EST — Regular session
Palantir Technologies Inc (NYSE: PLTR) slipped 2.4% to $141.68 in early New York action Tuesday, after co-founder Peter Thiel filed to potentially offload as many as 2 million shares. The stock touched a low for the session at $138.73, down $3.49 from where it finished on Monday.
Just a day earlier, Palantir jumped 5.8% as buyers rushed into defense stocks following fresh Middle East conflict. “Any selloff in the S&P 500 on Monday morning turns into a rally,” wrote Ed Yardeni at Yardeni Research, noting hopes that oil prices might ease after the fighting stops. 1
Brent crude climbed roughly 7%, trading around $83 a barrel on Tuesday and hitting levels not seen since July 2024. Tensions escalated as the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran deepened, fueling worries about possible disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz. ING analysts warned the area could face “a greater risk” if Iran strikes more energy sites. 2
A Form 144 filing details a plan from Thiel to sell 2 million Palantir Class A shares, valued at close to $280 million—about 0.09% of total shares outstanding. STS Holdings II LLC appears as the seller, with Merrill Lynch named as broker. The sale is under a Rule 10b5-1 plan put in place on Nov. 14, 2025, according to the document. 3
Insiders file Form 144 before certain sales as required by SEC Rule 144—a heads-up, not proof the shares changed hands. A 10b5-1 plan, meanwhile, lets insiders lock in a buying or selling schedule ahead of time.
Volatility crept in after the weekend strikes, leaving broader markets on edge. F/m Investments CEO Alex Morris said U.S. stocks typically shrug off this kind of conflict—unless oil pushes up to $100 a barrel. That, he said, tends to set off an emotional response. 4
Palantir’s business straddles both government and commercial clients, offering software for data analysis and AI. The shares often move with the volatility you’d expect from a hybrid: part defense play, part high-octane tech name. That combo leaves it especially sensitive when shifts in geopolitics or interest rates hit the tape.
Guardian Premier Solutions, out of San Antonio, has filed a lawsuit against Palantir in Texas state court, according to the San Antonio Express-News. The suit alleges fraud and breach of contract over a partnership program, with damages sought coming in under $1 million. Palantir, per the report, hadn’t responded to the legal complaint as of this day. 5
Bulls face a clear risk here: insider sale notices can add supply to a stock that’s already sensitive to swings in risk appetite. Should the war premium evaporate or oil prices climb, traders may lose patience for pricey software names fast.
Traders are eyeing any fresh insider filings and waiting for Palantir’s next quarterly results. Public.com’s calendar pegs the company’s upcoming earnings report for May 4. 6
