Equity Markets: U.S. stocks closed lower on Friday, with declines led by consumer discretionary and financials stocks. The S&P 500 is down over 7% for the year, while the Nasdaq remains in correction territory. Energy once again stood out as the top-performing sector, continuing its strong start to 2026 amid rising oil prices. Globally, Asian markets were mixed, and European markets trended lower.
Energy Markets: WTI crude prices moved higher amid ongoing disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. Despite near-term volatility, opportunities continue to emerge across different asset classes.
Economic Data: The University of Michigan consumer sentiment index for March was revised down to 53.3, below expectations of 54.0. Rising gas prices and market volatility were cited as key drivers. Short-term inflation expectations climbed to 3.8% from 3.4%, raising concerns about persistent price pressures. Meanwhile, the S&P Global U.S. Manufacturing PMI increased to 52.4 from 51.6 in February, above the 51.3 forecast, led by a strong rise in new orders, particularly in export-driven sectors.
Bond Market: Yields moved higher, with the 10-year Treasury yield approaching 4.44%. The Atlanta Fed's GDPNow model revised its Q1 GDP estimate down to 2.0% from 2.3% last week.
Tech & Cybersecurity: Cybersecurity stocks faced heavy selling pressure. CrowdStrike (CRWD) fell ~6% and Palo Alto Networks (PANW) dropped ~4% after reports of security risks tied to a new AI model by Anthropic. Semiconductor and memory stocks also declined sharply after Google (GOOGL) unveiled a new AI model designed to reduce memory requirements. Micron (MU) has now fallen six sessions in a row, while SanDisk, Western Digital, and Seagate each dropped over 1.5%. The PHLX Semiconductor Index (SOX) fell, with Nvidia (NVDA) hitting a three-month low.
Precious Metals & Crypto: Gold futures hovered near three-month lows under $4,500, influenced by reduced central bank buying. Bitcoin futures (/BTC) also dropped, signaling a broader risk-off sentiment. The Bitwise 10 Large Cap Crypto Index fell 6% week-over-week.
Corporate Highlights:
Tripadvisor (TRIP) gained following a Bank of America upgrade.
AstraZeneca (AZN) rose on positive clinical trial results for a COPD treatment.
Meta (META) and Alphabet (GOOGL) declined after a Los Angeles jury ruled both liable in a social media addiction case.
Netflix (NFLX) increased subscription prices for the first time since January 2025.
Other Key Headlines:
Tiger Woods Arrested: The golfer was arrested for a DUI following a rollover crash in Florida, raising questions about his health and potential participation in the upcoming Masters.
Global Trade: WTO members moved forward with the first baseline digital trade rules without full consensus, highlighting progress and ongoing tensions in shaping modern trade frameworks.
Legal News: Bank of America agreed to a $72.5 million settlement with victims of Jeffrey Epstein, part of a series of major legal payouts involving banks linked to his trafficking network.
Trump Signs Order to Pay TSA Workers Amid DHS Shutdown Standoff
Donald Trump signed an executive action Friday to ensure Transportation Security Administration employees receive pay after Congress failed to reach a funding agreement for the Department of Homeland Security. The move is aimed at easing mounting disruptions at U.S. airports. In the order, Trump said the administration would use "funds that have a reasonable and logical nexus to TSA operations," calling the situation an emergency that threatens national security and strains the air travel system. Markwayne Mullin said TSA employees could begin receiving paychecks as soon as Monday.
Buffett Watch: Berkshire's Losing Streak Extends as Market Pressures Build
Shares of Berkshire Hathaway have declined for eight consecutive trading sessions, marking their longest losing streak in more than seven years. This is the company's longest stretch of daily losses since December 2018. Both share classes have come under pressure, with Class A shares down 4.7% and Class B shares falling 4.9% since their last gains on March 17. The decline comes amid broader market weakness driven by rising energy prices and geopolitical uncertainty tied to the Iran conflict.
Earnings Spotlight: Conagra Brands (CAG)
Conagra Brands (CAG) is expected to report Q3 2026 earnings on April 1, with analysts forecasting a decline in revenue to $2.77 billion (down 2.6%) and earnings of 40 cents per share (down 21.6%). High input costs and increased promotional spending are offsetting improvements in frozen and snack volumes, leading to expected top and bottom-line pressure.
What's Ahead
Economic:
Monday (March 30): no reports
Tuesday (March 31): Chicago PMI, Consumer Confidence, FHFA Housing Price Index, S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index
Wednesday (April 1): ADP Employment Change, Construction Spending, EIA Crude Oil Inventories, ISM Manufacturing Index, MBA Mortgage Applications Index
Thursday (April 2): Business Inventories, Continuing Claims, EIA Natural Gas Inventories, Factory Orders, Initial Claims
Friday (April 3): Nonfarm Payrolls, Unemployment, Average Hourly Earnings, Average Workweek, ISM Non-Manufacturing Index
Earnings:
Monday (March 30): Aura Biosciences Inc. (AURA), Bicara Therapeutics Inc. (BCAX), Fermi Inc. (FRMI), ICON PLC (ICLR), Maze Therapeutics Inc. (MAZE), Progress Software Corp. (PRGS), Rezolve AI PLC (RZLV), USA Rare Earth Inc. (USAR)
Tuesday (March 31): Chagee Holdings Ltd. (CHA), FactSet Research Systems Inc. (FDS), McCormick & Company (MKC), nCino Inc. (NCNO), Nike Inc. (NKE), PVH Corp. (PVH)
Wednesday (April 1): Cal-Maine Foods Inc. (CALM), Conagra Brands Inc. (CAG), Lamb Weston Holdings Inc. (LW), MSC Industrial Direct Co. (MSM), NovaGold Resources Inc. (NG), RH Inc. (RH), UniFirst Corp. (UNF)
Thursday (April 2): Acuity Inc. (AYI), AngioDynamics Inc. (ANGO), Lindsay Corp. (LNN)
Friday (April 3): Trilogy Metals Inc. (TMQ)
Disclaimer: We are engaged in the business of advertising and promoting companies. All content on our website is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as an offer or solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities. Neither the information presented nor any statement or expression of opinion, or any other matter herein, directly or indirectly constitutes a solicitation of the purchase or sale of any securities. Neither the owner of Trading Wire nor any of its members, officers, directors, contractors or employees are licensed broker-dealers, account representatives, market makers, investment bankers, investment advisers, analyst or underwriters. Investing in securities, including the securities of those companies profiled or discussed on this website is for individuals tolerant of high risks. Viewers should always consult with a licensed securities professional before purchasing or selling any securities of companies profiled or discussed on Trading Wire. It is possible that a viewer's entire investment may be lost or impaired due to the speculative nature of the companies profiled. Remember, never invest in any security of a company profiled or discussed on this website unless you can afford to lose your entire investment. Also, investing in micro-cap securities is highly speculative and carries an extremely high degree of risk. Trading Wire makes no recommendation that the securities of the companies profiled or discussed on this website should be purchased, sold or held by viewers that learn of the profiled companies through our website.
Some of the content on this website contains "forward-looking statements." Such statements may be preceded by the words "intends," "may," "will," "plans," "expects," "anticipates," "projects," "predicts," "estimates," "aims," "believes," "hopes," "potential," or similar words. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, are based on certain assumptions, and are subject to various known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which may be beyond a company's control, and cannot be predicted or quantified, and, consequently, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. It is hereby noted that forward-looking statements contained herein may include everything other than historical information, involve risk and uncertainties that may affect a company's actual results of operation. A company's actual performance could greatly differ from those described in any forward-looking statements or announcements mentioned on this website or the websites contained within. Factors that should be considered that could cause actual results to differ include: the size and growth of the market for the company's products; the company's ability to fund its capital requirements in the near term and in the long term; pricing pressures; unforeseen and/or unexpected circumstances in happenings; etc. and the risk factors and other factors set forth in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. However, a company's past performance does not guarantee future results.
Generally, the information regarding a company profiled or discussed on this website is provided from public sources tradingwire.com makes no representations, warranties or guarantees as to the accuracy or completeness of the information provided or discussed. Viewers should not rely solely on the information obtained through our website or in communications originating from our website. Viewers should use the information provided by us regarding the profiled companies as a starting point for additional independent research on the companies profiled or discussed in order to allow the viewer to form his or her own opinion regarding investing in the securities of such companies. Factual statements, or the similar, made by the profiled companies are made as of the date stated and are subject to change without notice and Trading Wire has no obligation to update any of the information provided. Trading Wire, its owners, officers, directors, contractors and employees are not responsible for errors and omissions.
From time to time certain content on this website is written and published by our employees or third parties. In addition to information about our profiled companies, from time to time, our website will contain the symbols of companies and/or news feeds about companies that are not being profiled by us but are merely illustrative of certain activity in the micro cap or penny stock market that we are highlighting. Viewers are advised that all analysis reports and news feeds are issued solely for informational purposes. Any opinions expressed are subject to change without notice. It is also possible that one or more of the companies discussed or profiled on this website may not have approved certain or any statements within the website. Trading Wire encourages viewers to supplement the information obtained from this website with independent research and other professional advice. The content on this website is based on sources which we believe to be reliable but is not guaranteed by us as being accurate and does not purport to be a complete statement or summary of the available data. Third Party Web Sites and Other Information This website may provide hyperlinks to third party websites or access to third party content.Trading Wire, its owners, officers, directors, contractors and employees are not responsible for errors and omissions nor does Trading Wire control, endorse, or guarantee any content found in such sites. Trading Wire does not control, endorse, or guarantee content found in such sites. By accessing, viewing, or using the website or communications originating from the website, you agree that Trading Wire, its owners, officers, directors, contractors and employees, are not responsible for any content, associated links, resources, or services associated with a third party website. You further agree that Trading Wire, its owners, officers, directors, contractors and employees shall not be liable for any loss or damage of any sort associated with your use of third party content. Links and access to these sites are provided for your convenience only. Trading Wire uses third parties to disseminate information to subscribers. Although we take precautions to prevent others from obtaining our subscriber list, there is a risk that our subscriber list, through no wrong doing on our part, could end up in the hands of an unauthorized party and that subscribers will receive communications from unauthorized third parties. We encourage viewers to invest carefully and read the investor issuer information available at the web sites of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC has launched an investor-focused website to help you invest wisely and avoid fraud at www.investor.gov and filings made by public companies can be viewed at www.sec.gov and/or the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) at: www.finra.org. In addition, FINRA has published information at its website on how to invest carefully at www.finra.org/Investors/index.htm.
