Middle East Tensions Spark Market Turmoil

0:00Here's more Sydney news for March 1st. Tensions in the Middle East are ramping up investor nerves after recent U.S. strikes on Iran. Money is flowing into safe bets like U.S. treasuries, gold, and the Swiss fronk, while oil prices look ready to spike big time when markets reopen. Monday, traders expect wild swings in energy and currency trading right from the start in places like Australia. A big worry is the straight-of-form moves, where more than 20% of the world's oil flows. If it shut down for long, experts say prices could hit, or top $100 a barrel. U.S. stocks ended the week lower amid the news. The S&P 500 dipped, 0.4%, the Dow lost 521 points, or 1.1%, and NASDAQ fell 0.9%. Australian shares face a shaky open too, down about 0.2% in futures. Tech took a hit from AI shakeups, even as some reports beat expectations.

1:00Block announced cuts to nearly half its workforce over 4,000 jobs, saying AI tools let a smaller team do more, and its stock jumped 16.8%. Nvidia dropped 4.2% despite strong profits. Higher U.S. wholesale inflation at 2.9% last month added pressure, topping forecasts. Meanwhile, Netflix soared 13.8% after dropping a deal bid, paving the way for others in media. All eyes on how this unfolds. This DNN story is thanks to our sponsor details in the description. When you want calm, do not reach for your phone. Lay back and listen, S-O-L-I-SOLYPILLOW.com