timef 03/18/2026

Meta is scaling back its metaverse focus, cutting studios and headcount at Reality Labs to prioritize artificial intelligence.

Futures markets took any realistic chance of a cut off the table until at least December.

The Trump administration "remains committed to continuing to strengthen our critical supply chains" amid the Iran war, press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.

Wholesale prices rose sharply in February, providing another sign that inflation continues to percolate even aside from rising energy prices.

While anxiety around AI replacing white-collar jobs has reached a fever pitch, the data center boom is creating lucrative opportunities for skilled traders.

The U.S. and Israel's war with Iran has upended the supply of aluminum in the Middle East, sending prices of the base metal skyrocketing. 

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday that Iran's Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib has been killed in overnight strikes in Tehran.

Treasury yields were little changed on Wednesday as investors await the Federal Reserve's next policy decision on interest rates, due later in the session.

The tech giant said its core business core provided it with the resources to fund increasing investments in AI.

The communist-run island nation is thought to be facing its biggest test since the collapse of the Soviet Union amid a U.S. oil blockade.

The topic of Iran is likely to dominate Thursday's meeting, instead of investments or the U.S.' role in Asia, experts told CNBC.

Chinese AI stocks surged on Wednesday following upbeat remarks from Nvidia's chief executive Jensen Huang on the promise of AI agents and OpenClaw.

European countries are reluctant to get involved in the U.S. and Israel's conflict with Iran, seeing it as a war of choice rather than necessity.

Manus has announced the launch of a new desktop application to bring its AI agent directly onto personal devices.

Few issues are more troublesome for the British government than the cost of filling a car. The reasons why go back more than a quarter of a century.

European stocks are expected to open flat to higher on Wednesday as the war in Iran and oil prices remain in the spotlight, and central banks come into focus.

Hedge funds are getting battered by a sharp spike in oil prices and a broad market selloff unraveling crowded trades as the Iran war continues.

Iran has scared off most ships from the Strait of Hormuz, leaving some ships to pass through, while most continued to wait outside the Gulf.

Shares of Japanese shipping firm Mitsui OSK surged to a record high after Elliott Investment Management said it had established a "significant" stake.

Iran has intensified attacks targeting U.S. assets in the Middle East and Israel in apparent retaliation against the killing of Iran's security chief Ali Larijani.

Oil prices slipped despite escalating attacks on the United Arab Emirates' energy infrastructure.

U.S. allies seem to be caught between Iranian attacks and criticism from the U.S. president, with focus also on the AI space and the impending Fed rate verdict.

Exports to China, Japan's largest trading partner, fell 10.9%, while shipments to the U.S dropped 8%.

Asia-Pacific markets were set to climb on Wednesday as investors tracked escalating tensions in the Middle East.

Nvidia is gearing up to sell its H200 processors to customers in China after a lengthy delay due to restrictions from both the U.S. and Chinese government.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang pointed to a fast-rising project called OpenClaw as a major step forward in how people interact with AI.

The Federal Reserve has little choice but to stay on the sidelines this week.

The Arizona charges are the first criminal charges to have been filed against Kalshi, though the company is embroiled in multiple lawsuits over its predictions platform.

Tesla is expanding ties with LG Energy Solution to include a $4.3 billion deal for U.S.-produced cells for energy storage systems from Michigan.

Every weekday, the Investing Club releases the Homestretch; an actionable afternoon update just in time for the last hour of trading.

Microsoft is doubling down on its superintelligence group to build models, while consolidating engineering efforts for its Copilot assistants.