US stocks chopped sideways into the close Tuesday as oil’s historic round‑trip kept nerves frayed, leaving the Dow and S&P 500 slightly lower while the Nasdaq clung to a fractional .01% gain and traders tried to game the next headline out of Iran and the White House.
Opening Take: Geopolitics, Oil And AI
The tape still traded like a geopolitical market in recovery mode, not one that has fully priced the end of the Iran war. President Trump’s repeated hints that the conflict could end “soon” helped oil extend its two‑day slide and took some pressure off risk assets, but the lingering question of how secure the Strait of Hormuz really is kept a lid on any broad‑based relief rally.
AI‑linked large caps again played the role of shock absorber, i.e. NVIDIA (NVDA, $184.77, +1.16%) allowing the Nasdaq to edge green even as the broader market softened, with investors rotating toward cash‑rich, data‑center‑exposed franchises and away from more levered cyclicals that are one oil spike away from a margin squeeze.
Energy: From Panic To Hangover
Oil was the main story again, only this time on the way down. After spiking roughly two‑thirds from pre‑war levels as U.S. and Israeli strikes hit Iranian assets and choked traffic through Hormuz, crude has now retreated below 90 dollars a barrel, leaving energy bulls with a geopolitical hangover and options traders nursing quickly decaying upside hedges.
Energy equities tracked the give‑back, with the Energy Select Sector SPDR (XLE, $55.60, -1.28%) underperforming as investors marked down war‑premium cash flows and questioned how sustainable recent earnings beats look if crude settles closer to the mid‑80s than the triple‑digit levels some banks had started to pencil in. At the same time, the speed of oil’s reversal — helped along by talk of G7 reserve releases and the possibility of easing constraints on other producers — is forcing macro desks to rethink just how persistent any inflation shock will be if supply keeps flowing despite the fighting.
Tech: AI As Default Shelter
If the old playbook said “hide in defensives,” today’s version is closer to “hide in AI‑plumbing.” Big tech and communication services names with heavy data‑center and cloud exposure stayed in demand as investors favored balance‑sheet strength, recurring revenues, and exposure to secular capex over more economically sensitive stories.
Oracle (ORCL, up +8.63% in the aftermarket) drew interest into its earnings setup as a key beneficiary of the AI database and cloud build‑out, while broader chatter around “safe haven” tech again centered on giants like Microsoft and IBM as investors look for ways to stay in the market without being fully hostage to oil or tariffs. Under the surface, options desks reported healthy demand for downside protection tied to smaller, more speculative AI names, a reminder that even within tech there is a sharp divide between perceived infrastructure winners and story‑rich, cash‑poor hopefuls.
Biotech: Idiosyncratic Moves In A Macro Tape
Biotech traded on its own news flow, with headlines reminding investors that clinical data and C‑suite changes can still matter more than crude for individual names. Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX, $499.17, +8.31%) extended gains after a late‑stage win in IgA nephropathy, reinforcing its pipeline‑execution narrative and giving fundamental investors something tangible to underwrite beyond the company’s dominant cystic fibrosis franchise.
On the flip side, BioNTech (BNTX) cratered after announcing that co‑founders Ugur Sahin and Özlem Türeci will step down to launch a new mRNA venture, rekindling questions about succession, platform value, and how much COVID‑era cash can be redeployed into a post‑pandemic pipeline. For allocators, the message was clear: in a market obsessed with oil and Iran, biotech (iShares Biotechnology ETF, IBB, $172.27, +.57%) is still delivering stock‑specific winners and losers that can move double digits on days when the major indexes barely budge.
What Today Signals
Today’s action keeps the market in a familiar holding pattern: oil and Iran define the left‑tail scenarios, AI‑linked megacaps underpin the right side of the distribution, and everything else trades in between, buffeted by each new headline. For now, the path of least resistance is a grudging grind punctuated by sharp intraday reversals — a backdrop that rewards selective risk‑taking in high‑conviction stories and punishes anyone assuming that one presidential comment is enough to declare the all‑clear on geopolitics.
VP Watchlist Updates
Below is an update‑style snapshot on the VP Watchlist names for the week, focused on recent catalysts, positioning, and narrative rather than precise price moves.
Hims & Hers Health, Inc. (NYSE: HIMS, $23.47, +5.91%)
Hims & Hers Health, Inc. (NYSE: HIMS) announced (March 9) a collaboration with Novo Nordisk as part of a new strategy for weight loss care treatments involving GLP-1s, evolving its US offering to match the company’s approach globally. In the US, the company now plans to provide GLP-1 customers with access to a broad assortment of FDA-approved medications and offer compounded semaglutide through the platform on a limited scale. By aligning its domestic and international models in weight loss, Hims & Hers will become the largest global consumer health platform for access to more affordable, approved medications.
Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals (EPRX, $8.02, +2.56%)
Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (“Eupraxia” or the “Company”), a clinical-stage biotechnology company leveraging its proprietary Diffusphere™ technology designed to optimize local, controlled drug delivery for applications with significant unmet need, recently announced the successful closing of its previously announced public offering (the “Offering”) of 7,607,145 common shares of the Company (the “Common Shares”), which includes the full exercise of the option to purchase additional shares granted to the underwriters, at a price to the public of US$7.00 per Common Share, and pre-funded warrants to purchase up to 1,428,571 Common Shares in lieu thereof (the “Pre-Funded Warrants”) at a price of US$6.99999 per Pre-Funded Warrant, which equals the public offering price per Common Share less the C$0.000001 per share exercise price of each Pre-Funded Warrant, for gross proceeds of approximately US$63.2 million, before deducting the underwriting commissions and estimated expenses incurred in connection with the Offering.“We are pleased to complete this financing, allowing us to significantly expand our pipeline, reach several additional development milestones with EP-104GI for eosinophilic esophagitis, and make meaningful progress towards commercial readiness,” said James Helliwell, CEO of Eupraxia. “We appreciate the support from both existing and new investors as we execute our mission and pursue the next phase of growth for Eupraxia.” Cantor and LifeSci Capital acted as joint book-running managers for the Offering. Bloom Burton and Craig-Hallum also acted as co-managers for the Offering. As previously stated, the Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering primarily for the continued advancement of EP-104GI for Eosinophilic Esophagitis, including the completion of ongoing preclinical studies, and Phase 2 clinical trials, preparations for a Phase 3 clinical trial including the related regulatory submissions, and manufacturing activities, and to undertake the necessary commercial/market development activities to prepare for the eventual product launch. The Company also intends to use a portion of the proceeds to accelerate and expand its plans to pursue clinical studies with EP-104GI in multiple additional gastrointestinal indications, including in esophageal strictures and fibrostenotic Crohn’s disease. A portion of the proceeds will be allocated to research and development of additional pipeline candidates, business development initiatives, and general corporate purposes, which may include but are not limited to employee salaries, working capital, leases for facilities, administrative expenses, and capital expenditures. The Company may also use a portion of the proceeds to expand its intellectual property portfolio and strengthen its corporate infrastructure to support future growth.
Modular Medical (MODD $.2148, +8.70%)
- Modular Medical recently priced a public offering of 68,098,000 shares of common stock (or pre-funded warrants) alongside warrants to buy an equivalent number of shares, targeting gross proceeds of about 12 million dollars before fees. The combined public offering price of roughly 17.62 cents per share and accompanying warrant comes at a premium to the prevailing market, a rare feat in a sector where financings often resemble clearance sales rather than premium shelf space.
- Earlier this month, the company began production of validation lots for its disposable cartridge and infusion set, keeping it on track for a planned commercial launch in the first quarter of 2026, contingent on FDA 510(k) clearance—an event path that positions upcoming regulatory decisions as key stock catalysts.
FIGS, Inc. (FIGS, $16.10, +4.07%)
- FIGS, the direct‑to‑consumer healthcare apparel brand, operates at the intersection of e‑commerce and specialty retail, with a loyal professional customer base and a growing product portfolio. While macro headwinds and digital‑ad volatility have pressured some consumer names, FIGS’ brand equity in the medical community and ongoing product innovation offer levers for renewed growth as conditions normalize.
- After the close (Feb. 26), FIGS released its fourth quarter and full year 2025 financial results and published a financial highlights presentation on its investor relations highlighting the following: Exceeded Top and Bottom Line Expectations, Grew Q4 2025 Net Revenues 33.0% to a Record $201.9 Million, Achieved Q4 2025 Net Income Margin of 9.2% and Adjusted EBITDA Margin of 13.2% & Plans Low Double-Digit Net Revenues Growth and Margin Expansion in FY 2026. FIGS shares have traded up to $13.74 in the aftermarket today.
GeoVax Labs (GOVX, $1.93, +3.21%)
- GeoVax announced (Feb. 24) the formation of its Oncology Advisory Board with the appointment of three internationally recognized leaders in immuno-oncology, translational medicine, and clinical development. This Advisory Board will play a central role in guiding the scientific, translational, and clinical advancement of GeoVax’s oncology program, focused primarily on Gedeptin(R), the company’s gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapeutic (GDEPT). GeoVax plans to conduct a Phase 2 trial with Gedeptin in the neoadjuvant setting, pairing it with an immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) in locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. In parallel, it will be evaluating combination Gedeptin + ICI strategies across additional solid tumor indications.
- GeoVax announced on Wednesday, Feb. 18 that it has entered into an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Emory University for intellectual property covering the use of Gedeptin(R) in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs).
- On February 17, GOVX issued a statement endorsing the urgent call to action articulated by Rosamund Lewis, MD (WHO Head, Poxviruses Programme) and colleagues in their recently published PLOS Medicine article, “The mpox epidemic is not over: Reducing disproportionate burden in Africa and persistent global risk require a sustained response.” (https://journals.plos.org/plosmedicine/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pmed.1004893&type=printable)
- Shares can gap sharply on any trial or regulatory update, positive or negative.
DoubleVerify (DV, $10.61)
- DoubleVerify, the leading software platform for digital media measurement, data and analytics, today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2025 and highlighted the following: Increased 2025 Revenue by 14% Year-over-Year to $748.3 Million, Driven by Global Growth in Social, CTV Measurement, and Programmatic Activation, Achieved 2025 Net Income of $50.7 Million and Adjusted EBITDA of $245.6 Million, representing a 33% Adjusted EBITDA margin, & $300 Million Authorized for Share Repurchases, the Largest Amount in DoubleVerify’s History.
The InterGroup Corporation (INTG, $37.51)
- InterGroup Corporation delivered (Feb. 17) a notably stronger quarter, highlighted by a 20% jump in total revenue to $17.3 million and a 27% surge in hotel revenue as renovated rooms returned to service and travel demand improved. The company swung from a prior-year net loss to $1.0 million in net income, with operating income more than doubling to $2.0 million, underscoring better cost control and improved operating efficiency. Management further enhanced liquidity and sharpened strategic focus by selling a non-core 12‑unit Los Angeles multifamily property, generating a meaningful gain and additional working capital while maintaining stable performance across its real estate portfolio.
Serina Therapeutics (SER, $1.62, +1.89%)
- Serina Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biotechnology company advancing drug candidates enabled by its proprietary POZ Platform™ drug optimization technology, announced (Feb. 19) that the first patient has been enrolled in the Company’s Phase 1b registrational trial evaluating. The Phase 1b registrational study is designed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and preliminary efficacy of SER-252 in patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease whose symptoms are inadequately controlled by current standard-of-care therapies. Serina remains on track to initiate dosing during the current quarter, consistent with previously disclosed guidance.
Volato Group, Inc. (SOAR, +16.97%) & M2i Global, Inc. (MTWO)
- Volato Group, Inc. today announced that it has entered into an amendment to its Aircraft Management Services Agreement with flyExclusive, Inc. (“FLYX”) providing for the sale of certain legacy intellectual property assets. The agreement provides for consideration valued at approximately $1.3 million, payable in FLYX Class A common stock, subject to customary conditions. The assets relate to legacy intellectual property developed during earlier stages of the Company’s technology initiatives and are not part of Volato’s current operating platforms. Volato continues to evaluate opportunities to streamline its asset base and focus resources on strategic priorities, including the continued development of its core software platforms and the pending business combination with M2i Global, Inc.
- Volato and M2i Global reaffirmed their goal of closing their business combination in the first quarter of 2026, citing steady advancement through SEC review and integration planning as they move toward a combined listing. The deal, originally announced in 2025, will effectively transition Volato from a pure‑play private aviation operator into a diversified platform spanning aviation technology and critical minerals, with M2i shareholders expected to own the majority of the combined entity. Operationally, the partnership is already visible: the two companies recently initiated their first shipment of titanium ore from Western Australia to the United States from Titanium X, underscoring how the critical‑minerals vertical could become a meaningful growth engine as domestic supply‑chain security rises in strategic importance.
- On Feb. 4, M2i Global,Inc.along with Volato Group, Inc. announced that Titanium X has initiated its first shipment of titanium ore from Western Australia to the U.S. under its collaboration agreement.
NVIDIA (NVDA, $184/77, +1.16%)
- Nvidia delivered strong fourth-quarter results recently, posting revenue of $68.1 billion, well above analyst expectations. Looking ahead, the company projects $7.8 billion in revenue for the first quarter of 2026, reflecting continued robust demand for its AI chips even amid broader market headwinds.
McDonald’s (MCD, $327.94)
- In the run-up to World Protein Day on 27th February, McDonald’s India (West & South), owned and operated by Westlife Foodworld, is celebrating Protein Week, reinforcing its leadership in nutrition-led innovation. Making protein more accessible, affordable and customizable, Indian consumers can use the McDonald’s app to explore these nutritious offerings and avail of protein burgers starting at just INR 69. Enhancing this convenience, consumers ordering via McDelivery can also enjoy free delivery on the Protein Plus meal range.
Nokia (NOK, $7.80)
- Nokia Corporation is attracting renewed investor interest after FMR LLC lifted its indirect stake above the 5% voting-rights threshold, a move disclosed under Finnish securities law. At the same time, its new role in Palo Alto Networks’ expanded AI and 5G security ecosystem reinforces Nokia’s position in safeguarding next-generation networks, a development that could support its standing in telecom and infrastructure markets.
- On March 2, Nokia (NOK) and TIM Brasil announced and are are quietly rewriting the script for Latin America’s telecom sector, rolling out an AI‑ready 5G network that targets nearly half of Brazil’s population while giving enterprises a front‑row seat to the AI industrial era. The expanded partnership takes what TIM started in São Paulo and extends it across 14 additional states, ultimately reaching regions that together represent roughly 42% of Brazil’s population. The upgraded network leans on Nokia’s latest AirScale portfolio, including energy‑efficient Habrok Massive MIMO radios, Remote Radio Heads and small cells designed to boost capacity, improve indoor coverage and cut power consumption at the same time. In practical terms, this is less about bragging rights on speed tests and more about building a platform for AI‑driven services: the architecture is being designed from the ground up to support 5G Advanced, 6G and AI‑native workloads at the edge, not just another round of radio swaps.
Opendoor (OPEN, $5.01)
- Opendoor Technologies, a leading e-commerce platform for residential real estate transactions, reported financial results for its fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2025. They highlighted the following: October 2025 acquisition cohort tracking as best-performing October in Company history; acquisitions increased 46% quarter-over-quarter while inventory days in possession reduced 23%.
- Opendoor continues to navigate a challenging housing backdrop characterized by still‑elevated mortgage rates and tight existing‑home inventories, which weigh on transaction volumes even as affordability slowly improves. The company’s focus on disciplined acquisition spreads, inventory turns, and ancillary services remains central to the investment debate as markets handicap the pace and magnitude of any 2026 housing recovery.
The Sources
- Yahoo Finance – “Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500 end lower, oil slides as Wall Street weighs Iran war signals”
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/live/stock-market-today-dow-sp-500-end-lower-oil-slides-as-wall-street-weighs-iran-war-signals-200022720.html[finance.yahoo] - Yahoo Finance – “Oil Prices Tumble After Trump Signals Iran War Could End Soon”
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/oil-prices-tumble-trump-signals-022636898.html[finance.yahoo] - Yahoo Finance – “Oil plunges 10% on Trump’s Iran comments, but the chaos could …”
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/oil-plunges-10-trumps-iran-022328794.html[finance.yahoo] - Yahoo Finance – “Oil Slides as Global Leaders Seen Acting to Blunt Supply Shock”
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/oil-slides-trump-seeks-ease-233049150.html[finance.yahoo] - Yahoo Finance – “Oil price shock slams stocks as war against Iran drags on”
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/oil-price-shock-slams-stocks-133024953.html[finance.yahoo] - Yahoo Finance – “Iran oil price shock scrambles Fed outlook, rate discussions”
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/iran-oil-price-shock-scrambles-fed-outlook-rate-discussions-183201187.html[finance.yahoo] - Yahoo Finance – “Oil Prices Have Skyrocketed 66% Since the Iran War Began — Is a Stock Market Crash Next?”
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/oil-prices-skyrocketed-66-since-015600187.html[finance.yahoo] - Yahoo Finance – “Oil jumps, stocks fall as Iran war threatens global economy”
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/oil-jumps-stocks-fall-iran-120457934.html[finance.yahoo] - Yahoo Finance – “Oil prices surge on Iran strikes: Here’s what to expect” (video)
https://finance.yahoo.com/video/oil-prices-surge-iran-strikes-153508648.html[finance.yahoo] - Yahoo Finance – “Oil prices: This would be a ‘fair target’ amid US–Iran tensions” (video)
https://finance.yahoo.com/video/oil-prices-fair-target-amid-173000986.html[finance.yahoo] - Yahoo Finance – “Oil prices fall 25% after soaring to 4-year highs as Trump says war is …”
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/oil-prices-fall-25-after-soaring-to-4-year-highs-as-trump-says-war-is-very-complete-224917378.html[finance.yahoo] - ABC News – “Calm returns to Wall Street as oil prices retreat below $90 per barrel”
https://abcnews.com/US/wireStory/calm-returns-wall-street-oil-prices-retreat-below-130923564[abcnews] - WAND / AP – “Calm returns to Wall Street and the oil market following Monday’s …”
https://www.wandtv.com/news/national/calm-returns-to-wall-street-as-oil-prices-retreat-below-90-per-barrel/article_eee750ac-42dc[wandtv] - Bloomberg via Yahoo Finance – “Option Frenzy From Oil to Corn Highlights Iran War Market Stress”
https://finance.yahoo.com/news/option-frenzy-oil-corn-highlights-140000647.html[finance.yahoo] - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – “U.S. stocks hold steadier as Wall Street waits for the next signal on …”
https://www.post-gazette.com/business/money/2026/03/10/stock-market-today-march-10-2026/stories/202603100045[post-gazette]
