March 25, 2026 – Wall Street Trades War Premium for Peace Hopes as Oil Finally Behaves -( $ASTS $EPRX $MCD $MODD $MTWO $NOK $NVDA $PL $RKLB $SER $TSLA Rise!)

U.S. stocks extended their relief rally on Wednesday, as Wall Street decided that a 15-point peace plan beats a $115 oil quote almost every time.

Indexes Rebound as War Premium Bleeds Out

Major indexes climbed after reports that Washington had sent Tehran a detailed 15‑point framework aimed at ending the Iran war, signaling a potential turn in one of the market’s biggest risk overhangs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced roughly a three hundred points (+.66%), the S&P 500 posted a solid +.54% gain, and the Nasdaq led the charge with a +.77% gain as traders rotated back into growth and cyclicals that had been punished by weeks of geopolitical stress. Futures had already pointed higher on the headlines, but the follow‑through into the cash session suggested the rally was more than just an algorithmic sugar high.

Oil Breaks Lower, Inflation Fears Take a Breather

Crude oil, the market’s recent main character, finally ceded the spotlight as prices fell sharply on de‑escalation hopes. West Texas Intermediate futures slid about 5%–6% toward the high‑$80s, while Brent retreated roughly the same magnitude to the mid‑$90s, shaving off a chunk of the “war premium” built up over the past month. For equity investors, cheaper crude is a two‑for‑one special: a little less pressure on corporate margins and a little less urgency for the Federal Reserve to lean hawkish if energy‑driven inflation stays contained.

Sector Winners: Tech, Industrials, and the “Peace Trade”

The day’s leadership board read like a checklist of assets that hate existential risk and love lower input costs.

• Technology: Mega‑cap tech and AI‑linked names bounced as volatility cooled and discount‑rate fears eased, helping drive the Nasdaq’s outperformance and restoring some of the swagger lost during the recent oil spike.
• Industrials and cyclicals: Machinery, transportation, and other global‑growth bellwethers attracted fresh bids as investors reassessed worst‑case scenarios for trade routes and energy supply.bloomberg+2
• Space and satellites: Speculation around a potential SpaceX IPO kept space‑adjacent names such as Rocket Lab, (RKLB, $72.88, +10.31%) Planet Labs (PL, $35.37, +11.12%), and AST SpaceMobile (ASTS, $96.06, +10.44%) in the green, adding a bit of sci‑fi gloss to the broader “risk back on” tone.

In short, anything that benefits from calmer credit conditions and a functioning global supply chain found buyers again.

Energy and Defense: From Front Row to Price Check

Even as benchmarks rallied, some of the prior week’s darlings looked a bit less invincible.

• Energy: Integrated majors and oil‑levered producers cooled as crude backed off its highs, though analysts cautioned that the underlying supply picture—Hormuz chokepoint, regional troop levels, and Iranian proxies—still argues for a healthy volatility premium.
• Defense and security: Defense contractors held up but lost some momentum, reflecting a subtle shift from “all‑gas, no‑brakes” rearmament trades toward a more nuanced read on how a negotiated endgame might affect spending trajectories.

For portfolio managers, the message was less “abandon the hedges” and more “reprice the tail risk,” as war scenarios moved from open‑ended escalation toward something that at least has a draft roadmap.

The Iran Peace Plan: Markets Trade the Draft, Not the Footnotes

The catalyst for the move was reporting that the U.S. has floated a 15‑point proposal to Iran, delivered via Pakistan, that addresses missile activity, nuclear constraints, and oil‑route security in and around the Strait of Hormuz. President Donald Trump, who earlier this week ordered a five‑day pause on strikes against Iranian infrastructure after what he called “productive” talks, has framed the effort as a path to a broader regional reset, even as Iranian officials publicly insist formal negotiations are not underway.

That split‑screen narrative—Washington promising progress, Tehran playing down talks—has not stopped markets from marking down the war premium in oil and marking up assets that had priced in a grinding conflict. As one could paraphrase the trading floor mood: if geopolitics insists on being messy, investors will still happily trade any hint of structure.

Mega‑Caps Regain Their Poise

In mega‑cap land, the tone swung back toward “default setting: up,” as investors revisited the logic that dominant balance sheets and structural growth stories tend to outlast episodic macro noise. Big Tech and platform names saw steady buying as index funds, systematic strategies, and old‑fashioned stock pickers all leaned into the same conclusion: a little less geopolitical risk plus a little less oil shock equals a slightly friendlier discount rate for long‑duration earnings.

Meanwhile, cash‑rich blue chips in healthcare, consumer, and communications benefited from a broad beta bid, even if they ceded the spotlight to higher‑octane growth and cyclicals. The market did not suddenly forget about valuations or policy risk, but it did decide that today was not the day to price the end of the world.

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.

Serina Therapeutics (NYSE: SER, $3.03, +24.69%)

Serina Therapeutics (NYSE: SER) (www.serinatx.com) seems to have have just traded itself into Wall Street’s good graces, pairing fresh capital with a late-session pop that suggests investors are finally starting to connect the dots between polymer chemistry and portfolio returns. In Huntsville, Alabama, Serina Therapeutics announced definitive agreements for a private placement of common stock and pre-funded warrants that could bring in up to 30 million dollars in gross proceeds. The first 15 million dollar tranche is expected to close on March 20, 2026, with a second tranche of up to 15 million dollars anticipated by April 30, 2026, subject to customary closing conditions.

What makes the deal stand out in a biotech tape crowded with discounts is the pricing: the securities are being sold at about 2.25 dollars per share, a roughly 68 percent premium to Serina’s March 17 closing price, signaling that insiders are willing to pay up for exposure to the company’s clinical agenda. The financing also adds board-level heft, with director Greg Bailey, M.D., stepping into a Co-Chairman role as he leads the investment, a move that effectively puts the capital and the governance on the same optimistic page. Learn more here.

AleAnna, Inc. (ANNA)

AleAnna, Inc. (ANNA, $6.97) just turned a dry technical milestone—its year‑end reserves report—into something closer to an Italian energy renaissance, with proved natural gas reserves jumping 47% after a year of active production. For investors hunting for credible growth stories in a world of energy-transition buzzwords, this is one of the rare cases where the molecules are actually catching up to the marketing. Learn more here.

Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals (EPRX, $7.08, +2.76%)

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, announced (March 17) positive symptom data from patients in the two highest dose cohorts from its ongoing Phase 1b/2a part of the RESOLVE trial evaluating EP-104GI for the treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis (“EoE”). “We are very pleased to see such a meaningful symptom response at 24 weeks in the highest dose of the Phase 1b/2a portion of the RESOLVE study,” said Dr. James A. Helliwell, Chief Executive Officer of Eupraxia. “We believe this type of response based on a single administration procedure would represent a compellingly different option for EoE patients. Importantly, the response that we are observing across cohorts 4-9 has increased as patients progress through the study through to week 24. We believe this demonstrates the importance of stable, continuous long-term local steroids in tamping down signs of inflammation quickly and acting on fibrosis in the longer term. Also, as previously reported, we continue to be encouraged by the safety profile that we have observed with EP-104GI. Currently, with 31 patients dosed in the Phase 1b/2a study, and over 220 months of follow up, there have been no reported serious adverse events.”

Modular Medical (MODD $.1872, +9.35%)

• 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.

GeoVax Labs (GOVX, $1.50)

• GeoVax’s (GOVX) latest update on its GEO-MVA program reads less like a small-cap press release and more like a biotech coming-of-age story, with Phase 3 now on the horizon and global health agencies finally circling the dance floor. For investors, the mpox/smallpox candidate is evolving from scientific footnote to potential revenue engine, backed by an accelerated European regulatory path and tangible manufacturing readiness. Learn more here.
• 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)

The InterGroup Corporation (INTG, $35.90)

• 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.

Volato Group, Inc. (SOAR, $.2758, +.80%) & M2i Global, Inc. (MTWO, +12.27%)

• Volato Group, Inc. announced (March 10) 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, $178.68, +1.99%) (NOK, $8.41, +1.94%)

• In an AI market obsessed with GPUs and stardust, Nokia (NOK) is quietly reminding investors that none of this magic moves without serious plumbing. While Nvidia (NVDA) prepares to headline its GTC 2026 “Woodstock of AI” showcase, the chip giant has already written a very real check to Nokia, committing a $1 billion investment to help rewire the world’s networks for 5G‑Advanced, 6G, and AI‑native workloads. The message is simple enough: GPUs may be the new rock stars, but networking is the stadium.
• 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.
• NVIDIA and Nebius Group N.V. (NASDAQ: NBIS) (March 11) announced a strategic partnership to develop and deploy the next generation of hyperscale cloud for the AI market, from AI natives to enterprises. NVIDIA will invest $2 billion in Nebius.

McDonald’s (MCD, $311.70, +1.25%)

• 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.

Opendoor (OPEN, $5.10)

• 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.

Tesla (TSLA, $385.95, +.76%)

Elon Musk’s latest Texas-sized ambition is to build his own AI chip empire, and this time the factory floor will sit right next to the robots, rockets, and robotaxis that plan to use it. The Terafab project, a new semiconductor venture linking Tesla (TSLA), SpaceX, and xAI in Austin, aims to churn out custom chips for AI, humanoid robots, and space systems at a scale that makes today’s GPU land rush look like a warm‑up act. Learn more here.

The Sources

Here’s a clean, numbered list of key sources with links you can reference or publish:

1. Yahoo Finance – “Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq jump amid hopes of US-Iran talks, oil falls below $100”
   https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/stock-market-today-dow-sp-500-nasdaq-jump-amid-hopes-of-us-iran-talks-oil-falls-below-100-1331finance.yahoo
2. Yahoo Finance – “The S&P 500 Rips 1% Higher On Hope For Iran Peace Negotiations and Oil Falls Below Critical $100 Barrel Line”
   https://finance.yahoo.com/markets/stocks/articles/p-500-rips-1-higher-134953148.htmlfinance.yahoo
3. Yahoo Finance / AP – “Stocks rise and oil prices ease as Wall Street keeps yo-yoing on hopes of U.S.-Iran talks”
   https://ca.finance.yahoo.com/news/oil-falls-more-5-asian-041850637.htmlfinance.yahoo
4. Investopedia – “Stock Market Today: Major Indexes End Higher, Oil Prices Slip After U.S. Sends Iran 15-Point Plan”
   https://www.investopedia.com/stock-market-today-dow-jones-s-and-p-500-03252026-11933887investopedia
5. BNN Bloomberg – “Markets today: Stocks, oil jump on hope of Iran war end”
   https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/markets/2026/03/25/stocks-jump-and-oil-eases-as-wall-streets-see-saw-swings-back-to-hope-for-an-end-bnnbloomberg
6. AP News – “Stocks and oil prices keep yo-yoing on uncertainty about Iran war and ceasefire talks”
   https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-trump-iran-oil-826e691e2fd93a63ac8ec8ed98924a17apnews
7. Yahoo Finance – “Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq slide as Iran war drags on, oil rebounds” (prior-day context)
   https://finance.yahoo.com/news/live/stock-market-today-dow-sp-500-nasdaq-slide-as-iran-war-drags-on-oil-rebounds-200113329.htmlfinance.yahoo
8. Bloomberg – “Stocks Rise, Oil Falls as Truce Prospects Weighed: Markets Wrap”
   https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-24/stock-market-today-dow-s-p-live-updatesbloomberg
9. YouTube – Bloomberg – “US Drafts Plan to End Iran War; Stocks Rise, Oil Slips”
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2id3qa9Vi4youtube
10. Seeking Alpha – “U.S. reportedly has a plan to end the Iran war”
    https://seekingalpha.com/news/4568250-u-s-reportedly-has-a-plan-to-end-iran-war-according-to-ny-timesseekingalpha