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Intel’s Quiet Comeback: How a Boring Old Chip Giant Crashed the AI Party -( $INTC $MS $SPY )

Intel (INTC) is trying very hard to make “old-school silicon” sound like the hottest asset class in town—and, judging from its latest press run, the company may be getting somewhere.

A Boardroom Tune-Up for the AI PC Era

Intel’s most recent headline move isn’t a chip launch but a chair shuffle: longtime board chair Frank D. Yeary is stepping aside after the annual meeting, with Dr. Craig H. Barratt set to slide into the role. For a company in mid–turnaround, that’s less palace intrigue and more pit-stop engineering—refresh the driver while the car is finally picking up speed.

Barratt’s election signals a board leaning deeper into technology and execution, not just balance-sheet guardianship. Investors who have spent the last few years treating Intel like a “could-have-been” story will note that governance is now quietly catching up with the technology narrative—and in chip land, quiet changes on the board often precede louder ones in the income statement.newsroom.

Conferences, Firesides and the Art of Being Seen

The second and third items on Intel’s latest press slate are decidedly less glamorous but no less telling: a string of announcements that the company will participate in upcoming investor conferences, including a fireside chat featuring the CFO at a Morgan Stanley (MS) event. These aren’t just calendar fillers; they are how a legacy incumbent resets its relationship with Wall Street after several years of under-delivery and over-explaining.newsroom.

When a CFO volunteers for multiple fireside chats, it usually means two things: the numbers are becoming more predictable, and the company believes it finally has a story worth repeating. For portfolio managers juggling dozens of AI narratives, consistent visibility is the corporate equivalent of dollar-cost averaging—show up often enough, and eventually the story starts to stick.

From CES to 18A: The Technology Story Underneath

Though not one of the very latest filings, Intel’s January CES 2026 release keeps echoing through the more recent communications: the launch of Intel Core Ultra Series 3, the first PC platform built on the company’s 18A process. This is the technical backbone that gives all those conferences and governance tweaks something concrete to stand on.newsroom.

Intel is touting Series 3 as its most broadly adopted AI PC platform, with improvements in power efficiency, graphics and on-device AI compute that aim squarely at both consumer laptops and edge devices. That means the sleek ultrabook on your desk and the robot at the end of a factory line may soon share more DNA than some tech investors’ portfolios.

Why These Releases Matter for Investors

Taken together—the board succession, the investor-conference roadshow and the drumbeat around 18A-powered AI PCs—Intel is stitching a familiar but newly credible arc: tighten governance, sharpen the narrative, and point repeatedly to a flagship technology that could justify the capex hangover. None of these items is a blockbuster by itself, but in aggregate they suggest a company that finally realizes Wall Street doesn’t just want guidance; it wants a believable trajectory.

For investors, the question is no longer whether Intel wants to be central to the AI era—it clearly does—but whether this cadence of governance upgrades, public visibility and process-node execution can hold through the inevitable macro and competitive crosswinds. If it can, these press releases may read, in hindsight, less like routine corporate housekeeping and more like the first chapters of a very late but surprisingly lively comeback.newsroom.

The Sources

  1. Intel Board Chair Frank D. Yeary to Retire Following Annual Meeting; Dr. Craig H. Barratt Elected as Chair – Intel Investor Relations
    https://www.intc.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1762/intel-board-chair-frank-d-yeary-to-retire-following-annual[intc]​
  2. Intel Board Chair Frank D. Yeary to Retire Following Annual Meeting; Dr. Craig H. Barratt Elected as Chair – Intel Newsroom
    https://newsroom.intel.com/corporate/intel-board-chair-frank-d-yeary-to-retire-following-annual-meeting-dr-craig-h-barratt-elect[newsroom.intel]​
  3. Intel Appoints Dr. Craig H. Barratt to Board of Directors – Intel Newsroom
    https://newsroom.intel.com/corporate/intel-appoints-dr-craig-h-barratt-to-board-of-directors[newsroom.intel]​
  4. CES 2026: Intel Core Ultra Series 3 Debut as First Built on Intel 18A – Intel Newsroom
    https://newsroom.intel.com/client-computing/ces-2026-intel-core-ultra-series-3-debut-first-built-on-intel-18a[newsroom.intel]​
  5. Intel Corporation to Participate in Upcoming Investor Conference (Morgan Stanley TMT fireside chat) – Intel Newsroom / Business Wire
    https://newsroom.intel.com/corporate/intel-to-participate-in-morgan-stanley-conference[newsroom.intel]​
  6. Intel Corporation to Participate in Upcoming Investor Conference – Business Wire / Nasdaq
    https://www.nasdaq.com/press-release/intel-corporation-participate-upcoming-investor-conference-2026-02-18[nasdaq]​
  7. Intel CFO David Zinsner Joins Morgan Stanley TMT Conference Fireside Chat at Revised Time – Sahm Capital
    https://www.sahmcapital.com/news/content/intel-cfo-david-zinsner-joins-morgan-stanley-tmt-conference-fireside-chat-at-revised-ti[sahmcapital]​
  8. Intel Debuts Core Ultra Series 3 on 18A at CES – TrendForce
    https://www.trendforce.com/news/2026/01/06/news-intel-debuts-core-ultra-series-3-on-18a-at-ces-highlights-igpu-gains-and-handhel[trendforce]​
  9. Intel Core Ultra Series 3 Debuts as First Built on Intel 18A – SemiWiki (syndicated press details)
    https://semiwiki.com/forum/threads/ces-2026-intel-core-ultra-series-3-debuts-as-first-built-on-intel-18a.24300/[semiwiki]​
  10. Intel Corporation to Participate in Upcoming Investor Conference – Investing News Network
    https://investingnews.com/intel-corporation-to-participate-in-upcoming-investor-conference/[investingnews]​

Actelis Catches the Green Light: Caltrans Deal Puts a Little Company in California’s Fast Lane -( $ASNS)

Actelis Networks (NASDAQ: ASNS) is hardly a household name, but in California’s latest highway overhaul, the quiet specialist in hybrid fiber-copper networking just got the green light in a big way. The company has landed an order from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to provide networking gear for a roughly $120 million modernization project in San Mateo County, plugging its technology straight into the digital nervous system of a key Peninsula corridor.

A Small Cap in a Big-Cap World

In a market obsessed with trillion‑dollar tech giants, Actelis sits at the opposite end of the food chain, operating where the work boots, not the hoodies, tend to congregate. The company generated just $7.8 million in revenue in 2024, yet its technology already underpins air traffic control, telecom, energy infrastructure, and municipal systems—places where failure is frowned upon and pilot projects don’t graduate unless they pass the real‑world stress test.

Recent order activity hints that Actelis’ gear is doing more than passing; it is expanding. Within weeks of 2026’s opening bell, the company announced new and follow‑on orders from a major U.S. telecom carrier, a California municipality, and a European natural gas operator, signaling not one‑off wins but the early cadence of repeat business. For a company of this scale, a handful of multi‑site deployments can be the difference between “interesting niche vendor” and “quiet compounder.”

Why Caltrans Picked Copper’s Second Act

Caltrans’ San Mateo project is part of an approximately $120 million initiative to modernize a state route, with upgrades to traffic signals and monitoring systems across a heavily traveled stretch of the San Francisco Peninsula. Instead of ripping up miles of roadway for new fiber, the agency is leaning on Actelis’ MetaLight platform—a hybrid fiber-copper solution that delivers fiber‑grade connectivity over existing copper infrastructure.

The compact Ethernet access devices can be installed in minutes, support “drop‑and‑continue” topologies, and provide secure, high‑speed links between traffic management centers and a sprawl of roadside devices such as cameras, signal controllers, and monitoring stations. In plain English: Caltrans gets AI‑ready, cyber‑hardened networking for its signals and sensors without turning the Peninsula into a trenching exhibit—at a fraction of the cost and time of a pure‑fiber build. For taxpayers, that is the infrastructure equivalent of ordering the tasting menu and discovering it costs less than the appetizer.

Riding the Smart Transportation Wave

Actelis’ Caltrans deal slots neatly into a broader trend that is doing something rare in government spending: growing on purpose. North America’s smart transportation market is projected to approach $90 billion by 2026 as agencies digitize roads, deploy connected sensors, and push more intelligence to the edge of the network. Actelis pitches itself as a beneficiary of that shift, arguing that its technology provides rapid, cyber‑secure, and cost‑efficient networking exactly where transportation agencies are feeling pressure: at the roadside, where AI‑enabled cameras, cloud‑connected controllers, and security requirements all collide.

The Caltrans order adds to wins in Orange County and Ventura County in California, deployments in Washington, D.C., and projects across other municipalities and transportation agencies, creating a map of dots that is beginning to look less like isolated wins and more like a pattern. Transportation authorities, from the nation’s capital to the West Coast, are increasingly choosing the hybrid fiber-copper approach to upgrade legacy infrastructure quickly, then push more intelligence over the same network as needs evolve.

From Positioning to Execution

Inside the company, 2026 is being described as the year when Actelis shifts from lining up opportunities to executing on them. In a January 2026 letter, CEO Tuvia Barlev framed the year ahead as a transition from “positioning to execution,” citing accelerating modernization programs across federal, military, state, and transportation agencies and a rising need for secure edge connectivity to support AI and cloud workloads. Management’s stated playbook is simple enough: convert initial deployments into repeat orders, expand within approved customer footprints, increase software’s role to improve margins, and deliver steadier execution even as large infrastructure deals continue to follow their own calendar.

The Caltrans order offers a neat illustration of that strategy in motion. It is not a moon‑shot contract; it is a targeted deployment inside a much larger, roughly $120 million program, where performance can be measured, audited, and, if successful, scaled. For agencies, it limits risk. For Actelis, it opens doors for follow‑on orders as traffic networks grow denser, AI workloads move closer to the roadway, and cybersecurity expectations keep climbing. In that sense, the San Mateo corridor is more than a commute route; it is a live‑fire proving ground.

Investors Watch the On‑Ramp

The public markets have already signaled that they are paying attention, even if not yet fully convinced. Actelis trades on Nasdaq under the ticker ASNS, with investors weighing its growing list of infrastructure wins against questions about scale, capital needs, and execution in regulated markets where procurement cycles can stretch longer than a typical bull market. The company has faced its share of challenges, including a Nasdaq hearing request in early 2026 to address listing requirements, underscoring that small‑cap infrastructure plays rarely enjoy straight‑line progress.

Yet the gap between Actelis’ recent booking trends and its modest revenue base is precisely what some investors find intriguing. Customer bookings in late 2025 nearly doubled sequentially, and the company completed an approximately $500,000 order for the Federal Aviation Administration while lining up new follow‑on deployments into 2026. If execution tightens and contracts like Caltrans evolve from single orders into multi‑phase rollouts, Actelis’ annual revenue could plausibly move closer to, or even beyond, its recent market value—a reversal that tends to command more attention on Wall Street than any highway sign.

For now, the story is straightforward: a small networking company has become a quiet enabler of a high‑profile highway modernization, using old copper lines to deliver new digital capabilities. Caltrans gets faster, smarter, and more secure traffic infrastructure; drivers get a better‑managed commute; and Actelis gets something every small‑cap CEO likes to see in the rearview mirror—momentum.

The Sources

  1. StockTitan – “$120M California highway overhaul adds cyber-safe, AI-ready traffic control”
    https://www.stocktitan.net/news/ASNS/actelis-networks-wins-order-for-caltrans-california-department-of-0d77tzcbuhn2.html[stocktitan]​
  2. Yahoo Finance – “Actelis Networks Wins Order for Caltrans, California Department of Transportation”
    https://finance.yahoo.com/news/actelis-networks-wins-order-caltrans-140000933.html[finance.yahoo]​
  3. Actelis Networks (company site) – “Actelis Networks Wins Order for Caltrans, California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Highway Modernization in San Mateo County”
    https://actelis.com/actelis-networks-wins-order-for-caltrans-highway-modernization-in-san-mateo-county/[actelis]​
  4. SwingTradeBot – “Actelis Networks Wins Order for Caltrans, California Department of Transportation”
    https://swingtradebot.com/news-articles/22518913-actelis-networks-wins-order-caltrans-california[swingtradebot]​
  5. Markets Insider – “Actelis Networks Wins Order for Caltrans, California Department of Transportation”
    https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/actelis-networks-wins-order-for-caltrans-california-department-of-transportation-[markets.businessinsider]​
  6. Reuters via TradingView – “Actelis Networks Wins Order For Caltrans, California Department Of Transportation”
    https://www.tradingview.com/news/reuters.com,2026:newsml_TUA615B5Y:0-actelis-networks-wins-order-for-caltrans-california-departm[tradingview]​
  7. StreetInsider – “Actelis Networks wins California highway modernization contract”
    https://www.streetinsider.com/Corporate+News/Actelis+Networks+wins+California+highway+modernization+contract/26088057.html[streetinsider]​
  8. Markets Insider – “Actelis Networks Appears to Be Gaining Momentum in 2026 as Infrastructure Orders Grow”
    https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/currencies/actelis-networks-appears-to-be-gaining-momentum-in-2026-as-infrastructure-or[markets.businessinsider]​
  9. Yahoo Finance – Actelis Networks, Inc. (ASNS) Quote Page
    https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/ASNS/[finance.yahoo]​
  10. CNBC – “ASNS: Actelis Networks Inc – Stock Price, Quote and News”
    https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/ASNS[cnbc]​
  11. Yahoo Finance – “Actelis Networks Receives Significant Expansion Order from Major …”
    https://finance.yahoo.com/news/actelis-networks-receives-significant-expansion-133000771.html[finance.yahoo]​

From Walled Gardens to Open Books: How DoubleVerify Makes Ad Tech Act Its Age-( $DV $SPY )

DoubleVerify (NYSE: DV) has spent the opening months of 2026 behaving less like an ad-tech vendor and more like a company intent on rewriting the operating manual for digital media trust.

Streaming TV Grows Up: DV’s CES Moment

At CES 2026, DoubleVerify rolled out DV Authentic Streaming TV, a new solution that wraps media quality, brand suitability and AI optimization into a single framework for connected TV and streaming inventory. The product taps program-level intelligence—think genre, maturity ratings, premiere dates, content trends and even viewer-approval scores—to help brands decide not just whether an ad ran, but whether it ran in the right context.

Under the hood, DV Authentic Streaming TV sits on the company’s Media AdVantage Platform, blending verification, AI-powered optimization and outcome measurement to turn what was once a black box of CTV impressions into a measurable performance channel. In an industry where nearly 70% of marketers say they can’t justify streaming investments without better transparency, DV is positioning its new tool as the answer to the CTV question that keeps CMOs up at night.

Earnings With an Algorithmic Tailwind

In its February 26 press release on fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 results, DoubleVerify reported continued growth in revenue and underscored the importance of AI-driven products across streaming, social and verification. Management paired that with a 2026 revenue growth target in the high single to low double digits, underlining confidence that the product roadmap—especially in CTV and social—is not just strategic window dressing but a core earnings driver.

Investors seemed to agree: following the results, DV shares moved sharply higher as the market digested the combination of solid execution, disciplined guidance and a pipeline of new AI-enhanced offerings. In a sector often punished for promising “AI” without a P&L to match, DoubleVerify is threading the needle by linking innovation explicitly to measurable campaign outcomes and revenue visibility.

Hitting the Investor Circuit

Barely a week after releasing earnings, DoubleVerify signaled it would keep the dialogue with Wall Street warm. On February 4, the company announced that CEO Mark Zagorski and CFO Nicola Allais will appear at the Citizens Technology Conference on March 3 and the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference on March 4. Both appearances will feature fireside chats, with live webcasts and archived replays available on the company’s investor relations site.e]​

Alongside those public sessions, DV plans one-on-one and small-group meetings with institutional investors, a clear cue that management is leaning into the role of “transparent counterparty” not only for buyers and sellers of ads, but for shareholders as well. For a company touting transparency as a product feature, an open Q&A on the tech-conference circuit is more than branding—it’s operational consistency.doubleverify+1

From Walled Gardens to Measured Gardens

DV’s recent releases build on a broader expansion across social and walled-garden platforms, where the company has layered its verification and measurement stack onto high-growth environments. In late 2025, DV extended its DV Authentic Attention product to TikTok as the first badged Marketing Partner for attention measurement using direct impression-level signals, giving advertisers metrics like Time In-View and engagement-based indices to fine-tune creative and spend. Around the same time, its 2025 Global Insights report on walled gardens highlighted how social platforms are reshaping advertising, commerce and news consumption, while brands push for transparency and addressability.

The common thread is a shift from simple viewability checks to a more nuanced model of media effectiveness—where attention, context and suitability work together to justify every dollar of digital spend. If advertising used to operate on the old “half my budget is wasted” joke, DV’s strategy suggests the new punchline is that the other half will be benchmarked, verified and optimized in real time.

An Ad-Tech Story With Adult Supervision

Taken together, the latest press releases paint a picture of a company trying to be the grown-up in a crowded, acronym-heavy corner of tech. Launching DV Authentic Streaming TV at CES addresses the most opaque corner of modern media, while the 2025 earnings print and 2026 growth target show there is real business behind the buzzwords. The upcoming investor conferences give management a prominent stage to reinforce that narrative and to translate AI, attention and verification into the traditional language of revenue, margin and returns on capital.

For search-savvy investors, marketers and analysts hunting for “DoubleVerify streaming TV,” “DV Authentic Attention,” “AI-powered ad verification” or “DoubleVerify 2025 earnings,” the story is increasingly consistent: this is a platform betting that transparency, measurement and media effectiveness can be both a competitive moat and a growth algorithm.

The Sources

  1. DoubleVerify Launches DV Authentic Streaming TV™ at CES 2026
    https://doubleverify.com/company/newsroom/doubleverify-launches-dv-authentic-streaming-tv-at-ces-2026[doubleverify]​
  2. DoubleVerify Launches DV Authentic Streaming TV™ at CES 2026 (Finance Yahoo syndication)
    https://finance.yahoo.com/news/doubleverify-launches-dv-authentic-streaming-140000745.html[finance.yahoo]​
  3. DoubleVerify to Participate in Upcoming Investor Conferences
    https://finance.yahoo.com/news/doubleverify-participate-upcoming-investor-conferences-210500833.html[finance.yahoo]​
  4. DoubleVerify to Participate in Upcoming Investor Conferences (alternate posting)
    https://longbridge.com/en/news/274867768[longbridge]​
  5. DoubleVerify Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial Results
    https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/02/26/3246093/0/en/DoubleVerify-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-and-Full-Year-2025-Financial-Results.html[globenewswire]​
  6. DoubleVerify Reports Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2025 Financial Results (IR site entry)
    https://ir.doubleverify.com/news-events/press-releases/press-releases-details/2026/DoubleVerify-Reports-Fourth-Quarter-and-Full-Year-2025-Financial-Results/default.aspx[ir.doubleverify]​

Genevant, Arbutus and Moderna: How a Once-in-a-Lifetime Pandemic Ended With a Once-in-a-Lifetime Check -( $MRNA $ABUS )

In the end, it was not a jury but a checkbook that settled one of biotech’s more closely watched intellectual-property dramas. Moderna will pay up to 2.25 billion dollars to Genevant Sciences and Arbutus Biopharma to resolve a global web of patent disputes over the lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery technology behind its COVID-19 vaccines, including Spikevax. For investors, the deal quietly rewrites the balance sheet of a small-cap hepatitis B specialist and its RNA-delivery affiliate—and offers a reminder that in biopharma, the most valuable molecules may be the ones you never see: the ones moving the cargo.

A Global Truce With a Global Price Tag

Under the settlement, Moderna agrees to a 2.25 billion dollar package that resolves all U.S. and international enforcement actions tied to its use of Genevant and Arbutus LNP patents in COVID-19 vaccines. Public disclosures indicate 950 million dollars will be paid upfront in July 2026, with an additional 1.3 billion dollars contingent on future events, placing the deal among the largest disclosed patent settlements in pharma history. In a sector where billion-dollar deals often buy pipelines or platforms, this one purchases peace—and a formal recognition that delivery technology was not just a footnote to the mRNA revolution.

From Courtroom Combat to Licensing Detente

The agreement does more than swap lawsuits for lump sums. Moderna receives a global non-exclusive license to use the LNP technology for infectious disease applications, along with a covenant not to sue covering specified Genevant/Arbutus patents and products. Moderna also acknowledges infringement and agrees not to challenge the validity of four key patents, a point the plaintiffs will likely frame as a legal—and reputational—win in a debate that has simmered since the height of the pandemic. The once-escalating enforcement campaign, which ranged from U.S. courts to international actions, is now replaced with something Wall Street tends to favor: predictable cash flows and fewer courtroom surprises.

The Quiet Power Behind mRNA’s Loud Success

For Genevant and Arbutus, the settlement is a validation campaign wrapped in legalese. Executives have long argued that Arbutus scientists “changed the drug development landscape” by inventing LNP delivery systems that enabled nucleic acids, including mRNA, to work as medicines rather than mere scientific curiosities. Genevant’s platform underpins the first and only approved systemic RNA-LNP product, patisiran, and has been studied across more than a dozen product candidates spanning vaccines, therapeutic protein production and gene editing. If mRNA was the headline act of the pandemic, LNP appears to be getting retroactive billing as the indispensable backstage crew—now with a substantial appearance fee.

Small-Cap, Big Check: What It Means for Arbutus and Roivant

The financial implications for Arbutus and its shareholder base are hard to ignore. Arbutus, a clinical-stage biotech focused on achieving a functional cure for chronic hepatitis B through assets like RNAi therapeutic imdusiran (AB-729) and oral PD-L1 inhibitor AB-101, now gains a sizeable external funding source just as its pipeline advances. Roivant, which co-founded Genevant and still highlights its LNP heritage alongside a portfolio that includes autoimmune and pulmonary programs, has already telegraphed plans to remain “capital efficient” with proceeds and has authorized an additional 500 million dollars in share repurchases. For investors used to thinking of LNP as enabling technology, the settlement reframes it as a free-standing asset class—one that can write its own dividend in the form of litigation-driven windfalls.

Beyond the Payout: IP, Incentives and the Next Wave of RNA

The Moderna deal also sends a message far beyond the parties involved. By affirming patent validity and converting contested IP into a licensed standard, the settlement may reduce uncertainty for future RNA and gene-editing developers who choose to build on established delivery platforms rather than reinvent them. It also reinforces a blunt incentive: in platform biotech, quietly curated IP estates can generate returns rivaling late-stage products, especially when global health emergencies move faster than licensing negotiations. For now, Genevant and Arbutus exit the courtroom with cash, credit and a newly clarified role in the RNA ecosystem—leaving investors to ponder an increasingly common biotech punchline: sometimes the real blockbuster is not the drug, but the envelope it came in.

The Sources


[1] Genevant Sciences and Arbutus Biopharma Announce $2.25 Billion … https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/genevant-sciences-arbutus-biopharma-announce-211500258.html
[2] Arbutus Biopharma (ABUS) and Genevant Reach $2.25 Billion Settle https://www.gurufocus.com/news/8674939/arbutus-biopharma-abus-and-genevant-reach-225-billion-settlement-with-moderna
[3] Genevant Sciences and Arbutus Biopharma Announce $2.25 https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/03/03/3248939/14025/en/Genevant-Sciences-and-Arbutus-Biopharma-Announce-2-25-Billion-Global-Settlement-With-Moderna.html
[4] Genevant Sciences and Arbutus Biopharma Announce $2.25 Billion … https://www.quiverquant.com/news/Genevant+Sciences+and+Arbutus+Biopharma+Announce+$2.25+Billion+Settlement+with+Moderna+Over+LNP+Technology+Patent+Infringement
[5] Genevant Sciences: Home https://www.genevant.com
[6] Roivant Announces Genevant Sciences’ and Arbutus https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/03/03/3248941/0/en/Roivant-Announces-Genevant-Sciences-and-Arbutus-Biopharma-s-2-25-Billion-Global-Settlement-With-Moderna.html
[7] Moderna to pay Genevant Sciences and Arbutus Biopharma up to … https://www.pharmalive.com/moderna-to-pay-genevant-sciences-and-arbutus-biopharma-up-to-2-25-billion-in-global-patent-settlement/
[8] Morrison Foerster Represented Arbutus in $2.25 Billion Global … https://www.mofo.com/resources/news/260303-arbutus-settlement-moderna
[9] Genevant Sciences and Arbutus Biopharma Initiate International … https://www.genevant.com/genevant-sciences-and-arbutus-biopharma-initiate-international-patent-infringement-enforcement-actions-against-moderna/
[10] Genevant inks development deal with BioNTech | BioPharma Dive https://www.biopharmadive.com/news/genevant-development-deal-biontech-roivant-rna-rare-disease/527444/
[11] [PDF] ARBUTUS BIOPHARMA CORP – OTC Markets https://www.otcmarkets.com/filing/conv_pdf?id=18917218&guid=n-3-ke0XjmwyvOh
[12] News – Genevant Sciences https://www.genevant.com/news/
[13] Arbutus and Roivant form Genevant Sciences – Lexpert https://www.lexpert.ca/big-deals/arbutus-and-roivant-form-genevant-sciences/351986
[14] Arbutus and Roivant Launch Genevant Sciences with … – SEC.gov https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1447028/000110465918023585/a18-9883_1ex7d05.htm
[15] Moderna Resolves Global Patent Litigation with Arbutus/Genevant https://www.palmbeachpost.com/press-release/story/154571/moderna-resolves-global-patent-litigation-with-arbutus-genevant/

From Wires to Wizards: How Nokia Is Teaching Networks to Code Themselves -( $GOOG $NOK $VOD )

Nokia’s (NOK) Network as Code platform is gaining global momentum, drawing major telecom giants into a collaborative ecosystem that promises to revolutionize programmable connectivity. With fresh partnerships and AI integrations, the Finnish telecom leader is scripting a narrative of innovation that’s as seamless as it is strategic.

Ecosystem Takes Flight

Nokia has welcomed heavyweights like Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone (VOD), Telefónica, Orange, Rakuten, Tata Communications, Globe, and TELUS into its Network as Code fold, pushing the partner tally beyond 75. This expansion, unveiled at MWC Barcelona, transforms labyrinthine telecom networks into developer-friendly APIs, much like turning a vintage telephone exchange into a sleek app store—efficient, accessible, and ripe for invention. Early adopters in banking, healthcare, and automotive are already crafting use cases that sidestep old-school hurdles like one-time passwords.

AI Agents Enter the Chat

Teaming with Google Cloud, Nokia is infusing agentic AI into the platform, enabling no-code workflows via Gemini models and protocols like Model Context Protocol. Imagine AI agents autonomously handling device management or fleet tracking, as if networks finally learned to read developers’ minds without needing a programmer’s séance. This fusion aligns with GSMA Open Gateway and CAMARA initiatives, accelerating secure, intent-based services for enterprises.

Real-World Wins Unfold

Deutsche Telekom powers Blocksport’s frictionless fan authentication, ditching OTPs for network-verified logins that keep sports enthusiasts in the game. Vodafone rolls out anti-fraud APIs across Europe for banking and e-commerce, while TELUS gears up for premium connectivity at major events like the World Cup. Tata Communications bolsters IoT in logistics with eSIM smarts, proving these APIs aren’t just talk—they’re delivering tangible traction.

Horizon of Programmable Promise

As Nokia’s platform matures since its 2023 launch, it’s unlocking monetization in antifraud, identity verification, and beyond, with demos lighting up MWC. Developers now enjoy standardized access across borders, fostering an era where networks don’t just connect—they anticipate and adapt with a wink of sophistication. This telecom renaissance positions Nokia at the vanguard of AI-driven connectivity.

The Sources

  1. Nokia expands Network as Code ecosystem, advances API-based agentic AI with Google Cloud (MWC26) – Nokia
    https://www.nokia.com/newsroom/nokia-expands-network-as-code-ecosystem-advances-api-based-agentic-ai-with-google-cloud-mwc26/
  2. Nokia Adds Vodafone, Telefonica, Other Telcos to Network-as-Code Platform – MarketScreener
    https://www.marketscreener.com/news/nokia-adds-vodafone-telefonica-other-telcos-to-network-as-code-platform-ce7e5cd2d98cff25
  3. Network as Code – Nokia
    https://www.nokia.com/programmable-networks/network-as-code/
  4. Network as Code for telecommunication providers – Nokia
    https://www.nokia.com/programmable-networks/network-as-code/telecommunication-providers/
  5. Network as Code: Home – Nokia
    https://networkascode.nokia.io
  6. From network APIs to network AI agents: Building the agentic future of connectivity with Google Cloud – Nokia
    https://www.nokia.com/blog/from-network-apis-to-network-ai-agents-building-the-agentic-future-of-connectivity-with-google-cloud/
  7. Nokia Expands Network as Code Ecosystem and Integrates Google Cloud Agentic AI – EuropaWire
    https://news.europawire.eu/nokia-expands-network-as-code-ecosystem-and-integrates-google-cloud-agentic-ai-to-transform-programmable-networks-into-intelligent-platforms-67890/eu-press-release/2026/03/02/
  8. Nokia Network as Code Google Cloud Integration – Intellectia
    https://intellectia.ai/news/stock/nokia-expands-network-as-code-initiative-with-google-cloud
  9. Google Cloud Announces Nokia Platform Integration at MWC – CX Today
    https://www.cxtoday.com/crm/nokia-network-as-code-google-cloud-integration/
  10. Telefónica and Nokia collaborate to accelerate network API adoption with agentic AI – TelecomTV
    https://www.telecomtv.com/content/apis/telef-nica-and-nokia-collaborate-to-accelerate-network-api-adoption-with-agentic-ai-54816/

Missiles and Microchips: Why Mobix Labs Just Became Wall Street’s New Crush -( $MOBX )

Mobix Labs (NASDAQ, MOBX) has quietly slipped a critical piece of technology into one of the U.S. Navy’s most visible weapons systems—and investors just noticed. A fresh production order tied to the Tomahawk cruise missile program has turned this fabless RF specialist into an unlikely protagonist in the defense-tech rally of early 2026.

A Small Filter in a Big Missile

At the heart of the news is a “high‑reliability filtering component” tucked inside the Tomahawk’s electronics, where it works as a sort of bouncer for stray signals. The part is engineered to mitigate electromagnetic interference, helping keep the missile’s sensitive onboard systems calm, coherent, and correctly pointed even in the kind of harsh conditions that make lesser circuits lose their composure.

The Navy’s latest production purchase order reflects increased procurement as Tomahawk manufacturing ramps, effectively scaling demand for the filter in lockstep with missile output. Because Mobix Labs is already fully qualified, integrated, and in the bill of materials, every incremental missile rolling off the line quietly pulls a Mobix component along for the ride.

From Niche RF Shop to Defense Platform Insider

Mobix Labs styles itself as a fabless semiconductor and connectivity company, focused on advanced wireless and wired connectivity, RF and millimeter‑wave solutions, and electromagnetic interference filtering. Historically, that has meant selling components and systems into a mix of defense, aerospace, industrial, medical, and 5G markets—a respectable but relatively low‑profile existence in the semiconductor ecosystem.

Defense, however, tends to reward persistence and qualification more than headline wattage, and Mobix has become an established supplier across several U.S. military platforms. The Tomahawk contract deepens that role by tying the company to an active U.S. strike system with meaningful production tempo, where component suppliers can see volumes rise not by marketing campaigns, but by procurement schedules.

The Market Reacts: A Missile‑Powered Melt‑Up

Wall Street, never one to ignore a good defense story in a jittery macro, responded with the subtlety of a launch sequence. Shares of Mobix Labs surged triple digits after the announcement, as traders repriced a business that had suddenly gone from “RF niche” to “embedded in a frontline missile program.” The stock, listed on the Nasdaq under the ticker MOBX, had previously traded with modest volume and mixed fundamentals, but the Navy order jolted both liquidity and attention.

The logic is straightforward: when production accelerates on an active defense platform and your part is already qualified, each new contract can scale like an annuity with boosters. In a market hungry for tangible growth narratives, a live missile line with rising procurement beats another hypothetical slide deck on “total addressable market” any day.

Beyond Tomahawk: Building a Broader Flight Path

The Tomahawk order is not a one‑off headline so much as a proof point in Mobix Labs’ broader push into defense, aerospace, and high‑reliability connectivity. Alongside missile components, the company’s portfolio spans mmWave 5G communications, RF integrated circuits, active optical cables, and EMI‑filtered interconnects aimed at customers who tend to care deeply about performance and not at all about buzzwords.

Recent FAA certification for the company’s drone‑based airborne sensing platform underscores that the same RF and interference‑management know‑how can travel from cruise missiles to critical‑infrastructure inspection at much lower altitudes—and friendlier use cases. For investors, the emerging thesis is that Mobix’s edge is less about any single product and more about a design‑in strategy across systems where failure is not an option, and where being quietly indispensable can be the loudest catalyst of all.

The Sources

  1. Yahoo Finance – Mobix Labs: U.S. Navy Tomahawk Missile Component Demand Rises
    https://finance.yahoo.com/news/mobix-labs-u-navy-tomahawk-144000119.html[finance.yahoo]​
  2. Business Wire – Mobix Labs: U.S. Navy Tomahawk Missile Component Demand Rises
    https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303906147/en/Mobix-Labs-U.S.-Navy-Tomahawk-Missile-Component-Demand-Rises[businesswire]​
  3. Business Wire (via Yahoo Finance) – Mobix Labs Secures Significant U.S. Navy Tomahawk Missile Component Order as Production Accelerates
    https://finance.yahoo.com/news/mobix-labs-secures-significant-u-123000531.html[finance.yahoo]​
  4. Nasdaq – Mobix Labs Secures U.S. Navy Tomahawk Missile Component Order, Stock Soars
    https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/mobix-labs-secures-us-navy-tomahawk-missile-component-order-stock-soars[nasdaq]​
  5. Investing.com – Mobix Labs Stock Soars 250% on Navy Missile Order
    https://www.investing.com/news/stock-market-news/mobix-labs-stock-soars-250-on-navy-missile-order-93CH-4538578[investing]​
  6. Investing.com – Mobix Labs Receives Production Order for Tomahawk Missile Parts
    https://uk.investing.com/news/company-news/mobix-labs-receives-production-order-for-tomahawk-missile-parts-93CH-4537106[uk.investing]​
  7. StockTitan – Mobix Labs: The Tiny Part Shielding Electronics in U.S. Navy Tomahawk Missiles
    https://www.stocktitan.net/news/MOBX/mobix-labs-secures-significant-u-s-navy-tomahawk-missile-component-3qw8pmt3qky7.html[stocktitan]​
  8. Business Wire (syndicated) – Mobix Labs Secures Significant U.S. Navy Tomahawk Missile Component Order
    https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260303370631/en/Mobix-Labs-Secures-Significant-U.S.-Navy-Tomahawk-Missile-Component-Order[businesswire]​
  9. Morningstar (syndicated Business Wire release) – Mobix Labs Secures Significant U.S. Navy Tomahawk Missile Component Order
    https://www.morningstar.com/news/business-wire/20260303370631/mobix-labs-secures-significant-us-navy-tomahawk-missile-component-order[morningstar]​
  10. TipRanks / The Fly – Mobix Labs Gets Production Purchase Order for Tomahawk Cruise Missile Components
    https://www.tipranks.com/news/the-fly/mobix-labs-gets-production-purchase-order-for-tomahawk-cruise-missile-components-thefly-ne[tipranks]​

March 3, 2026 – Oil Shock and War Fears Rattle Wall Street: Major Indexes Slide Despite Late Comeback -( $ASTS $GOVX $KTB $INTA $INTM $MOBX $MODD $SOAR Rise!)

US stocks fell sharply Tuesday but closed well off their intraday lows as investors weighed an escalating war in Iran, a spike in oil, and the risk of stickier inflation. The Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all finished lower for a second straight session after recovering from losses that at one point exceeded 1,000 points on the blue-chip index.

Index performance

Major averages staged a notable intraday comeback but still ended solidly in the red.

  • Dow Jones Industrial Average: closed down roughly 0.83%, or about 400 points, after earlier tumbling more than 1,200 points.
  • S&P 500: finished lower by about 0.94%, after being down more than 2% at the lows.
  • Nasdaq Composite: declined around 1.02%, leading the downside as growth and tech names remained under pressure.

Breadth was weak, with decliners far outpacing gainers, and risk appetite stayed subdued despite the late-session stabilization.

Geopolitics, oil, and inflation

The session was dominated by headlines out of the Middle East as U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian targets continued and Tehran expanded attacks on energy infrastructure and shipping in the region. Nearly halted tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and strikes on facilities across multiple countries fueled a sharp move higher in crude and refined products.

Brent crude briefly traded above the mid‑80s before settling around the low‑80s, up roughly 5% on the day, while U.S. benchmarks gained in the high‑single‑digit percentage range. Heating oil, gasoline, and natural gas futures also jumped, reinforcing worries that higher energy costs could re‑ignite inflation just as the Federal Reserve was expected to move toward rate cuts.

Rates, safe havens, and sentiment

Rising oil and war uncertainty pushed investors into classic safe havens, lifting the dollar while pressuring risk assets. Gold futures 3.70% as the dollar index advanced..

U.S. Treasury yields rose earlier as traders priced in the inflationary impact of oil, with the 10‑year note yield moving above 4% before easing back to just over 4.05% into the close. This back‑and‑forth in yields mirrored shifting expectations around how much the conflict could complicate the Fed’s path and delay any pivot to easier policy.

Sector and stock movers

Energy shares outperformed as investors rotated toward perceived winners from higher crude prices, while economically sensitive and rate‑sensitive pockets lagged.

  • Energy: Oil and gas producers, refiners, and services names benefited from the spike in crude and product prices
  • Cyclicals and small caps: Industrials, materials, and smaller domestically focused companies underperformed amid fears of slower growth and higher input costs
  • Tech and growth: High‑multiple tech and communication stocks saw outsized selling as investors de‑risked and reassessed valuations in a higher‑for‑longer inflation scenario
  • Kontoor Brands (KTB), Ingram Micro (INGM), Intapp (INTA), and several growth and cyclicals posted outsized gains on Tuesday, standing out against a risk‑off tape driven by Iran war concerns. The common thread across most of these movers was either fresh guidance, earnings momentum, or direct leverage to themes like defense, energy, and productivity software.
  • AST SpaceMobile (ASTS, $92.68, +6.63%) reported its first full year of meaningful revenue in 2025, delivering approximately 70.9 million dollars, at the high end of its guidance range. That top line is driven largely by two engines: mobile network operator (MNO) partners and the U.S. Government, a pairing that would make most telecom CFOs nod approvingly.Product revenue has begun to scale as AST SpaceMobile shipped 15 gateway sites across five continents, effectively seeding the ground segment for its space‑based cellular network. On the services side, multiple U.S. Government contracts are already producing revenue as agencies test specialized use cases for the company’s direct‑to‑device architecture.

Even with some late‑day bargain hunting, the tone across sectors reflected a classic risk‑off posture centered on war, oil, and inflation rather than company‑specific news.

Big picture

The market’s ability to retrace a large portion of its early plunge suggests investors are not yet pricing in a worst‑case scenario, but volatility around geopolitical headlines remains elevated. With the Iran conflict threatening key energy infrastructure and shipping lanes, traders are increasingly focused on whether a sustained oil shock could derail disinflation progress and force the Fed to stay restrictive longer than anticipated.finance.

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.

Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals (EPRX, $8.02)

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 $.168, +7.01%)

FIGS, Inc. (FIGS, $16.96)

  • 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, $1.57, +.64%)

DoubleVerify (DV, $10.16)

  • 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, $31.32)

  • 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, $1.77)

  • 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, $3386, +7.12%) & M2i Global, Inc. (MTWO)

  • 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, $180.05)

  • 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, $332.17)

  • Options data around the February 2026 expiries highlight active positioning near the 300–305 strike range, consistent with expectations for steady but not explosive upside from here.
  • 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, $8.07)

Opendoor (OPEN, $4.97)

Mobix Labs (MOBX, $1.12, +532.77%)

Mobix Labs, Inc. (Nasdaq: MOBX) today issued a brief update following its earlier announcement of a production purchase order supporting the U.S. Navy’s Tomahawk cruise missile program, emphasizing that the order reflects increased procurement associated with ongoing missile production. The order supports near-term manufacturing schedules and increased volumes of Mobix Labs’ high-reliability filtering component—an already-qualified, mission-essential part integrated into the established defense production supply chain. Mobix Labs continues to support multiple active U.S. military platforms and remains focused on disciplined execution across defense and aerospace programs requiring production-ready, high-reliability components.

The Sources

  1. Yahoo Finance – “Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq slide as oil rises amid war worries”
    https://finance.yahoo.com/news/live/stock-market-today-dow-sp-500-and-nasdaq-slide-as-oil-rises-amid-war-worries-193537739.html[finance.yahoo]​
  2. Yahoo Finance – “Stocks set to slide as investors focus on the Iran war’s impact on oil”
    https://finance.yahoo.com/news/stocks-set-slide-investors-focus-133245686.html[finance.yahoo]​
  3. Yahoo Finance – “Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq trim losses but end sharply lower as Wall Street assesses Iran war worries”
    https://nz.finance.yahoo.com/news/stock-market-today-dow-sp-500-nasdaq-futures-sink-as-iran-conflict-escalates-235309346.html[nz.finance.yahoo]​
  4. CNBC – “Stock market news for March 3, 2026”
    https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/02/stock-market-today-live-updates.html[perplexity]​
  5. Wall Street Journal – “Stock Market Today: Dow Pares Early Decline, Oil Climb Moderates”
    https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-dow-sp-500-nasdaq-03-03-2026[wsj]​
  6. Barron’s – “Dow Dives as Iran Attacks Spread”
    https://www.barrons.com/livecoverage/stock-market-news-today-030326[barrons]​
  7. Reuters – “US stocks pull back as Iran war concerns deepen”
    https://www.reuters.com/business/us-stocks-sell-off-iran-war-concerns-deepen-2026-03-03/[reuters]​
  8. CNN Business – “Stocks sink as Wall Street fears a prolonged war with Iran”
    https://www.cnn.com/2026/03/03/investing/us-stocks-iran[cnn]​
  9. MarketWatch – “Stock Market Today: Dow down 250 points, S&P 500 and Nasdaq …”
    https://www.marketwatch.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-dow-sp500-nasadq-lower-oil-up-iran-war-korea-dives[marketwatch]​
  10. TradingView – “Why Kontoor Brands (KTB) Stock Is Up Today”
    https://www.tradingview.com/news/stockstory:713d34832094b:0-why-kontoor-brands-ktb-stock-is-up-today/[tradingview]​
  11. Yahoo Finance – “Why Kontoor Brands (KTB) Stock Is Up Today”
    https://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-kontoor-brands-ktb-stock-190742683.html[finance.yahoo]​
  12. Yahoo Finance – “Why Kontoor Brands Stock Popped Today”
    https://finance.yahoo.com/news/why-kontoor-brands-stock-popped-183331690.html[finance.yahoo]​
  13. MarketBeat – “Kontoor Brands (NYSE:KTB) Shares Gap Up on Better-Than-Expected Earnings”
    https://www.marketbeat.com/instant-alerts/kontoor-brands-nysektb-shares-gap-up-on-better-than-expected-earnings-2026-03-03/[marketbeat]​
  14. StockTitan – “Kontoor Brands (NYSE: KTB) boosts 2026 outlook after Helly …”
    https://www.stocktitan.net/sec-filings/KTB/8-k-kontoor-brands-inc-reports-material-event-53767053bfbb.html[stocktitan]​
  15. MarketBeat – “Ingram Micro (NYSE:INGM) Issues Q1 2026 Earnings Guidance”
    https://www.marketbeat.com/instant-alerts/ingram-micro-nyseingm-issues-q1-2026-earnings-guidance-2026-03-03/[marketbeat]​
  16. GuruFocus – “Ingram Micro (INGM) Sees Significant 17.1% Share Price Increase”
    https://www.gurufocus.com/news/8674227/ingram-micro-ingm-sees-significant-171-share-price-increase[gurufocus]​
  17. MarketBeat – “Intapp (NASDAQ:INTA) Trading 5% Higher – Still a Buy?”
    https://www.marketbeat.com/instant-alerts/intapp-nasdaqinta-trading-5-higher-still-a-buy-2026-03-03/[marketbeat]​
  18. MarketBeat – “Intapp (NASDAQ:INTA) Cut to ‘Buy’ at Wall Street Zen”
    https://www.marketbeat.com/instant-alerts/intapp-nasdaqinta-cut-to-buy-at-wall-street-zen-2026-03-02/[marketbeat]​
  19. Tickeron – “Why Did AeroVironment, Inc. (AVAV) Stock Move Up +16.83% Today?”
    https://tickeron.com/blogs/why-did-aerovironment-inc-avav-stock-move-up-16-83-today-11802/[tickeron]​
  20. Investing.com – “Tidewater March 2026 slides: dominant OSV position after Q4 beat”
    https://ng.investing.com/news/company-news/tidewater-march-2026-slides-dominant-osv-position-after-q4-beat-93CH-2371807[ng.investing]​

Modular Medical’s $12 Million Shot in the Arm: Can a Tiny Pump Make a Big Splash in Diabetes Care? -( $MODD $MDT $PODD $TNDM )

Modular Medical’s (NASDAQ: MODD) latest capital raise seems to read less like a distress flare and more like a carefully aimed flare gun over the diabetes device market, signaling that the small-cap insurgent still plans to play big-league offense in insulin delivery technology.

A Premium-Priced Lifeline

Modular Medical has 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.

The warrants carry an exercise price of about 17.62 cents, are immediately exercisable, and run for five years, giving investors a long runway to see whether Modular’s strategy delivers more than just incremental dilution. Closing is expected on or about March 4, 2026, subject to customary conditions, suggesting that the company’s near-term funding overhang may be resolved in days rather than months.

Betting On “Almost‑Pumpers”

Behind the financing is a focused thesis: Modular wants to bring insulin pump-style control to the vast cohort of adults living with diabetes who have not yet adopted traditional pumps—the so‑called “almost‑pumpers.” The company’s first-generation MODD1 patch pump has already secured FDA clearance and is designed to be simple, affordable, and far less intimidating than many legacy systems, particularly for patients who are not self-styled biohackers.

The larger growth story, however, centers on Modular’s second‑generation Pivot platform, a tubeless, three‑milliliter patch pump aimed squarely at expanding the wearable diabetes technology market beyond current superusers. On Feb. 4, , Modular announced the start of production of validation lots for its Pivot™ tubeless patch pump’s disposable cartridge and infusion set. Achievement of this critical manufacturing milestone keeps the Company on schedule for commercial launch in Q1 2026, subject to receipt of FDA 510(k) clearance. The Company believes the achievement of this milestone significantly reduces execution risk for its commercial strategy, enhancing scalability and reliability ahead of launch. With a differentiated, patient-centric product in a high-growth market, the Company believes it is well-positioned for upside as FDA review progresses and awareness builds. For more information on the Pivot system, visit the dedicated site: PivotPump.com. The Pivot Insulin Delivery System is not currently cleared for sale by the FDA.

From Credit Lines To Capital Markets

The latest raise also comes on the heels of a smaller but telling vote of confidence from inside the building: a 350,000 dollar secured revolving credit facility extended by Modular’s own chief executive officer, Jeb Besser, at a 12 percent interest rate, backed by substantially all of the company’s assets and intellectual property. For investors who worry when lenders demand hard collateral, it may be some comfort that in this case, the lender is the same person tasked with increasing the long‑term value of that collateral.

That insider-backed facility provided short-term liquidity while the company prepared its larger, registered offering to fund the next phase of its pipeline and commercialization efforts. Together, the CEO credit line and the public offering underscore a dual-track strategy: keep the lights on without drama, while attempting to scale a technology platform aimed at a multibillion‑dollar market that has historically skewed toward higher-complexity, higher-cost solutions.

A Small-Cap With Big‑Cap Ambitions

Modular remains a development‑stage medical device name, operating at a market capitalization that still ranks it closer to a rounding error on a large-cap balance sheet than a household ticker. Yet the company is targeting an estimated 3 billion dollar addressable market in adult “almost‑pumpers,” a segment that could grow as more patients and clinicians seek simpler on‑ramps to technology‑enabled diabetes management.

Proceeds from the offering are earmarked for working capital, general corporate purposes, and advancing the Pivot insulin delivery system toward regulatory clearance and eventual commercial launch. For investors, the key question is whether today’s dilution buys enough time—and clinical progress—to transform what is currently a niche, early‑stage story into a durable player in the broader diabetes technology landscape.

Why Modular Matters

Against this backdrop of feature‑rich incumbents, i.e. Medtronic (MDT), Insulet (PODD), and Tandem Diabetes Care (TNDM), Modular’s thesis is refreshingly narrow: build a simpler, more approachable patch‑pump experience for the “almost‑pumpers” who find today’s ecosystems either too complex, too costly, or both. If the big three are racing to perfect fully automated digital companions, Modular is effectively asking a different question—how many more patients would come on board if the on‑ramp looked a lot less like programming a cockpit and more like putting on a Band‑Aid. Many are now wondering, if and when, one of these big three or one of other players in the insulin pump space might come knocking on Modular’s door to see if they could add them to their line up and effectively go after the ~3 billion dollar addressable market in adult “almost‑pumpers”.

Risk Disclosures, With A Wink

Like any good small‑cap medical device prospectus, Modular’s press materials arrive with a familiar coda of forward‑looking statements, reminding readers that actual results may differ materially from plans sketched out in March. The risk roster includes the usual suspects: the timing and completion of the offering, the expected gross proceeds, regulatory outcomes for Pivot, and the company’s ability to execute on commercialization in a competitive and fast‑moving field.

For now, though, Modular Medical (NASDAQ: MODD) has done something many micro‑caps struggle to pull off: it has convinced investors to pay a premium to current trading levels for a shot at a simpler, more accessible form of insulin delivery. In a market that often discounts small‑cap med‑tech ambition long before it rewards it, that alone may qualify as a noteworthy signal that Wall Street is still willing to make selective bets on diabetes innovation—provided the price, like the pump, is designed to be user‑friendly.

The Sources

  1. Modular Medical Announces $12.0 Million Public Offering Priced at-the-Market Under Nasdaq Rules – Yahoo Finance
    https://finance.yahoo.com/news/modular-medical-announces-12-0-142700002.html[finance.yahoo]​
  2. Modular Medical Announces $12.0 Million Public Offering Priced at-the-Market Under Nasdaq Rules – Access Newswire
    https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/modular-medical-announces-12.0-million-public-offering-priced-at-the-market-under-nasdaq-rules[accessnewswire]​
  3. Modular Medical prices $12M stock, warrant sale – StockTitan
    https://www.stocktitan.net/news/MODD/modular-medical-announces-12-0-million-public-offering-priced-at-a-94hlmxlvuulh.html[stocktitan]​
  4. Modular Medical prices $12M public offering at $0.1762 per share – Investing.com
    https://www.investing.com/news/company-news/modular-medical-prices-12m-public-offering-at-01762-per-share-93CH-4538204[investing]​
  5. Modular Medical (MODD) Announces Public Offering Pricing Details – GuruFocus
    https://www.gurufocus.com/news/8673587/modular-medical-modd-announces-public-offering-pricing-details[gurufocus]​
  6. Modular Medical prices 68.1M shares at 17.62c in public offering – TipRanks/TheFly
    https://www.tipranks.com/news/the-fly/modular-medical-prices-68-1m-shares-at-17-62c-in-public-offering-thefly-news[tipranks]​
  7. Modular Medical Receives IRB Approval for Pivot Insulin Delivery System Feasibility Study – BioSpace
    https://www.biospace.com/press-releases/modular-medical-receives-irb-approval-for-pivot-insulin-delivery-system-feasibility-study[biospace]​
  8. MODD – Modular Medical Inc Latest Stock News & Market Updates – StockTitan
    https://www.stocktitan.net/news/MODD/[stocktitan]​
  9. About – Modular Medical
    https://www.modularmedical.com/about[modularmedical]​
  10. Modular Medical establishes $350,000 credit facility with CEO as lender – Investing.com
    https://www.investing.com/news/sec-filings/modular-medical-establishes-350000-credit-facility-with-ceo-as-lender-93CH-4521520[investing]​
  11. Modular Medical adds $350,000 CEO credit facility – SEC Filing via StockTitan
    https://www.stocktitan.net/sec-filings/MODD/8-k-modular-medical-inc-reports-material-event-830c46155887.html[stocktitan]​
  12. Modular Medical S-1 for $12M stock and warrants – SEC Filing via StockTitan
    https://www.stocktitan.net/sec-filings/MODD/s-1-modular-medical-inc-files-ipo-registration-statement-4349d3986721.html[stocktitan]​
  13. Modular Medical, Inc. Common Stock (MODD) – Nasdaq Press Releases
    https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/stocks/modd/press-releases[nasdaq]​
  14. Modular Medical: MODD Stock Price Quote & News – Robinhood
    https://robinhood.com/us/en/stocks/MODD/[robinhood]​
  15. Buy Modular Medical Stock – MODD Stock Quote Today – Public.com
    https://public.com/stocks/modd[public]​

Cell Towers in Space: Why AST SpaceMobile Wants Your Phone to Roam the Galaxy-( $ASTS $T $VOD $VZ )

AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) is turning its long‑promised “cell tower in space” vision into a real, revenue‑generating business, and investors are finally getting numbers big enough to circle on a calendar instead of sketch on a napkin.

AST SpaceMobile’s First Big Leap: Revenue Arrives

AST SpaceMobile reported its first full year of meaningful revenue in 2025, delivering approximately 70.9 million dollars, at the high end of its guidance range. That top line is driven largely by two engines: mobile network operator (MNO) partners and the U.S. Government, a pairing that would make most telecom CFOs nod approvingly.

Product revenue has begun to scale as AST SpaceMobile shipped 15 gateway sites across five continents, effectively seeding the ground segment for its space‑based cellular network. On the services side, multiple U.S. Government contracts are already producing revenue as agencies test specialized use cases for the company’s direct‑to‑device architecture.

Building a Constellation, Not Just a Story

If 2023 and 2024 were about proving the physics, 2025 and 2026 are about proving the factory. AST SpaceMobile expects to complete assembly of roughly 40 satellites by the first half of 2026, supported by a newly acquired fourth production site in Midland, Texas that brings its global manufacturing footprint above 500,000 square feet.

The company is targeting 45 to 60 BlueBird satellites in orbit by the end of 2026, with launches planned roughly every one to two months, a cadence that sounds more like a software release schedule than a space program. Each BlueBird is designed from day one for direct‑to‑device connectivity, using large phased‑array antennas to talk to standard smartphones without requiring specialty hardware on the ground.

From MOU Theater to Multi‑Billion Commitments

AST SpaceMobile’s commercial book of business is starting to look less like an aspiration deck and more like a telecom contract binder. The company has now lined up agreements with roughly 50 mobile network operators worldwide, together representing nearly 3 billion existing subscribers.,

Those signatures come with actual dollars attached: AST SpaceMobile has secured more than 1.2 billion dollars in aggregate contracted revenue commitments, including a 175 million dollar commercial prepayment from stc Group as part of a 10‑year regional agreement. Long‑dated commercial frameworks, such as Vodafone’s arrangement extending through 2034 across more than 20 countries, underscore that this is not a one‑off experiment but a decade‑long capacity plan.

Key commercial and strategic points include:

  • A long‑term agreement with Vodafone (VOD) that runs through 2034 and spans more than 20 countries, reinforcing the view that satellite‑augmented coverage is becoming a mainstream part of the carrier toolkit rather than a novelty.finance.yahoo+1
  • A 10‑year regional deal with stc Group, backed by a 175 million dollar prepayment, which effectively acts as both customer validation and working capital for the constellation build‑out.
  • Partnerships with major U.S. carriers such as AT&T (T) and Verizon (VZ), where live video calls using the BlueWalker‑3 test satellite have already demonstrated that ordinary smartphones can connect directly to space.
  • Early U.S. Government and allied‑market contracts that introduce dual‑use possibilities, from resilient communications in disasters to specialized government applications where terrestrial networks fall short.3

Financing the Space Cell Tower Build‑Out

If the revenue line is finally moving up and to the right, so too are the capital expenditures, a reminder that building a global satellite network is closer to constructing a nationwide fiber backbone than launching a mobile app. Capital spending surged to about 406.7 million dollars in the fourth quarter of 2025, up from 258.9 million dollars in the prior quarter, as the company ramped satellite production and related infrastructure.

AST SpaceMobile closed a sizable convertible notes offering and continues to tap its at‑the‑market equity program, leaving it with more than 3.9 billion dollars of pro forma liquidity—cash, equivalents, restricted cash, and available facilities—as of year‑end 2025. Management characterizes the structure as “minimally dilutive” and sufficient to fund the planned satellite deployment while moving toward initial commercial activation in 2026.

Operating expenses, unsurprisingly, remain elevated as the company scales engineering, gateway deliveries, and manufacturing, producing wider‑than‑expected quarterly losses despite strong revenue growth. Adjusted operating expenses, however, are being watched closely as a proxy for how quickly AST SpaceMobile can transition from heavy investment mode to a more familiar telecom‑like margin profile.

Looking to 2026: From Demos to Daily Usage

For 2026, AST SpaceMobile expects to at least double its 2025 revenue to roughly 150 million dollars, supported by its backlog of MNO commitments and U.S. Government milestones. Wall Street forecasts call for quarterly revenue on the order of 31.9 million dollars and 43.5 million dollars in the first and second quarters of 2026, respectively, paired with gradually improving but still negative earnings per share around minus 0.20.

The strategic objective is straightforward, even if the orbital mechanics are not: transform a series of headline‑grabbing test calls—like high‑profile video chats with Vodafone, AT&T and Verizon—into everyday roaming experiences for subscribers who never think about which cell tower is actually a satellite. If AST SpaceMobile executes on its launch cadence and commercial roadmap, “no‑coverage” zones could start looking more like historical footnotes than line items on a carrier’s customer‑complaint log, a development that both hikers and hedge funds are watching with interest.

March 2, 2026 – U.S. Stocks Close Mixed as Middle East Conflict Fuels Oil Spike -( $ABBV $EPRX $FIGS $INTG $MTWO $NVDA $NVO $SOAR Rise!)

U.S. stocks showed resilience on Monday, March 2, 2026, rebounding from early losses driven by escalating Middle East tensions involving U.S., Israel, and Iran. Major indexes closed mixed after volatile trading, with energy stocks gaining on surging oil prices while technology faced pressure from prior AI spending concerns.investopedia+2

Major Indexes

The S&P 500 edged up slightly by 0.04% to around 6,881.62 points, recovering from an intraday drop of up to 1.2%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped marginally by 0.15%, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.36% amid broader market swings. Small-cap Russell 2000 fell sharply by 2.7% at open but stabilized later to close up .90%.

Key Sectors

Energy led gains with a 1.4% advance, fueled by oil’s sharp rise amid Strait of Hormuz closure fears. Healthcare and consumer sectors outperformed, up 1.5-1.8%, contrasting tech’s 2.2% prior decline tied to AI doubts. Financials lagged following Friday’s weakness.

Commodities

Oil prices jumped significantly, with Brent crude up 6.70% to multi-month highs around $71.51 per barrel due to supply disruption risks from Iran conflict. Gold surged 1.96% to record highs above $5,350.80/oz per ounce as a safe-haven amid geopolitical turmoil.

Economic Indicators

February ISM Manufacturing PMI held at 52.4, signaling continued expansion for the second month but with slower new orders and production. Prices paid subindex spiked to 70.5, the highest since mid-2022, raising inflation worries alongside oil shocks.

Biotech/Pharma Highlights

GSK agreed to acquire 35Pharma for $950 million to enhance its cardiopulmonary pipeline with PAH candidate HS235. Eli Lilly, AbbVie (ABBV $234.26, +.94%), and Novo Nordisk (NVO, $37.76, +.83%) topped watchlists for obesity and immunology drugs, while IQVIA expanded via Charles River acquisition. UniQure shares dropped 36% on worsening FDA news.

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.

Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals (EPRX, $8.30, +1.47%)

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)

  • MODD closed at $.1570 after launching offering on Friday on a best-efforts basis for up to $12,000,000 of shares of their common stock. Has been trading as a diabetes‑tech name, with shares reacting to execution milestones around its Pivot tubeless patch pump platform.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.
  • 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, $17.12, +10.81%)

  • 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, $1.56)

DoubleVerify (DV, $10.48)

  • 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, $32.59, +8.52%)

  • 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, $1.77)

  • 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, $3161, +5.58%) & M2i Global, Inc. (MTWO, +12.40%)

  • 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, $182.48, +2.99%)

  • 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, $334.82)

  • Options data around the February 2026 expiries highlight active positioning near the 300–305 strike range, consistent with expectations for steady but not explosive upside from here.
  • 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, $8.26, +6.99%)

Opendoor (OPEN, $5.05)

The Sources

  1. CNBC – “S&P 500 closes flat, rebounding from lows as traders buy the dip after U.S.-Iran attacks: Live updates”
    https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/01/stock-market-today-live-update.html[cnbc]​
  2. Investopedia – “Stock Market Today: Major Indexes Close Mixed as Markets React to …”
    https://www.investopedia.com/stock-market-today-dow-jones-s-and-p-500-03022026-11917019[investopedia]​
  3. The Wall Street Journal – “Stock Market Today: Oil Prices Jump; Stocks Pare Losses”
    https://www.wsj.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-oil-prices-iran-attack-03-02-2026[wsj]​
  4. Barron’s – “S&P 500 Struggles to Hold On to Gains”
    https://www.barrons.com/livecoverage/stock-market-news-today-030226[barrons]​
  5. Yahoo Finance – “Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq recover from major sell …”
    https://finance.yahoo.com/news/live/stock-market-today-dow-sp-500-nasdaq-recover-from-major-sell-off-as-wall-street-watches-iran[finance.yahoo]​
  6. TheStreet – “Stock Market Today, Mar. 2: Stocks plummet as Iran conflict raises …”
    https://www.thestreet.com/latest-news/stock-market-today-mar-2-stocks-plummet-as-iran-conflict-raises-war-worries[thestreet]​
  7. Equity Clock – “Stock Market Outlook for March 2, 2026”
    https://equityclock.com/2026/02/27/stock-market-outlook-for-march-2-2026[equityclock]​
  8. Polymarket – “Russell 2000 (RUT) Up or Down on March 2?”
    https://polymarket.com/event/rut-up-or-down-on-march-2-2026[polymarket]​
  9. The Globe and Mail – “Stock Market News for Mar 2, 2026”
    https://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/markets/stocks/MSFT/pressreleases/512181/stock-market-news-for-mar-2-2026[theglobeandmail]​
  10. Yahoo Finance – “Stock Market News for Mar 2, 2026”
    https://finance.yahoo.com/news/stock-market-news-mar-2-142600248.html[finance.yahoo]​
  11. Reuters – “Wall Street rebounds from early losses on Iran worries”
    https://www.reuters.com/business/wall-street-futures-slide-middle-east-conflict-escalates-2026-03-02[reuters]​
  12. AJG – “Weekly Financial Markets Update March 2, 2026”
    https://www.ajg.com/news-and-insights/weekly-financial-markets-update-march-2-2026[ajg]​
  13. Nasdaq – “Attacks on Iran Send Oil Prices Up, Pre-Markets Down”
    https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/attacks-iran-send-oil-prices-pre-markets-down[nasdaq]​
  14. Bill Good Marketing – “Top 46 SEO Keywords & Best Practices for Financial Advisors”
    https://www.billgoodmarketing.com/resources/financial-advisor-seo-keywords[billgoodmarketing]​
  15. SmartAsset – “Financial Advisor SEO Keywords to Target”
    https://smartasset.com/advisor-resources/financial-advisor-seo-keywords[smartasset]​
  16. SEOpital – “The Best SEO Keywords for Finance”
    https://www.seopital.co/blog/finance-keywords[seopital]​
  17. FMG Suite – “Best SEO Keywords for Financial Advisors 2025”
    https://fmgsuite.com/insights/seo-keywords-for-financial-advisors[fmgsuite]​
  18. Mint Copywriting Studios – “SEO for Financial Services: What You Need to Know in 2026”
    https://www.mintcopywritingstudios.com/blog/seo-for-financial-services[mintcopywritingstudios]​

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