Business
Wall Street Brunch: Oil And Rates Will Still Dominate Sentiment (undefined:USO)
Alones Creative/iStock via Getty Images

Listen below or on the go via Apple Podcasts and Spotify
Trump threatens Iran’s power plants if strait not open. (0:17) GameStop earnings draw focus as Cohen touts Berkshire style. (1:17) California jury finds Elon Musk misled Twitter investors. (2:15)
The following is an abridged transcript:
It’s a light week for economic data and earnings, meaning sentiment will remain closely tied to the conflict with Iran — and what it means for oil and interest rates.
President Donald Trump said Saturday the U.S. would “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if the Strait of Hormuz is not reopened within 48 hours.
Prediction markets are signaling skepticism.
On Polymarket, traders assign just a 30% chance that traffic returns to normal by the end of April.
Kalshi contracts imply a more gradual reopening, with about a 39% probability by May 15, rising to 53% by June 1 and 59% by July 1.
The strait handles about 20% of global oil shipments.
WTI crude (CL1:COM) (USO) briefly moved back above $100/bbl in weekend trading on IG Index before easing. On the Hyperliquid blockchain, oil was trading around $98/bbl.
With oil putting upward pressure on inflation, expectations for Fed rate cuts this year have largely evaporated. Fed funds futures now indicate nearly a one-in-three chance that rates are higher at year-end.
On the earnings front, GameStop (GME) is likely the headline name among a light reporting slate.
There’s limited analyst coverage, so no formal consensus, but the holiday quarter update carries added weight after CEO Ryan Cohen floated ambitions to turn the retailer into a Berkshire (BRK.A) (BRK.B)-style investment platform.
Cohen has discussed acquiring an undervalued, high-quality public consumer company run by what he calls a “sleepy” management team. Any detail on deal size, timing, financing or potential targets would move sentiment — though management hasn’t held an earnings call in more than two years.
Seeking Alpha analyst Bernard Zambonin said he expects the results to offer little in the way of core fundamentals. However, backing from high-profile investors like Michael Burry continues to support the stock’s momentum and reinforces its appeal to those who view GameStop less as a retailer and more as an investment vehicle.
Also on the calendar:
Chewy (CHWY), PDD (PDD) and Beyond Meat (BYND) report Wednesday, followed by Pony AI (PONY) on Thursday.
BYD (BYDDF) and Carnival (CCL) report Friday.
In the news this weekend, a California jury found that Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk defrauded Twitter investors through certain public statements about the company’s user metrics, ruling that his comments were materially false or misleading.
The case centered on Musk’s May 13 and May 17 tweets in 2022 — including one that said the deal was “temporarily on hold” pending confirmation that bots accounted for about 5% of users, as disclosed in SEC filings.
Lawyers for the plaintiffs said total damages could reach as much as $2.6B — a small fraction of Musk’s net worth.
And OpenAI (OPENAI) is planning a major hiring push.
According to the Financial Times, the company aims to nearly double its workforce to about 8,000 employees by the end of 2026, up from roughly 4,500 today, as it seeks to narrow the gap with Anthropic (ANTHRO).
Most of the hires would focus on product development, engineering, research and sales. OpenAI is also expanding its “technical ambassadorship” initiative — specialists who help enterprise clients make better use of its tools.
And for income investors, Broadcom (AVGO) goes ex-dividend on Monday, with a payout date of March 31.
Dividend heavyweight Altria (MO) and Seagate (STX) go ex-dividend on Wednesday. Altria pays on April 30, while Seagate pays out on March 25.
Dick’s Sporting Goods (DKS) goes ex-dividend on Friday, with an April 10 payout date.
Business
Exclusive | Activist Elliott Builds Big Stake in Chip-Design Software Maker Synopsys
Activist investor Elliott Investment Management has a multibillion-dollar investment in Synopsys SNPS -1.85%decrease; red down pointing triangle, the big chip-design software maker, according to people familiar with the matter.
Elliott plans to engage with Synopsys to push the business to make more money from its software and services, the people said. Synopsys’s customers include Intel, Alphabet and Tesla.
Copyright ©2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8
Business
Trump Announces Plans to Reschedule Meeting with China’s Xi
President Donald Trump confirmed his upcoming trip to China for a summit with President Xi Jinping, stating it will occur in “about five or six” weeks. The meeting aims to discuss key issues between the two nations, signaling ongoing diplomatic engagement despite recent tensions. Exact dates and agenda details are yet to be finalized.
Former President Donald Trump has announced that he is “resetting” a scheduled meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. This move comes amid ongoing tensions and diplomatic complexities between the two nations. Trump expressed optimism that the new arrangement could lead to constructive discussions on trade, security, and cooperation.
The decision to reschedule highlights the delicate nature of U.S.-China relations, which have been strained by economic disagreements, technology disputes, and geopolitical issues. By “resetting” the meeting, Trump aims to create a more favorable environment for dialogue, emphasizing the importance of diplomacy in resolving conflicts.
This development signals a potential shift toward renewed communication between the two countries. Both leaders are expected to leverage this opportunity to address critical issues and seek common ground. The outcome of the meeting could significantly influence the future direction of international relations in the region.
Other People are Reading
Business
Oil prices rise after US, Iran threaten to hit energy targets in the Middle East

Oil prices rise after US, Iran threaten to hit energy targets in the Middle East
Business
Stock Futures Are Falling, Oil Rising as Iran Tensions Grow
Stock Futures Are Falling, Oil Rising as Iran Tensions Grow
Business
Analysis-New Zealand struggles to regain economic mojo without housing recovery

Analysis-New Zealand struggles to regain economic mojo without housing recovery
Business
NZ’s Fonterra ups annual earnings outlook, flags potential Middle East disruptions

NZ’s Fonterra ups annual earnings outlook, flags potential Middle East disruptions
Business
Synlait H1 2026 slides: $80.6M loss amid manufacturing woes, recovery plan

Synlait H1 2026 slides: $80.6M loss amid manufacturing woes, recovery plan
Business
Musk says SpaceX and Tesla to build advanced chip factories in Austin

Musk says SpaceX and Tesla to build advanced chip factories in Austin
Business
Earnings call transcript: Synlait Milk faces challenges in H1 2026

Earnings call transcript: Synlait Milk faces challenges in H1 2026
Business
US SEC concludes four-year-old probe into EV startup Faraday Future with no action

US SEC concludes four-year-old probe into EV startup Faraday Future with no action
-
Fashion2 days agoWeekend Open Thread: Adidas – Corporette.com
-
Politics2 days agoJenni Murray, Long-Serving Woman’s Hour Presenter, Dies Aged 75
-
Tech5 days agoAre Split Spacebars the Next Big Gaming Keyboard Trend?
-
Crypto World1 day agoBest Crypto to Buy Now: Strategy Just Spent $1.57 Billion on Bitcoin During Fear While Early Investors Quietly Enter Pepeto for 150x Potential
-
News Videos4 days agoRBA board divided on rate cut, unusually buoyant share market | Finance Report | ABC NEWS
-
Crypto World2 days ago
NIO (NIO) Stock Plunges 6.5% as Shelf Registration Sparks Dilution Worries
-
Crypto World1 day agoBitcoin Price News: Bhutan Sells $72 Million in BTC Under Fiscal Pressure, but the Smart Money Entering Pepeto Sees What the Market Does Not
-
Business7 days agoAustralian shares drop as Iran war enters third week
-
Crypto World7 days agoCrypto Lender BlockFills Enters Chapter 11 with Up to $500M in Liabilities
-
Politics5 days agoThe House | The new register to protect children from their abusers shows Parliament at its best
-
Fashion7 days ago25 Celebrities with Curly Hair That Are Naturally Beautiful
-
Tech3 days agoinKONBINI Lets You Spend Summer Days Behind the Register
-
Politics5 days agoReal-time pollution monitoring calls after boy nearly dies
-
Crypto World4 days agoCanada’s FINTRAC revokes registrations of 23 crypto MSBs in AML crackdown
-
NewsBeat4 days agoResidents in North Lanarkshire reminded to register to vote in Scottish Parliament Election
-
Business6 days agoMeta planning major layoffs as AI spending and automation reshape workforce
-
News Videos4 days agoPARLIAMENT OF MALAWI – PAC MEETING WITH REGISTRAR OF FINANCIAL ON AMARYLLIS HOTEL – INQUIRY LIVE
-
Business7 hours agoNo Winner in March 21 Drawing as Prize Rolls to $133 Million for Next
-
Entertainment7 days ago
Oscars reunite Rob Reiner supergroup of 17 stars for emotional tribute: Here's who appeared on stage
-
Business4 days agoWho Was Alex Pretti? 5 Key Facts About the ICU Nurse Killed by Federal Agents in Minneapolis

You must be logged in to post a comment Login