Major Averages Close Little Changed as Oil Prices Pull Back
The major averages closed little changed as markets traded with a more constructive tone in concert with oil prices pulling back. Oil prices, which had surged above $100 and briefly approached $120 per barrel during the escalation of the Iran conflict, are now coming back in after comments from Donald Trump suggesting the military operation could conclude sooner than previously expected. Meanwhile, CBS News' Jennifer Jacobs reported that there are indications Iran is taking steps to deploy mines in the Strait of Hormuz.In other commodity news, gold prices continue their surge amid market volatility. Despite having an up-and-down 2026, the commodity is climbing towards record highs once again.Get caught up quickly on the top news and calls moving stocks with these five Top Five lists.1. STOCK NEWS:Nvidiaand Thinking Machines Lab announced a gigawatt-scale strategic partnershipBioNTechannounced plans for anto be established and led by BioNTech co-founders Prof. Ugur Sahin, M.D., and Prof. Ozlem Tureci, M.D.HP Enterprisereportedand provided guidance for Q1 and FY26Kohl'sreportedbut guided for a decrease in Q1 comp salesVail Resortsreportedand cut its FY26 resort reported EBITDA view2. WALL STREET CALLS:Qualcommat Underperform at BofACrowdStriketo Overweight at Morgan StanleyRivianto Buy at TD Cowen into R2 launchNovo Nordiskto Hold at TD CowenB. RileyStrategywith Buy on "unmatched scale"3. AROUND THE WEB:Boeingwill delay deliveries of some e737 MAX planes amid wiring flaws, WSJ reportsExxon Mobilis planning to move its legal home to Texas from New Jersey in a move meant to protect the company from shareholder "abuse," WSJ saysRio Tintois in talks with Mongolia over financial terms at the massive Oyu Tolgoi copper mine, with the government seeking lower loan interest costs and the removal of Rio's annual management fee, WSJ reportsAppleincreased its iPhone production in India by 53% last year and now makes a total of 25% of its devices there, Bloomberg saysAmazon'secommerce business has requested a large group of engineers to meet on Tuesday for a "deep dive" into the influx of outages, with the company stating there has been a "trend of incidents" characterized by a "high blast radius" and "Gen-AI assisted changes," FT reports4. MOVERS:Zevra Therapeuticsgains after, with EPS and revenue beating consensusCapricorincreases after announcing the establishment of a new PDUFANiohigher in New York afterand providing guidance for Q1Centenefalls afterand announcing its ACA enrollment is "still in line" with expectations"Crispr Therapeuticslower after announcing a5. EARNINGS/GUIDANCE:ABM, with CEO Scott Salmirs commenting, "ABM is off to a solid start to FY26"Custom Truck One Source, with EPS beating consensusUnited Natural Foodsand provided guidance for FY26UWM Holdingsraised itsPriority Technologyand provided guidance for FY26INDEXES:The Dow fell 34.29, or 0.072%, to 47,706.51, the Nasdaq gained 1.16, or 0.0051%, to 22,697.10, and the S&P 500 advanced 14.51, or 0.21%, to 6,781.48.
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- Delivery Delays: Boeing (BA) announced that a wiring defect on some 737 Max aircraft will delay a portion of deliveries, although the company expects to meet its full-year delivery goal, with the issue stemming from minor scratches caused by a machining error affecting quality standards.
- Production Continues: Despite the defect, production of the 737 Max continues at the current pace, with affected aircraft undergoing rework expected to take only a few days, thereby minimizing the impact on delivery schedules.
- Orders and Deliveries: Boeing delivered 51 commercial aircraft in February, marking its strongest monthly result since 2017, and secured 21 gross aircraft orders, although six were cancellations, resulting in six net orders, indicating resilience in market demand.
- Potential Major Sale: Boeing is nearing a significant potential sale of about 500 737 Max jets, which could be announced during Donald Trump's planned visit to Beijing, although the agreement has not yet been finalized, potentially providing crucial support for the company's financial recovery.
- Contract Value: Boeing has signed a contract valued at approximately $289 million with Israel to provide up to 5,000 air-launched precision bombs, reflecting Israel's ongoing investment and demand in defense capabilities.
- Weapon Performance: The weapons involved are Boeing's Small Diameter Bombs, designed to strike targets over 40 miles away when launched from fighter aircraft, thereby enhancing Israel's long-range strike capabilities.
- Delivery Timeline: Deliveries are not expected to begin for roughly three years, which may impact Israel's strategic planning, especially given the current tensions in the Middle East.
- Transaction Structure: This deal is structured as a direct commercial sale between Boeing and Israel rather than a government-to-government foreign military sale, indicating Boeing's flexibility and adaptability in the international market.
- Delivery Increase: Boeing's deliveries in February rose, surpassing the previous month's figures, indicating the company's positive progress in restoring production and delivery capabilities.
- Market Demand Recovery: The increase in deliveries reflects a rebound in demand for new aircraft as airlines recover, which could enhance Boeing's revenue outlook moving forward.
- Efficiency Improvements: By optimizing production processes and supply chain management, Boeing has successfully increased delivery efficiency, which not only shortens delivery timelines but also boosts customer satisfaction.
- Strategic Implications: This delivery growth signifies Boeing's gradual recovery of market competitiveness following the challenges posed by the pandemic, with potential for further market share expansion in the future.
- Necessity of War: Israeli President Herzog stated at the Yale CEO caucus that despite the high costs, the war against Iran, initiated jointly with the U.S., is a necessary price for a better future in the Middle East, emphasizing the urgency of countering Iran.
- Regional Unity: Herzog highlighted that Middle Eastern countries are forming a NATO-like cooperative structure for the first time to collectively resist Iranian threats, demonstrating unity among regional nations in the face of a common enemy.
- Military Cooperation: He praised the unprecedented military cooperation between the U.S. and Israel, comparing it to the alliances formed during World War II, indicating that both nations share intelligence and resources on multiple levels, enhancing their capacity to confront Iran.
- Strategic Strikes on Iran: Herzog emphasized that the war is
- Delivery Delay Issue: Boeing is delaying deliveries of its 737 MAX planes due to scratched wiring found in newly built aircraft, which could slow overall deliveries in March and impact the company's goal of delivering 500 planes in 2026.
- Repair Time Commitment: A Boeing spokeswoman stated that fixes could be completed in a matter of days for each plane; however, recent production issues have raised concerns about the company's manufacturing capabilities, especially after regulators imposed stricter measures.
- February Delivery Data: Boeing delivered 51 jets in February, an increase from 46 in January 2026, including 43 single-aisle 737 MAX jets, indicating some market demand despite ongoing challenges.
- Market Sentiment Reaction: Retail sentiment around Boeing remains 'extremely bullish' despite delivery delays, with shares rising 2.3% so far in 2026, reflecting confidence in the company's future performance.
- Oil Price Fluctuations: The IEA met with G7 Energy Ministers in Paris, leading to a drop in oil prices below $80 as the agency announced an emergency meeting to assess supply security, which could impact market sentiment and investment decisions in the short term.
- Emergency Stockpiles: The IEA reported that its member countries hold over 1.2 billion barrels of public emergency oil stocks and an additional 600 million barrels of industry inventories under government obligation, providing short-term support to mitigate supply disruptions and potentially easing market tensions.
- Microsoft Rating Downgrade: Due to Jim Cramer's concerns regarding Microsoft's AI business and cloud computing unit, the investment club downgraded its rating from 1 to 2, even though the stock trades at around 21 times its estimated fiscal 2027 earnings, indicating it is relatively cheap compared to its 10-year average of 23.5 times.
- Boeing 737 MAX Delivery Delays: Boeing announced delays in the delivery of some 737 MAX planes due to a wiring issue, although fixes are expected to be completed in days without affecting current production rates, this news may still have a short-term negative impact on market confidence.











