Major Averages Bounce Back, Investors Focus on AI News
The major averages were broadly higher near noon in a bounce-back from yesterday's declines, though sentiment remains fragile with tariff worries and AI-related risk aversion still front and center. Investors continue to digest more and more AI news, including AMD's newest GPU partnership with Meta as well as Anthropic's latest partnerships with companies like Intuit and DocuSign. Big corporate earnings reports are still spilling in as well, particularly from home retailers.Looking to commodities, gold dipped following yesterday's sharp gains as the "safe haven" asset continues seesawing in value. Oil prices were lower near noon ahead of API crude data set for release this afternoon.Get caught up quickly on the top news and calls moving stocks with these five Top Five lists.1. STOCK NEWS:Home Depotreported, provided its outlook for FY26, and increased its quarterly dividendAMDand Metaannounced an expanded partnership to deployBed Bath & Beyondreportedand provided FY26 revenue guidanceIntuitand Anthropic announced aWarner Bros. Discoveryreceived afrom Paramount2. WALL STREET CALLS:Qualcommto Buy at Loop Capital and to Equal Weight at Wells FargoMorgan StanleyBooking, says "just as important in agentic world"Comcastto Underperform at BNP Paribas on fiber headwindsBarclaysGossamer Bioto Underweight from OverweightHims & Hersto Neutral at BTIG after "disappointing" Q4 report3. AROUND THE WEB:Omnicomis planning to eliminate an additional 94 roles in the U.S. starting March 1, which comes following its $13B November acquisition of Interpublic Group and 4,000 related redundancies, Adweek saysIrenic Capital Management, holding roughly a 2% stake in Ralliant, is urging the precision technology company to accelerate stock buybacks, reduce costs, and increase focus on its defense and electronics business, according to sources familiar with the private discussions, Reuters reportsHondahas suspended operations at its facility in Guadalajara, Mexico, while employees at other manufacturers work from home, after a wave of violence was unleashed by the killing of one of the country's most wanted cartel leaders, FT saysGlencorehas agreed to purchase 2,000 metric tons of cobalt worth about $115M from Rami Weisfisch, Reuters saysJPMorganChase CEO Jamie Dimon said fears of AI are overblown, noting the company will use the technology to its advantage, WSJ reports4. MOVERS:Larimar Therapeuticsincreases after the FDA grantedto nomlabofuspIovance Biotherapeuticsgains after announcing results from its trial for TIL cell therapy andClarivateand Vir Biotechnologyhigher in New York afterShoals Technologyfalls afterand entering an agreement with ON.energyXometrylower afterand appointing Sahni as CEO5. EARNINGS/GUIDANCEChewyfor FY25Playboy, with CEO Ben Kohn commenting, "Our preliminary fourth quarter results demonstrate the significant progress we have made executing our strategic transformation"NRG Energy, with EPS and revenue beating consensusHarmony Biosciencesand backed its guidance for FY26FISand provided guidance for Q1 and FY26INDEXES:Near midday, the Dow was up 0.65%, or 316.39, to 49,120.45, the Nasdaq was up 0.88%, or 198.31, to 22,825.59, and the S&P 500 was up 0.55%, or 37.32, to 6,875.07.
