Key Highlights
- Joint U.S.-Israel military operations against Iran over the weekend introduced fresh geopolitical risk into financial markets
- Major indices including the S&P 500, Nasdaq 100, and Dow retreated last week; Bitcoin declined toward $66,000 as gold advanced to $2,596
- February employment data arrives Friday; January’s surprise 130,000 job gains exceeded analyst expectations by over 100%
- Broadcom, CrowdStrike, Costco, and Target headline this week’s earnings calendar
- Apple begins new product rollout Monday, with a special announcement event planned for Wednesday
Equity markets finished the week in negative territory as artificial intelligence and media companies experienced significant volatility. The S&P 500 registered losses for the day, week, and entire month of February.
The Nasdaq 100 experienced similar declines, while the Dow Jones retreated 1.05%. The 10-year Treasury yield moved down to 3.95%.
Bitcoin descended toward $66,000 by the close of trading Friday. Gold advanced to $2,596 while crude oil climbed to $67.29 per barrel.
The weekend brought joint military operations from the U.S. and Israel targeting Iran. President Trump issued calls for regime change in Iran, prompting retaliatory strikes from Iran against Israeli and Gulf nation targets.
Crude oil had already been trending upward during the week on Iran-related concerns. Additional conflict escalation could drive energy prices higher and impact sectors including energy, travel, and defense.
February Employment Data Takes Center Stage
The February jobs report releases this Friday. January’s employment figures revealed 130,000 new positions, substantially exceeding economist projections.
That same January report included downward revisions to previous months, indicating early 2025 hiring momentum was softer than initially believed. The Federal Reserve maintains its rate target between 3.5% and 3.75% as markets monitor labor market conditions closely.
Unemployment is projected to remain around 4.4%. A softer reading could reignite speculation about potential rate reductions at the March or May policy meetings.
The postponed January retail sales figures also arrive Friday. December numbers revealed consumer spending stagnation at year-end, partially attributed to employment weakness.
Corporate Earnings Take Focus
Broadcom delivers its quarterly results Wednesday with analysts projecting approximately $19.22 billion in revenue. The chipmaker indicated in December that AI-related revenue would experience 100% growth for the period.
CrowdStrike presents results Tuesday. Software sector valuations have faced headwinds from AI disruption concerns, though certain analysts view artificial intelligence as an opportunity driver for cybersecurity providers.
Marvell Technology reports Thursday. Investor attention will focus on AI chip demand trends following Nvidia’s record-breaking quarter that delivered $68.1 billion in Q4 revenue.
Target announces results Tuesday under new leadership from CEO Michael Fiddelke, who assumed the role last month. Target’s stock price has rebounded this year following a challenging 2025.
Costco releases quarterly figures Thursday. The retailer’s shares have similarly improved in 2026 after a difficult prior year.
Netflix stock surged 13.82% last week after Warner Bros. Discovery accepted a $31-per-share acquisition proposal from Paramount Skydance instead of Netflix’s competing bid. Netflix declined to increase its offer and exited the bidding process.
Apple’s product announcement cycle begins Monday, potentially featuring the iPhone 17 and an affordable MacBook model. The company has scheduled a special event for Wednesday.
The Fed’s Beige Book publishes Wednesday in advance of the central bank’s March 17-18 policy meeting.
Marvell Technology’s quarterly earnings call is confirmed for Thursday, March 5.
