Here’s what’s happening in the stock market today:
The stock market closed mixed on March 4 amid optimism over potential U.S.-Iran de-escalation, with after-hours trading and futures showing modest gains into March 5 as tech and industrials led. 📈🛢️ Investors are balancing geopolitical relief with steady oil prices and upcoming economic data.
Major Indices Performance 📊
S&P 500 rose 0.8% to 6,869.50 on March 4, up 0.4% YTD.
Dow Jones gained 0.5% (238 points) to 48,739, up 1.4% YTD.
Nasdaq climbed 1.3% to 22,807, down 1.9% YTD amid tech volatility.
Russell 2000 added 1.1% to 2,636.
Market Movers 🚀
Amazon surged 3.9% in after-hours to $216.82.
Cisco Systems rose 2.4% to $80.87, IBM up 2.0% to $250.
NVIDIA gained 1.7% to $183, Caterpillar 1.4% to $732.
Moderna jumped nearly 16% after-hours, Coinbase up over 14%.
Key Events Driving the Market 🗞️
Hopes rose for U.S.-Iran de-escalation via indirect talks, boosting sentiment after Middle East tensions paused oil surges.
Oil prices steadied with Brent at $81.40, easing inflation fears.
Treasury yields ticked higher, pressuring stocks while crypto rallied.
S&P 500 futures steady near 6,876 in late trading.
Investor Sentiment 👀
Mood turned cautiously bullish with broad gains in tech and discretionary stocks, though YTD Nasdaq weakness lingers. Markets eye de-escalation for sustained rally amid stable energy and policy under President Trump. 🐂🌍
TRADE OF THE DAY:
IBM
Name: International Business Machines Corporation
Symbol: IBM
Current Price: ~$254.06
Trade
Sell to Open: 1 IBM Apr 2, 2026 290/295 Call Vertical (Bear Call)
Total Credit Received: $49.00
Credit per Contract: $49.00 (for one contract covering 100 shares)
Direction: Bearish (expects IBM to stay below break-even level)
Probability of Profit (PoP): 91.28%
Potential ROI:
Max Risk (Loss): $451.00
ROI: ($49 ÷ $451) × 100 ≈ 10.9%
Trade Explained in Simple English:
You’re selling a call vertical by selling the 290 strike call and buying the 295 strike call, expiring April 2, 2026. You receive $49 upfront as credit. The trade will profit if IBM stays below about $290.49 (break-even). Your potential reward is capped at $49, while your maximum loss is limited to $451 if IBM rises above $295.
Wall Street Highlights:
News Beyond the Numbers
USA Rare Earth agreed to acquire the remaining stake in the Texas Round Top rare earth deposit for $73 million using common stock, accelerating its commercial production timeline to late 2028 amid rising demand for critical minerals.Read more.
Ciena reported fiscal Q1 earnings of $1.14 per share and revenue of $1.43 billion, surpassing Wall Street expectations for the high-speed networking technology developer.Read more.
Burlington Stores posted fiscal Q4 adjusted earnings of $4.89 per share, beating analyst forecasts as the retailer expanded its market presence.Read more.
BJ's Wholesale Club delivered fiscal Q4 earnings above estimates with revenue of $5.58 billion, exceeding projections for the membership warehouse operator.Read more.
Banks financing the potential buyout of Electronic Arts are planning a split debt sale of $4.7 billion and $10.5 billion, signaling active interest in major gaming sector deals.Read more.
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