01 Stock Market
As of Mar 4, U.S. stock index futures performed as follows: Nasdaq 100 futures led with a gain of 0.27%, S&P 500 futures rose 0.19%, and Dow futures inched up 0.08%. The tone points to a cautious rebound led by growth shares, as investors weigh energy-market developments and regulatory headlines ahead of the opening bell.
Notable Stock Movers: Semiconductor and crypto-exposed names firmed in pre-market trading. MU up 2.46% at $389.01; NVDA up 0.88% at $181.64; AMD up 1.23% at $193.30; AVGO up 1.13% at $317.38; TSM up 1.65% at $358.94. Crypto-levered COIN up 5.65% at $192.66. MSTR up 6%. EV bellwether TSLA up 1.29% at $397.51. Among ETFs, SOXL up 3.20% at $55.13 and GLD up 1.95% at $477.27. AGQ up 10%; AAOI, Lumentum and Coherent up 4%.
Flow into AI and digital-asset themes continued to support leadership, while selective megacaps were mixed—MSFT fell 0.11% at $403.50. Some leveraged vehicles reflected the bias, with SQQQ falling 0.73% at $72.34 and TQQQ up 0.75% at $48.46. ADRs were mostly constructive alongside chips—beyond TSM, selected China tech names were stable to firm, and sector breadth favored semiconductors and crypto-adjacent equities pre-bell.
02 Other Markets
• 10-year U.S. Treasury yield rose 0.72%, to 4.09%.
• U.S. Dollar Index fell 0.21% to 98.84.
• WTI crude oil futures rose 0.67% to 75.06 USD/barrel; COMEX gold futures rose 1.62% to 5206.80 USD/ounce.
03 Key News
1. Wix.com reported results, posted adjusted EPS of $1.81, topping a $1.43 consensus, with revenue of $524.3 million, modestly below forecasts. Management highlighted continued strength in fee-based services, and shares were indicated down 1% pre-bell.
2. The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission asked leveraged-ETF issuers not to proceed with new high-leverage products. In a recent communication, the agency’s Division of Investment Management relayed that proposed funds targeting extreme daily leverage should not go effective. The signal underscores regulatory scrutiny around risk controls and investor protection in increasingly aggressive ETF structures.
3. The White House pushed for a crypto market-structure bill and warned banks against obstructing its digital-asset agenda. In public statements, the administration urged passage of the Clarity Act and framed support for crypto innovation as a strategic priority. Officials characterized the effort as essential to maintaining competitiveness and directed pointed criticism at financial institutions perceived as impediments.
4. SoFi Technologies partnered with Mastercard to enable settlement of the SoFi-USD stablecoin across Mastercard’s network. The arrangement supports on-network settlement using a fully reserved U.S. dollar stablecoin issued by SoFi’s nationally chartered bank unit. The move broadens potential use cases for card-linked stablecoin payments within established rails.
5. Visa and Bridge expanded their stablecoin-linked card program with plans to reach over 100 countries. Through Bridge’s partnership with Lead Bank, eligible card transactions can be settled on-chain with Visa, extending an offering already live in multiple markets. The initiative aims to scale digital-asset settlement capabilities across Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and the Middle East.
6. Circle minted approximately $1 billion in USDC on Solana within hours, reflecting heightened stablecoin activity. The issuance adds to a sizable tally of USDC minted on the network this year, pointing to robust demand for dollar-linked tokens. The expansion highlights growing on-chain liquidity that can feed payments, trading, and DeFi use cases.
7. The Federal Reserve disclosed receipt of grand jury subpoenas and moved in court to quash them, reinforcing its institutional independence. The central bank’s leadership publicly challenged the legal demands as politically motivated and rallied bipartisan support. The action seeks to shield policy-setting from external pressure while legal proceedings continue in sealed venues.
8. U.S. authorities said the Navy will escort oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz and provide insurance support to maintain energy flows. The plan intends to secure passage for critical shipments amid heightened regional risks, aiming to stabilize supply chains. Markets interpreted the measure as a potential buffer against further energy-price spikes.
9. Sen. Thom Tillis vowed to block Federal Reserve nominees until a Justice Department probe targeting the central bank is dropped. The stance complicates swift confirmation of monetary policymakers and adds uncertainty to leadership transitions. Lawmakers across parties have weighed in on the investigation, spotlighting the balance between oversight and independence.
10. U.S. daylight saving time shift will adjust U.S. stock trading hours this week, including the pre-market window. Exchanges and brokers will align sessions to the new clock setting, with pre-market and regular hours moving forward by one hour in Beijing terms. Investors should confirm platform schedules to avoid order-entry or liquidity timing mismatches.
Sources: Reuters, Dow Jones, Tiger Newspress, public market data
Disclaimer: For informational purposes only; not investment advice.
