Today is Monday, March 2, 2026.

The Early Bird Index today is 76.96.

New to this newsletter? Sign up here

^{PRESENTED BY BRAD’S DEALS}

Amazon Prime offers much more than just free shipping! Ensure you're getting the most out of your membership with help from our deal experts. Discover 9 Prime benefits you should be using.

The markets are poised to tumble today after the U.S. launched an attack on Iran this past weekend. How might the conflict impact your portfolio?

Details: On Sunday, crude oil prices jumped more than 8%. Markets are fearful that the conflict will lead to supply disruptions, especially since Iran is one of the world's largest oil producers.

Also: Gold ticked up about 2% on Sunday. The price of gold tends to rise when global conflicts emerge.

Zooming Out: Several airlines canceled flights in and out of the Middle East over the weekend, a trend that could continue if the conflict with Iran persists.

Early Bird’s Nest Egg Gains: In the near term, the new U.S.–Iran conflict is very likely to increase volatility and pressure broad equity indices, but a “great” or lasting damage to the overall U.S. stock market will depend on how long the conflict lasts and whether oil and shipping flows are durably disrupted.

Final Thoughts: One sector potentially poised to benefit from a large-scale conflict is defense stocks.

Notable Earnings Today: Credo Technology Group (Nadaq: CRDO), MongoDB (Nasdaq: MDB), Norwegian Cruise Line (NYSE: NCLH), Riot Platforms (Nasdaq: RIOT), Plug Power (Nasdaq: PLUG), AST SpaceMobile (Nasdaq: ASTS), ADT (NYSE: ADT), BigBear.ai (NYSE: BBAI), Asana (NYSE: ASAN), LendingTree (Nasdaq: TREE), California Resources (NYSE: CRC), AAON (Nasdaq: AAON), Astrana Health (Nasdaq: ASTH), Sealed Air (NYSE: SEE), Archer Aviation (NYSE: ACHR), AES (NYSE: AES), Ameresco (NYSE: AMRC), Core Scientific (Nasdaq: CORZ), Compugen (Nasdaq: CGEN), Helios Technologies (NYSE: HLIO), Ingram Micro Holding (NYSE: INGM), Limbach (Nasdaq: LMB), Ouster (Nasdaq: OUST), Quantum Computing (Nasdaq: QUBT), Sturm Ruger (NYSE: RGR), Surgery Partners (Nasdaq: SGRY), Turning Point Brands (NYSE: TPB), Uniqure (Nasdaq: QURE), Uniti Group (Nasdaq: UNIT), Venture Global (NYSE: VG), Xeris (Nasdaq: XERS).

Notable IPOs Today: Sunbelt Rentals Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: SUNB), Spring Valley Acquisition Corp. IV Class A Ordinary Shares (Nasdaq: SVIV).

Notable Equity Crowdfunding Campaigns Ending Today: Verifyfaces (Republic), Yauga (Crowdcube).

Notable Economic Events Today: S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (9:45 a.m. ET), ISM Manufacturing PMI / Prices / Employment (10:00 a.m. ET).

Don’t call it a comeback, but after a bad start to the year, the price of the cryptocurrency Solana $SOL ( ▼ 1.53% ) is up about 9% in the past week.

Zooming Out: By comparison, most other major crypto prices are either flat or just up slightly over the past week.

Powering the Story: Solana’s price bounce over the past week looks mostly like a sharp relief rally after a month of heavy drawdown, driven by a broader crypto rebound plus growing interest in its evolving infrastructure and ecosystem.

Final Thoughts: Solana is still down about 31% this year.

The movie ‘Scream 7’ took home $97 million in its opening weekend, marking a win for Paramount Skydance $PSKY ( ▲ 20.84% ) because Paramount Pictures distributed the film.

Final Thoughts: Paramount Skydance is up 2.50% this year.

Insider Info: Bets on Fate of Iran’s Khamenei Spark Uproar at Leading Prediction Markets (Wall Street Journal)

Partying Like it’s 1999: Trump expects his Fed pick and AI to deliver a replay of the ‘90s boom. Economists have doubts (Associated Press)

Scapegoat: Jack Dorsey’s 4,000 Job Cuts at Block Arouse Suspicions of AI-Washing (Bloomberg)

Big Week: Operation Epic Fury means new risks for markets (CNBC)

Going Mainstream: Bitcoin losing trillions in value hasn't stopped traditional giants' interest in digital assets sector (CoinDesk)

Forward to a friend and tell them to sign up here.

Pick winning stocks: Upgrade to Early Bird Prime.

Be social: Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.

Want more investing tips? Listen to the podcast.

Show Your Support: Buy Me a Coffee.

Questions or comments? Hit reply to reach out.

_{The contents of Early Bird are intended for informational and entertainment purposes only. They do not constitute trade or investment recommendations, and they are not financial or legal advice. Readers are encouraged to consult licensed professionals for personalized guidance regarding their financial or legal situations.}