Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

SK hynix Inc.

NVIDIA Corporation

Amazon.com, Inc.

Alphabet Inc.

Major technology companies - Nvidia, Amazon and Alphabet - have stepped up security measures for employees in the Middle East region. Sam Altman, head of OpenAI, said at a meeting with employees that the company does not make decisions about how its technologies are used by the Pentagon. About these and other topics - in our review of key events by the morning of March 4.

Morning Highlights: Asian markets fall, Anthropic's Claude tops the leaderboard

Stocks are trading from headline to headline, and investors are still finding it difficult to assess the risks associated with the conflict in Iran, analysts say

'There was nowhere to hide in the market': US indices and gold fall on fourth day of war

Norway, which has large gas reserves, is not ready to increase production

European gas prices jump 47% after Qatar LNG complex suspended

By evening, US stocks managed to partially compensate for the sharp decline in early trading amid fears of a prolongation of war in the Middle East. Investors were slightly calmed by US President Donald Trump, who promised to escort tankers through the Strait of Hormuz by the US Navy if necessary - this will help to curb oil prices. What was happening in the market during the day was followed in this online.

Fourth day of war, stocks down, Trump offered tanker protection: online 

But there are skeptics - among them JPMorgan CEO James Dimon

"Wall Street bulls expect U.S. stocks to rally despite Iran war

U.S. stocks fell sharply after the start of trading on Tuesday, March 3 - the fourth day of the war between the United States and Iran. Moreover, quotations fell more than a day earlier, when the U.S. stock exchanges opened for the first time since the conflict began. Investors are concerned about oil, which has risen to a maximum of almost two years and the possibility that the confrontation in the Middle East may be prolonged.

U.S. stocks fall more than 2%, fear index soars: Wall Street selloff

TMD Energy Limited

Trio Petroleum Corp.

STAK Inc.

The biggest gainers in the small-cap segment on Monday were three energy companies, whose shares surged more than 149% on the day. The stocks rallied on concerns over oil supplies in the Middle East amid renewed hostilities between Iran and the U.S. and Israel, Benzinga <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/26/03/50991856/trio-petroleums-cooling-off-after-hours-after-169-rally-what-made-tpet-shoot-up">reported</a>.

Three energy stocks more than double, lead small-cap gains as oil prices rise

Exxon Mobil Corporation

Chevron Corporation

Occidental Petroleum Corporation

The growth of oil prices accelerated at the trading on March 3. Quotes added more than 9% and exceeded $85 per barrel. The cost of raw materials reached the maximum since mid-July 2024. American oil West Texas Intermediate (WTI) grew by 7.2% - up to $76.4 per barrel.

Oil has surpassed $85 a barrel. It's at its highest since July 2024

Shell plc

Eni S.p.A.

TotalEnergies SE

Galp Energia, SGPS, S.A.

Wall Street's largest investment bank sees European share prices as "efficient rather than outright overvalued"

JPMorgan bet on Europe's oil and gas majors over Gulf risks

Energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz have been disrupted - a scenario analysts called "worst-case" among the possible consequences of escalating conflict in the Middle East 

Coal at highs, oil at $80: What's happening in the markets on day 4 of the Iran war

The risk of oil price rise to $100 per barrel is now considered real even by stock "bulls", notes Bloomberg

Wall Street warned against buying back U.S. stocks on the downturn because of the threat of $100 oil

The commander of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said the Strait of Hormuz is closed and "any ship that tries to pass will be set on fire," Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/iran-live-israel-strikes-hezbollah-uk-base-hit-cyprus-conflict-widens-2026-03-02/">reported </a>, citing Iranian media.