Global Markets: U.S. stock three major indices close lower, Nvidia down over 4%, spot silver up over 6%

U.S. Stock Market: The three major U.S. stock indices all declined on February 27. At the close, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 521.28 points to 48,977.92, down 1.05%; the S&P 500 dropped 29.98 points to 6,878.88, down 0.43%; the Nasdaq Composite declined 210.17 points to 22,668.21, down 0.92%.

Most large tech stocks declined, with Nvidia down over 4%, Apple down more than 3%, Microsoft down over 2%, Tesla and Meta down over 1%; Netflix rose over 13%, marking its best single-day performance since October 2023; Google rose over 1%, Amazon saw slight gains.

The KBW Bank Index fell nearly 5%, its largest single-day drop since April last year. Goldman Sachs dropped over 7%, Morgan Stanley fell more than 6%, Wells Fargo and Citigroup declined over 5%, Bank of America down over 4%.

The Nasdaq China Golden Dragon Index fell 1.81%. iQiyi dropped over 6%, Century Internet down over 5%, NIO down over 4%, Vipshop and Lufax declined over 3%; Kingsoft Cloud rose over 6%, NetEase Youdao increased over 2%.

European Stock Markets: The three major European indices showed mixed performance on February 27. The FTSE 100 in London closed at 10,910.55, up 63.85 points or 0.59%; France’s CAC 40 closed at 8,580.75, down 40.18 points or 0.47%; Germany’s DAX closed at 25,284.26, down 4.76 points or 0.02%.

Commodity Markets: International oil prices rose on February 27. At the close, NYMEX WTI crude futures for the current month increased $2.08 to $67.29 per barrel, up 3.19%. COMEX gold futures rose $102.20 to $5,296.40 per ounce, up 1.97%. COMEX silver futures increased $6.80 to $94.385 per ounce, up 7.77%. Spot gold rose $93.93 to $5,279.22 per ounce, up 1.81%. Spot silver increased $5.46 to $93.76 per ounce, up 6.18%.

Overnight Headlines

Sudden Escalation in Middle East Tensions! Gold, Silver, and Oil Rise Collectively!

Tensions in the Middle East suddenly escalated. On the evening of the 27th, international prices for gold, silver, and oil surged across the board, with spot silver jumping over 4%, WTI and Brent crude both rising over 3%. Analysts point out that the sharp increase in geopolitical risks in the Middle East has heightened global risk aversion, causing the VIX fear index to soar over 13%, while U.S. stock index futures declined collectively.

Valuation Reaches $730 Billion! OpenAI Completes $110 Billion Funding, Nvidia Invests $30 Billion

OpenAI’s massive funding round is finalized. On February 27, local time, OpenAI announced it completed a new round of financing worth $110 billion, with a pre-money valuation of $730 billion. The funding includes $30 billion from SoftBank, $30 billion from Nvidia, and $50 billion from Amazon.

After Samsung, Apple? Google Gemini AI API First — Will the Smartphone AI Race Break Through?

At Samsung’s annual flagship phone launch, Samsung partnered with Google to publicly showcase the Gemini AI on the new Galaxy S26. This device may serve as a preview for the next upgrade of Apple Intelligence (Apple’s personal AI system), attracting industry attention.

War for Warner Bros.: Netflix Withdraws, Paramount Sky Dance May Go Public

On the evening of February 26, Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ: WBD) announced that Paramount Sky Dance (hereafter “Paramount Sky Dance”) submitted a new bid of $111 billion, more favorable to shareholders than their previous agreement with Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX). Subsequently, Netflix announced it would withdraw from the Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition battle, clearing the way for Paramount Sky Dance’s potential takeover.

SpaceX Rumored to Submit IPO Confidentially in March, Valuation Exceeds $1.75 Trillion

Latest market rumors suggest that Elon Musk’s private space company SpaceX is considering submitting its IPO documents confidentially as early as March. As one of the three most likely IPOs this year (along with OpenAI and Anthropic), this move aligns with their goal to go public in June. Confidential filings allow companies to receive regulatory feedback and make adjustments before public disclosure.

Amazon, Nvidia, and SoftBank Invest $110 Billion, OpenAI Valued at $730 Billion

On Friday, February 27, AI research firm OpenAI announced it completed a $110 billion funding round. This round more than doubles the previous financing a year ago, which set a record for private tech funding. According to OpenAI, Amazon invested $50 billion, Nvidia invested $30 billion, and SoftBank invested $30 billion. This round values the company at $730 billion, significantly higher than the $500 billion valuation from a secondary offering in October last year.

Inflation Worries Rise Again! U.S. January PPI Surges Beyond Expectations

U.S. producer price index (PPI) for January increased more than market expectations, indicating that companies may be passing higher import tariffs’ costs downstream, suggesting inflation pressures could intensify in the coming months. The latest inflation data also caused a sharp decline at market open. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that January PPI rose 2.9% year-over-year, versus an expected 2.6%, and previous 3.0%. Monthly PPI was 0.5%, versus an expected 0.3%, revised from 0.5% to 0.4%.

UBS Strategist Downgrades U.S. Stocks: Weakening Dollar + High Valuations + Washington Turmoil!

UBS’s chief equity strategist lowered the outlook for U.S. stocks, citing increased risks from a weakening dollar, high valuations, and rising policy uncertainties in Washington. UBS’s global equity head Andrew Garthwaite downgraded U.S. stocks to “benchmark” in global portfolios. He believes the factors that drove U.S. stocks to outperform globally over recent years are gradually fading.

NASA Adjusts Lunar Mission Plan Amid “Too High Risk” Warnings

Amid delays caused by ongoing rocket leaks, NASA announced on Friday adjustments to its Artemis lunar program, providing more testing opportunities for new commercial space equipment. The overall approach mimics the Apollo program from half a century ago, aiming for more frequent launches to verify new hardware’s reliability and ultimately achieve “moon return” before the end of the Trump administration.

U.S. Secretary of State to Visit Israel Next Week to Discuss Iran and Regional Issues

According to CCTV News, on Friday, February 27, the U.S. State Department announced that Secretary of State Blinken will visit Israel from March 2 to 3 to consult with Israeli leaders on Iran and other regional matters. With concerns over potential U.S. military strikes on Iran rising, this trip has attracted significant attention.

Starlink Enters Air Traffic: Will Provide High-Speed Internet for Flying Taxis

On Friday, February 27, eVTOL company Archer Aviation announced on its website that it will partner with Starlink to provide stable, reliable, and high-speed internet service for air taxis.

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