economy
February 28, 2026
3 themes that drove Wall Street's wild week and the new U.S.-Iran conflict wildcard
Investors last week wrestled with the impact of AI adoption on various sectors and the overall economy. This coming week is a wildcard after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran.
TL;DR
- Stock markets experienced wild swings due to concerns about AI's economic impact and the U.S.-Iran conflict.
- Oil prices soared amid fears of crude supply disruptions following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran.
- AI adoption fueled fears of job losses and inflation, with companies like Block laying off staff.
- Chip stocks like Nvidia and Broadcom declined, while AI industrial stocks such as Corning saw gains.
- Traditional enterprise software stocks like Salesforce bounced back, while cybersecurity stocks fluctuated.
- Bank stocks were pressured by research warning of AI-driven white-collar layoffs and reduced consumer spending.
- The S&P 500 and Nasdaq recorded losses for February, marking their worst monthly performance since March 2025.
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