BUSINESS

NEW YORK — The Nasdaq Composite Index tumbled more than 2% on Friday, March 20, 2026, closing at 21,647.61 after shedding 443.08 points, as escalating U.S.-Israeli military actions against Iran drove oil prices higher and fueled investor fears of prolonged economic disruption.

Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates is intensifying his commitment to global health and innovation as the Gates Foundation ramps up spending toward a planned closure in 2045, even as he navigates renewed controversy over past associations with Jeffrey Epstein.

OMAHA, Neb. — Warren Buffett, the legendary investor who stepped down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. at the end of 2025, remains a central figure in financial news as his successor navigates the conglomerate's transition.

SAN FRANCISCO — Peter Thiel, the billionaire co-founder of PayPal and Palantir Technologies and a prominent venture capitalist through Founders Fund, has built one of the most influential investment portfolios in tech history. As of March 2026, his holdings reflect a mix of early-stage bets that exploded in value and strategic public market positions, with Palantir Technologies standing out as his largest single investment by current market value.

Silver prices plunged sharply on March 23, 2026, with the spot price dropping to approximately $63.99 to $64.77 per troy ounce in early trading, reflecting losses of 5% to 8% from recent levels as escalating U.S.-Iran conflict, surging oil prices and a stronger U.S. dollar fueled a broad selloff in precious metals.

NEW YORK — The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed sharply lower on its last trading session before the March 23, 2026, weekend, falling 443.96 points, or 0.96%, to settle at 45,577.47. The decline on March 20 capped a volatile week for U.S. equities, driven by persistent pressures from rising oil prices, geopolitical uncertainties, and fading expectations for near-term Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.

LONDON — Croda International PLC (LSE: CRDA), the U.K.-based specialty chemicals company, saw its shares close at 2,554.00 pence on March 20, 2026, the most recent trading day before the March 23 weekend, marking a 1.43% gain from the previous close of 2,518.00 pence. The stock opened at 2,537.00 pence and traded in a day's range of 2,522.00 to 2,572.00 pence on volume of approximately 1.51 million shares.

New York — Bitcoin traded around $68,500 on March 23, 2026, showing signs of consolidation after dipping from recent highs near $71,000 earlier in the month.

SYDNEY, Australia — As the Australian Securities Exchange hovers near record levels with the ASX 200 surpassing 9,000 points in early 2026, investors face a mixed landscape shaped by global geopolitical tensions

Global oil prices climbed sharply Monday amid persistent disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz caused by the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict, with Brent crude benchmark rising to around $113 per barrel as supply fears intensified in the fourth week of hostilities.

SYDNEY, Australia — The Australian dollar weakened against the US dollar on Monday, with AUD/USD trading around 0.6980 in Asian and early European sessions, down approximately 0.78% from Friday's close as escalating US-Iran tensions and broader market uncertainty outweighed support from soaring oil prices.

Asian stock markets tumbled sharply Monday amid escalating threats between the United States and Iran, as the conflict entered its fourth week with no signs of de-escalation. Major indexes in Japan and South Korea fell more than 5%, driven by investor fears over potential disruptions to global energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz.

LONDON — The FTSE 100 ended lower on Friday, March 20, 2026, closing at 9,918.33, down 145.17 points or 1.44%, marking its largest single-day percentage decline in recent weeks amid profit-taking and broader market caution. The benchmark index opened at 10,063.25 but quickly retreated, trading in a range of 9,915.70 to 10,127.56 before settling near session lows on volume of approximately 2.61 billion shares.

Artificial intelligence is reshaping Australia's job market at an unprecedented pace, with technical and strategic AI roles leading the charge as the fastest-growing opportunities in 2026.

Billionaire Elon Musk, the world's richest person and CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, offered Saturday to personally cover the salaries of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) personnel caught in the crossfire of a partial U.S. government shutdown over Department of Homeland Security funding.

Planet Labs PBC (NYSE: PL), the San Francisco-based Earth imaging and geospatial analytics company, saw its shares surge more than 25% in heavy trading on March 20, 2026, closing at a record high as investors reacted enthusiastically to stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter results, a massive backlog expansion and optimistic fiscal 2027 projections.

Stanmore Resources Ltd (ASX:SMR) shares surged more than 5% in the most recent trading session, closing at A$2.71 amid renewed investor interest in the metallurgical coal sector and the company's operational momentum.

SYDNEY — The Australian share market extended its recent losses Friday, March 20, 2026, with the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index declining 69.4 points or 0.82% to close at 8,428.40 — its lowest finish in four months and marking a third straight weekly drop amid persistent Middle East tensions and commodity price pressure.

Catalyst Metals Ltd (ASX: CYL), a mid-tier Australian gold producer focused on the Plutonic and Golden Crown operations in Western Australia, saw its shares jump sharply on March 20, 2026, closing at A$6.58 after gaining 0.51 or 8.40% in heavy trading volume.

SYDNEY — The Australian stock market extended its losing streak Friday, with the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index closing at 8,428.40, down 69.40 points or 0.82%, marking a fresh four-month low and its third consecutive weekly decline.

Australia's banking sector remains highly concentrated in 2026, with the "Big Four" banks — Commonwealth Bank of Australia (CBA), Westpac Banking Corporation (Westpac), National Australia Bank (NAB) and Australia and New Zealand Banking Group (ANZ)

From regenerative agriculture to deep-tech innovation, a new generation of New Zealand companies is showing the world how to build businesses that endure.

Surfshark VPN has solidified its position as one of the top budget-friendly virtual private network services in 2026, earning high marks from independent reviewers for its combination of low cost, unlimited simultaneous device connections and strong performance across streaming, torrenting and general privacy needs.

An Iran-linked hacking group claimed responsibility for a major cyberattack that disrupted global operations at Stryker Corp., one of the world's largest medical technology companies

Atlassian CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes informed staff about the job cuts via email, according to reports.

Lululemon has paid the $702,900 fine for sending hundreds of thousands of emails that customers had no way of unsubscribing from.

Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ: AVGO) shares advanced modestly Friday, March 6, 2026, trading around $335.84 midday, up approximately 0.93% or $3.10 from Thursday's close of $332.74, as investors digested the company's strong fiscal first-quarter results and robust guidance tied to surging artificial intelligence demand.

Acebeam, the China-based manufacturer renowned for high-performance LED and LEP flashlights, continues to dominate enthusiast and professional markets in 2026 with a lineup of powerful, durable lights showcased at major trade events like SHOT Show and IWA OutdoorClassics.

AppSumo, the online marketplace renowned for lifetime software deals, continues to attract entrepreneurs, freelancers and small business owners in 2026 with steep discounts on SaaS tools, particularly in the surging AI category.