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Mojtaba Khamenei’s Rise Sparks Market Turmoil as Hardliners Mobilize

People attend a gathering to support Iran's new supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Tehran, Iran, March 9, 2026.  Iran’s hardline factions mounted a powerful show of support for newly appointed Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei , rallying across Tehran in a display that signaled a tightening of conservative control and diminished hopes for de-escalation in the Middle East.  The demonstrations, marked by mass gatherings and imagery linking Mojtaba to his late father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, underscored the regime’s consolidation at a moment of heightened regional conflict.  Analysts warn that the hardliners’ unified backing suggests Iran is unlikely to soften its stance amid ongoing tensions with the U.S. and Israel. Global markets reacted sharply. Fears that prolonged instability could further disrupt energy supplies sent oil prices soaring and triggered steep declines in major stock indices. With one of the most significan...

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Wall Street Wavers as AI Concerns Eclipse Shutdown Optimism

US markets stumbled on Tuesday as renewed anxiety over artificial intelligence investments weighed on investor sentiment, overshadowing optimism that Washington may soon resolve the record-breaking government shutdown.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average held near the flat line, while the S&P 500 slipped about 0.2%. The Nasdaq Composite fell 0.3%, retreating after a strong start to the week that had been fueled by hopes of an AI-driven rally.

Investor confidence in the AI sector was shaken after SoftBank Group announced it had sold its entire stake in Nvidia, redirecting funds toward its own AI ventures. The move raised fresh questions about whether the massive capital flowing into AI will deliver returns that justify lofty valuations. Meanwhile, CoreWeave trimmed its full-year revenue forecast, sending its shares down more than 8% in premarket trading.

Despite the pullback, optimism remains that a resolution to the US government shutdown could provide a stabilizing force for markets. Traders are closely watching developments in Washington, where negotiations continue to end the historic funding lapse.

The day’s trading highlights the tug-of-war between short-term political relief and long-term sector uncertainty. While hopes for a government reopening buoyed sentiment earlier this week, the AI sector’s volatility underscores how fragile investor confidence remains in the face of shifting corporate strategies and earnings outlooks.

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