Author: Timothy St. John

Timothy St John is a seasoned financial analyst and writer, catering to the dynamic landscapes of the US and European markets. Boasting over a decade of extensive freelance writing experience, he has made significant contributions to reputable platforms such as Yahoo!Finance, business.com: Expert Business Advice, Tips, and Resources - Business.com, and numerous others. Timothy's expertise lies in in-depth research and comprehensive coverage of stock and cryptocurrency movements, coupled with a keen understanding of the economic factors influencing currency dynamics. Timothy majored in English at East Tennessee State University, and you can find him on LinkedIn.

U.S. Stock Futures Slide Friday on $104 Oil

Posted on March 27, 2026 by Timothy St. John

On Friday, the U.S. equity market dipped further from the previous day’s drop and pushed the Nasdaq down 0.6%, while the Dow and S&P 500 both fell 0.4%.

Stocks are falling on escalating oil prices and increased economic fear.

Stocks decreased sharply on Thursday, with the Dow losing 470 points, and Friday kept the bearish trend going with a further drop. Both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq fell to their lowest closing points since September, and analysts point toward rising oil costs and ongoing Middle East conflict as the culprits.

Investors are scared to play the market at a time when inflation may be rising and oil prices are now more than $100 a barrel. Brent crude rose to $104 on Friday and West Texas intermediate climbed 2.4% to hit $96.75 per barrel.

Middle East Uncertainty Makes the Stock Market a Hard Sell

There are conflicting signals coming out of Washington this week. President Trump wrote on Truth Social that he would not be attacking energy plants in Iran for now. However, the Pentagon is reported as looking into sending 10,000 more troops into the area. This does not look like a deescalation but perhaps a change of course for the war that has now been going on for a month.

Consumers are worried about the price of gas and oil, which have been steadily rising since the conflict began. There have been days when the price fell briefly, but the overall cost of oil has climbed 45% since the fighting began.

Leading stock futures, particularly the Magnificent Seven stocks, were all looking bearish on Thursday at the closing bell. These stocks have struggled since the fighting started, with Nvidia (NVDA), Apple (AAPL), Alphabet (GOOGL), and Microsoft (MSFT) all taking a plunge in recent days. Nvidia lost 4.16% on Thursday and will likely fall further on Friday as selling pressure worsens. Investors are less likely to feel confident in the stock market when oil prices are high and the risk of inflation rising is elevated.

A few software stocks have held firm amid the bear trend. Salesforce (CRM) climbed 2% Thursday, and Snowflake (SNOW) added 1% while Figma (FIG) gained 5%. Investors are more worried about the bigger stocks that tend to be market movers rather than these somewhat smaller software equities that are less visible but perform steadily even during times of economic pressure. If the fighting continues long enough, even these may start to give way. So far, inflation has held mostly steady since the fighting in Iran started, but the constantly rising gas prices could increase the cost of other commodities in the weeks to come.

Bitcoin Price Prediction after Iran Conflict Sends the Rate Below $67K

Posted on March 27, 2026 by Timothy St. John

On Friday, Bitcoin fell to $66,643 (BTC/USD) as weeks of Middle East fighting finally put serious pressure on the coin and wiped out recent gains.

Bitcoin is under selling pressure that has wiped out this week's gains. — Bitcoin is under selling pressure that has wiped out this week’s gains.

Bitcoin (BTC) plunged into the red on Friday, losing nearly 4% of its value in 24 hours and wiping out most of last week’s increases in one fell swoop. Corporate BTC holders have abandoned the crypto token except for Strategy, according to reports, and market sentiment has tanked.

[[BTC/USD]]

Institutional investors showed their bearish bent as continued fear over the Iran conflict produced intense selling pressure. Consumers are worried about the price of gas and other necessities as the fighting drags on- now extending into a month of conflict.

Bitcoin Risk Sentiment Is High

Through much of 2026, Bitcoin has been seen as a relatively stable cryptocurrency with sluggish but steady upward momentum. That has changed after weeks of fighting in the Middle East, and with oil now above $100 per barrel, many investors do not have room in their portfolios for risky crypto tokens.

Bitcoin appears to be heading into a volatile stretch, weighed down by ongoing conflict that is driving economic fears higher and painting the crypto market as a riskier venture. U.S. stocks and the crypto market have swung wildly between highs and lows this week, climbing on Monday, then dropping on Tuesday. They have moved back and forth throughout the week and are showing extended bearish behavior as the weekend starts.

Mixed signals are coming out of Washington and Iran, with both sides unsure of when the conflict will end and neither side willing to give in very much to make a ceasefire happen. Iran says that they have no plans to meet with the Trump administration, but Trump said that productive talks have already taken place. The uncertainty has made it hard for the market to retain its stability, and we are left with a volatile crypto environment that will likely remain that way until a ceasefire happens.

Until then, Bitcoin will likely be increasingly volatile and risky and may have trouble holding onto its gains. Bitcoin is down nearly 6% for the week now and could plunge further, especially if news out of Iran points to a further extension of the fighting.

Ethereum Loses 6% Value in Bear Session

Posted on March 26, 2026 by Timothy St. John

The Ethereum (ETH) supply has fallen to lows not seen since 2016, and the coin is down 6% as the crypto market feels pressure from rising oil and gas prices.

Ethereum has fallen from its Wednesday high as oil prices escalate.

Thursday has been a bearish session for the cryptocurrency and stock markets thanks to sharply rising oil prices. As the Iran conflict appears to be extending further, pressure is being placed on investors to tread carefully, and inflation is a looming problem for the crypto market.

[[ETH/USD]]

Now, Ethereum is down to $2,048 (ETH/USD) and has lost much of this week’s gains. The coin had hit a high of $2,196 earlier this week but then faltered on Thursday as the Iran conflict changed once again.

New Ethereum Price Prediction

Because the coin’s upward progress has been halted, investors may worry if the coin can recover from its losses and keep moving higher to hit some of those earlier ETH price projections that were spurred by bullish trends. The entire crypto market took a hit Thursday, but that does not mean that all of the upward momentum has been lost.

Ethereum retreated today, and the ETH rate is back to where it was before this week’s gains, but at least the coin has not fallen below $2,000. That is crucial for market sentiment to remain high. That psychologically important level means so much for Ethereum’s investors right now. Since the crypto market spent much of the last few months trending bearish and losing most of its 2025 gains, the market needs to stay above key levels to retain strong market sentiment.

Ethereum is still in a good place to be able to hit some of the predicted highs later this year. It is on track to hit the crucial $2,393 level later this year, which has been a stronghold of resistance. If Ethereum can do that, it will be less likely to slip back close to the $2K level and may be able to set a new record high by 2027.

The ETH trade volume has suffered little this week, now sitting at a healthy $17.6 billion and down just 3.6% from the previous day. This tells us that even though the coin is down substantially today compared to Wednesday’s high, investor interest remains elevated and a quick recovery is very likely. Swift fluctuations in the crypto market and in Ethereum in particular have been mostly caused by volatile gas and oil prices lately. We anticipate that the conflict in Iran will continue to cause these fluctuations, but the coin is showing signs of strength that tell us it may come out the other side of the conflict higher than when it went in.

The Iran conflict has lasted for about three weeks now, and Ethereum has gained more than 10% in the last month. Investors may want to jump on this current ebb and profit from the inevitable surge to come.

Micron Stocks Tumbles after $25 Billion Capex Commitment

Posted on March 26, 2026 by Timothy St. John

Micron Technology (MU) has vowed to spend $5 billion more this year in capital expenditures, bringing its total capex costs to more than $25 billion for 2026.

MU stock is falling after they reveal their $25 billion capex spending plan.

Falling 7.33% on Thursday, Micron Technology’s stock has taken a big hit after a very promising quarterly report. They reported Q2 earnings of $23.86 billion on March 18th and recorded a 196% increase in revenue from the previous year. However, the company is now pledging to spend more on capital expenditures in 2026 than they made in the previous quarter.

Their stock is down sharply during a bearish session for the stock markets and for technology stocks in particular. As gas and oil prices rise to once again hit more than $100 per barrel, investors are cautious about going in on technology stocks from companies with out of control capex spending.

Bad Timing for Stock Decline

Today’s stock drop looks dangerous for MU at a time when technology stocks are suffering severe scrutiny for how money is being spent. There is also a supply chain shortage caused by increasing AI data center building. Micron Technology helps to provide AI memory supplies, and they are part of the three-way near monopoly that includes SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics.

While Micron Technology has profited substantially in recent months as demand for their products remains high, they may have trouble keeping up with demand. They are also at risk of losing contracts to other, smaller suppliers who may be able to meet demand better for some of their customers. The growing AI market needs high bandwidth memory, and Micron Technology is forced to keep developing new technology and double down on investments to ensure they meet consumer demand.

However, as they pour their profits back into development and infrastructure costs, they are looking less appealing to their shareholders. The stock is down to $356 per share, well below their March high of $461 per share that they achieved right around the time of their Q2 report. If their capex costs continue to rise, they may lose investors even while growing their customer base.

US Natural Gas Hovers Near $3 before EIA Storage Report

Posted on March 26, 2026 by Timothy St. John

On Thursday, U.S. natural gas futures rose to $2.99 per MMBtu as oil prices also increased around the world, but the new EIA report could send the price back down.

LNG production is expected to increase this year.

Iran has denied the U.S. plan for a ceasefire in the Middle East, but they are considering a path toward resolution. The development caused oil prices to spike this morning and gave the U.S. LNG futures a boost as well, sending them close to $3 once more.

The incoming EIA report is expected to show a 51 Bcf withdrawal. If so, that would be the last weekly withdrawal before winter is over, and inventory levels are still elevated. They will likely continue to remain that way through the springtime.

Storage Report to Send Futures Lower

Weather forecasts call for rising temperatures all the way through April 9th, and the warmer temperatures should drive down the already low domestic demand for natural gas. The upcoming storage report from the EIA will tell the market how much gas was withdrawn last week, and when the inventory totals are calculated, we expect higher than normal levels to be reported.

Elevated inventory has been a problem for the domestic LNG market for over a month, and with demand dropping, the prices are sure to go down in the coming weeks. We may even see a 2026 spring and summer stretch similar to what happened in 2025. Last year, inventory levels were very high and demand remained low through the hot months, leading to very low market prices for LNG.

Production is expected to ramp up later this year, with several production facilities adding new lines and others opening up to increase supply to the United States market. These developments will likely raise inventory levels even higher and keep market prices subdued until late fall of 2026.

Several new gas-run power plants are expected to open in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas, and a new trade deal with Japan should result in a new gas-fired power plant in Appalachia as well. These power plants will be designed to meet increasing power needs and could help spur growth in the LNG market. Meanwhile, the world is watching developments in Iran that have an effect on the global LNG market but little impact on US prices.

Oil Increase Pushes Dow down 200 Points

Posted on March 26, 2026 by Timothy St. John

U.S. stock markets fell on Thursday as oil prices rose 4% and caused the Dow to lose 233 points after Wednesday’s upswing, erasing most of the gains.

Energy stocks jump while tech stocks fall on Thursday.

Swiftly changing developments in Iran led to oil price increases on Thursday and pushed stock values back down. The Dow fell 0.5%, and the Nasdaq lost 0.8%. The S&P 500 was hit the hardest with a drop of 1.2% as Brent crude oil prices climbed to $106 per barrel.

These fluctuations are the result of Trump’s peace plan stalling as he announced on Truth Social this week that Iran needs to “get serious soon.” He threatened decisive action that could prolong the conflict or result in serious consequences.

Energy Stocks Remain Volatile

Those expecting a quick end to the fighting in Iran are disappointed by the turn of events and Iran’s seeming rejection of Trump’s peace plan. According to President Donald Trump, Iran’s negotiators are considering the plan, but Iran’s foreign minister said that while a proposal for resolution is being considered, no plans are in place to talk with the United States.

The bullish session that the stock market enjoyed Wednesday has been dramatically and decisively countered by Thursday’s sharp downturn. As Iran and the United States offer different accounts of what is happening, the market is not sure how to react.

One of Thursday’s big winners so far is Greenland Energy Co. (GLND) on the Nasdaq Composite index, which posted gains of 114%. The newly formed company is the result of a merger between Greenland Exploration Limited and Pelican Acquisition Corporation.

Over on the S&P 500, one of the top gainers there was the Valero Energy Corp (VLO) with gains of 3.42%, and their modest gains are indicative of how many energy companies are performing today. Rising fuel prices are pushing energy stocks higher while tech stocks fall lower after strong gains the previous day.

Nvidia (NVDA) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) are both down Thursday, falling 1.95% and 2.99%, respectively. These stocks may snap back if fuel prices swing down again this week, but for now, these leading AI stocks are struggling to hold their ground against poor consumer sentiment and fears of a tightening economy.

Ethereum Price Prediction after Launch of Bitmine Staking Service

Posted on March 25, 2026 by Timothy St. John

On Wednesday, Ethereum (ETH) gained 2.89% to hit $2,163 (ETH/USD) as Bitmine launched their Ethereum staking service that they say is the largest in the world.

Ethereum is bullish after the Bitmine platform launch and possible peace in Iran.

Bitmine Immersion Technologies launched the MAVAN (Made in America Validator Network) staking platform on Wednesday, creating what is being called the largest platform of its kind for Ethereum. The ETH rate jumped nearly 3% in 24 hours, and trade volume was up to $18.16 billion (per 24 hours) at the time of publication.

[[ETH/USD]]

Ethereum’s gains can also be attributed to a bullish crypto market that saw Bitcoin (BTC) add 2.5% on Wednesday and Solana (SOL) gain 3% from the previous day. The cryptocurrency market made impressive gains after pulling back Tuesday amid fluctuations in the Iran-U.S. conflict. Now that a plan for peace there has been laid out, oil prices are dropping and stocks and crypto tokens are on the rise.

New ETH Price Prediction Anticipates Strong Growth

The MAVAN platform is designed to be one of the leading staking operations in the world, and Ethereum users who stake there can earn digital rewards. The crypto staking platform gives holders a way to essentially earn interest by keeping their assets locked to the blockchain as it pays out to incentivize holding onto coins.

Bitmine has $6.8 billion in USD staked on Ethereum now, and that makes them the largest Ethereum staking entity globally. They could earn around $300 million each year from their investment. They are demonstrating tremendous confidence in the cryptocurrency, and this may be the right time for them to launch their platform.

Ethereum has gained 18% from its early February low for 2026, and the token is still looking bullish. The coin and the wider market have both stabilized since dropping dramatically from record highs in October, and we may soon see the market surge to tremendous heights as several factors start to work in favor of digital assets.

The stock market’s recovery in recent days has helped push the crypto market higher. With many global tariffs repealed and a possible end in sight for the Iran conflict, we could see a bullish market for stocks and crypto tokens. Ethereum and other crypto assets are set to climb rapidly later this year if the new cryptocurrency regulatory act is approved. This bill has been in progress for a while and made tremendous steps forward earlier this year.

Ethereum has been showing indications of upward trajectory with the ability to retain gains in recent weeks. Even with Middle East conflict occurring, the coin has demonstrated resiliency and growth, and that bodes well for its long-term prospects.

Gas Futures Find Three-Week Low, Eradicating War Gains

Posted on March 25, 2026 by Timothy St. John

All of the gains made since the beginning of the Iran conflict have been wiped out by Wednesday’s low for U.S. natural gas futures around $2.90.

Gas production is up in the United States and raising inventory levels.

The Iran war has pushed LNG prices higher in the United States, but not as high as in other parts of the world. The increases have been completely erased this week as the price fell around $2.90 per MMBtu. This is the lowest the LNG rate has been in three weeks, and demand is rapidly falling for domestic providers.

LNG pricing charts show weakness throughout the United States and falling interest in the market as demand slips and temperatures warm. The summer months will be here soon, and the natural gas market will hit its 2026 low at that point while heating demand is miniscule. Export numbers are lower as well as the global energy crisis appears to be changing.

Iranian Peace Influences U.S. LNG Less Than Weather

The domestic natural gas market is looking more closely at weather patterns and forecasts than it is at what is happening with oil fields and gas production plants in the Middle East. While global gas markets are fluctuating wildly with each development in Iran, the United States LNG rate is mostly steady. There was a sharp drop on Monday, but that was mostly due to new weather forecasts and inventory level data.

Despite high demand for LNG in areas of the world where the supply is at risk, most of those needs are not being met by United States natural gas suppliers. So, even as fighting continues in the Middle East and the United States and Iran attack one another’s oil inventories, exports from the U.S. have barely increased since the conflict started.

At the same time, inventory levels across the U.S. are higher than they were in February, and they are sitting above the 5-year average. With little demand, warming temperatures, and rising inventory, natural gas is bound for a lower price soon.

LNG suppliers are forced to sell their gas at a discount to cover operating costs as demand diminishes. Some Texas suppliers are recording negative pricing, selling the gas at a loss just to keep their doors open during this period of volatility. The hope that inventors would level out and fall below average levels after strong winter storms in January has disappeared. Production has increased at such a rate that inventories are higher than they have been in a while, and the situation will likely only get worse for those hoping to invest in the natural gas market.

Bitcoin Climbs 1% as It Builds Bullish Momentum

Posted on March 25, 2026 by Timothy St. John

Bitcoin (BTC) briefly shot up to $71.9K on Wednesday amid a fluctuating market that was primarily bullish after news broke that oil prices were dropping and peace was a likely possibility in the Middle East.

Bitcoin's trading range allows for some volatility but shows indications of growth. — Bitcoin’s trading range allows for some volatility but shows indications of growth.

Over the last 24 hours, Bitcoin moved between $68,934 (BTC/USD)and $71,925, mostly remaining high as oil and gas prices fell. The U.S. government laid out a plan for peace in the Middle East with Iran, and stocks and the crypto market have been climbing as a result.

[[BTC/USD]]

Trade volume rose to $39.3 billion for the coin over the last 24 hours, indicating bullish momentum and spurring investors to hold onto their assets. We could easily see a jump to $75K of Bitcoin before the end of the week.

Bitcoin Price Prediction Following Peace News

The potential for fighting to end in the Middle East is much stronger now than it was last week, although Iran and the United States are still attacking one another. Bitcoin appears bullish based on the news we have now, but the situation could change quickly. It looks like investors are hungry for any opportunity to boost the BTC price.

That is excellent news for Bitcoin whales who are playing the long game. It tells us that investor sentiment is high, even when the coin has minor setbacks like it did Tuesday. The cryptocurrency market and the stock market both slipped yesterday, but they have made a strong recovery today and are headed much higher as selling pressure eases dramatically.

Bitcoin is neither breaking out nor breaking down, and that indicates some volatility and the potential to go either way if the economic winds shift. Long-term Bitcoin charts show a trend toward rising value, but that trend is weak. In other words, we are likely to see from Bitcoin what we have seen through much of 2026- upward movement that is gradual but decisive. Even if Bitcoin surges to $75K this week, it may slip backward a little and consolidate lower without strong support.

Dow Shoots up 400 Points on Falling Oil Prices

Posted on March 25, 2026 by Timothy St. John

The Dow Jones gained 0.9% Wednesday morning in early trading thanks to news that an Iran peace plan is being developed and oil prices are dropping.

The stock market is bullish thanks to news of possible peace in the Middle East.

Premarket trading saw all three major U.S. stock indices jump after an announcement from the New York Times that the Trump administration has laid out a peace plan for Iran. Oil futures slipped and the Nasdaq grew 1%. The S&P 500 gained 0.8% and the Dow added 421 points, equating to a gain of 0.9%.

Fighting is continuing in the Middle East, but there is a clear path to a peaceful resolution now, and it is up to Iran to accept it or counter it with terms that the Trump administration will accept. Meanwhile stocks found renewed strength on the hope that an end may be in sight and on the certainty that at least oil prices are lower than they were the previous day.

Oil Market Fluctuations Create Opportunity for Stock Growth

Piper Sandler’s Chief Investment Officer Michael Kantrowitz said that “Oil and interest rates are driving the equity market.” As oil prices fluctuate and then elevate, they can add to the inflation problem that has kept the Federal Reserve back from issuing interest rate cuts. The fear of inflation and rising gas prices has created volatility in the stock market that is much stronger than it was earlier in the year.

The stock market jumped on Monday after news broke that the United States and Iran were in peace talks. When Iran countered that news, the market slipped again and lost much of its Monday gains. Now, the stock market is up again on news of potential peace in the Middle East, with the stock indices each up around 1%.

The biggest gainers on most indices are energy stocks, with Robin Energy (RBNE) climbing 91% and Eagle Nuclear Energy (NUCL) adding 35%. We are also seeing gains from tech stocks this week, and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) gained 6.43% on Wednesday morning while Hewlett Packard (HPE) topped the S&P 500 index with gains of 9.14%.

This week has also seen an increase for many financial and industrial stocks, with a large portion of them gaining more Wednesday than they did Monday morning. This indicates a bullish movement that was only slightly hindered by Tuesday’s drawback, and we could start to see some record highs for many stocks in these categories very soon, even amid ongoing fighting in the Middle East.