War in the Middle East is impacting global markets, lifting oil and gold while weighing on stock futures. Crude oil remains strong and energy ETFs are making new highs, suggesting continued upside momentum for energy stocks heading into Monday’s session.
At the same time, March seasonality in the VIX points to increasing volatility ahead. While current index declines remain within normal ranges, technical weakness in NVIDIA highlights potential downside risk if market sentiment deteriorates further.
Stephen Whiteside
Monday, March 2, 2026
