Good morning investors! Nasdaq and S&P are set for worst month since March as fear continues to rule.
Today we cover:
Smartphone market to suffer
Netflix takes a loss, stock jumps
Highest paying majors
📊 Economy and News
Global Smartphone Market Faces Sharpest Decline on Record in 2026
Analysts forecast the global smartphone market to experience its worst-ever decline in 2026 due to a severe memory chip shortage driven by surging AI infrastructure demand.
Counterpoint Research projects a 12% year-on-year drop in shipments — the sharpest on record — with volumes falling to the lowest since 2013. IDC predicts a 13% contraction (to about 1.12 billion units), marking the biggest drop in over a decade, alongside an 11% decline in the PC market.
The crisis stems from AI hyperscalers (e.g., Amazon, Meta) prioritizing memory chips, forcing smartphone and PC makers to face deprioritized supply and soaring prices for components like DRAM and NAND.
This leads to higher device prices, longer replacement cycles, fewer new users, and a shift toward mid-to-high-end models. Smaller vendors may exit low-end segments, while larger players like Apple and Samsung benefit from stronger supply chains and pricing power.
The outlook remains gloomy short-term, with potential relief only from late 2027 if new memory capacity comes online.
Global hits:
India’s GDP growth slips to 7.8% in third quarter amid data revamp.
German unemployment stays above 3 million as weak economy takes toll.
India’s April-January fiscal deficit at 63% of 2025/26 target.
China encourages dollar buying to slow surging yuan.
Reminder: Tether says it has frozen $4.2 billion of its stablecoin over crime links. Also, mortgage rates fall below 6% for the first time in more than 3 years.
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📈 Stocks
S&P 500 6,908.86 (-0.54%)
DJIA 49,499.20 (+0.034%)
NASDAQ 22,878.38 (-1.18%)
BRENT CRUDE 72.53 (+2.52%)
* Prices as of Feb 27th, 12:20 AM UTC
Netflix Walks Away from Warner Bros. Discovery Deal as Paramount's Bid Deemed Superior
Netflix has declined to raise its offer for Warner Bros. Discovery's (WBD) studio and streaming assets, stepping back after WBD's board declared Paramount Skydance's revised $31-per-share all-cash bid for the entire company superior to Netflix's $27.75-per-share proposal.
The decision ends Netflix's pursuit, clearing the path for Paramount Skydance to acquire WBD in a deal valued at approximately $111 billion, including pay-TV networks like CNN, TBS, and TNT.
Paramount agreed to cover the $2.8 billion breakup fee WBD would owe Netflix and included a $7 billion reverse termination fee if regulatory approval fails.
Netflix co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters stated the higher price made the deal no longer financially attractive, though they believed their proposal offered clear regulatory approval and value creation.
WBD CEO David Zaslav praised Netflix as a strong partner but expressed excitement for the Paramount combination to deliver shareholder value.
Stock reactions: Netflix shares surged about 7-10% in extended trading, Paramount rose around 7%, while WBD fell roughly 1-2%.
This concludes a months-long bidding saga, with Paramount's full-company offer prevailing over Netflix's targeted acquisition.
Interesting: Block shares soar as much as 24% as company slashes workforce by nearly half.
Big Tech and banking stocks helped Norway’s $2 trillion wealth fund book a $250 billion profit in 2025.
Nintendo is expanding the footprint of its valuable intellectual property (IP) across movies to merchandise and theme parks.
Surprising: Papa Johns is closing hundreds of locations. Elsewhere, Swiss Re pops 5% after posting record $4.8 billion profit, plans $1.5 billion buyback.
💵 Personal Finance
The Highest-Paying College Majors 5 Years After Graduation
Engineering degrees continue to deliver the biggest paychecks in the years right after college — and well into mid-career.
According to analysis from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, based on 2024 U.S. Census data, the top-earning majors for graduates ages 22 to 27 are dominated by engineering and tech fields.
Top early-career majors (median salaries ages 22–27):
Computer engineering: $90,000
Computer science: $87,000
Chemical engineering: $85,000
Aerospace engineering: $85,000
Industrial engineering: $83,000
Electrical engineering: $82,000
Mechanical engineering: $80,000
Civil engineering and related engineering fields: about $75,000
Economics and business analytics: $72,000
Finance, mathematics and nursing: $70,000
That’s far above the overall U.S. median personal income of just over $45,000.
Engineering majors make up only about 6% of bachelor’s degrees awarded nationwide, but demand remains strong.
Data show employers value graduates’ technical and quantitative skills, even as artificial intelligence reshapes some tasks.
Mid-career pay (ages 35–45) is even more striking. Chemical, computer and aerospace engineering majors report median salaries of $130,000 or more. Many other engineering fields, along with economics, finance, business analytics, physics and information systems, reach $100,000 or higher.
By contrast, education and arts majors tend to earn significantly less, with several education fields reporting median mid-career pay below $60,000.
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