Rio Tinto has paused discussions with Japanese clients regarding aluminum supply for the second quarter. Bloomberg posted on X, highlighting the impact of this decision on the market. The suspension comes amid ongoing challenges in the global aluminum industry, affecting supply chains and pricing strategies. Rio Tinto's move reflects broader uncertainties in the sector, as companies navigate fluctuating demand and geopolitical tensions. The halt in negotiations underscores the complexities faced by major players in the aluminum market, as they adapt to evolving economic conditions.

According to data from msx.com, pre-market performance of crypto-related stocks in the US market was mixed. BMNR rose 0.79%, SBET rose 0.15%, MSTR fell 0.08%, CRCL fell 2.92%, and COIN fell 1.96%. msx.com is a decentralized RWA trading platform that has listed hundreds of RWA tokens, covering US stock and ETF tokens such as AAPL, AMZN, GOOGL, META, MSFT, NFLX, and NVDA.

The Nasdaq index, primarily composed of tech stocks, led the decline among U.S. blue-chip indices in pre-market trading. According to Jin10, Ipek Ozkardeskaya from Swissquote Bank noted that investors are weighing the risks of inflation shocks triggered by the Middle East conflict. Ozkardeskaya stated, "The continuous surge in oil prices could elevate inflation expectations and bond yields, exerting pressure on long-duration growth valuations by increasing discount rates." She emphasized the importance of this for companies like Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple, and Alphabet, whose price-to-earnings ratios are highly sensitive to future income and real yields. Nvidia fell 1.6% in pre-market trading, while Alphabet and Apple dropped 2.7% and 1.2%, respectively. Nasdaq futures declined by 1.5%.

U.S. Democrats are questioning the legality of the ongoing conflict with Iran and are pushing for a congressional vote on war powers this week. According to Jin10, the Democratic Party is urging Congress to reassess the authorization of military actions, emphasizing the need for legislative oversight. The move comes amid growing concerns over the executive branch's unilateral decisions in military engagements. Democrats argue that the current situation requires a formal debate and vote to ensure compliance with constitutional mandates. The call for action highlights the party's commitment to maintaining checks and balances in matters of national security and foreign policy.

Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto found himself stranded in Dubai due to recent military actions by the United States and Israel against Iran. According to Jin10, Crosetto was on vacation with his family in Dubai and was scheduled to return to Italy on Saturday afternoon. He announced on X that he would return via military aircraft, leaving his family behind in Dubai due to potential risks for anyone traveling with him. On March 2, the official X account of the UAE Ministry of Defense reported that on February 28, a meeting took place between the UAE Minister of State and Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto. During the discussions, they addressed Iran's recent attacks on the UAE and explored ways to strengthen bilateral military cooperation and further develop defense partnerships between the two nations.

Iran has officially stated that it has not targeted oil facilities in neighboring countries. According to Jin10, this announcement comes amid rising tensions in the region. The Iranian government emphasized its commitment to maintaining stability and avoiding actions that could escalate conflicts. This statement aims to reassure neighboring nations and global markets concerned about potential disruptions in oil supply. The clarification follows recent speculations about Iran's involvement in regional conflicts, which Tehran has consistently denied.

According to official news from Bitget Wallet, Bitget Wallet has launched an AI product subscription cashback program. Users who pay for AI services using their Bitget Wallet Card can enjoy 50% cashback for the first month, from March 2nd to March 31st, 2026 (Beijing time). During the promotion period, first-time Bitget Wallet Card subscribers who complete their first month's AI subscription, or those who successfully invite new users to open and complete their AI subscriptions, will receive 50% cashback for the first month, with a maximum cashback of $10 per user. Rewards are distributed weekly. Users who subscribe to AI services using their Bitget Wallet Card for three consecutive months will receive additional rewards. This promotion only applies to transactions involving valid AI subscriptions completed using Bitget Wallet Card, covering mainstream AI services such as ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Midjourney, Cursor, Perplexity, Notion AI, ElevenLabs, OpenRouter, MiniMax, and Qianfan. If refunds, chargebacks, transaction cancellations, or other abnormal transaction behaviors such as cheating or fraudulent transactions occur, the relevant rewards will be canceled or deducted.

The pound sterling has dropped to a two-and-a-half-month low against the U.S. dollar due to escalating military tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran. According to Jin10, this geopolitical conflict has dampened risk appetite, leading to a significant sell-off of the pound. George Vessey from Convera noted in a report that heightened risk aversion typically results in substantial pound sell-offs. Additionally, recent weak economic data from the UK has increased market expectations for further interest rate cuts by the Bank of England, adding pressure on the pound. The political landscape in the UK has also contributed to the currency's vulnerability, as the ruling Labour Party recently faced a setback in a special regional election, heightening political uncertainty.

On February 2nd local time, Iran's Hatem Anbia Central Command announced that three US fighter jets had been shot down by Iranian air defense systems. (CCTV)

On Polymarket, the probability of Opinion launching its token on March 5th has risen to 95.5%. The probability of OPN's FDV exceeding $250 million one day after its launch is currently at 94%, and the probability of exceeding $500 million is currently at 67%. Furthermore, OKX data shows that OPN is currently trading at 0.566 USDT pre-market.

In a dramatic strategic reversal, Magic Eden is pulling the plug on its Ethereum and Bitcoin NFT operations — abandoning its once-celebrated multi-chain expansion to double down on crypto gambling.

OpenAI has signed a deal allowing its AI to be used by the U.S. military, sparking criticism and a wave of ChatGPT subscription cancellations. Anthropic’s AI, Claude, has gained users as it refused a similar deal over safety and ethical concerns.

National Tax Service of South Korea accidentally published a photo showing the recovery phrase of a seized crypto wallet, exposing the keys to the public. Soon after, an unknown person used the phrase to move about $4.8 million worth of tokens out of the government-held wallet.

Twitter, the era of covert advertising ends: X's new regulations and the logic of global platform business governance. Golden Finance interprets the ecological migration and power boundaries behind X's new promotion regulations.

Kalshi is facing mounting scrutiny after its high-volume prediction market tied to the fate of Iran’s Supreme Leader sparked backlash following his death in U.S.-Israeli strikes.

The core reasons are: the high volatility advantage of crypto assets is narrowing and there is a lack of a generally accepted valuation framework; at the same time, the widespread use of AI tools gives retail investors a greater analytical advantage in a stock market with profit support.

The moment the night sky over Tehran was torn apart by flames, the wealth of 140,000 investors worldwide vanished into thin air.

As the situation in the Middle East plunged into the abyss of war, a bet had already been settled in the prediction market.

Crypto exploits fell by over 90% in February 2026, with total losses dropping to $35.7 million, the lowest monthly figure since March 2025. Most losses came from DeFi protocols, wallet compromises, and phishing attacks, though about $11.3 million was recovered or frozen.

Regulatory observations in February 2026. From federal regulation to parallel islands, some walls have been quietly erected.