Key Takeaways
- Kroger (KR) shares surged 5% in pre-market trading following the official appointment of former Walmart executive Greg Foran as its new CEO, signaling a fresh strategic direction for the grocery giant.
- The British Pound (GBP) extended its gains against the U.S. Dollar (USD), rising 0.3% to a fresh day high of 1.3649, reflecting ongoing currency market movements.
- Iran reiterated that the dilution of its 60% enriched uranium stockpile is contingent on comprehensive sanctions relief, maintaining a firm stance amidst international nuclear negotiations.
- U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is facing scrutiny after newly released documents indicate business ties with Jeffrey Epstein as recently as 2014, contradicting previous statements of limited interaction.
- Apollo Global Management (APO) reported a significant beat on Q4 earnings and revenue, with adjusted EPS of $2.47 and revenue of $9.86 billion, despite a decline in annual revenue for 2024.
Corporate Leadership and Market Activity
Kroger (KR) saw its stock jump 5% in pre-market trading today after confirming the appointment of Greg Foran as its new Chief Executive Officer. Foran, known for his successful tenure leading Walmart's (WMT) U.S. business from 2014 to 2019, takes the helm at a critical juncture for the nation's largest grocer. His appointment follows the departure of former CEO Rodney McMullen in March 2025 due to an ethics issue.
In the media sector, Nexstar Media Group (NXST) and Tegna (TGNA) experienced pre-market gains of 3.5% and 5% respectively. This surge followed former President Donald Trump's public endorsement of their proposed $6.2 billion merger. Trump's support marks a reversal from his earlier criticisms, with the deal still awaiting regulatory approval.
Alternative asset manager Apollo Global Management (APO) announced strong fourth-quarter results, with adjusted earnings per share of $2.47, significantly exceeding analyst estimates by $0.43. The firm's revenue for the quarter reached $9.86 billion, nearly doubling the consensus estimate of $5.3 billion. This strong quarterly performance comes despite a reported 20% decline in annual revenue for 2024 to $26.11 billion from $32.64 billion in 2023. As of December 31, 2025, Apollo's assets under management stood at approximately $938 billion.
Pre-market trading also showed mixed results for the "Magnificent Seven" tech stocks: Microsoft (MSFT) was up 0.6%, Amazon (AMZN) gained 0.1%, while Apple (AAPL) remained flat. Tesla (TSLA) dipped 0.1%, Meta Platforms (META) fell 0.2%, Alphabet (GOOGL) was down 0.3%, and Nvidia (NVDA) saw a 0.7% decline.
Geopolitical Developments and International Relations
Iran has stated that any dilution of its uranium enriched to 60% purity is conditional on receiving full sanctions relief. The country's stockpile of 60% enriched uranium was estimated at over 440.9 kilograms as of June 2025, a level that international bodies note has no civilian application. Iran has rejected U.S. demands to surrender all its enriched uranium in exchange for a three-month sanctions reprieve, deeming such a proposal "unacceptable."
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Defense confirmed that a vessel named Aquila II was boarded in the Indian Ocean, having been tracked from the Caribbean. This incident appears related to the seizure of the Russian-flagged oil tanker Marinera (formerly Bella 1) by U.S. forces in the North Atlantic in January 2026. The Marinera, which was tracked for weeks near Venezuela, had an international crew including three Indian nationals.
Political Scrutiny and Media Launches
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick is under increased scrutiny following reports from CBS News indicating business dealings with Jeffrey Epstein as recently as 2014. This information contradicts Lutnick's previous assertions of having "limited interactions" and cutting ties with Epstein in 2005. Documents show Lutnick and Epstein acquired stakes in an advertising technology company called Adfin in 2012, with emails also suggesting planned visits to Epstein's private island and other meetings.
In entertainment news, Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) announced that its streaming service, HBO Max, will officially launch in the UK and Ireland on March 26, 2026. The service will offer various subscription tiers, including a basic ad-supported plan starting at £4.99 per month. Existing agreements mean HBO content will continue to be available on Sky in the region.
Ed Liston is a senior contributing editor at TheStockMarketWatch.com. An active market watcher and investor, Ed guides an independent team of experienced analysts and writes for multiple stock trader publications.