Key Takeaways
- Netflix (NFLX) CEO Ted Sarandos is scheduled to visit the White House on Thursday to discuss the company’s $83 billion bid for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) assets amid a heated bidding war with Paramount Global (PARA).
- CME Group (CME) restored trading for metals and natural gas futures at 14:45 ET following a major technical outage on the Globex platform that disrupted markets for several hours.
- Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic warned that the U.S. "special status" in the global economy is at risk if central bank independence is compromised by ongoing legal and rhetorical battles.
- Engie (ENGI) reported FY 2025 revenue of €71.9 billion, but the energy giant’s EBIT of €8.8 billion missed analyst expectations of €9.1 billion.
- U.S. money-market fund assets grew by $2.78 billion for the week ending Feb. 24, according to iMoneyNet, as investors continue to seek safety amid market volatility.
Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos is heading to Washington to defend the streaming giant’s acquisition strategy for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD). The visit comes as President Donald Trump has publicly pressured the company to remove board member Susan Rice and as Paramount Global (PARA) reportedly sweetened its own rival offer to $31.00 per share, valuing the legacy media firm at approximately $108 billion. The outcome of these discussions could determine the future of CNN, HBO, and major Hollywood studios in a rapidly consolidating media landscape.
CME Group (CME) shares fell nearly 2% on Wednesday after a technical glitch forced a halt in Globex metals and natural gas markets. The exchange operator confirmed that all day orders and good-till-date (GTD) orders for the day were cancelled, though good-till-cancelled (GTC) orders remained active. Trading finally resumed at 14:45 ET, but the outage left clients at platforms like NinjaTrader and Kraken unable to execute critical energy and metals trades during the disruption.
In his final days before retirement, Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Raphael Bostic issued a stark warning regarding the independence of the central bank. Bostic stated that the U.S. economy’s status as a global safe haven is "not guaranteed" and must be protected from political interference. His comments reflect growing anxiety within the Fed as the executive branch seeks more influence over monetary policy decisions and interest rate trajectories.
European energy leader Engie (ENGI) released its FY 2025 earnings, reporting a net recurring income of €4.9 billion. While the company proposed a dividend of €1.35 per share, its EBIT (excluding nuclear) of €8.8 billion fell short of the LSEG consensus of €9.1 billion. The company cited fluctuating energy prices and infrastructure investments as factors in the slight earnings miss, even as total revenue remained robust at €71.9 billion.
On the geopolitical front, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed a high-level call with President Trump and key envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. The discussion reportedly focused on regional stability and future diplomatic cooperation. Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill, a U.S. House panel is expected to advance a major housing bill in the coming weeks, following the earlier passage of the Housing for the 21st Century Act, which aims to address national affordability and supply shortages.
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.