{"id":60393,"date":"2026-03-31T16:38:23","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T20:38:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/openai-secures-record-122b-funding-nike-beats-q3-estimates-amid-escalating-iran-conflict\/60393\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T16:38:23","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T20:38:23","slug":"openai-secures-record-122b-funding-nike-beats-q3-estimates-amid-escalating-iran-conflict","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/openai-secures-record-122b-funding-nike-beats-q3-estimates-amid-escalating-iran-conflict\/60393\/","title":{"rendered":"OpenAI Secures Record $122B Funding; Nike Beats Q3 Estimates Amid Escalating Iran Conflict"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>OpenAI closed a historic $122 billion funding round<\/strong>, valuing the company at <strong>$852 billion post-money<\/strong> as it prepares for a potential IPO.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Nike (<a href=\"\/stock\/NKE\">NKE<\/a>) surpassed Q3 expectations<\/strong> with revenue of <strong>$11.28 billion<\/strong> and a significant earnings beat in <strong>Greater China<\/strong>, where EBIT reached <strong>$467 million<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Geopolitical tensions surged<\/strong> as U.S. and Israeli forces reportedly struck major Iranian steel plants, while the IRGC claimed a retaliatory strike on U.S. personnel in <strong>Saudi Arabia<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent<\/strong> noted that 10-year U.S. Treasuries are poised for their biggest month of gains as markets react to the ongoing conflict.<\/li>\n<li><strong>President Donald <a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/live\/trump-stock-market\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Trump\">Trump<\/a><\/strong> signaled a potential shift in the Middle East conflict, telling NBC News that the war with Iran is <strong>&quot;coming to an end.&quot;<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>OpenAI Reaches $852B Valuation in Massive Funding Round<\/h2>\n<p>OpenAI has finalized a record-breaking <strong>$122 billion funding round<\/strong>, catapulting its valuation to <strong>$852 billion<\/strong>. The round was anchored by tech giants including Amazon (<a href=\"\/stock\/AMZN\">AMZN<\/a>), Nvidia (<a href=\"\/stock\/NVDA\">NVDA<\/a>), and SoftBank (<a href=\"\/stock\/SFTBY\">SFTBY<\/a>), with continued participation from Microsoft (<a href=\"\/stock\/MSFT\">MSFT<\/a>). The company revealed it is now generating <strong>$2 billion in revenue per month<\/strong>, reflecting a massive scale-up in its commercial operations.<\/p>\n<p>The capital infusion is earmarked for the development of a <strong>unified AI &quot;superapp&quot;<\/strong> and the expansion of its core infrastructure. OpenAI also confirmed its inclusion in several <strong>ARK Invest ETFs<\/strong>, further solidifying its status as a cornerstone of the burgeoning AI economy. Despite its rapid growth, the company remains focused on a potential <strong>IPO<\/strong> later this year as it continues to outpace the early growth metrics of previous tech leaders.<\/p>\n<h2>Nike Beats Q3 Estimates Despite Global Volatility<\/h2>\n<p>Nike (<a href=\"\/stock\/NKE\">NKE<\/a>) reported fiscal third-quarter earnings that beat Wall Street estimates on both the top and bottom lines. The company posted <strong>revenue of $11.28 billion<\/strong> and <strong>earnings per share (EPS) of $0.35<\/strong>, compared to analyst expectations of $11.24 billion and $0.28, respectively. A standout performance in <strong>Greater China<\/strong> drove results, with EBIT hitting <strong>$467 million<\/strong>, nearly double the estimated $269.5 million.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the beat, Nike&#39;s <strong>gross margin fell 130 basis points year-over-year to 40.2%<\/strong>, and the stock saw a <strong>3.28% decline in after-hours trading<\/strong>. Management highlighted a &quot;sport-focused push&quot; that is beginning to produce results, though <strong>Nike Direct revenue<\/strong> saw a slight dip of 4% to <strong>$4.5 billion<\/strong>. Inventory levels remained healthy at <strong>$7.49 billion<\/strong>, coming in just below the $7.53 billion estimate.<\/p>\n<h2>Middle East Conflict Escalates with Strikes on Iranian Industry<\/h2>\n<p>The conflict in the Middle East intensified as Iranian state media reported that the <strong>Mobarakeh and Khuzestan steel plants<\/strong> were targeted by U.S. and Israeli airstrikes. This marks the second time in a week that the Mobarakeh facility in Isfahan has been hit. In a sharp escalation, the <strong>IRGC Aerospace Force<\/strong> claimed it used drones and missiles to target a gathering of <strong>200 U.S. pilots and flight crew<\/strong> at the Al-Kharj base in Saudi Arabia.<\/p>\n<p>Amid the violence, President <a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/live\/trump-stock-market\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Trump\">Trump<\/a> told NBC News that the war is <strong>&quot;coming to an end,&quot;<\/strong> though he did not provide a specific timeline or diplomatic framework. Meanwhile, a <strong>drone attack<\/strong> reportedly targeted a logistics support base of the U.S. embassy at Baghdad Airport. The ongoing instability continues to pressure global energy markets and defense sectors.<\/p>\n<h2>Treasury and Corporate Briefs<\/h2>\n<p>Treasury Secretary <strong>Scott Bessent<\/strong> highlighted the resilience of the <strong>10-year U.S. Treasury<\/strong> market, which is on track for a historic monthly performance. Bessent noted that despite the conflict, the &quot;market is well supplied&quot; as countries release strategic petroleum reserves. In other corporate news, Microsoft (<a href=\"\/stock\/MSFT\">MSFT<\/a>) Energy VP <strong>Bobby Hollis<\/strong> announced his departure from the company, and the <strong>Ontario Securities Commission<\/strong> accused KPMG of audit deficiencies related to Bridging Finance Inc. funds.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways OpenAI closed a historic $122 billion funding round, valuing the company at $852 billion post-money as it prepares 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