{"id":60397,"date":"2026-03-31T18:38:26","date_gmt":"2026-03-31T22:38:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/trump-signals-rapid-iran-exit-as-microsoft-eyes-7b-texas-power-project\/60397\/"},"modified":"2026-03-31T18:38:26","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T22:38:26","slug":"trump-signals-rapid-iran-exit-as-microsoft-eyes-7b-texas-power-project","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www2.stockmarketwatch.com\/stock-market-news\/trump-signals-rapid-iran-exit-as-microsoft-eyes-7b-texas-power-project\/60397\/","title":{"rendered":"Trump Signals Rapid Iran Exit as Microsoft Eyes $7B Texas Power Project"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Key Takeaways<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>President <a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/live\/trump-stock-market\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Trump\">Trump<\/a> announced the U.S. will exit Iran within two to three weeks<\/strong>, claiming &quot;regime change&quot; has already occurred and that a formal deal is not required for withdrawal.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Microsoft (<a href=\"\/stock\/MSFT\">MSFT<\/a>) is in discussions with Chevron (<a href=\"\/stock\/CVX\">CVX<\/a>) and Engine No. 1<\/strong> to develop a <strong>$7 billion power plant in Texas<\/strong> capable of producing <strong>2,500 megawatts<\/strong> of electricity.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Geopolitical tensions remain volatile<\/strong> as an Iranian port near the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong> was struck in a fresh attack, even as <a href=\"https:\/\/thestockmarketwatch.com\/live\/trump-stock-market\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"8\" title=\"Trump\">Trump<\/a> suggests the waterway&#39;s issues will resolve post-exit.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell faces renewed pressure<\/strong> as Trump stated the chairman must leave office &quot;fairly soon,&quot; with markets closely watching potential successor <strong>Kevin Warsh<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The CFTC has elevated prediction markets to a top enforcement priority<\/strong>, specifically targeting insider trading involving misappropriated information.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Trump Declares &quot;Regime Change&quot; and Imminent Iran Exit<\/h2>\n<p>President Trump sparked a wave of market speculation Tuesday by announcing that the <strong>United States will withdraw from Iran within two to three weeks<\/strong>. Trump asserted that the primary military objectives have been met, claiming that <strong>&quot;regime change&quot; has already taken place<\/strong> and that the Iranian leadership is now &quot;far more rational.&quot; Despite the planned exit, the President warned that any future attempt by Iran to possess a nuclear weapon would be met with <strong>&quot;devastating strikes&quot;<\/strong> similar to current operations.<\/p>\n<p>The announcement comes amid continued kinetic activity in the region, with <strong>Tasnim News Agency<\/strong> reporting that a port near the strategic <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong> was struck in a recent attack. Trump downplayed the long-term impact on global energy transit, suggesting that the <strong>Strait of Hormuz<\/strong> crisis will likely be resolved once U.S. forces depart. He further noted that <strong>gasoline prices will &quot;tumble down&quot;<\/strong> simply by exiting the conflict, though he confirmed that negotiations with Iranian officials are still ongoing.<\/p>\n<h2>Microsoft Targets Energy Independence with $7B Texas Hub<\/h2>\n<p>In a major move to secure power for its expanding data center footprint, Microsoft (<a href=\"\/stock\/MSFT\">MSFT<\/a>) is reportedly in talks with Chevron (<a href=\"\/stock\/CVX\">CVX<\/a>) and investment firm <strong>Engine No. 1<\/strong> for a massive energy project. The proposed <strong>$7 billion power plant in Texas<\/strong> is expected to initially produce <strong>2,500 megawatts<\/strong> of electricity. This partnership highlights the growing necessity for big tech firms to secure reliable, large-scale energy sources to fuel <strong>Artificial Intelligence<\/strong> infrastructure.<\/p>\n<p>The project is strategically located to leverage the <strong>Permian Basin&#39;s<\/strong> vast natural gas resources, which often face transportation bottlenecks. By building generation capacity directly near the fuel source, the partners aim to create a high-efficiency energy loop. <em>Analysts suggest this move could set a precedent for other technology giants looking to bypass traditional utility constraints through direct investment in heavy energy infrastructure.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2>Federal Reserve and Regulatory Shifts<\/h2>\n<p>Domestic policy saw significant movement as Trump reiterated his stance that <strong>Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell<\/strong> must leave his post &quot;fairly soon.&quot; The comments have intensified focus on <strong>Kevin Warsh<\/strong>, who is increasingly viewed as a top contender for the role. Despite the political rhetoric, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/stockmarketwatch.com\/markets\/sp500\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"3\" title=\"snp500 today\">S&amp;P 500<\/a> E-minis<\/strong> and <strong>Nasdaq futures<\/strong> showed minimal movement in after-hours trading, suggesting markets may have already priced in a high degree of executive-branch friction with the central bank.<\/p>\n<p>Simultaneously, the <strong>U.S. CFTC<\/strong> announced a sharpened focus on market integrity. The Enforcement Director identified <strong>insider trading in prediction markets<\/strong> as a key priority, particularly where misappropriated information is used to gain an unfair advantage. The agency also signaled it will continue to combat <strong>energy market manipulation<\/strong> and willful anti-money laundering violations, reflecting a broader crackdown on financial fraud in volatile sectors.<\/p>\n<h2>Global Economic Data and Trade<\/h2>\n<p>International markets provided a mixed backdrop to the day&#39;s headlines. <strong>Australia\u2019s manufacturing sector<\/strong> continues to struggle, with the <strong>S&amp;P Manufacturing PMI<\/strong> falling to <strong>49.8<\/strong> in March, missing estimates. The <strong>AIG Manufacturing Index<\/strong> plunged further to <strong>-27.9<\/strong>, indicating a deepening contraction in the region&#39;s industrial activity. Conversely, <strong>New Zealand<\/strong> reported a <strong>2.7% increase in building consents<\/strong>, showing a modest recovery in construction demand.<\/p>\n<p>In the United Kingdom, the government introduced new cost-of-living measures effective April 1, including a significant hike to the <strong>National Minimum Wage (\u00a310.85)<\/strong> and the <strong>National Living Wage (\u00a312.71)<\/strong>. Meanwhile, the U.S. is reportedly rushing to establish a refund portal to pay back <strong>$166 billion in Trump-era tariffs<\/strong>, a move that could provide a substantial liquidity injection to affected industries. <em>These global shifts underscore a period of intense economic transition as trade policies and labor costs are recalibrated for the 2026 fiscal year.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Key Takeaways President Trump announced the U.S. will exit Iran within two to three weeks, claiming &quot;regime change&quot; has already 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