Meta (META) just sextupled its commitment to its West Texas AI data center, raising its investment from $1.5 billion to $10 billion and targeting a whopping 1 gigawatt of capacity by 2028.

The facility in El Paso will create 300 permanent jobs and require over 4,000 construction workers at peak.

Here's what makes this notable:

Meta is ramping up its investments in AI infrastructure, and capital expenditures this year could reach up to $135 billion.

Meta announced this expansion on the same day it suffered two stinging court defeats over child safety failures on Facebook and Instagram, sending shares down 8%.

Hundreds of layoffs are also being confirmed across multiple divisions.

META stock has a Ziggma score of 93, as it ranks higher than its peers in profitability and financial health.

Moreover, analysts forecast the tech giant to gain 56% from current levels.

The El Paso expansion is a long-term vote of confidence in AI's commercial future, but Meta's lack of a cloud revenue stream means this capital intensity will keep shareholders nervous.

Investors need to decide whether they're buying the AI infrastructure play or worried about a company spending its way through a reputational crisis.

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Markets took a decisive leg lower on Thursday as escalating U.S.-Iran tensions sent crude oil surging, with Brent futures jumping 5.66% to settle at $108.01 per barrel and WTI climbing 4.61% to $94.48 per barrel.

Macro concerns compounded the pain.

President Trump said he expects oil prices and market disruptions to reverse, telling Treasury Secretary Bessent, "it's all going to come back down to where it was and probably lower."

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Best Buy popped approximately 4% Thursday without any specific company news, but analysts at Gordon Haskett noted growing market speculation that GameStop, sitting on $700 million in collateral tied to an undisclosed derivative position, may be building a stake in BBY via swaps.

GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen has publicly signaled his intention to make an acquisition, making Best Buy a plausible target given its retail footprint and brand recognition.

Gartner gained on Thursday as investors rotated into business services and research firms with defensive, recurring-revenue characteristics.

Rising oil prices, recession fears, and AI disruption concerns are prompting companies to lean more heavily on third-party strategic advisors — precisely Gartner's core business.

The firm's resilient subscription model made it an attractive safe haven amid broad selling in the tech sector.

OXY was a standout gainer as oil prices surged roughly 5% on renewed U.S.-Iran tensions.

With Trump's self-imposed five-day deadline for Iran to engage in peace talks set to expire Saturday, the risk of further strikes on energy infrastructure near the Strait of Hormuz remains elevated.

Occidental's heavy upstream oil exposure makes it a direct beneficiary of a sustained crude price premium. The geopolitical risk backdrop is likely to keep energy stocks well bid in the near term.

🛡️ Iran is reportedly preparing legislation to impose tolls on ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a move that could officially formalize its control over the world's most critical oil chokepoint.

📉 Micron Technology fell for a sixth straight session, now down 22% since hitting an all-time high last week — BTIG flagged that a similar pattern in 1997 led to a 52% eventual decline.

🛢️ Gulf nations issued a joint statement condemning Iran's strikes on their energy infrastructure from Iraqi territory, signaling a rising risk of regional escalation with direct oil supply implications.

✈️ Clear Secure surged over 20% in two weeks as TSA lines lengthen during a partial government shutdown — app downloads have tripled year-over-year since March began.

📊 The OECD raised its U.S. inflation forecast to 4.2% for 2026, sharply above the Fed's own 2.7% projection, citing pressure from the war in Iran on global energy markets.

🤖 Robinhood received a buy initiation from Jefferies with an $88 price target (21% upside), calling it one of the "primary beneficiaries" of the ongoing $100 trillion generational wealth transfer.

Lam Research fell sharply after Google unveiled its TurboQuant AI compression algorithm, triggering a broad sell-off in semiconductor equipment.

If AI models require less memory to run, demand for the advanced chip-making tools Lam produces could face a meaningful headwind — compounding existing pressure from rising oil prices and broader risk-off sentiment in tech.

Arista tumbled as investors questioned whether AI infrastructure buildout could slow if Google's TurboQuant efficiency gains reduce the need for large-scale server deployments.

As a leading provider of networking equipment for hyperscale data centers, Arista is particularly sensitive to any signals that AI-driven hardware demand might plateau.

Ciena declined after SVP Brodie Gage's insider sale of 5,000 shares at $405, disclosed on March 26, signaled potential valuation concerns.

The optical networking company faced additional selling pressure from Vanguard's stake reduction.

Broader weakness in the technology sector, driven by fears of AI disruption and rising oil prices, contributed to the decline.

🚢 Carnival Corporation reports Q1 2026 earnings before the open Friday: rising fuel costs from the Iran war are expected to pressure margins despite strong booking trends

💰 Hub Group releases Q4 2025 results after the close on Friday: watch for intermodal demand and pricing commentary

📊 University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment (March final) due today: prior reading was a concerning 55.5, and a further drop could amplify recession fears.

👀 Fed policy watch: With rates held steady at 3.5–3.75%, markets are watching for any shift in tone as OECD's 4.2% inflation forecast complicates the central bank's next move.

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