--- title: "☕️ Daily Market Talk | March 18, 2026" type: "Topics" locale: "en" url: "https://longbridge.com/en/topics/100000000533697.md" description: "Iran retaliation, AI mega-bet, Micron peak, defense IPO moonshot +520%, chip strike threat. ☕️ Grab your coffee and dive into 3 big questions👇" datetime: "2026-03-18T03:39:05.000Z" locales: - [en](https://longbridge.com/en/topics/100000000533697.md) - [zh-CN](https://longbridge.com/zh-CN/topics/100000000533697.md) - [zh-HK](https://longbridge.com/zh-HK/topics/100000000533697.md) author: "[Captain's Watch](https://longbridge.com/en/profiles/24747427.md)" generator: "portal-rs" --- # ☕️ Daily Market Talk | March 18, 2026 Iran retaliation, AI mega-bet, Micron peak, defense IPO moonshot +520%, chip strike threat. ☕️ Grab your coffee and dive into 3 big questions👇 ## 💬 Today's 3 Big Questions **1\. Iran confirms Larijani death, vows "accelerated phase" of retaliation** — Oil impact? How are you positioning? **2\. Cathie Wood: AI to generate $12T revenue over next decade** — Bold call or realistic? **3\. Swarmer IPO +520%** — Defense tech bubble or just getting started? **👇 Drop your take, click "Repost" & earn 288 Task Coins ✨** 🚫 **NO** duplicates or similar content ## 📊 Quick Market Recap ### 🇮🇷 Iran Conflict Escalates Iran confirmed that Ali Larijani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, was killed in an Israeli strike near Tehran, along with his son and several companions. Iran's Supreme National Security Council vowed an "accelerated phase" of retaliatory strikes, escalating geopolitical tensions in the region. ### 🤖 Cathie Wood's $12T AI Prediction ARK Invest CEO Cathie Wood predicts AI will create **$10-12 trillion in revenue over the next 5-10 years**, citing accelerating productivity gains. She noted US nonfarm productivity is already up 2.8% YoY, with potential to double to 6% as AI tools proliferate. ### 📈 Micron Hits Record High Before Earnings $Micron Tech(MU.US) shares surged to a record high ahead of today's Q2 earnings report, with analysts expecting revenue of ~$19.8B (+135% YoY) and EPS of $9.19. The rally follows news that its HBM4 chips for Nvidia's Vera Rubin platform have entered mass production. ### ☁️ OpenAI & AWS Partner for Gov AI OpenAI signed an agreement with AWS to provide AI services to US government agencies, including the Department of Defense, for both classified and unclassified work. This follows the breakdown of the government's relationship with Anthropic. ### 🚁 Swarmer IPO Soars 520% Military drone software firm Swarmer ($Swarmer(SWMR.US)) posted the **second-best IPO debut in five years**, soaring 520% on opening. Despite the explosive debut, the company reported 2025 revenue of just $310,000 (down 6% YoY) and a net loss of ~$8.5 million. ### ⚡ Samsung Union Plans Historic Strike Samsung's largest union is voting today on plans for a historic strike, with a potential walkout in May that could disrupt global memory chip supply. The union demands a 7% wage hike and removal of performance pay caps. If approved, the strike could impact ~50% of production at Samsung's Pyeongtaek semiconductor complex. ### 📅 Earnings Today | **Company** | **Time** | | ------------------------------------------- | ------------ | | $TENCENT(00700.HK) $Tencent(TCEHY.US) | Afternoon HK | | $Micron Tech(MU.US) $MU 2X Long ETF(MUU.US) | After market | ### Related Stocks - [OpenAI.NA](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/OpenAI.NA.md) - [MU.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/MU.US.md) - [AMZN.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/AMZN.US.md) - [AMZU.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/AMZU.US.md) - [AMZD.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/AMZD.US.md) - [SWMR.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SWMR.US.md) - [07747.HK](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/07747.HK.md) - [SSNGY.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/SSNGY.US.md) - [00700.HK](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/00700.HK.md) - [TCEHY.US](https://longbridge.com/en/quote/TCEHY.US.md) ## Comments (15) - **Dacai · 2026-03-20T02:23:59.000Z**: The planned strike at Samsung will likely cause memory chip prices to go up due to constraints in the supply of memory chips. - **Victor y · 2026-03-18T06:32:52.000Z**: Iran spike Brent crude in the short term.Traders are likely weighing long energy vs short risk-on tech plays.Watch for safe-haven flows into gold tooCathie $12T AI plausible if adoption surges.Long AI ETFs & semis like Nvidia/Micron, but volatility high.Swarmer IPO explosive momentum, fundamenta - **Valenxis · 2026-03-18T04:58:18.000Z**: i guess theres fatique about the war as reflected in market already. life(market) goes on as per normal - **Heroic Lifesaver · 2026-03-18T04:37:55.000Z**: Micron should do well post earnings. I am expecting a pop post earnings as an exhaustion gap as price drifts higher into April/May. - **LazyCat · 2026-03-18T04:26:42.000Z**: The escalation of the Middle East conflict put a damper on the fragile stabilisation of the market. The situation there would be the major mover of the market. - **Joannee · 2026-03-18T04:15:32.000Z**: Cathie Wood prediction is bold, again no one have a crystal ball to predict anything. I would take her comments with a pinch of salt. Her active ETF speaks for themselves, very terrible risk adjusted returns... - **Irenee · 2026-03-18T04:12:55.000Z**: Swarmer IPO is clearly speculation, itself is a micro cap stocks. With the ongoing war, there is alot of demand for speculating on drone stocks! - **Wisely9 · 2026-03-18T04:11:50.000Z**: Trump just need to stop attacking and then the Iran war will just end on its own. HK market is controlled to be bearish, not interested. AI boom is still the bet, accumulate at appropriate time. - **Tiffany lover · 2026-03-18T04:06:23.000Z**: Cathie Wood's prediction is that AI will generate $10-12 trillion in revenue over the next 5-10 years, driven by accelerated productivity growth. She pointed out that US non-farm productivity has already increased by 2.8% year-on-year, and with the widespread adoption of AI tools, this figure could - **Cheese · 2026-03-18T04:05:25.000Z**: Bold call by Catherine. It is interesting now with potential hiccups with oil prices which would cause AI prices to go up - **Fantastic · 2026-03-18T04:03:58.000Z**: OpenAI-AWS gov deal is strategic win. AI becoming national security priority — defense tech names in focus - **大王进山。 · 2026-03-18T04:03:11.000Z**: Tencent needs to show margin expansion, not just revenue. China tech at inflection — advertising and fintech key - **GabyWoon · 2026-03-18T04:03:10.000Z**: I believe Cathie Wood is right, honestly AI will change the world, technology is a exponential function, it cannot be denied! The earnings speaks for themselves! - **Alpha～ · 2026-03-18T03:56:37.000Z**: Micron's HBM4 win with Nvidia is the real story. Memory cycle now driven by AI, not consumer — multiples can expand - **MingHwa · 2026-03-18T03:44:54.000Z**: Even though Iran vows retaliation, the only parties attacking one another is US and Israel, no one else is joining to make it more messy. Everyone is already using up so many ammo. What more can they do to each other? Nothing! It's status quo~ --- > **Disclaimer: This article is for reference only and does not constitute any investment advice.**