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Happy Monday. My alma mater will be playing in the March Madness championship game tonight. I don’t really care about sports, but I have too many friends who depend on this game for me to not mention the Wolverines.
S&P 500 futures rose this morning after a strong week.
Here are five important things investors need to know to start their trading day.
1. Desire to trade
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks from the Cross Hall of the White House in Washington, DC, on April 1, 2026. President Trump used his prime-time address to update the nation on the Iran war.
Pool | Getty Images News | Getty Images
S&P500 futures Stocks rose again this morning as investors pinned their hopes on a deal to end the US-Iran war. Axios reported that the United States and Iran are considering terms with a mediator for a possible 45-day ceasefire. Reuters reported that both countries have received plans to establish a ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Here’s what you need to know:
2. Job interview
Kevin Warsh, former US Federal Reserve Board member, speaks at the Monetary Policy Conference at the Hoover Institution, Stanford University, in Palo Alto, California, USA, on May 9, 2025.
Ann Safir | Reuters
Mark your calendars: The Senate Banking Committee will hold a hearing on Kevin Warsh, President Trump’s nominee for Fed director, on April 16, a person familiar with the matter told CNBC.
Both Mr. Warsh and a commission spokeswoman declined to comment, and the commission has not placed the hearing on its public calendar. As CNBC’s Matt Peterson points out, the hearings come despite a promise from Sen. Thom Tillis (RN.C) to block the nomination amid a criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.
Meanwhile, monetary policy makers got some good news on Friday. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 178,000 in March, beating economists’ expectations. This is a reversal from the decline of more than 130,000 people seen in the previous month.
3. 5-0 big victory
apple is celebrating its 50th anniversary. As CNBC’s Jennifer Elias reports, the tech giant, one of the world’s largest publicly traded companies, faces many questions as it enters its half century.
The creators of the iPhone must plan for a successor and maintain their status as a premium brand. On top of that, they are also facing challenges in their supply chains amid increasing pressures in U.S.-China relations.
But perhaps there is no bigger question for Apple than its place in artificial intelligence. Although the company is expected to relinquish its years-long technological lead, former Apple insiders say there is still hope.
4. Questions by AI
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman speaks at the 2026 Infrastructure Summit of government officials, business executives, and labor leaders in Washington, DC, USA on March 11, 2026.
Kylie Cooper | Reuters
OpenAI announced Thursday that it will acquire TBPN, a popular technology news podcast that began streaming last year. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
As CNBC’s Zach Vallese reports, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has appeared on podcasts multiple times. In a social media post, Altman called TBPN (which is reportedly expected to bring in more than $30 million in ad revenue this year) “my favorite tech show.” OpenAI said TBPN will operate within a strategic organization and maintain editorial independence.
But as CNBC’s Ashley Caputo points out, the deal could be disruptive for a company that appears to be consolidating ahead of a potential IPO. Futurum Group CEO Daniel Newman says OpenAI is “chasing the vibe a little bit.”
5. Cut the camera
Jeff Greenberg Getty Images
China was once considered a popular market for American films. But as CNBC’s Sarah Witten writes, government content regulation and broader Hollywood trends are making the region less desirable.
More than a dozen films in China surpassed $100 million in box office revenue in 2017, but only two films a year have reached that milestone in recent years. Part of the reason is due to the end of the US-China film agreement and the expansion of domestic film production in the Asian country.
That doesn’t stop American studios from bringing their work to the world’s second-largest economy. “Super Mario Galaxy Movie,” “Mortal Kombat II” and “The Devil Wears Prada 2” are all scheduled to be released in Chinese theaters this year.
daily dividend
Here’s what we’re monitoring this week:
Tuesday: Levi Strauss Earnings (after the bell) Wednesday: delta airlines Income (before the bell). constellation brand Financial results (after the bell) Thursday: February personal consumption expenditure price index Friday: March consumer price index
—CNBC’s Garrett Downs, Sean Conlon, Annie Palmer, Fred Imbert, Spencer Kimball, Matt Peterson, Mackenzie Sigalos, Zach Varese, Ashley Caputo and Sarah Witten contributed to this report. Terry Cullen edited this version.
