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It has been called by many pundits the biggest speculative event since the late ‘90s Internet stock mania, but is the AI buildout really a bubble?

This week on Street Check, Chris and Brad discuss the latest Fed meeting, the shifting expectations for interest rates, and the ongoing fallout from the war with Iran. Then, inspired by March Madness, they each pick a Cinderella stock, a heavy favorite that’s going home early, and four stocks that they like for the rest of the year. For more information on this week’s offer, visit cabotwealth.com/street.

WHAT TO DO NOW: The market tried to stabilize earlier this week, but today’s action is ugly and is hitting many areas; our Cabot Tides have turned down, joining most growth stock measures. The Model Portfolio is already nearly two-thirds in cash, but today we’ll add to that, cutting loose Axsome Therapeutics (AXSM), which is following through to the downside after its post-earnings dip. That will leave us with a high-60% cash position; we’ll have more details (and possibly more changes) in tonight’s update.

This week on Street Check, Chris and Brad discuss cybersecurity stocks, the ongoing market uncertainty caused by the conflict in Iran and what signs could signal a character change, whether to chase or fade energy stocks at these levels, and the takeaways from the latest inflation report. Then, they take a critical look at Oracle’s (ORCL) latest earnings before wrapping up with a conversation about their favorite Oscar-nominated films of 2025 ahead of this year’s Academy Awards. For more information on the offer mentioned in this week’s episode, visit cabotwealth.com/street.

If any of these 10 warning signs apply to you, your debt may be getting out of control. Here’s what to watch for and a blueprint for tackling it.

The CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) soared to the highest level since last April. Iran has thrown everything into flux, at least for now.

Oil prices soared to nearly $120 per barrel as war in the Middle East is spreading with no immediate signs of letting up. Several stock markets around the world suffered steep losses in Monday’s trading. U.S. stock market indices started the week’s trading down sharply but recovered somewhat by midday on Monday.

A quick housekeeping note: With the market acting increasingly volatile due to the war in Iran, I wanted to send the March update out today, a few days earlier than normal. Also, we will publish the March Issue of Cabot Early Opportunities one week later than normal, on Wednesday, March 25. This timing will allow me to finalize the issue after my family returns from Europe (my kids are on their March break) and, hopefully, give us a little more time to see how events unfold in the Middle East.

On to the update.

Like everybody else, I’m currently watching the situation in Iran as closely as possible. As far as the market is concerned, it’s really all about the Strait of Hormuz and energy prices. If the Strait remains closed/severely disrupted for several more weeks, then oil & natural gas prices will remain high/go higher. The longer this persists, the greater the damage to the global economy and the stock market.

There’s never a dull moment in the stock market. Like everybody, I’m watching the situation in Iran closely.

For the market, it’s really all about the Strait of Hormuz and energy prices. If activities in the Strait remain severely disrupted for several more weeks, oil and natural gas prices are likely to stay elevated or move higher, despite the IEA’s recent decision to release 400 million barrels of oil (roughly 20 days of supply). The longer this persists, the greater the potential damage to the global economy and the stock market.

Earnings season is a fantastic opportunity to glean cannabis sector insights from industry leaders. Here are two developments that the top brass is talking about right now.

Mike Cintolo sits down for a Q&A session about where he thinks the market goes from here in the face of rising volatility and geopolitical pressures.

Last week was Wall Street’s worst in months as the military conflict in the Middle East sent oil prices soaring higher, and Friday morning the February jobs report revealed the economy shed 92,000 non-farm payroll jobs, well below estimates that called for gains. By week’s end, the S&P 500 had dropped 2%, the Dow had fallen 3%, the Nasdaq had tumbled 1.2%, and the Russell 2000 had declined by 2.6%.

WHAT TO DO NOW: Remain cautious. Our Cabot Tides have joined our Two-Second Indicator and Growth Tides on the negative side of the fence. We have seen a couple rays of light from our Aggression Index and via some peppy growth names (mostly in the AI space)—but until the market can turn up, we advise staying close to shore. In the Model Portfolio, we sold Axsome (AXSM) this morning via special bulletin, leaving us with around 69% in cash; tonight, we’ll place our ProShares S&P 500 Fund (SSO) position on Hold given the market’s weakness and Tides red light.

The nascent war (conflict?) in the Middle East is taking a toll on U.S. markets, with the S&P 500 down 2% this week and the Dow off more than 3%. Under the market’s hood, there’s even more selling, prompting us to sell five positions in this week’s issue. However, we also add a potential turnaround story in the healthcare space that has huge upside, according to Cabot Turnaround Letter Chief Analyst Clif Droke.

Details inside on a busy week for the Stock of the Week portfolio.

We’re in cannabis sector earnings season, once again. This is a great time of year because cannabis companies pull back the curtain to reveal and address important company and sector-level trends.

As usual during earnings season, I’ll focus on the most important company and sector developments from the most recently reported quarter. This earnings season report is more comprehensive than any other cannabis sector analysis out there because it cuts through the noise to get to the investing insights. It comes in two parts.

Dividend Aristocrats are a great way to earn - and grow - your income. Here are three of the best for 2026, according to Bob Ciura of Sure Dividend.

Uncertainty in the market has soared. The situation in Iran significantly increases the near-term risk to stock prices.

The earnings catalyst has passed. Market indexes are near the high. In this environment, a very unpredictable situation in the Middle East could tip the balance. Of course, it’s impossible to know what will ultimately happen in Iran.

Tracking bullish option activity is part of how I’ve built a successful career trading options—it’s my bread and butter. Here’s how I do it.

This week on Street Check, Chris and Brad discuss the market’s reaction to the Iran situation, including the immediate impact of higher oil prices, the unexpectedly weak jobs figures, and Costco’s (COST) comments on cutting prices to “return” the tariff refunds to its members. Then, Chief Investment Strategist Mike Cintolo joins to discuss growth stocks, his perspective on the market, and the signs that could signal the reacceleration of the bull market. For more information about this week’s offer, visit cabotwealth.com/street.