My Top 10 Things to Watch Thursday, April 2nd 1. Stock futures fell sharply this morning after President Donald Trump’s prime-time speech on the Iran war stoked concerns of escalation. President Trump said he expected the situation to continue for another two to three weeks and hinted that he could bomb power infrastructure without a deal with Tehran. He called on countries dependent on oil exported through the Strait of Hormuz to “take it as is” and “protect it.” 2. The major averages were strong yesterday as well, but the leadership was horrible. It wasn’t the encouraging follow-through from Tuesday’s rally that we were hoping for. And now, after the president’s misdirection drama, we are dealing with high oil prices again this morning. The U.S. crude oil benchmark WTI rose 9% to $109 a barrel. It will be difficult to contain this stock price decline. 3. Bank of America upgraded Vale to buy from hold, saying investors have an attractive entry point into the iron ore producer. Vale’s stock price has fallen nearly 7% since the outbreak of the Iran war, while iron ore prices have risen about 8%. I like this call. Stock prices may plummet. 4. Website builder Wix was downgraded from buy to hold at UBS. Analysts believe the company’s 2026 outlook suggests core business growth will slow to 8% this year from 12% last year. Wix has been working on integrating artificial intelligence capabilities into its products. But I still think this is the kind of company that could easily be destroyed by AI. 5. Citigroup raised Cheniere Energy’s price target to $330 from $280, and Citigroup reiterated its buy rating. Supply disruptions in the Middle East could benefit U.S. liquefied natural gas exports long after the conflict ends. Cheniere is the cleanest and most established way to fuel America’s LNG boom. The stock price has risen about 17% since the outbreak of war. 6. TD Cowen lowered the airline’s price target ahead of first-quarter earnings, saying investors were skeptical about the sustainability of travel demand in the face of soaring energy prices. Analysts say United Airlines rose to $120 from $140, American Airlines rose to $15 from $17 and Delta Air Lines rose from $77 to $76. All three stocks maintained a “buy” rating. We downgraded Southwest’s hold rating to $46 from $56. This morning, airline stocks are plummeting due to soaring oil prices. 7. KeyBanc has upgraded Brinker International from Hold to Buy, asserting that Chile’s strong sales momentum will continue into next year. Analysts said a new chicken sandwich lineup launching this month will help boost sales. They also see restaurant-level margins continuing to expand, benefiting both revenue and stock valuation. Brinker CEO Kevin Hockman has done a great job of reinvigorating Chili’s. 8. Mizuho Securities raised the price target on Cava Group from $72 to $80, but maintained a neutral rating. TD Cowen rose from $90 to $100 and was a repeat buy. The Mediterranean chain has been getting a lot of support from restaurant analysts lately. After plunging last year, the stock has nearly doubled from its November lows. 9. Wells Fargo remains skeptical of the Paramount Skydance story, raising its price target from $10 to $8 and maintaining a sell rating. Assuming Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery is completed, analysts are concerned that the debt burden will be high until they see how the combined company will carry out its debt obligations. 10. Citi lowered the price target for Boeing, the club’s name, from $290 to $256, but maintained its buy rating. The stock, like other travel stocks, has struggled during the Middle East conflict. However, orders for the company’s aircraft have not progressed yet, so the stock could rebound significantly once the fallout from the war clears up. Sign up for free for my Top 10 Morning Thoughts on the Markets email newsletter (See here for a complete list of Jim Cramer Charitable Trust stocks.) As a subscriber to Jim Cramer’s CNBC Investment Club, you’ll receive trade alerts before Jim makes a trade. After Jim sends a trade alert, he waits 45 minutes before buying or selling stocks in his charitable trust’s portfolio. If Jim talks about a stock on CNBC TV, he will issue a trade alert and then wait 72 hours before executing the trade. The above investment club information is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, along with our disclaimer. No fiduciary duties or obligations exist or arise from your receipt of information provided in connection with the Investment Club. No specific results or benefits are guaranteed.
