US stocks extended losses to close lower on Monday, with the S&P 500 down 0.3%, the Dow Jones off 0.4% and the Nasdaq slipping 0.2% as investors reassessed the 2026 Fed policy path. A Wednesday cut remains priced in at roughly 90% yet firmer inflation signals have kept expectations tethered to a cautious stance. Markets also monitored a dramatic turn in the bidding for Warner Bros. Discovery (+4.4%) after Paramount Skydance launched a $30 per share offer that topped Netflix’s $27.75 cash-and-stock bid; Paramount climbed 9% while Netflix fell 3.4%. Other notable movers included Confluent, up 29.1% after IBM confirmed an $11 billion acquisition plan, Tesla, down 3.4% after a downgrade, and Carvana, surged 12.1% following its addition to the S&P 500. Tech valuations will remain in focus this week with Broadcom and Oracle reporting results, with Broadcom (+2.8%) hitting fresh record highs on reports Microsoft is discussing custom chips with the company.