Consulting Bosses Defend U.S. Government Contracts
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You can do more without spending more. Learn how to save at Cox.com slash internet. Cox Internet is connected to the premises via coaxial cable. Cox Mobile runs on the network with unbeatable 5G reliability as measured by UCLA LLC in the U.S. to age 2023. Results may vary, not endorsement of the restrictions apply. Here is your morning brief for Monday, March 3rd. I'm Luke Vargas for The Wall Street Journal.

We are exclusively reporting that executives at some of the biggest U.S. consulting firms are meeting with Trump officials to defend their contracts amid the administration's push to slash federal spending. That's as the General Services Administration has given procurement officials at federal agencies until Friday to list and justify consulting contracts that they intend to keep from 10 companies, including Booz Allen, Accenture, and GuideHouse.

In meetings with Trump officials, executives were told that the government still sees value in consulting, particularly in rolling out advanced technology and modernizing agencies.

Chinese buyers are getting around U.S. export controls to order NVIDIA's latest artificial intelligence chips. According to our reporting, traders in China are selling computer systems with NVIDIA's Blackwell chips installed by routing them through third parties in nearby regions like Malaysia, Vietnam, and Taiwan, with some sellers promising buyers delivery within six weeks.

NVIDIA said it would investigate every report of possible product aversion and take appropriate action. And we are exclusively reporting that energy major Shell is exploring the potential sale of its chemicals assets in Europe and the U.S. as it refocuses on its more profitable oil and gas operations. That is according to people familiar with the matter who say the process is in the early stages and Shell has yet to commit to any final decisions.

Asian stocks have end-of-the-day mixed, European stocks are mostly up in midday trading, and U.S. stock futures are little changed as investors try to gauge if President Trump will move ahead with imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico this week. And we've got a lot more coverage of the day's news on the WSJ's What's News podcast. You can add it to your playlist on your smart speaker or listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.