Markets (Page 4)

SoFi Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:SOFI) shares are trading higher on Tuesday. This rally follows a major expansion of the company’s fintech ecosystem.

New Enterprise Banking Launch

The surge follows the debut of SoFi Big Business Banking. This platform targets enterprise clients and it allows companies to manage fiat and crypto transactions within one regulated system.

Early participants include Mastercard Inc (NYSE:MA) and BitGo.

FedNow Real-Time Integration

SoFi’s technology arm, Galileo Financial Technologies, recently integrated the FedNow Service.

SoFi is among the first banks allowing members to both send and receive instant payments 24/7.

Recovery From Short Seller Claims

The stock is …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

JP Morgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) reported first-quarter financial results on Tuesday. The transcript from the company’s earnings call has been provided below.

• JPMorgan Chase stock is trading near recent highs. What’s next for JPM stock?

This transcript is brought to you by Benzinga APIs. For real-time access to our entire catalog, please visit https://www.benzinga.com/apis/ for a consultation.

Operator

The JP Morgan Chase earnings call will begin shortly. The JP Morgan Chase earnings call will begin shortly. Good morning ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to JPMorgan Chase first quarter 2026 earnings call. This call is being recorded. Your line will be muted for the duration of the call. We will now go live to the presentation. The presentation is available on JPMorgan Chase website. Please refer to the disclaimer in the back concerning forward looking statements. Please stand by. At this time, I would like to turn the call over to JPMorgan Chase chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon and chief financial officer Jeremy Barnum. Mr. Barnum, please go ahead.

Jeremy Barnum (Chief Financial Officer)

Thank you very much and good morning everyone. This quarter the firm reported net income of 16.5 billion and EPS of $5.94 with an ROE of 23%. Revenue of $50.5 billion was up 10% year on year, primarily driven by higher markets revenue, higher asset management and investment banking fees and higher NII driven by the impact of balance sheet growth, predominantly offset by the impact of lower rates. Expenses of $26.9 billion were up 14% year on year, largely driven by higher compensation, including higher revenue related compensation and growth in front office employees as well as higher brokerage expense and distribution fees. The increase also reflects the absence of an FDIC special accrual release in the prior year and credit costs of $2.5 billion with net charge offs of 2.3 billion and a net reserve build of 191 million. And in terms of the balance sheet, we ended the quarter with a standardized CET1 ratio 14.3%, down 30 basis points versus the prior quarter as net income was more than offset by capital distributions and higher RWA. This quarter’s standardized RWA is up 60 billion, primarily driven by the markets business, reflecting higher client activity, seasonal effects and higher energy prices which resulted in higher RWA across market risk and credit risk ex lending. Now let me spend a few minutes on the recently released Basel III endgame and G SIB reproposals. I’ll start by acknowledging that this has been a long journey and getting it done across multiple regulators and applied to the full set of US Banks is unquestionably a difficult task. With that said, we do have some concerns with elements of what’s been put forward, primarily with the G-SIB proposal. On the left hand side we show you our preliminary estimate of the impact on JPMorgan Chase next to what the Fed has disclosed for the Category 1 and 2 banks. In aggregate, our results are worse in each category estimated RWA is higher, G SIB is worse, and because our CCAR losses are below the floor, the Fed’s reduction is not going to apply to us. The result is that under the proposed rules, our CET1 capital would increase around 4%, while the Fed’s estimate for large banks is about a 5% reduction. Our long standing position has been that the agency should calculate each component of the capital requirements correctly without regard to what that may mean for any specific firm or for the broader industry. And to the extent regulators want to add conservatism, they should make that explicit rather than embedding it in methodological choices. Turning to G-SIB on the right, the surcharge on the repurposed rule looks quite, quite high when placed in the historical context, as the chart clearly illustrates. As many of you know, we have been on the record for the better part of this last decade advocating for averaging smaller buckets GDP scaling and reweighting short term wholesale funding to 20%. And we were glad to see many of those concepts in the npr. However, while we have every reason to believe that the Fed’s published estimate of a 3.8% reduction in capital associated with the G-SIB of NPR (Notice of Proposed Rulemaking) is accurate when defined narrowly, it’s important to understand that under the current rule, the surcharges for almost all of the G-SIB banks are scheduled to increase meaningfully over the next two years simply as a result of recent growth in the system, despite in our view, no change in real world systemic risk. In addition to that background increase, the proposed change in the short term wholesale funding methodology adds about $22 billion of G SIB specific capital, principally to the Money center banks of which we represent about 13 billion, while in the process making the methodology less risk sensitive and less consistent with the Fed’s original rationale for including it. This could have been addressed by better adjusting for growth in the system, but it wasn’t enough. The net result is that we need to plan for 5.2% in 2028, a 70 basis point increase from the current 4.5% requirement, which when combined with the RWA increase from the Basel III endgame, NPR (Notice of Proposed Rulemaking) results in a total increase of about $20 billion of G SIB capital based on our current balance sheet. This persistent miscalibration of the US surcharge is obviously bad for international compet, but more importantly domestically this means that the cost of credit from JPMorgan Chase to US households and businesses is likely higher than it is from other domestic non G-SIB banks. We recognize that we are larger and more systemically important than even large domestic peers. But in the end, the question is how much more should the cost be? It is very hard to reconcile the principles articulated in the 2015 Fed G SIB white paper with an outcome where JPMorgan Chase has $109 billion of G SIB surcharge. Obviously the rules aren’t final yet and this is what the common process is for. As Jamie wrote in his Chairman’s letter, everyone wants to move on, so our comments will be very focused, but we feel strongly that the framework should be coherent and the system would therefore be better off with these outstanding points addressed. Now moving to our businesses CCB reported net income of 5 billion. Revenue of 19.6 billion was up 7% year on year, predominantly driven by higher card NII, largely on higher revolving balances and higher operating lease income in auto A few points to highlight Notwithstanding the recent volatility in market and gas prices, based on our data, consumers and small businesses remain resilient with consumer spend growth continuing above last year’s pace. Average deposits were up 2% year on year and quarter on quarter driven by account growth and moderating yield seeking flows. Client investment assets were up 18% year on year driven by market performance and healthy net inflows. And in home lending originations of 13.7 billion increased 46% year on year, predominantly driven by refi performance. Next the CIB reported net income of 9 billion. Revenue of 23.4 billion was up 19% year on year driven by higher revenues across the businesses. To give a bit more color, IB fees were up 28% year on year driven by strong performance across MA and equity underwriting, partially offset by lower debt underwriting. Looking ahead, client engagement and pipelines remain healthy, but of course developments in the Middle east could have an impact on deal execution and timing in markets. Fixed income was up 21% year on year with strong performance across the businesses partially offset by lower revenue and rates. Equities was up 17% from increased client activity. Turning to asset and wealth management, AWM reported net income of $1.8 billion with pre tax margin 35%. Revenue of $6.4 billion was up 11% year on year, predominantly driven by growth in management fees on strong net inflows and higher average market levels as well as higher brokerage activity. Long term net inflows were $54 billion with continued strength across fixed income, equity and multi asset. AUM of 4.8 trillion was up 16% year on year and client assets of $7.1 trillion were up 18% year on year, driven by higher market levels and continued net inflows. And before turning to the outlook, corporate reported net income of $699 million on revenue of $1.2 billion. In terms of the full year 2026 outlook, we continue to expect NII X markets to be about $95 billion. We now expect total NII to be approximately $103 billion. As a function of markets NII decreasing to about $8 billion predominantly due to rates which we expect will be primarily offset in NII. The adjusted expense outlook continues to be about 105 billion and the card net charge off rate continues to be approximately 3.4%. With that, we’re now happy to take your questions. So let’s open the line for Q and A.

Operator

Thank you. Please stand by. If you would like to ask a question, please press star one to be entered into the queue. We kindly request that you ask one question and only one related follow up. If you would like to ask an additional question, please press star one to be re entered into the queue. Our first question comes from Steven Chupac with Wolf Research. Your line is open.

Wolfe Research Analyst

Hi, good morning, Jamie and Jeremy. Thanks for taking my questions. So maybe to start on the AI Cash tool which Jamie, you commented on in your letter. There’s been lots of focus on this particular, at least launch. Given that this is a tool which could potentially result in some consumer deposit pressure as well as drive some impact on increased competition as well as higher deposit betas. I was hoping you could just speak to how you see deposit competition unfolding as similar smart tools become more widespread.

Jamie Dimon (Chairman and CEO)

Yeah, so it’s a great question. And obviously there’s early stages for this particular product, so you have to look at it literally segment by segment, how people manage their money, how they want to manage their money. People are pretty astute at it, particularly the higher net worth. They have tons of choices. They often have money at many different places. And so the question for us is how can we make it easier for them to manage their money in a way they’re comfortable? Most of you on this call, you have in your mind how much days in a checking account and then you write a ticket to a money market fund or a deposit account, something like that. And that’s all we’re trying to do. And you know, we provide great values to people. You know, if you’re a cousin of JP Morgan, I remind people you have, you know, if you have this product, you have atm, you got branches, you got device, you have instant payment systems like Zelle. So we look at the whole basket, how we can do a better job for the client. And yeah, it may squeeze some margins somewhere and create more competition somewhere. You know, that’s life. Jeff Bezos always says your margin is my opportunity. And I kind of agree with that. We’re trying to look at the world from the point of view of customer. What more can we do with them? And this is really early stages and as you know, there’s tons of competition out there for money.

Jeremy Barnum (Chief Financial Officer)

Yeah, exactly. And see, the only thing I was going to add to that, it’s sort of understandable, just got attention because it has sort of AI in it and it’s kind of interesting. But as Jamie says, like, and as you highlighted in your question, competition for deposits has always been very intense. It continues to be intense and we have both external and internal competition from higher yielding alternatives and people sort of optimize that. And as part of running the business, and as also Jamie just alluded to, this thing is like, you know, kind of not even live yet. And it’s sort of targeted at a very small subset of the client base, particularly clients with investments where we think there’s an opportunity to take a larger share of the investment wallet as part of this. So I would. It’s understandable the amount of interest that it’s gotten, but I think the right way to think of it as sort of as an experiment right now.

Wolfe Research Analyst

No, that’s helpful context and maybe switching gears just to the Basel III capital proposal, certainly helpful in terms of how you frame some of the shortcomings, some potential areas for improvement, but maybe just focusing in on the RWA inflationary impacts. Does the guidance that you’ve laid out contemplate any mitigating actions you might pursue? Is there any potential mitigation that you envisage and do you have any preliminary views just on the magnitude of SCB relief that you could see from the removal of some of the double counting of markets or operational risk? I recognize that piece is a little bit more opaque.

Jeremy Barnum (Chief Financial Officer)

Yeah, I mean those are interesting questions. I think obviously we are kind of well practiced over the course of the last decade and a half on understanding the rules in detail and ensuring that we’re using our financial resources efficiently to support the client franchise. So. And I think the hope is that the rules land in a stage where there is nothing in them, which sort of takes an otherwise good and healthy business and makes it completely non economic. I think we’ve alluded to a couple of areas where if you look at the presentation slide on the bottom right hand side, we talked about targeted rwa clarifications needed. There’s this issue with like high yield repo collateral and some stuff about advised lines where, you know, the proposal is a little bit unclear about what the actual impact would be. And in some versions of the world, we think it creates irrational results. But broadly, I don’t think this is a story about optimization at this point. I think this is a story about a rule set that is converging to a place and then we need to just grow the business and deploy the resources to serve our clients. Obviously, we have said a lot about G Sib on this page, and I guess I don’t really have more to say unless you have a question on G Sib. But that is the one area where we think it’s kind of a significant disincentive to a particular type of business, in particular some markets. Business. And I guess I would just make the point that we’ve often made publicly that the depth and breadth of US Capital markets is a key competitive national advantage. And regulatory capital rules that at the margin discourage, you know, a dynamic, you know, secondary market in the United States with active participation by banks is, in our view, sort of not great. So that’s part of the reason that we’re so focused on G SIP because it disproportionately affects that business.

JP Morgan Analyst

Anything you could speak to just in terms of the removal of the double counting. Oh, yeah, sorry, I forgot about that part of your question. Yeah. So as you know, like, we’re currently below the floor. Right. So obviously if that is like the new normal, then if the double count is addressed by removing further things from stress testing, it wouldn’t have any impact. If the double count is addressed by modifying the operational risk calculation in rwa, then it might have some impact. And obviously it’s far from guaranteed that we will be a bank that is permanently below the floor. But I suspect that issue is more relevant for institutions whose business mix is such that they’re going to tend to structurally be above the floor. It’s a little bit unclear for us as things settle down, whether we’re going to bounce around above and below the floor or tend to be structurally above the floor. We’ll see. But I think removal of the double count is definitely something we support. It’s probably not our number one priority at this point because some progress has been made on that front. Yeah. Can I just also just mention on the market, global market shock, it’s never been in the real world all these years, including during the COVID Covid and then before the Great Recession, nothing like what they have. And we already have $80 billion or $90 billion of capital for the trading books. So those numbers just completely out of whack with reality and operational risk capital. I can’t avoid saying it is another crazy obtuse, one in a thousand year thing. And then worse than that, my opinion, they create risk weighted assets. You know, every company in the world has operational risk and they artificially create risk weighted assets which do not exist. And this locks up a lot of capital liquidity for eternity for no good reason. And I understand this operational risk. I think there are real ways to measure it, by the way, which I point out, which is not this artificial over architected academic exercise, but there’s operational risk and margin loans that are late and using subprime collateral as opposed to prime collateral, how you process things. And that’s what they should really be focusing, reducing actual operational risk as opposed to these calculations which you can’t change. Like if it all comes from the mortgage business and you got out of the mortgage business, it still stays there. Like who would do something like that? And so it’s time to really look at this stuff and do it right.

Operator

Well said. Well, thanks so much for taking my questions. Thanks Steven. Thank you. Our next question comes from Erica Najarian with UBS. You may proceed.

UBS Analyst

Yes, thank you. Good morning. Jeremy, my first question is for you. You modified the market’s NII outlook given the change in rates between end of February and today. I’m wondering, as we think about the EX market’s NII number of 95 billion, you retain that. What are sort of the offsets to higher rates in the asset sensitivity, you know, if we don’t have cuts for the rest of the year.

Jeremy Barnum (Chief Financial Officer)

Yeah, sure. So it’s a good question because I think we have said that we’re asset sensitive and rates are a little bit higher as a removal of the cuts in the back half of the year. And so you might have otherwise expected us to revise the markets up a little bit. But just to do a little mental math, the air that we’ve just disclosed, 1.8 billion as a result of the fact that the cuts were pretty backdated, the impact on the full year average is only about 20 basis points. So the amount of upward revision that you might have otherwise expected is really quite small when you do that math. And there were some other bits of up and down noise, some rounding effects, so that is essentially the reason the numbers unchanged. I don’t think there’s too much to read into it.

UBS Analyst

Got it perfectly clear. And my second question is for Jamie. Of course we were all unpacking your chairman’s letter from a few weeks ago. And one of the topics that you wrote about and you’ve spoken about at length in the past is on private credit. And I think we fully appreciate what JP Morgan’s view here is. But given all of the headlines that this topic has garnered, I guess the question here for you and your team is if we do have a recession and higher defaults and higher severity and cumulative losses in leveraged lending, what is the ultimate loss back to the banks? Because as we understand the banks are fairly well protected in terms of structure. And while you address this in your letter, for those that maybe hadn’t had time to read it and that are listening to this call, do you think that if we do have a default cycle in private credit that it will be systemic?

Jamie Dimon (Chairman and CEO)

No. I mean I was quite clear. I don’t think so. And I gave them big numbers. Private credit leverage lending is like 1.7 trillion. High yield bonds are something like 1.7 trillion. Bank syndicated leverage loans like 1.7 trillion. Investment grade debts, 13 trillion. Mortgage debts like 13 trillion. And there’s a lot of other stuff out there. And I pointed out that I think there’s been some weakening in underwriting and not just by private credit elsewhere. And there will be a credit cycle one day. And I think when there’s a credit cycle, losses will be worse than people expect relative to the scenario. I don’t think it’s systemic. It almost can’t be systemic at that size relative to anything else. But you know, when recessions happen and values go down and people refinance at higher rates, there’ll be stress and strain in the system. …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Robinhood Markets, Inc. (NASDAQ:HOOD) shares climbed Tuesday, fueled by a bullish analyst outlook from Bernstein and a broader rebound in the cryptocurrency market.

On Monday, Bernstein SocGen Group reiterated its Outperform rating on the stock and maintained a $130 price target. Bernstein pointed to improving conditions in cryptocurrency markets and accelerating traction in prediction markets as key drivers of its optimistic outlook.

Crypto Recovery Drives Trading Activity

A rise in Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC/USD) is providing a meaningful tailwind for Robinhood. The company’s transaction-based revenue remains closely tied to digital asset trading volumes, making it highly sensitive to shifts in crypto market activity.

Robinhood Taps Pinwheel for Deposit Switch

Separately, Pinwheel on Tuesday said it has been selected as the direct deposit launch partner for Robinhood’s banking platform, aiming to streamline onboarding and boost account activity.

Robinhood will use Pinwheel’s PreMatch technology to enable near-instant direct deposit setup during account opening, addressing industry-wide friction that often leads to a roughly 40% inactivity rate after first funding.

Technical Analysis

Robinhood is currently trading within a 52-week range of $39.21 to $153.86, suggesting it is positioned closer to its mid-range than its highs. The stock is trading 5% above its 20-day simple moving average (SMA), indicating …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Ltd. (NASDAQ:AOSL) shares are trading higher Tuesday. The move follows a major manufacturing milestone in India.

Inauguration of Sanand OSAT Facility

AOSL marked a historic footprint expansion on Tuesday. The company officially inaugurated Kaynes Semicon’s OSAT facility in Sanand, Gujarat. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the ceremony. This facility represents a implementation of the AOS proprietary IPM5 manufacturing process.

IPM5 Production Commences

The facility has started high-volume production of Intelligent Power Module (IPM5) products. These modules integrate 17 different dies into one package. They …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

BOCA RATON, Fla., April 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Baum Family Investments (BFI) announces a strong start to 2026, highlighting robust first quarter investment activity across both acquisitions and dispositions, alongside a rapidly expanding pipeline.

Full story available on Benzinga.com

“What happened to all the Tesla killers that legacy press and hedge fund short sellers predicted were coming?” Elon Musk posted on X on Monday—pointing to Tesla’s continued dominance in the U.S. EV market.

This was in reaction to a post showing Tesla sold 117,300 EVs in the U.S., ahead of roughly 99,000 electric vehicles from all other automakers combined—an outright majority of the market.

But step outside the U.S., and the picture changes quickly.

Musk Toasts Tesla’s US Win—And It’s Not Close

The numbers are hard to ignore.

Tesla’s 117K vehicles stack up against roughly 99K from the rest of the market combined, giving it about 54% market share in the U.S.

Legacy automakers—and the much-hyped “Tesla killers”—aren’t just trailing. They’re collectively behind.

That’s the backdrop to Musk’s jab. And on home …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Liu Yonghao, harkening from China’s first generation of millionaires, is preparing to take his dairy company public in Hong Kong

image credit: Bamboo Works

Key Takeaways:

• New Hope Dairy has filed to list in Hong Kong, reporting revenue of 11.2 billion yuan last year
• The company ranked fifth in China’s market for liquid dairy products in 2025

The name Liu Yonghao may not register with many younger Chinese, who idolize more contemporary entrepreneurs like Wang Tao, founder of leading drone maker DJI. But back in the 1990s when China’s economy was just taking off, Liu earned frequent spots on lists of the country’s newly super-rich, putting him squarely at the center of China’s earliest generation of leading entrepreneurs.

Fast forward to the present, when many wealthy individuals from that time have retired, faded into obscurity or sometimes worse after being accused of financial crimes. But Liu has stood apart, retaining a significant place at the China Inc. table even if he no longer commands the same prominence. Now, he’s hoping to splash back into the headlines by listing his dairy operation, New Hope Dairy Co. Ltd. (002946.SZ), which applied for a Hong Kong IPO this month.

From modest beginning

Born in Southwest China’s Sichuan province in 1951, Liu and his brothers sold off family assets to raise 1,000 yuan back in 1982, just four years after the country began implementing market-oriented reforms. They used the sum, worth about $500 at the time and equal to more than a year’s salary for most people, to start a business focused on feed, breeding and agriculture. The operation quickly grew through their diligence, and they founded their Hope Group in 1992. After the brothers divided their assets in 1995, Liu set up his own New Hope Group (000876.SZ), which listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 1998.

Liu went on to establish New Hope’s dairy division in 2001, and formally registered New Hope Dairy in 2006. The company quickly scaled up through mergers and acquisitions, and followed its parent company with its own listing on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 2019.

New Hope Dairy produces and sells …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

The Nasdaq (NQ) and S&P 500 (ES) continue to trade within an upward trajectory, with price currently testing a key resistance zone. Market volatility and liquidity dynamics remain central, as both indices interact with clearly defined support and resistance levels. This environment highlights the importance of observing how price responds within these zones rather than anticipating directional outcomes.

Key Levels for Nasdaq (NQ) and S&P 500 (ES)

Support: Clearly defined lower support zones where demand, liquidity, and potential volatility shifts may emerge

Resistance: Overhead resistance range acting as a primary decision area …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Xiao-I Corp (NASDAQ:AIXI) shares are retreating on Tuesday . The move follows a historic rally that dominated early April trading.

Nasdaq futures are up 0.52% while S&P 500 futures have gained 0.27%.

Massive Monthly Gains Spark Pullback

The AI industrialization company stock witnessed an 1,850% increase between April 1 and April 7. Shares climbed from 10 cents to a peak of $1.95 during that window.

As of Tuesday morning, the stock is up roughly 622% over the past month. Traders appear to be locking in gains after this parabolic move.

Patent Victory Against Apple

The recent momentum …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Rocket Lab (NASDAQ:RKLB) shares are up during Tuesday’s session as the company unveiled a new electric propulsion satellite thruster designed to meet the growing demand for reliable satellite propulsion.

This announcement comes as Rocket Lab continues to strengthen its position in the space industry, ensuring it can supply thrusters on demand in large quantities, which is crucial for both commercial and national security constellations.

Rocket Lab introduced the Gauss thruster, which features a Hall Thruster, Power Processing Unit, and a Propellant Management Assembly, aimed at producing over 200 thrusters per year.

The company said that this move is expected to alleviate supply chain issues that have historically plagued the electric propulsion market, enhancing Rocket Lab’s competitive edge.

Technical Analysis

Rocket Lab is currently trading in a strong uptrend, positioned 23.4% above its 200-day simple moving average (SMA), indicating robust long-term momentum. The stock is also trading 7.6% above its 20-day SMA and 4.2% above its 50-day SMA, suggesting positive short-term strength as well.

The relative strength index …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Two banks looked at the same Q1 delivery numbers for Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA), but their price targets are $207 per share apart.

Someone is very wrong.

UBS upgraded Tesla to Neutral from Sell, raising its target to $352, a small decrease on the current price.

Analyst Joseph Spak said the risk-reward has improved but conceded the stock trades more on sentiment and narrative than fundamentals.

He flagged soft EV demand, higher costs, and slow progress on robotaxi and Optimus as near-term drags. TSLA rose 2% in premarket on the upgrade.

JPMorgan went the other direction. Analyst Ryan Brinkman reiterated his Underweight rating and $145 target, pointing to Q1 deliveries of 358,023 that missed consensus by roughly 4%.

Tesla built over 50,000 more cars than it sold during the quarter.

Brinkman called the inventory pileup a free cash flow problem …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

U.S. stocks were higher, with the Dow Jones index gaining over 200 points on Tuesday.

Shares of Avanos Medical Inc (NYSE:AVNS) rose sharply following the announcement of the going-private deal.

American Industrial Partners will buy the medtech company in an all-cash transaction at an enterprise value of approximately $1.272 billion.

Avanos Medical shares surged 69% to $24.55 on Tuesday.

Here are some other big stocks recording gains in today’s session.

• Travere Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:TVTX) gained 33.6% to $41.00 after the company announced that the FDA approved FILSPARI to reduce proteinuria in adult and pediatric patients aged 8 years and older with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis without nephrotic syndrome.
• Keel Infrastructure Corp (NASDAQ:KEEL) jumped 18.3% to $2.78.
• Bloom Energy Corp (NYSE:BE) gained 18% to $208.32 after the company announced an expanded partnership with Oracle to support the buildout of its AI and cloud computing infrastructure.
• IONQ Inc (NASDAQ:IONQ) gained 14.7% to $34.13 after the …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Battalion Oil Corporation (AMEX:BATL) shares are retreating on Tuesday. The move follows a decline in global crude oil prices. Geopolitical tensions appear to be cooling after Monday’s rally.

Geopolitical Thaw Pressures Energy

Energy stocks are facing headwinds as diplomatic prospects improve. Vice President JD Vance hinted at a potential path forward in stalled Iran talks. Vance stated that a breakthrough remains within reach if Tehran meets Washington’s core nuclear demands.

If “red lines” are met, this can be “a very, very good deal for both countries,” Vance said. He added that the next move rests with Iran.

Oil …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

The AI trade has been priced like a silicon story. It may be a materials story instead.

“AI uses more minerals than most people realize,” Harvey Kaye, Executive Chairman of U.S. Critical Materials, told Benzinga. Among them are materials like gallium, which have “very few substitutes” if supply tightens.

Often overlooked outside specialist circles, the metal sits at the heart of gallium nitride (GaN)—a technology increasingly tied to high-efficiency power systems in next-generation data centers.

And that’s where Nvidia Corp‘s (NASDAQ:NVDA) ecosystem is beginning to intersect with a potential bottleneck.

Gallium’s Quiet Entry Into The AI Stack

Nvidia’s collaboration with Navitas Semiconductor to develop next-generation 800V HVDC infrastructure brings GaN into sharper …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Lucid Group (NASDAQ:LCID) surges in the premarket session on Tuesday on a triple boost. The company expanded Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER) deal, announced fresh capital commitments, and a CEO shake-up aimed at accelerating growth.

The EV maker is tightening its grip on future mobility while reinforcing its balance sheet and leadership bench.

This positive momentum comes amid a broader market that experienced slight gains on Monday, with the Consumer Discretionary sector rising 0.21%.

Uber Partnership

In a press release today, Lucid said it is expanding its partnership with Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:UBER), which includes significant new investments. The deal focuses on an additional $200 million investment from Uber, raising its total investment to $500 million.

Capital Commitments

Additionally, Ayar Third Investment Company, linked to the Public Investment Fund, is committing $550 million to strengthen its collaboration further.

“Today’s announcement demonstrates the growing strength of our relationship with Uber, our continued partnership with the PIF, and the benefits our software-defined EV platforms bring to next-generation …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Accenture PLC (NYSE:ACN) shares are up during Tuesday’s premarket session.

AI Push for U.S. Minerals Supply

Accenture Federal Services, part of Accenture, said Tuesday it will deliver an early operating capability for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Genesis Mission, focused on securing critical mineral supply chains.

The six-month sprint supports the CM2US initiative, combining DOE National Laboratory data with commercial AI through partners including Databricks Federal.

The platform will enable scientists to analyze real-world data, detect risks and model supply chain scenarios as early as summer.

Executives said the effort accelerates scientific discovery and strengthens energy security, marking a key step toward the mission’s initial operating capability.

AI Push Gains Momentum

Earlier this month, Accenture announced an investment in AI-powered software platform Replit through Accenture Ventures, alongside a strategic partnership to expand AI-driven development for enterprises.

The collaboration aims to help organizations build applications faster using AI-native tools, including natural language prompts and agentic AI. Accenture and Replit will work together to identify scalable enterprise use cases and new development workflows.

Technical Analysis

Accenture is still trading in the lower end of its 52-week range after a sustained slide from last year’s highs, which keeps the longer-term trend pressure front and center.

The stock is trading 1.9% below its 20-day simple moving average (SMA) and 19.7% below its 100-day SMA, a setup that points …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Fusemachines Inc. (NASDAQ:FUSE) shares are trading higher during Tuesday’s session, showing resilience after early morning profit-taking threatened to derail a massive multi-day rally.

Profit-Taking After Massive Rally

The stock’s recent performance has been characterized by extreme volatility. After a staggering 101% rally last Friday, the equity faced minor selling pressure in Tuesday’s premarket. However, buying interest returned as the market opened, pushing the price back into positive territory.

Strategic Pivot Toward Agentic AI

The surge began after founder and CEO Sameer Maskey released a strategic shareholder letter. Maskey highlighted a pivot toward agentic AI. He noted that AI is moving toward autonomous execution of …

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The company’s latest valuation suggests it is being priced like a sprawling platform built on Douyin’s domestic cash flow, TikTok’s global reach and an aggressive AI push

image credit: Bamboo Works

Key Takeaways

• ByteDance’s latest super-sized valuation looks increasingly like a sum-of-the-parts story, centered on Douyin domestically, TikTok globally, and a growing AI story through Doubao
• The company doesn’t urgently need cash from an IPO, but could start by listing some of its smaller businesses first if the situation is right

Potentially worth more than $600 billion in a recent proposed transaction, ByteDance is no longer being valued like the owner of a single hit app. That’s how much the parent of the Douyin and TikTok short video apps could be worth after a current investor looking to sell its stake at an initial $550 billion valuation raised its price after finding strong buyer interest, the South China Morning Post reported last week.

That super-sized valuation speaks volumes about what investors think ByteDance has become, namely China’s second most valuable internet company, slightly behind Tencent’s (0700.HK) $650 billion and twice as big as Alibaba’s (NYSE:BABA) (9988.HK) $300 billion.

That headline figure raises the question of which businesses are doing the heavy lifting for a company whose portfolio includes the Douyin and TikTok short video apps at its core, along with a host of smaller but influential others like Toutiao, CapCut, Lark and Feishu. The hierarchy is relatively clear: Douyin and TikTok are kings, while AI through the company’s Doubao app is the fast-rising star supporting the latest premium.

The center of gravity starts in China. While TikTok is known to the world, Douyin is a household word in China, where it has become the platform of choice for advertisers and product sellers alike over e-commerce stalwarts like Alibaba, JD.com (NASDAQ:JD) (9618.HK) and PDD (NASDAQ:PDD), and where it increasingly also competes with Meituan (3690.HK) in online-to-offline local services.

Douyin: The domestic anchor

To understand why ByteDance can command this kind of valuation, the first place to look is Douyin. While it started as a short video app, Douyin has evolved to include its cash-spinning Douyin E-commerce, which generated about 3.5 trillion yuan in gross merchandise value (GMV) in 2024, up roughly 30% from a year earlier, according to market estimates. Official platform data released this year said shelf-based e-commerce GMV …

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U.S. stocks traded higher this morning, with the Nasdaq Composite gaining around 200 points on Tuesday.

Following the market opening Tuesday, the Dow traded up 0.03% to 48,233.39 while the NASDAQ rose 0.87% to 23,384.93. The S&P 500 also rose, gaining, 0.35% to 6,910.13.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

Consumer discretionary shares climbed by 1.4% on Tuesday.

In trading on Tuesday, energy stocks fell by 2.5%.

Top Headline

Citigroup Inc (NYSE:C) reported better-than-expected earnings for the first quarter on Tuesday.

The company posted quarterly earnings of $3.06 per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $2.63 per share. The company reported quarterly sales of $24.633 billion which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $23.526 billion.

Equities Trading UP
           

• Snail Inc (NASDAQ:SNAL) shares shot up 149% to $0.94.
• Shares of Perfect Moment Ltd (NYSE:PMNT) got a boost, surging 113% to $0.52.
• High Roller Technologies Inc (NYSE:

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On CNBC’s “Halftime Report Final Trades,” Cerity Partners’ Jim Lebenthal picked Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) ahead of quarterly earnings.

Wall Street expects Citigroup to report quarterly earnings at $2.64 per share on revenue of $23.53 billion before the opening bell. After all, the Jane Fraser-led bank has been a top performer among large peers this year, supported by its ongoing turnaround, cost-cutting efforts, and relatively low valuation.

Geopolitical risk, however, is a factor considering Citi’s extensive global exposure.

Don’t forget to check out our premarket coverage here

Bryn Talkington, managing partner of Requisite Capital Management, said CBRE Group, Inc. (NYSE:

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Shares of Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI) are experiencing a massive shift in its technical profile following a robust first-quarter earnings report driven by broad-based growth.

Dramatic Shift In Market Sentiment

According to Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings data, the apparel maker’s momentum score experienced a dramatic week-on-week surge, skyrocketing from a sluggish 23.48 to an impressive 72.90.

This sudden leap reflects the market’s overwhelmingly positive reaction to LEVI’s recent financial disclosures. The momentum metric measures a stock’s relative strength based on its price movement patterns and volatility over multiple timeframes, ranking it as a percentile against other stocks.

The improved technical outlook is directly mirrored in the equity’s recent price action. LEVI also demonstrates formidable underlying fundamentals that support a bullish narrative.

The company holds a top-tier growth score of 85.08. This specific ranking measures …

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Lucid Group Inc. (NASDAQ:LCID) announced the appointment of Silvio Napoli as its new CEO. Napoli will take over from interim CEO Marc Winterhoff, who will remain as the company’s Chief Operating Officer.

This leadership transition is part of Lucid’s strategy to enhance its production and sales in the fiercely competitive EV market.

Additionally, Lucid unveiled an expanded partnership with Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:UBER), supported by an extra long-term investment from Ayar Third Investment Company, an affiliate of the Public Investment Fund (PIF).

Uber has pledged to increase its purchase to a minimum of 35,000 Lucid vehicles for its upcoming global robotaxi service.

Lucid Group has priced a $300 million underwritten public offering of common stock, with the deal expected to close around April 15, 2026.

Uber has also pledged an additional $200 million investment in Lucid, bringing its …

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When it comes to staying safe, women have options, but many of them are impractical in everyday life. High-decibel personal sirens, oversized pepper spray canisters, and heavy flashlights may offer protection, but they’re often cumbersome and can draw unwanted attention.

In some situations, they can potentially increase risk. Their visibility can remove the element of surprise, allowing a potential attacker time to react or escalate an attack. Because the items are often bulky, awkward to carry, and draw attention, many women opt to leave them at home, making them vulnerable to unexpected threats and preventable harm. When they do bring them out, the attention they may draw or the difficulty in using them can potentially lead to increased anxiety, making women feel less safe. 

Safety Without All The Attention 

Ultimately, women want to feel safer without broadcasting it to the world. They want devices that are discreet by design, effortless to carry, and intuitive to use. After all, a heavy flashlight has to be wielded, and pepper spray has to be aimed. That’s particularly true among younger women, according to a recent survey by LogicMark, Inc. (OTC:LGMK), a provider of personal emergency response systems and developer of the Aster safety app. It found that younger women increasingly prefer …

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PHILADELPHIA, April 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ –The abrdn Global Income Fund, Inc. (NYSE:FCO) announces that, at its Special Meeting of Shareholders held on April 13, 2026, shareholders voted to approve the reorganization of FCO into the abrdn Asia-Pacific Income Fund, Inc. (NYSE:FAX).

As of the record date, December 12, 2025, FCO had 13,476,542 shares of common stock outstanding. Of these shares, 65.85% were voted at the Special Meeting, representing a quorum. Shareholders of the Fund voted on the proposals set forth below:

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PepsiCo, Inc. (NASDAQ:PEP) will release earnings for its first quarter before the opening bell on Thursday, April 16.

Analysts expect the Purchase, New York-based company to report quarterly earnings of $1.54 per share, up from $1.48 per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for PepsiCo’s quarterly revenue is $18.92 billion (it reported $17.92 billion last year), according to Benzinga Pro.

On Feb. 3, PepsiCo reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter financial results and issued FY26 sales guidance above estimates.

PepsiCo shares fell 0.8% to close at $155.88 on Monday.

Benzinga readers can access the latest analyst ratings on the Analyst Stock Ratings page. Readers can sort by stock ticker, company name, analyst firm, rating change or other variables.

Let’s have a look at how Benzinga’s most-accurate analysts have rated the company in …

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U.S. home sales dipped last month to their slowest pace in nine months, indicating a sluggish start to what is typically the busiest season for the housing market.

A report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR) revealed that existing home sales fell 3.6% in March from February to an annual pace of 3.98 million units. On a year-over-year basis, home sales dipped 1%, weighed down by declines in the Northeast and Midwest. The latest sales figure fell short of the roughly 4.06 million pace economists were expecting, according to FactSet.

Mortgage Rates Dip

The decline in sales came despite the dip in mortgage rates, as economic uncertainty and affordability challenges continue to weigh on home sales. According to an AP report, the average US long-term mortgage rate eases after rising five weeks in a …

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As of April 14, 2026, two stocks in the consumer staples sector could be flashing a real warning to investors who value momentum as a key criteria in their trading decisions.

The RSI is a momentum indicator, which compares a stock’s strength on days when prices go up to its strength on days when prices go down. When compared to a stock’s price action, it can give traders a better sense of how a stock may perform in the short term. An asset is typically considered overbought when the RSI is above 70, according to Benzinga Pro.

Here’s the latest list of major overbought players in this sector.

Alico Inc (NASDAQ:ALCO)

• On Feb. 4, Alico posted weaker-than-expected first-quarter results. John Kiernan, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, said, “Our first quarter results demonstrate …

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Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades, downgrades and initiations, please see our analyst ratings page.

• Piper Sandler analyst Billy Fitzsimmons downgraded Monday.Com Ltd (NASDAQ:MNDY) from Overweight to Neutral and lowered the price target from $100 to $85. Monday.Com shares closed at $63.55 on Monday. See how other analysts view this stock.
• B of A Securities analyst Joshua Dennerlein downgraded Omega Healthcare Investors Inc

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Harvard Professor and former IMF First Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath has strongly rebuked the enduring economic narrative that the U.S. dollar’s status as a global reserve currency is to blame for America’s persistent current account deficits.

A ‘Terribly Flawed’ View

In a recent post on X, Gopinath threw her weight behind a Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE) article by Maurice Obstfeld titled “Don’t blame America’s current account deficit on the dollar.”

Reiterating her previous stance, Gopinath wrote, “The view that the dollar’s reserve currency status is responsible for its deficits is a terribly flawed view.”

Expressing clear frustration at the theory’s mainstream persistence despite evidence to the contrary, she added, “Yet, like a zombie, this view will not die even if, as Maury says This notion is dead wrong.”

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The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (NYSE:BK) will release earnings for its first quarter before the opening bell on Thursday, April 16.

Analysts expect the New York-based company to report quarterly earnings of $1.93 per share, up from $1.58 per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for Bank of New York Mellon’s quarterly revenue is $5.19 billion (it reported $4.79 billion last year), according to Benzinga Pro.

On Feb. 26, BNY announced pricing of public offering of $500,000,000 of Depositary Shares representing interests in preferred stock.

Bank of New York Mellon shares gained 1.3% to close at $129.15 on Monday.

Benzinga readers can access the latest analyst ratings on the Analyst Stock Ratings page. Readers can sort by stock ticker, company name, analyst firm, rating change or other variables.

Let’s have a look at …

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Sky Quarry Inc. (NASDAQ:SKYQ) shares are trading lower during Tuesday’s pre-market session. The pullback follows a Monday rally where the stock surged over 37% amid global energy supply fears.

Easing Geopolitical Tensions

The downward pressure comes as diplomatic outlooks shift. On Monday, Vice President JD Vance hinted at a potential path forward regarding stalled talks with Iran.

Vance stated a diplomatic breakthrough is within reach if Tehran meets U.S. “red lines.” He added such an agreement could be “a very, very good deal for both countries.”

Cooling Oil Prices

Energy markets are reacting to these headlines. After Brent crude surpassed $100 per barrel on Monday, …

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Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades and downgrades, please see our analyst ratings page.

• Piper Sandler lowered the price target for Salesforce Inc (NASDAQ:CRM) from $250 to $215. Piper Sandler analyst Billy Fitzsimmons maintained an Overweight rating. Salesforce shares closed at $172.82 on Monday. See how other analysts view this stock.
• B of A Securities increased Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) price target from $320 to $325. B of A Securities analyst Wamsi Mohan maintained a Buy rating. Apple shares closed at $259.20 on Monday. See how other analysts view this stock.
• Deutsche Bank raised price target for Spyre Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:SYRE) from $55 to $88. Deutsche Bank analyst David Hoang maintained a Buy rating. Spyre Therapeutics shares closed at $63.27 on Monday. See how other analysts view this stock.
• Piper Sandler slashed the price target for Microsoft Corp

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During times of turbulence and uncertainty in the markets, many investors turn to dividend-yielding stocks. These are often companies that have high free cash flows and reward shareholders with a high dividend payout.

Benzinga readers can review the latest analyst takes on their favorite stocks by visiting Analyst Stock Ratings page. Traders can sort through Benzinga’s extensive database of analyst ratings, including by analyst accuracy.

Below are the ratings of the most accurate analysts for three high-yielding stocks in the financial sector.

Annaly Capital Management Inc (NYSE:NLY)

• Dividend Yield: 12.60%
• Keefe, Bruyette & Woods analyst Bose George maintained an Outperform rating and increased the price target from $23.25 to $25 on Jan. 30, 2026. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 68%
• Wells Fargo analyst Donald Fandetti maintained an Overweight rating and raised the price target from $23 to $25 on Jan. 30, 2026. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 67%.
• Recent News: Annaly Capital Management …

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Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades, downgrades and initiations, please see our analyst ratings page.

• UBS analyst Joseph Spak upgraded Ford Motor Co (NYSE:F) from Neutral to Buy and maintained the price target of $15. Ford shares closed at $12.16 on Monday. See how other analysts view this stock.
• Piper Sandler analyst David Amsellem upgraded Biogen Inc (NASDAQ:BIIB) from Neutral to Overweight and raised the price target from …

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Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC) will release first-quarter earnings before the opening bell on Wednesday, April 15.

Analysts expect the bank to report quarterly earnings of $1.02 per share. That’s up from 90 cents per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for Bank of America’s quarterly revenue is $29.95 billion. It reported $27.37 billion last year, according to Benzinga Pro..

Bank of America investors may be eyeing potential gains from the company’s dividends. Currently, the firm has an annual dividend yield of 2.10%. That’s a quarterly dividend amount of 28 cents per share ($1.12 a year).

To figure out how to earn $500 monthly from Bank of America, we start with the yearly target of $6,000 ($500 x 12 months).

Next, we take this amount and divide it by Bank of America’s $1.12 dividend: …

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Tom Lee, the head of research at Fundstrat, said that the ongoing war and increased defense spending are playing a significant role in the economy’s resilience and the continued rise of stocks.

Speaking to CNBC host Brian Sullivan at the show ‘Power Lunch’ on Monday, Lee stated that the war is “actually quite stimulative to the economy.”

He explained that, though it “sounds counterintuitive,” the increase in defense spending, potentially reaching $60 billion a month, is helping to offset the impact of rising oil prices, which are adding approximately $12 billion a month to household expenses. 

‘War Is Actually Helping…’

“The war is actually helping earnings right now,” said Lee.

He acknowledged the burden of increased gasoline prices on families, especially amid ongoing inflation. However, he suggested that the additional costs, estimated at $50 to $100 per family per month, are not sufficient to damage the economy or corporate earnings.

When asked about the factors influencing the stock market, Lee identified the war as the most significant, capable of creating “tail events on both sides.” He downplayed the impact of …

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U.S. stock futures were mixed this morning, with the Nasdaq 100 futures gaining more than 50 points on Tuesday.

Shares of JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) fell in pre-market trading following first-quarter results.

JPMorgan Chase reported quarterly earnings of $5.94 per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $5.45 per share. The company reported quarterly sales of $50.536 billion which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $49.169 billion.

JPMorgan shares dipped 3.1% to $303.81 in pre-market trading.

Here are some other stocks moving lower in pre-market trading.

• Newsmax Inc (NYSE:NMAX) fell 7.7% to $5.84 in …

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Dow Inc. (NYSE:DOW) said Tuesday that Chair and CEO Jim Fitterling will become executive chair effective July 1, 2026, while Chief Operating Officer Karen S. Carter will take over as CEO and join the board. The company said the move follows a multi-year succession plan aimed at ensuring leadership continuity.

Fitterling, who has led Dow since 2018, will focus on long-term strategy and governance in his new role. Carter, a more than 30-year company veteran, currently oversees operations and previously led the Packaging & Specialty Plastics segment.

Technical Analysis

Dow is holding near the upper end of its 52-week range after a strong run from the August 2025 low, which keeps the longer-term trend in focus even on a down premarket.

The stock is trading 1.4% above its …

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Copper spiked to a one-month high on early Tuesday trading as renewed optimism around potential peace talks between the U.S. and Iran lifted market sentiment across global commodity markets.

President Donald Trump said that Tehran had contacted Washington about a potential agreement. Potential de-escalation in the Middle East could ease fears of prolonged geopolitical disruption, lifting industrial metals broadly.

Commodity analyst, Giovanni Staunovo, shared an article on X, highlighting that Copper has risen to a one-month high amid Iran talks.

“Investors are pricing …

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Despite growing fears of an AI bubble and global geopolitical unrest, Nvidia Corp.‘s (NASDAQ:NVDA) tangible revenue and absolute market dominance make the tech giant a critical haven for investors despite the ongoing fears of a software stock rout, according to Constellation Research CEO R. Ray Wang.

Real Demand Defies The Hype

As analysts debate potential market downturns, Wang insists that the demand driving Nvidia is physical and undeniable.

“All these SaaSpocalypse, AI apocalypse… scenarios are basically being relooked at,” Wang told Schwab Network, pointing out that Nvidia’s growth is rooted in concrete infrastructure development, from new data centers to energy plants.

With year-over-year increases hovering near 80%, Wang highlighted that Nvidia is not running on empty promises. “These aren’t made-up numbers… they’re real revenues,” he explained, citing projections of $1 trillion in sales from its Blackwell and Vera Rubin architectures through 2027.

Amidst global instability, Wang predicts a market reset where investors will view tech as a “flight back to safety,” noting it remains the primary unregulated growth driver in the market today.

The ‘Sovereign AI’ Revolution

Further insulating Nvidia from a software rout is the impending boom of “sovereign AI,” which Wang stressed …

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Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) slammed President Donald Trump on Monday for the surging cost of gas at the pump as tensions escalate in the Middle East.

$8.4 Billion In Additional Costs

“Since Trump started his illegal war with Iran, Americans have paid $8.4 billion more at the gas pump,” Warren said, criticizing the Trump administration. Ordinary Americans have also had to shell out an additional $1,700 for “Trump’s chaotic, illegal tariffs,” Warren said. “American families are footing the bill for Trump’s reckless policies,” she said.

Sean Duffy Touts Sable Offshore Pipeline

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy shared the progress of Sable Offshore Corp‘s (NYSE:SOC) pipeline off the coast of Santa Barbara, California. …

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Billionaire investor Robert Friedland has warned that a prolonged disruption of the Strait of Hormuz could hurt global mining supply chains. During Ivanhoe Mines Ltd.’s (OTC:IVPAF) first-quarter production results on Monday, Friedland, the company’s founder, noted a risk of a second-order supply crunch across metals markets.

“If the closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues, we are especially concerned about the availability of precursor materials necessary for the mining industry to continue operating,” Friedland said.

“A second-derivative effect will be on global copper production due to the shortage of the world’s most important industrial chemical, sulphuric acid,” he added.

Ripple Effect Shortage

Sulphuric acid is a critical input in mining and agriculture. Besides its role in leaching copper from oxide ores, it is a vital part of phosphate fertilizer production, which accounts for over half of global demand.

Furthermore, it plays a large role in smelting and metal processing. Copper smelting alone consumes tens of millions of tons annually. Therefore, any disruption in the supply cascades across the food and metals supply chain simultaneously amplifies inflationary …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Existing-home sales declined 3.6% month-over-month in March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.98 million units, the National Association of Realtors reported on Monday. Sales also fell 1% from a year earlier, signaling continued softness in the housing market.

“March home sales remained sluggish and below last year’s pace,” said NAR Chief Economist Dr. Lawrence Yun. “Lower consumer confidence and softer job growth continue to hold back buyers.”

Inventory Rises, But Remains Tight

Total housing inventory increased 3.0% from February to 1.36 million units, representing a 4.1-month supply. Despite the uptick, Yun said inventory remains below historical norms, estimating that an additional 300,000 to 500,000 homes are needed to normalize conditions.

Limited supply continued to support prices. The median existing-home price rose 1.4% year-over-year to …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Jeff Bezos-backed EV maker Slate Auto has raised $650 million in its latest funding round on Monday, as the customizable, affordable pickup truck maker gears up to release its first model.

$650 Million Raised

The company raised the amount in its latest funding round by TWG Global, backed by Slate’s investor Mark Walter, Business Insider reported on Monday. Besides the funding, Slate also shared that it has secured over 160,000 reservations for its first product, a fully customizable pickup truck touted to be sold for $25,000.

Slate Auto’s Pickup Truck

The company had unveiled the pickup truck back in June last year. Slate is offering the product without a traditional paint job or even power windows and a stereo. The base trim offers a 150-mile range with a 52.7kWh battery as well as a 1,400-pound payload capacity. The company will also offer a larger battery option, which pushes the range …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

In today’s fast-paced and competitive business landscape, it is essential for investors and industry enthusiasts to thoroughly analyze companies before making investment decisions. In this article, we will conduct a comprehensive industry comparison, evaluating Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR) against its key competitors in the Software industry. By examining key financial metrics, market position, and growth prospects, we aim to provide valuable insights for investors and shed light on company’s performance within the industry.

Palantir Technologies Background

Palantir is an artificial intelligence, analytics, and automated decision-making company that leverages data to drive efficiency across its clients’ organizations. The firm serves commercial and government clients via its Foundry and Gotham platforms, respectively. Palantir works only with entities in Western-allied nations and reserves the right not to work with anyone that is antithetical to Western values. The company was founded in 2003 and went public in 2020.

Full story available on Benzinga.com

In today’s rapidly evolving and fiercely competitive business landscape, it is crucial for investors and industry analysts to conduct comprehensive company evaluations. In this article, we will undertake an in-depth industry comparison, assessing Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) alongside its primary competitors in the Broadline Retail industry. By meticulously examining crucial financial indicators, market positioning, and growth potential, we aim to provide valuable insights to investors and shed light on company’s performance within the industry.

Amazon.com Background

Amazon is the leading online retailer and marketplace for third party sellers. Retail related revenue represents approximately 74% of total, followed by Amazon Web Services (17%), and advertising services (9%). International segments constitute 22% of Amazon’s total revenue, led by Germany, the United Kingdom, and Japan.

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The most oversold stocks in the real estate sector presents an opportunity to buy into undervalued companies.

The RSI is a momentum indicator, which compares a stock’s strength on days when prices go up to its strength on days when prices go down. When compared to a stock’s price action, it can give traders a better sense of how a stock may perform in the short term. An asset is typically considered oversold when the RSI is below 30, according to Benzinga Pro.

Here’s the latest list of major oversold players in this sector, having an RSI near or below 30.

Costar Group Inc (NASDAQ:CSGP)

• On April 13, Baird maintained its Outperform rating on the stock and lowered its price target from $73 to $56. The company’s stock fell around 15% over the past month and has a 52-week low of …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) will release earnings for its first quarter before the opening bell on Thursday, April 16.

Analysts expect the Abbott Park, Illinois-based company to report quarterly earnings of $1.15 per share. That’s up from $1.09 per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for Abbott’s quarterly revenue is $11 billion (it reported $10.36 billion last year), according to Benzinga Pro.

On March 23, Abbott completed the acquisition of Exact Sciences.

Shares of Abbott rose 0.4% to close at $100.69 on Monday.

Benzinga readers can access the latest analyst ratings on the Analyst Stock Ratings page. Readers can sort by stock ticker, company name, analyst firm, rating change or other variables.

Let’s have a look at how Benzinga’s most-accurate analysts have rated the company in the …

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The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed some easing in the overall fear level, while the index remained in the “Fear” zone on Monday.

U.S. stocks settled higher on Monday, with the S&P 500 gaining around 1% during the session after President Donald Trump claimed Iran was willing to make a deal.

Trump earlier vowed to block ship traffic tied to Iran in and out of the Strait of Hormuz after the Islamabad peace talks over the weekend without an agreement.

In earnings, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE:GS) reported better-than-expected earnings for the first quarter on Monday. shares of Fastenal Co. (NASDAQ:FAST) fell around 7% on Monday after the company reported earnings for the first quarter.

On the economic …

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The S&P 500 closed higher on Friday, surging 1.02% to close at 6,886.24, even as the U.S. began a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, announced by President Donald Trump following failed peace talks in Islamabad with Iran.

The Polygon-based (CRYPTO: POL) Polymarket crowd is bullish heading into Tuesday. The April 14 contract shows 67% of traders betting “Up,” following $275,876 in traded volume on the April 13 outcome.

Why That Number Matters

While Trump’s blockade announcement pushed the market down in early trade on …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

On Monday, Ross Gerber raised red flags over a reported $24 billion Gulf-backed investment fueling the proposed merger between Paramount Skydance Corp. (NASDAQ:PSKY) and Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. (NASDAQ:WBD).

Gerber Calls Out Hollywood Investment Cycle

Gerber took to X, warning that “in every generation” Hollywood attracts a new wave of investors who may underestimate the risks of the entertainment business.

His remarks came in response to The Hollywood Reporter’s report that Gulf sovereign wealth funds are backing the massive deal, which could reshape the media landscape.

$24 Billion Gulf Funding Behind $110 Billion Megamerger

The proposed $110 billion tie-up between Paramount and Warner …

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American Airlines (NYSE:AAL) is trading 4.99% higher during the pre-market trading session on Tuesday amid reports that United Airlines Holdings (NYSE:UAL) CEO Scott Kirby has suggested a potential merger with the company.

United Airlines is trading 1.45% higher in the pre-market session.

Kirby presented the merger proposal to President Donald Trump in a late February meeting, reported Reuters on Monday. Originally intended to discuss the future of Dulles airport, the meeting took place just three days before the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran began.

Kirby reportedly argued that a united airline would be a more formidable competitor in international markets, as he pointed out that the Trump administration has been focusing on U.S. trade deficits globally.

It’s unclear if United has formally …

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Over 1,000 personalities from the American film and TV industry, including notable figures like Joaquin Phoenix, Ben Stiller, and Kristen Stewart, have publicly expressed their disapproval of the proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. (NASDAQ:WBD) by Paramount SkyDance Corp. (NASDAQ:PSKY).

In an open letter, they criticized the merger for favoring the interests of a few influential stakeholders over the wider public good. The signatories of the letter argue that the merger could seriously undermine the “integrity, independence, and diversity” of the industry. 

The signatories, which also include several Academy Award winners, argued that the deal would further concentrate the media industry, reducing competition, limiting opportunities and jobs, raising costs, and leaving audiences with fewer choices, while shrinking major U.S. film studios to just four.

According to Hollywood, media consolidation has led to the decline of mid-budget films, weakened independent distribution and global sales, reduced profit participation, and undermined …

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Investor Gary Black of The Future Fund LLC on Monday outlined multiple reasons why Tesla Inc.‘s (NASDAQ:TSLA) Full Self-Driving (FSD) approval by the Netherlands Vehicle Authority (RDW) wasn’t significant.

Tesla FSD Europe Approval A ‘Non-Event’

“WS [Wall Street] will view the approval of FSD in the Netherlands as a non-event,” the investor said in a post on the social media platform X. Expanding on why, the investor said that the move was “expected” and that the technology was “supervised FSD, not unsupervised FSD.”

He also said that the technology was not going to see increased adoption “until TSLA commits to advertising FSD’s benefits to the masses.”

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Nikita Bier, Head of Product at X, sent speculations soaring on Monday after he proposed a solution to counter challenges faced by the cryptocurrency market this year.

What Is X Up To?

In an X post, Bier said that the market has had a rough year and X could “launch something” to fix the problems.

The sector has indeed faced strong headwinds so far, with the total market capitalization shrinking 16% to $2.52 trillion.

The post quickly drew several replies from cryptocurrency-focused accounts, including those of Solana (CRYPTO: SOL), Pudgy Penguins (PENGU) and Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) veteran investor Fred Krueger.

In fact, Kruger straight-up asked Bier to integrate native Bitcoin support into X.

Something To Do With X Money?

Other users speculated about the possibility of cryptocurrencies getting integrated as a payment option on the upcoming X Money service.

As of this writing, X Money claims to use fiat …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

The S&P 500 Index staged a strong comeback, turning positive for 2026 on Monday and recovering all losses from the U.S.-Iran war.

After weeks of volatility, investors are looking for some stability in the stock market. Despite elevated tensions in the Middle East, Wall Street remains hopeful that the conflict will not derail the broader economy, with sentiment buoyed by expectations of a potential diplomatic resolution, according to a report from PBS News.

SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY), the oldest ETF and tracker of the S&P 500 Index, mirrored the rebound. With $685.5 billion in assets under management, the fund trades an average of more than 92 million shares daily and has an expense ratio of 0.09%.

While most stocks in the fund’s portfolio have gained sharply, the following five have led the gains.

SanDisk Corp. (NASDAQ:SNDK)

SanDisk stock has surged on strong NAND flash prices and booming demand from AI data centers. Its inclusion in Nasdaq 100 and Wall Street’s bullish sentiment boosted investor confidence in the company’s future growth.

Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings indicate that SNDK maintains strong trends in the short, medium and long terms, with a strong Momentum score in 100th percentile.

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Home BancShares, Inc. (NYSE:HOMB) will release earnings for its first quarter after the closing bell on Wednesday, April 15.

Analysts expect the Conway, Arkansas-based company to report quarterly earnings of 59 cents per share. That’s up from 56 cents per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for Home BancShares’ quarterly revenue is $273.95 million (it reported $262.62 million last year), according to Benzinga Pro.

On April 1, Home BancShares announced the completion of the acquisition of Mountain Commerce Bancorp, Inc.

Shares of Home BancShares rose 0.8% to close at $28.22 on Monday.

Benzinga readers can access the latest analyst ratings on the Analyst Stock Ratings page. Readers can sort by stock ticker, company name, analyst firm, rating change or other variables.

Let’s have a look at how Benzinga’s most-accurate analysts have …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:F) CEO Jim Farley on Monday hailed the Detroit-based automaker’s domestic manufacturing prowess, which exceeds that of its competitors in the auto industry.

Ford’s Bet On America Pays Off

Touting the automaker’s domestic manufacturing capabilities, Farley, in an op-ed he wrote, said the automaker believes a “bet on America” will always pay off. The article also shared how Ford assembled and sold over 1.8 million vehicles in the U.S., while exporting 311,000 units to other markets and importing 378,000 units into the U.S.

“Ford assembles more than six vehicles in America for every one it imports,” the article said, while also adding that over 83% of its vehicles sold were assembled in the U.S. “We never took a bailout, and we never wavered on our commitment to America and American jobs,” Farley said.

Farley outlined that Ford invests heavily in domestic manufacturing because it drives the “tax base that funds local schools and first responders; it supports the small businesses on Main Street,” while also sharing that Ford …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urged the Federal Reserve to hold off on cutting interest rates for now, especially given the uncertainty surrounding the ongoing Iran war.

Speaking in an interview on Monday with Semafor Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith, Bessent said the Fed is “doing the right thing by sitting and watching” how the conflict plays out. “US President Donald Trump has spent much of his second administration lobbying for the central bank to slash interest rates.”

The U.S. economy was “very strong” in January and February, he noted, pointing to a solid performance in January and February, according to the report.

Gas Price Spike Would Not Alter Inflation Expectations

Bessent said he is confident that recent price increases would not permanently alter how consumers view the economy. Per the latest data, annual inflation jumped to the

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Wall Street is sharply divided on the potential economic and market fallout, as President Donald Trump announced a U.S. Navy blockade of the Strait of Hormuz following failed nuclear talks with Iran.

Shrugging Off Geopolitical Risk

Despite escalating tensions and the threat of disrupted global oil supplies, some market veterans remain steadfastly bullish. Ed Yardeni, president of Yardeni Research, noted that Wall Street’s reaction to the unprecedented naval blockade has so far been a “total shrug.”

Pointing to a historically “remarkably resilient” U.S. economy, Yardeni argues that past international conflicts have often proven lucrative for investors who stay the course. “Geopolitical crises tend to be buying opportunities,” Yardeni told CNBC, suggesting the current market dip is just another chance to buy.

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Pakistan has reportedly extended an offer to host the second round of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran in Islamabad, ahead of the two-week ceasefire expiration.

The final decision on the venue will be determined based on the preferences of the involved parties, two undisclosed Pakistani officials told the Associated Press.

U.S. officials have reportedly stated that Islamabad is once again being considered as the potential host city for the talks. Geneva, Switzerland, is also in the running as a possible location. 

The sources suggested that the discussions could occur on Thursday, but the final decision on the venue and timing remains unconfirmed.

White House did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comments.

‘Red Lines’ On Nuclear Weapons

This development comes in the wake of unsuccessful negotiations between the U.S. and Iran over the weekend. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi criticized …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Private equity fund managers are focusing on value creation amid economic uncertainty. The growing consensus is that they no longer feel confident that overall economic growth can deliver strong exits. 

Instead, general partners, or GPs, in private equity and venture capital are putting greater emphasis on improving operations within their portfolio companies to protect and grow value. That value, in turn, is what they’re aiming to return to limited partners who are looking for higher distributions.

“The private equity industry is at an inflection point,” said Kevin Zacharuk, Head of Private Equity, Data & Research at S&P Global Market Intelligence. “GPs are shifting their approach to value creation, with operational improvements now ranking as the top priority.”

A Challenging Time For Private Equity

According to the 2026 S&P Global Market Intelligence Private Equity and Venture Capital Outlook report, firms are increasingly constrained by fragmented data and limited visibility into key performance metrics. The report also paints a gloomy macro outlook, with most GPs expecting GDP growth to stagnate or decline. While interest rate expectations remain largely neutral, half of respondents anticipate worsening inflation.

“This is a challenging time for private equity, with an uncertain macro backdrop threatening the  industry’s efforts to boost portfolio company exits …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Global data center electricity consumption is skyrocketing far beyond earlier estimates, driven primarily by the relentless expansion of artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, with Goldman Sachs forecasting a massive boom in demand by 2023.

Unprecedented Growth Projections

According to new data from Goldman, highlighted by financial commentary platform The Kobeissi Letter, the worldwide appetite for data center power is on track to grow an astounding 220% from 2023 levels by the end of the decade.

This surge will push total consumption up by 905 terawatt-hours (TWh) to a record 1,350 TWh by 2030.

“The AI power boom is accelerating,” noted The Kobeissi Letter, reflecting on the urgency of the revised figures. This new forecast marks a steep increase from the previously anticipated 175% growth rate.

This dramatic revision to higher-than-expected AI server shipment projections and an industry-wide shift toward deploying highly power-intensive hardware is being attributed to complex AI processing.

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Synergy CHC Corp. (NASDAQ:SNYR) shares surged nearly 100% in after-hours trading Monday following the company’s latest regulatory filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Company Overview

Synergy CHC Corp. is a U.S.-based consumer health and wellness company focused on building a portfolio of branded products across personal care, beauty and lifestyle categories.

The company’s strategy centers on acquiring, developing and scaling niche health-focused brands with an emphasis on direct-to-consumer and retail distribution channels. Synergy CHC aims to drive growth through product innovation, brand positioning and expanded market reach across North America.

After-Hours Spike Follows S-8 Filing

The company filed Form S-8 to register shares under its 2024 Equity Incentive Plan, according to …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

One of the clearest signs of consumer stress in 2026 may not appear first in bank earnings or headline economic data. It is showing up at the pawn counter.

The latest fuel-cost surge in the U.S., which saw gas prices climb to $4.166 per gallon as of April 8, exposed the household strain. Per Bloomberg’s report, pawn shop owners said demand for short-term loans has picked up as customers scramble to cover fuel, groceries, and utility bills.

“If pawn shops are doing well, it probably means that some part of the economy is not,” Canaccord Genuity analyst Brian McNamara told Bloomberg.

The market is beginning to reflect that divergence. While the S&P 500 has been in the red, pawn operators have become quiet alpha leaders. EZCORP (NASDAQ:EZPW) is up 52% year-to-date and FirstCash Holdings (NASDAQ:FCFS) has gained 28%, compared with a decline of about 0.2% in the S&P 500.

The pawnshop alpha is more than a niche trade. It is a signal that the consumer credit cycle is entering a later and harsher stage.

The Cycle Ladder

While easing the early or mid-cycle financial strain relies on credit cards, home equity lines, refinancing, or buy now, pay later products, the late cycle looks vastly different.

The situation turns into survival finance with collateralized borrowing or …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Economist Justin Wolfers, on Tuesday, highlighted a core idea in commodities that captures the forces driving today’s ETF flows: gold as a belief-driven asset and oil as a core pillar of the global economy.

Gold: A Belief-Driven Asset

In a social media X, Justin Wolfers said “Gold has no inherent value. It’s a shiny rock… people buy gold because they think other people value gold, and that’s a self-sustaining equilibrium.”

Though gold does not generate income or produce anything, Wolfers argue that its value largely comes from perception and a collective trust. People buy gold because they believe others will continue to see it as valuable in the future. This shared belief creates a cycle—since everyone expects others to value gold, demand stays strong, which in turn keeps prices high.

ETFs such as such as SPDR Gold Shares (NYSE:GLD) or iShares Gold Trust (NYSE:IAU) are one of the main …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Economist Peter Schiff advised his followers on Monday to swap their Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) for gold and silver as the apex cryptocurrency aimed to recapture the critical $75,000 level.

Schiff Repeats Old Advice

In an X post, Schiff noted that Bitcoin was nearing $75,000, which is not far from the average cost at which Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:MSTR) acquired its BTC holdings.

“The U.S. dollar seems to be rolling over, and gold and silver may be about to start new legs up. If you have any Bitcoin, sell it now and buy gold and silver,” he added.

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy hit out at Governor Gavin Newsom (D-CA) on Monday, accusing the latter of letting his state be dependent on foreign oil suppliers amid the U.S.-Iran war.

Sean Duffy Slams ‘Climate Alarmist’ Gavin Newsom

In a post on the social media platform X, Duffy shared a video, touting President Donald Trump‘s call to oil producers to “Drill baby drill,” as the Transportation Secretary shared the progress of Sable Offshore Corp‘s (NYSE:SOC) pipeline off the coast of Santa Barbara, California.

“Climate alarmist @GavinNewsom would rather Californians be dependent on foreign oil,” Duffy said in the post, accusing critics of “playing politics.” He then shared that the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) was “working overtime to ensure that the oil is flowing.”

The video showcased the oil rig’s production capabilities, sharing that the pipeline would deliver 60,000 barrels of oil every day to consumers in California.

Cryptocurrency punters sharply raised odds on Iran halting uranium enrichment after reports suggesting the Middle Eastern nation was willing to suspend its nuclear activity.

Will Iran Abandon Its Nuclear Program?

Polygon (CRYPTO: POL)-based Polymarket showed a 41% possibility that Iran ends uranium enrichment by the end of June, up from 20% the day before.

Similarly, the odds of this happening by the end of the year jumped 14 percentage points to 47%.

Over $1 million has been wagered on the outcome, and an “official pledge” by Iran to end all enrichment of Uranium will qualify for a “Yes” resolution.

Additionally, the odds that Iran agrees to surrender its enriched uranium stockpile by the year-end increased …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Leading cryptocurrencies rallied alongside stocks on Monday after President Donald Trump claimed Iran was willing to make a deal.

Crypto Market Rebounds

Bitcoin staged a strong recovery after Sunday’s sell-off, nearly rallying to $75,000. Trading volume jumped 80% over the last 24 hours.

Ethereum climbed to an intraday high of $2,368, supported by strong buying pressure, while XRP and Dogecoin also regained lost territory.

Shares of Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:MSTR) and Bitmine Immersion Technologies Inc. (NYSE:BMNR) closed up 2.89% and 1.08%, respectively.

Over $530 million was liquidated in the past 24 hours, with short position traders bearing the brunt of the losses, according to Coinglass data.

Open interest in Bitcoin futures spiked 8.66% in the last 24 hours. Interestingly, retail and whale derivatives traders on Binance turned “extremely bearish,” increasing short bets on the apex cryptocurrency. 

“Extreme Fear” sentiment persisted in the market, according to the Crypto Fear & Greed Index.

Top Gainers (24 Hours) 

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Major U.S. indices closed higher, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.6% at 48,218.25, the S&P 500 jumping 1.02% to 6,886.24, and the Nasdaq climbing 1.23% to 23,183.73.

These are the top stocks that gained the attention of retail traders and investors through the day:

Bloom Energy Corporation (NYSE:BE)

Bloom Energy shares surged by 5.98% to close at $176.67. The stock reached an intraday high of $177.54 and a low of $163.22. Its 52-week range is $16.01 to $180.90. In the after-hours session, the stock rose 15.4% to $203.90.

Bloom Energy expanded its partnership with Oracle Corp, with the Larry Ellison-co-founded company planning to procure up to 2.8 gigawatts of fuel cell systems under a master services agreement. An initial 1.2 gigawatts had already been contracted, with deployment underway and continuing into next year.

Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL)

Oracle’s stock climbed 12.69%, closing at $155.62. The day’s high was $155.91, with a low of $139.72. The 52-week high and low are $345.72 and $121.24, respectively. The stock rose 2% in the after-hours trading to $158.74.

Oracle Corporation shares rose as the sector rebounded from a selloff, driven by dip-buying …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

“Anthropic has proven that it’s very good at two things. One is product releases. The second is scaring people,” David Sacks, President Trump’s former AI and crypto adviser, said on the All-In podcast.

Sacks doubled down on X today, writing that “a growing number of people are wondering if Anthropic is the AI industry’s ‘boy who cried wolf’” and warning the company faces “a serious credibility problem” if Mythos-related threats don’t materialize.

But Sacks Says This One Might Be Real

“Anytime Anthropic is scaring people, you have to ask: is this part of their chicken-little routine, or is it real?” Sacks said. “I actually would give them credit in this case and say this is more on the real side.”

His reasoning was straightforward. As coding models improve, they get better at finding bugs, which means they get better at finding vulnerabilities, and chaining multiple exploits into novel attack vectors.

Chamath Palihapitiya was …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is alleging that Florida-based venture capital firm Backswing Ventures and its CEO Kyle Asman misled investors in a private fund over a multi-year period.

The case was filed in the Middle District of Florida and covers conduct the SEC says lasted from at least February 2020 through April 2023, Investmentnews first reported. 

At the center of the complaint is Backswing Ventures LP, also referred to as Backswing Ventures Fund I, LP, a Delaware partnership Asman formed to back early-stage businesses spanning areas such as defense, commercial real estate, technology, data and health care. The SEC alleges the manager took in more than $515,000 in management fees in the fund’s first year, far more than what the offering materials allowed.

Backswing argues that the allegations related to the mismarketing of assets and the collection of management fees are “expressly false,” given that Backswing’s limited partnership agreement informed investors that Backswing and Asman had broad discretion to manage the fund. 

A spokesperson from Backswing provided additional information to Benzinga, clarifying some details of the SEC’s allegations. 

“The purported management fees are actually legal fees that the Fund paid relative to this SEC inquiry, and per the LPA, the Fund was permitted to pay any and …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Defiance ETFs rolled out its latest high-octane thematic fund last week, the Defiance Pure Space Daily 2X Strategy ETF (BATS:XAIL), aimed at traders looking to capitalize on the accelerating commercialization of the global space economy. The launch adds to the firm’s growing suite of leveraged products, offering amplified exposure to niche, high-growth themes through a familiar ETF wrapper.

XAIL is structured to deliver 200% of the daily performance of an actively managed basket of “pure space” companies—firms deeply tied to space technologies and services. Designed primarily for short-term tactical …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Tarek Mansour has a simple pitch for why Kalshi shouldn’t be regulated as gambling. His platform is a peer-to-peer exchange. Customers bet against each other, Kalshi takes fees from both sides, and the house has no stake in the outcome. It’s a financial market, not a casino.

Aaron Brown, a Bloomberg Opinion columnist and former head of financial market research at AQR Capital Management, says that argument has a problem.

It’s the same business model organized crime bookmakers ran for decades before the FBI shut them down.

The Mob Ran A Balanced Book Too

Brown points out that the point spread, invented in the 1940s, let bookmakers attract roughly equal action on both sides of any sporting event.

The outcome was irrelevant to profitability. Bookmakers collected about 10% vigorish from losers, netting roughly 5% of total action no matter what.

By the 1970s it was a national market with …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Bill Ackman told Robinhood Markets (NASDAQ:HOOD) CEO Vlad Tenev on Monday that he plans to deploy billions into large-cap stocks within weeks, calling current valuations on some of the best businesses in the world among the lowest in their history.

The comments came as Pershing Square kicked off the roadshow for Pershing Square USA, a closed-end fund targeting $5 billion to $10 billion at $50 per share with pricing expected April 28.

Ackman said the Iran conflict has created an incremental risk premium across equities but argued that uncertainty should fade over time.

He pointed to AI infrastructure spending, the Biden-era infrastructure bill, Trump’s tax legislation and what he described as trillions in corporate investment commitments as tailwinds heading into the back half of 2026.

Polymarket traders appear to agree.

The Iran-Israel/U.S. conflict ending by year-end is priced at 94%, with $38 million in total volume on that contract alone, even as the ceasefire remains fragile …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

SoFi Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:SOFI) shares are trending higher Monday morning. The Nasdaq is up 0.19% while the S&P 500 has gained 0.13%.

The move follows an announcement from SoFi’s technology arm, Galileo Financial Technologies, regarding the integration of the FedNow Service.

SoFi is now among the first banks allowing members to both send and receive instant payments 24/7.

Short Interest

Short interest in SOFI recently climbed to 165.26 million shares, representing 13.24% of the float, with an average daily volume of 71.01 million shares.

The stock is recovering from a volatile period triggered by a Muddy Waters Research report.

The short-seller labeled …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Dell Technologies Inc (NYSE:DELL) shares are rising on Monday. Investors are reacting to intense market speculation concerning a massive industry acquisition.

The Nasdaq is up 0.28% while the S&P 500 has gained 0.18%.

NVIDIA’s Pursuit Of Major PC Player

A report from SemiAccurate claims Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:NVDA) is in secret negotiations.

The tech giant reportedly wants to buy a large-scale PC and server manufacturer. These talks have allegedly lasted for over a year.

Reshaping Computing Landscape

The potential deal could fundamentally change the global server market. According to SemiAccurate, Nvidia is looking to make a huge purchase that will reshape the PC and server landscape.

While the report did not name a specific target, traders are betting on Dell and HP Inc (NYSE:HPQ).

Dell, HP and Nvidia did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comment.

Credibility Of Acquisition Reports

SemiAccurate noted they have followed this story since late 2024. The publication …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

OpenAI‘s new revenue chief just fired shots at both its biggest partner and its biggest rival in the same memo.

Denise Dresser told staff Sunday that the Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:MSFT) partnership has “limited our ability to meet enterprises where they are,” while calling demand through Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN)‘s Bedrock platform “frankly staggering” since the two companies announced their deal in late February, according to a memo viewed by CNBC.

OpenAI Takes Aim At Anthropic’s Numbers

Dresser claimed Anthropic’s reported $30 billion revenue run rate is “inflated” by roughly $8 billion due to accounting treatment that artificially boost the numbers through its revenue-share with Amazon and Google.

She characterized Anthropic’s …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Adams Street Partners has raised $7.5 billion for its third private credit vehicle, becoming the latest firm to do so despite volatility in the market.

The private credit team is focused on providing senior financing to sponsor-backed middle-market companies.

The fund, which targets institutional investors, drew capital from a global investor base, with 40% of commitments coming from outside the U.S., the firm reported. The Chicago-based private equity firm said it plans to further expand its presence in Europe alongside its North American operations.

According to Bill Sacher, Adams Street Partner and Head of Private Credit, the fundraise reflects “investors’ confidence.”

On average, the underlying investments in PC III show what the firm describes as “conservative credit characteristics”, including loan-to-value ratios below 40%, an average multiple of about 5x, and strong creditor protections such as maintenance-based covenants.

Adams Street Managing Partner Jeff Diehl credits the firm’s success to “disciplined diligence, rigorous underwriting, and long-standing sponsor relationships.”

“We believe managers with true sourcing and underwriting edge will be …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) is trading inside a giant 9-year ascending triangle on the monthly chart with options volume surging 215.78% to $3.76 million.

The 9-Year Ascending Triangle

Since 2017, the script has remained the same: XRP hits the upper resistance, gets rejected, and retraces to find its floor at the rising trendline.

After the recent August 2025 rejection, Ali Charts is watching for a retest of the macro support between $0.75 and $0.80. 

He views this zone as the ultimate “buy the dip” opportunity before the triangle finally reaches its apex.

“When a 9-year consolidation finally breaks, the move is usually historic,” Ali Charts wrote on X. 

The Paris Blockchain Week

XRP Ledger is bracing to seize the spotlight at the Paris Blockchain Week. 

On …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Reddit Inc (NYSE:RDDT) shares are gaining ground Monday. The stock is outperforming the broader market. The Nasdaq is up 0.28% while the S&P 500 has gained 0.18%.

Short Interest Rising

Short interest in Reddit increased during the last reporting period. The figure rose from 17.24 million to 17.51 million shares. Currently, 14.88% of the company’s float is held short. Based on average volume, it would take 3.47 days for short sellers to cover their positions.

Nectar Social Partnership

The rally follows news from Wednesday, regarding a data partnership with Nectar Social. The deal grants Nectar access to Reddit’s Data API for real-time consumer insights.

“What sets Reddit apart is the depth and authenticity …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

When conflict escalates, investors typically move toward defensive assets such as U.S. Treasuries, gold, or large-cap domestic stocks. However, when a ceasefire is announced, risk appetite returns quickly. South Korean equities become popular during these periods due to supply chain risks, energy price shocks, and reduced global demand expectations.

Notably, an exchange-traded fund (ETF) like the iShares MSCI South Korea ETF (NYSE:EWY) delivered one of the sharpest single-session surges in the world, and few people outside Asia were watching. It represents a fund that quietly sits at the intersection of global trade, semiconductors, and geopolitical sensitivity.

This article highlights how South Korean assets were uniquely positioned during easing geopolitical conditions.

What is the iShares MSCI South Korea ETF?

EWY is a BlackRock-managed ETF that tracks the MSCI Korea 25/50 Index, giving investors direct exposure to South Korea’s stock market through a single US-listed security.

It holds 92 South Korean stocks, with heavy weighting on large-cap stocks such as Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix. Information technology constitutes approximately 47% of the portfolio, while the remaining allocations belong to the industrial sector and financial services. The ETF is passively managed because it tracks the underlying index.

Why South Korea Reacts So Strongly to a Middle East Ceasefire

When the Strait of Hormuz is under threat, South Korean manufacturers face higher input costs, tighter margins, and weaker export competitiveness. When it reopens, those pressures ease almost immediately.

Iran’s Foreign Minister assured safe transit through the strategic waterway during the next two weeks. The price of crude oil plunged by over 10%, alleviating fears of inflation and of central banks adopting a more aggressive stance. This proved highly beneficial to the South Korean economy, which functions on both exports of computer chips and …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Lightwave Logic Inc (NASDAQ:LWLG) shares are climbing on Monday, extending a rally that began last week. The stock hit a new 52-week high of $12.58 during the session.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite are up 0.06% and 0.18%, respectively.

• Lightwave Logic stock is at critical resistance. What’s behind LWLG new highs?

AI Infrastructure Momentum

There is no specific news event on Monday directly explaining the surge behind the specialty materials firm. Instead, the move appears to be a continuation of bullish sentiment. The stock ended last …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

U.S. stocks traded mixed midway through trading, with the Nasdaq Composite gaining more than 100 points on Monday.

The Dow traded down 0.13% to 47,854.67 while the NASDAQ rose 0.55% to 23,029.86. The S&P 500 also rose, gaining, 0.33% to 6,839.08.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

Energy shares climbed by 0.3% on Monday.

In trading on Monday, utilities stocks fell by 0.8%.

Top Headline

Fastenal Co (NASDAQ:FAST) shares fell over 4% on Monday after the company reported earnings for the first quarter.

The company reported quarterly earnings of 30 cents per share which met the analyst consensus estimate. The company reported quarterly sales of $2.202 billion which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $2.199 billion.

Equities Trading UP
           

• Allogene Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:ALLO) shares shot up 45% to $3.94 after the company announced data from the planned interim futility analysis of …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Private equity poured trillions into software companies between 2018 and 2022. Every single one of those deals is now underwater “and probably by a lot,” according to Steve Eisman, the fund manager who called the subprime crash before anyone wanted to hear it.

The SaaS Model Is Breaking

The software-as-a-subscription model that powered a multi-decade bull market depended on two assumptions: growing seat counts and annual price increases. AI threatens both. Software multiples have been cut in half, and for the first time in decades, price-to-earnings ratios for software stocks sit below the broader market multiple.

Adobe (NASDAQ:ADBE) and ServiceNow (NASDAQ:NOW) fell 31% and 32%, respectively, during Q1. The infotech sector dropped 9% overall, dragging the S&P 500 to a 4% quarterly loss.

A $200 Billion Debt Wall

The pain extends well beyond public …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Muddy Waters founder Carson Block says that artificial intelligence will trigger economic fallout that could make the 2008 global financial crisis “pale in comparison.”

Block argued that AI-driven job losses will cascade through the U.S. economy over the next several years. Fewer jobs mean smaller 401k contributions, which means less passive money flowing into equities.

He also pointed to weakness in private credit, where he said “too much money has gone into an asset class that just couldn’t make enough high-quality loans.”

The warning echoes concerns from Vanguard’s Shaan Raithatha, who flagged hidden risks in Big Tech’s $400 billion debt binge earlier this year.

Short Sellers Are Already Circling

The data suggests bears aren’t waiting. Hedge funds have made $24 billion shorting software stocks in 2026 so far, according to CNBC, as roughly $1 trillion in market cap evaporated from the sector. …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Intuitive Machines Inc. (NASDAQ:LUNR) shares are climbing Monday. The stock reached a new 52-week high of $25.55 during the session. This surge follows the historic completion of NASA’s Artemis II mission.

The Nasdaq is up 0.18% while the S&P 500 has gained 0.09%.

Artemis II Success Validates Lunar Sector

Investor optimism spiked after the Orion spacecraft successfully splashed down Friday. The mission saw four astronauts travel 694,000 miles, the farthest deep-space distance ever recorded.

Former President Barack Obama praised the crew on Saturday via X. Obama stated, “What the Artemis II astronauts did over the last 10 days was a testament to their bravery.” He called …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

The operator of a digital hub for automotive components and services is seeking a Hong Kong listing, citing plans to expand its coverage to meet rising demand   

image credit: Bamboo Works

Key Takeaways: 

• Casstime increased its revenue and gross profit last year, but logged a wider net loss, hit by operating costs and fair-value changes 
• Its shareholders include Shanghai Capital and Germany’s Bosch

With signs of a pick-up in some automotive stocks, a car parts and servicing platform has joined the convoy of companies heading to the equity market.

Casstime Holdings Ltd., which focuses on China’s automotive aftermarket, has applied to list on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, with China International Capital Corp (CICC) as the sole sponsor.

The proposed capital-raising follows a surge in overall IPO interest and reflects a brightening mood in parts of the auto sector, led by shares in Geely Automobile (0175.HK) and BYD (OTC:BYDDY) (OTC:BYDDF) (1211.HK) as rising fuel prices look to boost sales of electric vehicles. 

Casstime operates platforms to facilitate the maintenance and repair of vehicles after they are sold, by matching businesses such as workshops and parts suppliers. It foresees rising demand from the boom in electric vehicles, whose batteries or other systems need to be periodically replaced or upgraded.

Founded in 2015, Casstime launched desktop versions of its auto parts trading platform and services system the following year and has since folded in a suite of artificial intelligence features for smart matching. Current backers include Shunwei Capital, which counts Xiaomi founder Lei Jun as one of its stakeholders, as well as Fosun International and Germany’s Bosch.

The aftermarket encompasses products and services to maintain, repair or modify a vehicle over its lifetime. From 2021 to 2025, the mainland Chinese aftermarket grew at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.8%, outpacing …

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U.S. stocks traded lower this morning, with the Dow Jones falling more than 350 points on Monday.

Following the market opening Monday, the Dow traded down 0.79% to 47,537.73 while the NASDAQ fell 0.34% to 22,824.61. The S&P 500 also fell, dropping, 0.33% to 6,794.11.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

Information technology shares climbed by 1.2% on Monday.

In trading on Monday, consumer staples stocks fell by 1.2%.

Top Headline

Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS) reported better-than-expected earnings for the first quarter on Monday.

The company posted quarterly earnings of $17.55 per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $16.30 per share. The company reported quarterly sales of $17.227 billion which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $16.970 billion.

Equities Trading UP
           

• Real …

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Shares of One and One Green Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:YDDL) are trading lower on Monday. The decline follows a weekend of digestion over the company’s latest capital raise strategy.

Massive Discount Triggers Sell-Off

The Philippines-based recycler announced a securities purchase agreement with two institutional investors. The company plans to sell 1.733 million units at $7.50 per unit.

One and One Green expects $13 million in gross proceeds. Management intends to use the funds for working capital and general corporate purposes.

This move comes relatively soon after the company’s October initial public offering, which raised $11.5 …

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Palantir Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:PLTR) shares are bucking the broader market trend this Monday. The S&P 500 is down 0.32% while the Nasdaq declined 0.35%.

Trump Endorsement Sparks Rebound

Traders are reacting to recent comments from President Donald Trump. On Friday, Trump praised Palantir’s “war fighting capabilities” on Truth Social. This reinforced the company’s entrenched relationships with the U.S. government.

The stock previously saw a $10 billion market cap recovery shortly after the post.

Analyst Dan Ives Sets Massive Price Forecast

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives is fueling the bullish narrative. Ives recently reiterated …

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Fusemachines Inc. (NASDAQ:FUSE) shares maintain heavy buying pressure during Monday’s premarket session. This follows a massive 115.29% rally on Friday.

Nasdaq futures are down 0.54% while S&P 500 futures have shed 0.59%.

Investors are reacting to a strategic shareholder letter released by founder and CEO Sameer Maskey.

Agentic AI Strategy Shifts Into Focus

The recent surge stems from Maskey’s pivot toward agentic AI. He noted that AI is moving toward autonomous execution of complex tasks. This shift frames a major long-term opportunity for the company. Fusemachines is currently enhancing its AI Studio platform to support these autonomous enterprise workflows.

Debt-Free Balance Sheet Boosts Confidence

Financial discipline is …

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In a recent survey conducted by PwC, a significant majority of American business leaders anticipate that U.S. tariffs will continue to be high for years, extending beyond the Donald Trump era.

Kristin Bohl, a customs and international trade partner at PwC, believes that elevated tariffs are unlikely to be reduced, reported MarketWatch on Monday. She said Trump’s initial tariffs faced backlash, with companies warning about potential inflation and economic impact. However, she reminded, the “Biden administration came in and did not remove them.”

Bohl noted that tariffs were expanded under Biden and have been increased even further in Trump’s second term.

“So we’ve seen tariffs be put in place and endure throughout three separate, albeit two mirroring, administrations,” Bohl said.

Bohl’s comments are corroborated by a recent PwC survey, which showed that approximately 86% of U.S. executives believe import taxes will continue to be a significant aspect of the country’s economic framework. 

PwC’s Rohit Kumar said global markets will likely adapt to Trump-era tariffs by 2029, making them the new norm. Kumar also noted that it will be difficult to terminate tariffs when they’re generating substantial revenue for the federal government.

This is particularly relevant given that the …

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Iran stated that if its ports are threatened by the U.S. blockade, no port in the Persian Gulf or the Sea of Oman will remain safe. The Iranian military spokesperson, quoted by state media, labeled any U.S. restrictions on vessels in international waters as “piracy”.

The Revolutionary Guards also warned that any military vessels entering the strait would be seen as violating the ceasefire. The statement came as two Iranian-linked tankers, Aurora and New Future, carrying oil products and diesel, passed through the strait shortly before the U.S. blockade was set to take effect, according to data from LSEG, according to an Associated Press report on Monday.

US Navy To Enforce Strait Blockade

This move follows President Donald Trump‘s announcement that the U.S. Navy would begin a process to stop …

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Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) shares are trading lower during Monday’s premarket session.

The decline follows a weekend of escalating geopolitical tensions that have dampened investor appetite for high-growth technology names.

Geopolitical Tensions Weigh On Tech

U.S. stock futures fell Monday morning after President Donald Trump announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The move followed the collapse of peace talks in Islamabad on Sunday. The breakdown occurred after 21 hours of discussions. Vice President JD Vance stated Washington would not compromise on its core demands.

Rising Oil And …

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J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. (NASDAQ:JBHT) will release earnings for its first quarter after the closing bell on Wednesday, April 15.

Analysts expect the Lowell, Arkansas-based company to report quarterly earnings of $1.45 per share, up from $1.17 per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for J.B. Hunt Transport’s quarterly revenue is $2.95 billion (it reported $2.92 billion last year), according to Benzinga Pro.

On Feb. 24, J B Hunt Transport Services filed for a mixed shelf offering.

J.B. Hunt Transport shares gained 0.8% to close at $227.04 on Friday.

Benzinga readers can access the latest analyst ratings on the Analyst Stock Ratings page. Readers can sort by stock ticker, company name, analyst firm, rating change or other variables.

Let’s have a look at how Benzinga’s most-accurate analysts have rated the …

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Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades and downgrades, please see our analyst ratings page.

• Evercore ISI Group raised the price target for Toll Brothers Inc (NYSE:TOL) from $174 to $176. Evercore ISI Group analyst Stephen Kim upgraded the stock from In-Line to Outperform. Toll Brothers shares closed at $140.12 on Friday. See how other analysts view this stock.
• Morgan Stanley increased Bilibili Inc – ADR (NASDAQ:BILI) price target from $25 to $31. Morgan Stanley analyst Yang Liu upgraded the stock from Equal-Weight to Overweight. Bilibili shares closed at $23.76 on Friday. See how other analysts view this stock.
• HC Wainwright & Co. raised price target for Oruka Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:ORKA) from $40 to $70. HC Wainwright & Co. analyst Mitchell S. Kapoor maintained a Buy rating. Oruka Therapeutics shares closed at $59.58 on Friday. See …

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OpenAI is reportedly planning to set up its permanent office in London, aiming to make the city its largest research hub outside the U.S.

The San Francisco-based firm told Reuters on Monday that it would start the office in 2027. The 88,500 square foot location, situated at Regent Quarter, will house 544 employees and is part of the company’s plan to expand its capacity to meet the growing demand in the UK.

OpenAI first opened its office in London in 2023. Currently, it employs approximately 200 people in London across various roles, including research, engineering, customer support, policy, and sales. The new office will serve as a significant expansion of the company’s presence in the …

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As of April 13, 2026, two stocks in the consumer discretionary sector could be flashing a real warning to investors who value momentum as a key criteria in their trading decisions.

The RSI is a momentum indicator, which compares a stock’s strength on days when prices go up to its strength on days when prices go down. When compared to a stock’s price action, it can give traders a better sense of how a stock may perform in the short term. An asset is typically considered overbought when the RSI is above 70, according to Benzinga Pro.

Here’s the latest list of major overbought players in this sector.

PVH Corp (NYSE:PVH)

• On March 31, PVH …

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Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades, downgrades and initiations, please see our analyst ratings page.

• Evercore ISI Group analyst Alexander Virgo initiated coverage on Johnson Controls International PLC (NYSE:JCI) with an In-Line rating and announced a price target of $155. Johnson Controls shares closed at $142.53 on Friday. See how other analysts view this stock.
• HC Wainwright & Co. analyst Mitchell S. Kapoor initiated coverage on Generate Biomedicines Inc (NASDAQ:GENB) with a Buy rating and announced a price …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades, downgrades and initiations, please see our analyst ratings page.

• Baird analyst Andrew Wittmann downgraded Parsons Corp (NYSE:PSN) from Outperform to Neutral and maintained the price target of $60. Parsons shares closed at $56.01 on Friday. See how other analysts view this stock.
• HC Wainwright & Co. analyst Robert Burns downgraded Replimune Group Inc (NASDAQ:REPL) from Buy to Sell. Replimune Group shares closed at $4.76 on Friday. See …

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Sky Quarry Inc (NASDAQ:SKYQ) shares are soaring Monday morning. The move follows a massive momentum wave that began last week. Trading resumed Friday after a circuit breaker halt saw the stock jump over 85%.

Geopolitical Tensions Drive Energy Interest

The primary catalyst stems from escalating Middle East tensions. President Donald Trump recently announced a blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Trump expressed frustration with Iran on Truth Social.

Nasdaq futures are down 0.61% while S&P 500 futures have shed 0.58%.

Oil Prices Surpass Key Thresholds

Global energy supply concerns sent Brent crude prices past $100 per barrel. Crude …

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Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) will release earnings for its first quarter before the opening bell on Tuesday, April 14.

Analysts expect the San Francisco, California-based bank to report quarterly earnings of $1.58 per share, up from $1.39 per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for Wells Fargo’s quarterly revenue is $21.77 billion. It reported $20.15 billion last year, according to Benzinga Pro.

With the recent buzz around Wells Fargo, some investors may be eyeing potential gains from the company’s dividends too. As of now, Wells Fargo has an annual dividend yield of 2.11%, which is a quarterly dividend amount of 45 cents per share ($1.80 a year).  

So, how can investors exploit its dividend yield to pocket a regular $500 monthly?

To earn $500 per month or …

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On CNBC’s “Halftime Report Final Trades,” Bryn Talkington, managing partner of Requisite Capital Management, said Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:COF) is a great company.

Earnings would be a catalyst for the stock to go higher, Talkington says.

Capital One Financial will release earnings results for the first quarter after the closing bell on Tuesday, April 21. Analysts expect the company to report quarterly earnings at $4.64 per share on revenue of $15.37 billion.

Kevin Simpson, Capital Wealth Planning founder and CIO, named Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) as …

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U.S. stock futures were lower this morning, with the Dow futures falling more than 150 points on Monday.

Shares of Fastenal Co (NASDAQ:FAST) fell sharply in pre-market trading after the company reported results for the first quarter.

Fastenal reported quarterly earnings of 30 cents per share which met the analyst consensus estimate. The company reported quarterly sales of $2.202 billion which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $2.199 billion

Fastenal shares dipped 4% to $47.21 in pre-market trading.

Here are some other stocks moving lower in pre-market trading.

• Replimune Group Inc (NASDAQ:REPL) fell 57.5% to $2.02 in pre-market trading. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday concluded that Replimmune Biologics License Application (BLA) for vusolimogene oderparepvec in combination with …

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In today’s fast-paced and competitive business landscape, it is essential for investors and industry enthusiasts to thoroughly analyze companies before making investment decisions. In this article, we will conduct a comprehensive industry comparison, evaluating Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR) against its key competitors in the Software industry. By examining key financial metrics, market position, and growth prospects, we aim to provide valuable insights for investors and shed light on company’s performance within the industry.

Palantir Technologies Background

Palantir is an artificial intelligence, analytics, and automated decision-making company that leverages data to drive efficiency across its clients’ organizations. The firm serves commercial and government clients via its Foundry and Gotham platforms, respectively. Palantir works only with entities in Western-allied nations and reserves the right not to work with anyone that is antithetical to Western values. The company was founded in 2003 and went public in 2020.

Full story available on Benzinga.com

In the ever-evolving and intensely competitive business landscape, conducting a thorough company analysis is of utmost importance for investors and industry followers. In this article, we will carry out an in-depth industry comparison, assessing Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) alongside its primary competitors in the Broadline Retail industry. By meticulously examining key financial metrics, market positioning, and growth prospects, we aim to offer valuable insights to investors and shed light on company’s performance within the industry.

Amazon.com Background

Amazon is the leading online retailer and marketplace for third party sellers. Retail related revenue represents approximately 74% of total, followed by Amazon Web Services (17%), and advertising services (9%). International segments constitute 22% of Amazon’s total revenue, led by Germany, the United Kingdom, and Japan.

Full story available on Benzinga.com

In today’s fast-paced and competitive business landscape, it is essential for investors and industry enthusiasts to thoroughly analyze companies before making investment decisions. In this article, we will conduct a comprehensive industry comparison, evaluating Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) against its key competitors in the Automobiles industry. By examining key financial metrics, market position, and growth prospects, we aim to provide valuable insights for investors and shed light on company’s performance within the industry.

Tesla Background

Tesla is a vertically integrated battery electric vehicle automaker and developer of real world artificial intelligence software, which includes autonomous driving and humanoid robots. The company has multiple vehicles in its fleet, which include luxury and midsize sedans, crossover SUVs, a light truck, and a semi truck. Tesla also plans to begin selling a sports car and offer a robotaxi service. Global deliveries in 2025 were nearly 1.64 million vehicles. The company sells batteries for stationary storage for residential and commercial properties including utilities and solar panels and solar roofs for energy generation. Tesla also owns a fast-charging network and an auto insurance business.

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Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) CEO Elon Musk expressed his concerns over the COVID-19 vaccine dosage, citing his own adverse experience.

Musk took to X on Sunday and claimed that his second vaccine shot was so severe that it almost led him to hospitalization. “My second vaccine shot almost sent me to the hospital. Felt like I was dying.” He compared his vaccine experience with his encounter with the original coronavirus, which he described as like any other cold or flu. “Bad, but not terrible,” said Musk.

Musk’s post was in response to a post by Peter Sweden, who highlighted the claims of a Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) insider and former head of toxicology, estimating that between 20,000 and 60,000 people in Germany have died from the COVID-19 vaccine.

“The vaccine dosage was obviously too high and done too many times,” wrote Musk.

Gold’s volatility may have rattled markets in 2026, but merger-and-acquisition activity in mining remains active — and one recent deal shows just how much value the market may still be missing in the junior space.

Last week, G Mining Ventures Corp. (OTC:GMINF) agreed to acquire G2 Goldfields Inc. (OTC:GUYGF) in an all-share transaction valued at approximately $2.2 billion. The deal combines two adjacent assets in Guyana — Oko West and Oko-Ghanie — into a single district-scale mining complex capable of producing more than 500,000 ounces of gold annually over its life.

“Once built, this mine has the potential to rank among the highest-producing gold mines globally,” G Mining CEO Louis-Pierre Gignac said in the statement.

The logic behind the transaction is straightforward. By consolidating neighboring deposits into a single system, G Mining can eliminate redundant infrastructure, accelerate permitting, and improve capital efficiency. In practical terms, it translates into more than $1 billion in synergies and the elimination of standalone development costs for G2’s project.

The deal may not be a headline magnet purely on size, but it offers a strong example of how large an acquisition premium a junior miner can command when the right …

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U.S. stocks settled lower on Friday, with the Dow Jones index falling more than 250 points during the session after the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index crashed to a record low in April and the March monthly inflation rate printed at 0.9%, the highest monthly increase since June 2022.

Wall Street analysts make new stock picks on a daily basis. Unfortunately for investors, not all analysts have particularly impressive track records at predicting market movements. Even when it comes to one single stock, analyst ratings and price targets can vary widely, leaving investors confused about which analyst’s opinion to trust.

Benzinga’s Analyst Ratings API is a collection of the highest-quality stock ratings curated by the Benzinga news desk via direct partnerships with major sell-side banks. Benzinga displays overnight ratings changes on a daily basis three hours prior to the U.S. equity market opening. Data specialists at investment dashboard provider Toggle.ai recently uncovered that the analyst insights Benzinga Pro subscribers and Benzinga readers regularly receive can successfully be used as trading indicators to outperform the stock market.

Top Analyst Picks: Fortunately, any Benzinga reader can access the latest analyst ratings on the Analyst …

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The most oversold stocks in the materials sector presents an opportunity to buy into undervalued companies.

The RSI is a momentum indicator, which compares a stock’s strength on days when prices go up to its strength on days when prices go down. When compared to a stock’s price action, it can give traders a better sense of how a stock may perform in the short term. An asset is typically considered oversold when the RSI is below 30, according to Benzinga Pro.

Here’s the latest list of major oversold players in this sector, having an RSI near or below 30.

American Vanguard Corp (NYSE:AVD)

• On March 16, American Vanguard posted downbeat quarterly results. Dak Kaye, CEO of American Vanguard, stated “2025 was a pivotal year for American Vanguard as we continue to make progress on the execution of our business improvement plans. Initiatives that we implemented early last year have resulted in increased margins, in an agricultural economy that is just beginning to recover. While we have …

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For professionals in litigation-exposed fields, the difference between a 401(k) and an Individual Retirement Account is not just tax-related; it is a legal distinction that can affect asset protection.

Under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), qualified 401(k) plans generally receive strong federal creditor protection under mandatory anti-alienation rules, typically shielding assets from most creditor claims, including lawsuits and business-related judgments, with limited exceptions such as domestic relations orders.

IRAs are treated differently under federal bankruptcy rules. Retirement funds held in IRAs are protected in bankruptcy up to a statutory cap of $1 million, with that amount adjusted periodically for inflation, bringing the effective limit to roughly $1.7 million today. Any balance above that threshold may not be fully protected in bankruptcy proceedings. Outside bankruptcy, IRA protections depend on state law, which varies widely and can be significantly weaker in some jurisdictions.

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Television host Jim Cramer says that analysts not taking the crude oil price surge into account were naive as President Donald Trump announced a U.S.-led blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.

Jim Cramer Decries ‘Panglossian’ Analysts

In a post on the social media platform X on Monday, the investor said, “Very few analysts seem to care that oil has gone above $100. They have cordoned off oil as a factor,” he said, calling the move “Panglossian,” or naive.

He then shared that while he acknowledged that the possibility of the U.S. facing supply shortages was low, analysts wanted to “buy the dip ahead of a blockade as if the market will rally when the blockade takes effect.”

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Iran’s Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi expressed disappointment over the U.S.’s approach in the recent peace talks, suggesting that the U.S. failed to negotiate in good faith.

Araghchi took to X on Sunday to share his views on the U.S.-Iran peace talks held in Islamabad, Pakistan on Saturday, which he referred to as “intensive talks at highest level in 47 years.”

He stated that Iran had engaged with the U.S. in good faith to end the war, but was met with “maximalism, shifting goalposts, and blockade” when they were “inches away” to signing the “Islamabad MoU”.

“Zero lessons earned,” he added.

Meanwhile, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on X, “If the American government abandons its totalitarianism and respects the rights of the Iranian …

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First Horizon Corporation (NYSE:FHN) will release earnings for its first quarter before the opening bell on Wednesday, April 15.

Analysts expect the Memphis, Tennessee-based company to report quarterly earnings of 50 cents per share, up from 42 cents per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for First Horizon’s quarterly revenue is $869.85 million (it reported $816 million last year), according to Benzinga Pro.

On Jan. 15, First Horizon reported better-than-expected earnings for the fourth quarter.

First Horizon shares fell 1.6% to close at $24.05 on Friday.

Benzinga readers can access the latest analyst ratings on the Analyst Stock Ratings page. Readers can sort by stock ticker, company name, analyst firm, rating change or other variables.

Let’s have a look at how Benzinga’s most-accurate analysts have rated the company in the recent …

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The S&P 500 closed lower on Friday, declining 0.11% to close at 6,816.89 as the ceasefire with Iran was on shaky grounds, with the Islamic Republic blaming Israel for violating the ceasefire with attacks on Lebanon.

The Polygon-based (CRYPTO: POL) Polymarket crowd is bearish heading into Monday. The April 13 contract shows only 14% of traders betting “Up,” following $94,055 in traded volume on the April 10 outcome.

Why That Number Matters

The …

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M&T Bank Corporation (NYSE:MTB) will release earnings for its first quarter before the opening bell on Wednesday, April 15.

Analysts expect the Buffalo, New York-based company to report quarterly earnings of $4.00 per share. That’s up from $3.32 per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for M&T Bank’s quarterly revenue is $2.42 billion (it reported $2.31 billion last year), according to Benzinga Pro.

On March 30, M&T Bank announced a $5 billion buyback plan.

Shares of M&T Bank fell 1.4% to close at $219.92 on Friday.

Benzinga readers can access the latest analyst ratings on the Analyst Stock Ratings page. Readers can sort by stock ticker, company name, analyst firm, rating change or other variables.

Let’s have a look at how Benzinga’s most-accurate analysts have rated the company …

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In a bid to diversify its beverage offerings, fast-food behemoth McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) is reportedly gearing up to add energy drinks and specialty sodas to its U.S. menus.

McDonald’s is planning to introduce new beverages such as Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer, Dirty Dr Pepper, and Mango Pineapple Refresher in the coming months, with the energy drinks expected to debut in August, reported The Wall Street Journal on Sunday.

The fast food giant has been developing its beverage expansion for years, experimenting with drinks like Sour Cherry Energy Burst and Blackberry Mint Green Tea at its short-lived concept, CosMc’s.

The company aims to offer these new beverages at prices lower than those of competitors such as Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ:SBUX), Dutch Bros (NYSE:BROS), and Sonic, stated the publication, citing company documents.

The new beverages are expected to deliver strong profit margins for franchise owners, who run most of the restaurants. Many have reportedly spent thousands on new mixing equipment to drive sales without …

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Crude oil surged over 7% on Monday after President Donald Trump announced a blockade of all vessels entering and exiting Iranian ports after ceasefire talks with Iran ended without an agreement over the weekend—reviving fears of a major disruption to global energy supplies.

Brent crude climbed to nearly $102 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) topped $104 per barrel. Exchange-traded funds tied directly to oil futures also moved higher, including the United States Oil Fund (NYSE:USO) and United States Brent Oil Fund (NYSE:BNO), which tend to react quickly to price swings and are often used by investors to capitalize on short-term moves.

What Happened?

Trump said in a post on social media platform Truth Social, “Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will …

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British drugmaker GSK plc (NYSE:GSK) is betting on blockbuster potential for its experimental cancer therapy Mo-rez, after early trial data showed the drug shrank tumors in patients with advanced, hard-to-treat gynecological cancers.

“Do we think it would be a blockbuster? Yes, absolutely,” GSK’s head of oncology research, Hesham Abdullah, told reporters on Sunday, as the data was presented at a medical conference in Puerto Rico, according to Reuters.

In platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, 62% of patients achieved at least a 30% reduction in tumor size. In endometrial cancer, 67% met that threshold.

Mo-rez is an antibody-drug conjugate that targets the B7H4 protein found on gynecological cancer cells but largely absent …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Flight operator Virgin Atlantic, founded by billionaire Richard Branson, has announced it will begin offering Elon Musk-led SpaceX‘s satellite internet service Starlink on its aircrafts this year.

Starlink Now On Virgin Atlantic

The company released an official statement announcing the partnership with Starlink, sharing that it will initially offer the service on Airbus SE‘s (OTC:EADSF) A350 aircraft by the summer. Virgin Atlantic said that the company’s Boeing Co. (NYSE:BA) 787 fleet would be fitted with Starlink capabilities by the second half of the year, alongside the A330neo fleet.

“The first customer flight is slated for early May on the VS153 from London Heathrow to New York, JFK,” the airline said in the statement. Virgin Atlantic hopes to achieve fleet-wide connectivity by 2027 and will offer the service free of charge for its Flying Club members.

Elon Musk Hails The Move

Following the announcement, Musk took …

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Some of Japan’s biggest names, including SoftBank Corp (OTC:SFTBY), NEC Corp (OTC:NECPY), Honda Motor Co (OTC:HNDAF) and Sony Group Corp. (OTC:SNEJF) have established a new company focused on large-scale artificial intelligence for domestic businesses, according to a report seen on Sunday.

Why It Matters

The initiative was taken to narrow the gap with U.S. and Chinese AI leaders, with expected backing from the Japanese government, according to a report by Japan Today. The group will initially roll out the model to domestic firms, with plans to expand into factory robotics and other applications.

The venture is expected …

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Elon Musk-led Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) has included a clause in the purchase agreement for the Model S and Model X customers that will bar them from selling their vehicles within a year of buying the vehicle.

Tesla’s 1 Year Clause

On Sunday, a user, The Cybertruck Guy, took to the social media platform X to share screenshots of a purchase agreement for Tesla’s Model S and Model X ‘Signature’ edition models. “You agree that you will not sell or otherwise attempt to sell the Vehicle within the first year” following its delivery date, citing its limited release nature.

Tesla also maintained that should any “unforeseen” circumstances force the buyer to sell the vehicle and the EV giant accepts the customer’s reasons, the buyer would “agree to notify” the automaker and “give Tesla reasonable time to purchase the Vehicle” from the customer “at its sole discretion and at the purchase price listed on your Final Price Sheet less $0.25/mile driven,” the agreement said.

The owner can sell their vehicle to a third party should Tesla refuse …

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President Donald Trump, on Sunday, said that oil and gas prices could either decrease, remain stable, or slightly rise by the time of the forthcoming midterm elections in November. 

During an interview with Maria Bartiromo on Fox News’s “Sunday Morning Futures,” Trump discussed the potential direction of oil and gas prices. “It could be, or the same or maybe a little bit higher, but it should be around the same,” he said.

When the host pressed Trump further on the oil and gas prices, he said, “Eventually, it’s going to be lowered. It might not happen initially, but it’s going to go down,” he said.

“Frankly, the gas hasn’t gone up as much as I thought,” Trump added.

He also touched on the ongoing U.S. conflict with Iran, stating, “I …

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As Elon Musk-led SpaceX prepares for its IPO, traders on prediction market platforms Kalshi and Polymarket are betting on the listing to be delayed beyond its planned June timeline.

90% Chance SpaceX IPO Gets Delayed

91% of the bettors on Polymarket on Sunday thought that the IPO would take place before September 30, while over 94% of the bets were placed on the IPO not happening before December 31. On Kalshi, bettors thought that there was a 92% and 93% chance that the IPO would take place in November and December, respectively.

Interestingly, according to the contract, there was a 97% chance that the IPO would take place before June 1st next year.

On the other hand, the contract on Polymarket suggests bettors think there’s only a 46% chance the IPO takes place before June 30, while on …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed a slight increase in the overall fear level, while the index remained in the “Fear” zone on Friday.

U.S. stocks settled lower on Friday, with the Dow Jones index falling more than 250 points during the session after the University of Michigan’s consumer sentiment index crashed to a record low in April and the March monthly inflation rate printed at 0.9%, the highest monthly increase since June 2022.

Meanwhile, Trump vowed to block ship traffic tied to Iran in and out of the Strait of Hormuz after the Islamabad peace talks over the weekend without an agreement.

Organon & Co. (NASDAQ:OGN) shares jumped 28% on Friday …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

With U.S. stock futures trading lower this morning on Monday, some of the stocks that may grab investor focus today are as follows:

• Wall Street expects Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE:GS) to report quarterly earnings at $16.41 per share on revenue of $16.93 billion before the opening bell, according to data from Benzinga Pro. Goldman Sachs shares rose 0.5% to close at $907.80 on Friday.
• Children’s Place Inc. (NASDAQ:PLCE) posted weaker-than-expected results for the fourth quarter, after the closing bell on Friday. The company reported quarterly losses of $1.86 per share, which missed the analyst …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Economist Mohamed A. El-Erian highlighted escalating global risks stemming from a potential “blockade of the blockade” in the Strait of Hormuz, as tensions between the U.S. and Iran threaten to disrupt critical energy flows.

Iran Faces Revenue Hit

El-Erian, on the social media platform …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (NYSE:PNC) will release earnings for its first quarter before the opening bell on Wednesday, April 15.

Analysts expect the Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based company to report quarterly earnings of $3.93 per share. That’s up from $3.51 per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for PNC Financial’s quarterly revenue is $6.21 billion (it reported $5.45 billion last year), according to Benzinga Pro.

On April 2, PNC declared a quarterly dividend of $1.70 per share.

Shares of PNC Financial fell 0.9% to close at $221.13 on Friday.

Benzinga readers can access the latest analyst ratings on the Analyst Stock Ratings page. Readers can sort by stock ticker, company name, analyst firm, rating change or other variables.

Let’s have a look at how Benzinga’s most-accurate analysts have rated …

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A leading cryptocurrency analyst noted on Sunday a significant uptick in the odds of Dogecoin (CRYPTO: DOGE) delivering a 30% breakout move.

Will DOGE Finally See A Sharp Move?

Ali Martinez took to X, highlighting a descending triangle formation on Dogecoin’s 4-hour chart. 

“As Dogecoin moves closer to the apex of this triangle, the chances of a 30% move increase substantially,” Martinez added. They didn’t explicitly indicate the swing’s direction—upward or downward.

Assuming a 30% rally, DOGE would reach $0.11, revisiting early February levels.

This wasn’t Martinez’s first hint at such a scenario. They have consistently leaned on this analysis to back a sharp move for DOGE.

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Brazilian stocks have been among the top performers in 2026, driven by a strengthening Brazilian Real. Karel Mercx, an investment specialist from Amsterdam, said on X, “I have been saying it for years: Brazil’s central bank is the most responsible central bank in the world, and that is good for investors.”

Brazil’s stock market (Bovespa) reached a new all-time high as of April 10, 2026, amid optimism over easing tensions in the Middle East and strong gains in the utilities, financial, and energy sectors. Investors have been rotating back into Brazilian large- and mid-cap stocks, as strengthening currency makes Brazilian stocks more attractive to global investors. The …

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Despite peace talks falling apart this weekend, cryptocurrency punters don’t see high chances of the two-week U.S.–Iran ceasefire ending just yet.

Will The Ceasefire Extend?

Polygon (CRYPTO: POL)-based Polymarket assigned a 42% possibility that the temporary ceasefire would end on April 21, exactly 14 days after President Donald Trump announced it. The odds have increased by six percentage points over the week.

The likelihood of the ceasefire ending by April 18, before the full two-week duration, was estimated at 30%.

More than $2 million has been wagered on the outcome, and the market will resolve to “Yes” if …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) artificial intelligence chief Ashok Elluswamy has hinted that Full Self-Driving technology could become available in other parts of Europe following its approval by the Netherlands Vehicle Authority (RDW).

FSD Expansion?

Responding to a post by influencer Whole Mars Catalog, who predicted that the FSD system would receive approval from multiple countries, Elluswamy shared his view. “The European regulation is followed by a lot more countries than just the ones in EU,” he said, hinting at a possible expansion of the technology to territories outside of the bloc.

EU vehicle safety standards are recognized and/or followed by all members of the trade bloc, as well as by all 56 member …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Tron (CRYPTO: TRX) founder Justin Sun alleged on Sunday an ongoing “token scandal” at the Trump family-backed World Liberty Financial (WLFI) platform, which enables unilateral freezing of user assets.

Sun Alleges Major Misconduct At WLFI

Sun claimed on X that the company has embedded a “backdoor blacklisting function” in its smart contract.

“This function gives the Company unilateral power to freeze, restrict, and effectively confiscate the property rights of any token holder, without notice, without cause, and without recourse,” the cryptocurrency billionaire added.

As a major early investor whose wallet was blacklisted last year, Sun called himself the “first and single largest victim” of the scandal.

“These actions have nothing to do with me. They have nothing to do …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Some of Japan’s biggest names, including SoftBank Corp (OTC:SFTBY), NEC Corp (OTC:NECPY), Honda Motor Co (OTC:HNDAF) and Sony Group Corp. (OTC:SNEJF) have established a new company focused on large-scale artificial intelligence for domestic businesses, according to a report seen on Sunday.

Why It Matters

The initiative was taken to narrow the gap with U.S. and Chinese AI leaders, with expected backing from the Japanese government, according to a report by Japan Today. The group will initially roll out the model to domestic firms, with plans to expand into factory robotics and other applications.

The venture is expected …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Leading cryptocurrencies slid alongside stock futures on Sunday evening after the peace talks between the U.S. and Iran collapsed.

Crypto Market Bleeds

Bitcoin slid below $71,000, accompanied by a 33% jump in 24-hour trading volume. Ethereum also encountered selling pressure, sliding below $2,200, while XRP and Dogecoin traded in the red.

Over $280 million was liquidated in the past 24 hours, predominantly bullish long positions,  according to Coinglass data.

Open interest in Bitcoin futures fell 5.76% in the last 24 hours. However, retail and whale derivatives traders on Binance continued to be long BTC as of this writing.

“Extreme Fear” sentiment dominated the market, according to the Crypto Fear & Greed Index.

Top Gainers (24 Hours) 

The global cryptocurrency market …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Changpeng “CZ” Zhao, founder of the world’s largest cryptocurrency trading platform Binance (CRYPTO: BNB), once said that owning your chosen tasks and taking full responsibility is a “prerequisite” for success.

CZ Stress On Having Real Purpose In Life

In October 2022, CZ shared a set of “principles” he follows, including one about owning one’s work.

“The right mentality is a prerequisite to success in life. Be responsible and be proud of what you do,” he stated.

CZ warned against grinding on tasks without a real purpose. He drew on the classic tale about walls and cathedrals to make his …

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Weak macro signals, rising AI competition, and analyst downgrades triggered a broad sell-off across software and cloud names.

Despite product launches and strategic moves, stocks like Akamai, Okta, HubSpot, and Snowflake saw sharp weekly declines.

These ten large-cap stocks were worst performers last week. Are they a part of your portfolio?

Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:AKAM) fell 22.03% this week. Piper Sandler analyst James Fish maintains a Neutral rating, raising the price forecast from $97 to $114.

Okta, Inc. (NASDAQ:OKTA) lost 21.55% this week.

HubSpot, Inc. (NYSE:HUBS) decreased 21.67% this week. The company will host a Spring 2026 Spotlight Investor Webinar on Wednesday, …

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Gerber Kawasaki Wealth & Investment Management CEO Ross Gerber warned on Friday that the inflation trough for the current cycle has already passed, arguing that prices are now headed higher as tariffs and war push living costs up. His view echoes hard to be optimistic about markets when inflation is still acting as a brake on both stocks and bonds.

In the X post, Gerber wrote that the cost of living is climbing quickly, pointing to two forces he called “wildly inflationary”: tariffs and war. He also argued that, once inflation momentum builds, reversing it can be difficult.

That inflation-first framing also connects to his broader market stance that risk appetite is harder to justify when sellers are taking control and the tape looks heavier on the downside. Last month, in …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

AI and data center momentum powered a sharp rally across tech and infrastructure names, with several stocks posting outsized weekly gains.

Short squeezes, major AI deals, and hyperscaler demand drove the surge, highlighting strong investor appetite for next-gen computing plays.

These ten large-cap stocks were top performers last week. Are they a part of your portfolio?

Avis Budget Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:CAR) jumped 51.15% in the last week following an overheated short squeeze run that pushed the stock into record territory.

Applied Optoelectronics, Inc. (NASDAQ:AAOI) gained 37.18% this week. The company announced it received a new $71 million order for 800G single-mode data center transceivers from one of its major hyperscale customers. Citron shorts Applied Optoelectronics, calling its rally overhyped despite staying bullish on fiber player Corning.

Nebius Group …

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It’s been a busy weekend for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL). Here’s a quick recap of the major stories that emerged over the weekend.

Apple TV Lands On Amazon Prime Video

Apple TV has made its way to Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) Prime Video in the U.S. This move allows Prime members to subscribe to Apple TV as an add-on service for $9.99 per month. This brings Apple’s original movies, live sports, and shows into Amazon’s ecosystem. Apple will make its Apple TV service available directly inside Prime Video, eliminating the need for separate applications or cable services. 

Read the full article here.

Samsung Stumbles, Apple Soars

Global smartphone shipments fell 6% year over year in the first quarter of 2026, with a memory crunch and soft demand …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

The week was filled with significant developments, from the revelation of the driving force behind the recent inflation surge to a dire warning about the U.S. debt crisis. Here’s a roundup of the top stories that unfolded over the week.

Federal Reserve Research Confirms Trump Tariffs Drove Excess Inflation In 2025

A new study by the Federal Reserve has attributed the recent spike in core goods inflation to the sweeping U.S. tariffs imposed in 2025 by President Donald Trump. The tariffs led to a direct increase in consumer prices.

The research, detailed in an April 8 FEDS Note by economists Robert Minton, Madeleine Ray and Mariano Somale, suggests that the tariffs implemented through November 2025 caused a significant 3.1% rise in core goods personal consumption expenditure (PCE) prices by February 2026.

Read the full article here.

This Wall Street Research Firm Sent Its Analyst Into Strait Of Hormuz By Speedboat

While the world’s top oil traders were busy analyzing satellite images and Pentagon briefings to understand the Strait of Hormuz‘s situation, …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

The Future Fund’s managing partner, Gary Black, said on Saturday that Tesla Inc.’s (NASDAQ:TSLA) rumored sub-$30,000 electric vehicle from the Elon Musk-led company could have a “huge upside”, but warned that the EV giant lacks the marketing muscle needed to capitalize on it.

What’s Driving The Model Q Revival?

On Saturday, Black, a well-known Tesla investor, took to X to express his views on the potential reintroduction of Tesla’s below $30,000 Model Q compact car. Black suggested that the reemergence of the Model Q could be due to challenges in achieving Musk’s autonomous vehicle goals or a realization that canceling the car was a mistake.

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Anthropic launched Claude for Word, a new add-in for Microsoft Corp.’s (NASDAQ:MSFT) Office suite. The Claude for Word add-in is currently in beta for Team and Enterprise plan subscribers, completing the AI assistant’s presence across Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

The newly launched tool challenges Microsoft’s software dominance on its own turf, whose shares are down nearly 22% year to date. Anthropic launched Claude for Excel in beta in October and Claude for PowerPoint in February.

Designed for “professionals who work extensively with documents, particularly in legal review, financial memo drafting, and iterative editing,” the tool reads complex multi-section documents, works through comment threads, and edits clauses while preserving formatting, numbering, and styles, the AI startup stated.

The launch comes as AI’s role in legal work draws increasing scrutiny, with Chief Justice John Roberts warning the technology could …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

U.S. officials reportedly warned major banks about a powerful new artificial intelligence system that could expose critical cybersecurity weaknesses.

The alert came during a closed-door meeting involving top regulators and banking executives in Washington, The New York Times reports, raising concerns about emerging AI-driven threats.

Government Officials Flag Rising AI Risks

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent addressed leaders from major banks earlier this week. The meeting included executives from Bank of America Corporation (NYSE:BAC), Citigroup, Inc. (NYSE:C), and Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC).

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome H. Powell also attended the discussion. Officials focused on growing cyber risks tied to advanced artificial intelligence systems.

Authorities warned that new AI models could uncover …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) on Friday celebrated a significant milestone with the successful splashdown of the Orion spacecraft, which marked the completion of NASA’s Artemis II mission.

This achievement is pivotal for future lunar exploration, as it demonstrates Orion’s capabilities in safely carrying astronauts beyond low-Earth orbit, while the broader market experienced mixed results, with the S&P 500 gaining slightly.

The Orion spacecraft, built by Lockheed Martin, successfully returned astronauts after a 10-day mission that took them thousands of miles beyond the Moon. This mission not only validated Orion’s performance but also sets the stage for future Artemis missions aimed at returning humans to the lunar surface.

Technical Analysis

At $616.00, the stock is trading 1.6% below its 20-day simple moving average (SMA) of $625.18, suggesting a short-term bearish trend. It is also 3.5% below its 50-day SMA of $637.93, indicating continued selling pressure in the intermediate term. However, the stock is trading 8.1% above its 100-day SMA of $569.34, which reflects stronger long-term momentum.

The relative strength index (RSI) currently sits at 43.86, indicating a neutral momentum phase, suggesting that the stock is neither overbought nor oversold at this time. The moving average convergence divergence (MACD) shows a bearish trend, with …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Retail investors talked up five hot stocks this week (April 6 to April 10) on X and Reddit’s r/WallStreetBets, driven by retail hype, Iran war, earnings, AI buzz, and corporate news flow.

Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN), Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:META), Levi Strauss & Co. (NYSE:LEVI), Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:PLTR), and Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA), cloud, semiconductors, social media, apparel, cybersecurity, AI, and automotive, reflected diverse investor interests.

Amazon.com

• AMZN saw strong retail and investor attention centered on AI and AWS momentum. CEO Andy Jassy‘s annual shareholder letter, released this week, highlighted robust AI services growth at AWS, plans to sell custom AI chips to third parties, and a major $25 billion data center investment in Mississippi, driving a roughly 5-6% stock surge on April 9. Additional highlights included advanced talks to acquire satellite operator Globalstar to boost Project Kuiper. Citron Research set a price target of $300 o the stock, eyeing a 28% upside in the stock price.

• Some retail investors were “finally” celebrating the upside in AMZN’s stock price after the positive news flow.

• The stock had a 52-week range of $165.29 to $258.60, trading around $232 to $235per share, as of the publication of this article. It rose 22.27% over the year, also advanced by 2.60% and 1.23% over the last six months and year-to-date, respectively.

• AMZN had a weaker price trend in the medium term but a strong trend in the short and long term, with a moderate value ranking, as per Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings.

Meta Platforms

• META generated significant buzz around its AI push, with the launch of Muse Spark—the first model from its Meta Superintelligence Labs—described as a multimodal, multi-agent LLM designed to outperform prior efforts and integrate across Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, and AI glasses. This, alongside a major $21 billion expanded cloud compute deal with CoreWeave Inc.

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Benzinga examined the prospects for many investors’ favorite stocks over the last week — here’s a look at some of our top stories.

Markets rebounded this week as easing geopolitical tensions triggered a sharp reversal in energy prices, lifting investor sentiment after weeks of volatility. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite all advanced as a fragile Iran ceasefire helped calm fears of prolonged supply disruptions, pushing equities higher and driving a broad relief rally across sectors. The shift marked a notable turnaround from prior weeks dominated by oil-driven inflation concerns and risk-off positioning.

Energy markets led the reversal, with crude prices posting one of their steepest weekly declines in years following the ceasefire announcement. Oil fell sharply after earlier surging above $100 per barrel, easing pressure on inflation expectations and allowing bond yields to retreat. The drop in energy prices helped revive hopes for potential Federal Reserve rate cuts, fueling gains in rate-sensitive sectors such as housing, financials and growth stocks that had been under pressure during the oil spike.

Despite the rebound, underlying economic concerns remain, with inflation still elevated and consumer sentiment near record lows following the recent energy shock. While the ceasefire has provided short-term relief, analysts warn that lingering supply disruptions and geopolitical uncertainty could keep markets volatile. Investors are now balancing improving sentiment against persistent macro risks, suggesting that the recent rally may depend heavily on sustained stability in energy markets and further clarity on monetary policy.

Benzinga provides daily reports on the stocks most popular with investors. Here are a few of this past week’s most bullish and bearish posts that are worth another look.

The Bulls

“Broadcom Stock Climbs On New Deals With Google, Anthropic,” by Erica Kollmann, reports that Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) shares moved higher after the company disclosed expanded AI partnerships with Alphabet Inc. …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Venture capitalist Jason Calacanis said that killing OpenClaw is “the number one goal” in the large language model space, pointing to a growing list of competitors independently racing to displace the open-source coding agent.

OpenClaw is a local-first autonomous AI agent that automates complex and multi-step tasks. It manages calendars, emails and browser actions across platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram and Slack, and runs directly on a user’s device.

Industry Lines Up Against Open-Source Rival

Speaking on the All-In podcast released Friday, the prominent Silicon Valley angel investor alleged that Claude-parent Anthropic restricted OpenClaw users from applying their $200-per-month Claude subscription to the tool, requiring them to switch to pay-per-token API pricing, and then launched a competing managed agent product within roughly 10 …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM) agreed to pay $17.07 million to settle federal allegations of illegal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) hiring practices on Friday, marking the Justice Department’s first False Claims Act resolution under its Civil Rights Fraud Initiative.

IBM Settles Federal DEI Allegations

The Department of Justice (DOJ) alleged IBM falsely certified compliance with federal anti-discrimination requirements while knowingly maintaining race- and sex-based hiring and promotion practices.

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said in the official press release, “Racial discrimination is illegal, and government contractors cannot evade the law by repackaging it as DEI.”

An IBM spokesperson told CNN the company’s workforce strategy is driven by “having the right people with the right skills.” The settlement is neither an admission of liability by IBM nor a concession by the U.S. that its claims are not well-founded.

IBM did not immediately respond to Benzinga‘s request for comment.

The settlement marks …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:NVDA), urged people to move to California despite the state’s high taxes on Thursday, a stance that contrasts with the recent exodus of billionaires from the state.

Huang Swims Against the Billionaire Tide

“I say to everybody, ‘Move to California. Don’t leave. It’s the highest taxes in the world, but it’s OK,’” Huang said at Stanford Graduate School of Business alongside Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.).

“The weather is great,” Huang added.

Huang’s remarks put him at odds with a growing wave of ultra-high-net-worth individuals leaving California and signal that the state’s most prominent tech leaders remain divided over whether its tax climate poses an existential threat to Silicon Valley’s dominance—a debate with significant implications for innovation, capital formation, and the broader U.S. technology sector.

Comments from one of the world’s 10th-richest people come at a time when several high-profile billionaires, …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Investment firm Tiger Global Management has quietly backed PopUp Bagels, reportedly taking the viral NYC chain’s valuation to a five-fold surge in just five months.

The late-March investment values the chain at $300 million, according to a Bloomberg report published on Friday.

Pop Up Bagels and Tiger Global did not immediately respond to Benzinga‘s requests for comment.

Tiger Global’s Selective Comeback

Tiger Global made its name backing high-growth technology companies such as Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:META). After pulling back from aggressive venture bets following the 2022 tech downturn that saw its portfolio drop over …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Oaktree Capital Management CEO Howard Marks said that some direct lending managers “accepted too much money and invested it too fast, applying standards that were too low and setting the scene for a correction.”

He added that the massive amounts of capital that had previously been available in direct lending created a “goldrush mentality,” in a memo entitled “What’s Going on in Private Credit?” 

In the last 15 years, direct lending has surged to $2 trillion, while just two decades ago the whole private credit market stood at only about $150 billion, Marks pointed out.

“In the last several months, the tide has begun to go out for direct lending (generalized to all of private credit by those who don’t make fine distinctions). To paraphrase Buffett, this created the possibility that some bare bottoms would be exposed,” Marks said.

The CEO added that the bankruptcies of First Brands and Tricolor took investors by surprise last year, sparking concerns about how publicly traded vehicles for direct lending were structured. In particular, questions arose over the methods used to value their private debt holdings.

“It’s usually the case that if a confluence of troubling events builds up, a critical mass can eventually be reached, rendering …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Canada-based Cohere and Germany-based Aleph Alpha are in discussions regarding a potential merger.

Merger talks began earlier this year and are now understood to be in the advanced stages. The company’s plan for the new entity to be headquartered in both countries, Handelsblatt (newspaper) and Reuters reported.

• Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 stock is showing positive momentum. What’s ahead for QQQ stock?

Both Cohere and Aleph Alpha are understood to have the support of Berlin on the deal, as the German government would be interested in becoming a “key customer” of the combined company.

German Digital Minister Karsten Wildberger told Handelsblatt that both Germany and Canada are working together closely in the digital space and that leading AI companies joining together …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Many global markets have enjoyed multiple years of double-digit growth as innovations in artificial intelligence have sent high-tech stocks soaring, but has the recent return of geopolitical uncertainty created a significant headwind in 2026? 

Between the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in November 2022 and the end of 2025, the S&P 500 rallied 70%, helping investors significantly grow their portfolios. Global markets have also soared in recent years, with the FTSE 100 growing 21% in 2025 and China’s Hang Seng index recording growth of 27.8%. 

However, much of this growth occurred after widespread investor sell-offs in a high-inflation environment caused by the post-pandemic recovery and the economic shock of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Now, as geopolitical headwinds continue to grow in the Middle East, could investors be set for a return of high inflation and weaker growth? 

Geopolitical Uncertainty and Inflation

The conflict in Iran has created significant challenges in the Federal Reserve’s ambitions to bring inflation back towards its 2% target. Following the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a busy shipping lane that accounts for around 20% of global oil flows, the soaring cost of oil, which has reached highs of $167 per barrel, has created significant energy pricing pressures. 

While a tentative ceasefire appears to have been reached, the impact of the closure and lingering geopolitical pressures is likely to place inflation under the microscope for the months ahead. 

As escalations in Iran continued, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development forecasted all-items inflation in the US to reach 4.2% for 2026, a level that could inspire a hawkish reversion for the Fed’s monetary outlook.

The impact of high inflation on markets is strong because it can not only cause widespread fear among investors but is more likely to lead to interest rate hikes that can harm the growth prospects of companies.

“When inflation gets out of control, things can get …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Bryn Talkington, managing partner at Requisite Capital Management, told CNBC on Friday that Copilot “feels like Teams. You just don’t want to use it.” She said her firm is taking out Copilot and putting in Claude instead.

The comment lands as Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) CEO Satya Nadella is running a “Copilot code red” internally to overhaul Copilot, ahead of the E7 suite launch on May 1.

Copilot had 6 million daily active users in March, well behind Claude’s 9 million and ChatGPT’s 440 million, according to Sensor Tower data.

Talkington still owns Microsoft but said the stock’s next move comes down to Azure.

She wants to see 38-39% year-over-year cloud growth on the April 29 earnings report and warned anything below 37% may send shares lower.

She said she still prefers Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOGL) over Microsoft, arguing Google Cloud is likely to outperform again this quarter.

SaaS Repricing Creates An …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

TORONTO, April 10, 2026 /CNW/ — abrdn Asia-Pacific Income Fund VCC (TSX:FAP) (UEN: T21VC0235H) (the “Company”), a closed-end investment company trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange, announced today that it will pay a monthly distribution of CAD 1.75 cents per share on April 30, 2026 to all shareholders of record as of April 22, 2026 (ex-dividend date April 22, 2026).

The policy of the Company’s Board of Directors is to maintain stable monthly distribution. For the 12 months to March 31, 2026, the Company has paid total distributions amounting to CAD 21.0 cents per ordinary share.

As a Singapore domiciled company, all distribution payments will be treated as foreign income for Canadian income tax purposes. Shareholders with registered addresses in Canada will receive distributions in Canadian dollars unless they have elected otherwise. 

The Company’s estimated sources of the current fiscal year to date distributions are as follows:

ServiceNow Inc. (NYSE:NOW) stock is on track for its worst week in a decade, tumbling 19% and cementing its spot as the S&P 500’s worst performer over the period. 

The slide marks NOW’s steepest weekly drop since 2016 and represents a sharp reversal for a stock that investors had treated as a high‑quality way to play digital transformation and enterprise AI.

• NOW stock is tanking. See the chart and price action here. 

NOW Sells Off 

The selloff has been driven by a sharp de‑rating of high‑multiple software companies amid worries that AI could compress pricing power across traditional SaaS. 

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) and Anthropic each announced new models and Michael Burry chimed in with more bearish commentary pointed at Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR) specifically, but that could be applied to …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

TD Cowen slashed its Strategy (NASDAQ:MSTR) price target 20.5% to $350 from $440 while launching buy ratings on four crypto treasury firms as Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) tapped $73,000 on Friday.

The Strategy Cut

Analysts Lance Vitanza and Jonathan Navarrete attributed the revised target to a “lower bitcoin price deck” and a reduction in the valuation multiple applied to the company’s projected bitcoin gains, The Block reported on Friday.

The analysts project Strategy’s “BTC gain” at $7.87 billion for fiscal year 2026, down from $10.17 billion in 2025. Strategy holds 766,970 BTC acquired at an average price of $75,700 per BTC.

TD Cowen’s base case assumes Bitcoin reaches $140,000 by December 2026, with the company acquiring about $5 billion in Bitcoin per quarter.

The Four Buy Initiations

TD Cowen initiated coverage of what it called a nascent industry sector, arguing that public Bitcoin and Ethereum

Full story available on Benzinga.com

In agriculture, the equation has long been simple: more inputs, more output. But new “field data” is starting to challenge that assumption, as revealed by Pivot Bio‘s CTO, Travis Frey, in an exclusive email interview with Benzinga.

According to Frey, growers using the company’s PROVEN® G3 replaced an average of 33 pounds of synthetic nitrogen per acre—while still seeing a 2.1 bushel-per-acre yield advantage.

It’s a result that runs counter to conventional thinking, where reducing fertilizer typically risks lower yields.

‘Field Results’ Over Theory

Frey points to real-world …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Ares Management (NYSE:ARES) is planning to launch a flagship U.S. direct lending fund that will target approximately $20 billion.

While plans are still in the early stages and details regarding the fund launch could change, Ares is understood to be holding initial conversations with investors about the fund. The fund is set to launch in the summer, unnamed sources told Bloomberg.

Despite the broader slowdown in the private credit market, several asset managers have demonstrated that investor demand for private credit assets remains resilient.

Blackstone recently secured more than $10 billion from its opportunistic credit vehicle, Blackstone Capital Opportunities Fund V, reaching its hardcap after being oversubscribed.

Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) revealed that it was launching a new mezzanine debt fund. GS Mezzanine Partners IX, is expected …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

OpenAI is supporting an Illinois Senate Bill that would limit when artificial intelligence developers can be held accountable for extreme incidents labeled as “critical harms.”

The bill SB3444, entitled the Artificial Intelligence Safety Act, states that “a developer of a frontier artificial intelligence model shall not be held liable for critical harms caused by the frontier model if the developer did not intentionally or recklessly cause the critical harms and the developer publishes a safety and security protocol and transparency report on its website.”

The bill defines “critical harms” as the death or serious injury of 100 or more people or at least $1 billion in property damage, or the creation or use of chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear weapons.

This coverage would apply to any system built on more than $100 million in compute, meaning AI developers such as …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Belgium may not be Europe’s fastest-growing market in 2026, but it could still stand out for investors looking for quality names with defensive earnings and international exposure.

The country’s economy is expected to remain steady next year, with the European Commission forecasting 1.1% GDP growth in 2026, up slightly from 1.0% in 2025. The OECD also expects 1.1% growth and sees inflation moving below 2%.

That may not be enough to support a broad-based market rerating, but it could support select Belgian names in biopharma, insurance, and diversified financials.

Why It Matters

Belgium’s investment case in 2026 looks less like a macro growth story and more like a quality stock story.

Unlike higher beta European markets, Belgium is not entering the year as a sharp recovery trade. Instead, it remains a relatively stable economy where modest growth and easing inflation can support companies with:

• Strong pricing power
• Defensive earnings
• Global revenue exposure
• Stable capital returns

That is especially relevant in sectors where Belgian companies already have strong market positions, including pharmaceuticals, insurance, specialty chemicals and financial services.

Belgium’s Macro Backdrop Looks Stable, Not Exciting

Belgium is expected to remain one of Europe’s steadier developed markets in 2026.

Growth is projected at 1.1%, with domestic demand supported by wage indexation, public spending, and resilient services activity. Exports could also improve gradually as cost competitiveness stabilizes.

Inflation easing below 2% could help improve real household income and margin visibility across several sectors.

Still, Belgium’s macro setup is not the main reason investors may look at the market.

The bigger story is that many of Belgium’s listed companies generate a large share of their …

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Roblox (NYSE:RBLX) on Friday announced the launch of Roblox Plus, a new subscription plan for enhancing user experience and providing additional revenue opportunities for creators.

The stock’s decline comes as the broader market is experiencing mixed performance, with the S&P 500 down slightly while the Technology sector shows a modest gain of 0.32%, adding pressure as broader markets edged lower.

Roblox said in a release that Roblox Plus is set to launch on April 30, 2026, at a price of $4.99 per month.

This company added that its initiative is designed to support creators by ensuring they maintain their earnings while expanding monetization opportunities.

The broader market is experiencing mixed performance, with the Technology sector currently up 0.32%. Roblox’s decline contrasts with the sector’s strength, suggesting company-specific factors may be influencing its stock performance.

Technical Analysis

At $54.60, the stock is trading 2.7% below its 20-day simple moving average (SMA) of $56.43, indicating short-term weakness. Additionally, it is 11.8% below its 50-day SMA of $62.25, suggesting continued bearish momentum in the intermediate term.

The relative strength index …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) shares are trading higher Friday morning. The rally follows impressive sales data from a key partner.

The Nasdaq is up 0.05% while the S&P 500 has shed 0.07%.

TSMC Revenue Boosts Chip Sector

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (NYSE:TSM) reported a 35.1% year-over-year revenue increase for the first quarter. Sales reached approximately $35.6 billion. This performance exceeded analyst estimates of $35.2 billion.

AI Demand Remains Resilient

The rising tide effect is lifting the semiconductor …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

U.S. stocks traded mixed toward the end of trading, with the Nasdaq Composite gaining around 50 points on Friday.

The Dow traded down 0.57% to 47,912.40 while the NASDAQ rose 0.22% to 22,872.73. The S&P 500 also fell, dropping, 0.16% to 6,813.62.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

Information technology shares climbed by 1.2% on Friday.

In trading on Friday, consumer staples stocks fell by 1.2%.

Top Headline

The annual inflation rate in the U.S. surged to 3.3% in March, recording the highest reading since May 2024 and following 2.4% in both February and January.

Equities Trading UP
           

• Zentalis Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:ZNTL) shares shot up 41% to $6.25. Guggenheim analyst Michael Schmidt maintained Zentalis Pharmaceuticals with a Buy and raised the price target from $6 to $10.
• Shares of CoreWeave Inc (NASDAQ:CRWV) got a boost, surging 13% to $103.55 following reports suggesting that Anthropic agreed to rent the company’s computing …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:AVGO) shares are up on Friday. The up move follows a landmark AI infrastructure partnership involving Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) and Anthropic.

On Friday, the Nasdaq was up 0.25% while the S&P 500 had shed 0.18% as of the last check.

Landmark AI Partnership

The surge stems from a long-term agreement to secure multiple gigawatts of next-generation Tensor Processing Unit (TPU) capacity. This infrastructure will power Anthropic’s frontier Claude models. Broadcom plays a critical role in designing Google’s TPUs.

This deal aims to strengthen U.S. AI infrastructure and meet surging global demand.

Anthropic Revenue Explosions

Anthropic’s financial growth provides a …

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PMGC Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:ELAB) shares faced downward pressure Friday. The stock dropped roughly 3.42% to $5.08 by midday. This move follows a week of fluctuations and massive sell-offs.

The Nasdaq is up 0.06% while the S&P 500 has shed 0.09%.

• PMGC Holdings stock is feeling bearish pressure. Why is ELAB stock falling?

Equity Financing Facility Fully Utilized

The selling pressure intensified after the biopharmaceutical company confirmed it fully used its $20 million equity financing facility. PMGC utilized the full commitment under its purchase facility with Streeterville Capital, LLC. While this provides capital, it often sparks fears of increased share supply among retail traders.

Defense Contract …

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Thomas Peterffy, the billionaire founder of Interactive Brokers (NASDAQ:IBKR) told Bloomberg’s Odd Lots podcast that insider trading laws should be abolished across all markets.

The timing is notable.

The White House just warned its own staff that prediction market insider trading is a criminal offense, and the CFTC has declared it a top enforcement priority. Peterffy is arguing in the opposite direction.

He Learned The Hard Way

In 1977, Peterffy was a new options trader on the American Stock Exchange floor with $200,000 in saved capital.

He sold 200 near-expiration call options at $0.375 each after getting caught up in a flurry of unusual order flow.

Trading halted 30 minutes later. DuPont announced …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Wrap Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:WRAP) said Friday it secured a pre-order for more than 20 MERLIN-1 counter-drone systems from Advanced Blast & Ballistic Systems Group for the U.K. market, marking a key step in its European expansion.

The non-lethal platform targets hostile drones mid-flight, while the deal supports testing, demonstrations, and broader market entry ahead of expected commercialization in 2026.

The public safety technology and services company said agencies, critical infrastructure operators, and security stakeholders can use the platform to deliver scalable responses to evolving drone threats.

Technical Analysis

At $1.50, WRAP is trading 2.8% …

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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell called the CEOs of every major systemically important U.S. bank to Treasury headquarters on Tuesday to warn them about cybersecurity risks from Anthropic’s Claude Mythos model,

Bloomberg reported on Thursday that Citigroup Inc (NYSE:C), Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS), Bank of America Corp (NYSE:BAC), Wells Fargo & Co (NYSE:WFC), and Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS) all sent their chief executives. JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE:JPM) CEO Jamie Dimon was unable to attend.

Why Banks Are Exposed

Mythos found thousands of zero-day vulnerabilities across every major operating system and web browser, including a 27-year-old bug …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Short-seller Citron Research issued a report on Applied Optoelectronics Inc. (NASDAQ:AAOI) this Friday. The firm announced a new short position in the fiber-optic networking company. Citron cited a “delusional” valuation following a massive two-week surge.

Short interest in AAOI fell to 10.30 million shares from 10.56 million, representing 13.68% of the float. At an average daily volume of 14.45 million shares, it would take about one day to cover.

Citron Challenges Recent Stock Momentum

The stock has skyrocketed approximately 73% from March 30. Prices moved from $85.19 to $147.50 on Friday. Citron Research, led by Andrew Left, questioned the validity of this move on X.

AAOI rose from $85 two weeks ago, adding roughly $3.5 billion in market value following a “random press release,” the short-seller said. Citron predicts a return to the $85 …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM) shares are trading slightly higher on Friday as the firm is expanding across auto and AR, deepening its Bosch ADAS partnership while teaming with Snap Inc.’s (NYSE:SNAP) to power next-gen smart glasses.

Qualcomm and Bosch are deepening their collaboration to expand advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) alongside cockpit computing solutions.

According to Benzinga Pro, RBLX stock has lost over 2% in the past year. Investors can gain exposure to the stock via First Trust Nasdaq Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:FTXL).

Partnership Expansion Into ADAS

The expanded partnership targets scalable vehicle intelligence platforms, combining compute performance with integration expertise to meet rising demand …

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The US has roughly eight days of munitions on hand for a major conflict with China. It needs 800.

That’s the picture Palantir Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:PLTR) executive Shyam Sankar and Anduril Industries co-founder Trae Stephens painted at the Hill and Valley Forum, where both warned that American deterrence is eroding faster than the industrial base can respond.

Sankar called 2027 a specific “window of danger” for Taiwan, citing a 10,000-to-1 drone production gap versus China and a 233x shipbuilding capacity disadvantage.

What Bettors Are Pricing

Polymarket’s Taiwan contract has attracted nearly $20 million in volume and prices a Chinese invasion by the end of 2026 at 9%. The June 30 2027 contract, which is closer to Sankar’s timeline, sits at 16%.

A separate military clash contract prices any armed …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) announced its latest development in the artificial intelligence space with the debut of its new model, Muse Spark. The announcement led to a significant rally in META’s stock price, rising around 9% from Tuesday’s market open through Thursdays close. As competition increases across the technology sector, Muse Spark may mark a pivotal shift, not only for Meta, but for the sector at large.

What Is Muse Spark

Muse Spark is another type of AI model, similar to ChatGPT and Gemini, that is designed to understand and generate information. It is built to integrate across Meta’s other main products, including Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, enabling AI assistants, recommendations, and automation.

Market Reaction and Challenges Ahead

Meta’s stock rally was driven by investor confidence that Meta can compete …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Just hours before an Iran ceasefire became public, three newly created Polymarket accounts pocketed over $600,000 by betting on its exact timing.

The highly suspicious windfall, executed even as Donald Trump warned that “a whole civilization will die tonight,” has now prompted the White House to warn its own staff that mirroring such trades could be a criminal offense.

The ceasefire market generated over $266 million in total trading volume since launch.

Insider Trading Or Coincidence?

The ceasefire bets follow a troubling pattern.

When Operation Epic Fury began, suspected insiders made $1.2M on Iran strikes. Earlier this year, an unknown trader pocketed $400,000 on Nicolás Maduro’s capture less than five hours before it happened.

The White House appeared to take notice.

The Management Office sent a staff-wide email warning that it is “a criminal offense for anyone to use nonpublic information to buy or sell these contracts.”

The timing …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Ridgetech, Inc. (NASDAQ:RDGT) shares are facing intense downward pressure during Friday’s trading session. The volatility follows a massive 1-for-150 reverse stock split. This corporate action became effective after the market closed on Tuesday.

Massive Share Consolidation

The reverse split significantly altered the company’s capital structure. The move reduced outstanding shares from 134.8 million to approximately 898,906. While the stock appeared to surge earlier this week due to price adjustments, it has since retreated.

Dual-Engine Growth Strategy

The decline follows Ridgetech’s recent disclosure of its 2026

Full story available on Benzinga.com

The smartcar technology company is considering buying a stake in DreamSmart, owner of an operating system linking smartcars, smart glasses and smartphones

image credit: Bamboo Works

Key Takeaways:

• Ecarx’s board has authorized the company to pursue a potential purchase of a minority stake in DreamSmart, whose main asset is the Meizu brand of smartphones
• Both Ecarx and DreamSmart are controlled by Geely, one of China’s most successful private carmakers

Being a member of a big family has both its upsides and downsides. On the upside, you have access to all the resources of your different family members, many of which may not be available to ordinary people, and often on good terms. On the downside, if and when you succeed, people don’t tend to take you too seriously, saying you have an unfair advantage from your family connections.

In the corporate realm, Ecarx Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:ECX) is one such company. Despite its relatively successful business making digital cockpits for smart cars, the company trades at far lower valuation multiples than many of its peers, which appears to be a “family discount” tied to its ownership by Geely (0175.HK), one of China’s most successful private carmakers.

That investor skepticism was on display once more on Thursday, as investors greeted news of a potential relatively large new acquisition by Ecarx with a yawn. The stock initially opened slightly higher after the announcement, and rose as much as 4.2% during the trading day. But it ultimately closed down 1.8% as investors took a closer look at the investment that, if it happened, would be just another shuffling of assets within the extended Geely family.

Ecarx said its board approved a “a preliminary plan to pursue the potential acquisition of a minority interest” in a Singaporean company called DreamSmart Technology. It noted that DreamSmart is an affiliated company, and that its main interest in any potential investment would be DreamSmart’s FlyMe operating system (OS). A potential deal could see Ecarx offer both cash and its stock, though no value was given.

One of DreamSmart’s main assets is Meizu, a well-known name to China tech old-timers that started out operating a popular MP3 audio player, before getting …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) will release earnings for its first quarter before the opening bell on Tuesday, April 14.

Analysts expect the company to report quarterly earnings of $2.61 per share. That’s up from $1.96 per share in the year-ago period. The consensus estimate for Citigroup’s quarterly revenue is $23.44 billion (it reported $21.6 billion last year), according to Benzinga Pro.

Ahead of quarterly earnings, Evercore ISI Group analyst Glenn Schorr, on Monday, maintained Citigroup with an In-Line rating and lowered the price target from $125 to $115, while Goldman Sachs analyst Richard Ramsden maintained the stock with a Buy and raised the price target from $123 to $137.

With the recent buzz around Citigroup, some investors may be eyeing potential gains from the company’s dividends too. As of now, Citigroup has an annual dividend yield of 1.92%, which is a quarterly dividend …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

On CNBC’s “Halftime Report Final Trades,” Joshua Brown, co-founder and CEO of Ritholtz Wealth Management, named Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX) as his final trade.

Supporting his view, Goldman Sachs analyst Eric Sheridan, on Monday, upgraded Netflix from Neutral to Buy and raised the price target from $100 to $120.

Jim Lebenthal, partner at Cerity Partners, picked CRH plc (NYSE:CRH).

Lending support to his choice, JPMorgan analyst Adrian Huerta, on March 3, maintained CRH with an Overweight rating and boosted the price target from $135 to $140.

Don’t forget to check out our premarket …

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U Power Ltd. (NASDAQ:UCAR) shares remain a primary focus for retail traders this Friday. The stock continues to exhibit high volatility following a massive 331.6% peak recorded on Wednesday.

Private Placement Fuels Momentum

The rally follows a Tuesday announcement regarding a $3.19 million capital raise. U Power entered subscription agreements with seven purchasers to sell 2.9 million Class A shares. The deal priced shares at $1.10 each.

Strategic Use Of Capital

The China-based company plans to scale operations immediately. Proceeds will fund market expansion and its proprietary battery-swapping infrastructure. U Power is also involved in vehicle sourcing and new energy vehicle development.

Earlier …

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Xiao-I Corporation (NASDAQ:AIXI) shares are surging on Friday. The move follows a landmark legal victory against Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL). AIXI faced a volatile week as shares tumbled about 30% on Thursday.

Nasdaq futures are up 0.22% while S&P 500 futures have gained 0.17%.

Traders are looking toward the next major milestone. The company’s next earnings report is estimated for May 14.

Supreme Court Rules Against Apple

The Supreme People’s Court recently rejected Apple’s appeal to invalidate Xiao-I’s patents. This ruling concludes a long-running battle over core artificial intelligence …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) and Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN) are expanding their streaming collaboration as Apple TV prepares to launch on Prime Video in the U.S. later this month.

The company said this move allows Prime members to subscribe to Apple TV as an add-on service for $9.99 per month, bringing Apple’s original movies, live sports and shows — “Severance,” “The Morning Show,” and “Slow Horses” — into Amazon’s ecosystem.

The Cupertino, California-based tech company said it will …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

U.S. stocks traded mixed this morning, with the Dow Jones index falling more than 100 points on Friday.

Following the market opening Friday, the Dow traded down 0.29% to 48,045.77 while the NASDAQ rose 0.38% to 22,909.09. The S&P 500 also rose, gaining, 0.07% to 6,829.46.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

Materials shares climbed by 0.8% on Friday.

In trading on Friday, financial stocks fell by 0.8%.

Top Headline

The annual inflation rate in the U.S. surged to 3.3% in March, recording the highest reading since May 2024 and following 2.4% in both February and January.

Equities Trading UP
           

• Presidio Property Trust, Inc. (NASDAQ:SQFT) shares shot up 48% to $3.99 after gaining 9% on Thursday.
• Shares of Treace Medical Concepts, Inc. (NASDAQ:TMCI) got a boost, surging 25% to $1.9100.
• Organon & Co. …

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Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades, downgrades and initiations, please see our analyst ratings page.

• Piper Sandler analyst Anna Andreeva downgraded Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE) from Overweight to Neutral and lowered the price target from $60 to $50. Nike shares closed at $44.00 on Thursday. See how other analysts view this stock.
• Stephens & Co. analyst Ben Bienvenu downgraded Simply Good Foods Co (NASDAQ:SMPL) from Overweight to Equal-Weight and …

Full story available on Benzinga.com

Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades, downgrades and initiations, please see our analyst ratings page.

• Morgan Stanley analyst Stephen Grambling upgraded Ryman Hospitality Properties Inc (NYSE:RHP) from Equal-Weight to Overweight and raised the price target from $88 to $105. Ryman Hospitality shares closed at $98.34 on Thursday. See how other analysts view this stock.
• Mizuho analyst Nick Setyan upgraded Shake Shack Inc (NYSE:SHAK) …

Full story available on Benzinga.com