Markets fell broadly Tuesday with the S&amp;P 500 trading at five-week lows and the Nasdaq extending its three-day losing streak. The Dow Jones managed to recover midday while Wall Street digested a weaker-than-anticipated consumer confidence survey from the Conference Board, adding to concerns over the health of the U.S. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/02/43949339/consumer-confidence-plummets-in-february-sharp-decline-marks-third-consecutive-monthly-drop">consumer and job market. </a>



Escalating trade concerns are also weighing on markets after President Donald Trump announced on Monday that tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico "will go forward" and Bloomberg reported the White House is preparing tighter restrictions on semiconductor exports to China.&nbsp;



NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) led the Nasdaq lower as investors anticipate the company's earnings release on Wednesday and shares of Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) fell after the EV giant saw a sharp decline in European sales. 



Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/02/43949800/tesla-competes-against-chinese-rivals-with-one-hand-tied-behind-its-back-analyst">Tesla Competes Against Chinese Rivals &#8216;With One Hand Tied Behind Its Back&#8217;: Analyst</a>



Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) fell below $88,000, its lowest since November 2024, as concerns over a slowing U.S. economy and Trump's trade policies<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43945957/liquidity-is-disappearing-bitcoins-downturn-spells-doom-for-altcoins-analyst-warns"> weighed on </a>crypto markets. 



The yield on the U.S. 10-year Treasury note fell about 9 bps to 4.32% as investors flocked toward safe-haven assets.  The iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TLT#NASDAQ">TLT</a>) rose 1.49%. 



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Tuesday's Performance In Major U.S. Indices, ETFs</h1>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Major Indices</td><td>Price</td><td>1 day % chg.</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>19,072.35</td><td>-1.12%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>5,957.58</td><td>-0.43%</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>43,597.47</td><td>0.31%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>2,165.29</td><td>-0.59%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



According to Benzinga Pro data:



<ul>
<li>The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) was down 0.48% to $594.36.</li>



<li>The SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>) climbed 0.28% at $435.76.</li>



<li>The tech-heavy Invesco QQQ Trust Series (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) slid 0.98% to $514.78.</li>



<li>The iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) eased down 0.38% to $215.41.</li>



<li>The Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLY#NYSE">XLY</a>) was down 0.8% to $215.84.</li>



<li>The Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLE#NYSE">XLE</a>) fell 1.53% to $89.56.</li>
</ul>



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Tuesday's Stock Movers </h1>



Hims &amp; Hers Health, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HIMS#NYSE">HIMS</a>) shares plunged after<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/health-care/25/02/43926641/hims-hers-health-stock-drops-after-q4-report-eps-in-line-revenues-beat"> the company reported</a> a decline gross margins in the fourth-quarter added to concern over the end of the FDA-declared shortage of semaglutide.



Stocks reacting to company earnings reports included:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li>Krispy Kreme, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DNUT#NASDAQ">DNUT</a>) </li>



<li>Chegg, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CHGG#NYSE">CHGG</a>) </li>



<li>Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HD#NYSE">HD</a>) </li>



<li>Easterly Government Properties, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DEA#NYSE">DEA</a>) </li>



<li>Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KDP#NASDAQ">KDP</a>) </li>



<li>Trip.com Group Limited (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TCOM#NASDAQ">TCOM</a>) </li>
</ul>



Companies reporting after Tuesday's closing bell include:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li>Lucid Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LCID#NASDAQ">LCID</a>) </li>



<li>AMC Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMC#NYSE">AMC</a>) </li>



<li>Workday, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WDAY#NASDAQ">WDAY</a>) </li>



<li>Maplebear (Instacart) Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CART#NASDAQ">CART</a>) </li>



<li>First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FSLR#NASDAQ">FSLR</a>) </li>



<li>Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CZR#NASDAQ">CZR</a>) </li>



<li>Coupang, Inc.  (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CPNG#NYSE">CPNG</a>) </li>



<li>Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTU#NASDAQ">INTU</a>) </li>



<li>CAVA Group, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CAVA#NYSE">CAVA</a>) </li>
</ul>



Read Next:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43945252/lucid-q4-earnings-preview-production-deliveries-margins-on-watch"> </a>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43945252/lucid-q4-earnings-preview-production-deliveries-margins-on-watch">Lucid Q4 Earnings Preview: Production, Deliveries, Margins On Watch</a></li>
</ul>



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Bitcoin Plunges As Consumer Confidence Falls: What's Driving Markets Tuesday?

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index fell sharply in February, declining 7.0 points to 98.3, marking the <a href="https://www.conference-board.org/topics/consumer-confidence">steepest drop</a> since August 2021. This is the third consecutive monthly decline, bringing the index to the lower end of its two-year range. 



What To Know: The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index is a widely watched <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-confidence">economic indicator</a> that measures consumer sentiment regarding the current and future state of the economy. It is based on a monthly survey of 5,000 households, assessing perceptions of business conditions, labor markets and personal finances.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43947393/stock-of-the-day-will-dollar-tree-break-out-and-head-higher">Stock Of The Day – Will Dollar Tree Break Out And Head Higher?</a>



A decline in the <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-consumer-confidence-dropped-sharply-in-february-302384647.html">index</a>, like the one seen in February, often signals reduced consumer spending and growing concerns about economic conditions, which can influence both business decisions and market trends.



What&#8217;s Driving The Data: The Present Situation Index, reflecting current business and labor market conditions, dipped to 136.5, while the Expectations Index plunged to 72.9—below the critical recession-signaling threshold of 80 for the first time since mid-2024.



Consumers' confidence in future economic conditions weakened significantly. Optimism about income, business conditions, and job prospects declined, with pessimism about employment prospects reaching a 10-month high. Confidence fell across all age groups, with the most pronounced decline among those aged 35 to 55.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43938959/trump-targets-chinas-tech-sector-with-stricter-biden-era-chip-curbs-it-will-backfire-says-beijing">Trump Reportedly Targets China&#8217;s Tech Sector With Stricter Biden-Era Chip Curbs. It Will Backfire, Says Beijing</a>



The downturn was also widespread across income levels, except for the lowest earners and those making between $100,000 and $125,000 annually.



Inflation expectations surged to 6%, driven by price increases in essentials like eggs and concerns over tariffs. Consumers&#8217; recession expectations rose to a nine-month high, while stock market optimism dropped, with only 46.8% expecting gains—down from 54.2% in January. Also of note &#8211; more than half of consumers anticipated higher interest rates ahead.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/specialty-etfs/25/02/43946240/rocket-lab-kratos-archer-aviation-and-more-earnings-this-week-could-have-a-big-impact-on-cathie-woods-ark-etfs">Rocket Lab, Kratos, Archer Aviation And More Earnings This Week Could Have A Big Impact On Cathie Wood&#8217;s Ark ETFs</a>



Expert Commentary: Jeffrey Roach, Chief Economist at LPL Financial, noted that while current conditions remain positive, the outlook for the future has worsened for the third straight month. Consumers are increasingly concerned about the impact of tariffs and rising prices, though more are planning home purchases in anticipation of lower mortgage rates. 



Roach also observed a softening labor market, with more consumers perceiving jobs as harder to find. Despite these shifts, he cautioned that consumer confidence surveys are volatile and unlikely to influence the Federal Reserve&#8217;s near-term monetary policy decisions.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/25/02/43789321/disney-latest-captain-america-film-opens-with-100m-can-marvel-magic-happen-three-times-in-2025" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Disney's Latest ‘Captain America' Film Opens With $100M: Can Marvel Magic Happen Three Times In 2025?</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Econ #s

Consumer Confidence Plummets In February: Sharp Decline Marks Third Consecutive Monthly Drop

Semiconductor giant Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) is likely to report record financial results and highlight strong demand from technology companies when the company reports fourth-quarter financial results <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings">after market close Wednesday.</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Nvidia Earnings Estimates</h2>



Analysts expect Nvidia to report fourth-quarter revenue of $38.05 billion. That&#8217;s up from $22.1 billion in last year's fourth quarter, according to data <a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent022525&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">from Benzinga Pro</a>.



The company has beaten analyst estimates for revenue in nine straight quarters.



Analysts expect the company to report earnings of 84 cents per share for the fourth quarter — up from 52 cents per share in last year's fourth quarter.



The company has beaten analyst estimates for earnings per share in eight straight quarters.



Revenue and earnings per share from Nvidia could once again be company records and continue the company's high growth across several business segments.



Guidance <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/11/42099904/nvidia-beats-q3-revenue-eps-estimates-supply-constraints-ding-stock-huang-says-age-of-ai-is-in-full-steam">from the company</a> given after third-quarter results calls for fourth-quarter revenue to be $37.5 billion plus or minus 2%.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43865455/nvidia-takes-on-scalpers-by-offering-rtx-5090-5080-founders-edition-gpus-to-loyal-users">Nvidia Takes On Scalpers By Offering RTX 5090, 5080 Founders Edition GPUs To Loyal Users</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What Analysts Are Saying</h2>



Reports of large Capex spending by other technology companies should bode well for Nvidia's results and guidance, Piper Sandler analyst Harsh Kumar said in a recent investor note.



The analyst reiterated an Overweight rating with a $175 price target.



"We are expecting NVDA to nicely beat January quarter estimates to the tune of $1.8 billion on the top line and revert back to the greater than $2 billion cadence beat that the company had maintained before its transition to Blackwell," Kumar said.



The analyst said demand for Blackwell is strong and should lead to a beat and raise quarter for Nvidia.



"We continue to believe NVDA is sold out for CY2025 and we see increasing cadence of beats of magnitude as the year progresses."



Kumar said reports from Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Alphabet and Amazon show that demand for Nvidia products is large and could lead to increased guidance from the company.



"This tells us that interest in AI Capex spend remains robust and that NVDA's growth story is intact."



Truist analyst William Stein said Nvidia is the AI leader and the stock in the sector to own. The analyst maintained a Buy rating on Nvidia with a $200 price target.



Stein expects Nvidia to deliver upside to consensus estimates for the fourth-quarter and first quarter guidance.



With Nvidia stock trading at 23x calendar-year 2026 earnings per share, the analyst said Nvidia stock is "quite cheap."



The analyst's concerns are Hopper purchases slowing down, production challenges and Deepseek causing a slowdown to capex spending.



Stein said commentary from large technology companies suggest spending on products from Nvidia will be just fine.



"We expect a solid quarter, outlook &amp; commentary," Stein said.



The analyst also expects Nvidia to discuss emerging AI models, data processing techniques and physical AI for items like robotics.



"We expect this will be a positive catalyst for the stock."



Morgan Stanley analyst Joseph Moore recently <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/02/43540906/nvidia-stock-remains-analysts-top-pick-deepseek-selloff-is-a-buying-opportunity">called a pullback </a>in Nvidia stock related to the rise of Chinese AI competitor DeepSeek a buying opportunity.



Moore maintained an Overweight rating on Nvidia with a $152 price target.



The analyst said DeepSeek marks a &#8220;strong evolutionary upgrade in the AI space,&#8221; but comes in a space where Nvidia continues to improve AI performance and will continue to do so.



Nvidia could have several headwinds from the DeepSeek emergence including further export controls, a different financing environment for AI spenders and investor sentiment on the company turning negative.



&#8220;While we have several reasons to believe that large cluster builds will continue, mostly because the architects of those clusters are insisting so loudly every day, the cynicism is overwhelming,&#8221; Moore said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Items to Watch: Freedom Capital Markets </h2>



Chief Global Strategist Jay Woods <a href="https://jaywoods.substack.com/">said </a>there are likely three items investors will be watching for in Nvidia's quarterly results. Woods said Blackwell chip, DeepSeek questions and guidance top the list of items to watch.



For Blackwell, Woods said analysts expect $38 billion in quarterly revenue and are also looking for guidance on future revenue.



Woods questions if Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang will address the concerns from competitor DeepSeek during the earnings commentary and earnings call.



The market strategist said when it comes to Nvidia's guidance, it will be two-fold.



"First, given the continued capex spending by major customers in Meta, Amazon and Alphabet, can they meet the demand? Secondly, they have a history of upping production for future earnings. Will this trend continue or are there growth concerns given global competition and inflation concerns at home?" Woods asks.



Revenue by segment could be another key area to watch. The data center segment posted a quarterly record for revenue in the third quarter. Data center revenue was up 112% year-over-year. The Gaming &amp; AI PC and Professional Visualization segments had year-over-year growth of 15% and 17% respectively.



The gaming segment got a call-out as having a "great quarter" in the third quarter and seeing strong back-to-school sales. The segment's holiday sales impact could show through in the fourth-quarter results.



Price Action: Nvidia stock is down 2.7% to $126.81 on Tuesday versus a 52-week trading range of $75.61 to $153.13. Nvidia stock is down 8.3% year-to-date in 2025 and up over 60% in the last year.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/03/37879478/humble-beginnings-like-nvidia-reddit-was-founded-inside-a-restaurant">Humble Beginnings: Like NVIDIA, Reddit Was Founded Inside A Restaurant</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

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Nvidia Stock 'Quite Cheap' Ahead Of Q4 Earnings: Analyst Says 'Growth Story Is Intact'

AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMC#NYSE">AMC</a>) will be reporting its fourth-quarter earnings on Tuesday. Wall Street expects a loss of 18 cents a share and $1.30 billion in revenues when the company reports<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings?tickers=AMC" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> after market hours</a> on Tuesday.



The stock is down 24.49% over the past year, 16.42% YTD.



Let&#8217;s look at what the charts indicate for AMC stock and how it maps against Wall Street estimates.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/25/02/43923619/amc-entertainment-q4-earnings-preview-will-movie-theater-stock-have-wicked-quarterly-results">AMC Entertainment Q4 Earnings Preview: Will Movie Theater Stock Have &#8216;Wicked&#8217; Quarterly Results?</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">AMC Stock Strongly Bearish Ahead Of Q4 Earnings</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent022525&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="627" height="493" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/25092106/Screenshot-2025-02-25-at-7.45.59-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-797589" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/25092106/Screenshot-2025-02-25-at-7.45.59-PM.png 627w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/25092106/Screenshot-2025-02-25-at-7.45.59-PM-300x236.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" /></a></figure>



<a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent022525&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">Chart created using Benzinga Pro</a>



AMC stock is facing significant bearish pressure. At $3.36 per share, it is trading below its five, 20 and 50-day exponential moving averages. This alignment signals a strong downtrend, suggesting continued vulnerability to further downside movement. The eight-day simple moving average (SMA) at $3.49 also presents a bearish signal, reinforcing the negative momentum.



However, the stock remains above its 20-day SMA of $3.31, offering a slight bullish counterpoint. Yet, the 50-day and 200-day SMAs, at $3.64 and $4.48, respectively, both signal bearishness as the stock trades well below these levels. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator at a negative 0.04 further supports the bearish outlook, while the Relative Strength Index (RSI) of 45.14 indicates the stock is neither overbought nor oversold.



For investors, the overall technical landscape suggests caution. Unless AMC stock can break above its short-term resistance levels, the prevailing trend favors bearish movement, making it a riskier bet for bullish traders.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">AMC Analysts See 30% Upside</h2>



Ratings &amp; Consensus Estimates:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/AMC/analyst-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> </a>The <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/AMC/analyst-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus analyst rating</a> on AMC stock stands at a Neutral with a price target of $5.06. Recent ratings from Roth MKM, Macquarie and B. Riley Securities suggest a 31.46% upside for AMC stock with a $4.42 average price target.



Price Action: AMC stock was trading at $3.36 at the time of publication.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/25/02/43789321/disney-latest-captain-america-film-opens-with-100m-can-marvel-magic-happen-three-times-in-2025">Disney&#8217;s Latest &#8216;Captain America&#8217; Film Opens With $100M: Can Marvel Magic Happen Three Times In 2025?</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Entertainment

Technicals

AMC Stock Tanks Ahead Of Q4 Earnings - Can It Stage A Blockbuster Comeback?

In a move to further tighten the noose on China&#8217;s burgeoning tech sector, President Donald Trump is reportedly considering stricter measures on the country&#8217;s semiconductor industry. This move is seen as an extension of efforts initiated under the Joe Biden administration to curb China&#8217;s technological advancement.



What Happened: Trump officials have been in talks with their Japanese and Dutch counterparts to limit the activities of engineers from Tokyo Electron Ltd. and ASML Holding NV (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ASML#NASDAQ">ASML</a>) in China, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-25/trump-administration-seeks-more-restrictions-on-china-tech-weighs-nvidia-curbs">reported</a> on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.



The aim is to get allies on board with the U.S. in imposing similar restrictions on China that have been placed on American semiconductor companies, including Lam Research Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LRCX#NASDAQ">LRCX</a>), KLA Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KLAC#NASDAQ">KLAC</a>), and Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMAT#NASDAQ">AMAT</a>).



The Trump administration is also exploring stricter controls on the global export of AI chips without a license. Washington&#8217;s broader objective is to hinder China&#8217;s advancement in building a domestic semiconductor industry that could enhance its AI and military capabilities.



According to the publication, implementation of these new regulations may take several months as the Trump administration selects staff for key federal agencies.



The White House did not immediately respond to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga&#8217;s</a> request for comment.



SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43937601/bitcoin-down-7-ethereum-xrp-dogecoin-shiba-inu-plunge-over-10-as-148-billion-liquidation-tsunami-hits">Bitcoin Down 7%, Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin, Shiba Inu Plunge Over 10% As $1.48 Billion Liquidation Tsunami Hits</a>



Why It Matters: In response to these reports, Lin Jian, from the Chinese foreign ministry, stated that such actions will obstruct the growth of the global semiconductor industry and also backfire, Reuters reported. Meanwhile, it also remains to be seen if Japan and the Netherlands echo the same thoughts as Trump.



This development comes on the heels of President Trump&#8217;s recent announcement of his intention to impose a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43805852/trump-shakes-global-trade-with-25-auto-chip-and-pharma-tariffs-announcement-asian-stocks-pare-their-five-day-rally">25% tariff on auto imports,</a> chips, and pharmaceuticals. These tariffs, expected to take effect as early as April 2, have already caused a stir in international trade. The latest move to tighten restrictions on China&#8217;s tech sector is seen as a continuation of Trump&#8217;s aggressive trade policies, and could potentially escalate trade tensions between the U.S. and China.



Another report by the South China Morning Post suggests that Tencent Holdings (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TCEHY#OTC">TCEHY</a>), Alibaba (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) and ByteDance have significantly increased demand for Nvidia's (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) H20 AI chip, driven by the surging popularity of DeepSeek's affordable AI models. This development also comes ahead of the tariffs and chip curbs likely to be imposed by the Trump administration.



<ul>
<li>READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43934320/should-passengers-accept-deltas-30000-no-strings-attached-compensation-offer-lawyers-weigh-in">Should Passengers Accept Delta Air Lines&#8217; $30,000 &#8216;No Strings Attached&#8217; Compensation Offer? Lawyers Weigh In</a></li>
</ul>



Image via Shutterstock



Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

AMAT

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LRCX

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Trump Reportedly Targets China's Tech Sector With Stricter Biden-Era Chip Curbs. It Will Backfire, Says Beijing

As Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) retreats to three-month lows, the 9% correction in total crypto market capitalization has analysts speculating about what is <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/news/global/25/02/43926015/trump-confirms-tariffs-on-canada-mexico-will-take-effect-as-planned">driving this downturn</a>.



What Happened: In a detailed thread on <a href="https://x.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1894218914923417964">X</a> on Tuesday, macro commentary account Kobeissi Letter described the correction as a liquidity cascade triggered by multiple compounding factors. 



The aggressive sell-off in Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>), combined with a broader risk-off move in equities, likely sparked a wave of liquidations across crypto.



Solana is down 17.2% in the past seven days and 44.9% over the past month. Leading meme coins like Trump (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">TRUMP</a>), Bonk (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">BONK</a>) and Dogwifhat (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">WIF</a>) are down 21%, 17% and 14%, respectively.



According to Kobeissi Letter, the meme coin market losing liquidity is a notable signal, signaling broader risk appetite is fading. CoinGecko data shows the total meme coin market cap down 16.5% over the past 24 hours.



The crypto market has shed close to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43937601/bitcoin-down-7-ethereum-xrp-dogecoin-shiba-inu-plunge-over-10-as-148-billion-liquidation-t">$1.5 billion in liquidations</a> as part of the market correction.



Interestingly, this market correction comes on the heels of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43923960/citadel-securities-moves-into-crypto-market-making-following-trumps-crypto-friendly-regula">Citadel Securities&#8217; announcement</a> of plans to become a liquidity provider for Bitcoin and crypto. The market seems to have interpreted this as a &#8220;sell the news&#8221; event.



The recent <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43905078/bybit-nears-recovery-after-crypto-heist-freezes-42-89-million-in-stolen-funds-secures-1-23-billion-in-eth-through-whales-and-loans">Bybit hack on Feb. 21</a> has also dampened market sentiment. Arkham Intelligence has labeled this incident as the &#8220;largest financial heist in history,&#8221; surpassing even the Central Bank of Iraq theft in 2003.



Price Action: Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) is down 7% over the past 24 hours, trading around $88,800 at the time of writing. Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) and XRP (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>) are down 9%, trading at $2,415 and $2,22, respectively.



Also Read: <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43934933/bitcoin-plunges-below-88000-what-is-going-on">Bitcoin Plunges Below $88,000: What Is Going On?</a>



What's Next: Technical factors and a general pullback in risk appetite across financial markets have contributed to the crypto market&#8217;s liquidity squeeze. 



The Kobeissi Letter notes, &#8220;We saw historic levels of risk appetite in 2024 and heading into 2025. A pullback in risk appetite means less liquidity for crypto markets.&#8221;



While the current situation may seem alarming, it&#8217;s worth noting that Bitcoin has experienced numerous 10% pullbacks during its bull run. 



The Kobeissi Letter suggests that &#8220;Technical pullbacks are healthy&#8221; and doesn&#8217;t necessarily indicate a prolonged bear market.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://in.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43918143/bitcoin-stuck-in-90-day-consolidation-range-this-juncture-is-critical-bitfinex-analysts-say">Bitcoin Stuck In 90-Day Consolidation Range: This Juncture Is Critical, Bitfinex Analysts Say</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

$BONK

$ETH

$SOL

$TRUMP

$WIF

$XRP

Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP Shed Billions In 9% Correction: 3 Factors Driving The Downturn

On Tuesday, Home Depot Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HD#NYSE">HD</a>) stock is trading higher in a volatile session after the home improvement retailer reported its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/02/n43935026/the-home-depot-announces-fourth-quarter-and-fiscal-2024-results-increases-quarterly-dividend-by-2-" rel="noreferrer noopener">fourth-quarter 2024 results and provided its 2025 outlook</a>.



HD reported fourth-quarter sales growth of 14.1% year-over-year to $39.70 billion, beating the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus estimate of $39.14 billion</a>. Adjusted EPS was $3.13 (+9.4% year over year), beating the consensus of $3.00.&nbsp;



Customer transactions for the quarter rose 7.6%. Comparable sales increased 0.8%, and comparable sales in the U.S. rose 1.3%.



Related: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/previews/25/02/43922935/home-depot-q4-earnings-preview-could-slowing-new-home-sales-higher-mortgage-rates-help-stock" rel="noreferrer noopener">Home Depot Q4 Earnings Preview: Could &#8216;Slowing New Home Sales And Higher Mortgage Rates&#8217; Help The Stock?</a>



Margins: Gross profit rose 13.3% YoY to $13.03 billion, with a margin of 32.8%, down 25 bps YoY. The operating margin was 11.3%, down 60 bps YoY, and operating income for the quarter rose 8.5% to $4.495 billion. The adjusted operating margin slipped to 11.7% from 12.1% YoY.



Operating expenses increased 15.9% year over year to $8.539 billion.



The average ticket in the fourth quarter was $89.11, a 0.3% increase, and sales per retail square foot increased 1.2% to $556.90.



As of February 2, the company held $1.659 billion in cash and equivalents. It generated an operating cash flow of $19.810 billion for fiscal 2024, compared to $21.172 billion a year ago.



At the end of the quarter, HD operated 2,347 retail stores and over 780 branches across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.



Dividend: Home Depot announced a 2.2% increase in its quarterly dividend to $2.30 per share, totaling an annual dividend of $9.20 per share. The dividend is payable on March 27, 2025, to shareholders of record as of March 13, 2025.



2025 Outlook: Home Depot forecasts total sales growth of 2% year-over-year, reaching $163.98 billion, slightly below the consensus of $164.17 billion.



Comparable sales are expected to rise approximately 1%, with an adjusted operating margin of around 13.4%.



The company projects adjusted EPS to decline by about 2%, from $15.24 to $14.94, falling short of the $15.57 consensus estimate.



Price Action: HD shares are trading higher by 1.15% at $386.80 premarket on the last check Tuesday.



Also Read:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/01/43166746/home-depot-likely-to-outcomp-lowes-in-q4-analyst-says-as-home-improvement-battle-heads-toward-earnings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Home Depot &#8216;Likely To Outcomp&#8217; Lowe&#8217;s In Q4, Analyst Says As Home Improvement Battle Heads Toward Earnings</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Sockagphoto via Shutterstock

Earnings

Guidance

Dividends

Home Depot Lifts Annual Dividend After Strong Q4, But Soft 2025 Outlook Weighs On Stock

The cryptocurrency market faced a sharp downturn over the past 24 hours, with Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) dropping to a low of $87,115 before stabilizing at $88,850, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43934933/bitcoin-plunges-below-88000-what-is-going-on">marking a 7% decline</a>.



Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) saw an even steeper drop of 10%, trading at $2,420.



Major altcoins also suffered losses, with Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>) down 15%, Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>) losing 14%, and Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/shib/usd">SHIB</a>) and XRP (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>) falling by 10%.



The sell-off resulted in $1.48 billion in liquidations, with $1.37 billion coming from long positions, according to <a href="https://www.coinglass.com/LiquidationData">data</a> from Coinglass.



In a note sent to Benzinga, Dr. Sean Dawson, head of research at Derive.xyz, contextualized the sell-off within historical market trends, attributing it to macroeconomic factors and recent industry shocks. 



&#8220;This kind of market correction isn't new – and it&#8217;s definitely not the worst we've witnessed,&#8221; he said, pointing to geopolitical tensions and rising interest rate concerns as contributing factors. 



Dawson also noted that despite the Bybit hack on Ethereum, the market has shown resilience, with Bitcoin's seven-day implied volatility rising to 46% and Ethereum's to 68%.



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43923960/citadel-securities-moves-into-crypto-market-making-following-trumps-crypto-friendly-regulation-push">Citadel Securities Moves Into Crypto Market-Making Following Trump&#8217;s Crypto-Friendly Regulation Push</a>



Aurelie Barthere, principal research analyst at Nansen, in a note to Benzinga, highlighted broader market trends affecting crypto, stating, &#8220;BTC is now breaking lower following other token prices.&#8221; 



She cited the LIBRA (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">LIBRA</a>) scam and Bybit hack as major events that have eroded risk appetite. 



Additionally, concerns over slowing U.S. economic growth, evidenced by the lowest U.S. Services PMI reading in 22 months, have compounded selling pressure. 



According to Barthere, upcoming catalysts for risk assets include Nvidia's earnings report on Feb. 26 and core PCE inflation data on Feb. 28.



Stella Zlatareva, Nexo Dispatch editor, predicted a prolonged consolidation phase for the crypto market amid evolving inflation and trade policies. 



&#8220;Despite the current recalibration, the crypto market's overall growth trajectory remains intact,&#8221; she stated in a note to Benzinga, adding that Bitcoin could serve as both a risk asset and a store of value if inflation intensifies.



With uncertainty dominating the market, analysts suggest that while volatility remains high, long-term investors could find opportunities in the downturn.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43922379/trump-meme-coin-was-a-gut-punch-bitmex-research-says">Trump Meme Coin Was &#8216;A Gut Punch&#8217;, BitMex Research Says</a></li>
</ul>

Cryptocurrency

$DOGE

$SHIB

Bitcoin Down 7%, Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin, Shiba Inu Plunge Over 10% As $1.48 Billion Liquidation Tsunami Hits

U.S. stock futures fell on Tuesday following Monday's mixed close. Futures of all the four benchmark indices declined in premarket trading.



Investor anxiety over tariffs and anticipation of Nvidia Corp.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) earnings this week weighed on the sentiment.



President Donald Trump confirmed on Monday that his administration will <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/02/43926015/trump-confirms-tariffs-on-canada-mexico-will-take-effect-as-planned">proceed with tariffs</a> on imports from Canada and Mexico, despite economic concerns. The decision, initially delayed by a month, will take effect next week, signaling a shift in North American trade relations.



Trump reiterated his stance at a White House press conference, arguing that foreign nations have unfairly benefited from U.S. trade policies and stressing the need for reciprocal tariffs. 



Treasury yields slipped on Tuesday. The 10-year Treasury yield stood at 4.34%, while the two-year yield was at 4.12%. According to the CME Group's FedWatch <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">tool</a>, there is a 95.5% chance that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged for the March meeting.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Futures</td><td>Change (+/-)</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>-0.49%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>-0.29%</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>-0.07%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-0.28%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which track the S&amp;P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, fell in premarket on Tuesday. SPY was down 0.35% to $595.13, and QQQ declined 0.60% to $516.75, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.



Cues From The Last Session



Information technology, utilities, consumer discretionary, communication services, and utilities dragged the indices on Monday, whereas health care, financials, and real estate sectors advanced.



Alibaba Group Holding Ltd ADR (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) plunged over 10% as Trump's memo directed the Committee on Foreign Investment to limit Chinese spending and investment. No economic data was scheduled to be released on Monday. 



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Index</td><td>Performance (+/-)</td><td>Value</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq Composite</td><td>-1.21%</td><td>19,286.93</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>-0.50%</td><td>5,983.25</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>0.076%</td><td>43,461.21</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-0.78%</td><td>2,178.27</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Insights From Analysts



"Caution is warranted as we navigate the complex dynamics ahead," said economist Jeremy Siegel in his weekly market note as he said no economic data but Nvidia's earnings will be the most significant event this week.



Siegel who was a former professor at the University of Pennsylvania said that investors should remain focused on earnings strength, the trajectory of interest rates, and developments on the tariff front.



"While Growth stocks continue to dominate, any shift in margins or competitive dynamics—especially in AI—could create volatility.



Barchart in an X post shared a graph showing that the S&amp;P 500's price-to-book ratio has now surpassed the Dot Com Bubble high.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">S&amp;P 500 Price-to-Book Ratio has now surpassed the Dot Com Bubble High &#x1f6a8; <a href="https://t.co/w76HoTJoa4">pic.twitter.com/w76HoTJoa4</a>&mdash; Barchart (@Barchart) <a href="https://twitter.com/Barchart/status/1894008755567632741?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Louis Navellier of Navellier &amp; Associates highlights the growing pressure President Trump is placing on both German and U.S. companies to move operations to the U.S. to avoid higher tariffs.



In line with this, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) made a significant announcement on Monday, committing to invest $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years, marking its largest domestic investment to date. The tech giant plans to hire 20,000 workers and produce AI servers on U.S. soil.



This move follows a recent meeting between Apple CEO Tim Cook and President Trump, who praised the company&#8217;s investment, saying, "He's investing hundreds of billions of dollars."



Trump has also threatened a 10% additional tax on imports from China, where Apple manufactures most of its products, including iPhones. Historically, "Trump has traded investment in the U.S. for tariff relief in the past, so it appears that Apple is doing its best to appease the Trump Administration."



&#8220;It&#8217;s hard to be too concerned when after the worst week in months the S&amp;P is only 2.4% from all-time highs. The trend remains positive, but Nvidia could have a material impact in the short term, in either direction,&#8221; he added.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-trade-futures">How to Trade Futures </a>



Upcoming Economic Data



Here&#8217;s what investors will keep on Tuesday:



<ul>
<li>Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan will speak in London at 4:20 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>December's S&amp;P Case-Shiller home price index for 20 cities will be out at 9:00 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>February's consumer confidence data will be announced at 10:00 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Fed Vice Chairman for Supervision Michael Barr will speak at 11:45 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin will speak at 01:00 p.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



Stocks In Focus:



<ul>
<li>Home Depot Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HD#NYSE">HD</a>) declined 1.17% in the premarket on Tuesday ahead of its earnings, which will be released before the opening bell. Analysts expect it to report earnings of $3.04 per share on revenue of $39.07 billion.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KDP#NASDAQ">KDP</a>) advanced 0.44% as Wall Street expects it to report quarterly earnings of 57 cents per share on revenue of $4 billion before the opening bell.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Workday Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WDAY#NASDAQ">WDAY</a>) was up 0.41% ahead of its earnings, which will be released after the closing bell. Analysts expect it to report quarterly earnings of $1.78 per share on revenue of $2.18 billion.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTU#NASDAQ">INTU</a>) dropped 0.13% as Wall Street expects it to report quarterly earnings of $2.58 per share on revenue of $3.83 billion after the closing bell.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Brera Holdings PLC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BREA#NASDAQ">BREA</a>) jumped 118.60% as it entered the eSports market by launching Brera FC&#8217;s FIFA&#xAE; 23 Pro Clubs&#x2122; team, joining a select group of just 56 clubs in Italy.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Wah Fu Education Group Ltd (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WAFU#NASDAQ">WAFU</a>) zoomed 87.15% as it announced plans to integrate DeepSeek, a domestic large language model, into its educational platform to drive AI transformation, focusing on its online education and exam preparation services through two key initiatives.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Propetro Holding Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PUMP#NYSE">PUMP</a>) fell 2.68% after reporting a fourth-quarter 2024 adjusted loss of 1 cent per share.</li>
</ul>



Commodities, Gold And Global Equity Markets:



Crude oil futures were trading higher in the early New York session by 0.03% to hover around $70.72 per barrel.



The gold spot index was down by 0.41% to $2,941.04 per ounce easing from the record high of $2,956.37. The Dollar Index was up 0.07% at 106.674 level.



Asian markets ended lower on Monday except India's S&amp;P BSE Sensex index. Japan's Nikkei 225, Australia's ASX 200, China's CSI 300, South Korea's Kospi, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index declined. European markets were mostly higher in trade.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43933428/dominos-pizza-serves-consistent-market-share-gains-since-2015-despite-q4-earnings-miss-aims-for-3-same-store-sales-growth-to-capture-additional-share">Domino&#8217;s Pizza Sees 1% QSR Market Share Increase Despite Q4 Earnings Miss: &#8216;Consistent With Our Average Annual Share Growth&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Government

Economics

Pre-Market Outlook

AAPL

BREA

PUMP

WAFU

US Stocks Likely To Open Lower: 'Caution Is Warranted,' Says Expert As Investors Navigate 'Complex Dynamics' Ahead

Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered the United States access to Russia's metals, presenting Moscow as an alternative to Washington's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/02/43909360/zelensky-says-ukraine-wont-trade-minerals-for-debt-seeks-win-win-deal-with-us" rel="noreferrer noopener">push for Ukraine's resources.</a>



If President Donald Trump successfully brokers the agreement to stop the three-year conflict in Ukraine, it could open the doors for renewed economic cooperation.



Trump's notion of securing major economic agreements with Russia, as mentioned <a target="_blank" href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/2/24/trump-live-news-us-president-places-thousands-of-workers-on-leave-at-usaid" rel="noreferrer noopener">by</a> Al Jazeera, drew a prompt reaction. Putin convened a high-level meeting with economic advisors, reflecting on opportunities with joint projects in strategic metals.



"We, by the way, would be ready to offer joint projects with our American partners," Putin <a target="_blank" href="https://tass.com/economy/1918439" rel="noreferrer noopener">stated</a> on Russian state television, clarifying that Russia possesses far greater reserves of these critical minerals than Ukraine.



Russia holds the world's fifth-largest <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/23/07/33233340/rare-earth-elements-explained" rel="noreferrer noopener">rare earth reserves</a>, estimated at 3.8 million metric tons, yet it produces only about 2,500 tons per year due to limited refining capacity. These materials are essential for electric vehicles, missile guidance systems, consumer electronics, and renewable energy technologies.



Putin described rare earth metals as a priority for Russia's long-term economic development, with plans to expand beyond raw extraction into high-tech manufacturing. He also noted a significant opportunity for aluminum exports.



Russia is one of the world's largest aluminum producers, with its leading company, Rusal, historically supplying a significant share of global markets. Before tariffs were imposed in 2023, Russia accounted for up to 15% of U.S. aluminum imports.



Putin now says that Russia could supply up to 2 million tons annually to the U.S., helping to stabilize prices in the American market.



"This will not significantly affect pricing, but it will have a restraining influence on price formation," Putin said. He also proposed that American firms could invest in Russian aluminum production, particularly in the Krasnoyarsk region of Siberia, which houses some of the world's largest aluminum facilities.



While Putin angles for American cooperation, the European Union has taken a stricter approach, tightening restrictions on Russian aluminum as part of its latest, <a target="_blank" href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_25_585" rel="noreferrer noopener">16th sanctions package</a>. New rules will further limit Russia's presence in European markets, explaining why Moscow seeks alternative buyers.



Alongside his economic proposals, Putin endorsed Trump's suggestion for a 50% reduction in defense spending for Russia and the United States and openly invited China to join the initiative.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/management/25/02/43893993/teck-shrugs-off-tariff-risks-while-cameco-says-its-kind-of-econ-101-for-uranium-prices" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Teck Shrugs Off Tariff Risks, While Cameco Says ‘It's Kind Of Econ 101' For Uranium Prices</a></li>
</ul>



Image via Shutterstock

Commodities

Politics

Global

JJMTF

JJNTF

PICK

Putin Offers Russian Aluminum, Rare Earths As An Alternative To Ukraine's Minerals

Deepwater Management&#8216;s Gene Munster&nbsp;has shared his insights on Apple&#8217;s recent announcement of $500 billion U.S. investments.



What Happened: On Tuesday, Munster took to X to present his analysis of&nbsp;Apple Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>)&#8217;s decision to ramp up its annual U.S. expenditures. He believes the tech giant is set to increase its annual U.S. investments by $39 billion, a 45% increase from the 2021 run rate. However, Munster suggests the actual&nbsp;incremental investment is closer to&nbsp;$20 billion annually.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Three takeaways from $AAPL's announcement of investments in the US: 1- The quick math suggests Apple is increasing its annual US expenditures by $39B, up 45% from the run rate outlined in 2021. In reality, the incremental investment is closer to $20B annually. Prior to today's…&mdash; Gene Munster (@munster_gene) <a href="https://twitter.com/munster_gene/status/1894086801452646772?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



He also indicated that Apple&#8217;s announcement underscores its realization that an AI-powered future necessitates significant infrastructure investments. He estimates that 15% of the $19 billion incremental spend will be allocated to the hiring of 20,000 new employees, adding roughly $3 billion in annual employee expenses. The remaining 85% is likely to be invested in infrastructure, including expanding data center capacity and chip production for Apple Watches and iPads.



Munster&#8217;s third point underscores Apple&#8217;s strategic approach to bypass tariffs by redirecting those savings into U.S. investments. He estimates that the U.S. accounts for about 35% of Apple&#8217;s total sales, translating to approximately $147 billion in revenue this year. Of that, around $120 billion comes from product sales, which could be affected by the 10% tariffs. Hence, by boosting its domestic investments, Apple could potentially save at least $11 billion per year by avoiding the tariff. Put simply, tariff avoidance covers half of the additional $19 billion in U.S. investment announced.



SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/02/43926015/trump-confirms-tariffs-on-canada-mexico-will-take-effect-as-planned">Trump Confirms Tariffs On Canada, Mexico Will Take Effect As Planned</a>



Why It Matters: Apple CEO Tim Cook&#8216;s announcement of this massive investment in the U.S. is being widely perceived as a means to avoid the tariff threat. Tariffs have been a cause of major cause of concern for Apple. Bank of America analyst Analyst Wamsi Mohan had previously stated that iPhone manufacturers will need to increase prices on iPhones, iPads, and other <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43839627/apple-may-hike-iphone-prices-by-9-due-to-trumps-tariffs-says-bank-of-america">products by about 9%</a> to offset the impact of tariffs.



Meanwhile, President <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43911774/trump-says-apples-500-billion-investment-is-due-to-his-policies-without-which-they-wouldnt-be-investing-ten-cents">Donald Trump stated</a> that the investment was a result of Apple&#8217;s confidence in his administration and policies. 



Apart from Gene Munster, several other analysts have presented their reactions to the iPhone maker&#8217;s $500 billion investment. UBS analyst David Vogt stated that  &#8220;it lacks substance&#8221;, while renowned short-seller James Chanos called it &#8220;unrealistic&#8221; considering Apple&#8217;s current capital base is less than $160 billion. On the other hand, Wedbush&#8217;s Dan Ives said, &#8220;Apple made the smart strategic move with this $500 billion bet on its US buildout.&#8221;



Apple stock closed 0.66% higher at $247.17 on Monday. 



<ul>
<li>READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43932533/tesla-starts-rolling-out-fsd-features-in-china">Tesla Starts Rolling Out FSD Features In China A Month After Elon Musk Said EV Giant Faces &#8216;Challenges&#8217; In The Country</a></li>
</ul>



Image via Shutterstock



Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Short Sellers

Apple Could Save $11 Billion Annually By Avoiding Tariffs As Tim Cook's Tech Giant Pledges $500 Billion US Investment, Says Top Analyst

Jason Les, CEO of leading Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) miner Riot Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIOT#NASDAQ">RIOT</a>), stated on Monday that the company was committed to boosting Bitcoin yield for its shareholders but denied exploring maneuvers like those of&nbsp; Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>) as yet.



What happened: During the firm's fourth-quarter earnings call on Monday, Les outlined the significance of offering a higher Bitcoin per share by minimizing dilution.&nbsp;



He pointed out that the company&#8217;s mining operations, characterized by a "very low" direct cost of production, are the key to this strategy.



"And of course, always going to be looking to raise capital in the least dilutive, lowest cost of capital manner in order to enhance Bitcoin yield," the CEO added.&nbsp;



The "Bitcoin Yield" metric, popularized by Strategy, the world's largest corporate holder, measures the percentage change in the number of Bitcoins a company owns per share over a period. The metric helps gauge the effectiveness of the Bitcoin acquisition strategy.&nbsp;



See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42735744/pharma-bro-martin-shkreli-predicts-doom-for-michael-saylors-microstrategy-as-stock-dips-below-300-in-after-hours-trading"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/25/02/43905274/kanye-west-deletes-x-posts-on-potential-meme-coin-unfollows-changpeng-zhao-whats-he-upto">Kanye West Deletes X Posts On Potential Meme Coin, Unfollows Changpeng Zhao — What&#8217;s He Upto?</a>



"We think with our assets and the things that we&#8217;ve what we build up here at Riot, we are well positioned to find alternative forms of financing," Les stated.



On the question of introducing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43913122/strategy-acquires-20356-bitcoin-for-1-99-billion-boosts-2025-btc-yield-to-6-9">"structured products"</a> like Strategy, the CEO said, "That&#8217;s not something that we&#8217;ve looked too closely at yet."



Why It Matters: Les' remarks come in the wake of a trend among leading U.S.-based Bitcoin miners to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/42867736/us-bitcoin-miners-hoard-apex-crypto-to-shield-against-rising-expenses-mara-riot-replicate-microstrategys-playbook">accumulate BTC as a buffer</a> against increasing competition and shrinking profit margins.&nbsp;



Riot bagged approximately $510 million worth of Bitcoin in December. As of this writing, it was the third-largest corporate Bitcoin holder, with a stash of 18,221 BTC, worth $1.67 billion, <a href="https://bitcointreasuries.n">according</a> to bitcointreasuries.net.



Riot Platforms <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43928216/riot-platforms-shares-climb-after-fy-2024-results-details">reported </a>a fiscal 2024 revenue of $376.7 million, surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of $372.34 million. The company posted mining revenue of $321 million for the year, as compared to $189.0 million in 2023, primarily driven by higher average Bitcoin prices.



Price Action: At the time of writing, Bitcoin was exchanging hands at $92,165.87, down 3.64% in the last 24 hours, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA..">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.



Shares of Riot rose 1% in after-hours trading, after closing 4.49% lower at $9.990 during Monday's trading session. Year-to-date, the stock has dropped 2.15%.



Image via Shutterstock



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/financial-advisors/25/02/43903229/advisors-remain-divided-on-crypto-but-sec-approvals-demand-are-shifting-views">Advisors Remain Divided On Crypto, But SEC Approvals, Demand Are Shifting Views</a></li>
</ul>



Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/apis?utm_source=benzinga.com&amp;utm_campaign=article-bottom" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"></a>

MSTR

RIOT

Riot Platforms CEO Reaffirms Plan To Boost Bitcoin Yield But 'Not Looking Too Closely' At Michael Saylor-Led Strategy's Maneuvers

Leading cryptocurrencies corrected sharply on Monday as the Bybit hack and President Donald Trump&#8217;s tariff threat weighed on the market.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Gains +/-</td><td>Price (Recorded at 7:30 p.m. ET)</td></tr><tr><td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td><td>-4.82%</td><td>$91,639.29</td></tr><tr><td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>-11.48%</td><td>$2,494.24</td></tr><tr><td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>-13.79%</td><td>$0.2096</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



What Happened: Bitcoin sank below $91,000 for the first time in over three months, while Ethereum fell to an intraday low of $2,461.52, its lowest since Feb. 3.



The apex cryptocurrency has already lost 9.7% since February began, in contrast to the 43% rise it saw last year. Ethereum has dropped 23.63% and could be heading to its worst February.



Ethereum was at the center of the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43905078/bybit-nears-recovery-after-crypto-heist-freezes-42-89-million-in-stolen-funds-secures-1-23-billion-in-eth-through-whales-and-loans">$1.4 billion hack</a> on cryptocurrency exchange Bybit. Although the platform claims to have restored its ETH holdings to pre-hack levels, concerns about hackers dumping such a big amount have generated alarm.



The market bled profusely, with over $960 million getting liquidated in the last 24 hours. Upside bets accounted for $890 million.&nbsp;



Hedges against price decline increased as the total number of short positions surpassed long positions, according to the Long/Short Ratio.



That said, a whopping $1.61 billion in short positions risked liquidation if Bitcoin reclaimed $100,000.



The market was gripped with "Extreme Fear," according to the Crypto Fear and Greed Index, sparking concerns of further downsides.



Top Gainers (24-Hours)



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Gains +/-</td><td>Price (Recorded at 7:30 p.m. ET)</td></tr><tr><td>Story (IP)</td><td>+15.01%</td><td>$4.65</td></tr><tr><td>DeXe (DEXE)</td><td>+2.31%</td><td>$19.06</td></tr><tr><td>Berachain (BERA)</td><td>+0.87%</td><td>$16.94</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $3.08 trillion, falling by 2.56% in the last 24 hours.



Investors will be watching the all-important earnings report of artificial intelligence darling Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), slated for Wednesday.&nbsp;



In addition, the Federal Reserve&#8217;s favorite inflation gauge, the personal consumption expenditures index, will be released on Friday, providing cues about the central bank&#8217;s moves on interest rates.



Major stock indexes slid on Thursday. The S&amp;P 500 fell 0.50% to close at 5,983.25. The tech-focused Nasdaq Composite lost 1.21% during the session, ending at 19,286.92. The Dow Jones Industrial Average chalked out a narrow gain of 0.08% to close at 43,461.21.



The sentiment was impacted after Trump reaffirmed that tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/02/43926015/trump-confirms-tariffs-on-canada-mexico-will-take-effect-as-planned">would take effect as planned</a>.&nbsp;



Investors will focus on the all-important earnings report of artificial intelligence darling Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), slated for Wednesday.&nbsp;



See More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-crypto-scanners">Best Cryptocurrency Scanners</a>



Analyst Notes: Popular cryptocurrency analyst and investor Ali Martinez cautioned traders that if Bitcoin loses $93,700 as support, the next key level of interest is $75,600.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">If <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> fails to hold $93,700 as support, the next key level to watch is $75,600! <a href="https://t.co/bCfwEHhlYJ">pic.twitter.com/bCfwEHhlYJ</a>&mdash; Ali (@ali_charts) <a href="https://twitter.com/ali_charts/status/1894164403567956097?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



He also highlighted the declining capital inflows into the cryptocurrency market in the last 10 days, which fell from $52 billion to $26.5 billion.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Capital inflows into the crypto market have dropped nearly 50% in the past 10 days, declining from $52 billion to $26.5 billion. <a href="https://t.co/m9DWHiyQPn">pic.twitter.com/m9DWHiyQPn</a>&mdash; Ali (@ali_charts) <a href="https://twitter.com/ali_charts/status/1894092177686339994?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Chris Burniske, cofounder of cryptocurrency firm Placeholder, stated that the ongoing "mid-bull reset" is not unprecedented and that top coins like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>) witnessed big corrections during the last bull cycle in 2021.



"Those calling for a full-blown bear are misguided," Burniske added.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">In the middle of 2021:<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> drew down 56%<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24ETH&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$ETH</a> drew down 61%<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24SOL&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$SOL</a> drew down 67% Many others 70-80%+ You can come up with all the reasons for why this cycle is different, but the mid-bull reset we&#39;re going through isn&#39;t unprecedented. Those calling for a full blown bear are…&mdash; Chris Burniske (@cburniske) <a href="https://twitter.com/cburniske/status/1894163006080127217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Photo by CMP_NZ on Shutterstock



Read Next:    



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43920916/michael-saylor-presents-digital-assets-framework-to-sec-crypto-task-force">Michael Saylor Presents &#8216;Digital Assets Framework&#8217; To SEC Crypto Task Force</a></li>
</ul>

Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Bleed Amid Trump's Tariff Threat, Bybit Mega Breach: Analyst Says 'Mid-Bull Reset' Not Unprecedented, Full-Blown Bear Market Not Yet Here

Chinese tech giants Tencent Holdings (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TCEHY#OTC">TCEHY</a>), Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>), and ByteDance have significantly increased orders for Nvidia Corporation's (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) H20 AI chips, as the rise of DeepSeek's low-cost AI models drives a surge in demand for AI computing power.



What Happened: The spike in H20 chip orders, reported by Reuters, citing six people familiar with the matter, highlights Nvidia's continued dominance in the AI chip market.



The H20 is a China-specific chip, developed in response to U.S. export restrictions that prevent Nvidia from selling its most advanced AI hardware to Chinese companies.



While concerns about additional U.S. trade restrictions exist, sources say the primary driver behind the demand is DeepSeek's AI models, which optimize computational efficiency for inference tasks rather than relying solely on raw processing power.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/02/43930715/google-sued-over-ai-search-overviews-education-company-says-tech-giant-is-stealing-content-and-driving-publishers-out-of-business">Google Sued Over AI Search Overviews — Education Company Says Tech Giant Is Stealing Content And Driving Publishers Out Of Business</a>



These models have gained rapid adoption across industries, from cloud computing to automotive applications.



Tencent is reportedly testing DeepSeek's AI models in WeChat, while automaker Great Wall has integrated them into its connected vehicle systems. Analysts estimate Nvidia shipped around 1 million H20 chips in 2024, generating over $12 billion in revenue.



Why It Matters: Last month, Nvidia recognized China's DeepSeek R1 AI model. The model built for less than $6 million, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/01/43256425/nvidia-says-deepseek-an-illustration-of-how-new-ai-models-can-be-created-while-being-export-control-compliant-amid-600-billion-market-value-plunge">allegedly outperformed</a> top U.S. models, including those from OpenAI.



This milestone contributed to a broader tech market downturn, leading to a 17% decline in Nvidia's stock and a more than 20% plunge in AI infrastructure shares. It also led to a $600 billion drop in Nvidia's market capitalization.



Earlier this month, in an interview, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang addressed <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/02/43876025/nvidia-ceo-attributed-the-deepseek-led-sell-off-to-investor-misconception-on-ai-spending-obviously-that-paradigm-is-wrong">investor concerns</a>, attributing the sell-off to misconceptions about AI infrastructure spending.



Price Action: In after-hours trading, Nvidia rose 0.51%, reaching $130.95 at the time of publication, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Image via Shutterstock



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://in.benzinga.com/media/25/02/43646042/elon-musks-97-4-billion-openai-takeover-bid-reportedly-not-received-by-chatgpt-parent-another-one-of-his-tactics-says-sam-altman" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk&#8217;s $97.4 Billion OpenAI Takeover Bid Reportedly Not Received By ChatGPT Parent: ‘Another One Of His Tactics,&#8217; Says Sam Altman</a></li>
</ul>



Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Nvidia Sees Rush For H20 AI Chip Orders As DeepSeek Disrupts AI Market— Tencent, Alibaba, ByteDance Fuel Demand Surge

On Monday, Cathie Wood&#8216;s Ark Invest made a significant purchase of Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) shares. This acquisition comes as Amazon continues its robust performance in the e-commerce sector, with analysts projecting further growth. The move aligns with recent insights highlighting Amazon&#8217;s potential as a leading player in the industry.



The Amazon Trade 



Ark Invest&#8217;s Ark Fintech Innovation ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKF#NYSE">ARKF</a>) fund acquired 2,549 shares of Amazon.This purchase is valued at approximately $542,197, reflecting Amazon&#8217;s closing price of $212.71 on the same day. 



The acquisition comes amid a backdrop of positive analyst sentiment and strategic investments in Amazon. According to a <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/02/43847764/amazon-tightens-grip-e-commerce-accelerates-jpmorgans-best-idea-2025">recent report</a>, JPMorgan analyst Doug Anmuth highlighted Amazon as his &#8220;Best Idea&#8221; for 2025, citing an expected acceleration in U.S. e-commerce growth.



Furthermore,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43875453/valueact-bets-119-million-on-amazon-as-analysts-see-25-upside-whats-driving-jeff-bezos-e-commerce-gianthttps://in.benzinga.com/25/02/43880110/james-bond-franchise-shifts-hands-to-amazon-mgm-studios">ValueAct Holdings</a>&nbsp;recently invested $119 million in Amazon, reflecting confidence in the company&#8217;s strategic direction. This investment aligns with Amazon&#8217;s reported fourth-quarter net sales of $187.8 billion, surpassing analyst expectations and marking a 10% year-over-year increase. These developments underscore Amazon&#8217;s strong market position and potential for continued growth.



Other Key Trades:



<ul>
<li>Deere &amp; Co: Ark Invest&#8217;s ARKK fund purchased 10,271 shares.</li>



<li>Iridium Communications Inc: ARKK fund acquired 108,803 shares,</li>



<li>Datadog Inc: ARKW fund bought 15,597 shares.</li>
</ul>



Image via Shutterstock



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/25/02/43929332/palantir-ceo-alex-karp-has-new-book-out-about-silicon-valley-a-moment-of-reckoning-has-arrived-for-the-west">Palantir CEO Alex Karp Has New Book Out About Silicon Valley: &#8216;A Moment Of Reckoning Has Arrived For The West&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/shivdeep-dhaliwal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shivdeep Dhaliwal</a>

AMZN

ARKF

Cathie Wood's Ark Invest Makes Amazon Bet in Monday Market Splash

Hims &amp; Hers Health Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HIMS#NYSE">HIMS</a>) reported its fourth-quarter results after Monday's closing bell. Here's a look at the key <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/02/b43925670/hims-hers-health-inc-reports-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2024-financial-results">figures from the quarter. </a>



The Details: Hims &amp; Hers Health reported quarterly GAAP earnings of 11 cents per share, which met the analyst consensus estimate. Quarterly revenue came in at $481.14 million, which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $470.31 million and is an increase over revenue of $246.62 million from the same period last year.



Hims &amp; Hers subscribers grew to 2.2 million, up 45% year-over-year in 2024. Gross margin was 77% for the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to 83% for the fourth quarter of 2023.



Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/02/43920295/palantir-extends-losses-microsoft-slides-whats-driving-markets-monday">Palantir Extends Losses, Microsoft Slides: What&#8217;s Driving Markets Monday?&nbsp;</a>



&#8220;2024 was a fantastic year at Hims and Hers as we continue to build a platform that leverages personalization and technology unlike any traditional healthcare system,&#8221; said Andrew Dudum, Hims &amp; Hers Health CEO. 



&#8220;Over 2 million subscribers now entrust Hims &amp; Hers to aid them in their journey to better health — with thousands more joining daily,&#8221; Dudum added.



Outlook: For the first quarter of 2025, Hims and Hers expects revenue of $520 million to $540 million and adjusted EBITDA of $55 million to $65 million, reflecting an adjusted EBITDA margin of 11% to 12%.



For the full year 2025, the company expects revenue of $2.3 billion to $2.4 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $270 million to $320 million, reflecting an adjusted EBITDA margin of 12% to 13%.



HIMS Price Action: According to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?gspk=YWRhbWVja2VydDUzMzY&amp;gsxid=zBMR4PKmcgBw">Benzinga Pro</a>, Hims &amp; Hers Health shares are down 17.66% after hours at $42.25 Monday.  



Read Next:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/02/43903335/financial-crime-weekly-1-4-billion-ethereum-stolen-in-largest-crypto-hack-ever-sec-creates-cyber-and-emerging-technologies-unit">&nbsp;</a>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/02/43903335/financial-crime-weekly-1-4-billion-ethereum-stolen-in-largest-crypto-hack-ever-sec-creates-cyber-and-emerging-technologies-unit">Financial Crime Weekly: $1.4 Billion Ethereum Stolen In Largest Crypto Hack Ever, SEC Creates Cyber And Emerging Technologies Unit</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Health Care

Hims & Hers Health Stock Drops After Q4 Report: EPS In-Line, Revenues Beat

A new book from Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>) CEO and co-founder Alex Karp has a unique take on the company's role and how Silicon Valley lost its way. The timing of the book launch comes as Palantir stock has soared in the past year.



What Happened: Karp and Palantir's Head of Corporate Affairs Nicholas Zamiska co-authored the new book, "The Technological Republic: Hard Power, Soft Belief, and the Future of the West," which serves as a manifesto of sorts about the data analytics company.



In the book, Karp and Zamiska say, "Silicon Valley has lost its way," as <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/02/23/palantir-ceos-new-book-says-silicon-valley-has-lost-its-way/?guccounter=1">reported </a>by TechCrunch.



The book <a href="https://techrepublicbook.com/?gad_source=1&amp;gbraid=0AAAAA-5oD3wY2yT2cnjhljB0Fm1UdHSfg&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiAq-u9BhCjARIsANLj-s3GDb2MOQ6TeLvEK0DnyL_wX06AkWQqEwpIreM1pRZsx7JtHMSobXYaAoTEEALw_wcB">dives </a>into the close relationship between technology companies in Silicon Valley and the U.S. government and how that helped with the growth of the area.



The duo said the government is now developing new technology with companies in the private sector and Silicon Valley is "focusing its energy on narrow consumer products."



Today's Silicon Valley looks different with dominance of the region belonging to online advertising and shopping, video-sharing platforms and social media, the duo writes.



"A generation of talent has been led astray. And a moment of reckoning has arrived for the West."



The book's description says items such as "timid leadership" and "intellectual fragility" have made the U.S. vulnerable to global threats.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/management/24/09/40862198/palantir-ceo-offers-radical-take-on-national-security-touch-an-american-and-well-inflict-pain-on-">Palantir CEO Offers &#8216;Radical&#8217; Take On National Security: &#8216;Touch An American And We&#8217;ll Inflict Pain On You For Generations&#8217;</a>



Why It's Important: The book seeks to make a difference in the shift and regain the rise of Silicon Valley.



"The software industry should rebuild its relationship with government and redirect its effort and attention to constructing the technology and artificial intelligence capabilities that will address the most pressing challenges that we collectively face."



The authors say the government must also embrace the Silicon Valley mindset once again for both items to be successful.



The book's release timing comes after Donald Trump was sworn in as president in January.



Some reviewers of the book question the timing of the book and whether it came before Trump won the 2024 election.



Karp previously<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/broad-u-s-equity-etfs/24/09/40795608/palantirs-s-p-500-journey-rebel-tech-giant-transforms-into-frankenstein-monster-powere"> addressed Palantir's unique path </a>of becoming a component of the S&amp;P 500. Karp&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8o_lK7-133Q" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">emphasized&nbsp;</a>how Palantir&#8217;s unique approach, centered on building exceptional products, has been key to its success.



&#8220;We built the best products in the world. We started off in one area of the West Clandestine Services. We migrated into the military, into Spec Ops in the U.S. commercial and into us into commercial globally,&#8221; Karp explained.



Karp said some analysts thought Palantir was a "Frankenstein monster powered by a freak show leader" before becoming a profitable company.



PLTR Price Action: Palantir stock closed Monday down 10.53% at $90.68. Palantir stock is up over 280% in the last year.



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43806845/palantir-ceo-alex-karp-backs-elon-musks-government-efficiency-efforts-calls-him-most-important-builder">Palantir CEO Alex Karp Backs Elon Musk&#8217;s Government Efficiency Efforts, Calls Him &#8216;Most Important Builder&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Photos: Courtesy Crown Currency; Shutterstock

Management

PLTR

Palantir CEO Alex Karp Has New Book Out About Silicon Valley: 'A Moment Of Reckoning Has Arrived For The West'

President Donald Trump reaffirmed on Monday that his administration will proceed with tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, despite concerns over its economic impact. The decision, initially delayed by a month, is set to take effect next week, marking a significant shift in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/tariffs">North American trade relations.</a>



What Happened: Trump reiterated his stance on tariffs at the White House press conference, claiming that foreign nations have unfairly benefited from U.S. trade policies. He emphasized the necessity of reciprocal tariffs as a corrective measure, stating, &#8220;So the tariffs will go forward, yes, and we're going to make up a lot of territory,&#8221; CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/24/trump-says-tariffs-on-canada-and-mexico-will-go-forward.html">reported</a>.



The tariffs, covering all imported goods from Mexico and Canada, target two of the U.S.&#8217;s largest trading partners. In 2023, the U.S. imported $480 billion worth of goods from Mexico and $429.6 billion from Canada, underscoring the extensive <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/01/433981">economic ties between the nations.</a>



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/specialty-etfs/25/02/43924482/exclusive-3-etfs-positioned-for-microsofts-quantum-breakthrough">EXCLUSIVE: 3 ETFs Positioned For Microsoft&#8217;s Quantum Breakthrough</a>



Analysts warn that these tariffs could severely disrupt supply chains, particularly in the automotive and industrial sectors. Major automakers like General Motors Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>) and Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/F#NYSE">F</a>) may be among the hardest hit. The added costs could lead to higher vehicle prices or force manufacturers to absorb the impact, squeezing profit margins.



Why It Matters: The economic implications could extend beyond corporate boardrooms. Goldman Sachs estimates that GDP in Canada and Mexico could decline by up to 4%, while the U.S. may experience inflationary pressure, with core personal consumption expenditures rising by 0.7%. 



Read Next:



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43906811/trump-reportedly-warns-big-pharma-move-manufacturing-to-us-or-face-tariffs">Trump Reportedly Warns Big Pharma: Move Manufacturing To US Or Face Tariffs</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Trump Confirms Tariffs On Canada, Mexico Will Take Effect As Planned

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