The inflation measured on U.S. producer prices rose more sharply than anticipated in November, marking its second consecutive increase and casting a shadow over the broader outlook for<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/inflation"> disinflation in the economy.</a>



In November, the producer price index increased by 3% year-over-year — the highest since February 2023 — marking a significant uptick from October&#8217;s upwardly revised 2.6% and economist forecasts of 2.6%, as tracked by TradingEconomics.



This official data, released on Thursday, follows a rise in the consumer price index inflation to 2.7% annually last <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42436676/inflation-rises-as-expected-in-november-sustain-hopes-for-next-weeks-fed-interest-rate-cut">month, aligning with estimates.</a>



On a monthly basis, the PPI climbed 0.4%, exceeding both the previous month&#8217;s upwardly revised 0.3% and the forecasted figure of 0.2%. 



Excluding volatile items such as food and energy, the core PPI rose by 3.4% annually, matching an upwardly revised 3.4% in October and above expectations of 3.2%. This marks the fifth consecutive increase in underlying producer prices, with inflation reaching its highest level since June 2024.



On a monthly basis, the core PPI increased by 0.2%, a slight decline from October&#8217;s 0.3%, meeting projections.



Simultaneously, jobless claims rose more than expected to 242,000 for the week ending Dec. 7, surpassing estimates of 220,000. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Producer Prices Are Rising: Why It Matters</h3>



Before the release of the PPI report, investors were nearly fully pricing in an interest rate cut at the Federal Reserve&#8217;s monetary policy meeting next week.



While the robust PPI data is unlikely to halt the widely expected 25-basis-point interest rate cut, it could draw attention during Fed Chair Jerome Powell's press conference, potentially prompting more cautious commentary.



Policymakers aim to maintain consumer prices near the 2% target, but a stronger-than-expected increase in producer input prices could eventually pass through to consumer prices if the trend continues.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Market Reactions</h3>



The U.S. Dollar Index (DXY), tracked through the Invesco DB USD Index Bullish Fund ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UUP#NYSE">UUP</a>), rose 0.1% following the report. 



Session gains for the greenback were further supported by an interest rate cut from the European Central Bank. 



The ECB reduced its interest rate by 25 basis points to 3%, as widely anticipated. This decision drove the euro-dollar exchange rate below the 1.05 level.



Treasury yields remained steady after the PPI report, as the upward impact from hotter inflation was simultaneously counterbalanced by downward pressure from rising jobless claims. 



U.S. equity futures turned negative in premarket trading in New York. Futures contracts for the S&amp;P 500 fell 0.4%, reflecting heightened investor caution.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42456905/us-stocks-to-open-lower-despite-strong-probability-of-upcoming-fed-rate-cut-market-breadth-skewed-in-the-favor-of-bears-over-the-last-seven-session">Wall Street Poised To Open Lower A Day After Nasdaq&#8217;s Record Close Above 20,000: Expert Flags &#8216;Deterioration Under The Surface&#8217; As 117 S&amp;P 500 Stocks Hit New Monthly Lows</a></li>
</ul>



Photo via Shutterstock.

Equities

Bonds

Eurozone

Currency ETFs

Treasuries

Econ #s

Economics

Federal Reserve

Markets

ETFs

Producer Inflation Rises More Than Expected To 3% In November: All Eyes On The Fed's Interest Rate Call

The European Central Bank on Thursday lowered the deposit rate by 25 basis points. The widely-anticipated move marks the ECB&#8217;s fourth interest <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41379867/european-central-bank-lowers-interest-rates-again-first-back-to-back-cuts-in-13-years">rate cut of the year.&nbsp;</a>



The Details: The Governing Council lowered the interest rates on the deposit facility, the main refinancing operations and the marginal lending facility to 3.00%, 3.15% and 3.40% respectively.&nbsp;



&#8220;Financing conditions are easing, as the Governing Council's recent interest rate cuts gradually make new borrowing less expensive for firms and households,&#8221; the ECB said in a<a href="https://www.ecb.europa.eu/press/pr/date/2024/html/ecb.mp241212~2acab6e51e.en.html"> press release.</a>&nbsp;



&#8220;But they continue to be tight because monetary policy remains restrictive and past interest rate hikes are still transmitting to the outstanding stock of credit.&#8221;



Read More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42436676/inflation-rises-as-expected-in-november-sustain-hopes-for-next-weeks-fed-interest-rate-cut">Inflation Rises As Expected In November, Sustains Hopes For December Interest Rate Cut</a>



The ECB said its staff now expect a slower economic recovery than in its September projections, with survey indicators suggesting growth has slowed in the current quarter. 



ECB Staff now see the Eurozone economy growing by 0.7% in 2024, 1.1% in 2025, 1.4% in 2026 and 1.3% in 2027.&nbsp;



The Governing Council said that it will follow a "data-dependent and meeting-by-meeting approach" as it remains determined to ensure inflation stabilizes at its 2% target. It also stressed that it is not committing to any particular rate path going forward.&nbsp;



Markets React: European markets are steady on Thursday as traders assess the ECB&#8217;s interest rate cut. The pan-European Stoxx 600 index was down 0.06% at around 1:30 p.m. London time. Investors will be watching the Xtrackers MSCI Europe Hedged Equity ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DBEU#NYSE">DBEU</a>) and the SPDR Portfolio Europe ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPEU#NYSE">SPEU</a>) to gauge the U.S. market reaction to the cuts. 



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42370672/sofi-makes-spacex-accessible-for-retail-investors">SoFi Unlocks SpaceX Exposure For Retail Investors: Here&#8217;s How</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock&nbsp;

News

Global

DBEU

SPEU

European Central Bank Lowers Interest Rates, Fourth Cut In 2024

SpaceX&#8216;s valuation reportedly hit $350 billion after the company and its investors agreed to purchase $1.25 billion of insider shares. Now, founder Elon Musk has revealed that almost none of the existing investors wanted to sell their holdings.



What Happened: The company and its investors agreed to buy insider shares at $185 a share, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-12-10/spacex-share-sale-is-said-to-value-company-at-about-350-billion">reported</a>, citing an internal email. SpaceX alone is offering to buy as much as $500 million in common stock as part of the offer, the report added.



The new valuation represents a 67% surge from the company&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39519229/elon-musk-dismisses-rumors-of-spacex-ipo-as-it-reportedly-seeks-210b-valuation-pressure-for-short-te">previous valuation of $210 billion</a> it hit in a secondary share sale in June. 



The new valuation makes SpaceX the most valuable private startup in the world. Its valuation, in fact, trumps the valuation of listed rival Boeing Co. Boeing has a market cap of only $122.78 billion as of last close.



Why It Matters: SpaceX is privately held, unlike Musk's Tesla which is a publicly listed company. The secondary offering gives employees and shareholders the choice of selling shares they hold in the company and generating liquidity.



&#8220;What's really crazy about this is that almost no investors wanted to sell shares even at a $350B valuation! SpaceX reduced the amount of shares it bought back from employees in order to allow some new investors in,&#8221; SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said on Wednesday about the insider share sale, confirming the new valuation.



<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">What's really crazy about this is that almost no investors wanted to sell shares even at a $350B valuation! SpaceX reduced the amount of shares it bought back from employees in order to allow some new investors in.&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1866789126814699824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Musk has <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39519229/elon-musk-dismisses-rumors-of-spacex-ipo-as-it-reportedly-seeks-210b-valuation-pressure-for-short-te" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">previously dismissed</a> the possibility of a SpaceX initial public offering (IPO), citing the intense pressure for short-term results faced by publicly listed companies.



Despite SpaceX being private, investors can leverage Destiny Tech100 Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DXYZ#NYSE">DXYZ</a>) and Cathie Wood‘s Ark Venture Fund (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKVX#NASDAQ">ARKVX</a>) to participate in the Musk-led space company's growth.



Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link.</a>



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42432727/lucids-gravity-gets-official-range-estimate-higher-than-teslas-model-x-but-lower-than-its-own-air-sedan" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lucid's Gravity Gets Official Range Estimate: Higher Than Tesla's Model X, But Lower Than Its Own Air Sedan</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

SPACE

Tech

DXYZ

ARKVX

SpaceX Hits $350 Billion Valuation In Insider Share Sale: CEO Elon Musk Says 'No Investors Wanted To Sell Shares'

President-elect Donald Trump is set to ring the New York Stock Exchange opening bell Thursday, just months after threatening to move his company Trump Media &amp; Technology Group Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DJT#NASDAQ">DJT</a>) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42447434/democratic-congressman-bought-djt-stock-after-2024-election-months-after-saying-donald-trump-unfit-to-serve">from Nasdaq to NYSE over trading halts</a>.



What Happened: The ceremony comes as DJT stock has surged 107.62% year-to-date, closing at $36.23 on Wednesday with a market capitalization of $7.25 billion.



The former president publicly criticized Nasdaq in September when his company&#8217;s shares faced routine trading halts. &#8220;Why is NASDAQ halting the sale of DJT?&#8221; Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/113132456877184604">wrote</a> on Truth Social. &#8220;I am going to hold NASDAQ, and maybe the SEC, liable for doing what they are doing. If they do it again, we will move the stock to the New York Stock Exchange,&#8221; Trump added.



The stock has seen a volatile performance, with prices ranging from $11.75 to $79.38 over the past 52 weeks. The company&#8217;s shares saw significant movement in September following Trump&#8217;s announcement that he wouldn&#8217;t sell his stake in the company.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/12023338/Screenshot-2024-12-12-at-12.59.49%E2%80%AFPM-1-1024x675.png" alt="" class="wp-image-688981" style="width:535px;height:auto"/></figure>



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42452165/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-spike-after-inflation-data-matches-expectations-top-analyst-foresees-new-btc-ath-if-it-stays-above-this-level">Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Spike After Inflation Data Matches Expectations: Top Analyst Foresees New BTC ATH If It Stays Above This Level</a>



Why It Matters: The bell-ringing ceremony carries particular significance as Trump faces legal challenges, including <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/24/12/42405278/trump-plays-presidential-immunity-card-in-truth-social-lawsuit-battle">attempts to invoke presidential immunity</a> in a lawsuit against Trump Media &amp; Technology Group. 



Previous presidents, including Ronald Reagan, have used similar NYSE appearances to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/politics/24/12/42445514/trump-to-open-nyse-thursday-as-markets-surge">promote their economic agenda</a>.



Trump&#8217;s appearance at the exchange comes amid <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42452127/nasdaq-breaks-20000-milestone-as-tech-rally-rate-cut-hopes-fuel-market-optimism">broader market optimism</a>, with major indexes reaching record highs following the November election. 



The stock&#8217;s current technical indicators show a Relative Strength Index of 62, suggesting moderate buying momentum as Trump makes his first NYSE bell-ringing appearance.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42452127/nasdaq-breaks-20000-milestone-as-tech-rally-rate-cut-hopes-fuel-market-optimism">Nasdaq Surges Past 20,000 For First Time, Driven By Tech Gains And Rate Cut Hopes</a></li>
</ul>



Image via Shutterstock



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

Social Media

DJT Stock In Focus As Trump Set To Ring NYSE Bell Today: Here's Why President-Elect Once Threatened To Shift Trump Media From Nasdaq

U.S. stock futures declined on Thursday in premarket hours after hitting fresh highs on Wednesday. The futures of all the four major indices were trading lower.



November inflation data was in line with analyst expectations, shooting up the probability of a further 25 basis point rate cut in December rose to 98.6% versus 58.75% probability a month ago, according to <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">CME Group&#8217;s FedWatch tool</a>. Federal Reserve officials are currently in a quiet period ahead of their December meeting.



Traders now await the producer price index data, which will be released later today. The 10-year and two-year Treasury notes yielded 4.30% and 4.18%, respectively



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Futures</td><td>Change (+/-)</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>-0.24%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>-0.16%</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>-0.19%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-0.18%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



In premarket trading on Wednesday, the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) was down 0.12% to $606.71 and the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) declined 0.20% to $528.87, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro data</a>.



Cues From The Last Session



The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for November climbed 2.7% year-over-year, aligning with expectations. 1 Core inflation, excluding volatile food and energy costs, held steady at 3.3%.  



The Magnificent Seven's combined <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42445451/nasdaq-100-rallies-to-record-highs-magnificent-7-market-cap-tops-17-trillion-bitcoin-soars-to-100000-whats-driving-markets-wednesday">market cap hits $18.2 trillion,</a> with five giants reaching all-time highs on Wednesday. The Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MAGS#NASDAQ">MAGS</a>), a closely watched benchmark for the group&#8217;s market performance, surged 3.03% on Wednesday, setting a new all-time high.



The Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MAGS#NASDAQ">MAGS</a>) surged 3.03%, its best performance since early November. 



The broader market also participated in the rally. The S&amp;P 500 climbed 0.82%, nearing its all-time high. Small-cap stocks added 0.48%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.22% lower.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Index</td><td>Performance (+/-)</td><td>Value</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq Composite</td><td>1.77%</td><td>20,034.90</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>0.82%</td><td>6,084.19</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>-0.22%</td><td>44,148.56</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>0.48%</td><td>2,394.16</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42445451/nasdaq-100-rallies-to-record-highs-magnificent-7-market-cap-tops-17-trillion-bitcoin-soars-to-100000-whats-driving-markets-wednesday">Nasdaq 100 Rallies To Record Highs, Magnificent 7 Market Cap Tops $17 Trillion, Bitcoin Soars To $100,000: What&#8217;s Driving Markets Wednesday?</a>



Insights From Analysts



Despite the S&amp;P 500 Index nearing record highs on Wednesday, its breadth was skewed in the favour of the bears.



&#8220;117 stocks in the S&amp;P 500 made a new monthly low yesterday, the most since 139 on Halloween. 211 made a 10-day low, most since Sept 6,&#8221; said Ryan Detrick, the chief market strategist at Carson Group.



<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">117 stocks in the S&amp;P 500 made a new monthly low yesterday, the most since 139 on Halloween. 211 made a 10-day low, most since Sept 6. Not end of world stuff, but clearly some deterioration under the surface taking place.&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1866927212479590411?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



The breadth has been skewed for the last seven days. &#8220;Since 2010, only happened two other times. Aug &#8217;11 and Dec &#8217;18. Small sample size yes, but not the worst times for bulls going forward,&#8221; added Detrick.



<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">7 consecutive days there have been more decliners than advancers on the S&amp;P 500. Since 2010, only happened two other times. Aug &#39;11 and Dec &#39;18. Small sample size yes, but not the worst times for bulls going forward.&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1866929220540305836?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Talking about balancing growth amid policy shifts, Andrew Pease, the chief investment strategist at Russell Investments said, &#8220;Tax cuts and deregulation could provide a meaningful growth boost, particularly to domestic and cyclical sectors.&#8221;



&#8220;Given lower valuations and improving sentiment, we are more positive on U.S. small-cap equity than we have been in prior years. Large-cap dominance in both earnings and price appreciation will require a catalyst to shift returns in the small-cap direction,&#8221; he added.



Apart from small-caps, Pease in his note said that &#8220;growth managers targeting high-growth cyclical sectors like software, while value managers identify mergers and acquisitions potential in financials and healthcare. Core managers are balancing cyclical exposure and managing risks in rate-sensitive sectors.&#8221;



Citing rich valuations, Alex Chaloff, the chief investment officer at Bernstein Private Wealth Management said that they are still pro-equities.



&#8220;We&#8217;re optimistic on equities, think that valuations are a little bit rich in a pocket of the market, but there are some opportunities. In bonds, you can clip the coupon even if rates move higher from here, which we don&#8217;t think is our base case,&#8221; he said.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42453807/spacex-hits-350-billion-valuation-in-insider-share-sale-ceo-elon-musk-says-no-investors-wanted-to-sell-shares">SpaceX Hits $350 Billion Valuation In Insider Share Sale: CEO Elon Musk Says &#8216;No Investors Wanted To Sell Shares&#8217;</a>



Upcoming Economic Data



This week&#8217;s remaining economic calendar with essential data releases that will help investors shape their future plans and strategies.



<ul>
<li>On Thursday, initial jobless claims data till Dec. 7 and the core and headline producer price index for November will be released at 8:30 a.m. ET.</li>



<li>On Friday, the import price index data will be released at 8:30 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>



Stocks In Focus:



<ul>
<li>Macy's, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/M#NYSE">M</a>) was down 1.03% as its net sales decreased 2.4%. Sales growth at Macy's First 50 locations, Bloomingdale's, and Bluemercury was offset primarily by weakness in Macy's non-First 50 locations, digital channels, and cold weather categories.</li>



<li>Nordson Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NDSN#NASDAQ">NDSN</a>) fell by 5.43% as the company revenue guidance for the fiscal year 2025 was below analyst expectations.</li>



<li>Adobe Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ADBE#NASDAQ">ADBE</a>) declined by 9.99% after its earnings beat estimates but the revenue guidance for the first quarter missed the mark.</li>



<li>Ciena Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CIEN#NYSE">CIEN</a>) was up 1.08% in the premarket as it is slated to report quarterly earnings before the bell. Wall Street expects it to report quarterly earnings of 66 cents per share on revenue of $1.10 billion.</li>



<li>DBV Technologies SA &#8211; ADR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DBVT#NASDAQ">DBVT</a>) rose by 32.83% after the company announced alignment with the FDA on an accelerated approval pathway for the Viaskin peanut patch in toddlers one to three years old.</li>



<li>Amplitech Group Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMPG#NASDAQ">AMPG</a>) gained 39.90% after the company priced its $2.2 million registered direct offering of 1.35 million shares at $1.60 per share.</li>



<li>Nuburu Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BURU#NYSE">BURU</a>) was up 22.62% after the company addressed NYSE compliance violations over 4.6 million share issuance.</li>



<li>Trump Media &amp; Technology Group Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DJT#NASDAQ">DJT</a>) is in focus as President-elect Donald Trump <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/12/42454492/djt-stock-in-focus-as-trump-set-to-ring-nyse-bell-today-heres-why-president-elect-once-threatened-to-shift-trump-media-from-nasdaq">is set to ring </a>the New York Stock Exchange opening bell Thursday.</li>
</ul>



Commodities, Bonds And Global Equity Markets:



Crude oil futures were largely unchanged in the early New York session and rose 0.03% to hover around $70.31 per barrel.



The gold spot index fell by 0.37% to $2,746.59 per ounce. The Dollar Index was down 0.12% to 106.581 level.



Asian markets were mixed on Thursday as Australia&#8217;s ASX 200 and India&#8217;s S&amp;P BSE Sensex declined. While, Hong Kong&#8217;s Hang Seng, China&#8217;s CSI 300, Japan&#8217;s Nikkei 225, and South Korea&#8217;s Kospi Index advanced. Most European markets advanced.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42454495/microsoft-expects-800-million-impairment-charge-due-to-gms-cruise-exit-but-analysts-say-its-a-step-in-the-right-direction-for-automaker">Microsoft Expects $800 Million Impairment Charge Due To GM&#8217;s Cruise Exit, Analyst Says It&#8217;s A &#8216;Step In The Right Direction&#8217; For Automaker</a></li>
</ul>



Image Via Shutterstock

Market Summary

Movers & Shakers

Pre-Market Outlook

Trading Ideas

General

ADBE

AMPG

BURU

CIEN

DBVT

MAGS

NDSN

Wall Street Poised To Open Lower A Day After Nasdaq's Record Close Above 20,000: Expert Flags 'Deterioration Under The Surface' As 117 S&P 500 Stocks Hit New Monthly Lows

The Nasdaq Composite broke through the 20,000-point barrier, reaching 20,034 for the first time on Wednesday. The tech-centric index leaped 1.77%, propelled by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/large-cap/24/12/42447567/magnificent-seven-tech-titans-hit-182-trillion-market-cap-alphabet-amazon-apple-meta-tesla-jointly-notch-all-time-highs">widespread advances in tech stocks</a> and growing optimism about Federal Reserve rate cuts in 2024.



What Happened: The S&amp;P 500 rose by 0.82% to hit 6,084. In contrast, the Dow Jones Industrial Average bucked the trend, falling by 99.27 points to 44,148, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.



Leading the rally were shares of Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>), which jumped 2.7%, building on Tuesday&#8217;s 5.3% advance. Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) climbed 1.2% to $412, reaching its highest level since November 2021, boosted by Goldman Sachs raising its price target to $345.



The Magnificent Seven combined market capitalization surged to an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/large-cap/24/12/42447567/magnificent-seven-tech-titans-hit-182-trillion-market-cap-alphabet-amazon-apple-meta-tesla-jointly-notch-all-time-highs">unprecedented $18.2 trillion</a>.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/12/42449013/adobe-q4-earnings-revenue-eps-beat-on-strong-demand-related-to-ai-shares-slide-following-soft-guidance">Adobe Q4 Earnings: Revenue, EPS Beat On Strong Demand Related To AI, Shares Slide Following Soft Guidance</a>



Why It Matters: The milestone comes as November&#8217;s Consumer Price Index showed inflation rose 2.7% <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/24/12/42440275/wall-street-gains-tech-rallies-tesla-hits-all-time-highs-as-inflation-data-firms-up-feds-next-interest-rate-cut">year-over-year</a>, slightly above October&#8217;s 2.6% but matching economist forecasts. 



Core inflation held steady at 3.3%, meeting expectations. Following the data, traders increased bets on interest rate cuts, with CME FedWatch showing a 96% probability of a quarter-point reduction at the Fed&#8217;s Dec. 18 meeting, up from 86% before the report.



Treasury yields declined, with the rate-sensitive 2-year yield dropping 4 basis points to 4.10% and the benchmark 10-year yield falling 2 basis points to 4.20%, reflecting market optimism about potential monetary easing.



Overseas markets showed mixed performance, with Japan&#8217;s Nikkei 225 and China&#8217;s Shanghai Composite posting modest gains, while Hong Kong&#8217;s Hang Seng declined 0.8%. European markets moved higher, with France&#8217;s CAC 40 leading gains at 0.4%.



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/large-cap/24/12/42447567/magnificent-seven-tech-titans-hit-182-trillion-market-cap-alphabet-amazon-apple-meta-tesla-jointly-notch-all-time-highs">Magnificent Seven Tech Titans Hit $18.2 Trillion Market Cap: Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Tesla Jointly Notch All-Time Highs</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.

GOOGL

TSLA

Nasdaq Surges Past 20,000 For First Time, Driven By Tech Gains And Rate Cut Hopes

Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) CEO Mark Zuckerberg sold approximately $88 million worth of company stock over the past week, according to regulatory filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Wednesday.



What Happened: The sales occurred in two tranches, with Zuckerberg divesting $43.82 million in shares last week followed by an additional $44.29 million this week. The transactions were executed at prices ranging from $607.97 to $621.88 per share, the SEC filings show.



The stock sales come amid Meta&#8217;s stellar performance in 2024, with shares surging 82.70% year-to-date. The company&#8217;s stock closed at $632.68 on Wednesday, up 2.16%, though it edged down 0.20% in after-hours trading.



The social media giant&#8217;s robust performance aligns with the broader success of the &#8220;Magnificent Seven&#8221; tech companies. Meta, alongside Apple Inc., Alphabet Inc., Amazon.com Inc., and Tesla Inc., reached new record highs during Wednesday&#8217;s trading session. Together, these tech giants have achieved a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/large-cap/24/12/42447567/magnificent-seven-tech-titans-hit-182-trillion-market-cap-alphabet-amazon-apple-meta-tesla-jointly-notch-all-time-highs">combined market capitalization of $18.2 trillion</a>.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42452127/nasdaq-breaks-20000-milestone-as-tech-rally-rate-cut-hopes-fuel-market-optimism">Nasdaq Surges Past 20,000 For First Time, Driven By Tech Gains And Rate Cut Hopes</a>



Why It Matters: Despite the recent share sales, Zuckerberg remains one of the world&#8217;s wealthiest individuals, ranking third on the Bloomberg Billionaire Index with a net worth of $224 billion. 



The insider selling activity at Meta has been notable, with company insiders selling 59.63K shares worth $90.71M over the past 30 days, while no insider purchases were reported during the same period.



Meta currently boasts a market capitalization of $1.59 trillion and trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.23. The company&#8217;s stock has traded between $320.00 and $629.79 over the past 52 weeks, with analysts maintaining a positive outlook. 



Based on 41 analyst ratings, Meta has a consensus price target of $639.56, with recent analyses from Piper Sandler, Raymond James, and Wells Fargo suggesting an average upside potential of 4.85%, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/META/analyst-ratings">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/meta/analyst-ratings"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/12010037/Screenshot-2024-12-12-at-11.29.54%E2%80%AFAM-1024x373.png" alt="" class="wp-image-688846"/></a></figure>



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</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.

Mark Zuckerberg Sells Stock Worth $88M As Meta Surges Over 82% In 2024

OpenAI&#8217;s widely-used ChatGPT service is experiencing a major disruption, leaving millions of users worldwide unable to access the platform.



What Happened: The outage on Wednesday has affected both free and premium users, including businesses that rely on OpenAI&#8217;s API.



Monitoring site DownDetector.com had recorded about 30,000 outage reports in the U.S.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/12/42406434/meta-and-youtube-remove-accounts-of-luigi-mangione-but-x-reinstates-profile-elon-musk-says-happened-without-my-knowledge?itm_source=parsely-api">Meta And YouTube Remove Accounts Of Luigi Mangione, But X Reinstates Profile: Elon Musk Says, &#8216;Happened Without My Knowledge&#8217;</a>



According to OpenAI, the issue was identified in API, Sora, and ChatGPT, and efforts are underway to restore normal operations.



<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">We&#39;re experiencing an outage right now. We have identified the issue and are working to roll out a fix. Sorry and we&#39;ll keep you updated!&mdash; OpenAI (@OpenAI) <a href="https://twitter.com/OpenAI/status/1867000372826607627?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 12, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



At 8 PM ETC OpenAI updated saying, &#8220;We have identified a pathway to recovery and we are starting to see some traffic successfully return. Continuing to work to return service to normal.&#8221;



However, at the time of writing the issues still persisted, with no estimated resolution time provided yet.



Subscribe to the <a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a> to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.



Why It Matters: The outage comes at a critical time for OpenAI, as the company is conducting its &#8220;12 Days of OpenAI&#8221; event, which <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42332451/sam-altman-teases-12-days-of-openai-christmas-magic-users-predict-unveiling-of-sora-o1-reasoning-model-and-more">began on Dec. 5</a>.



Already, OpenAI has introduced <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42356469/openai-unveils-200-chatgpt-pro-subscription-inside-the-o1-reasoning-model-and-what-it-means-for-power-users">a new subscription tier</a>, ChatGPT Pro, priced at $200 per month, and Sora, an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42398825/sam-altman-calls-openais-new-video-generator-so-compelling">AI-powered video generation tool</a>, among other things.



The ChatGPT Pro offers unlimited access to all models, including the advanced &#8220;o1&#8221; reasoning model,



Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech">following this link</a>.



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

Sam Altman's '12 Days Of OpenAI' Christmas Magic Gets Interrupted By Uninvited Outage — ChatGPT Parent Says 'Identified A Pathway To Recovery'

Leading cryptocurrencies rallied Wednesday after in-line inflation data boosted expectations of monetary easing by the Federal Reserve.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><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>+5.03%</td><td>$100,927.86</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>+6.42%</td><td>$3,828.77</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>+6.38%</td><td>$0.4121</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



What Happened: Following a minor pullback, Bitcoin reclaimed the $100,000 mark, while Ethereum returned to the $3,800 territory.



Bitcoin's upswing catalyzed the rest of the market, as the altcoin dominance increased by 4.41% over the last 24 hours.



Cryptocurrency liquidations surpassed $240 million in the last 24 hours, with $154 million in leveraged shorts getting wiped out.



Over $400 million in shorts risked liquidation on Binance if Bitcoin rises to $104,000.



Bitcoin's Open Interest surged by 4.90% in the last 24 hours. Interestingly, the number of traders shorting the asset rose dramatically in the last 24 hours, implying a greater expectation of another dip.



Market sentiment returned to the "Extreme Greed" zone, as per the Cryptocurrency Fear &amp; Greed Index, lending credence to the pullback narrative.



Top Gainers (24-Hours)



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Gains +/-</td><td>Price (Recorded at 7:30 p.m. ET)</td></tr><tr><td>Peanut the Squirrel (PNUT)</td><td>+27.97%</td><td>$1.32</td></tr><tr><td>Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL)</td><td>+22.87%</td><td>$1.92</td></tr><tr><td>Sui (SUI)</td><td>+21.35%</td><td>$4.47</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $3.61 trillion, surging&nbsp; 5.02% over the last 24 hours.



The stock market rebounded sharply after consecutive days of losses. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite jumped 1.77% to close at a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42452127/nasdaq-breaks-20000-milestone-as-tech-rally-rate-cut-hopes-fuel-market-optimism">record high</a> of 20,034.89. The S&amp;P 500 rallied 0.82%, ending at 6,084.19. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, however, closed another day in the red, slipping 0.22% to 44,148.56.



The tech rally was supported by electric vehicle giant Tesla Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) stock hitting all-time highs after a 5.93% spike.



Additionally, November's Consumer Price Index <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42436676/inflation-rises-as-expected-in-november-sustain-hopes-for-next-weeks-fed-interest-rate-cut">matched analyst's expectations</a>, prompting traders to <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">raise </a>the likelihood of a 25 basis point rate cut in next week's Federal Reserve meeting to 98.6% from 88.9% a day before, per CME FedWatch data.



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



Analyst Notes: Popular cryptocurrency analyst and trader Michaël van de Poppe stated that Bitcoin was headed to new all-time highs in the coming days if it managed to stay above the $97,844 resistance level.



<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">Let&#39;s do some TA on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a>. It broke through a crucial area yesterday. If it holds above that resistance level, likely we&#39;ll see a new ATH in the coming days. We&#39;re back in $100k+ territory. <a href="https://t.co/eiK45s5aNi">pic.twitter.com/eiK45s5aNi</a>&mdash; Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) <a href="https://twitter.com/CryptoMichNL/status/1866915100935770325?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Another widely followed analyst, known by their pseudonym venturefounder, predicted Ethereum to hit $4,900 "very soon" as it reclaimed the $3,800 level as support.



The analyst also set price targets of $5,349, $6,457, and $7,238 by the first quarter of 2025.



<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"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24ETH&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$ETH</a> weekly candle not done yet, we are back to $3,800 support level. It took <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ethereum?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ethereum</a> 2 years to complete this cup and handle, and you think it will be shaken out like this? $4,900 very soon. Then it gets explosive, PT are: $5,349 $6,457 $7,238 All this by Q1 2025 the… <a href="https://t.co/9jdbe95uvU">pic.twitter.com/9jdbe95uvU</a>&mdash; venturefounder (@venturefounder) <a href="https://twitter.com/venturefounder/status/1866867327192412544?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 11, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Photo by CMP_NZ on Shutterstock



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42430918/italy-backpedals-on-controversial-tax-hike-on-crypto-capital-gains-following-industry-opposition-no-more-prejudices">Italy Backpedals On Controversial Tax Hike On Crypto Capital Gains Following Industry Opposition: &#8216;No More Prejudices&#8217;</a></li>
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Cryptocurrency

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$BTC

$DOGE

$ETH

Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Spike After Inflation Data Matches Expectations: Top Analyst Foresees New BTC ATH If It Stays Above This Level

The Magnificent Seven tech giants are rewriting the playbook on market dominance, with their combined market capitalization surging to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/magnificent-seven">an unprecedented $18.2 trillion.</a>



Five out of the seven juggernauts — Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>), Amazon Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), and Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) — smashed through record highs during Wednesday trading, solidifying their grip on the global stock market and fueling another strong rally in 2024.



The Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MAGS#NYSE">MAGS</a>), a closely watched benchmark for the group's market performance, surged 2.8% on Wednesday, setting a new all-time high.



Notably, Tesla shares soared to fresh all-time highs after surpassing the peak set in November 202. The EV-maker has gained 67% since the U.S. presidential election, thanks to its innovative ability to scale like a software company.



&#8220;Because Tesla can remotely update its fleet&#8217;s software, its ability to scale and grow are more similar to the other tech companies in the&nbsp;Magnificent-7&nbsp;than an auto manufacturer,&#8221; said Wall Street veteran investor Ed Yardeni in a note Wednesday. 



Alphabet led the day's rally with a 4.63% gain, while Apple lagged, showing a flat performance.



The elite group of tech giants has delivered an average return of 67.1% year-to-date, compared to a record-breaking 111.7% average return in 2023.



Microsoft Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NYSE">MSFT</a>) and Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) were the only members of the elite group that did not hit new all-time highs during Wednesday's trading session.



Yet, Nvidia remains the standout performer with a staggering year-to-date gain of 182%, securing its position as the top performer in the Magnificent Seven.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table><tbody><tr><td>Name</td><td>Market Cap</td><td>All-time high</td><td>1-Day %chg</td><td>Total Return (YTD)</td><td>Total Return (2023)</td></tr><tr><td>Apple Inc.</td><td>$3.745 trillion</td><td>Dec. 11, 2024</td><td>-0.11%</td><td>29.38%</td><td>49.01%</td></tr><tr><td>NVIDIA Corporation</td><td>$3.417 trillion</td><td>Nov. 21, 2024</td><td>3.62%</td><td>182.08%</td><td>239.02%</td></tr><tr><td>Microsoft Corporation</td><td>$3.336 trillion</td><td>July 5, 2024</td><td>1.24%</td><td>20.17%</td><td>58.19%</td></tr><tr><td>Amazon.com, Inc.</td><td>$2.417 trillion</td><td>Dec. 11, 2024</td><td>2.18%</td><td>51.06%</td><td>80.88%</td></tr><tr><td>Alphabet Inc.</td><td>$2.374 trillion</td><td>Dec. 11, 2024</td><td>4.63%</td><td>38.41%</td><td>58.83%</td></tr><tr><td>Meta Platforms, Inc.</td><td>$1.597 trillion</td><td>Dec. 11, 2024</td><td>2.39%</td><td>79.09%</td><td>194.13%</td></tr><tr><td>Tesla, Inc.</td><td>$1.348 trillion</td><td>Dec. 11, 2024</td><td>4.68%</td><td>69.00%</td><td>101.72%</td></tr></tbody><tfoot><tr><td>Total</td><td>$18.233 trillion</td><td></td><td></td><td></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Median</td><td>$2.417 trillion</td><td></td><td></td><td>51.25%</td><td>80.88%</td></tr><tr><td>Average</td><td>$2.605 trillion</td><td></td><td></td><td>67.13%</td><td>111.68%</td></tr></tfoot></table></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Latest Magnificent Seven Headlines</h2>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42446686/google-introduces-ai-agent-prototype-that-can-browse-the-web">Google Introduces AI Agent Prototype That Can Browse The Web</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/12/42446823/meta-platforms-suffers-major-outage-facebook-instagram-and-other-apps-down-for-thousands">Meta Platforms Suffers Major Outage: Facebook, Instagram And Other Apps Down For Thousands</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42443584/apple-strengthens-genai-with-ios-182-genmoji-image-playground-come-to-iphone">Apple Strengthens GenAI With iOS 18.2: Genmoji, Image Playground Come To iPhone</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/12/42439155/broadcom-stock-jumps-on-apple-ai-chip-report-whats-going-on">Broadcom Stock Jumps On Apple AI Chip Report: What&#8217;s Going On?</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/24/12/42444266/nvidia-loses-supreme-court-appeal-faces-continued-legal-battle-over-cryptocurrency-disclosure">Nvidia Loses Supreme Court Appeal, Faces Continued Legal Battle Over Cryptocurrency Disclosure</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42430502/tesla-tops-nvidia-and-apple-in-innovation-analyst-sees-significant-market-cap-upside-for-elon-musk-led-ev-giant">Tesla Tops Nvidia And Apple In Innovation: Analyst Sees Significant Market Cap Upside For Elon Musk-Led EV Giant</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42429325/robotaxi-exit-to-clear-the-way-for-gm-to-license-tesla-fsd-says-gary-black-move-will-save-the-mary-barra-led-company-1b-a-year">Robotaxi Exit To &#8216;Clear The Way&#8217; For GM To License Tesla FSD, Says Gary Black — Move Will Save The Mary Barra-Led Company $1B A Year</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42428505/google-asks-ftc-to-kill-microsofts-monopoly-over-hosting-openai-technology-on-its-cloud-servers-report">Google Wants FTC To Dismantle Microsoft&#8217;s Exclusive Cloud Hosting Deal With OpenAI: Report</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42446686/google-introduces-ai-agent-prototype-that-can-browse-the-web">Google Introduces AI Agent Prototype That Can Browse The Web</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Large Cap

Sector ETFs

AAPL

AMZN

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Magnificent Seven Tech Titans Hit $18.2 Trillion Market Cap: Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Tesla Jointly Notch All-Time Highs

Adobe Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ADBE#NASDAQ">ADBE</a>) reported fourth-quarter financial results after the market close on Wednesday. Here&#8217;s a look at the key metrics <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/12/b42447918/adobe-reports-record-q4-and-fiscal-2024-revenue">from the quarter</a>.



Q4 Earnings: Adobe reported fourth-quarter revenue of $5.61 billion, beating the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus estimate</a>&nbsp;of $5.54 billion. The company reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of $4.81 per share, beating analyst estimates of $4.66 per share.



Adobe has now exceeded analyst estimates in eight consecutive quarters, according to earnings data from&nbsp;<a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Total revenue was up 11% year-over-year, digital media revenue was up 12% year-over-year and digital experience revenue was up 10% year-over-year. 



Remaining performance obligations came in at $19.96 billion, up 16% year-over-year. Cash flows from operations totaled $2.92 billion in the fourth quarter. Adobe noted that it repurchased approximately 4.6 million shares during the period.



&#8220;Adobe delivered record FY24 revenue, demonstrating strong demand and the mission-critical role Creative Cloud, Document Cloud and Experience Cloud play in fueling the AI economy,&#8221; said&nbsp;Shantanu Narayen, chair and CEO of Adobe.



&#8220;Our highly differentiated technology platforms, rapid pace of innovation, diversified go-to-market and the integration of our clouds position us for a great year ahead.&#8221;



Related Link: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42446804/costco-q1-earnings-preview-membership-fee-increase-in-focus-with-shares-at-all-time-highs">Costco Q1 Earnings Preview: Membership Fee Increase In Focus With Shares At All-Time Highs</a>



Guidance:&nbsp;Adobe expects first-quarter revenue to be in the range of $5.63 billion to $5.68 billion versus estimates of $5.73 billion. The company anticipates first-quarter adjusted earnings of $4.95 to $5 per share versus estimates of $4.95 per share.



Adobe expects full-year 2025 revenue to be between $23.3 billion and $23.55 billion versus estimates of $23.79 billion. Adobe sees full-year adjusted earnings in the range of $20.20 to $20.50 per share versus estimates of $20.55 per share, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Adobe shares appear to be facing selling pressure due to the company&#8217;s soft guidance. Management will further discuss the quarter on a call with analysts and investors from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. ET. 



ADBE Price Action: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ADBE" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Adobe shares</a> were down approximately 7.5% year-to-date heading into the print. At the time of publication Wednesday, the stock was down 7.63% at $507.99 in after-hours, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Read Next:



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42447332/alphabets-quantum-willow-chip-wows-analyst-google-at-the-leading-edge-of-technology-innovation">Alphabet&#8217;s Quantum Willow Chip Wows Analyst: Google At The &#8216;Leading Edge Of Technology Innovation&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock.

Earnings

Guidance

After-Hours Center

Adobe Q4 Earnings: Revenue, EPS Beat On Strong Demand Related To AI, Shares Slide Following Soft Guidance

Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) is the top stock pick in the automotive sector for 2025, Morgan Stanley analysts led by Adam Jonas said in a note covering electric vehicles (EVs).



Tesla Top Stock Pick: Jonas&#8217; note came ahead of Tesla hitting <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/price-target/24/12/42434317/tsla-stock-surges-in-premarket-after-multiple-price-target-hikes">new all-time highs </a>Wednesday.



Jonas reiterated an Overweight rating on Tesla and raised the price target from $310 to $400.



"Elon Musk's entry into the political sphere has expanded investor thinking around Tesla's fundamental outlook," Jonas said of Tesla CEO Elon Musk.



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/management/24/12/42444955/elon-musk-first-person-worth-400-billion-as-tesla-stock-hits-new-all-time-highs-how-2024-election-helped-could-lead-to-future-gains">Tesla stock rallied</a> since the 2024 presidential election. The big question is whether the move is temporary or the start of more to come.



"Will Tesla begin to play a greater role in the US renewable/autonomous industrial complex?" Jonas asks.



Jonas said client conversation see enthusiasm for AI, data centers, renewable energy and robotics. The conversations acknowledge that it's important for the U.S. to be a leader in these sectors, Jonas added.



"Based on our discussions, at least, Tesla is very frequently excluded from the potential paths of expression in a portfolio."



Tesla's total addressable market outside of its core automotive market is likely to expand. It might not be included in financial models for the stock, Jonas said.



Jonas said there could be risks on Tesla's autonomous vehicles and more items over time. But the close relationship between Musk and President-elect Donald Trump could prove key to unlocking value. Government and industrial partnerships could prove key for growth in EVs, autonomous vehicles and robotics, Jonas added.



"Elon Musk's emergence from a political ‘outsider' to having a voice in potential policies may, at some level, accelerate Tesla's journey beyond autos."



You may not be a billionaire like Elon Musk, but you can uncover hidden gems in the stock market using our proprietary data and pattern recognition — <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/12/42366750/benzingas-stock-whisper-index-5-stocks-investors-secretly-monitor-but-dont-talk-about-yet">check out five stocks flying under the radar that deserve your attention.</a>



Other Auto Picks: Outside of Tesla, Jonas and team see a "bumpy road" ahead for EVs and autonomous vehicles.



"The US election result has extended the ‘ICE is Nice' trade for a bit longer but keep on the lookout for hidden value in the EV ecosystem into the 2H," Jonas said.



Jonas upgraded General Motors (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>) from Underweight to Equal-Weight and raised the price target from $46 to $54.



The analyst said smaller EV companies could be the most at risk with the new administration. Trump promised <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/11/41988194/trump-plans-to-erase-ev-tax-credit-analyst-says-its-net-bullish-calls-sell-off-wrong-knee-jerk-reaction">to end EV credits</a>.



"While Tesla may see share gain long term even with a less supportive EV regulatory backdrop, smaller scale EV start-ups Rivian and Lucid may see greater risks to production."



Jonas has an Equal-Weight rating on Rivian Automotive (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIVN#NASDAQ">RIVN</a>) and an Underweight rating on Lucid Group (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LCID#NASDAQ">LCID</a>).



Rivian's valuation has the appropriate risk/reward for the balance between trying to achieve profitability and trying to get value out of its technology, the analyst added.



Price Action: Tesla stock closed Wednesday 5.93% higher at $424.77, hitting new all-time highs of $424.88 during the trading session. Tesla stock is up 71% year-to-date in 2024.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/10/41501607/tesla-q3-earnings-highlights-eps-beat-revenue-miss-shares-climb-on-2025-timeline-for-lower-cost-evs">Tesla Q3 Earnings Highlights: EPS Beat, Revenue Miss, Shares Climb On 2025 Timeline For Lower-Cost EVs</a></li>
</ul>



Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

Analyst Color

Upgrades

Price Target

Politics

Reiteration

Management

Analyst Ratings

LCID

RIVN

Tesla Is Analyst's Top 2025 Stock Pick: Elon Musk Political Involvement May 'Accelerate' EV Maker Beyond Autos

U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey (D-Ky.) recently disclosed he bought and sold shares of Trump Media &amp; Technology Group (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DJT#NASDAQ">DJT</a>) in November, with the transactions occurring shortly after Donald Trump won the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/11/41784933/donald-trumps-wealth-soars-with-2024-election-win-heres-how-much-president-elect-is-worth-ho">2024 presidential election.</a>



What Happened: McGarvey, who has been outspoken throughout the year about Trump, disclosed that he bought shares of the company co-founded by Trump, as shown on the Benzinga <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/gov-trades/members/morgan-mcgarvey">Government Trades page.</a>



Benzinga has contacted both McGarvey and Trump Media &amp; Technology group for comment on this story.



The Representative disclosed the following transactions on Dec. 10:



<ul>
<li>Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>): Sold $1,000 to $15,000</li>



<li>Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SCHW#NYSE">SCHW</a>): Sold $1,000 to $15,000</li>



<li>Interactive Brokers (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBKR#NASDAQ">IBKR</a>): Sold $1,000 to $15,000</li>



<li>Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>): Sold $1,000 to $15,000</li>



<li>NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>): Sold $1,000 to $15,000, Sold $1,000 to $15,000, Sold $1,000 to $15,000, Sold $1,000 to $15,000, Sold $15,000 to $50,000 (five separate transactions)</li>



<li>Shell PLC (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SHEL#NYSE">SHEL</a>): Sold $1,000 to $15,000</li>



<li>Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>): Sold $1,000 to $15,000</li>



<li>Trump Media &amp; Technology: Bought $1,000 to $15,000, Sold $1,000 to $15,000</li>
</ul>



All of the transactions were made on Nov. 13, with the exception of DJT, with the buy date listed as Nov. 6 and the sale date listed as Nov. 8.



In the notes sections on the filing, McGarvey said DJT was "purchased without knowledge of filer or spouse." The notes also said that DJT stock was sold for a loss, as <a href="https://www.quiverquant.com/congresstrading/politician/Morgan%20McGarvey-M001220">reported </a>by Quiver Quant.



Did You Know?



<ul>
<li>Congress Is Making Huge Investments. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/gov-trades/?utm_source=BZprocontent121124">Get Tips On What They Bought And Sold Ahead Of The 2024 Election With Our Easy-to-Use Tool</a></li>
</ul>



Why It's Important: The timing of the transaction, which occurred the day after the 2024 election was won by Trump, and the fact that McGarvey is a Democratic member of Congress will likely put a large spotlight on this transaction.



DJT stock <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/11/41760961/djt-stock-volatile-on-election-day-donald-trumps-media-company-reports-q3-earnings-growth-initiativ">saw huge volatility</a> and a price increase in the lead up to the 2024 presidential election on Nov. 5. McGarvey's buy transaction took place on Nov. 6, the day after the election.



DJT stock traded between $34.13 and $45.77 on Nov. 6 when the shares were bought. On Nov. 8, when shares were sold, DJT stock traded between $26.70 and $33.03. Shares trade at $34.14 at the time of writing Wednesday. 



The DJT trade could contradict McGarvey&#8217;s outspoken stance on Trump.



"In America, no one is above the law. Donald Trump, the convicted felon, is the presumptive Republican nominee for president and he is unfit to serve in any public office, especially the President of the United States," McGarvey <a href="https://mcgarvey.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-morgan-mcgarveys-statement-on-former-president-trump-found-guilty-on-all-34-felony-charges">said </a>back in May when Trump was found guilty on 34 felony charges.



In July, McGarvey also <a href="https://mcgarvey.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-morgan-mcgarveys-statement-on-dismissal-of-trumps-classified-documents-case">shared </a>comments on the dismissal of Trump's classified documents case.  



While McGarvey saw a loss in the DJT trade, he likely profited from selling the Tesla shares. McGarvey reported purchasing Tesla stock on Oct. 25, when shares were priced between $255.32 and $269.49. By Nov. 13, Tesla traded in the range of $322.50 to $344.60, and as of now, the stock stands at $411.52.



U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (D-Ga.) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/09/41031499/marjorie-taylor-greene-stays-loyal-to-trump-keeps-djt-stock-buys-into-warren-buffetts-berkshire-in-l">previously disclosed buying</a> shares of Digital World Acquisition back in October 2021, the SPAC that took the media company public in March 2024.



The transaction was done with shares trading between $67.96 to $118.80. A tweet from UnusualWhales pins the purchase price at $94.20, meaning Greene is down significantly on her $15,000 to $50,000 purchase of the Trump-linked stock.



DJT Price Action: Trump Media &amp; Technology stock traded at $34.15 Wednesday, versus a 52-week trading range of $11.75 to $79.38.



Read Next: 



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42330146/congressman-buys-meme-coins-ski-mask-dog-coin-climbs-in-value-after-disclosure-i-liked-the-coins-so-i-bought-them">Congressman Buys Meme Coins? Ski Mask Dog Coin Climbs In Value After Disclosure: &#8216;I Liked The Coins, So I Bought Them&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

IBKR

SCHW

SHEL

Democratic Congressman Bought DJT Stock After 2024 Election, Months After Saying Donald Trump 'Unfit To Serve'

FBI Director Christopher Wray on Wednesday announced his resignation, effective at the end of the current administration, paving the way for President-elect Donald Trump to formally nominate Kash Patel <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/12/42378469/anthony-scaramucci-compares-trumps-fbi-pick-kash-patel-to-matt-gaetz">as his potential successor</a>. 



Wray, who has served since 2017, cited his decision as a way to minimize political distractions and ensure the bureau remains <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/fbi">focused on its mission.</a>



What Happened: According to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/12/11/fbi-director-christopher-wray-to-resign-before-trump-takes-office.html">CNBC</a>, Wray revealed his decision during a town hall meeting, with the FBI releasing a statement outlining his plans.



&#8220;After weeks of careful thought, I've decided the right thing for the bureau is for me to serve until the end of the current administration in January and then step down,&#8221; Wray said. His announcement comes shortly after Trump's declaration last month that he intends to nominate Patel as the next FBI Director, signaling major changes for the bureau.



Patel, a former prosecutor and staunch Trump loyalist, has been outspoken about his plans to overhaul the FBI. He has advocated for reducing its intelligence-gathering responsibilities, prioritizing criminal investigations, and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/12/42256740/trump-taps-loyalist-patel-for-fbi-director-signaling-major-overhaul">decentralizing its personnel.</a> 



His vision also includes transforming the FBI's headquarters, the Hoover building, into what he described as a &#8220;museum of the deep state.&#8221;



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/politics/24/12/42278429/trump-fbi-pick-kash-patels-wealth-has-grown-from-trump-media-board-position-consulting-deal-and-trump-themed-childrens-books">Trump&#8217;s FBI Pick Kash Patel Builds Wealth Through Trump Media, PAC Payments, Kid&#8217;s Books</a>



Why It Matters: The transition from Wray to Patel marks a pivotal moment for the FBI, with significant implications for its mission and operations. Patel's nomination reflects Trump's broader intent to reshape federal institutions and align them with his administration's agenda. 



Senate Democrats and some Republicans are expected to scrutinize Patel's confirmation, raising concerns about the potential politicization of the bureau.



&#8220;The biggest problem the FBI has had, has come out of its intel shops. I'd break that component out of it,&#8221; Patel said in a September interview, Reuters reports. &#8220;I'd shut down the FBI Hoover building on day one and reopen it the next day as a museum of the deep state.&#8221;



Wray's tenure, marked by significant challenges, concludes as the FBI prepares for a potential shift under Patel's proposed vision, which emphasizes decentralization and a renewed focus on criminal investigations.



Read Next:



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42333675/fbi-warns-of-ongoing-china-backed-telecom-hacks-heres-how-encrypted-messaging-could-be-your-last-line-of-defense">FBI Warns Of Ongoing China-Backed Telecom Hacks: Here&#8217;s Why Encrypted Messaging Could Be Your Last Line Of Defense</a></li>
</ul>



Photo by Casimiro PT on Shutterstock

Christopher Wray To Step Down As FBI Faces Leadership Shift

Alphabet Inc&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) foray into quantum computing technology with Willow has found <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/wall-street">Wall Street admirers</a>.



The Alphabet Analyst: On Tuesday, Bank of America analyst Justin Post issued a note on Alphabet following Google&#8217;s unveiling of Willow. The analyst reiterated his Buy rating for the company with a price target of $210.



Main Takeaways: Alphabet&#8217;s announcement centered on reducing the number of errors with quantum computing as computing power increased and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42397333/google-quantum-ais-willow-chip-outsmarts-supercomputers-completing-tasks-in-minutes-that-would-take-10-septillion-years">a benchmark computation</a> that showed the chip performing much faster than current computing capacity.



Post noted that Willow could provide Alphabet with a significant tech moat in the long run. He estimated the commercial introduction of the technology to be several years away. 



Still, Post is optimistic.



&#8220;Advancements with Willow, which illustrate that Alphabet remains at the leading edge of technology innovation, are important for stock sentiment,&#8221; he said. &#8220;Alphabet has a track record of developing next-gen technologies with successful monetization,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;Products and technologies that have proven applications and could be underappreciated in the stock could include AI Overviews (using Gemini), TPUs, Cloud, Workspace, and Waymo.&#8221;



Alphabet&#8217;s stock is trading up over 10% this week, closing in on a market capitalization of over $2.5 trillion.



Now Read:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/management/24/12/42444955/elon-musk-first-person-worth-400-billion-as-tesla-stock-hits-new-all-time-highs-how-2024-election-helped-could-lead-to-future-gains">Elon Musk First Person Worth $400 Billion As Tesla Stock Hits New All-Time Highs: How 2024 Election Helped</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

GOOG

Alphabet's Quantum Willow Chip Wows Analyst: Google At The 'Leading Edge Of Technology Innovation'

Billionaire Elon Musk is the first person ever worth more than $400 billion, thanks to a continue surge in the price of Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) stock since Donald Trump won the<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/management/24/11/41856784/elon-musks-wealth-tops-300-billion-as-teslas-market-cap-soars-above-1-trillion"> 2024 presidential election.</a>



What Happened: Tesla stock is<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/price-target/24/12/42434317/tsla-stock-surges-in-premarket-after-multiple-price-target-hikes"> trading higher Wednesday</a> with several analysts raising their price targets on the electric vehicle company.



With shares briefly hitting a new 52-week high of $415 on Wednesday, Tesla has hit a new all-time high. The stock previously hit an all-time high of $414.50 on Nov. 4, 2021, and has an all-time closing high of $409.97 on the same day, which it could also surpass Wednesday if the gains hold.



The soaring price of Tesla stock helped boost Musk&#8217;s wealth to $439.2 billion on Wednesday, according to a Bloomberg report.



The increase comes from Tesla gains and from a recent share sale for SpaceX, the space company founded by Musk. SpaceX is now valued at $350 billion, a valuation that added around $50 billion to Musk's wealth, according to the report.



The valuation of artificial intelligence company xAI, founded by Musk, has also witnessed its valuation more than double since May, adding to Musk's wealth gains.



Musk has added $210.2 billion to his wealth in 2024, based on a<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/education/24/01/36454392/worlds-top-10-richest-people-gained-more-wealth-in-2023-than-walmarts-total-value-how-elon-musk"> year-end valuation </a>of $229 billion in 2023 by Bloomberg. This 2024 gain is more than all the richest people in the world are worth except for second and third place Jeff Bezos ($244 billion) and Mark Zuckerberg ($219 billion), respectively.



Are you buying when the CEOs of the Magnificent 7 are selling?



<ul>
<li>Stay in the know with our Insider Trades page — <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/sec/insider-trades/">see when leaders like Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and Jensen Huang are offloading their own shares.</a></li>
</ul>



Why It's Important: The wealth of Musk has increased by 66% since the 2024 election according to Bloomberg. The gains come with Tesla shares up significantly since Trump's win.



Tesla stock closed at $251.44 on Nov. 5, the day of the 2024 presidential election. The stock closed at $288.53 the next day, posting a significant one-day gain. The stock is up 66.1% year-to-date with the majority of gains coming from early November until now.



While Musk's wealth is already up significantly in 2024, it could increase further in the coming years. Musk could benefit from the new White House administration, which could eliminate EV tax credits that would hurt Tesla competitors.



There is also optimism that the new administration <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/11/42046316/trump-set-to-hand-musk-golden-path-for-tesla-after-reversing-course-on-autonomous-vehicle-ban">could support regulation</a> for self-driving vehicles such as the Tesla robotaxi, reversing course on Trump's<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/10/41298125/maybe-musk-missed-the-memo-trumps-plan-to-ban-autonomous-vehicles-could-sour-friendship"> previous plan to ban </a>autonomous vehicles.



Musk, who publicly supported Trump, donated money to his campaign and rallied in swing state Pennsylvania, has been picked by the president-elect to co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency.



The Department of Government Efficiency will look at cutting costs in government spending, but could also provide benefits to Musk or take on his competitors. A report said the D.O.G.E. will <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/11/42255070/musk-ally-ramaswamy-takes-aim-at-bidens-6-6b-loan-to-tesla-rival-rivian">look into a government loan </a>given to Tesla EV rival Rivian Automotive.



Trump has voiced support of Musk's space ambitions and the announcement that Trump will nominate Jared Isaacman<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/12/42323934/shift4-payments-stock-drops-after-ceo-jared-isaacmans-nasa-nomination-whats-going-on"> to lead NASA </a>could help SpaceX. Isaacman is an investor in SpaceX via his payments company Shift4 Payments, according to the report. Isaacman has also been on a commercial spacewalk via a chartered SpaceX launch.



The support for SpaceX by Isaacman could see the company get more government contracts and could boost the valuation further in the coming years.



One item that could dent Musk's wealth is the pending case against his 2018 Tesla pay compensation plan. A Delaware judge <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42279851/elon-musk-56b-pay-package-rejected-by-judge-again-tesla-analyst-says-a-soap-opera-playing-out-in-delaware">struck down the plan again</a>, despite shareholder approval, but Tesla said it will appeal the decision. Without the pay package, Musk would still be the world's richest person, but not at such a high level.



Read Next: 



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Photo: Shutterstock

Elon Musk First Person Worth $400 Billion As Tesla Stock Hits New All-Time Highs: How 2024 Election Helped, Could Lead To Future Gains

Luigi Mangione, who is being charged with the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/health-care/24/12/42316904/unitedhealthcare-ceo-brian-thompson-fatally-shot-outside-nyc-hotel">Dec. 4 murder</a> of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, apparently kept a diary of sorts.



Law enforcement officials who <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/health-care/24/12/42398524/person-of-interest-named-in-unitedhealthcare-ceos-murder-ghost-gun-found">arrested Mangioni in Pennsylvania</a> on Monday found not only a ghost gun and false IDs, they also discovered a handwritten note and a spiral notebook detailing his plans and a militantly expressed motive for Thompson&#8217;s shooting, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/11/nyregion/luigi-mangione-assassination-plan-notebook.html?campaign_id=190&amp;emc=edit_ufn_20241211&amp;instance_id=141940&amp;nl=from-the-times&amp;regi_id=136109156&amp;segment_id=185442&amp;user_id=e415429009fa21c5b8b4141c24d72bca">reported</a> the New York Times Wednesday, citing local police officials. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">For Starters, Kill A CEO</h2>



"What do you do? You wack the C.E.O. at the annual parasitic bean-counter convention. It's targeted, precise and doesn't risk innocents," was one passage in the notebook, officials said. 



Thompson was shot and killed outside a UnitedHealth Group Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNH#NYSE">UNH</a>) investor day event. UnitedHealthcare is the insurance unit of UnitedHealth Group. 



After Mangione was arrested after being <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/restaurants/24/12/42427146/pennsylvania-mcdonalds-where-unitedhealthcare-ceo-murder-suspect-arrested-gets-review-bombed-more-like-narc-donalds">recognized by customers and employees</a> at a McDonalds (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MCD#NASDAQ">MCD</a>) in Altoona, Pennsylvania, authorities found a 262-word handwritten note, which seemed to be construed as taking responsibility for shooting Thompson on a midtown Manhattan street.



According to a New York Police Department internal report, which referred to Mangione&#8217;s note as a manifesto, the 26-year-old suspect viewed Thompson's murder as a "symbolic takedown," per the NY Times. The NYPD opined that Mangione "likely views himself as a hero of sorts who has finally decided to act upon such injustices" and expressed concern that others might see him as a "martyr and an example to follow."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Fingerprints Match Up</h2>



Local<a href="https://ktvl.com/news/nation-world/luigi-mangiones-fingerprints-match-prints-found-at-the-scene-of-unitedhealthcare-ceo-brian-thompson-killing-law-enforcement-sources-midtown-manhattan-altoona-pennsylvania-mcdonalds-arrest-health-insurance-motive-forensic-evidence"> Pennsylvania news outlets</a> also reported on Wednesday that Mangioni's fingerprints have been positively matched to those found at the New York City shooting. The fingerprints match those found on a water bottle and candy bar wrapper recovered near the crime scene, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2024/12/11/us-news/luigi-mangione-in-custody-12-11-2024/">reported</a>, citing a law enforcement official. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Lawyer Says No To Extradition</h2>



Mangione's lawyer, Thomas Dickey, denies his client's involvement in the New York murder, noted CNN, and says Mangione will likely plead not guilty to the murder charge, among other counts. Mangione also plans to plead not guilty to Pennsylvania charges related to the gun and fake ID police found on him, Dickey said.



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/12/42435528/google-removes-negative-reviews-targeting-altoona-mcdonalds-after-arrest-of-suspected-unitedhealthcare-ceo-shooter-tip">Google Removes Negative Reviews Targeting Altoona McDonald&#8217;s After Arrest Of Suspected UnitedHealthcare CEO Shooter Tip</a></li>
</ul>



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'Wack The CEO,' United Health Care Murder Suspect Luigi Mangione Says In Papers Found By Police

<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42436676/inflation-rises-as-expected-in-november-sustain-hopes-for-next-weeks-fed-interest-rate-cut">An inline November inflation report</a> unleashed a surge of bullish momentum across markets on Wednesday.



Traders priced in near-certainty of a 25-basis-point rate cut at next week's Federal Reserve meeting, fueling optimism for a<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42436676/inflation-rises-as-expected-in-november-sustain-hopes-for-next-weeks-fed-interest-rate-cut"> more accommodating monetary policy.</a>



The Consumer Price Index rose by 2.7% year-over-year in November, matching expectations. Core inflation — excluding volatile items such as energy and food — remained steady at 3.3%.



Tech stocks took center stage as the Nasdaq 100 rallied 1.7%, notching a fresh record high and logging its best session in over a month. The so-called &#8220;Magnificent Seven&#8221; mega-cap stocks were the driving force behind the gains.



The Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MAGS#NASDAQ">MAGS</a>) jumped 2.6%, its best performance since Nov. 6, eyeing its eighth positive session in the last nine trading days.



Six of the seven mega-cap tech giants hit record highs, with the group's combined market cap reaching a staggering $17.3 trillion. Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) was the sole exception among the elite names.



The S&amp;P 500 joined the rally, climbing 0.9% and nearing its all-time highs. Small-cap stocks added 0.7%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average remained flat, lagging behind its peers.



Improving rate-cut expectations — fed futures now almost fully pricing in a 25-basis-point rate cut next week — supported gold, with the yellow metal rising 0.9% to 2,717 per ounce, heading for a fourth straight session of gains.



Bullish sentiment returned to the crypto market, with Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) rallying 4% to above $100,000 again, almost erasing losses from prior two sessions. 



Oil prices rose more than 2% on Wednesday, even as OPEC downgraded its global demand outlook for both 2023 and 2024.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Wednesday&#8217;s Performance In Major US Indices, ETFs</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table><tbody><tr><td>Major Indices</td><td>Price</td><td>1-day %chg</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>21,744.29</td><td>1.8%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>6,088.08</td><td>0.9%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>2,398.19</td><td>0.6%</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>44,268.39</td><td>0.0%</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated at 1:00 p.m. ET</figcaption></figure>



According to&nbsp;<a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent120224&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">Benzinga Pro</a>&nbsp;data:



<ul>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) rose 0.9% to $608.33.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>)&nbsp;flattened at $444.28.</li>



<li>The tech-heavy&nbsp;Invesco QQQ Trust Series&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) rallied 1.8% to $529.86.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;iShares Russell 2000 ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) rose 0.9% to $238.38.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLC#NYSE">XLC</a>) and the Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLC#NYSE">XLC</a>) outperformed, both rising 1.6%; the&nbsp;Health Care Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLV#NYSE">XLV</a>) lagged, down 1.1%.</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Wednesday&#8217;s Stock Movers</h3>



<ul>
<li>Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) rallied 4.4% after the tech giant announced the launch of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/24/11/42030331/heres-when-google-gemini-could-be-integrated-with-apple-intelligence">Gemini 2.0 AI model</a>.</li>



<li>Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>) soared 5.7%, ahead of its earnings report slated for <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42396941/broadcom-likely-for-upside-backed-by-ai-pipeline-market-recovery-vmware-synergy-as-key-ai-semiconductor-and-custom-chip-supplier">Thursday after market closes</a>.</li>



<li>Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WBA#NASDAQ">WBA</a>) dropped 6.5% after surging 17% on Tuesday, following <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42431136/walgreens-stock-pulls-back-326-in-pre-market-trading-as-wall-street-veterans-debate-private-equity-deal-value-amid-sycamore-partners-takeover-talks">reports of a $7.5 billion sale</a> negotiation with Sycamore Partners.</li>



<li>Gamestop Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GME#NYSE">GME</a>) rallied over 9% in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/12/42425015/gamestop-q3-earnings-revenue-miss-4b-cash-no-more-offerings-planned-in-fiscal-year">reaction to earnings report</a>.</li>



<li>Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ADBE#NASDAQ">ADBE</a>) rose 0.4% in anticipation of its quarterly results, set to be released after market close.</li>
</ul>



Now Read: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/24/12/42444266/nvidia-loses-supreme-court-appeal-faces-continued-legal-battle-over-cryptocurrency-disclosure">Nvidia Loses Supreme Court Appeal, Faces Continued Legal Battle Over Cryptocurrency Disclosure</a></li>
</ul>



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Nasdaq 100 Rallies To Record Highs, Magnificent 7 Market Cap Tops $17 Trillion, Bitcoin Soars To $100,000: What's Driving Markets Wednesday?

Kroger Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KR#NYSE">KR</a>) and Albertsons Companies Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ACI#NYSE">ACI</a>) will remain competitors after a U.S. judge blocked the companies&#8217; proposed merger. It didn&#8217;t take long for them to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/12/b42436436/albertsons-files-lawsuit-against-kroger-for-breach-of-merger-agreement">start acting like it again</a>.



What Happened: Albertsons announced the termination of its proposed merger with Kroger and filed a lawsuit against the grocery giant, accusing Kroger of violating the contractual obligations of the merger agreement by failing to do all it could to secure regulatory approval.



&#8220;Rather than fulfill its contractual obligations to ensure that the merger succeeded, Kroger acted in its own financial self-interest, repeatedly providing insufficient divestiture proposals that ignored regulators&#8217; concerns. Kroger&#8217;s self-serving conduct, taken at the expense of Albertsons and the agreed transaction, has harmed Albertsons&#8217; shareholders, associates and consumers,&#8221; said Tom Moriarty, general counsel and chief policy officer of Albertsons.



On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Adrienne Nelson <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/24/12/42424808/kroger-stock-up-after-judge-blocks-albertsons-deal-what-you-need-to-know">blocked the proposed merger</a> of the two companies after finding the deal would impact competition in the grocery space. Attorneys for both companies previously said the deal would most likely be squashed if the judge ruled in favor of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/24/12/42440275/wall-street-gains-tech-rallies-tesla-hits-all-time-highs-as-inflation-data-firms-up-feds-next-interest-rate-cut">Wall Street Gains, Tech Rallies, Tesla Hits All-Time High As Inflation Data Firms Up Fed&#8217;s Next Interest Rate Cut</a>



Albertsons alleges Kroger failed to exercise &#8220;best efforts&#8221; and failed to take &#8220;any and all actions&#8221; to make sure the merger was approved as required of the company under terms of the merger agreement. Albertsons also alleges Kroger breached the merger agreement by &#8220;repeatedly refusing&#8221; to divest necessary assets for antitrust approval, ignoring regulators&#8217; feedback and failing to cooperate with Albertsons.



Kroger responded to the accusations Wednesday morning, calling the lawsuit &#8220;baseless and without merit.&#8221;



&#8220;Kroger refutes these allegations in the strongest possible terms,&nbsp;especially in light of Albertsons&#8217; repeated intentional material breaches and interference throughout the merger process, which we will prove in court,&#8221; the company said. 



&#8220;We went to extraordinary lengths to uphold the merger agreement throughout the entirety of the regulatory process and the facts will make that abundantly clear.&#8221;



Albertsons is seeking billions of dollars in damages from Kroger, alleging shareholders were unfairly denied a multi-billion-dollar premium that Kroger agreed to pay for Albertsons shares.



Albertsons also believes it&#8217;s entitled to a $600 million termination fee. Kroger challenged the allegation in its statement and said the company looks forward to responding in court.



KR, ACI Price Action: At the time of publication, Kroger shares were up 0.58% at $61.08 while Albertsons shares were down 0.38% at $18.44, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Read Next:



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42440806/adobe-q4-earnings-preview-analyst-says-investors-may-be-missing-healthy-subscriber-growth">Adobe Q4 Earnings Preview: Analyst Says Investors May Be Missing Healthy Subscriber Growth</a></li>
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Photo: Shutterstock.

Albertsons Puts End To Merger Deal, Sues Kroger Following Court Ruling: 'We Believe Strongly In The Merits Of Our Case'

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