The major indices struggled to maintain early momentum on Monday, but appear to climbing back with the S&amp;P 500 and Dow Jones both green<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/forex/25/02/43908232/asia-and-europe-markets-mixed-futures-rebound-ahead-of-nvidia-earnings-global-markets-today-while-us-slept"> in midday trading.&nbsp;</a>



Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) shares fell 1.05%, reaching a 28-week low of $399.62, following reports that the company<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43917474/microsoft-cancels-major-data-center-leases-raises-questions-on-ai-expansion-strategy"> canceled leases</a> for data center capacity in the U.S. Other tech giants also faced pressure with Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>) dropping 1.33%, Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) declining 0.34% and Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) falling 1.55%.



In contrast, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) shares bucked the trend, rising approximately 1% after <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43912279/apples-500-billion-bet-is-the-stock-ready-to-shine-or-stumble">announcing plans</a> for a $500 billion investment in the US over the next four years, along with the creation of 20,000 new jobs.



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"> Financial Crime Weekly: $1.4 Billion Ethereum Stolen In Largest Crypto Hack Ever, SEC Creates Cyber And Emerging Technologies Unit</a>



Investors are closely watching NVIDIA Corp.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) upcoming quarterly earnings report, scheduled for release on Wednesday. The chipmaker&#8217;s stock was down about 0.4% ahead of the announcement.&nbsp;



Natural gas futures fell more than 6% toward $43.9/MMBtu, retreating from a 25-month high reached last week after prices surged more than 16% as Arctic air increased demand and reduced supply.&nbsp;



Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) was down slightly Monday and remains range-bound near the $95,000 level.&nbsp;



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Monday&#8217;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>19,463.98</td><td>-0.31%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>6,022.48</td><td>0.16%</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>43,612.15</td><td>0.42%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>2,191.65</td><td>-0.17%</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 up 0.23% to $601.32.&nbsp;</li>



<li>The SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>) climbed 0.51% at $436.31.&nbsp;</li>



<li>The tech-heavy Invesco QQQ Trust Series (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) dipped 0.22% to $524.94.&nbsp;</li>



<li>The iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) eased 0.06% to $217.67.&nbsp;</li>



<li>The Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLY#NYSE">XLY</a>) was up 0.17% to $218.77.</li>



<li>The Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLE#NYSE">XLE</a>) rose 0.45% to $91.34.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>



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



Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>) shares continued to sell off, extending losses to more than 22% over the past five sessions. Robinhood Markets, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HOOD#NASDAQ">HOOD</a>) shares also extended their losing streak to six straight sessions, down 3% in midday trading.&nbsp;



Stocks reacting to company earnings reports included:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li>Domino's Pizza Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DPZ#NASDAQ">DPZ</a>)&nbsp;</li>



<li>Gran Tierra Energy Inc. (AMEX:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GTE#AMEX">GTE</a>)&nbsp;</li>



<li>Kosmos Energy Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KOS#NYSE">KOS</a>)&nbsp;</li>



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



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



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



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



<li>Diamondback Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FANG#NASDAQ">FANG</a>)&nbsp;</li>



<li>Viper Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VNOM#NASDAQ">VNOM</a>)&nbsp;</li>



<li>Hims &amp; Hers Health, Inc. &nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HIMS#NYSE">HIMS</a>)</li>



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



<li>Riot Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIOT#NASDAQ">RIOT</a>)&nbsp;</li>



<li>Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CLF#NYSE">CLF</a>)&nbsp;</li>



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



Read Next:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43836832/trump-administration-orders-sweeping-pentagon-cuts-defense-sector-stocks-on-watch">&nbsp;</a>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43836832/trump-administration-orders-sweeping-pentagon-cuts-defense-sector-stocks-on-watch">Trump Administration Orders Sweeping Pentagon Cuts: Palantir, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics Among Stocks On Watch</a></li>
</ul>



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Palantir Extends Losses, Microsoft Slides: What's Driving Markets Monday?

Conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>)(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>) shares hit all-time highs Monday on the heels of the company's<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43900955/berkshire-hathaways-q4-profits-soar-71-warren-buffett-says-his-firm-has-paid-more-taxes-than-tech-titans-in-trillions"> annual shareholder letter</a> from CEO Warren Buffett.



An analyst sees more upside ahead after the report.



The Berkshire Hathaway Analyst: Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods analyst Meyer Shields maintains a Market Perform rating and raised the price target on Class A shares (BRK-A) from $750,000 to $775,000.



You may not be a billionaire like Warren Buffett, but you can uncover hidden gems in the stock market using our proprietary data and pattern recognition — <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/25/02/43900861/benzingas-stock-whisper-index-5-stocks-investors-secretly-monitor-but-dont-talk-about-yet-54">check out five stocks flying under the radar that deserve your attention.</a>



The Analyst Takeaways: Berkshire beat Street estimates for operating earnings per share in the fourth quarter, helped by higher-than-expected insurance underwriting and insurance income, Shields said in a new investor note.



The analyst said <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/25/02/43893285/warren-buffetts-annual-shareholder-letter-arrives-saturday-could-investors-get-updates-on-apple-succession-new-investments">the insurance segment</a>, which included strong results from the company's GEICO division, was enough to offset lower-than-expected results from segments like railroads, utilities and energy.



For the consumer products segment, Jazwares was highlighted by the analyst as having lower revenue that offset gains for the company's apparel, footwear and Duracell brands inside the segment.



Shields raises 2025 earnings per share estimates based on higher insurance income.



"We expect the EPS beat and GEICO's strong underwriting results to boost BRK's shares on Monday," Shields said.



While Shields raised the price target, the market perform rating remains with the analyst saying items like ongoing macro uncertainty and the management succession risks potential negatives for the company.



"We don't recommend Berkshire's stock over broader indices."



The analyst is cautious on Berkshire's non-insurance units, which are more likely to have growth and margin expansion in 2026.



"We think that Berkshire's size and diversification point to broadly in-line performance with the S&amp;P 500."



Shields said Buffett's annual shareholder letter "was fairly short and contained little new information."



BRK-A Price Action: Berkshire stock is up 3.93% to $747,000 on Monday, hitting a new all-time high of $749,611.40 earlier in the trading session. The company is now valued at $1.07 trillion and passed Tesla Monday as the eighth highest-valued public company in the world.



Berkshire stock is up 21% over the last year, outpacing the 18.3% gain for the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust, which tracks the S&amp;P 500.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/education/25/01/42832123/warren-buffett-beats-sp-500-in-2024-how-oracle-of-omahas-returns-compare-over-past-20-years">Warren Buffett Beats S&amp;P 500 In 2024, How Oracle Of Omaha&#8217;s Returns Compare Over Past 20 Years</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Price Target

Reiteration

Analyst Ratings

Trading Ideas

Insurance

Berkshire Hathaway Stock Hits New All-Time Highs, Passes Tesla: Analyst Sees More Upside Ahead

U.S. House Judiciary Chair Jim Jordan (R-OH) on Sunday asked EU antitrust chief Teresa Ribera to clarify enforcement of the European Union&#8217;s regulations on Big Tech. Jordan also claimed the rules seem to target U.S. companies and give European<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43442520/strong-iphone-upgrades-ai-features-and-services-growth-fuel-apples-momentum-bofa-analyst-says"> companies an advantage. </a>



The Details: A letter sent by Jordan and Rep. Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI), chairman of the subcommittee on the administrative state, regulatory reform and antitrust, criticized the EU's Digital Markets Act which aims to regulate tech giants like Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), Alphabet, Inc. (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>) and Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>). 



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"> Financial Crime Weekly: $1.4 Billion Ethereum Stolen In Largest Crypto Hack Ever, SEC Creates Cyber And Emerging Technologies Unit</a>



Jordan and Fitzgerald wrote in the letter seen by Reuters that the DMA regulations are burdensome to U.S.-based tech companies and give European companies an unfair advantage.&nbsp;



&#8220;We write to express our concerns that the DMA may target American companies,&#8221; Jordan and Fitzgerald stated.&nbsp;



The letter also criticized fines for DMA violations of up to 10% of global annual revenues. 



&#8220;These severe fines appear to have two goals: to compel businesses to follow European standards worldwide, and as a European tax on American companies,&#8221; Jordan and Fitzgerald said.



The congressmen urged Ribera to brief the House judiciary committee by March 10.



What Else: The move comes just two days after President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on Friday aimed at defending American companies from what he termed &#8220;overseas extortion.&#8221; 



The memo stated that U.S. &#8220;dominance is driven by cutting-edge American tech companies&#8221; and that foreign governments have taxed the success of US companies while having &#8220;failed to cultivate the economic success of their own.&#8221; 



Tech CEOs, including Meta&#8217;s Mark Zuckerberg, have spoken out against the EU antitrust regulations more forcefully since Trump has taken office. 



Zuckerberg recently appeared on &#8220;The Joe Rogan Experience&#8221; podcast, where <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42931941/mark-zuckerberg-critiques-culturally-neutered-companies-advocates-for-masculine-energy-as-meta-cuts-dei-programs-post-joe-rogan-appearance">he characterized </a>the past &#8220;10 years&#8221; of EU regulatory measures as &#8220;censorship&#8221; and said &#8220;the U.S. government has a role in basically defending [the U.S. tech industry] abroad.&#8221;



Read Next:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43836832/trump-administration-orders-sweeping-pentagon-cuts-defense-sector-stocks-on-watch">&nbsp;</a>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43836832/trump-administration-orders-sweeping-pentagon-cuts-defense-sector-stocks-on-watch">Trump Administration Orders Sweeping Pentagon Cuts: Palantir, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics Among Stocks On Watch</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

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Eurozone

Politics

Global

AMZN

GOOG

GOOGL

US Lawmakers Demand EU Clarify Big Tech Regulations That 'May Target American Companies'

Coffee giant Starbucks Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SBUX#NASDAQ">SBUX</a>) shares are<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/movers" rel="noreferrer noopener"> trading higher</a> on Monday.



The company is implementing significant <a target="_blank" href="https://about.starbucks.com/press/2025/message-from-brian-global-support-partner-announcement/" rel="noreferrer noopener">organizational </a>changes as part of its &#8220;Back to Starbucks&#8221; initiative, aimed at streamlining operations and preparing the company for future growth.



The company announced that it would eliminate 1,100 support roles, along with several hundred additional unfilled positions.



Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol recognized the challenges of the decision. The company stressed its dedication to assisting impacted employees, offering a thorough severance package that includes career transition support.



Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43911212/tiktok-collaboration-powers-connexas-new-mena-strategy-stocks-skyrocket" rel="noreferrer noopener">TikTok Collaboration Powers Connexa&#8217;s New MENA Strategy</a>



Alongside the layoffs, Starbucks is reworking its leadership framework. Effective immediately, vp+ leaders located in North America will be expected to work from the company&#8217;s Seattle (U.S.) or Toronto (Canada) offices at least three days a week.



Meanwhile, partners working remotely in director and below roles will keep their remote status.



Brian Niccol, who took over as the CEO last year, is working to&nbsp;reinforce Starbucks&#8217; premium image by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41312974/starbucks-shifts-strategy-fewer-deals-more-focus-on-quality-coffee-and-holiday-favorites" rel="noreferrer noopener">reducing discounts, aiming to improve in-store experiences.</a>



Recently, Starbucks reported first-quarter revenue of $9.4 billion and earnings of 69 cents per share, both well <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/restaurants/25/01/43288533/starbucks-q1-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-memberships-up-1-positive-response-to-turnaround-efforts" rel="noreferrer noopener">above the consensus estimate</a>.



Price Action: SBUX shares are trading higher by 1.5% at $113.43 at the last check Monday.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43909695/dominos-pizza-posts-q4-earnings-below-estimates-stock-falls" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Domino&#8217;s Pizza Q4 Same Store Sales Growth Lags, Proposes 15% Dividend Hike</a></li>
</ul>



Image via Shutterstock.

SBUX

Starbucks Lays Off 1,100 Corporate Employees In Major Restructuring

Streaming platform company Roku Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ROKU#NASDAQ">ROKU</a>) has watched its revenue soar over the past five years as the company diversified into new areas and markets. While revenue went up, the stock price has declined, even after recently beating analyst estimates for earnings per share and revenue in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43713227/roku-shares-rally-after-better-than-expected-q4-results-details">the fourth quarter.</a>



What Happened: Roku passed several milestones in its fourth-quarter financial results, likely helping with analysts'<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/02/43743230/rokus-growth-surges-analysts-raise-price-targets-as-company-expands-ad-reach"> bullish take on the stock.</a>



The company passed the $1 billion milestone for platform revenue in the quarter, Roku's first quarter to hit the milestone. Roku also reported that its total revenue hit $4 billion for the full fiscal year &#8211; a company first.



In fiscal 2019, Roku's annual revenue hit $1 billion for the first time, a milestone highlighted by Alex Morris in The Science of Hitting <a href="https://thescienceofhitting.com/p/roku-a-global-opportunity?utm_campaign=email-post&amp;r=2e06bw&amp;utm_source=substack&amp;utm_medium=email">newsletter</a>. Roku ended 2019 at around $134 per share and today, despite the higher revenue, trades at around $89.



Helping to boost revenue include items like the company's active accounts up around 145% to ~90 million and a higher per user monetization of ~$42, which is up around 80% over the last five years.



"I think some of the optimism that previously accompanied Roku's stock – not to say there's no optimism embedded into today's valuation – was reflective of their global ambitions," Morris said.



Morris said Roku CEO Anthony Wood previously highlighted the streaming global opportunity of one billion households worldwide, which may have prompted optimism for shares previously.



Today, Roku receives the majority of their revenue from the United States and Canada. Morris said this could be why the investment case for Roku has shifted and evolved over the last five years.



"The focus is shifting to the economic opportunity that exists within the business as it is today: the value that Roku can generate from ‘programming' the TV home screen for tens of millions of U.S. households."



Morris said the new key performance indicators are effective monetization like revenue per hour of platform viewership and growth of the company's ad-supported The Roku Channel. Both of these figures have shown strength in recent quarters, Morris added.



The Roku Channel has doubled its market share of U.S. TV time in the past year to 2.1%, ahead of Paramount+, Peacock and Max.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/initiation/25/01/43102452/roku-analyst-sees-25-upside-as-tv-ad-dollars-go-digital">Roku Analyst Sees 25% Upside As TV Ad Dollars Go Digital</a>



What's Next: Morris said one of the key questions moving forward is whether Roku can continue to drive its operating costs lower



"Roku has made progress against its financial objectives, most importantly on Platform revenues and OpEx efficiency," Morris said.



He added that said sustaining U.S. leadership and improving monetization are other key areas to watch going forward.



"Overall, I'm optimistic that Roku is on the necessary trajectory to achieve those outcomes in the years ahead."



ROKU Price Action: Roku stock is down 0.9% to $88.06 on Monday versus a 52-week trading range of $48.33 to $104.96. Roku stock is up 37% over the last year.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42847980/roku-surpasses-90m-streaming-households-in-early-january-2025-whats-going-on">Roku Surpasses 90M Streaming Households in Early January 2025: What&#8217;s Going On?</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Media

ROKU

Streaming Stock's Revenues Quadrupled, But Shares Dropped 35% - Analyst Thinks He Knows Why

The German federal election held on Sunday resulted in a victory for the conservative CDU/CSU alliance led by Friedrich Merz, who secured 28.5% of the vote. Germany's bluechip DAX index rallied as much as 0.8% on Monday before paring some of its gains, as investors <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/02/43907808/wall-street-looks-to-bounce-back-after-fridays-rough-ride-triggered-by-consumer-sentiment-analyst-says-we-continue-to-place-our-bets-on-economys-resilience">digested the election results.&nbsp;</a>



What To Know: Investors reacted positively to the election results which came in as anticipated.&nbsp;



&#8220;There is an immediate relief that there were no big nasty surprises in the election outcome, and a centrist-leaning government will persist and could even pivot more towards business and investment friendly policies,&#8221; said Charu Chanana, Saxo&#8217;s chief investment strategist, per Reuters. 



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"> Financial Crime Weekly: $1.4 Billion Ethereum Stolen In Largest Crypto Hack Ever, SEC Creates Cyber And Emerging Technologies Unit</a>



The conservatives will most likely form a two-party coalition with the Social Democrats, which could lead to easier policymaking than under the outgoing three-party coalition.&nbsp;



The euro briefly touched one-month highs on Monday, but have since retreated as investors see complications ahead.&nbsp;



Negotiations needed to form a coalition could be extended and the far-right AfD and the Left Party jointly secured a third of the seats, which could lead to challenges to potential reforms to the debt brake and other policies.



&#8220;Participants are hence paring back their expectations of significant fiscal stimulus being delivered in short order,&#8221; Pepperstone strategist Michael Brown said, per Reuters.&nbsp;



ETFs To Watch: The Global X DAX Germany ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DAX#NASDAQ">DAX</a>), tracking Germany's DAX index, rose 1.01% and the iShares MSCI Germany Index Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EWG#NYSE">EWG</a>) was up 1.34% in premarket trading Monday.&nbsp;



Read Next:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43836832/trump-administration-orders-sweeping-pentagon-cuts-defense-sector-stocks-on-watch">&nbsp;</a>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43836832/trump-administration-orders-sweeping-pentagon-cuts-defense-sector-stocks-on-watch">Trump Administration Orders Sweeping Pentagon Cuts: Palantir, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics Among Stocks On Watch</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Emerging Market ETFs

German Markets Breathe Sigh Of Relief After Election Results: 2 ETFs To Watch

On Monday, Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/artificial-intelligence" rel="noreferrer noopener">committed over $500 billion</a> in investment in the U.S. over the next four years to support initiatives including artificial intelligence silicon engineering.



CEO Tim Cook noted that Apple is doubling its advanced manufacturing fund to build advanced technology in Texas.



The $500 billion commitment includes Apple Intelligence infrastructure, data centers, and Apple TV+ productions.



Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43908370/amd-reshapes-strategy-plans-4-billion-data-center-asset-sale-while-doubling-down-on-gpus" rel="noreferrer noopener">AMD Reshapes Strategy, Plans $4 Billion Data Center Asset Sale While Doubling Down on GPUs</a>



In the next four years, Apple plans to hire around 20,000 people, most of whom will focus on R&amp;D, silicon engineering, software development, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/02/apple-will-spend-more-than-500-billion-usd-in-the-us-over-the-next-four-years/" rel="noreferrer noopener">AI, and machine learning</a>.



Apple is doubling its U.S. advanced manufacturing fund from $5 billion to $10 billion. The fund&#8217;s expansion includes a multibillion-dollar commitment from Apple to produce advanced silicon in Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co&#8217;s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>) Fab 21 facility in Arizona.



Apple is the largest customer at this facility, employing over 2,000 workers. Mass production of Apple chips began in January.



Apple&#8217;s investments in the sector help create thousands of jobs across the country at U.S. companies like Broadcom Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>), Texas Instruments Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TXN#NASDAQ">TXN</a>), Skyworks Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SWKS#NASDAQ">SWKS</a>), and Qorvo Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QRVO#NASDAQ">QRVO</a>).



Apple and its partners will launch a new advanced manufacturing facility in Houston to produce servers that support Apple Intelligence.



Apple will also double its U.S. advanced manufacturing fund, create an academy in Michigan to train the next generation of U.S. manufacturers and grow its research and development investments in the U.S.



Apple will work with manufacturing partners to begin production of servers in Houston later this year. A 250,000-square-foot server manufacturing facility, likely to open in 2026, will create thousands of jobs.



Previously manufactured outside the U.S., the servers that will soon be assembled in Houston play a key role in powering Apple Intelligence and are the foundation of private cloud computing for AI cloud computing.



As Apple brings Apple Intelligence to customers across the U.S., it plans to expand its data center capacity in North Carolina, Iowa, Oregon, Arizona, and Nevada.



Apple&#8217;s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43727973/taiwan-semiconductor-eyes-us-expansion-amid-taiwans-push-for-bigger-investments-and-advanced-chip-production" rel="noreferrer noopener">move coincides with</a> President Donald Trump&#8217;s urgency to consolidate the U.S.&#8217;s domestic semiconductor manufacturing position, prompting chipmakers like Taiwan Semiconductor to ramp up production there.



Apple&#8217;s Big Tech peers, including Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/02/43879488/taiwan-semiconductor-too-big-for-the-index-regulator-considers-lifting-weight-cap" rel="noreferrer noopener">committed to $80 billion</a> in AI infrastructure spending&nbsp;for 2025, and&nbsp;Meta Platforms Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) earmarked $60-65 billion.



Price Action: AAPL stock is down 0.56% at $244.17 premarket at last check Monday.



Also Read:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43882755/apple-iphone-faces-new-threat-in-china-oppo-launches-ai-powered-foldable-phones-at-lower-prices" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">China&#8217;s Oppo Heats Up Smartphone Landscape, Launches AI-Powered Foldable At Competitive Price</a></li>
</ul>



Image via Shutterstock

QRVO

SWKS

Apple Commits $500 Billion In US Investment For AI Push, Boost US Manufacturing Tech

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission has officially ended <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/01/42971991/robinhood-agrees-to-45-million-sec-settlement-over-past-violations">its investigation into</a> Robinhood's (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HOOD#NASDAQ">HOOD</a>) cryptocurrency operations without imposing any enforcement action, the company announced on Monday.



This development signals a potential shift in regulatory oversight following a period of heightened scrutiny on digital asset firms.



What Happened: Robinhood stated that the SEC's Enforcement Division sent a letter on Friday, confirming the conclusion of its inquiry.



The investigation, which began in May 2024, focused on Robinhood's crypto services, including asset listings, custody practices, and trading operations. 



At the time, the SEC had warned that the company could face charges over potential securities law violations.



Despite regulatory pressure, Robinhood maintained that it consistently worked with authorities to ensure compliance. 



&#8220;Robinhood Crypto has always operated within federal securities laws and has never facilitated securities transactions,&#8221; said Dan Gallagher, the company's chief legal and compliance officer. &#8220;We welcome the SEC's decision and a return to regulatory fairness.&#8221;



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43911115/grok-3-predicts-bitcoin-dominance-in-2025-projects-180000-price-target">Grok 3 Predicts Bitcoin Dominance In 2025, Projects $180,000 Price Target</a>



Why It Matters: The SEC's decision to close its investigation into Robinhood follows a similar move last week when it dropped <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43883117/coinbase-ceo-brian-armstrong-says-sec-has-agreed-to-end-bogus-enforcement-case-without-pen#:~:text=The%20SEC%20sued%20Coinbase%20in,service%20program%20violated%20securities%20laws.">an enforcement case against</a> Coinbase Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>).



These actions suggest a potential regulatory shift that aligns with President Donald Trump's previously stated plans to support the crypto sector.



Many in the industry had criticized the SEC's enforcement-first approach under <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/08/40568347/after-binance-and-coinbase-gary-gensler-led-sec-set-to-lock-horns-with-crypto-exchange-kra">former chair</a> Gary Gensler, arguing that it created uncertainty rather than providing clear regulations.



With the recent dismissals, expectations are rising that crypto firms may now operate with greater legal clarity.



Robinhood's crypto division has played a significant role in its overall business growth. 



In the fourth quarter, nearly half of the company's $672 million transaction-based revenue came from cryptocurrency trading, which saw a 700% increase as Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) surged toward $100,000.



Investor sentiment toward Robinhood remains positive, with the company's stock rising more than 1% in premarket trading. 



Year-to-date, Robinhood shares have climbed 38%, reflecting growing confidence in a regulatory environment that could be more favorable to digital assets.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43901027/bybit-offers-140m-bounty-in-wake-of-14b-eth-hack-investigation-focuses-on-safe">Bybit Offers $140M Bounty In Wake of $1.4B ETH Hack, Investigation Focuses On Safe</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Cryptocurrency

COIN

SEC Drops Investigation Into Robinhood's Crypto Unit

Domino&#8217;s Pizza Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DPZ#NASDAQ">DPZ</a>)&nbsp;shares are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/premarket" rel="noreferrer noopener">trading lower in premarket</a> on Monday after the fourth-quarter FY24 earnings result.



The company reported <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/02/n43907722/dominos-pizza-announces-fourth-quarter-and-fiscal-2024-financial-results" rel="noreferrer noopener">fourth-quarter sales growth </a>of 2.9% year-on-year to $1.44 billion, missing the analyst consensus estimate of $1.48 billion.



The revenue increase was primarily due to higher supply chain and U.S. franchise advertising revenues.&nbsp;



The growth in supply chain revenues was attributable to an increase in the company&#8217;s food basket pricing to stores, which increased 4.4% during the fourth quarter of 2024 as compared to the fourth quarter of 2023, as well as higher order volumes.



Global retail sales increased 4.4%, excluding the impact of foreign currency. Same-store sales in the U.S. grew 0.4%, while International same-store sales (excluding foreign currency impact) increased 2.7%.



Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43881721/coca-cola-warns-shortage-of-diverse-talent-could-harm-future-success" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coca-Cola Warns Shortage Of Diverse Talent Could Harm Business</a>



The company had a global net store increase of 364 stores. Gross margin for the quarter expanded 80 basis points to 39.2%. Operating margin for the quarter expanded 70 basis points to 19%.



EPS of $4.89 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">missed the analyst consensus estimate of $4.92.</a>



Operating cash flow for the twelve months totaled $624.9 million, with a free cash flow of $512 million. Domino&#8217;s held $381.49 million in cash and equivalents as of December 29, 2024.



On&nbsp;February 19, 2025, the company&#8217;s Board of Directors approved a 15% increase to its per share quarterly dividend.



Consequently, the Board of Directors declared a $1.74 per share quarterly dividend on its shares for shareholders of record as of&nbsp;March 14, to be paid on&nbsp;March 28.



As of December 29, it had a total remaining authorized amount for share repurchases of $814.3 million.



&#8220;Domino&#8217;s 2024 results demonstrated that our Hungry for MORE strategy can drive strong order count growth, even in the face of a challenging global macroeconomic environment,&#8221; said CEO Russell Weiner.



Price Action: DPZ shares are trading lower by 3.76% at $445.00 in premarket trading on Monday.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43880110/james-bond-franchise-shifts-hands-to-amazon-mgm-studios" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">James Bond&#8217;s New Era: Amazon MGM Studios Takes Creative Reins of Franchise</a></li>
</ul>

Earnings

Dividends

Movers

Domino's Pizza Q4 Same Store Sales Growth Lags, Proposes 15% Dividend Hike

U.S. stock futures rose on Monday, following Friday's selloff. Futures of all four benchmark indices were trading higher.



Investor anxiety over tariffs and a 10% drawdown in consumer sentiment data on Friday, raised fears of a market correction.



The semiconductor technology giant led by Jensen Huang, Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) is expected to report its fourth-quarter earnings this week.



The 10-year Treasury yield stood at 4.44%, while the two-year yield was at 4.22%. 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 97.5% 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>0.40%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>0.50%</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>0.68%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>0.82%</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, rose in premarket on Friday. SPY was up 0.51% to $603.00, and QQQ advanced 0.40% to $528.16, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.



Cues From The Last Session



Consumer staples stocks were in a bright spot, while information technology, consumer discretionary, and industrial sectors led the S&amp;P 500&#8217;s overall decline on Friday.



Shares of UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNH#NYSE">UNH</a>) fell over 7% following a Wall Street Journal report that the Department of Justice is investigating the company&#8217;s Medicare billing practices.



Several economic indicators fueled the market&#8217;s downturn, including the University of Michigan consumer sentiment index, which plummeted 10% to 64.7 in January. The survey also revealed a 5-year inflation outlook of 3.5%, the highest since 1995.



Existing home sales experienced a sharp 4.9% decline in January, reaching a seasonally adjusted rate of 4.08 million, the steepest drop in seven months. February&#8217;s flash S&amp;P Global PMIs showed a significant, unexpected drop in services, raising concerns about the private sector&#8217;s health.



The Dow Jones closed lower by 749 points or 1.69% at 43,428.02 on Friday. The S&amp;P 500 fell 1.71% to 6,013.13, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 2.20% to 19,524.01. The small-cap gauge Russell 200 declined 2.95% to 2,195.35.



<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>-2.20%</td><td>19,524.01</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>-1.71%</td><td>6,013.13</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>-1.69%</td><td>43,428.02 </td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-2.95%</td><td>2,195.35</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Insights From Analysts



Talking about last week's fall on Thursday and Friday after scaling record highs, Ed Yardeni of Yardeni Research, said "Sentiment turned very bearish very quickly at the end of last week because investors aren&#8217;t as sure about the economy&#8217;s resilience as we are."



"We remain impressed that it grew over the past three years notwithstanding a significant tightening of monetary policy, a mini-banking crisis, and lots of geopolitical turmoil. We continue to place our bets on its resilience," he added.



Talking about the anticipated Nvidia earnings this week, Yardeni said that he expects to hear guidance that "DeepSeek won&#8217;t kill spending on AI infrastructure, including datacenters."



"The main risk is that Nvidia will announce yet another delay in its highly anticipated Blackwell GPU, which was first announced in March 2024," he added.



The <a href="https://www.weforum.org/press/2020/10/recession-and-automation-changes-our-future-of-work-but-there-are-jobs-coming-report-says-52c5162fce/">World Economic Forum estimates</a> that 85 million worldwide jobs may be displaced by AI in 2025 alone. McKinsey Global Institute projects that 375 million jobs (14% of the global workforce) will require "reskilling" by 2030.



Louis Navellier of Navellier &amp; Associates quoted the above data and said, "The AI boom is here and now, and this means that the job market is going to go through some real upheaval in 2025 and beyond."



A surge in layoffs from S&amp;P 500 and Global 1000 companies would likely force the Fed to abandon its "higher for longer" rate strategy and rapidly shift to looser monetary policy, especially if—or when—the unemployment rate reaches 5%, he added.



Charlie Bilello, the chief market strategist at Creative Planning, in an X post, highlighted that the Nasdaq 100 was trading above its 200-day moving average for 489 consecutive sessions, which was its second highest in history since 1986.



<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">The Nasdaq 100 has closed above its 200-day moving average for 489 consecutive trading days, the 2nd longest uptrend in history. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24NDX&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$NDX</a><a href="https://t.co/rQuXrxVpWs">https://t.co/rQuXrxVpWs</a> <a href="https://t.co/LZoWrhGk7H">pic.twitter.com/LZoWrhGk7H</a>&mdash; Charlie Bilello (@charliebilello) <a href="https://twitter.com/charliebilello/status/1893855232397820404?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



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 this week:



<ul>
<li>No data is scheduled to be released on Monday.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>On Tuesday, 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>



<ul>
<li>On Wednesday, new home sales data for January will be released at 10:00 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic will speak at 12:00 p.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>On Thursday, initial jobless claims data till the week ended Feb. 22, January's durable-goods orders data, and GDP's second reading will be announced at 8:30 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Kansas City Fed President Jeff Schmid speaks will speak at 9:15 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Pending home sales data for January will be out by 10:00 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Fed Governor Michelle Bowman will speak at 11:45 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Philadelphia Fed President Patrick Harker will speak at 3:15 p.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>On Friday, January's personal income, spending, core and headline PCE index, advanced U.S. trade balance in goods, retail and wholesale inventories will be out by 8:30 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin will speak at 8:30 a.m., ET as well.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>February's Chicago business barometer data will be released at 9:45 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee will speak at 10:15 p.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



Stocks In Focus:



<ul>
<li>Owens Corning (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OC#NYSE">OC</a>) was up 0.085% in the premarket on Monday ahead of its earnings, which will be released before the opening bell. Analysts expect it to report earnings of $2.90 per share on the revenue of $2.77 billion.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Domino&#8217;s Pizza Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DPZ#NASDAQ">DPZ</a>) advanced 1% as Wall Street expects it to report quarterly earnings of $4.91 per share on revenue of $1.48 billion before the opening bell.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Westlake Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WLK#NYSE">WLK</a>) declined 0.28% ahead of its earnings, which will be released before the opening bell. Analysts expect it to report quarterly earnings of $1.09 per share on revenue of $2.94 billion.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>ONEOK Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OKE#NYSE">OKE</a>) rose 1.12% as Wall Street expects it to report quarterly earnings of $1.51 per share on the revenue of $6.73 billion after the closing bell.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>) was up 1.39% after reporting a 71% increase in operating earnings to $14.5 billion for the fourth quarter.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Hawaiian Electric Industries Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HE#NYSE">HE</a>) dropped 4.83% after it posted a loss of 40 cents per share for the fourth quarter, versus earnings of 44 cents per share in the year-ago period.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>authID Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AUID#NASDAQ">AUID</a>) jumped 4.9% after it was recognized as a leader in biometric authentication by Acuity Market Intelligence, praised for its platform&#8217;s accuracy and data protection.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Nuburu Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BURU#NYSE">BURU</a>) plummeted 19.27% after it announced an acquisition agreement to expand its defense business and enter the security sector. It has secured a commitment letter from a private equity group for a deal involving recapitalization, acquisitions, and technology licensing.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Boxlight Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BOXL#NASDAQ">BOXL</a>) slumped 20.65% after announcing a fundraising of roughly $2.8 million through a private placement of stock and warrants at $2.13 per share.</li>
</ul>



Commodities, Gold And Global Equity Markets:



Crude oil futures were trading higher in the early New York session by 0.18% to hover around $70.53 per barrel.



The gold spot index was up by 0.16% to $2,940.60 per ounce easing from the record high of $2,954.97. The Dollar Index was flat at 106.616 level.



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



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43906366/warren-buffetts-berkshire-boosts-bets-on-five-japanese-companies-admiration-has-consistently-grown-says-oracle-of-omaha-in-letter-to-shareholders">Warren Buffett&#8217;s Berkshire Boosts Bets On 5 Japanese Companies: Oracle Of Omaha Says Admiration &#8216;Has Consistently Grown&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Asia

Government

Treasuries

Economics

Pre-Market Outlook

AUID

BOXL

BURU

Wall Street Looks To Bounce Back After Friday's Rough Ride Triggered By Consumer Sentiment: Analyst Says 'We Continue To Place Our Bets' On Economy's Resilience

Bitcoin's (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) sideways movement over the past week has prompted analysts to look at macroeconomic influences and historical patterns for indicators of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/bitcoin-price-prediction">the next move.</a>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Price&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>Market Cap</td><td>24-Hour Trend</td><td>7-Day Trend</td></tr><tr><td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td><td>$95,712.56</td><td>$1.89 trillion</td><td>-0.5%</td><td>-0.5%</td></tr><tr><td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>)</td><td>$2,687.27</td><td>$324 billion</td><td>-4%</td><td>-2.1%</td></tr><tr><td>XRP (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>)</td><td>$2.47</td><td>$143.5 billion</td><td>-3.7%</td><td>-7.4%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Trader Notes: In a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZoVqcPolGiM">podcast</a> from Feb. 21, Cowen noted that Bitcoin is stuck in a broadening wedge, waiting for a strong catalyst. He notes a lag effect between Bitcoin and global money supply, which could explain the lack of major movement.



Regarding altcoins, Cowen remains skeptical of an upcoming &#8220;alt season&#8221;, citing Bitcoin's continued dominance and macroeconomic factors like inflation and interest rates as key market drivers. 



He suggested that Bitcoin&#8217;s next major move could come after upcoming macroeconomic data releases.



Meanwhile, trader CrypNuevo, in an <a href="https://x.com/CrypNuevo/status/1893773990784839683">X</a> thread on Monday, sees a solid trading opportunity this week, predicting range-bound price action. 



He's watching $94,700 as a potential bounce zone, with $92,500 as the next key level if BTC moves lower.



Statistics: IntoTheBlock data shows Bitcoin's large transaction volume and daily active addresses are down by 28.3% and 19.9%, respectively. Meanwhile, transactions greater than $100,000 declined from 7,980 to 6,703 in a single day. Despite volatility and relatively flat performance, 90% Bitcoin holders are currently in profit and only 6% underwater.



Coinglass data shows 127,516 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours for $268.66 million. Bitcoin liquidations in the past 24 hours stand at $29.7 million, compared to the last peak of around $372 million on Feb. 3 when prices touched $101,293.



What's Next: With a quiet economic calendar this week, traders are watching for technical breakouts. The lack of macro events could allow Bitcoin to move based on market structure alone.



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43878748/michael-saylor-bitcoin-is-economic-armor-calls-on-us-to-accumulate-btc">Michael Saylor: &#8216;Bitcoin Is Economic Armor&#8217;, Calls On US To Accumulate BTC</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

$ETH

$XRP

Bitcoin Remains Stuck Below $96,000: Why Is It Not Moving?

Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) is poised to deliver another strong earnings performance this week, according to Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives, as artificial intelligence demand continues to drive growth for the semiconductor giant.



What Happened: &#8220;We expect another robust performance and &#8216;clear beat and raise special&#8217; this week from Nvidia that should calm the nerves of investors,&#8221; Ives wrote on X on Sunday, citing massive demand drivers from the company&#8217;s new Blackwell architecture and AI capital expenditure fueling what he called the &#8220;4th Industrial Revolution.&#8221;



The chipmaker&#8217;s fiscal fourth-quarter results, due after market close on Wednesday, are expected to show revenue growth of 72% year-over-year, with sequential growth of at least 8%. This performance would mark Nvidia&#8217;s consistent streak of beating consensus revenue estimates <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/content/43811314/analysts-see-buying-opportunity-in-nvidia-before-earnings">since before 2020</a>.



<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 expect another robust performance and &quot;clear beat and raise special&quot; this week from Nvidia that should calm the nerves of investors as the Godfather of AI Jensen lays out the massive demand drivers from Blackwell and AI Capex fueling this 4th Industrial Revolution &#x1f525;&#x1f3c6;&#x1f402;&#x1f37f;&mdash; Dan Ives (@DivesTech) <a href="https://twitter.com/DivesTech/status/1893798795005001776?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Evercore ISI recently added Nvidia to their Tactical Outperform list, emphasizing the company&#8217;s five-to-ten-year technological lead over competitors. The firm noted Nvidia remains the top choice for major tech companies including Alphabet Inc., Amazon.com Inc., and Microsoft Corp.



The company&#8217;s robust financial position adds to investor confidence, with cash reserves up nearly 50% to $38.5 billion at the end of the third quarter, exceeding total liabilities. Despite an expected slowdown in growth rate, analysts project sustained high-double-digit growth through 2025.



Nvidia&#8217;s stock has already rebounded 20% from its late January low, with analyst consensus suggesting a potential 20% upside from mid-February levels. Tigress Financial recently reiterated this optimistic outlook, upgrading the stock to Strong Buy with a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/content/43811314/analysts-see-buying-opportunity-in-nvidia-before-earnings">price target of $220</a>.



Price Action: Nvidia closed at $134.40 on Friday, down 4.08%. After hours, it rose 0.45%. Year to date, it&#8217;s down 2.83%, with a 52-week range of $66.25 to $153.13, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43904932/warren-buffett-favors-5-treasury-bills-over-buybacks-as-berkshire-hathaways-cash-pile-surges-the-rate-of-change-thats-most-telling-says-lawrence-mcdonald" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Warren Buffett Favors 5% Treasury Bills Over Buybacks As Berkshire Hathaway's Cash Pile Balloons To $334 Billion: ‘The Rate Of Change… That's Most Telling,' Says Expert</a></li>
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Nvidia Set For 'Clear Beat And Raise Special' As AI Demand Surges, Says Dan Ives

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) has announced an investment of 380 billion yuan&nbsp;(nearly $53 billion) for its cloud computing and AI infrastructure, making it the largest private computing project to date.



What Happened: on Monday, Alibaba announced its plans to invest an amount that surpasses its total AI infrastructure spending over the past decade, <a href="https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3299858/alibaba-commits-us53-billion-ai-infrastructure-largest-private-computing-project?module=top_story&amp;pgtype=homepage">reported</a> South China Morning Post. This investment is on par with half of the initial $100 billion earmarked for the Stargate AI plan by the U.S. Alibaba stated that this commitment underscores its &#8220;focus on AI-driven growth and its role as a leading global cloud provider&#8221;.



CEO&nbsp;Eddie Wu Yongming, in the conference call last week, revealed that the intends to make significant investments in AI and cloud computing infrastructure over the next three years. However, he did not mention the amount of investment during the call.



SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43905699/credit-spreads-flash-2007-warning-100-days-below-3-signals-potential-volatility-spike-economist-warns-of-investor-complacency">Economist Warns Junk Bond Spreads Are Flashing 2007 Crisis Warning Signs: &#8216;…Just Waiting To Catch Fire&#8217;</a>



Why It Matters: Alibaba&#8217;s latest earnings report revealed higher-than-anticipated profit and revenue for the December quarter, fueling investor enthusiasm. The Chinese tech giant&#8217;s AI endeavors garnered worldwide attention following reports that Apple (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) had selected Alibaba as <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/02/43655603/apple-finds-its-ai-wingman-in-alibaba-can-it-power-an-iphone-comeback-in-china">one of its AI partners </a>in mainland China for the Apple Intelligence feature on iPhones. Alibaba also stated that its upgraded Qwen 2.5 Max edition was a strong alternative for DeepSeek&#8216;s R1 model.



In a research note on Monday, Morgan Stanley stated that Alibaba "appears poised to capture the AI cloud opportunity" with its latest investment strategy. The analyst also expects Alibaba Cloud revenue to double in the next three years, to reach 240 billion yuan (nearly $33.10 billion) in 2028.



Meanwhile, equity strategists at UBS said on Thursday that they have replaced PDD Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PDD#NASDAQ">PDD</a>) with Alibaba in a model portfolio due to its exposure to AI and quantitative factors.



Besides Alibaba, other Chinese companies have also been investing in AI in a big way. ByteDance, the Chinese parent company of TikTok, allocated over 150 billion yuan ($20.69 billion) in capital expenditure for this year, with a significant portion expected to focus on AI, according to a previous Reuters report. 



The ADR of Alibaba Group surged more than 87% over the past year. 



<ul>
<li>READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43905675/tesla-will-press-charges-against-vandalism-at-superchargers-as-brand-backlash-grows-over-elon-musks-political-ties">Elon Musk-Led Tesla&#8217;s Supercharger Vandalized With Nazi Symbols, EV Giant Says It &#8216;Will Press Charges&#8217;</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.

BABA

BIDU

Alibaba To Invest A Massive $53 Billion In AI Infrastructure, Taking On Trump's Stargate AI Plan

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed a decline in the overall market sentiment, while the index moved to the &#8220;Fear&#8221; zone on Friday.



U.S. stocks settled lower on Friday, with the Dow Jones index dipping more than 700 points during the session.



The University of Michigan consumer sentiment index fell to 64.7 in January, a decline of 10% and a steeper drop than expected. The 5-year inflation outlook in the survey is the highest since 1995 at 3.5%. Existing home sales sank by 4.9% to a seasonally adjusted rate of 4.08 million in January, the sharpest decline in seven months, according to Trading Economics.



February&#8217;s flash S&amp;P Global PMIs released Friday morning revealed a sharp, unexpected drop in services and raised concerns about the health of the private sector.



Shares of UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNH#NYSE">UNH</a>) slumped around 7% on Friday after the Wall Street Journal reported the Department of Justice launched an investigation into the company's Medicare billing practices.



Most sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed on a negative note, with information technology, consumer discretionary, and industrials stocks recording losses on Friday. However, consumer staples stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session higher.



The Dow Jones closed lower by around 749 points to 43,428.02 on Friday. The S&amp;P 500 fell 1.71% to 6,013.13, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 2.20% at 19,524.01 during Friday's session.



Investors are awaiting earnings results from Owens Corning (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OC#NYSE">OC</a>), Domino&#8217;s Pizza Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DPZ#NASDAQ">DPZ</a>), and Westlake Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WLK#NYSE">WLK</a>) today.



What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?



At a current reading of 35.4, the index moved to the &#8220;Fear&#8221; zone on Friday, versus a prior reading of 45.1.



The Fear &amp; Greed Index is a measure of the current market sentiment. It is based on the premise that higher fear exerts pressure on stock prices, while higher greed has the opposite effect. The index is calculated based on seven equal-weighted indicators. The index ranges from 0 to 100, where 0 represents maximum fear and 100 signals maximum greediness.



Read Next: 



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</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Long Ideas

Dow Tumbles Over 700 Points Following Weak Economic Data: Investor Sentiment Declines, Greed Index Moves To 'Fear' Zone

Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) chief Elon Musk is demanding that federal employees justify their <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43581767/elon-musks-former-employees-warn-federal-workers-about-long-hours-firings-and-much-more">positions to him through email</a> or lose their jobs.



What Happened: Musk declared that federal employees who do not comply with this directive will be considered to have resigned. He says the move aligns with President Donald Trump&#8216;s instructions to eradicate federal waste and fraud.



Musk announced his directive in a Saturday afternoon post on X, stating, &#8220;Consistent with President @realDonaldTrump's instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week. Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.&#8221;



<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">Consistent with President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a>'s instructions, all federal employees will shortly receive an email requesting to understand what they got done last week. Failure to respond will be taken as a resignation.&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1893386883444437415?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



In another post, Musk shared that a large number of responses have been received and and those people should be considered for promotion. 



<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 large number of good responses have been received already. These are the people who should be considered for promotion. <a href="https://t.co/Rc8sGBLemU">https://t.co/Rc8sGBLemU</a>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1893530756602847340?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



According to a report <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/22/politics/elon-musk-employees-emails/index.html">by</a> CNN, Musk&#8217;s message has stirred up controversy and apprehension among federal employees. Newly confirmed FBI Director Kash Patel advised bureau employees to hold off on responding to the email. He emphasized that the FBI would handle review processes according to its procedures and coordinate responses if further information is required.



"The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all of our review processes, and will conduct reviews in accordance with FBI procedures. When and if further information is required, we will coordinate the responses. For now, please pause any responses," Patel said in an email to bureau employees. 



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43770024/from-tech-to-politics-how-elon-musk-is-empowering-far-right-across-the-globe">From Tech to Politics: How Elon Musk Is Empowering Far Right Across the Globe</a>



Similarly, the National Security Agency employees were instructed to wait for further guidance from the Department of Defense before responding. Secret Service Director Sean Curran advised staff to comply with the email, noting the agency&#8217;s resources available for employees during uncertain times.



The email ultimatum has been heavily criticized by unions representing federal workers.&nbsp;Everett Kelley, the&nbsp;national president of the American&nbsp;Federation of Government Employees, criticized Musk&#8217;s ultimatum, stating it mirrors the Trump administration's disregard&nbsp;for federal employees and their crucial services to the American public.



Doreen Greenwald, President&nbsp;of the National Treasury Employees&nbsp;Union, labeled the email as "completely unAmerican."



Why It Matters: President Trump has appointed Musk to revamp&nbsp;the federal government with his&nbsp;Department of Government Efficiency. However, the legality of this latest move remains uncertain. 



This directive is the latest in a series of moves by Musk and DOGE to streamline the federal workforce and eliminate inefficiencies. 



The approach mirrors Musk&#8217;s previous actions at Tesla and X, where he implemented significant staffing cuts to improve efficiency. The impact of this directive on the federal workforce and its efficiency will be closely watched in the coming weeks.



Read Next



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/02/43768756/privacy-concerns-emerge-as-elon-musks-doge-team-seeks-access-to-taxpayer-data">Privacy Concerns Emerge As Elon Musk&#8217;s DOGE Team Seeks Access to Taxpayer Data</a>

Elon Musk Demands Federal Workers Justify Their Jobs — FBI's Kash Patel Tells Employees Not To Respond

These ten large-cap stocks were the worst performers in the last week. Are they in your portfolio?



<ol>
<li>Akamai Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AKAM#NASDAQ">AKAM</a>) stock fell 23.01% following weak FY25 guidance. Several analysts lowered the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sfm/analyst-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">price forecast on the stock</a>.</li>



<li>Axon Enterprise (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AXON#NASDAQ">AXON</a>) shares fell 22.79% after Craig-Hallum analyst Jeremy Hamblin downgraded the stock from Buy to Hold and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/axon/analyst-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced a $625 price forecast</a>.</li>



<li>Twilio Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TWLO#NYSE">TWLO</a>) shares tumbled 22.39% after the company reported mixed fourth-quarter results and analysts revised <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43742521" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">forecasts on the stock</a>.</li>



<li>EPAM Systems Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EPAM#NYSE">EPAM</a>) stock declined 21.97% following its fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 earnings report <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43867480" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">and disappointing 2025 guidance.</a></li>



<li>Nu Holdings Ltd (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NU#NYSE">NU</a>) stock decreased 21.54% following the company's<a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43869101" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> fourth-quarter financial results</a>.</li>



<li>Aurora Innovation, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AUR#NASDAQ">AUR</a>) lost 21.18% as the software company's stocks fell amid overall market weakness on U.S. consumer and economic concerns.</li>



<li>Coinbase Global, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>) stock lost 21.04% last week. The stock reversed its gains following an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43883117" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">agreement in principle with SEC staff</a> to drop the case against the company.</li>



<li>DaVita Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DVA#NYSE">DVA</a>) shares dipped 19.58%. Warren Buffett's investment firm, Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>) (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>), has offloaded a 2% stake in the company, with the transaction <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43874883" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">valued at around $116 million</a>.</li>



<li>Robinhood Markets, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HOOD#NASDAQ">HOOD</a>) stock lost 19.12% as broader financial sector stocks fell amid overall market weakness on U.S. consumer and economic concerns.</li>



<li>Reddit (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RDDT#NYSE">RDDT</a>) shares declined 18.81%. Piper Sandler analyst Thomas Champion maintained an Overweight rating and raised the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/rddt/analyst-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">price forecast from $210 to $220</a>.</li>
</ol>



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/large-cap/25/02/43902979/alibaba-super-micro-computer-and-xpeng-are-among-top-10-large-cap-gainers-last-week-feb-17-feb-21-are-the-others-in-your-portfolio" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alibaba, Super Micro Computer And XPeng Are Among Top 10 Large Cap Gainers Last Week (Feb 17-Feb 21): Are The Others In Your Portfolio?</a></li>
</ul>



Photo via Shutterstock

Topics

AKAM

AXON

EPAM

RDDT

TWLO

Twilio, Coinbase And Reddit Are Among Top 10 Large Cap Losers Last Week (Feb 17-Feb 21): Are The Others In Your Portfolio?

The week has been a whirlwind of economic news, with President Donald Trump&#8217;s administration making headlines for its tax proposals and plans for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Meanwhile, gold is nearing the $3000 mark, and billionaire investor Ray Dalio has proposed a solution to America&#8217;s mounting debt crisis. Here&#8217;s a recap of the top stories.



Trump&#8217;s Plan to &#8216;Abolish&#8217; IRS



Howard Lutnick, the newly confirmed Commerce Secretary under President Donald Trump&#8216;s administration, has reiterated the President&#8217;s proposal to abolish the IRS. During an appearance on Fox News, Lutnick stated that Trump&#8217;s goal is to &#8220;abolish the Internal Revenue Service and let all the outsiders pay.&#8221;



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43840909/trumps-goal-is-to-abolish-irs-and-let-all-the-outsiders-pay-says-newly-confirmed-commerce-secretary-howard-lutnick">Read the full article here.</a>



Trump&#8217;s Tax Cut Could Add $4.6 Trillion To Deficit



Former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich has criticized the tax reduction plans of the Trump administration, terming them as an &#8220;absolutely shameless giveaway,&#8221; that could increase the deficit by $4.6 trillion. The proposed tax cuts for wealthy individuals and lower corporate tax rates are likely to widen the U.S. trade deficit.



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43774882/donald-trumps-tax-cut-could-add-46-trillion-to-deficit-says-robert-reich-emphasizing-48-billion-relief-for-top-100-us-firms-via-corporate-tax-cuts">Read the full article here.</a>



Trump&#8217;s &#8216;DOGE Dividend&#8217; Proposal Criticized



President Donald Trump&#8217;s idea of using part of his cost-cutting efforts to reward taxpayers has been criticized by economist Craig Shapiro. Shapiro argues that all savings from the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE) should be dedicated to reducing the deficit, debt reduction, and inflation control.



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43839198/reduce-deficits-and-debt-full-stop-says-this-economist-as-trump-mulls-doge-dividend-by-giving-away-20-of-its-savings-to-public">Read the full article here.</a>



Gold Nears $3000 Mark



As gold nears the $3000 per ounce mark, experts are highlighting the importance of the precious metal in investment portfolios. Despite trading flat at $2,930.62 per ounce, gold has been testing the $3,000 level after hitting fresh records.



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/02/43875557/donald-trump-airs-fort-knox-inspection-as-gold-edges-closer-to-3000-it-is-an-essential-component-of-portfolio-says-expert">Read the full article here.</a>



Ray Dalio&#8217;s Solution to America&#8217;s Debt Crisis



Billionaire investor Ray Dalio has called for urgent measures to address the mounting U.S. federal debt crisis. Dalio proposes reducing the deficit to 3% of gross domestic product from its current level of nearly 7%.



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/01/43328856/ray-dalio-backs-trumps-interest-rate-cut-proposes-3-solution-to-tackle-36-trillion-americas-debt-crisis">Read the full article here.</a>



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43900186/trump-administration-eyes-mineral-rights-deal-with-ukraine-amid-rising-tensions-were-signing-an-agreement">Trump Administration Eyes Mineral Rights Deal With Ukraine Amid Rising Tensions: &#8216;We&#8217;re Signing An Agreement&#8217;</a></li>
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Photo courtesy: Shutterstock



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/ananya-gairola" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ananya Gairola</a>

Trump's Tax Plans, Gold Nears $3000, And Ray Dalio's Solution To America's Debt Crisis: This Week In Economics

Friedrich Merz of the conservative CDU is likely to become Germany's new chancellor, according to exit polls from Sunday's elections. The <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/eurozone/25/01/42920583/musk-supports-german-afd-party-as-remedy-for-faltering-economy">far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD)</a> finished second.



What Happened: <a href="https://www.reuters.com/graphics/GERMANY-ELECTION/RESULTS/movaynkgova/">Reuters</a> reports that the first exit polls show the conservative CDU/CSU bloc taking about 28% of the vote. The AfD is on track to finish with about 20% of the vote.



Current Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democratic Party (SPD) is running third, with about 16%, which would be its worst showing in decades. The Greens have about 13% of the vote, with several other parties dividing the remainder.



Despite the CDU/CSU bloc&#8217;s comfortable lead, Germany may face months of political uncertainty as the party will need to form a coalition to secure a majority.



The conservative bloc, composed of the Christian Democrats (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union, stands for low taxes, budget discipline, conservative-liberal values, and a strong role for Germany within the European Union and NATO.



The AfD, established as an anti-euro party in 2013, has evolved into an anti-immigrant grouping with some radical far-right members. Its leader, Alice Weidel, recently received support from the new U.S. administration, including a meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance and an endorsement from Elon Musk.



Why It Matters: The election results could have significant implications for Germany&#8217;s economy and its stance on immigration. The AfD&#8217;s surge in popularity is notable, particularly given its anti-immigrant stance and the recent endorsement from Elon Musk.



The election could also impact the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/25/02/43886450/germanys-2025-election-could-make-or-break-cannabis-legalization-heres-where-key-parties-stand">future of cannabis legalization in Germany</a>. The SPD has been supportive of cannabis legalization. The conservatives&#8217; potential victory could change the course of this policy.



Image: Shutterstock

Merz on Track To Lead Germany Following Sunday Election, Far-Right AfD Takes 20% of Vote

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