The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed some improvement in the overall market sentiment, while the index was in the &#8220;Greed&#8221; zone on Wednesday.



U.S. stocks settled higher on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones index gaining more than 250 points during the session following the interest-rate decision from the Federal Reserve.



The US central bank kept interest rates unchanged, but warned of macroeconomic dangers from President Donald Trump's tariff moves.



Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>) reported weaker-than-expected revenue for the first quarter on Wednesday. Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIS#NYSE">DIS</a>) reported upbeat fiscal second-quarter 2025 results on Wednesday.



On the economic data front, U.S. mortgage application volumes climbed by 11% from the previous week during the week ending May 2.



Most sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed on a positive note, with health care, consumer discretionary, and information technology stocks recording the biggest gains on Wednesday. However, communication services and materials stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session lower.



The Dow Jones closed higher by around 285 points to 41,113.97 on Wednesday. The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.43% to 5,631.28, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.27% to 17,738.16 during Wednesday's session.



Investors are awaiting earnings results from US Foods Holding Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/USFD#NYSE">USFD</a>), ConocoPhillips (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COP#NYSE">COP</a>), and Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>) today.



What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?



At a current reading of 56.4, the index was in the &#8220;Greed&#8221; zone on Wednesday, versus a prior reading of 55.



The Fear &amp; Greed Index is a measure of the current market sentiment. It is based



&nbsp;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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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45250672/wall-streets-most-accurate-analysts-give-their-take-on-3-industrials-stocks-delivering-high-dividend-yields">Wall Street&#8217;s Most Accurate Analysts Give Their Take On 3 Industrials Stocks Delivering High-Dividend Yields</a> </li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

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Dow Surges Over 250 Points Following Fed Decision: Investor Sentiment Improves, Fear Index In 'Greed' Zone

Leading cryptocurrencies traded sideways on Wednesday, as the Federal Reserve <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/05/45266366/powell-flags-sharp-tariff-shock-elevated-uncertainty-fed-sticks-to-wait-and-see-mode">warned of macroeconomic dangers</a> from President Donald Trump&#8217;s tariff moves.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Gains +/-</td><td>Price (Recorded at 9:00 p.m. ET)</td></tr><tr><td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td><td>+0.53%</td><td>$98,018.94</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>-0.89%</td><td>$1,830.59</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>-0.88%</td><td>$0.1721</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



What Happened: Bitcoin encountered tough resistance in the mid-$97,000s throughout the day before breaking the barrier overnight and recovering $98,000 for the first time since Feb. 21.



Bitcoin's market dominance rose to a yearly high of 64.4%, signaling continued capital rotation from other assets to the apex cryptocurrency.



Ethereum recovered after falling to an intraday low of $1,788.69 in a turbulent trading session that saw volume soar up to 220%.



Over $184 million was liquidated from the cryptocurrency market in the last 24 hours, with bearish bets accounting for the majority.



Bitcoin's Open Interest dropped marginally by 0.78% in the last 24 hours. Interestingly, over 63% of the Bitcoin derivatives traders on Binance bet against the leading cryptocurrency.



The "Greed" sentiment prevailed in the market, according to the Crypto Fear and Greed Index.



Top Gainers (24-Hours)



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Gains +/-</td><td>Price (Recorded at 8:30 p.m. ET)</td></tr><tr><td>Eos (EOS)</td><td>+16.78%</td><td>$0.8168</td></tr><tr><td>Stacks (STX)</td><td>+9.62%</td><td>$0.892</td></tr><tr><td>Zcash (ZEC)</td><td>+5.10%</td><td>$40.32</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $3 trillion, following a 0.20% contraction in the last 24 hours.



Stocks staged a pullback on Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 284.97 points, or 0.70%, to end at 41,113.97. The S&amp;P 500 gained 0.43% to close at 5,631.28, while the tech-focused Nasdaq Composite spiked 0.27%, ending at 17,738.16.



Fed Chair Jerome Powell flagged concerns that Trump's tariff measures could lead to higher inflation, weaker growth, and a rise in unemployment. This came after the central bank&#8217;s widely predicted decision to maintain interest rates at 4.25%-4.50%.



Additionally, shares of Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) climbed late in the day on reports that the Trump administration plans to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/05/45269811/chip-stocks-rise-as-trump-reportedly-plans-to-roll-back-biden-era-ai-export-curbs">scrap Biden-era AI chip curbs</a>.



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



Analyst Notes: Cryptocurrency analyst Rekt Capital stated that the altseason, which occurs when altcoins outperform Bitcoin in price gains, would begin once Bitcoin dominance hits the 71% ceiling, about 6% away from current value.



<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/hashtag/BTC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BTC</a> Dominance If history repeats, the real Altseason everybody is waiting for would begin once Bitcoin Dominance rejects from 71% (red) And right now, 71% is only ~6% away<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Altseason?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Altseason</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> <a href="https://t.co/29vBkhA5aj">pic.twitter.com/29vBkhA5aj</a>&mdash; Rekt Capital (@rektcapital) <a href="https://twitter.com/rektcapital/status/1920102471851995590?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Cryptocurrency expert and trader Michaël van de Poppe expressed optimism in Ethereum&#8217;s short-term prospects, stating that the cryptocurrency was holding above a &#8220;crucial&#8221; level.



"I think we&#8217;ll be about to witness a big breakout to $2,100 in the coming 1-2 weeks," the analyst said.



<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> is hodling above the crucial level and starts to bounce upwards. I think we&#39;ll be about to witness a big breakout to $2,100 in the coming 1-2 weeks. <a href="https://t.co/p10vYV6ueX">pic.twitter.com/p10vYV6ueX</a>&mdash; Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) <a href="https://twitter.com/CryptoMichNL/status/1920059784788918717?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Photo Courtesy: alfernec on Shutterstock.com



Read Next:    



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/05/45262012/treasury-sec-scott-bessent-us-should-be-the-premier-destination-for-digital-assets">Treasury Sec Scott Bessent: US Should Be The &#8216;Premier Destination For Digital Assets&#8217;</a></li>
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$ETH

NVDA

Bitcoin Taps $98,000, Ethereum, Dogecoin Steady As Fed Chair Jerome Powell Raises Trump Tariff-Induced Concerns: Analyst Says ETH Holding Above 'Crucial Level' And Begins Its 'Bounce Upwards'

Countries facing U.S. tariffs are reportedly increasingly granting licenses and approvals to Elon Musk's Starlink — the satellite internet arm of SpaceX — as part of efforts to smooth trade relations with the Donald Trump administration.



What Happened: For example, just weeks after Trump announced a 50% tariff on goods from Lesotho, the small African nation approved Starlink's first-ever satellite internet license, set to last 10 years, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2025/05/07/elon-musk-starlink-trump-tariffs/?utm_campaign=wp_main&amp;utm_source=facebook,twitter&amp;utm_medium=social">reported</a> the Washington Post.&nbsp;



According to internal State Department cables obtained by the publication, Lesotho hoped the decision would "demonstrate goodwill and intent to welcome U.S. businesses" as it negotiated trade deals.



Lesotho isn't alone. Countries like India, Cambodia, Somalia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Vietnam, and the Democratic Republic of Congo have also made <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/03/44487526/elon-musks-starlink-gains-green-light-in-vietnam-to-begin-satellite-internet-service-trial">moves to accommodate</a> Starlink, often during or after trade talks.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/space/25/05/45163320/as-elon-musks-spacex-adds-28-starlinks-research-flags-climate-impact-from-deorbiting-satellites">As Elon Musk&#8217;s SpaceX Adds 28 Starlinks, Research Flags Climate Impact From Deorbiting Satellites</a>



In India, two sources familiar with the matter told the publication that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/space/25/03/44244377/elon-musks-spacex-partners-with-airtel-to-launch-starlink-in-india-weeks-after-pm-narendra-modis-us-visit">Starlink approvals</a> were sped up in part because local officials believed it would help cement a broader trade deal with Washington.



While the U.S. government has not explicitly demanded regulatory favors for Starlink in exchange for lower tariffs, the cables show that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has instructed diplomats worldwide to advocate for American satellite companies, with Starlink often named directly, the report added.



This is part of the administration's efforts to counter Chinese and Russian telecom providers.



&#8220;The only consideration in the Trump administration's trade negotiations with other countries is what's best for the American people — which includes American companies succeeding at home and abroad,&#8221; White House spokesperson Kush Desai told the publication. &#8220;President Trump will not tolerate any conflicts of interest, and every administration official is following ethical guidelines set by their respective agencies.&#8221;



Why It's Important: Musk has contributed $277 million to Trump's campaign and other Republican candidates during last year's election cycle.



The Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO also holds a position within the administration, overseeing the Department of Government Efficiency Service, although he has indicated plans to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/management/25/05/45140155/musk-shifts-focus-back-to-tesla-says-doge-will-endure-without-him-is-buddha-needed-for-buddhism">step back from his day-to-day management role</a>.



Starlink has reached 5 million customers as of March. The explosive growth of Starlink has played a major role in propelling SpaceX's valuation to an estimated $350 billion as of December 2024, making it the most valuable privately held company in the world.



Despite this surge, some industry analysts remain cautious, questioning whether the company's sky-high <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44731833/starlinks-challenges-poses-threat-to-the-high-valuation-of-elon-musks-spacex-report">valuation can be sustained</a> over the long term.



Read Next:



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<li><a href="https://benzinga.com/25/04/44710082/trumps-liberation-day-tariffs-wipe-out-174-billion-from-the-net-worth-of-worlds-top-10-billionaires-including-war" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump's Tariff Turmoil Topples Ultra-Rich's Wealth — $174B Wiped Out From Fortunes Of World's Top 10 Billionaires, Including Elon Musk, Warren Buffett And Mark Zuckerberg</a></li>
</ul>



Photo Courtesy: RossHelen On Shutterstock.com



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

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Trump Tariff Pressure Reportedly Opens Global Doors For Elon Musk's Starlink As Nations Rush To Show 'Goodwill'

On Wednesday, Cathie Wood&#8216;s Ark Invest made notable trades involving Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>), Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>), and Tempus AI Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TEM#NASDAQ">TEM</a>). These trades reflect Ark&#8217;s ongoing strategy to adjust its portfolio in response to market dynamics and company performance.



The Nvidia Trade saw Ark Invest making significant purchases of the Jensen-Huang-led tech giant. shares across its ARK Innovation ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKK#BATS">ARKK</a>), ARK Autonomous Technology &amp; Robotics ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKQ#BATS">ARKQ</a>), ARK Next Generation Internet ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKW#BATS">ARKW</a>), and ARK Fintech Innovation ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKF#BATS">ARKF</a>). NVIDIA, a leader in AI and graphics processing, has been experiencing a surge in its stock value, partially driven by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/04/45121790/nvidia-stock-surges-after-hours-whats-going-on">strong earnings</a> from tech giants like Microsoft Corp and Meta Platforms Inc. On Wednesday, Ark Invest acquired 64,838 shares in ARKK, 11,464 shares in ARKQ, and 19,645 shares in ARKW. The firm also picked up 11,714 shares through ARKF. With NVIDIA&#8217;s stock closing at $117.06, the total value of these purchases is approximately $12.6 million. 



The AMD Trade involved Ark Invest buying shares of the chipmaker across multiple ETFs, including ARKK, ARKQ, ARKW, and ARKX. AMD has been gaining traction in the data center and AI chip markets, buoyed by a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/05/45244462/amazon-acquires-844-million-stake-in-amd-amid-ai-chip-expansion">recent strategic investment</a> from Amazon.com Inc. On Wednesday, Ark Invest purchased 74,648 shares in ARKK, 13,198 shares in ARKQ, 22,617 shares in ARKW, and 4,118 shares in ARKX. With AMD&#8217;s stock closing at $100.36, the total value of these acquisitions is approximately $11.5 million. 



The Palantir Trade saw Ark Invest reducing its stake in the Alex Karp-led company across several ETFs, including ARKF, ARKK, ARKQ, ARKW, and ARK Space Exploration &amp; Innovation ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKX#BATS">ARKX</a>). Despite Palantir&#8217;s strong first-quarter earnings, its stock has <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45242668/cathie-wood-sells-41-million-worth-of-palantir-shares-following-post-earnings-plunge">faced downward pressure</a>. On Wednesday, Ark Invest sold 12,217 shares in ARKF, 270,498 shares in ARKK, 23,914 shares in ARKQ, 3,731 shares in ARKX, and 40,980 shares in ARKW. With Palantir&#8217;s stock closing at $110.48, the total value of these sales is approximately $38.8 million. Notably, Wood had <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45242668/cathie-wood-sells-41-million-worth-of-palantir-shares-following-post-earnings-plunge">sold $41 million</a> worth of Palantir shares on Tuesday. Palantir is now Ark's fifth-largest holding, making up 6.62% of the portfolio with a total value of $324.4 million.



The Tempus AI Trade involved Ark Invest purchasing shares of the company through its ARKK ETF. Tempus AI, a company focused on precision medicine, recently reported strong first-quarter results, leading to a surge in its stock price. On Wednesday, Ark Invest acquired 75,020 shares of Tempus AI. With the stock closing at $58.76, the total value of this purchase is approximately $4.4 million. Tempus AI&#8217;s performance has been promising, with the company&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/health-care/25/05/45238450/tempus-ai-q1-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-raised-fy-guidance-shares-surge">first-quarter revenue</a> coming in at $255.74 million, beating estimates of $248.13 million.



Other Key Trades:



<ul>
<li>Ark Invest bought shares of CRISPR Therapeutics AG in ARKK and ARKG.</li>



<li>Ark Invest sold shares of Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc. in ARKG.</li>



<li>Ark Invest acquired shares of GitLab Inc. in ARKK.</li>
</ul>



AMD or Nvidia? Make decisions like that easier by getting the full picture. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">Click here</a> to check out Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="438" height="281" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/07221135/Screenshot-2025-05-08-at-11.11.15.png" alt="" class="wp-image-906946" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/07221135/Screenshot-2025-05-08-at-11.11.15.png 438w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/07221135/Screenshot-2025-05-08-at-11.11.15-300x192.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 438px) 100vw, 438px" /></a></figure>



Photo Courtesy: viewimage on Shutterstock.com



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

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Cathie Wood Strengthens AI Chip Holdings With Nvidia And AMD Purchases, Reduces Palantir Position By Another $38.8 Million

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned Wednesday that the step increases in tariffs announced by President Donald Trump last month has introduced &#8220;a great deal of uncertainty&#8221; <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s">into the U.S. economic outlook.</a>



Addressing reporters after the May Federal Open Market Committee meeting, the Fed Chair hinted that the central bank is increasingly concerned about rising risks to both of its congressional mandates: maximum employment and stable prices.



&#8220;The tariff increases announced so far have been significantly larger than anticipated,&#8221; Powell said. 



He noted that if the tariffs are sustained, they could lead to higher inflation, weaker growth, and a rise in unemployment—directly undermining the Fed's dual mandate.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">This Is Not 2019</h3>



Powell underscored that monetary policy is now in a "good place" to remain on hold as the Fed awaits further clarity on how recent developments—including aggressive trade policy shifts—will affect the economy.



&#8220;We don't think we need to be in a hurry. We are going to be watching the data. It may move quickly or slowly. But we're well positioned to wait,&#8221; he said.



&#8220;We are in a good place to wait and see,&#8221; he added.



This marks a shift from past Fed playbooks to tariffs, notably during the 2019 trade war, when the Fed moved preemptively to cut rates amid tariff shocks and weaker inflation. 



&#8220;During the prior trade war of 2019 we did cut three times. We had a weakening economy and inflation at 1.6%.&#8221;



Yet, Powell made it clear that this is not 2019. Inflation has now run above the Fed's 2% target for four consecutive years, limiting the central bank's flexibility to respond aggressively to weakening economic conditions without risking price instability.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Twin Risks: Inflation and Unemployment Both Creep Higher</h3>



Adding new language to its policy statement, the FOMC acknowledged that &#8220;risks of higher unemployment and higher inflation have risen,&#8221; a rare dual warning that reflects the unpredictable outcomes of supply-side shocks like tariffs.



Powell indicated that the economy could enter a situation where the Fed's two goals are "in tension," stating: "We'd have to look at how far each variable is from its goal and make a difficult judgment."



While Powell declined to publish an official recession probability, he admitted that downside risks have increased, though they are not yet visible in the current data.



"We don't see [the risks] materializing in the data yet, but that could change," he said.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Powell Dodged Questions On Trump</h3>



Although Powell avoided direct confrontation with Trump, who has vocally demanded lower rates and signaled he would not reappoint Powell if reelected, he reiterated the Fed's independence. 



Asked about any meetings with the president, Powell replied: "I have never asked for a meeting with any president and I never will."



Asking whether potential tax cuts could further jeopardize U.S. fiscal sustainability, Powell replied: &#8220;I think they don&#8217;t need my advice and our advice on how to do fiscal policy. Any more than we need their advice on monetary policy.&#8221;



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



Market expectations for a June rate cut dipped to 23% following the Fed Chair&#8217;s press conference, down from 28% earlier in the session.



Traders now assign a 72% probability to a 25-basis-point decrease in July, with a rate reduction nearly fully priced in by September, as per the CME FedWatch tool.



The S&amp;P 500 reversed earlier losses after a major post-Powell development: reports surfaced that Trump plans to rescind global chip export restrictions amid a broader debate on AI-related curbs. 



Officials are reportedly preparing to roll back the AI diffusion rule introduced during the Biden administration.



Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) surged 2.4% to $116 on the news, helping lift the broader market. The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.5%, finishing the day at 5,629 points.



Read now: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/05/45262012/treasury-sec-scott-bessent-us-should-be-the-premier-destination-for-digital-assets">Treasury Sec Scott Bessent: US Should Be The &#8216;Premier Destination For Digital Assets&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

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Powell Flags Sharp Tariff Shock, Elevated Uncertainty: Fed Sticks To  'Wait-And-See' Mode

Applovin Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APP#NASDAQ">APP</a>) reported financial results for the first quarter after the market close on Wednesday. Here&#8217;s a look at the key details <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/05/b45266259/applovin-announces-first-quarter-2025-financial-results">from the report</a>.



Q1 Earnings: AppLovin reported first-quarter revenue of $1.48 billion, beating analyst&nbsp;<a href="http://benzinga.com/quote/app/earnings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimates</a>&nbsp;of $1.38 billion, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>. The company reported first-quarter earnings of $1.67 per share, beating analyst estimates of $1.45 per share.



Total revenue was up 40% year-over-year. Advertising revenue grew 71% year-over-year, while Apps revenue declined 14%. Cash flow from operations was $832 million in the quarter and free cash flow came in at $826 million. Applovin ended the quarter with approximately $551 million in cash and cash equivalents.



AppLovin also announced that it entered into a definitive agreement to sell its mobile gaming business to privately held Tripledot Studios for $400 million in cash, combined with a 20% ownership stake in Tripledot. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter.



Outlook: AppLovin expects second-quarter advertising revenue in the range of $1.195 billion to $1.215 billion. The company anticipates second-quarter advertising adjusted EBITDA of $970 million to $990 million.



AppLovin executives will further discuss the quarter on a conference call with investors and analysts at 5 p.m. ET.



APP Price Action: <a href="http://benzinga.com/quote/app" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Applovin shares</a> were trading lower before the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45264550/muddy-waters-doubles-down-on-applovin-in-new-short-report-ahead-of-q1-earnings">short report</a> from Muddy Waters Research. The stock was up 17.32% in Wednesday&#8217;s after-hours session, trading at $355.320 at the time of publication, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45264550/muddy-waters-doubles-down-on-applovin-in-new-short-report-ahead-of-q1-earnings">Muddy Waters Doubles Down On AppLovin In New Short Report Ahead Of Q1 Earnings</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/g/Piotr+Swat">Piotr Swat</a>/Shutterstock.

Short Sellers

Guidance

After-Hours Center

AppLovin Stock Shakes Off Short Seller Report, Shares Surge On Q1 Earnings Beat

Despite last week&#8217;s market rally, which saw US markets recover losses since President Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44756759/new-research-shows-donald-trumps-25-tariffs-could-cost-auto-companies-108billion-report">tariff announcement </a>in early April, American stocks are still underperforming their European counterparts.



The S&amp;P 500 has rallied 12.5% since Trump's reciprocal tariffs <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44729384/trump-pauses-tariffs-after-yields-surge-bond-vigilantes-hit-another-homerun-experts-point-to-bond-market-panic-for-reversal">were paused</a>, but the Vanguard Europe ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VGK#NYSE">VGK</a>) is up over 18% in the same timeframe. Despite the ‘Sell America' trade losing some steam, investors still seem to prefer European equities to US equities.



Of course, this surge in European stocks has left most big-name European investments at high valuations. But that doesn&#8217;t mean there are no more good stocks to buy across the Atlantic.



Today, we&#8217;re looking at five European stocks that haven&#8217;t rallied as much as their peers but are still undervalued and have room to run.



Each one ranks high on Benzinga Edge&#8217;s Value rankings, too.



These firms all have a Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio under 15, a minimum Benzinga Edge Value score of 85, and sales growth of at least 10% over the last five years. Note that many of these companies trade in the US using securities like American Depository Receipts (ADRs), which function as proxies to international equities but have some differences investors should familiarize themselves with before buying.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Equinor ASA</h2>



Benzinga Edge Value Score: 93.23



Equinor (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EQNR#NYSE">EQNR</a>) is a fully integrated oil and gas company based in Norway. It has a $63.6 billion market cap and a P/E ratio of 7.31. The Norwegian government owns a 67% stake in the firm, but its shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange and European exchanges. Equinor mines for oil on the Norwegian Continental Shelf and also operates solar, wind, and natural gas refineries.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXe9uPC-lJJzFwPSnbTtP5iOa07AApLaHwDVkx3cgQuDwKxkHYYa2lO-9RTR3f16_dikQs_Z3g7lEHrZQy37gWEx79XB6beJnFDwFBMHuGufDDUdQTUnPT_2t2tJ8TyStw0zNFdTng?key=K8dCG8bnYTHY9lvM_fV4Pg" alt=""/></figure>



Equinor&#8217;s revenue has expanded for the last three quarters, the first time it has seen revenue growth in three consecutive quarters since 2022. Despite the recent slowdown, Equinor has grown sales at a 21% clip over the last five years, and its dividend currently yields over 6%. A recent earnings miss caused the stock to drop, but the decline ended at the same level as a previous drawdown, indicating a potential bottom and possible entry point.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Adecoagro SA&nbsp;</h2>



Benzinga Edge Value Score: 91.79



With a ticker like that, you can probably guess the industry—Adecoagro (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AGRO#NYSE">AGRO</a>) is a small-cap agricultural firm headquartered in Luxembourg with operations primarily in South America. Although its market cap is under $1 billion, it posted $1.45 billion in revenue over the last 12 months and has grown sales by 13% in the previous five years.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcnBdbVblawYAfq6oDU5lbM73vfH85oa82lcWlDQj5q3E0kpFdS3RICq_NqKfr0LPWMpw4LFPSaeOlOITBfhsBBen5KOQW0f8TCkmyW4VAmalQUR7o_a54X1DufAY_0MnQWYK0zgQ?key=K8dCG8bnYTHY9lvM_fV4Pg" alt=""/></figure>



AGRO shares have a P/E ratio of 9.49 and trade at just 0.60 times sales, but recent downgrades from Morgan Stanley and Bank of America sent the stock plunging under $9 per share. It is trading near its 52-week low, but the Relative Strength Index (RSI) is in oversold territory, indicating this selloff might be petering out.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Global Ship Lease Inc.&nbsp;</h2>



Benzinga Edge Value Score: 96.89



Global Ship Lease (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GSL#NYSE">GSL</a>) is a Greek-based container shipping line with over 60 ships and a market cap of around $760 million. Most of the company's business comes from MAERSK charters, and its sales have grown by 24% over the last five years. It currently trades with a P/E ratio of just 2.28 with a Price-to-Book value of 0.52.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfOgyaKxvTPC7jixULOPzcVWRVCZC1_kwpZ-pTnfsWfxzIDQ13pdnSZ7oqHHVvR9xR-A7-LPUPNfNNYBTvMRWXt-1VEhuKJNSNFuA-cUOlLkoV4hR-BjNqSISDSSX_3ZUAeULmr_Q?key=K8dCG8bnYTHY9lvM_fV4Pg" alt=""/></figure>



Investing in a shipping company seemed risky once the reciprocal tariff chart was released, and GSL shares plummeted in the days following Trump's Rose Garden announcement. But the stock has rebounded in the weeks following the pause, including a rally that saw eight green candles in nine days. GSL has boosted revenue in six of the last seven quarters as well. Its profit margins are approaching 50%. Jeffries is the only research firm with a rating on the stock, but it&#8217;s a Buy with a price target of $29, indicating an upside of over 35%.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tenaris SA&nbsp;</h2>



Benzinga Edge Value Score: 87.64



Tenaris (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TS#NYSE">TS</a>) resides in the energy sector and produces goods used in oil and gas well construction. The company is based in Luxembourg but has operations in the United States, Argentina, Mexico, and Italy. Tenaris builds some of the most resilient tubular goods used in deep-water and horizontal shale wells.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXepep04kxFz5LigOCKkOFTi_Jcao2DZdJkX_HHkYojkCFq8T8MpSe8B2L6nLoHqsJPJr_Zo7zNlybBiY5ztH0IaQWhsyfrz0j42D9UlCkiuz0cMuuXT4RQPoO0i1e-Cg4k-x6jriA?key=K8dCG8bnYTHY9lvM_fV4Pg" alt=""/></figure>



Tenaris is a large-cap firm in the oil and gas space with an $18 billion market cap and $12 billion in annual sales. The company has grown sales by 17.7% over the last five years, but revenue has declined recently. Profit margins have dipped from 26% in December 2023 to 15% in the most recent report in March. The stock fell below the 50-day and 200-day SMAs following the Rose Garden press conference, but the steep decline triggered an oversold reading on the RSI, and shares currently trade at just 9.5 times forward earnings. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Stellantis NV&nbsp;</h2>



Benzinga Edge Value Score: 97.56



A car manufacturer like Stellantis (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STLA#NYSE">STLA</a>) might seem like a bold investment choice in a trade war. The company makes popular American brands like Dodge, Jeep, and Ram. However, only 26% of Stellantis's 2024 sales occurred in North America, and the company does nearly 50% of its business in Europe, providing some level of tariff protection. Stellantis made more than $169 billion in sales over the last 12 months with income of $5.92 billion.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcIzUAo3AZPVu8UKpGTgkdqpIuMjcVaF-M0OOtPDRxN3cet_4mwFsaLpd-gsOEsoQaF-T5fNXFAFCIhfmKGc89IlU-kM5-nZ3QLXtdyk7PAylOfuFCCTpfxAVmP85hQPqQgH3rYQg?key=K8dCG8bnYTHY9lvM_fV4Pg" alt=""/></figure>



Car manufacturers like Stellantis have been some of the hardest hit stocks during the tariff tumult; its shares are down more than 28% year-to-date. However, it might be an opportune time to take a position in the stock as Stellantis is a large-cap company with a significant global presence. The company grew revenue by 33.6% over the last five years and trades at its cheapest valuation in years at just 4.8 times earnings and 0.16 times sales. The stock also pays a 6% dividend yield with a 36% dividend payout ratio, offering income as well as stock price appreciation. And with the RSI triggering an oversold signal, a momentum reversal could be coming soon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Market's Out of Control – You Don't Have to Be</h2>



Seize back control with Benzinga Edge – your investment command center. With real-time portfolio alerts, actionable stock ideas, and pro-grade tools…you get the complete investor's arsenal — ready to help you profit in any market. Take Back Control Now – Get Your Edge <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-4/?el=ResearchDaily&amp;he=%7B%7Bemail%7D%7D&amp;adt_ei=%7B%7Bemail%7D%7D&amp;utm_adType=SponsorAd&amp;utm_ad=RD0508&amp;utm_campaign=commandcenter">HERE</a>



Editorial content from our Expert contributors is intended to be information for the general public and not individualized investment advice. Editors/contributors are presenting their individual opinions and strategies, which are neither expressly nor impliedly approved or endorsed by Benzinga.



Photo: Shutterstock

Opinion

AGRO

EQNR

STLA

5 European Stocks Rated High On Our Value Rankings

Movie theater company AMC Entertainment Holdings (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMC#NYSE">AMC</a>) reported first-quarter financial results<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings"> after market close.</a>



Here are the highlights.



What Happened: AMC reported first-quarter revenue of $862.5 million, down 9.3% year-over-year. The total beat a Street consensus estimate of $837.1 million according to data <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0507">from Benzinga Pro.</a>



The company reported an adjusted loss of 58 cents per share for the quarter, beating a Street consensus estimate of a loss of 59 cents per share.



"Anyone trying to draw any conclusions about the success or appeal of movie theaters from the results of the first quarter of 2025 is likely to be mistaken, because the industrywide domestic box office in Q1 was in our view a distorting anomaly that has already corrected itself," AMC CEO Adam Aron said.



Aron said the company grew per-patron operating metrics, including an all-time first quarter record for U.S. admissions revenue per patron. The AMC CEO highlighted the success of programs like AMC Stubs loyalty and the A-List subscription programs in the quarter.



Total attendance was 41.9 million in the first quarter, down 10.1% year-over-year. U.S. attendance was 26.9 million, down 11.8% year-over-year, while international attendance of 15.0 million was down 7.1% year-over-year.



AMC ended the first quarter with $378.7 million in cash.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/12/42750888/top-anticipated-2025-movies-for-big-screen-success-and-stocks-investors-should-watch">Top Anticipated 2025 Movies For Big Screen Success And Stocks Investors Should Watch</a>



 What's Next: Aron highlighted the future growth for AMC and the movie theater sector with a strong lineup of blockbusters in 2025 and 2026, echoing comments from past years.



"We continue to believe that moviegoing demand for the balance of 2025 and all of 2026 will show great strength," Aron said.



While the first three months of 2025 were the lowest box office totals since 1996, excluding the Covid-impacted years, Aron said the turnaround started in April 2025.



"Since April 1, movie theater demand has been booming. The April 2025 industry-wide domestic box office was double that of April 2024."



Aron said May is currently pacing at double the rate of a year ago.



"AMC is playing on offense again," Aron added, when highlighting the company's investments in more premium theaters.



Aron predicts that AMC can continue to recover from the challenges of recent years.



"We are optimistic that we will get done what needs to be done, and that AMC is poised to capture the momentum for a strengthening 2025 and 2026, and what we believe will be an even brighter future beyond."



AMC Price Action: AMC stock is up 1.5% to $2.76 in after-hours trading versus a 52-week trading range of $2.45 to $11.88.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/05/39010959/amc-ceo-says-were-still-here-how-taylor-swift-popcorn-buckets-help-movie-theater-from-going">AMC CEO Says &#8216;We&#8217;re Still Here&#8217;: How Taylor Swift, Popcorn Buckets Help Movie Theater From Going &#8216;Kaplooey&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Entertainment

AMC Q1 Earnings Highlights: Double Beat, CEO Highlights 2025, 2026 Slate As Box Office Doubles In April

Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIS#NYSE">DIS</a>) announced on Wednesday that it will build its seventh theme park in Abu Dhabi. CEO Bob Iger gave more insight on Disneyland Abu Dhabi on the company's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45251203/disney-rides-strong-subscriber-growth-and-movie-hits-lifts-forecast-with-1-billion-streaming-goal">earnings call.&nbsp;</a>



Iger joined the conference call from the United Arab Emirates and opened with prepared remarks highlighting the company's expansion into the region.&nbsp;



"Disneyland Abu Dhabi will be authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati …&nbsp; blending wonderful Disney stories and characters with the cultures and tastes of this country and this region," Iger shared.&nbsp;



Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/05/45226604/president-trump-wants-to-reopen-alcatraz-heres-what-it-would-take?utm_source=articleShare">President Trump Wants To Reopen Alcatraz: Here&#8217;s What It Would Take</a>



The Disney CEO pointed to Abu Dhabi as the ideal location for the company's next <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/05/b45249979/the-walt-disney-company-and-miral-announce-plans-for-disney-theme-park-and-resort-on-yas-island-ab">theme park</a> with an addressable tourism market of 500 million people living within four hours of the destination and 120 million people expected to travel through Dubai and Abu Dhabi in 2025.&nbsp;



"It will serve as an oasis of extraordinary Disney entertainment for millions and millions of people in this crossroads of the world connecting travelers from The Middle East and Africa, India, Asia, Europe and beyond," Iger said.&nbsp;



Disney will not be investing capital in the project, but will license its intellectual property to Miral in exchange for royalties. Iger said Disney will be responsible for design and development and will maintain significant oversight of Miral's operations with embedded employees.&nbsp;



"Our Imagineering team is already hard at work designing this large and very special destination that will become a source of joy and inspiration for generations to come," Iger teased on the call, but did not offer a specific construction timeline or opening date.&nbsp;



"We're not pinning down a date yet," Iger said, in an<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/07/disney-abu-dhabi-theme-park.html"> interview</a> with CNBC on Wednesday.&nbsp;



"It typically takes us between 18 months and two years to design and fully develop and approximately five years to build but we're not making any commitments right now."



DIS Price Action: Walt Disney shares were up 10.2% at $101.55 at the time of publication, according to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?gspk=YWRhbWVja2VydDUzMzY&amp;gsxid=zBMR4PKmcgBw">Benzinga Pro</a>. 



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/25/05/45239803/sarepta-therapeutics-stock-plummets-after-q1-results-heres-why?utm_source=articleShare">Sarepta Therapeutics Stock Plummets After Q1 Results: Here&#8217;s Why </a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Travel

Management

General

Disney's New Abu Dhabi Theme Park Will Be 'Authentically Disney And Distinctly Emirati,' CEO Bob Iger Says

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told lawmakers on Wednesday that the United States should position itself as the global leader in digital assets, reinforcing the administration's support for establishing a clear <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/04/44850021/fed-chair-powell-says-crypto-and-banking-rules-will-loosen-as-sector-matures">regulatory framework for the crypto industry</a>.



What Happened: During testimony before the House Financial Services Committee, Bessent <a href="https://www.theblock.co/post/353482/treasury-secretary-scott-bessent-says-us-should-be-the-premier-destination-for-digital-assets?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss">said</a>, "We believe that the United States should be the premier destination for digital assets," adding that Congress is making progress toward shaping a solid market structure that could help promote American standards globally.



Bessent, confirmed to the Treasury post in January after being nominated by President Donald Trump, has been vocal in backing crypto as a permanent fixture in the financial system. 



He also serves on the President's Working Group on Digital Asset Markets, created through an executive order signed earlier this year.



Although much of Wednesday's hearing centered on trade and tariff policy, lawmakers also discussed ongoing efforts to regulate crypto markets. 



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/05/45248184/bitcoin-is-no-longer-just-digital-gold-native-staking-yield-are-redefining-its-role-says-core-dao">Bitcoin Is No Longer Just Digital Gold — Native Staking, Yield Are Redefining Its Role, Says Core DAO</a>



House Republicans recently circulated a draft bill that proposes dividing oversight responsibilities between the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), while also laying out disclosure requirements for digital asset issuers.



Why It Matters: Tensions over crypto legislation have grown in recent months, particularly among Democrats, who remain concerned about Trump's personal involvement in the space.



His launch of a meme coin and the debut of a stablecoin by his affiliated firm, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/04/45077156/trump-affiliated-world-liberty-financial-defies-ethics-concerns-raises-550-million">World Liberty Financial</a>, have raised ethical questions about influence and conflicts of interest.



Some Democratic members walked out of a scheduled crypto hearing earlier this week in protest. 



However, others, including Rep. Angie Craig (D-Minn.), opted to remain, calling for bipartisan collaboration on digital asset policy.



Meanwhile, a separate Senate bill aimed at regulating stablecoins is due for a vote on Thursday but has encountered pushback. Over the weekend, a group of Democratic Senators, among them Ruben Gallego, Raphael Warnock, Mark Warner, and Lisa Blunt Rochester, voiced opposition to the current version, citing unresolved legal and operational issues.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/05/45242623/ripple-commits-25m-to-us-teachers-and-classrooms-via-rlusd-stablecoin">Ripple Commits $25M To US Teachers And Classrooms Via RLUSD Stablecoin</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Treasury Sec Scott Bessent: US Should Be The 'Premier Destination For Digital Assets'

President Donald Trump recently passed the 100-day milestone for his second presidential term after <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/25/01/43139381/how-many-people-watched-donald-trumps-2025-inauguration-spoiler-less-than-biden-four-years-ago">winning the 2024 election.</a>



A new Benzinga reader poll shows Trump&#8217;s approval rating for his first 100 days in the White House and how that compares to a survey from his first 52 days.



What Happened: Presidents are often scored on their first<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/broad-u-s-equity-etfs/25/04/45069781/trumps-first-100-days-what-he-delivered-where-he-fell-short-how-markets-reacted"> 100 days in office</a> as a milestone figure used to show what has been accomplished in terms of campaign promises, laws passed and voters&#8217; feelings about the candidate after they officially take office.



A new Benzinga reader poll shows Trump's approval rating after his first 100 days in the White House.



&#8220;How do you feel about Donald Trump&#8217;s first 100 days back in office?&#8221; Benzinga asked.



The results were:



<ul>
<li>I didn&#8217;t vote for Trump: 46%</li>



<li>I voted for Trump and approve of his first 100 days in office: 34%</li>



<li>I voted for Trump but disapprove of his first 100 days in office: 14%</li>



<li>I voted for Trump but have no strong opinion: 6%</li>
</ul>



After stripping out the 46% of voters who did not vote for Trump, the president&#8217;s approval rating from people who voted for him in the poll looks like this:



<ul>
<li>Favorable: 63.1%</li>



<li>Unfavorable: 25.4%</li>



<li>No opinion: 1%</li>
</ul>



The poll shows a strong favorable rating for Trump, but it comes with the caveat that this is voters who selected him in the 2024 presidential election.



Trump's favorable rating is also down from a Benzinga survey that asked the same question <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/politics/25/03/44362774/exclusive-reader-poll-shows-strong-approval-rating-for-president-donald-trumps-first-52-days-in-office-but-theres-a-catch">after 52 days </a>back in March. In the previous poll, 37% said they approved Trump's first 52 days, while 15% disapproved. Forty-four percent said they didn't vote for Trump, and 4% said they voted for Trump and had no strong opinion.



In that previous poll, Trump had a favorable rating of 69.4% and an unfavorable rating of 28.6% when the respondents who did not vote for him were removed.



This means that Trump's approval rating has gone down, while his unfavorable rating also went down with more voters undecided on their approval level of the current president.



If the 46% of the poll who said they didn't vote for Trump were included, the approval rating would likely be significantly lower. The 63.1% favorable rating is based only on the Benzinga readers who answered the poll and voted for Trump in the 2024 election.



Read Also<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/education/25/04/45111571/trump-100-days-if-you-invested-1000-in-spy-qqq-bitcoin-when-trump-was-inaugurated-heres-how-much-youd-have-today">: Trump 100 Days: If You Invested $1,000 In SPY, QQQ, Bitcoin When Trump Was Inaugurated, Here&#8217;s How Much You&#8217;d Have Today</a>



Why It's Important: Other 100-day polls show low approval ratings for Trump. An Emerson College poll <a href="https://emersoncollegepolling.com/trump-100-days/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shows </a>a 45% approval rating and a 45% disapproval rating. The remaining 10% are neutral on the current president.



This approval rating is down two percentage points from Trump's first 50 days, while the disapproval rating stayed the same.



One item likely weighing on the minds of Benzinga readers in the poll is the performance of the S&amp;P 500 during Trump's first 100 days in office.



The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) tracks the S&amp;P 500. It was down 7.8% from the closing price on Jan. 17, before Trump's inauguration, to the closing price on Trump's 100th day.



According to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/28/trumps-first-100-days-are-the-worst-for-the-stock-market-since-nixon.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CNBC</a>, the drop in the S&amp;P 500 was the worst start to a four-year term since&nbsp;Richard Nixon&nbsp;in 1973, citing data from CFRA Research.



In 1973, the S&amp;P 500 fell 9.9% in the first 100 days of Nixon's presidency. For comparison, the S&amp;P 500 has an average return of 2.1% in the first 100 days of a presidency, dating back to 1944.



Also, keep in mind that recent presidents had some of the best stock market performances in their first 100 days in office. Here are the recent returns and their rating since 1944:



<ul>
<li>2009:&nbsp;Barack Obama, +8.4%, fourth best</li>



<li>2013:&nbsp;Barack Obama, +7.5%, sixth best</li>



<li>2017:&nbsp;Donald Trump, +5.0%, seventh best</li>



<li>2021:&nbsp;Joe Biden, +8.5%, third best</li>



<li>2025:&nbsp;Donald Trump, -7.9%, twentieth and second worst</li>
</ul>



Markets traded higher in November and December after Trump&#8217;s win, with some of the largest companies in the world hitting new all-time highs. January and February also saw gains after Trump took office.



In March and April, attention shifted towards economic and foreign policies, with markets diving in April after Trump&#8217;s tariff announcement.



While voters have different reasons why they voted for a candidate and different criteria they score a favorable or approval rating on, Benzinga readers could be knocking Trump's rating down due to the poor stock market performance during his first 100 days.



The stock market saw strong returns during Trump's last presidential term, which <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43059744/exclusive-can-sp-500-repeat-large-gains-from-donald-trumps-first-term-a-second-time-around-readers-say-this-return-range-most-likely" target="_blank" rel="noopener">included</a> his first year in office and the four-year term.



Trump&#8217;s first 100 days represent a portion of the 1,461 days the president would have under his current term, or roughly 6.8%.



Did You Know?



<ul>
<li>Congress Is Making Huge Investments. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/gov-trades/?utm_source=BZprocontent050725">Get Tips On What They Bought And Sold With Our Easy-to-Use Tool</a></li>
</ul>



The study was conducted by Benzinga from April 30, 2025, through May 2, 2025. It included the responses of a diverse population of adults 18 or older. Opting into the survey was completely voluntary, with no incentives offered to potential respondents. The study reflects results from 225 adults.



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Politics

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EXCLUSIVE: Trump's Approval Rating Drops In Reader Survey After 100 Days, Could Stock Market Be To Blame?

The Federal Reserve kept its fed funds rate steady at 4.25%-4.50% on Wednesday, a widely expected move that marks the third consecutive <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/federal-reserve">pause in interest-rate policy. </a>



"Uncertainty about the economic outlook has increased further," the Fed noted in its post-meeting statement. 



The May meeting was the first since President Donald Trump's early April announcement of new trade tariffs.



The Federal Reserve noted that recent indicators point to continued solid growth in economic activity, while hinting that volatility in net exports has distorted the data, a reference to the negative GDP reading in the first quarter.



Yet, the Committee emphasized that "risks of higher unemployment and higher inflation have risen," introducing this new language into the May policy statement.



The Fed reiterated its data-dependent stance, emphasizing that future policy actions will be assessed "meeting by meeting," based on economic data, the evolving outlook, and balance of risks. This measured approach suggests that policymakers remain flexible in their response to shifting economic conditions.



Attention now turns to Fed Chair Jerome Powell, who is scheduled to hold his presser at 2:30 p.m. ET. Powell is expected to field questions on the implications of the Trump tariffs, recession risks, inflation trajectory, and the growing political pressure from Trump, who has publicly called for lower interest rates.



Read also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45258146/all-eyes-on-powell-what-betting-markets-expect-him-to-say-wednesday">All Eyes On Powell: What Betting Markets Expect Him To Say Wednesday</a>



Leading into the decision, futures markets were pricing in a 28% probability of a 25-basis-point rate cut by the June meeting, rising to 73% by July. Traders currently anticipate approximately 65 basis points of easing by the end of 2025, equivalent to nearly three standard rate cuts.



Minutes prior to the Fed statement, speaking at the swearing-in ceremony for the new U.S. ambassador to China, President Trump said he has no intention of rolling back the 145% tariffs on Chinese goods and is not seeking a broad range of tariff exemptions.



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



Stocks remained broadly unchanged minutes after the Federal Open Market Committee statement. 



The S&amp;P 500 index – as tracked by the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) – was trading at 5,608 points, flat on the day. 



The U.S. dollar index – followed by the  Invesco DB USD Index Bullish Fund ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UUP#NYSE">UUP</a>) – fell slightly.



Treasury yields trended lower, with yields on the 10-year Treasury note falling from 4.29% to 4.26%. 



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45224205/will-powell-defy-trump-again-heres-what-the-fed-chair-might-say-on-wednesday">Will Powell Defy Trump Again? Here&#8217;s What The Fed Chair Might Say On Wednesday</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: RozenskiP / Shutterstock.com

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

Fed Keeps Rates Steady, Warns Of Rising 'Uncertainty About The Economic Outlook'

As Wall Street gears up for Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's press conference on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. ET, all eyes are on his messaging rather than the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/federal-reserve">central bank&#8217;s policy action. </a>



The Fed is widely expected to hold interest rates steady at 4.25%-4.50% for a third consecutive meeting, but what Powell says could move markets.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tariffs, Trump, Trade: A Shifting Backdrop</h2>



Market participants are closely watching for Powell's tone on the recent trade-related developments. President Donald Trump's announcement in April of new tariffs has stirred speculation about potential inflationary pressures and global economic retaliation. 



The Fed chair may address how these policies could disrupt the inflation trajectory or weigh on consumer sentiment, which has shown signs of softening.



The first quarter of 2025 brought a puzzling contrast: a strong labor market and solid corporate earnings alongside a negative GDP print, driven largely by a surge in imports.



Powell is likely to clarify whether this contraction is more of a technical than cyclical factor, a point that may be emphasized to ease market concerns.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Trump's Shadow Over The Fed</h2>



Powell is also navigating the increasingly loud political pressure from Trump, who last month called him <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/04/44861571/donald-trump-blasts-too-late-and-wrong-fed-chair-powell-but-polymarket-traders-doubt-his-termination-will-come-fast-enough">&#8220;too late and wrong&#8221;</a> and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/04/44875406/hell-be-out-if-i-ask-him-can-trumps-threat-to-oust-powell-shake-the-fed">hinted at removing him</a>—though later walked back those comments. 



While markets are discounting the possibility of a premature dismissal—Kalshi betting odds show only a 13% chance Powell is fired by the end of 2025, down from 30% last month—the long game is telling.



Odds of Powell being reappointed in May 2026 are minimal, sitting at just 4%. Former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh currently leads the betting boards with a 58% chance of succeeding him, suggesting markets are preparing for a policy shift in the post-Powell era.



<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://kalshi.com/external-widgets/events/KXFEDCHAIRNOM-29?color_scheme=light&#038;widget_size=medium&#038;variant=a&#038;ids=KXFEDCHAIRNOM-29-KW&#038;ids=KXFEDCHAIRNOM-29-CWAL&#038;ids=KXFEDCHAIRNOM-29-KH&#038;utm_campaign=benzinga_widget" width="488px" height="196px" style="border:0"></iframe>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">What Powell Is Most Likely To Say On Wednesday: Betting Markets Weigh In</h3>



Kalshi data provides a statistical lens into what themes are likely to dominate Powell's speech.



According to bettors, Powell is almost guaranteed to mention "tariff" (98% chance), underscoring how central the trade issue has become in economic discussions. 



Terms like "Good Afternoon" (97%), "energy" (95%), "expectation" (95%) and "balance sheet" (91%) also have high odds of appearing. 



Also likely to feature prominently are terms that hint at cautious Fed messaging: "balance of risk" (87%), "recession" (86%), and "restrictive" (84%).



The 64% probability of him mentioning "China" ties into both the trade narrative and broader global economic uncertainties. 



It&#8217;s highly unlikely—just a 12% chance—that Powell will directly mention the President by name, highlighting the Fed Chair's consistent effort to maintain political neutrality and avoid inflaming tensions with the White House.



A $100 bet on Powell mentioning "China" would return $154, while the same wager on him saying "Trump" would yield a staggering $784. 



It's also unlikely that Powell will use the phrase "trade war" directly, as he tends to favor more measured, academic language such as "trade tensions" or "trade uncertainty." A $100 bet on him saying "trade war" would return a hefty $892.



<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://kalshi.com/external-widgets/events/KXFEDMENTION-25MAY?color_scheme=light&#038;widget_size=medium&#038;variant=a&#038;ids=KXFEDMENTION-25MAY-TARIFF&#038;ids=KXFEDMENTION-25MAY-GOODAFTERNOON&#038;ids=KXFEDMENTION-25MAY-ENERGY&#038;utm_campaign=benzinga_widget" width="488px" height="196px" style="border:0"></iframe>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Words You&#8217;re Likely To Hear From Powell (Odds ≥ 50%)</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><thead><tr><th>Term</th><th>Kalshi Odds</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Tariff</td><td>98%</td></tr><tr><td>Good Afternoon</td><td>97%</td></tr><tr><td>Energy</td><td>95%</td></tr><tr><td>Expectation</td><td>95%</td></tr><tr><td>Balance sheet</td><td>91%</td></tr><tr><td>Balance of risk</td><td>87%</td></tr><tr><td>Recession</td><td>86%</td></tr><tr><td>Restrictive</td><td>84%</td></tr><tr><td>China</td><td>64%</td></tr><tr><td>Credit</td><td>58% </td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Data: Kalshi</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Unlikely Terms In Powell's Speech (Odds &lt; 50%)</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><thead><tr><th>Term</th><th>Kalshi Odds</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Projection</td><td>40%</td></tr><tr><td>QT / Quantitative Tightening</td><td>39%</td></tr><tr><td>Median</td><td>38%</td></tr><tr><td>Real wage</td><td>35%</td></tr><tr><td>Consumer confidence</td><td>44%</td></tr><tr><td>Yield curve</td><td>27%</td></tr><tr><td>Dot plot</td><td>23%</td></tr><tr><td>Gas / Gasoline / Natural Gas</td><td>19%</td></tr><tr><td>Michigan</td><td>18%</td></tr><tr><td>Crypto / Cryptocurrency</td><td>17%</td></tr><tr><td>Default</td><td>16%</td></tr><tr><td>Fuel</td><td>15%</td></tr><tr><td>R&#x2A;/R-star / R star</td><td>13%</td></tr><tr><td>Trump</td><td>12%</td></tr><tr><td>Soft landing</td><td>12%</td></tr><tr><td>Trade war</td><td>10%</td></tr><tr><td>Bitcoin</td><td>10%</td></tr><tr><td>EU / European Union</td><td>10%</td></tr><tr><td>Egg</td><td>6%</td></tr><tr><td>Fort Knox</td><td>3%</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Data: Kalshi</figcaption></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">What Powell Said In Past Conferences</h3>



"Expectation" stood out as the most frequently used term, mentioned 18 times in March and nine times in January, highlighting the central bank's focus on consumer forward-looking inflation perceptions.



&#8220;Balance sheet&#8221; was also a recurring theme, with nine mentions in March, up from just two in January.



Terms like "median" and "projection," which didn't appear in January, were mentioned seven and six times, respectively, in March, as that meeting showed the Federal Reserve&#8217;s Summary of Economic Projections with the dot plot.



"Recession" was cited four times in March, reflecting increased market sensitivity to downside risks, while "QT" (Quantitative Tightening) appeared twice.



The term "restrictive" dropped sharply from nine uses in January to just one in March. References to "China," "crypto," and "Bitcoin" were absent in March, while they appeared in January.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><thead><tr><th>Term</th><th>March Count</th><th>January Count</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Expectation</td><td>18</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td>Balance sheet</td><td>9</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>Median</td><td>7</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Projection</td><td>6</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Recession</td><td>4</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>Balance of risk</td><td>2</td><td>2</td></tr><tr><td>QT / Quantitative Tightening</td><td>2</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>Good Afternoon</td><td>1</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>Energy</td><td>1</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>Restrictive</td><td>1</td><td>9</td></tr><tr><td>Michigan</td><td>1</td><td>0</td></tr><tr><td>China</td><td>0</td><td>1</td></tr><tr><td>Crypto / Cryptocurrency</td><td>0</td><td>3</td></tr><tr><td>Bitcoin</td><td>0</td><td>1</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Read now: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45205432/opec-just-created-the-income-trade-of-the-decade">OPEC Just Created The Income Trade Of The Decade</a></li>
</ul>



Powell will be speaking at 2:30 p.m. ET. Watch below.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="&#x1f534;WATCH LIVE: FOMC Rate Decision &#x7C; Fed Chair Powell Press Conference &#x7C; May 7, 2025" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xpIaAwIGoIA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

All Eyes On Powell: What Betting Markets Expect Him To Say Wednesday

U.S. stocks traded mixed at midday Wednesday, as investors remained cautious ahead of the Federal Reserve&#8217;s upcoming policy decision, with Chair Jerome Powell set to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45258146/all-eyes-on-powell-betting-markets-reveal-what-the-fed-chair-is-most-likely-to-say-on-wednesday">speak at 2:30 p.m. ET.</a>



Trade developments continued to influence market sentiment. During a Senate hearing, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed that initial talks with China will begin in Switzerland later this week, though he emphasized they are only preliminary.



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>) led notable decliners, plunging over 7% after a Bloomberg report indicated an Apple executive's testimony suggested AI may be eroding traditional search market share.



The Dow Jones outperformed, while tech-heavy indexes like the Nasdaq 100 and S&amp;P 500 lagged under pressure from Alphabet&#8217;s sharp decline. Sector performance was positive overall, with modest gains led by financials.



In commodities, U.S. natural gas prices at the Henry Hub surged over 5% to $3.640 per million British units, driven by recovering feedgas flows to Freeport LNG and forecasts for early-season heat boosting demand.



Gold retreated 1.5% after a strong two-day rally, while oil dipped 1.2% to $58.30 following a brief spike to $60 overnight.



Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) held steady at around $96,800.



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



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Major Indices</td><td>Price</td><td>1-day %</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>41,115.49</td><td>0.7%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>1,993.68</td><td>0.5%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>5,619.12</td><td>0.2%</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>19,781.12</td><td>-0.1%</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated by 12:10 p.m. ET </figcaption></figure>



According to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/?utm_source=BZprocontent&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">Benzinga Pro</a>&nbsp;data:



<ul>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) inched 0.2% up to $559.98.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>) rose 0.7% to $410.96.</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>)&nbsp;fell 0.2% to $480.71.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) rose 0.6% to $197.89.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;Financials&nbsp;Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLF#NYSE">XLF</a>) outperformed, up 0.9%; the&nbsp;Communication Services&nbsp;Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLC#NYSE">XLC</a>) lagged, down 0.8%.</li>
</ul>



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



Stocks reacting to earnings included:



<ul>
<li>Arista Networks Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ANET#NYSE">ANET</a>) down 6.84%</li>



<li>Gen Digital Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GEN#NASDAQ">GEN</a>) up 9.16%</li>



<li>Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) up 0.89%</li>



<li>International Flavors &amp; Fragrances Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IFF#NYSE">IFF</a>) down 6.09%</li>



<li>Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EA#NASDAQ">EA</a>) up 0.41%</li>



<li>Mosaic Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MOS#NYSE">MOS</a>) up 3.58%</li>



<li>Corpay Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CPAY#NYSE">CPAY</a>) down 1.80%</li>



<li>Wynn Resorts Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WYNN#NASDAQ">WYNN</a>) up 0.56%</li>



<li>Jack Henry &amp; Associates Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JKHY#NASDAQ">JKHY</a>) down 0.67%</li>



<li>Devon Energy Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DVN#NYSE">DVN</a>) down 0.16%</li>



<li>Super Micro Computer Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>) down 6.04%</li>



<li>Coty Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COTY#NYSE">COTY</a>) down 9.09%</li>



<li>Rivian Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIVN#NASDAQ">RIVN</a>) down 2.90%</li>



<li>The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIS#NYSE">DIS</a>) up 11.46%</li>



<li>Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>) down 2.02%</li>



<li>Emerson Electric Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EMR#NYSE">EMR</a>) up 2.72%</li>



<li>Johnson Controls International plc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JCI#NYSE">JCI</a>) up 1.52%</li>



<li>Vistra Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VST#NYSE">VST</a>) down 4.78%</li>



<li>Verisk Analytics, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VRSK#NASDAQ">VRSK</a>) up 4.22%</li>



<li>Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ROK#NYSE">ROK</a>) up 12.29%</li>



<li>Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CQP#NYSE">CQP</a>) down 0.82%</li>



<li>CDW Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CDW#NASDAQ">CDW</a>) up 6.90%</li>



<li>NiSource Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NI#NYSE">NI</a>) up 3.13%</li>
</ul>



Stocks slated to report earnings after the close include Fortinet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FTNT#NASDAQ">FTNT</a>), Axon Enterprise Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAXN#NASDAQ">AAXN</a>), Corteva Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTVA#NYSE">CTVA</a>), Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OXY#NYSE">OXY</a>), Texas Pacific Land Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TPL#NYSE">TPL</a>), Atmos Energy Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ATO#NYSE">ATO</a>), Fidelity National Financial Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FNF#NYSE">FNF</a>), and Western Gas Partners LP (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WES#NYSE">WES</a>).



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/05/45257429/michael-saylor-calls-bitcoin-the-corporate-survival-strategy-for-96-of-companies">Michael Saylor Calls Bitcoin The &#8216;Corporate Survival Strategy&#8217; For 96% of Companies</a></li>
</ul>



Powell will be speaking at 2:30 p.m. ET. Watch below.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="&#x1f534;WATCH LIVE: FOMC Rate Decision &#x7C; Fed Chair Powell Press Conference &#x7C; May 7, 2025" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/xpIaAwIGoIA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



Photo: Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Sector ETFs

Analyst Ratings

AFRM

AKAM

ANET

COTY

CPAY

CTVA

DKNG

EPAM

EVRG

EXPE

FTNT

GOOG

GOOGL

JKHY

KVUE

MCHP

MNST

MTCH

NWSA

PARA

PENN

PLNT

PODD

RIVN

SHOP

SMCI

SOLV

VRSK

VTRS

WYNN

AAXN

Wall Street Mixed Ahead Of Fed Meeting, Alphabet Sinks: What's Driving Markets Wednesday?

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) is the driving factor for Strategy's (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>) turnaround from $6 to $400 in five years only, according to <a href="https://editorial.benzinga.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=905639&amp;action=edit">executive chairman Michael Saylor</a>.



What Happened: Speaking at the Bitcoin for Corporations 2025 conference, Saylor <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-vBBYEXv6M">delivered</a> a compelling case for Bitcoin adoption, especially for companies outside the elite tier of U.S. tech giants.



"Bitcoin is for the rest of us, it's for the 96%," Saylor stated, noting that only a small fraction of public companies consistently create value for shareholders. 



The remaining majority are left competing in a structurally unfavorable environment dominated by the "Magnificent Seven" —Apple, Google, Microsoft, and other tech titans.



Saylor shared data showing that, 85% of U.S.-listed firms underperform the S&amp;P 500, 75% trade under $10 million in daily volume and 96% deliver returns comparable to Treasury bills.



In his view, Bitcoin offers a solution: a non-dilutive, high-performing asset that levels the financial playing field.



Also Read: <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/05/45191302/corporations-will-pour-330-billion-into-bitcoin-by-2029-bernstein">Corporations Will Pour $330 Billion Into Bitcoin By 2029: Bernstein</a>



Why It Matters: Saylor positioned Bitcoin as &#8220;digital capital,&#8221; pairing it with AI's "digital intelligence" to create a strategic edge. 



He cited Strategy's transformation from a struggling software firm trading at $6 in 2020 to a market darling nearing $400 per share, as proof of concept.



Since adopting a Bitcoin-centric treasury model, the company has raised $37.5 billion, starting from an initial $250 million BTC allocation. 



Instead of returning capital through dividends or buybacks, MicroStrategy attracts capital by offering indirect exposure to Bitcoin.



Saylor described Bitcoin as a "universal, perpetual, profitable merger partner" that any company can integrate. 



For those interested, he announced that MicroStrategy has open-sourced its Bitcoin24 treasury model on GitHub, offering a practical toolkit for businesses exploring BTC strategies.



He ended with a challenge to corporate leaders: "Does your company have a need to know? What will your Bitcoin story be?"



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/05/45192498/bitcoins-key-level-is-96500-analyst-warns-but-heres-what-could-trigger-a-breakdown">Bitcoin&#8217;s Key Level Is $96,500, Analyst Warns, But Here&#8217;s What Could Trigger A Breakdown</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

MSTR

Michael Saylor Calls Bitcoin The 'Corporate Survival Strategy' For 96% of Companies

Walt Disney Co&nbsp;(NYSE:&nbsp;DIS)&nbsp;reported <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/05/b45247764/the-walt-disney-company-reports-second-quarter-and-six-months-earnings-for-fiscal-2025" rel="noreferrer noopener">fiscal second-quarter&nbsp;2025</a> results on Wednesday. The company reported quarterly revenue growth of 7% year-on-year to $23.62 billion, beating the&nbsp;analyst consensus of $23.14 billion driven by its Entertainment and Experiences businesses. Adjusted EPS of $1.45 beat the&nbsp;analyst consensus of $1.20.



The stock price gained after the earnings were released.



Disney ended the quarter with 180.7 million Disney+ Core and Hulu subscriptions, up by 2.5 million over the prior quarter. The company reported 126.0 million Disney+ Core paid subscribers, an increase of 1.4 million over the preceding quarter.



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/05/45199354/disney-marvels-thunderbolts-opens-to-162-million-globally" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Disney Marvel&#8217;s Thunderbolts Opens To $162 Million Globally</a>



According to the report:



<ul>
<li>Entertainment revenue (including traditional TV networks, direct-to-consumer streaming, and films) increased by 9% Y/Y to $10.68 billion.</li>



<li>Sports revenue (mostly comprised of ESPN) rose 5% Y/Y to $4.53 billion. Experiences revenue (including Disney&#8217;s theme parks and consumer products) climbed 6% Y/Y to $8.89 billion.</li>



<li>Linear Networks revenue declined by 13% Y/Y to $2.42 billion.</li>



<li>Direct-to-Consumer revenue climbed 8% Y/Y to $6.12 billion.</li>



<li>Content Sales/Licensing and Other revenue grew by 54% Y/Y to $2.15 billion.</li>



<li>The combined DTC streaming businesses improved their profitability with an operating income of $336 million on revenue of $6.12 billion.</li>



<li>Consolidated operating income grew 15% Y/Y to $4.44 billion, led by the Entertainment segment&#8217;s $1.26 billion, Sports segment&#8217;s $687 million, and the Experiences segment&#8217;s $2.49 billion.</li>



<li>The movie division benefited from &#8220;Moana 2&#8221; and &#8220;Mufasa: The Lion King,&#8221; Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-07/disney-raises-profit-forecast-as-parks-streaming-beat-estimates?sref=TBDibEcD" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a> on Wednesday. </li>



<li>Disney generated a quarterly operating cash flow of $6.75 billion (up 84% Y/Y) and a free cash flow of $4.89 billion (up by over 100% Y/Y).</li>
</ul>



CEO Bob Iger remains optimistic about the company&#8217;s direction and outlook for the remainder of the fiscal year.



Disney&#8217;s experiences division benefited from visitors to parks in California and Florida, holiday package sales, and the launch of the Disney Treasure ship in December. The entertainment division also benefited from recent price hikes across the company&#8217;s streaming services, including Disney+ and Hulu.



Outlook:&nbsp;For fiscal 2025, Disney projected an adjusted EPS&nbsp;of $5.75, an increase of 16% over fiscal 2024 versus a $5.44 analyst estimate (compared to the prior estimate of high-single-digit&nbsp;growth).



It <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43494650/disney-q1-earnings-powered-by-moana-2-and-mufasa-theme-parks-loses-streaming-subscribers" rel="noreferrer noopener">reiterated double-digit growth</a> in operating income for the Entertainment segment in fiscal 2025.



Disney maintained its Experience segment to see operating income growth of 6%-8% in fiscal 2025.



The company expects its Sports segment to grow 13% in fiscal 2025.



For the fiscal third quarter, Disney projected a modest increase in Disney+ subscribers compared to the second quarter of fiscal 2025 for the Entertainment Direct-to-Consumer segment.



Expansion: Disney and Miral, a creator of immersive destinations and experiences, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/05/b45249979/the-walt-disney-company-and-miral-announce-plans-for-disney-theme-park-and-resort-on-yas-island-ab" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced a deal</a> to build a theme park resort on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.



Price Actions:&nbsp;DIS stock is up 6.98% at $98.67 premarket at&nbsp;the last check on Wednesday.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/04/44721053/disney-cuts-prices-and-adds-perks-to-lure-families-back-to-orlando-parks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Disney Cuts Prices And Adds Perks To Lure Families Back To Orlando Parks</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Disney Lifts Forecast With $1 Billion Streaming Goal, Abu Dhabi Park Deal And More

Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVO#NYSE">NVO</a>) on Wednesday reported first-quarter 2025 sales of roughly $10.89 billion (78.09 billion Danish kroner), missing the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus of $11.64 billion</a>.



Sales increased by 19% in Danish kroner and 18% at CER. In U.S. Operations, sales increased by 20% in Danish kroner and 17% at CER.



Sales in International Operations increased by 18% measured in Danish kroner and by 19% at CER. Sales growth has resulted in periodic supply constraints and related drug shortage notifications for certain products and geographies.



The weight loss drug maker <a target="_blank" href="https://www.novonordisk.com/content/nncorp/global/en/news-and-media/news-and-ir-materials/news-details.html?id=915255" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a> Q1 adjusted EPS of 92 cents, beating the consensus of 90 cents.



The company reported an adjusted net profit of 30.3 billion in the quarter, which was up 15% year over year.



Ozempic&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ml-eu.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/5fa26f83-a579-42fc-a3bf-242fe76a5f3e" rel="noreferrer noopener">sales</a> increased 18% to 32.72 billion Danish kroner, and Wegovy sales jumped 85% to 17.36 billion Danish kroner.



The company added that the volume of compounded GLP-1s in the U.S. is estimated to have impacted the uptake of Wegovy prescriptions and the growth of the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/weight-loss" rel="noreferrer noopener">branded obesity market</a> during the first quarter of 2025.



Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/25/05/45147328/cvs-caremark-to-place-novo-nordisks-wegovy-on-preferred-coverage-for-glp-1-weight-loss-treatment" rel="noreferrer noopener">CVS Caremark To Place Novo Nordisk&#8217;s Wegovy On Preferred Coverage For GLP-1 Weight Loss Treatment</a>



Insulin sales increased 4% to 14.9 billion Danish kroner, and Rare disease sales increased 5% to 4.62 billion Danish kroner.



Sales in Diabetes care increased by 10% and 8% at CER to 55.04 billion. Novo Nordisk&#8217;s global diabetes value market share decreased by 0.6% over the last 12 months to 33.3%, driven by market share losses in the U.S. and International Operations.



In IO countries, Eli Lilly And Co&#8217;s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>) tirzepatide is categorised under GLP-1 diabetes only in IQVIA data, despite having indications for Diabetes and Obesity in most launched countries.



In its earnings release, Novo Nordisk said it submitted a Supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) to the U.S. FDA in February for the PDS290 device variant for Wegovy. The company expects the regulatory review to be completed around mid-year 2025.



In February 2025, Novo Nordisk submitted oral semaglutide 25 mg to the FDA, with the potential to be the first oral GLP-1 treatment for obesity.



The submission is based on OASIS 4, a 64-week efficacy and safety trial comparing once-daily oral semaglutide 25 mg to placebo in 307 adults with obesity or overweight with one or more comorbidities.



In adults with obesity or overweight, oral semaglutide 25 mg achieved a 16.6% weight loss from a baseline bodyweight of 105.9 kg compared to a 2.7% reduction with placebo.



Novo Nordisk expects the regulatory review to be completed around the turn of the year.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Guidance For 2025</h2>



Novo Nordisk lowered its 2025 sales <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43491991/novo-nordisk-records-more-than-double-wegovy-sales-in-q4-seeks-regulatory-approval-for-hybrid-weight-loss-drug-in-2026" rel="noreferrer noopener">growth from 16%-24%</a> to 13%-21% at CER and operating profit growth of 16%-24%, down from 19%-27% at CER.



Sales and operating profit growth reported in Danish kroner is expected to be 3 and 5 percentage points higher than at CER, respectively.



The updated sales outlook reflects lower-than-planned penetration of branded GLP-1 treatments in the U.S., impacted by compounded GLP-1s.



Price Action: At the last check on Wednesday, NVO stock was up 5.49% at $69.93 during the premarket session.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45234032/fda-expands-surprise-inspections-at-foreign-drug-and-food-facilities-targets-double-standards-in-overseas-manufacturing-oversight" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">FDA Expands Surprise Inspections At Foreign Drug And Food Facilities, Targets Double Standards In Overseas Manufacturing Oversight</a></li>
</ul>



Photo by Tobias Arhelger via Shutterstock

Biotech

Large Cap

Health Care

Novo Nordisk's Wegovy Sales Surge 85% But Compounded Weight Loss Drugs In US Impacts Annual Outlook

If you have been around the energy markets long enough, you know crude oil has a flair for the dramatic.



When it sells off, it does not just trickle down; it falls off a cliff.



The rebound is vicious, fast and usually overdue when it finally wakes up. The trick, as always, is understanding the cycles, not panicking in the downtrend, and positioning for the inevitable rebound.



That is especially true for one of my favorite corners of the energy market: mineral royalty trusts and non-operator oil and gas interests. These are the little guys who do not drill a thing but still get paid when the oil flows.



All this is happening again right now. 



It's setting you up for the best income trade in a decade.



Let us walk through the big oil busts of the last few decades in the late 1990s: the 2008 crash, the 2014 to 2016 wipeout, and, of course, the COVID collapse of 2020.



I want to talk about what happened, how long sentiment stayed sour and what eventually got prices off the mat. Then, we will dig into what all that meant for the royalty trusts and non-operators and how their dividends held up (or not), how the market treated them, and what happened when oil came roaring back.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">1998: The Asian Flu And The $10 Barrel</h2>



In the late 1990s, OPEC had a problem. They pumped too much oil, thinking Asia would keep consuming it. However, when the Asian financial crisis hit, demand cratered, inventories ballooned, and prices dropped like a rock.



Brent went as low as $10, and nobody wanted to touch an oil stock with a ten-foot pole.



Royalty trusts got smashed. Cash flows dried up, distributions were cut, and unit prices plunged. Investors were left staring at trailing yields in the teens, but those payouts were not sticking around.



Most trusts saw 50% or more wiped off their market capitalizations. However, by late 1999, OPEC got its act together and cut production. Inventories fell, demand slowly came back, and oil doubled. Royalty trust distributions rebounded quickly, and anyone who had the courage to buy when it all looked hopeless got rewarded in a big way.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">2008: Peak Oil Euphoria Meets Lehman Brothers</h2>



By mid-2008, oil was $147 a barrel and people were chanting "peak oil" like it was gospel.



Then, the financial system imploded.



Demand evaporated, oil crashed to $30 and panic spread. Trust distributions went over the cliff.



Sabine Royalty Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SBR#NYSE">SBR</a>) cut payouts by more than 50% in a single month.



Prices followed. These income names saw unit values drop 70% or more.



Yields were sky-high on paper, showing 20% or even 30%, but those were based on past payouts that had already been slashed. For most of 2009, distributions were a shadow of their former selves.



However, when the smoke cleared, oil demand returned, OPEC slashed production, and oil started climbing again. Trust distributions bounced, unit prices doubled or tripled off the lows and yields normalized in the high single digits.



Patience paid off.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">2014 To 2016: The Shale Tsunami</h2>



This one was different. It was not a demand crash. It was too much U.S. shale oil.



OPEC got tired of losing market share and let prices fall from $115 in mid-2014 to under $30 by early 2016. Oil was in freefall for almost two years.



That stretched the pain out.



It was Drill, Baby, Drill Gone Bad, The Prequel.



Royalty and non-op names bled out slowly. Distributions did not collapse all at once&#8230;they just shrank quarter by quarter.



Permian Basin Royalty Trust's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PBT#NYSE">PBT</a>) payout dropped by two-thirds.



PrairieSky (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PREKF#OTC">PREKF</a>) and Freehold slashed their dividends.



The market priced them accordingly.



Yields dropped, unit prices got hammered, and by 2016, it was hard to find anyone still bullish.



Then OPEC and Russia teamed up and finally cut production in late 2016.



By 2017, oil was back in the $60s, and royalty trusts started increasing dividends again.



Trusts that had lost 70% of their value doubled or more over the next 18 months. Investors who stayed the course got paid.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">2020: The Pandemic Panic And Negative Oil Prices</h2>



Then came COVID. Demand did not just shrink. It vanished.



Planes stopped flying, cars stopped driving, and suddenly, the world was drowning in oil.



Saudi Arabia and Russia decided to have a price war on top of it all, and in April 2020, WTI futures went negative.



Royalty trusts had a rough time. Distributions were suspended.



Permianville (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PVL#NYSE">PVL</a>) went 13 months without a single payout.



PrairieSky slashed its dividend by two-thirds.



Investors fled. Unit prices dropped 60% to 80% in weeks.



Trailing yields? Meaningless. Nobody was paying anything.



However, it did not last.



OPEC+ made historic cuts.



Demand started recovering.



When vaccines arrived in late 2020, the game changed. By mid-2021, Permianville was paying again. PrairieSky and Freehold started raising dividends.



Share prices doubled or tripled.



By 2022, Sabine's distribution hit $8.65, a monster rebound.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What It All Means</h2>



These downturns tell the same story every time: oil crashes, royalty and non-operator income disappear, and the market throws these stocks in the trash. Yields spike on trailing numbers, then vanish when dividends get cut. Sentiment stays ugly for too long.



However, when the oil price recovers, and it always has, these names come back fast. Distributions climb, unit prices follow, and investors who bought when everyone else was scared end up with huge yields on cost and big capital gains.



They are not for the faint of heart. You have to be willing to hold when there is blood in the oil patch.



It's a pain trade.



However, if you buy these things when oil is hated and the checks have stopped, you set yourself up for some of the most explosive total returns in the market.



This is deep value investing, oilfield-style.



And now, it's happening again.



Read the headlines:



<ul>
<li>OPEC is going to increase production.</li>



<li>Oil demand forecasts are being cut.</li>



<li>The much more energy-efficient AI from China will slash demand even further.</li>



<li>Nuclear energy plants are going to pop up like mushrooms with no regulatory delays or cost overruns and be built faster than Buc-ee's.</li>



<li>China will never import another drop of oil.</li>
</ul>



Negative sentiment is building, we&#8217;ve seen some distribution cuts and optimism is harder to find than a good book in a Blockbuster.



Royalty trusts and nonowner operators may go down before they go up, but when they do, they are going to go up a lot.



Those who buy in scale, with patience and a dash of courage, will be well rewarded.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Risk, Reward &amp; Reversals: Tactical Options Strategies for an Unstable Market</h2>



When markets get unpredictable, disciplined options strategies can give you an edge. Join Ryan Faloona, Anne-Marie Baiynd and Tim Melvin live on May 6 to learn how they're using risk reversals, 0DTE plays, and hedging tactics to stay nimble and generate income. Save your spot now to learn how to trade smarter this week.



Editorial content from our Expert contributors is intended to be information for the general public and not individualized investment advice. Editors/contributors are presenting their individual opinions and strategies, which are neither expressly nor impliedly approved or endorsed by Benzinga.



Photo: Shutterstock

PREKF

OPEC Just Created The Income Trade Of The Decade

U.S. stock futures rose on Wednesday after two days of decline on Tuesday. Futures of major benchmark indices were higher in premarket.



The upmove comes after the U.S. and China <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45242461/donald-trumps-trade-war-sparks-first-major-us-china-talks-scott-bessent-jamieson-greer-to-meet-chinese-delegation-in-geneva">agreed to hold high-level trade talks</a> in Switzerland this weekend, their first major meeting since President Donald Trump initiated the trade war, amid growing U.S. market concerns over tariff impacts. 



Investors will await the Federal Reserve&#8217;s decision on interest rates, which is slated to be announced by Fed Chair Jerome Powell today afternoon.



Meanwhile, the 10-year Treasury bond yielded 4.32% and the two-year bond was at 3.80%. The CME Group's FedWatch <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">tool</a>&#8216;s projections show markets pricing a 95.6% likelihood of the Federal Reserve keeping the current interest rates unchanged in its May 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>Dow Jones</td><td>-0.50%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>-0.50%</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>-0.51%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-0.91%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which track the S&amp;P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, fell in premarket on Wednesday. The SPY was down 0.63% to $562.30, while the QQQ declined 0.65% to $484.55, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.



Cues From Last Session:



Only utilities and energy sectors advanced on Tuesday, while health care, industrials, and consumer discretionary sectors led the declines.



Fueled by businesses and consumers rushing to import goods before President Trump&#8217;s sweeping tariffs took effect, the U.S. trade deficit ballooned to a record $140.5 billion in March, according to the data released on Tuesday. Federal data revealed significant stockpiling, particularly of pharmaceuticals.



It approximately doubled from $68.6 billion in March 2024.



After Tuesday, the S&amp;P 500 index was out of the correction zone, just down 8.79% from its record high of 6,147.43 points, scaled on Feb. 19. Dow Jones was 9.42% lower than its 52-week high of 45,073.63 points, and Nasdaq 100 was 10.94% lower than its previous high of 22,222.61 points.



<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>-0.87%</td><td>17,689.66</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>-0.77%</td><td>5,606.91</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>-0.95%</td><td>40,829.00</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-1.50%</td><td>1,983.19</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Insights From Analysts:



Ed Yaderni from Yardeni Research wrote in his QuickTakes memo that &#8220;A short bout of stagflation is likely.&#8221;



&#8220;We reckoned that the economy would remain resilient. We still think so, but Trump&#8217;s Tariff Turmoil (TTT) is stress-testing the resilience of the economy. It will probably slow economic growth and boost inflation. A short bout of stagflation is likely,&#8221; he added.



Nathan Peterson, director of derivatives analysis at the Schwab Center for Financial Research, said that the AI-led optimism was booming again despite tariff woes.



&#8220;The sentiment around the AI secular growth story feels like it&#8217;s been resurrected, and the market seems more sanguine around companies&#8217; ability to navigate the potential impact of tariffs,&#8221; he said.



According to Cooper Howard, director, fixed income strategy at the Schwab Center for Financial Research, &#8220;The Fed will likely try to signal they are on hold for the time being and want to wait for more clarity about how tariffs will or won't impact the economy,&#8221; said &#8220;The market's projecting three cuts this year, which has been pared back from earlier expectations.&#8221;



Upcoming Economic Data



Here&#8217;s what investors will keep an eye on Wednesday:



<ul>
<li>The FOMC meeting will begin at 2:00 p.m., and Fed Chairman Jerome Powell will deliver the verdict at a press conference at 2:30 p.m. ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Consumer credit for March will be out by 3:00 p.m. ET.</li>
</ul>



Stocks In Focus:



<ul>
<li>Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIS#NYSE">DIS</a>) rose 0.87% in premarket on Wednesday as it is expected to report earnings before the opening bell. Analysts expect a quarterly earnings of $1.20 per share on revenue of $23.14 billion.</li>



<li>Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>) was up 0.54% as Wall Street expects it to report earnings of 50 cents per share on revenue of $11.62 billion before the opening bell.</li>



<li>Owens Corning (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OC#NYSE">OC</a>) was 0.021% below the flatline ahead of its earnings before the opening bell. Analysts expect a quarterly earnings of $2.87 per share on revenue of $2.51 billion.</li>



<li>Johnson Controls International PLC (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JCI#NYSE">JCI</a>) was 0.35% higher as Wall Street expects it to report earnings of 80 cents per share on revenue of $5.66 billion before the opening bell.</li>



<li>Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) rose 2.43% as it reported stronger-than-expected first-quarter financial results Tuesday after the bell. AMD said it expects second-quarter revenue of approximately $7.4 billion, plus or minus $300 million. Analysts are currently forecasting second-quarter revenue of $7.24 billion.</li>



<li>Arista Networks Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ANET#NYSE">ANET</a>) declined 4.37% after posting mixed first-quarter results after Tuesday's closing bell. It reported quarterly earnings of 65 cents per share, which beat the analyst consensus estimate of 60 cents. Quarterly revenue came in at $2 billion, which missed the consensus estimate of $2.02 billion.</li>



<li>Corpay Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CPAY#NYSE">CPAY</a>) rose 1.44% after AvidXchange agreed to be acquired by TPG in partnership with Corpay for $2.2 billion.</li>



<li>TPG Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TPG#NASDAQ">TPG</a>) jumped 4.96% as it announced the acquisition of Acquire Peppertree Capital Management.</li>



<li>Marvell Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MRVL#NASDAQ">MRVL</a>) dropped 4.21% after it postponed its investor day, citing the macroeconomic environment.</li>
</ul>



Commodities, Gold, And Global Equity Markets:



Crude oil futures were trading higher in the early New York session by 0.80% to hover around $59.56 per barrel.



Gold Spot US Dollar fell 1.59% to hover around $3,376.07 per ounce. Its last record high stood at $3,500.33 per ounce. The U.S. Dollar Index spot was higher by 0.28% at the 99.5120 level.



Asian markets ended higher on Monday except Japan's Nikkei 225. India's S&amp;P BSE Sensex, Australia's ASX 200, China&#8217;s CSI 300, Hong Kong's Hang Seng, and South Korea's Kospi index rose. European markets were falling in early trade.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45245696/smci-issues-strong-q4-revenue-outlook-expects-nvidias-blackwell-to-fuel-growth">SMCI Issues Strong Q4 Revenue Outlook, Expects Nvidia&#8217;s Blackwell To Fuel Growth</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Market Summary

Futures

Treasuries

MRVL

US Stocks Likely To Open Higher Ahead Of Fed's Verdict On Interest Rates: 'A Short Bout Of Stagflation Is Likely,' Says Expert

On Tuesday, billionaire investor Bill Ackman suggested that Donald Trump implement a gradual, escalating China tariff strategy to encourage fair trade negotiations and help U.S. companies adjust without triggering sudden economic disruption.



What Happened: Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Ackman laid out a detailed proposal for how Trump could reshape U.S.-China trade relations.



Rather than imposing large tariffs abruptly, Ackman suggests starting with a 20% tariff on Chinese goods and then gradually increasing it:



<ul>
<li>By 0.5% per month over the first year,</li>



<li>By 1% per month in the second year,</li>



<li>And by 1.5% per month in the third year, continuing in this pattern.</li>
</ul>



"To the extent that China modifies its unfair trade practices, the increases could stop and potentially be reversed depending upon the degree of improvement in its trade policies," Ackman explained.



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/05/45216185/bill-gates-says-trumps-climate-rollbacks-may-have-slowed-progress-but-microsoft-co-founder-doesnt-think-thats-a-permanent-thing-as-americas-commitment-to-clean-energy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bill Gates Says Trump's Climate Rollbacks May Have Slowed Progress, But Microsoft Co-Founder Doesn't Think ‘That's a Permanent Thing'</a>



He added, "This approach would incentivize companies to relocate their supply chains from China while enabling them to continue to operate profitably during the transition."



<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 if <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> were to announce that China tariffs would immediately be reduced to 20% and then escalate thereafter by 0.5% per month for next 12 months, and then by 1% per month for the next 12 months, and then by 1.5% per month for the next 12 months and so on? To…&mdash; Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillAckman/status/1919840513831973363?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 6, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Why It's Important: On the same day as Ackman's proposal, the Trump administration revealed that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer are set to meet with <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45242461/donald-trumps-trade-war-sparks-first-major-us-china-talks-scott-bessent-jamieson-greer-to-meet-chinese-delegation-in-geneva">senior Chinese officials in Geneva</a>, Switzerland, this weekend.



China's Ministry of Commerce released a separate statement warning that if the U.S. were to act contrary to its stated intentions or use the dialogue as a cover for pressure tactics, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45246445/china-warns-us-not-to-use-coercion-and-extortion-tactics-ahead-of-first-major-trade-talks-in-geneva-says-it-will-never-accept-it-if-americans-use-dialogue-as-smokescreen">China would not tolerate</a> such behavior.



A recent poll shows that the trade war has <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/05/45185792/young-americans-express-discontent-over-trumps-china-tariffs">negatively affected</a> President Trump's approval ratings among young Americans, who are frustrated by the price increases caused by tariffs.



The Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) has declined 5.65% so far this year, while the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) has dropped 4.42%, as ongoing uncertainty surrounding the U.S.-China trade conflict continues to dampen investor confidence.



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



Photo courtesy: T. Schneider / Shutterstock.com

Bill Ackman Proposes Gradual China Tariff Escalation To Push Fair Trade And Avoid Economic Shock: 'This Approach Would Incentivize Companies...'

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