The S&amp;P 500's July rally to fresh record highs hides a troubling divide at the index's core—one not seen since the early 2000s—and no, this time it has nothing to do <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/donald-trump">with Trump's trade policies.</a>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">S&amp;P 500 Hits Records, But Most Stocks Miss The Party</h3>



While the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) has surged to new record highs, its equal-weighted counterpart, the Invesco S&amp;P 500 Equal Weight ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RSP#NYSE">RSP</a>), is telling a very different story. 



The ratio between SPY and RSP has now climbed to its highest level since August 2003, underscoring the narrowest market breadth in over two decades.



In plain terms, a small group of megacap stocks is carrying the rally, while the average stock is lagging behind. 



The median S&amp;P 500 constituent is now 11% below its 52-week high, and RSP is down 3% from its late-2024 peak, despite the cap-weighted index breaking records.



Market breadth refers to the number of stocks participating in a rally. Right now, it's historically thin. That's raising eyebrows among investors, not because the bull run is over, but because the gains are concentrated in just a handful of high-performing names.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="525" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/14143714/SPY_RSP_2025-07-14_14-07-27_83d76-1024x525.png" alt="" class="wp-image-984577" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/14143714/SPY_RSP_2025-07-14_14-07-27_83d76-1024x525.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/14143714/SPY_RSP_2025-07-14_14-07-27_83d76-300x154.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/14143714/SPY_RSP_2025-07-14_14-07-27_83d76-768x394.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/14143714/SPY_RSP_2025-07-14_14-07-27_83d76-1536x788.png 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/14143714/SPY_RSP_2025-07-14_14-07-27_83d76-2048x1050.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What's Going On With Market Breadth?</h2>



According to Goldman Sachs' analyst David J. Kostin, the narrow breadth could set the stage for a short-term shift.



"If our economic and earnings outlooks prove correct, more momentum rotation is likely in store," Kostin said.



Historical data from Goldman shows that during strong macroeconomic turns, lagging stocks tend to catch up—even if the high-flying leaders cool off.



There&#8217;s also an important valuation angle here. Stocks with strong profit margins and solid balance sheets are now trading at significant premiums, while so-called "low quality" stocks remain discounted. If macro conditions improve—meaning lower rates and easing trade tensions—there's room for a rotation into those underperformers.



Still, Kostin remains cautious. "For ‘low quality' stocks to outperform over an extended horizon, we think investors would need to embrace an outlook for stronger economic growth and lower interest rates than our current forecasts indicate," he said.



Read Next:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/economic-data/25/07/46392923/une-cpi-inflation-preview-tariffs-markets-fed">June Inflation May Be Hiding A Nasty Surprise For Wall Street </a></li>
</ul>



Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

Equities

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

ETFs

S&P 500 Record Highs Hide A Fracture Unseen In Decades

Banking giant JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JPM#NYSE">JPM</a>) could provide a detailed look at the health of the American economy and consumer and have a big impact on several ETFs when the company reports second-quarter financial results Tuesday <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings">before market open.</a>



Here are the earnings estimates from analysts, what experts are saying ahead of the report and the key items to watch.



Earnings Estimates: Analysts expect JPMorgan to report second-quarter revenue of $44.17 billion, down from $50.99 billion, according to data<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0714"> from Benzinga Pro.</a>



The company has beaten analyst estimates for revenue in more than 10 straight quarters.



Analysts expect the company to report second-quarter earnings per share of $4.48, up from $4.40 in last year's second quarter. The company has beaten analyst estimates for earnings per share in more than 10 straight quarters.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/07/46396595/jpmorgan-citi-to-kick-off-bank-earnings-as-wall-street-sees-profit-boom">JPMorgan, Citi To Kick Off Bank Earnings As Wall Street Sees Profit Boom</a>



What Experts Are Saying: JPMorgan is one of several large financial institutions that will report quarterly financial results this week.



"The sector itself has been outperforming the S&amp;P 500, experiencing new all-time highs and has been a leading sector in the most recent market rebound," Freedom Capital Markets Chief Global Strategist Jay Woods said in a weekly <a href="https://dashboard.mailerlite.com/forms/430322/151045652250363569/share">newsletter</a>.



Because banks have passed the Fed's stress test with "flying colors,&#8221; Woods expects increased growth or potential M&amp;A activity.



"There is hope that a banking renaissance is on the horizon and maybe this quarter will give a more rosy outlook than more recent forecasts,&#8221; he adds.



Here are recent a<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/JPM/analyst-ratings">nalyst ratings on JPMorgan &amp; Chase:</a>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Truist: Maintained Hold rating, raised price target from $280 to $290</li>



<li>Evercore ISI Group: Maintained Outperform rating, raised price target from $280 to $298</li>



<li>Citigroup: Maintained Neutral rating, raised price target from $250 to $275</li>
</ul>



Key Items to Watch: Woods notes five of the top holdings from the SPDR Select Sector Fund – Financial (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLF#NYSE">XLF</a>).



JPMorgan is the second-largest holding in the ETF at 10.87% of assets. The ETF could be highly volatile during a week of multiple earnings releases and the pressure of JPMorgan's report.



Another ETF that could be impacted is the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>). JPMorgan is the 11th largest holding in the ETF that tracks Dow Jones Industrial Average.



Investors and analysts will closely watch JPMorgan for several items in the quarterly results. These include overall revenue, investment banking, Consumer &amp; Community Banking and Commercial &amp; Investment Bank. Such business segments can exhibit growth or a decline in revenue, and possibly gauge the overall health of the American economy.



Another critical factor is commentary from CEO Jamie Dimon regarding the firm&#8217;s future and the banking sector. Dimon offered warnings about geopolitics, tax reform, tariffs, inflation and volatility after the company's<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44760533/jpmorgan-kicks-off-earnings-season-strong-investment-banking-wealth-management-lead-revenue-surge"> first-quarter results</a>. Investors and analysts will be looking to see if Dimon remains <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/economic-data/25/06/45888024/jamie-dimon-warns-of-us-economic-dip-tells-managers-to-get-real">concerned or turns optimistic</a>.



Price Action: JPMorgan stock is up 0.4% to $287.94 on Monday versus a 52-week trading range of $190.90 to $296.40. JPMorgan stock is up 20% year-to-date in 2025.



The SPDR Select Sector Fund- Financial ETF is up 8.9% year-to-date in 2025.



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</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Previews

Trading Ideas

JPMorgan Q2 Preview: A 'Banking Renaissance' On The Horizon

Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) CEO Jensen Huang said that the Chinese military is not using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/jensen-huang">his company's chips</a> due to export controls and tensions between the U.S. and China. 



The Details: Speaking in a CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/13/world/video/gps0713-nvidia-us-china-ai">interview</a> on Sunday, Huang argued that China cannot depend on U.S.-made technology for its military needs because access to such technology could be restricted at any time.&nbsp;



"It could be limited at any time; not to mention, there's plenty of computing capacity in China already," Huang said.&nbsp;



"They don't need Nvidia's chips, certainly, or American tech stacks in order to build their military," he added.&nbsp; "They simply can't rely on it."



Read Next:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/health-care/25/07/46355532/unitedhealth-hits-reset-new-head-of-medicaid-appointed-as-ceo-reshapes-team?utm_source=articleShare"> UnitedHealth Hits Reset: New Head Of Medicaid Appointed As CEO Reshapes Team</a>&nbsp;



Huang's remarks come in the context of U.S. export controls that restrict semiconductor firms from selling their most advanced AI chips to Chinese customers.&nbsp;



The Nvidia CEO reiterated his criticism of the export restrictions, saying they have been counterproductive to the United States' goal of maintaining technological leadership. 



According to Huang, for American technology to become the global standard, it must be accessible to all AI developers worldwide—including those in China, who make up about half of the global talent pool.



Industry analysts, such as Daniel Newman of The Futurum Group, note that Huang is carefully balancing relations between Washington and Beijing with an approach designed to keep Nvidia positioned for future opportunities in China while avoiding actions that could provoke U.S. policymakers.



"He needs to walk a proverbial tightrope to make sure that he doesn't rattle the Trump administration," Newman <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/14/nvidias-jensen-huang-downplays-us-china-concerns-ahead-of-trip.html">told</a> CNBC.&nbsp;



Why It Matters: Last month, a senior U.S. government official told Reuters that Chinese AI firm DeepSeek is <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/46062695/nvidia-deepseek-ai-chips-us-china-military-news">actively supporting</a> China's military and intelligence agencies while finding ways to bypass American restrictions on advanced semiconductor exports.&nbsp;



DeepSeek is alleged to have used shell companies in Southeast Asia and other workarounds to obtain large quantities of Nvidia's H100 chips, which are subject to strict export controls. Multiple sources familiar with the situation confirmed that DeepSeek acquired these chips after the U.S. ban was implemented.



What Else: Huang is preparing to leave on his second trip to China this year as Nvidia works on a new chip that will meet the latest export rules.&nbsp;



Last week, Huang also met with President Donald Trump and was warned by lawmakers not to meet with Chinese companies tied to the military or intelligence agencies, or those on the U.S. restricted list.



NVDA Price Action: Nvidia shares were up 0.12% at $165.12 on Monday, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?gspk=YWRhbWVja2VydDUzMzY&amp;gsxid=zBMR4PKmcgBw">Benzinga Pro</a>. 



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Photo: Shutterstock&nbsp;

Large Cap

News

Management

Movers

Tech

NVDA

Nvidia's Jensen Huang: China Doesn't Need US Chips

After relatively benign inflation reports throughout 2025, the June Consumer Price Index could deliver what Wall Street least expects: the return of hotter price pressures, largely fueled by tariffs. For markets riding all-time highs, this could mean <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s">more pain than gain.</a>



Here's what to expect on Tuesday at 8:30 a.m. ET, when the Bureau of Labor Statistics releases the much-anticipated June inflation report.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A Sharp Inflation Acceleration Is On Deck</h2>



Economists anticipate the headline inflation rate to climb from 2.4% in May to 2.7% in June—the highest since January and a pace of acceleration unseen since late 2023. 



On a monthly basis, the CPI is expected to rise 0.3%, up from 0.1% in May, marking the fastest monthly increase of the year.



But this isn't a story driven by energy or other volatile components. The core Consumer Price Index—which strips out food and energy and better reflects underlying inflation trends—is also expected to reheat. 



Forecasts indicate an annual increase from 2.8% to 3%, accompanied by a monthly gain of 0.3%, marking the end of a three-month period of stability.



"Core goods is the main driver of our expected acceleration in core CPI inflation," said Bank of America economist Stephen Juneau in a recent note to clients. The expert sees broad-based price hikes extending beyond used cars, partly due to newly imposed tariffs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Markets Are Complacent—And That&#8217;s The Problem</h2>



Despite mounting signs of upward pressure, traders remain largely unfazed. 



Both the S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq 100 indices continue to push record highs, and market-based inflation expectations—measured by breakeven rates—remain steady around 2.4% for both 5- and 10-year horizons.



That calm is echoed on Kalshi, the CFTC-regulated prediction market, where traders assign just an 8% chance that June's annual inflation tops 2.7%. In other words, betting on a surprise costs pennies and could pay ninefold.



Such confidence—or overconfidence—sets the stage for potential market disarray should the data come in hot.



<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://kalshi.com/external-widgets/events/KXCPIYOY-25JUN?color_scheme=light&#038;widget_size=medium&#038;variant=a&#038;ids=KXCPIYOY-25JUN-T2.4&#038;ids=KXCPIYOY-25JUN-T2.5&#038;ids=KXCPIYOY-25JUN-T2.6&#038;utm_campaign=benzinga_widget" width="488px" height="196px" style="border:0"></iframe>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What Are The Key Drivers Of Inflation?</h2>



Tariffs are front and center. 



Glen Smith, chief investment officer at GDS Wealth Management, said June's CPI "is likely the first inflation report that noticeably reflects higher prices from tariffs," and cautioned that strong inflation could delay any Federal Reserve action on rate cuts.



Bank of America's Juneau noted additional pressure coming from discretionary services like lodging and airfare, which had previously shown deflation but are now expected to rebound. Medical services and shelter costs are also forecast to contribute more than they did in May.



Goldman Sachs' Jessica Rindels sees a slightly cooler core CPI print of 0.23% for June, but said, "tariffs will likely provide a somewhat larger boost to monthly inflation," expecting core inflation to trend between 0.3% and 0.4% in the coming months.



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



The implications for monetary policy are significant. As of now, futures markets imply a 93% chance the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates twice before year-end, totaling 50 basis points.



But a strong CPI print could change that overnight. If price pressures resurface more broadly, the Fed could remain on hold for longer, delaying relief for borrowers and possibly tightening financial conditions.



For equity markets, a stronger-than-expected inflation reading could slam the brakes on the rally that has pushed the Vanguard S&amp;P 500 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VOO#NYSE">VOO</a>) up 30% from April lows, with stocks trading at record highs under the assumption that Donald Trump's tariffs won't disrupt growth.



 At the same time, it could hand a much-needed boost to the U.S. dollar. The U.S. Dollar Index remains down 9% year-to-date, yet positioning among investors is heavily bullish. Hotter inflation could validate those bets, as markets would likely dial back expectations for Fed rate cuts in 2025.



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Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

Econ #s

June Inflation May Be Hiding A Nasty Surprise For Wall Street

U.S. equities traded sideways on Monday as investor sentiment wavered following President Donald Trump's weekend announcement of a sweeping 30% tariff on all imports from the European Union and Mexico, set to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/tariffs">take effect August 1.</a>



Investor sentiment was further clouded by inflation concerns ahead of Tuesday's consumer price index release. Economists anticipate an annual rise from 2.4% to 2.7%, suggesting that companies may be starting to pass on higher import costs to consumers.



The second-quarter earnings season for major U.S. banks kicks off Tuesday, with JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JPM#NYSE">JPM</a>), Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/C#NYSE">C</a>), Wells Fargo &amp; Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WFC#NYSE">WFC</a>), and BlackRock Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BLK#NYSE">BLK</a>) all slated to report results before the bell.



Among sectors, energy stocks lagged as oil prices dropped 1.5% to below $67.60 per barrel. The decline came after Trump stopped short of imposing new sanctions on Russian oil, disappointing markets that had anticipated a tougher stance. While Trump did threaten 100% secondary tariffs on Russian energy exports if a ceasefire isn&#8217;t reached within 50 days, the lack of immediate measures weighed on crude.



In contrast, U.S. natural gas prices rose by more than 3%, with futures surpassing $3.40 for the first time in over a week, as rising LNG exports and forecasts for hotter-than-average weather through late July sustained demand.



The U.S. dollar index strengthened for a third straight session, up 1.4% since the start of July, and potentially snapping a five-month losing streak.



Bond markets saw continued volatility, with the 30-year Treasury yield surging to 4.98% — its highest since early June.



In precious metals, gold slipped 0.3% while silver also edged down 0.3% after hitting a fresh 14-year high last week.



Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) rose 0.7% on the day but trimmed earlier gains, pulling back from its record high of $123,278. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Monday&#8217;s Performance In Major US Indices, ETFs</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Major Indices</td><td>Price</td><td>1-day %</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>22,859.07</td><td>0.3%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>2,238.86</td><td>0.2%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>6,262.13</td><td>0.0%</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>44,372.64</td><td>0.0%</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated by 12:35 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 class="wp-block-list">
<li>The&nbsp;Vanguard S&amp;P 500 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VOO#NYSE">VOO</a>) flattened at $573.40.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>) held steady at $443.51.</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;inched 0.2% higher to $555.64.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) edged 0.2% higher to $222.13.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;Communication Services&nbsp;Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLC#NYSE">XLC</a>) outperformed, up 0.8%; the&nbsp;Energy&nbsp;Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLE#NYSE">XLE</a>) lagged, down 1.5%.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Monday&#8217;s Stock Movers</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Shares of Fastenal Co. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FAST#NASDAQ">FAST</a>) climbed 1.5% after the company beat analysts&#8217; estimates on both profit and revenue for the second quarter.</li>



<li>Ansys Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ANSS#NASDAQ">ANSS</a>) shares rose 3.9% after Synopsys secured regulatory approval from China for its $35 billion acquisition, paving the way for the deal to close.</li>



<li>Constellation Brands Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STZ#NYSE">STZ</a>) fell nearly 5% amid concerns over proposed U.S. tariffs on Mexican imports. The company, heavily reliant on Mexican beer brands, could face rising costs, with analysts projecting a decline in operating margins for its beer segment this fiscal year.</li>



<li>APA Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APA#NASDAQ">APA</a>) fell 4% after Jefferies raised its price target to $19 from $17, while maintaining a cautious outlook on the stock. </li>



<li>Defense stocks extended gains on Monday, with the iShares U.S. Aerospace &amp; Defense ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ITA#NYSE">ITA</a>) hitting fresh record highs after President Donald Trump announced new military equipment shipments to Ukraine.</li>
</ul>



Read now: 



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/economic-data/25/07/46392923/une-cpi-inflation-preview-tariffs-markets-fed">June Inflation May Be Hiding A Nasty Surprise For Wall Street</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Analyst Ratings

$BTC

ANSS

FAST

Wall Street Pauses As Tariff Concerns Rise, Dollar Eyes Third Straight Gain: What's Moving Markets Monday?

<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/donald-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">President Donald Trump</a>'s latest salvo on trade policy has rattled markets, and auto giants like Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) and big tech like Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) may bear the brunt. Trump has floated the idea of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46382047/trump-targets-mexico-eu-with-30-tariffs">imposing 30% tariffs</a> on imports from the European Union and Mexico, two regions that play a crucial role in both companies&#8217; global supply chains and revenue streams.



For investors, the risk isn't just theoretical &#8211; it could mean real pressure on margins, pricing and stock performance.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46384885/peter-schiff-gives-trumps-30-tariff-threat-on-mexico-eu-a-reality-check-america-relies-on-deficits-to-make-up-for-excess-debt-and-consumption">Peter Schiff Gives Trump&#8217;s 30% Tariff Threat On Mexico, EU A Reality Check: America Relies On Deficits To Make Up For Excess Debt And Consumption</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Apple's Mexican Lifeline Could Snap</h2>



Apple relies increasingly on Mexico for final assembly and component manufacturing, including parts for iPhones, MacBooks, and AirPods. While most of its core manufacturing is based in China, Apple has been actively diversifying its supply chain to mitigate geopolitical risk.



Ironically, these new tariffs could penalize the very diversification strategy that they aim to support. Higher import costs from Mexico could squeeze Apple's margins or force it to pass the costs on to consumers, which is never a good look in a competitive smartphone market.



The EU also represents a significant revenue pool for Apple, with Europe accounting for roughly 24% of total sales in recent quarters. Any retaliation from the bloc could complicate pricing, tax treatment, or even product approvals.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tesla's EU Exposure Makes It Especially Vulnerable</h2>



Tesla may be even more exposed. The company operates a gigafactory in Germany, and the EU is one of Tesla&#8217;s fastest-growing markets outside the U.S. If Trump's tariff policy triggers a trade war or reciprocal measures, Tesla could face hurdles both in exporting parts and in selling vehicles across borders. It's a tough blow just as the EV maker is trying to defend market share against BYD Co (OTCPK: BYDDF) (OTCPK: BYDDY) and legacy automakers.



Investors should pay close attention: while tariffs may not be imminent, the political narrative could impact capital flows and sentiment around multinationals with cross-border footprints.



Read Next:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46374969/jpmorgan-just-hit-delete-on-tesla-and-rivian"> </a>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46374969/jpmorgan-just-hit-delete-on-tesla-and-rivian">JPMorgan Just Hit &#8216;Delete&#8217; On Tesla And Rivian</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Government

Regulations

AAPL

BYDDF

BYDDY

TSLA

Tesla And Apple Face Brand-New Wrecking Ball—Thanks To Trump

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="585" src="https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/14091029/AI_image_MS_Designer_DeFi_TradFi_bridge_02-1024x585.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-15741" srcset="https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/14091029/AI_image_MS_Designer_DeFi_TradFi_bridge_02-1024x585.jpeg 1024w,https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/14091029/AI_image_MS_Designer_DeFi_TradFi_bridge_02-300x172.jpeg 300w,https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/14091029/AI_image_MS_Designer_DeFi_TradFi_bridge_02-768x439.jpeg 768w,https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/14091029/AI_image_MS_Designer_DeFi_TradFi_bridge_02.jpeg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



A new unified cloud platform promises to accelerate crypto's app era, dramatically expanding what's possible in decentralized finance (DeFi).



Eigencloud — backed by a $70 investment from Andreesen Horowitz — offers something novel: an Ethereum development infrastructure that makes ‘virtually anything verifiable on-chain.' Just as AWS once unleashed SaaS and the cloud economy, Eigencloud's arrival potentially unlocks a huge array of DeFi use cases.



By blending Web2 flexibility with Web3 verifiability, the aim is to help dApp developers get over their trust issues. The question is: can it really work and scale?



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">The final bridge between FinTech and&nbsp;DeFi?</h1>



Eigen Labs CEO Sreeram Kannan said EigenCloud "will enable the next generation of disruptive, mass-market crypto apps, closing the gap between what developers want to build on-chain and what blockchains allow them to build."



By expanding the programmability of crypto, Kannan says Eigencloud could make "virtually anything" verifiable on-chain, opening the door to dApp opportunities like fully on-chain gaming, on-chain insurance, more powerful prediction markets, and even "verifiable" AI.



In an echo of how AWS changed the startup economy, EigenCloud aims to spur dApp innovation by allowing developers to access technical services without staking loads of native tokens.



It slashes startup costs and gives new projects the flexibility to use mainstream assets like Ethereum (ETH) and reduce dependence on token issuance.



It seems very similar to the period in the mid-2000s&nbsp;when AWS launched, and server costs began to fall.



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Trust is the missing&nbsp;link</h1>



EigenCloud's unique selling proposition is based on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373487888_State_of_the_Art_Report_Verified_Computation" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">verifiable compute</a>&nbsp;thesis, where heavier computing operations can be outsourced from one machine to another for efficiency. It adds mechanisms to ensure trust, for example, verifying that the outsourced machine sends back a complete and error-free result.



To that end, EigenCloud embeds two new primitives, EigenCompute and EigenVerify.



EigenCompute gives developers a container-based environment that removes some of the operational complexity from setting up the external operators. Similar to serverless platforms like AWS Lambda, developers can use it to create custom logic with fewer steps. EigenCloud handles the trust coordination and execution.



EigenVerify introduces a new verification-as-a-service model. Developers can use its pre-built verification modules and write them directly into new dApps, removing the need to create new trust frameworks from scratch. This has the potential to shorten development timelines and accelerate time-to-market.



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">An AWS Model for the Decentralized Web</h1>



The thing that sets EigenCloud apart is its ability to offer verifiability for off-chain processes, mimicking what L1 chains can do on-chain. This gives developers more freedom to build Ethereum applications that use external data or other off-chain resources without compromising integrity.



Key to all of this are the platform's verifiable service composition and cross-chain support features. These enable Ethereum dApps to communicate with actively validated services (AVS), using APIs for things like payment or user authentication. EigenCloud says all three can operate across any L1 or L2, extending the capabilities of new applications.



Once again, the AWS cloud infrastructure analogy seems apropos. SaaS developers leverage AWS' pre-built solutions for storage, compute, and identity management, which can be easily added to new cloud applications. EigenCloud is aiming to bring the same kind of modular development tools to the blockchain.



AVSs, which undergo continuous validation to ensure their security, integrity, and efficiency, are crucial to verifiability.



EigenCloud allows them to be slotted into new dApps like Lego blocks. Rather than requiring each AVS to have its own custom interface, they can simply plug into a shared framework.



Standardization smoothes the way for developers and brings more reusable components into play.



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">The Take&nbsp;Away</h1>



When AWS launched in 2022, it was an interesting side project. Amazon engineers were complaining about the inordinate amount of time they were spending building and maintaining e-commerce infrastructure. ‘The cloud' hadn't even been coined as an industry term.



Today, AWS is the bedrock of the digital economy and a $107 billion cash cow for one of the world's biggest companies. Could Eigencloud follow a similar path?



Featured Image credit: Author

Cryptocurrency

Opinion

General

Crypto's Cloud Moment Is Here

The European Union has a €21 billion ($24.52 billion) package of tariffs on U.S. goods ready for implementation should ongoing trade negotiations falter, Italy&#8217;s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated in a newspaper interview on Monday, as reported by Reuters.



What Happened: This readiness comes in response to U.S. President Donald Trump&#8216;s recent threat to impose a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46384885/peter-schiff-gives-trumps-30-tariff-threat-on-mexico-eu-a-reality-check-america-relies-on-deficits-to-make-up-for-excess-debt-and-consumption">30% tariff on imports</a> from both Mexico and the EU beginning Aug. 1, following weeks of inconclusive discussions with major trading partners. 



According to Reuters, Tajani informed the daily Il Messaggero that a second set of tariffs could follow the initial €21 billion package if a comprehensive deal with the U.S. proves unattainable.



Despite the escalating tensions, Tajani expressed confidence in the potential for progress in negotiations, emphasizing that &#8220;Tariffs hurt every one, starting with the United States.&#8221;



He further warned that declining stock markets due to tariffs would jeopardize &#8220;the pensions and the savings of the Americans,&#8221; advocating instead for a goal of &#8220;zero tariffs&#8221; and an open market spanning Canada, the United States, Mexico, and Europe.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46386524/trump-wants-blanket-tariffs-of-up-to-20-after-surprise-treasury-surplus-in-june-ed-yardeni-says-don">Trump Wants Blanket Tariffs Of Up To 20% After Surprise Treasury Surplus In June: Ed Yardeni Says &#8216;Don&#8217;t Push Your Luck&#8217;</a>



Why It Matters: In related developments, the EU announced on Sunday its decision to extend the suspension of countermeasures to U.S. tariffs until early August, aiming to continue pushing for a negotiated settlement.



Reuters also highlighted comments from German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who on Sunday pledged to collaborate closely with French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to de-escalate the burgeoning trade dispute.



Echoing the sentiment for a resolution, European Trade Commissioner Maros Sefcovic stated on Monday that Washington and Brussels were nearing a mutually beneficial outcome, cautioning that a 30% tariff would effectively &#8220;practically eliminate trade.&#8221;



In a Sunday post on X, Peter Schiff cautioned against Trump&#8217;s rationale for 30% tariffs, which states that reducing trade deficits with these regions signifies <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46384885/peter-schiff-gives-trumps-30-tariff-threat-on-mexico-eu-a-reality-check-america-relies-on-deficits-to-make-up-for-excess-debt-and-consumption">unfair economic arrangements</a>. 



Schiff, however, disputes this premise, contending that these deficits stem from more profound structural issues within the American economy, rather than being a consequence of disadvantageous or inequitable trade agreements. &#8220;He blames unfair trade for our deficits,&#8221; Schiff stated, further clarifying that these deficits are, in fact, &#8220;the result of excessive debt and consumption, alongside inadequate savings and investment.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Trump just threatened 30% tariffs on all Mexican and European imports starting August 1st. He blames unfair trade for our deficits. But America relies on those deficits to compensate for the consequences of excessive debt and consumption, and inadequate savings and investment.&mdash; Peter Schiff (@PeterSchiff) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeterSchiff/status/1944041820897317042?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></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, were lower in premarket on Monday. The SPY was down 0.32% at $621.60, while the QQQ declined 0.34% to $552.31, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.



Read Next:



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/hedge-funds/25/07/46386374/stanley-druckenmillers-duquesne-dumps-palantir-bets-big-on-this-dividend-play-which-has-surge" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stanley Druckenmiller's Duquesne Dumps Palantir, Bets Big On This Dividend Play Which Has Surged Nearly 50% In 2025</a></li>
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. 



Image via Shutterstock

EU Prepares $24.5B In Tariffs As Trump Threatens 30% Import Tax On Mexico, Europe

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) surged to a fresh all-time high of $123,231 on Coinbase (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>) on Monday morning, capping off a historic week that saw digital asset investment products record <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-spot-bitcoin-etfs">$3.7 billion in inflows</a>.



This was the second-largest weekly total ever, according to CoinShares data, with the rally <a href="https://blog.coinshares.com/volume-242-digital-asset-fund-flows-weekly-report-4ad0c63a8def">pushing</a> total assets under management (AuM) for crypto exchange-traded products (ETPs) to a record $211 billion.



It also marked the 13th consecutive week of inflows, bringing year-to-date figures to $22.7 billion and underscoring growing investor appetite despite volatile macroeconomic conditions.



Bitcoin led the inflow charts, attracting $2.7 billion over the week. 



Its total AuM now stands at $179.5 billion, equivalent to 54% of the value held in gold ETPs for the first time. 



Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) followed with $990 million in inflows, its fourth-largest weekly tally and 12th consecutive week of positive flows. 



The inflows represent 19.5% of Ethereum's total AuM, nearly double Bitcoin's 9.8%.



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/07/46375324/tom-lee-ethereum-not-solana-is-the-preferred-choice-for-jp-morgan-robinhood-circle-to-build-on">Tom Lee: Ethereum, Not Solana, Is The &#8216;Preferred Choice&#8217; For JP Morgan, Robinhood, Circle To Build On</a>



Ethereum's price responded in kind, rising 18% over the past week to trade above $3,000



Meanwhile, Ripple&#8216;s (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>) rose 7% to $2.97, though it also saw the largest outflows of the week, totaling $104 million. Solana bucked the trend with $92.6 million in inflows.



Among the altcoins, Stellar (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xlm/usd">XLM</a>) was the standout performer, posting a 90% surge over the week as retail interest spiked amid broader market optimism.



Regionally, the United States dominated with $3.7 billion in inflows, while Germany recorded $85.7 million in outflows. 



Switzerland and Canada saw modest gains of $65.8 million and $17.1 million, respectively.



The growing momentum in digital asset products and Bitcoin's new all-time high suggest institutional capital is returning to the crypto markets with renewed confidence, buoyed by inflation hedging narratives and continued ETF adoption.



Read Next: 



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/07/46374478/bitcoin-sets-all-time-high-at-118-909-ethereum-xrp-surge-8-each">Bitcoin Sets All-Time High At $118,909, Ethereum, XRP Surge 8% Each</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

$ETH

$XLM

$XRP

COIN

Bitcoin Shatters All-Time High To Hit $123,000 As Ethereum Cracks $3,000 And XRP Taps $3

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) will introduce Elon Musk-led artificial intelligence company xAI's Artificial Intelligence model Grok to select models of the Tesla line-up in the U.S.



Check out the current price of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/TSLA">TSLA stock here.</a>



What Happened: The EV giant will roll out Grok on select Tesla vehicles. Influencer Sawyer Merritt took to social media platform X on Sunday to outline the criteria for running Grok.



"For now, it&#8217;ll only be available to Teslas in the U.S. and with cars that have an AMD Ryzen chip," the influencer said in his post. He also outlined that users can check the settings menu on their Tesla to see what chip their cars are running.



"Teslas with Intel chips won&#8217;t be able to use Grok," Merritt added in the post. Grok will also be available in multiple voices, but it won't be able to issue commands to the vehicle, Merritt 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">Grok (Beta) will start rolling out to Tesla vehicles soon. For now, it&#39;ll only be available to Teslas in the U.S. and with cars that have an AMD Ryzen chip. You can check what chip you have by going to Settings &gt; Software &gt; Additional Vehicle Info. Teslas with Intel chips won&#39;t… <a href="https://t.co/zEVboY2LUK">pic.twitter.com/zEVboY2LUK</a>&mdash; Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) <a href="https://twitter.com/SawyerMerritt/status/1944063888493850870?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Why It Matters: The news comes in as there has been considerable buzz around Musk exploring options to merge xAI with Tesla and SpaceX. Investor Chamath Palihapitiya thinks such a merger <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/large-cap/25/07/46385300/tesla-xai-and-spacex-merger-chamath-palihapitiya-floats-industrial-logic-for-union-of-elon-musk-led-companies-this-would-be-pretty-logical">would be "logical."</a>



Amid the rumblings of a merger, Musk took to social media to tease the "<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46386130/elon-musk-teases-most-epic-demo-ever-by-2025-end-as-tesla-struggles-amid-declining-sales-trump-ending-ev-mandate">most epic demo</a>" by Tesla towards the end of the year. The post could hint at possible developments with Tesla's Optimus robot or even the Cybercab.



Elsewhere, Musk's feud with President Donald Trump continues as the billionaire attacked Trump again over the Jeffrey Epstein <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46384692/elon-musk-says-trump-wants-everyone-to-stop-talking-about-epstein-reiterates-demand-that-president-just-release-the-files">client files row</a>, claiming that the President wants everyone to "forget" about the case.



<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="956" height="142" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/14044757/image-148.png" alt="" class="wp-image-983542" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/14044757/image-148.png 956w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/14044757/image-148-300x45.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/14044757/image-148-768x114.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 956px) 100vw, 956px" /></a></figure>



Tesla offers satisfactory Momentum and Quality while scoring well on the Growth metric, but offering poor Value. For more such insights, sign up for <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings</a> today!



Check out more of Benzinga's Future Of Mobility coverage by<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility"> following this link.</a>



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46362407/tesla-sales-slump-prompts-panasonic-to-delay-4-billion-us-battery-plant-expansion-report">Tesla Sales Slump Prompts Panasonic To Delay $4 Billion US Battery Plant Expansion: Report</a></li>
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Photo courtesy: JRdes / Shutterstock.com

Will Your Tesla Car Support Grok? Only These Vehicles Will Be Able To Run Elon Musk-Led xAI's Latest AI Model

U.S. stock futures were lower on Monday after ending on a negative note on Friday. Futures of major benchmark indices were lower.



President Donald Trump, in a telephone interview with NBC News' &#8220;Meet the Press&#8221; moderator Kristen Welker, asserted that &#8220;The tariffs have been very well received.&#8221; He believes that if a 10% tariff can generate around $300 billion annually, a 20% rate could <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46386524/trump-wants-blanket-tariffs-of-up-to-20-after-surprise-treasury-surplus-in-june-ed-yardeni-says-don">double that intake</a>. 



Meanwhile, the European Union was ready with a prepared list of tariffs worth 21 billion euros ($24.52 billion) on U.S. goods if the two sides fail to reach a trade deal, reported Reuters, highlighting Italy&#8217;s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani&#8216;s comments. 



He also issued, latest threats to impose a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46384885/peter-schiff-gives-trumps-30-tariff-threa">30% tariff on all imports</a> from Mexico and the EU. 



Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) scaled fresh highs on Monday as the cryptocurrency hit a fresh high of $123,091.61 per coin.



The 10-year Treasury bond yielded 4.42% and the two-year bond was at 3.89%. The CME Group's FedWatch <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">tool&#8217;s</a> projections show markets pricing a 93.3% likelihood of the Federal Reserve keeping the current interest rates unchanged in its July meeting. 



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Futures</td><td>Change (+/-)</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>-0.32%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>-0.31%</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>-0.31%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-0.38%</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, were lower in premarket on Monday. The SPY was down 0.27% at $621.94, while the QQQ declined 0.27% to $552.73, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.



Cues From Last Session:



On Friday, while most sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed lower, notably financial, health care, and materials stocks recorded the steepest declines, energy and consumer discretionary stocks defied the broader market downturn, concluding the session higher.



This mixed performance occurred a day after the S&amp;P 500 reached a new record high, ultimately leading U.S. stocks to settle lower.



The broader market reflected these losses over the past week, with the Dow Jones dropping 1% and the S&amp;P by 0.3%.



Fueling market jitters, Trump signaled a more aggressive trade stance, announcing a 35% tariff on Canadian imports effective Aug. 1, alongside proposed blanket duties of 15% to 20% on most other trading partners.



In corporate news, WD-40 Co. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WDFC#NASDAQ">WDFC</a>) reported better-than-expected earnings for its third quarter, though its sales figures fell short of estimates.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Index</td><td>Performance (+/-)</td><td>Value</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq Composite</td><td>-0.22%</td><td>20,585.53</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>-0.33%</td><td>6,259.75</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>-0.63%</td><td>44,371.51</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-1.26%</td><td>2,234.83</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Insights From Analysts:



Jim Cramer in an X post reflected his concern over tariffs linked to Trump&#8217;s policies.



<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">Back to the old pattern of woe off of Trump.. The whole tariff thing will be &quot;fine&quot; until it implodes of there is endless re-trading &#8230;&mdash; Jim Cramer (@jimcramer) <a href="https://twitter.com/jimcramer/status/1944575812734157284?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 14, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Meanwhile, Ed Yardeni from Yardeni Research highlighted the surplus of just over <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46386524/trump-wants-blanket-tariffs-of-up-to-20-after-surprise-treasury-surplus-in-june-ed-yardeni-says-don">$27 billion in June</a>, reported by the U.S. Treasury Department, saying that Trump "must have loved the headline… ‘Treasury posts unexpected surplus in June as tariff receipts surge."



However, he warned that tariffs are essentially "a tax on U.S. importers," which can erode corporate profit margins and profits. While rebounding productivity growth might offer some offset, the potential impact on businesses remains a significant concern.



Adding about the market reaction to tariffs, Yardeni said, &#8220;The selloffs in the bond and stock markets back then forced Trump to deescalate his trade war. That's not happening now—not so far at least. This undoubtedly is emboldening Trump.&#8221;



Speculating on how the financial markets will respond this week to his latest escalation, Yardeni said that perhaps investors have learned that Trump's huffing and puffing is simply the way he negotiates trade deals.



&#8220;They are betting that it will work and result in lots of deals. They've also learned that Trump can change his mind often. So if some trade deals aren't coming together fast enough, he'll settle on a vague letter of understanding to work out a deal over time.&#8221;



The risk for the economy and investors is that Trump has concluded that if the financial markets aren't going to be vigilant about his trade war, then he can proceed with it unchecked, explained Yardeni. &#8220;If so, then TTT (Trump&#8217;s Tariff Turmoil) will last past the summer.&#8221;



Yardeni said in a LinkedIn <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/trumps-reign-tariffs-aint-over-edward-yardeni-eshve/">post</a>, &#8220;Then again, investors may agree with our current view that &#8216;this too shall pass&#8217; by the end of the summer: The economy will remain resilient, and inflation will remain surprisingly moderate. It all adds up to a relatively normal seasonal pattern, with the stock market weak during the late summer through the fall followed by a year-end rally to 6500 in our scenario.&#8221;



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



Upcoming Economic Data



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



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>No significant data is scheduled to be released on Monday.</li>



<li>On Tuesday, June&#8217;s headline and core consumer price index data, and the Empire State manufacturing survey will be released by 8:30 a.m. ET.</li>



<li>Fed Governor Michelle Bowman will speak at 9:15 a.m., Fed Governor Michael Barr will speak at 12:45 p.m., Boston Fed President Susan Collins will speak at 2:45 p.m., and Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan will speak at 6:45 p.m. ET.</li>



<li>On Wednesday, June&#8217;s headline and core producer price index data will be out by 8:30 a.m. ET.</li>



<li>June&#8217;s industrial production and capacity utilization will be announced by 9:15 a.m. ET.</li>



<li>Federal Reserve Governor Michael Barr will speak again at 10:00 a.m., Fed&#8217;s beige book data will be out by 2:00 p.m., and New York Fed President John Williams will speak at 6:30 a.m. ET.</li>



<li>On Thursday, the initial jobless claims data for the week ended July 5, June retail sales, import price index, and Philadelphia Fed manufacturing survey will all be out by 8:30 a.m. ET.</li>



<li>May&#8217;s business inventories data and July&#8217;s home builder confidence index data will be out by 10:00 a.m. ET.</li>



<li>Fed Governor Adriana Kugler will speak at 10:00 a.m., San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly will speak at 12:45 p.m., Fed Governor Lisa Cook will speak at 1:30 p.m., and Fed Governor Christopher Waller will speak at 6:30 p.m. ET.</li>



<li>On Friday, June&#8217;s housing starts and building permits data will be out by 8:30 a.m., and preliminary consumer sentiment data for July will be released by 10:00 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>



Stocks In Focus:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>) was up 3.41%, Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>) rose 1.76%, Riot Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIOT#NASDAQ">RIOT</a>) advanced 3.86%, MARA Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>) was 4.75% higher, along with all the other Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/07/46385840/michael-saylors-strategy-coinbase-mara-riot-and-other-crypto-related-stocks-spike-after-hours-as-bitcoin-touches-all-time-high-beyond-122000">exposed stocks</a> as the cryptocurrency hit a fresh high of $123,091.61 on Monday.</li>



<li>Datavault AI Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DVLT#NASDAQ">DVLT</a>) jumped 15.64% in premarket on Monday after the company entered into a licensing deal with IBM for program subscriptions.</li>



<li>BIT Mining Ltd. ADR (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BTCM#NYSE">BTCM</a>) surged 40.40% after it announced strategic expansion into the Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>) ecosystem, marking a significant shift in the company&#8217;s growth strategy. The cryptocurrency mining company plans to establish an SOL treasury of up to $300 million.</li>



<li>Sequans Communications SA ADR (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SQNS#NYSE">SQNS</a>) climbed 14.67% after closing a $384 million strategic investment to launch a Bitcoin treasury initiative last week. The financing consists of a $195 million PIPE (Private Investment in Public Equity) and $189 million in convertible debentures due July 7, 2028.</li>



<li>Fastenal Co. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FAST#NASDAQ">FAST</a>) was up 2.94% as analysts expect it to report earnings of 28 cents per share on revenue of $2.07 billion before the opening bell.</li>



<li>FB Financial Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FBK#NYSE">FBK</a>) was unchanged as it is expected to report earnings after the closing bell. Analysts estimate earnings of 88 cents per share on revenue of $136.32.</li>



<li>Simulations Plus Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SLP#NASDAQ">SLP</a>) was 5.07% higher as analysts expect it to report earnings of 7 cents per share on revenue of $20.88 million after the closing bell</li>
</ul>



Commodities, Gold, And Global Equity Markets:



Crude oil futures were trading higher in the early New York session by 0.72% to hover around $68.94 per barrel.



Gold Spot US Dollar rose 0.33% to hover around $3,367.09 per ounce. Its last record high stood at $3,500.33 per ounce. The U.S. Dollar Index spot was higher by 0.09% at the 97.9400 level.



Asian markets ended on a mixed note on Monday, as India's S&amp;P BSE Sensex, Japan's Nikkei 225, and Australia's ASX 200 indices fell. While China&#8217;s CSI 300, Hong Kong's Hang Seng, and South Korea's Kospi indices rose. European markets were mostly lower in early trade.



Read Next:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46386524/trump-wants-blanket-tariffs-of-up-to-20-after-surprise-treasury-surplus-in-june-ed-yardeni-says-dont-push-your-luck">Trump Wants Blanket Tariffs Of Up To 20% After Surprise Treasury Surplus In June: Ed Yardeni Says &#8216;Don&#8217;t Push Your Luck&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: godongphoto / Shutterstock.com

$SOL

BTCM

DVLT

MARA

MSTR

RIOT

SQNS

WDFC

US Stocks Likely To Open Lower As Trump's 20% Blanket Tariff Bombshell Weighs On Markets: Bitcoin-Linked Stocks MSTR, COIN Jump As BTC Touches $123,000

Entrepreneur and investor Anthony Pompliano hailed Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) as the ultimate solution to the global issue of currency debasement and the &#8220;most important technology invention&#8221; of the current era on Sunday.



What Happened:&nbsp;In an X post, Pompliano&nbsp;emphasized the potential of Bitcoin to counteract the economic damage caused by currency debasement.



&#8220;Gold served that purpose for thousands of years, but it is impractical for people to access, store, and use a physical product in today&#8217;s digital age,&#8221; he argued.



<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">Bitcoin is the only technology I am aware of that can solve the universal problem of currency debasement shared by billions of people in our modern world. Gold served that purpose for thousands of years, but it is impractical for people to access, store, and use a physical…&mdash; Anthony Pompliano &#x1f32a; (@APompliano) <a href="https://twitter.com/APompliano/status/1944398737884729357?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Pompliano identified Bitcoin as &#8220;humanity&#8217;s best bet&#8221; for protecting people against central bank and government overreach, a theme that BTC maximalists routinely espouse.



&#8220;It may still be controversial today, but I truly believe Bitcoin will go down as the most important technology invention of our lifetime,&#8221; he predicted. 



Pompliano also remembered Satoshi Nakamoto, stating that &#8220;we owe so much&#8221; to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/satoshi-nakamoto">Bitcoin&#8217;s pseudonymous creator</a>.



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/22/06/27491303/tim-draper-bitcoins-road-to-250-000-will-be-led-by-women" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tim Draper: Bitcoin&#8217;s (BTC) Road To $250,000 Will Be Led By Women</a>



Why It Matters:&nbsp;Pompliano&#8217;s comments come at a time when <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/07/46385840/michael-saylors-strategy-coinbase-mara-riot-and-other-crypto-related-stocks-spike-after-hours-as-bitcoin-touches-all-time-high-beyond-122000">Bitcoin is making historic strides</a>. The apex cryptocurrency soared above $123,000, extending a record-breaking rally that defied gravity.



Pompliano, one of the most ardent Bitcoin advocates, projected earlier this month that the leading cryptocurrency would <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/07/46188791/anthony-pompliano-says-bitcoin-to-reach-a-gazillion-driven-by-massive-money-printing-in-a-heated-economy">soar to a &#8220;gazillion,&#8221;</a> driven by massive money printing in a heated economy.



Last week, he deemed Bitcoin as the &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/25/07/46335745/bitcoin-hits-historic-high-above-112000-noted-investor-says-if-you-cant-beat-it-you-have-to-buy-it">new hurdle rate,&#8221;</a> suggesting that it has crossed the benchmark required to be considered a viable investment.



Price Action:&nbsp; At the time of writing, Bitcoin was exchanging hands at $122,367.95, up 3.66% in the last 24 hours, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.&nbsp;



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/25/07/46385394/rich-dad-poor-dad-author-robert-kiyosaki-says-he-will-buy-one-more-bitcoin-asap-as-btc-breaks-122000">&#8216;Rich Dad Poor Dad&#8217; Author Robert Kiyosaki Says He Will Buy &#8216;One More&#8217; Bitcoin ASAP As BTC Breaks $122,000</a></li>
</ul>



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



Photo Courtesy: PV productions on Shutterstock

Bitcoin Is Humanity's 'Best Bet' Against Currency Debasement, Says Anthony Pompliano: 'We Owe So Much To Satoshi Nakamoto'

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



U.S. stocks settled lower on Friday, a day after the S&amp;P 500 notched a fresh record high. Wall Street recorded losses last week, with the Dow Jones falling 1% and the S&amp;P down by 0.3%.



President Donald Trump signaled a more aggressive trade stance. Trump last week announced a 35% tariff on Canadian imports starting Aug. 1 and blanket duties of 15% to 20% on most other trading partners.



WD-40 Co. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WDFC#NASDAQ">WDFC</a>) posted better-than-expected earnings for its third quarter, while sales missed estimates.



Most sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed on a negative note, with financial, health care and materials stocks recording the biggest losses on Friday. However, energy and consumer discretionary stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session higher.



The Dow Jones closed lower by 279 points to 44,371.51 on Friday. The S&amp;P 500 fell 0.33% to 6,259.75, while the Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.22% to 20,585.53 during Friday's session.



Investors are awaiting earnings results from Fastenal Co. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FAST#NASDAQ">FAST</a>), FB Financial Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FBK#NYSE">FBK</a>) and Simulations Plus Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SLP#NASDAQ">SLP</a>) today.



What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?



At a current reading of 75.3, the index remained in the &#8220;Extreme Greed&#8221; zone on Friday, versus a prior reading of 75.7.



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



Read Next: 



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/short-ideas/25/07/46364472/top-3-real-estate-stocks-that-may-fall-off-a-cliff-this-month">Top 3 Real Estate Stocks That May Fall Off A Cliff This Month</a> </li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Pre-Market Outlook

S&P 500 Records Weekly Loss Amid Trump Tariff Jitters: Fear & Greed Index Remains In 'Extreme Greed' Zone

Leading cryptocurrencies rose on Sunday, while stock futures slipped as President Donald Trump slapped new tariffs on Mexico and the European Union.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><thead><tr><th>Cryptocurrency</th><th>Gains +/-</th><th>Price (Recorded at 9:15 p.m. ET)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td><td>+1.70%</td><td>$119,410.06</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>+1.34%</td><td>$2,985.93</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>+0.37%</td><td>$0.1985</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



What Happened: Bitcoin hit a new high above $119,000, extending its record-breaking run that began earlier this week. The trading volume increased 10.29% to $51 billion in the last 24 hours.



Ethereum topped $3,000 in the morning before retreating to the $2,900 area by evening. The second-largest cryptocurrency was on track to finish the week strong, with gains of more than 16% as of this writing.



Over $247 million was liquidated from the market in the last 24 hours, with $142 million of it coming from bearish shorts.



Bitcoin's open interest spiked 3.58% in the last 24 hours and 15% over the last week, suggesting an influx of fresh money into the derivatives market. Traders on Binance with open BTC positions, however, continued to be short.



The market remained greedy, according to the Crypto Fear &amp; Greed Index, signaling substantial buying pressure.



Top Gainers (24 Hours)



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><thead><tr><th>Cryptocurrency</th><th>Gains +/-</th><th>Price (Recorded at 9:15 p.m. ET)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Stellar (XLM)</td><td>+27.13%</td><td>$0.5043</td></tr><tr><td>Hedera (HBAR)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>+27.10%</td><td>$0.252</td></tr><tr><td>Algorand (ALGO)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>+23.61%</td><td>$0.2703 </td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $3.72 trillion, following a 1.64% jump in the last 24 hours.



Stock futures fell overnight Sunday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average Futures slid 173 points, or 0.39%, as of 8:36 p.m. EDT.&nbsp; Futures tied to the S&amp;P 500 dipped 0.40%, while Nasdaq 100 Futures declined 0.40%.



The sell-offs followed Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46382047/trump-targets-mexico-eu-with-30-tariffs">announcement of 30% tariffs</a> on imports from Mexico and the EU. Earlier in the week, Trump also threatened to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46334793/trump-sends-lula-a-letter-imposing-50-tariffs-calls-bolsonaro-trial-a-witch-hunt-brazils-president-hits-back-will-not-accept-any-form-of-tutelage">impose 50% tariffs</a> on Brazilian goods.



This week, investors will shift focus to the Consumer Price Index report, slated for Tuesday, to gauge the economic impact of Trump's sweeping tariffs on key trading partners.



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



Analyst Notes: Citing the MVRV pricing bands, widely followed cryptocurrency analyst and trader Ali Martinez said Bitcoin could go as high as $127,000.



The Market Value to Realized Value bands are used to identify potential overbought and oversold conditions in Bitcoin&#8217;s market.



<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">Bitcoin <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> could climb to $127,000, according to the MVRV Pricing Bands! <a href="https://t.co/LjdwIYyfbK">pic.twitter.com/LjdwIYyfbK</a>&mdash; Ali (@ali_charts) <a href="https://twitter.com/ali_charts/status/1944489508344300017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Investor and entrepreneur Ted Pillows stated Ethereum's pump this week "was just the start."



"The major rally will start once it breaks above $4,000. It&#8217;ll be equivalent to BTC breaking above $20,000 in 2020," Pillows remarked.



<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>&#39;s pump this week was just the start. The major rally will start once it breaks above $4,000. It&#39;ll be equivalent to <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> breaking above $20,000 in 2020. We all know what happened after that. <a href="https://t.co/BZ0HOdrtJZ">pic.twitter.com/BZ0HOdrtJZ</a>&mdash; Ted (@TedPillows) <a href="https://twitter.com/TedPillows/status/1944469653033455916?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Photo Courtesy: sundaemorning on Shutterstock.com



Read Next:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46381621/elizabeth-warren-once-warned-that-dogecoin-is-for-speculators-and-fly-by-night-investors-today-asset-managers-are-racing-to-bring-doge-etfs-to-wall-street">Elizabeth Warren Once Warned that Dogecoin Is for &#8216;Speculators And Fly-By-Night Investors&#8217; — Today, Asset Managers Are Racing To Bring DOGE ETFs To Wall Street</a></li>
</ul>

$DOGE

Bitcoin Crosses $119,000 As Crypto Investors Shrug Off Trump Tariffs On Mexico, EU — Ethereum, Dogecoin Spike: Analyst Says ETH's Pump 'Just The Start'

President Donald Trump has declared plans to send Patriot air defense missiles to Ukraine as a countermeasure against the ongoing Russian aggression in the region.



What Happened: Trump revealed his intention to supply Ukraine with Patriot missiles on Sunday, as reported by Reuters. This move is in response to Russian President Vladimir Putin&#8217;s ongoing resistance to ceasefire negotiations between Ukraine and Russia.



&#8220;Putin really surprised a lot of people. He talks nice and then bombs everybody in the evening. But there&#8217;s a little bit of a problem there. I don&#8217;t like it,&#8221; said Trump while addressing the matter of the mobile interceptor missile surface-to-air missile system, according to the report.



While the exact number of missiles to be sent remains undisclosed, Trump assured that the European Union would reimburse the United States for the costs. 



Ukrainian President&nbsp;Volodymyr Zelenskiy&nbsp;has been seeking additional defensive capabilities to counter daily&nbsp;missile and drone attacks from&nbsp;Russia. Trump confirmed the decision at Joint Base Andrews, stating, &#8220;We&nbsp;will send them Patriots, which&nbsp;they desperately need.&#8221;



See Also: <a href="https://benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46383818/jeffrey-epstein-in-tapes-released-by-michael-wolff-i-was-donalds-closest-friend" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jeffrey Epstein in Tapes Released by Michael Wolff: &#8216;I Was Donald&#8217;s Closest Friend&#8217;</a>



Trump said, &#8220;We basically are going to send them various pieces of very sophisticated military equipment. They are going to pay us 100% for that, and that&#8217;s the way we want it.&#8221;



Why It Matters: This decision follows a series of events that have escalated tensions between the U.S. and Russia. In May, Trump criticized Putin&#8217;s actions in Ukraine, calling him &#8220;absolutely crazy&#8221; after a <a href="http://mobile interceptor missile surface-to-air missile">major aerial assault</a> by Russia on Ukraine.



In July, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth paused weapons shipments to Ukraine without informing the White House, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46361438/trump-says-i-dont-know-who-paused-ukraine-weapon-shipments-hegseth-did-not-inform-the-white-house-report">causing internal confusion</a> and requiring explanations to Congress and Ukrainian officials.



Shortly after, Trump hinted at a significant announcement regarding the U.S. stance on Russia on Monday, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46360686/trump-to-make-a-major-statement-on-russia-on-monday-amid-escalating-ukraine-conflict-im-disappointed">expressing disappointment</a> with Russia&#8217;s actions in Ukraine.



Photo Courtesy: Joshua Sukoff on Shutterstock.com



Check This Out:



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<li>Lawmakers Made Huge Investments This Year. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/gov-trades">Get Tips On What They Bought And Sold Ahead Of The 2024 Election With Our Easy-to-Use Tool</a></li>
</ul>



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

Politics

Trump Says US Will Supply Ukraine With Patriot Missiles: 'Putin Really Surprised A Lot Of People. He Talks Nice And Bombs Everybody In The Evening'

On Sunday, Pershing Square founder Bill Ackman posted a scathing rebuttal after Tucker Carlson implied he was part of Jeffrey Epstein's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46270547/elon-musk-reignites-jeffrey-epstein-client-list-row-adding-fuel-to-the-feud-with-trump">inner circle</a> and questioned the legitimacy of his $9 billion fortune.



What Happened: Ackman was responding to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46382335/tucker-carlson-claims-jeffrey-epstein-was-an-israeli-agent-blackmailing-us-politicians">Carlson's remarks</a> at Turning Point USA, where the former Fox News host referred to Ackman as one of the useless billionaires allegedly connected to Epstein.



"How did Bill Ackman get $9 billion?" Carlson asked. "Bill Ackman is like well-connected and super aggressive; that's it."



<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">Tucker: How do you come to a place where some of the least impressive, most useless people who have no actual skills become billionaires… How did Bill Ackman get $9 billion? A pretty impressive guy? I know him. No <a href="https://t.co/gdcNT6imB9">pic.twitter.com/gdcNT6imB9</a>&mdash; Acyn (@Acyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1943832729529069767?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Ackman, in a lengthy post on X, rejected the allegation and said he has never met Epstein, nor attended any of his parties or flown on his planes. He stated that his wife met Epstein once before they met, during her time as a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/05/45534314/elon-musk-just-got-grilled-on-doge-spending-hits-back-with-were-not-kings-here" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Just Got Grilled On DOGE Spending, Hits Back With ‘We're Not Kings Here'</a>



"If this is why Tucker thinks I am in Jeffrey Epstein's constellation, it's clear he doesn't know anything about astronomy," Ackman wrote.



Ackman also provided a detailed account of how he built his wealth through investing, citing his early cold calls to Forbes 400 members, the founding of Gotham Partners and the compounding returns at Pershing Square.



He concluded by calling Carlson's comments defamatory and dishonest.



"Tucker owes me an apology. I know I am not going to get one because he is not man enough to care about the truth," Ackman 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/TuckerCarlson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TuckerCarlson</a> went on a rant yesterday <a href="https://twitter.com/TPUSA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TPUSA</a> and suggested that I was in Jeffrey Epstein's ‘constellation of people' who have been getting away with scams. His evidence is that ‘the most useless people have no actual skills become billionaires." He referred to me as an example… <a href="https://t.co/x6IrjXkP7x">https://t.co/x6IrjXkP7x</a>&mdash; Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillAckman/status/1944245408751894631?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 13, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



According to Bloomberg's Billionaire <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/">Index</a>, Ackman currently has a net worth of $8.22 billion.



Ackman and Carlson did not immediately respond to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga's</a> request for comments.



Why It's Important: The controversy over the Epstein files continues to escalate, with prominent figures such as Elon Musk weighing in with major statements.



Musk has been calling for the full, unredacted release of the Epstein documents, particularly after saying that President Donald Trump is <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/06/45828121/elon-musks-bombshell-about-donald-trump-in-epstein-docs-heres-the-truth-behind-the-claim">mentioned in them</a>. Musk later withdrew the statement and removed the post from X



Microsoft Corporation's co-founder, Bill Gates, has also repeatedly voiced remorse over his ties to Epstein, who was found dead in his <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/19/08/14244993/reports-jeffrey-epstein-dies-by-suicide-in-jail">jail cell in 2019</a>, with the death ruled a suicide.



The Department of Justice <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46380999/deputy-fbi-director-dan-bongino-considers-resignation-amid-epstein-memo-fallout-report">memo released last week</a> found no evidence of foul play in Epstein's 2019 death and rejected claims of a "client list," frustrating many Trump supporters who had hoped for additional revelations.



Photo Courtesy: Maxim Elramsisy on Shutterstock.com



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Tucker Carlson Asks How Did 'Well-Connected And Super Aggressive' Bill Ackman Get His $9 Billion, Pershing Square Founder Fires Back At Epstein Smear: 'Owes Me An Apology'

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wants synthetic food dyes out of the American food supply. But one of the nation's most recognizable candy giants — Mars, the maker of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/health-care/25/07/46278726/rfk-jr-s-battle-against-synthetic-food-dye-will-mms-skittles-keep-their-colors">M&amp;M's and Skittles</a> — isn't playing along.



Mars confirmed it will continue using synthetic dyes in its candies, despite a previous 2016 pledge to remove all artificial colors from its entire portfolio of foods and snacks. In a statement to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/07/us/politics/rfk-food-dyes-candy.html">The New York Times</a>, the company defended its decision, stating that its products remain "safe to enjoy and meet the high standards and applicable regulations set by food safety authorities around the world."



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RFK Jr., meanwhile, is pushing for a nationwide ban on petroleum-based dyes, including Red 40, Yellow 5 and 6, and Blue 1 and 2 — all of which are common in children's snacks. The move is part of his broader <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/health-care/25/05/45560572/rfk-jr-s-make-america-healthy-again-report-stirs-gop-farmers-over-glyphosate-concerns-ahead-of-release">"Make America Healthy Again" agenda</a>, which targets food additives linked to health and behavioral concerns.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What's Behind the Ban?</h2>



Synthetic dyes have long been controversial. Several studies have raised concerns over possible links to hyperactivity, allergic reactions, and even cancer — especially in children.



According to a 2024 study published in the <a href="https://www.jandonline.org/article/S2212-2672(25)00166-2/fulltext">Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics</a>, 19% of packaged U.S. foods contained synthetic dyes. That number jumped to 28% in products marketed to children. Many of those same foods were also found to contain significantly higher sugar levels.



While federal regulators have yet to impose restrictions on these dyes, a growing number of states are stepping in. West Virginia has passed <a href="https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Status/bills_history.cfm?INPUT=2354&amp;year=2025&amp;sessiontype=RS">sweeping legislation banning seven dyes</a> and two preservatives from school meals starting in 2025, with a broader food ban statewide by 2028. California will prohibit Red Dye No. 3 and several other additives starting in 2027. Utah, Virginia, and Texas have all adopted similar policies, ranging from outright bans to mandatory labeling.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mars Pushes Back&nbsp;</h2>



In comments made to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/07/08/business/mampms-skittles-resist-rfk-jrs-demand-to-remove-synthetic-dyes/">New York Post</a>, the National Confectioners Association — which represents companies like Mars — defended the use of synthetic dyes and questioned why candy is being singled out.



"People can freely buy cannabis, THC products, alcohol, and cigarettes — but vibrantly colored candy is an issue? Give me a break," said NCA spokesperson Christopher Gindlesperger.



He argued that candy isn't deceptive. "People know that confectionery products are treats and that they contain sugar, food colors, and other FDA-approved ingredients, because candy is intrinsically transparent," he said.



Gindlesperger added that chocolate and candy have been safely enjoyed "for generations," and that the industry supports science-based evaluations of food additives to reduce consumer confusion and maintain trust.



As for switching to natural colors? Gindlesperger acknowledged that it's possible — but not easy. Natural alternatives are harder to source, more expensive, and could increase prices for consumers. "Companies need time to find alternatives," he told the Post.



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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">So Why Candy — and Not Cigarettes or Booze?</h2>



That's the question candy makers keep coming back to.



They argue that candy is being unfairly targeted in RFK Jr.'s crackdown, especially when far more harmful substances—like tobacco, alcohol, and even THC products—remain legal and widely available. Unlike those, they say, candy is clearly labeled, transparently marketed as a treat, and enjoyed in moderation by millions of people without controversy.



But RFK Jr.'s team sees it differently. The concern isn't just the color—it's the cumulative exposure. Artificial dyes are especially common in products aimed at children, and many of those same items are loaded with sugar. Bright packaging and vibrant colors may make candy look harmless, but for kids who consume it regularly, critics argue the long-term health effects can quietly stack up.



And while candy companies point to personal choice and moderation, some health experts say the issue runs deeper. According to <a href="https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/experts-is-sugar-addictive-drug">Healthline</a>, registered dietitian Cassie Bjork, founder of Healthy Simple Life, says sugar can light up the brain's reward system in ways similar to addictive drugs. "Sugar activates the opiate receptors in our brain and affects the reward center," she explained. That activation, she says, can lead to compulsive use "despite the negative consequences like weight gain, headaches, hormone imbalances, and more."



In that context, candy may not look so harmless after all. The argument isn't just about whether candy is as dangerous as cigarettes—but whether it's been given a pass for too long simply because it comes in a bright wrapper.



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Image: Shutterstock

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M&M, Skittles Maker Rejects RFK Jr.'s Call To Drop Synthetic Dyes — 'People Can Buy Alcohol And Cigarettes…But Colored Candy Is An Issue?'

The One Big, Beautiful Bill (OBBB) is now the law of the land, with President Trump taking a victory lap after <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46263434/trump-signs-sweeping-tax-and-spending-bill-that-cbo-says-will-add-3-3-trillion-to-us-deficit-cut-health-coverage-for-11-8-million-americans">signing the legislation into law</a> on July 4, 2025.



The new tax and regulatory policy in the bill is already sending huge ripples across the markets. Some <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46368613/3-stocks-to-sell-now-that-trumps-big-beautiful-bill-is-law">sectors are falling</a>, as they&#8217;ve now lost the federal government&#8217;s favor.



New, significant tax benefits to long-term holders of stock in small businesses and startups are already changing investor behavior.



And, of course, a big new budget bill means plenty of big new winning stocks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Meet Your One-Stop Command Center For Smarter Investing</h2>



Newsletters talk. Analysts argue. Talking heads on TV hype. Benzinga Edge does something different—it delivers. 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. Get Your Edge <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge/?utm_campaign=commandcenter&amp;utm_adType=sponsorad&amp;utm_ad=RDweb071125">HERE</a> At A 43% New-Member Discount)



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">3 OBBB Stocks That May Already Be Striking Lightning </h2>



Drilling down into individual stocks that are expected to benefit from the new OBBB legislation involves examining industries favored by the legislation, such as semiconductors, manufacturing, and materials. Here are a few key sector stocks that are expected to benefit from the bill.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Intel Corp.</h3>



This rationale could apply to any chip manufacturer that&#8217;s playing nice with Uncle Sam, but semiconductors are an obvious favorite coming out of the new budget bill.



"The main benefit for semiconductor manufacturing in the OBBBA is a substantial increase in the tax credit for companies who break ground on new chip fabs before the end of 2026 &#8211; an increase from 25% to 35%," said Michael Bergines, wealth advisor at Prospero Wealth, in San Francisco, Cal. "This tax credit is uncapped and will be grandfathered in for all spending on projects begun in 2025."



The tax credit will primarily benefit companies that have already committed to US-based manufacturing, and this includes not only Intel (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>) but also Micron (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>) and Taiwan Semiconductor (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>). 



Intel stands out as its shares have already risen 18% year-to-date and up 15.6% in the past month. That's significantly ahead of the computer and technology sector&#8217;s gain of 6.2% and the S&amp;P 500&#8217;s gain of 4.4%.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Lam Research</h3>



The OBBB also includes major funding for the artificial intelligence sector as the federal government continues to seek AI partners that expand American technology influence across the globe.



The legislation should boost U.S. semiconductor companies, such as Fremont, California-based Lam Research (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LRCX#NASDAQ">LRCX</a>), which designs and manufactures semiconductor processing equipment used in the fabrication of integrated circuits. Bergines said the bill should "continue to help" semiconductor equipment companies like Lam, Applied Materials (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMAT#NASDAQ">AMAT</a>), and KLA Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KLAC#NASDAQ">KLAC</a>).



LCRX shares are up 39.9% so far in 2025, but should go higher with the budgetary winds at its back. Toshiya Hari, a Goldman Sachs tech analyst, launched coverage on Lam Research with a Buy on the stock and a target price of $115. It's trading at $101 as of July 10.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">MP Material</h3>



At first glance, you may not think the OBBA applies to a company that engages in the production of rare earth specialty materials to the US military, and to billions of dollars of associated budget funding, but that's where MP Materials (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MP#NYSE">MP</a>) finds itself right now.



The Las Vegas-based materials company saw its share price bounce by 50% on July 10 after rolling out a multibillion-dollar public-private partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense to &#8220;dramatically accelerate the build-out of an end-to-end U.S. rare earth magnet supply chain and reduce foreign dependency.&#8221;



"We saw MP Material jump to a new high on news from the Pentagon," said Stephen Herbert Akin, founder at Akin Investments in Charleston, S.C. "The stock appears on our proprietary stock screener on June 9, 2025, at $25.51 per share. In less than a week, the stock traded up to $40, and yesterday it hit $48.01."



George Gianarikas, a Canaccord analyst, doubled his MP price target from $27 to $55 while maintaining a buy rating on the stock on Friday, July 11.



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

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3 Stocks Set To Make Hay Under Trump's New Budget Bill

These ten large-cap stocks were the worst performers last week. Are they a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas" rel="noreferrer noopener">part of your portfolio</a>?



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>CoreWeave, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRWV#NASDAQ">CRWV</a>) stock lost over 21.84% last week following the recent <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/node/46352461">announcement that it will acquire</a> Core Scientific, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CORZ#NASDAQ">CORZ</a>).</li>



<li>Fair Isaac Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FICO#NYSE">FICO</a>) stock decreased 18.11% after Wells Fargo reiterated an Overweight rating, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/FICO/analyst-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lowering the price forecast from $2600 to $2300.</a></li>



<li>Mobileye Global Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MBLY#NASDAQ">MBLY</a>) stock fell 13.81% after the company announced a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46343655/mobileye-global-stock-is-sliding-thursday-whats-going-on" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">secondary offering of 50 million shares</a>. Mobileye said earlier this week that it expects second-quarter revenue to be in the range of $502 million to $506 million versus estimates of $463.26 million.</li>



<li>Atlassian Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TEAM#NASDAQ">TEAM</a>) stock fell 11.81% this week after CEO and Co-Founder Michael Cannon-Brookes sold shares <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/movers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">in multiple transactions.</a></li>



<li>First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FSLR#NASDAQ">FSLR</a>) stock slipped 9.26% this week after UbiQD signed an exclusive multi-year deal to supply <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/07/n46317606/ubiqd-and-first-solar-establish-long-term-quantum-dot-supply-agreement" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">fluorescent QD technology.</a></li>



<li>Nebius Group N.V. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NBIS#NASDAQ">NBIS</a>) stock fell 9.68% this week.</li>



<li>Datadog, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DDOG#NASDAQ">DDOG</a>) stock dropped 11.48% after Guggenheim downgraded the stock to Sell, citing optimization risks tied to OpenAI, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/DDOG/analyst-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">with a $105 price forecast.</a></li>



<li>Autodesk, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ADSK#NASDAQ">ADSK</a>) stock fell 11.63% following a report that the company is considering a takeover of a competing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46333062/autodesk-stock-is-moving-lower-whats-happening" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">engineering-software provider</a>, PTC Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PTC#NASDAQ">PTC</a>).</li>



<li>Royal Gold, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RGLD#NASDAQ">RGLD</a>) stock decreased 3.61% this week after the firm reported updates for its second quarter 2025 stream segment sales and details for its release of the quarter. The company also unveiled  <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/07/n46270672/royal-gold-to-acquire-sandstorm-gold-royalties-and-horizon-copper-forming-large-scale-industry-lea" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">two simultaneous acquisitions</a>, a $3.5 billion all-share merger with Sandstorm Gold Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SAND#NYSE">SAND</a>) and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/m-a/25/07/46275779/royal-gold-acquires-sandstorm-and-horizon-in-bold-expansion-move">a $196 million cash deal</a> for Horizon Copper Corp<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/m-a/25/07/46275779/royal-gold-acquires-sandstorm-and-horizon-in-bold-expansion-move" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">.</a></li>



<li>ServiceNow, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NOW#NYSE">NOW</a>) stock fell 10.01% this week. Guggenheim reiterated a Sell rating on the stock, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/NOW/analyst-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">with a $724 price forecast.</a></li>
</ol>



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CoreWeave, Mobileye And First Solar Are Among Top 10 Large Cap Losers Last Week (July 7-July 11): Are The Others In Your Portfolio?

The past week was a whirlwind of activity in the tech sector, with major moves from industry giants and promising startups alike. From Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>) being touted as the next big AI winner to OpenAI making significant acquisitions and postponements, there&#8217;s a lot to catch up on. Let&#8217;s dive in.



Dan Ives Predicts Palantir&#8217;s AI Triumph



Tech analyst Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities has upped his price target for Palantir Technologies, hinting at a 12% increase from its current trading price over the coming year. Ives&#8217; confidence in Palantir&#8217;s AI strategy led him to raise his target price to $160 per share, labeling it as the firm&#8217;s &#8220;golden path to become an AI stalwart&#8221; in the next 12 months.



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/price-target/25/07/46339022/palantir-could-be-the-next-big-ai-winner-says-dan-ives-sees-12-pltr-stock-surge">Read the full article here.</a>



OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive&#8217;s AI Startup



OpenAI has successfully finalized its $6.5 billion acquisition of Jony Ive&#8217;s AI hardware startup, io Products. The deal brings the former Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) design chief and his team on board to develop a new generation of AI-native devices.



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46335969/openai-finalizes-6-5-billion-deal-to-acquire-jony-ives-ai-hardware-startup-heres-what-we-know-about-their-first-device">Read the full article here.</a>



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/25/07/46372755/nancy-pelosi-just-bought-tech-stock-at-71-discount-to-current-price-heres-how" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nancy Pelosi Just Bought Tech Stock At 71% Discount To Current Price—Here&#8217;s How</a>



Google Secures Windsurf Tech and Staff for $2.4B



Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google has finalized a $2.4 billion deal to license technology from AI coding startup Windsurf. The agreement also includes hiring Windsurf's CEO, Varun Mohan, cofounder Douglas Chen, and a select group of its key R&amp;D employees to join the Google DeepMind team.



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46380738/google-beats-openai-secures-windsurf-technology-ceo-and-key-staff-for-2-4-billion">Read the full article here.</a>



OpenAI Delays Open Model Release



OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that the company is postponing the release of its open model indefinitely to allow for additional safety testing. Altman emphasized the need for further safety evaluations and a review of high-risk areas.



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46380875/openai-postpones-open-model-release-indefinitely-we-need-time-says-sam-altman">Read the full article here.</a>



Elon Musk&#8217;s xAI Launches Grok 4



Elon Musk&#8217;s AI startup xAI has launched Grok 4, positioning it as the world's most powerful AI model. The new model debuts through SuperGrok Heavy, a premium subscription tier starting at $300 monthly that provides enhanced rate limits and early access to new features.



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46335602/elon-musk-s-xai-launches-grok-4-with-phd-level-ai-debuts-in-300-month-supergrok-tier">Read the full article here.</a>



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Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

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Grok 4, Palantir's AI Ambitions, Openai's Big Moves, And Google's $2.4 Billion Windsurf Deal: This Week In AI

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