La cadena de opciones muestra datos clave de las opciones de acciones de Alphabet a varios precios de ejercicio y fechas de vencimiento. Los operadores utilizan esta información para analizar posibles operaciones y evaluar el sentimiento del mercado para Alphabet..

Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG) Bolsa, Cadena de Opciones

Alphabet

Alphabet is a holding company that wholly owns internet giant Google. The California-based company derives slightly less than 90% of its revenue from Google services, the vast majority of which is advertising sales. Alongside online ads, Google services houses sales stemming from Google's subscription services (YouTube TV, YouTube Music among others), platforms (sales and in-app purchases on Play Store), and devices (Chromebooks, Pixel smartphones, and smart home products such as Chromecast). Google's cloud computing platform, or GCP, accounts for roughly 10% of Alphabet's revenue with the firm's investments in up-and-coming technologies such as self-driving cars (Waymo), health (Verily), and internet access (Google Fiber) making up the rest.

Pune,,India,-,February,19,,2024.,Apple.inc,Logo,On,The

News

AAPL

GOOG

GOOGL

Apple tiene 18 meses para consolidar su estrategia de IA y lanzar un iPhone plegable, según TD Cowen. Inversores atentos a los resultados.

Apple bajo presión: tiene 18 meses para relanzar su IA y presentar su iPhone plegable

Wilkes-barre,,Pa,-,August,2,,2018:,President,Donald,Trump,Portrait

Equities

AMZN

MAGS

MSFT

NVDA

TSLA

Un acuerdo entre EE.UU. y la UE favorece a exportadores de energía y a los gigantes tecnológicos, según expertos del mercado.

Acuerdo EE.UU.-UE impulsa alza en acciones energéticas y tecnológicas

Alphabet Inc

Pre-Market Outlook

INTC

Las acciones de Alphabet y Honeywell suben tras sus resultados; Tesla decepciona y sus acciones caen en el aftermarket.

Wall Street mira a Alphabet, Honeywell y Tesla tras una oleada de resultados trimestrales

Kevin O'Leary, also known as "Mr Wonderful," says artificial intelligence is helping businesses like his fight inflation and survive margin pressure brought on by new tariffs.
What Happened: In a video posted Tuesday on X, formerly Twitter, the "Shark Tank" investor broke down how companies are coping with rising costs, citing General Motors (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>) as an example of how businesses may navigate a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/topics/25/07/46699454/kevin-oleary-says-the-tariff-drama-is-settling-and-the-markets-calming-because-trump-found-the-loophole">45% margin hit</a>.
"This may be the roadmap for every business," O'Leary said on Fox Business.
One-third of the margin hit, they're going to eat themselves, so they're going to have to find ways to be more productive, he said. One-third, they're going to push out on price increases, which "I agree is inflationary."
But the last third? That's where AI comes in.
See also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/movers-shakers/25/06/45807280/elon-musk-bleeds-34-billion-as-tesla-shares-tank-14-amid-spat-with-trump-how-the-billionaires-fortune-has-fared-so-far-in-2025" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Loses $34 Billion As Tesla Sheds $153 Billion Amid Feud With Trump—Here&#8217;s How The Billionaire&#8217;s Fortune Has Fared So Far In 2025</a>
He emphasized that every one of the 54 small businesses in his private portfolio is now leveraging vertical applications of AI to reduce operational costs — whether in insurance, wireless charging, or other sectors.
"We've never had tariffs before with an AI multiplier in it," he said. "This forces us to figure out a way to be more productive."
<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">This may be the roadmap for every business. One-third reduction they&#39;re gonna eat themselves so they&#39;re gonna have to find ways to be more productive to absorb that hit. One-third they&#39;re gonna push out on price increases, which I agree is inflationary. But here&#39;s the big… <a href="https://t.co/TYtE7j3p5o">pic.twitter.com/TYtE7j3p5o</a>
&mdash; Kevin O&#39;Leary aka Mr. Wonderful (@kevinolearytv) <a href="https://twitter.com/kevinolearytv/status/1950315671046258971?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Why It's Important: O'Leary's comments come as many companies grapple with rising tariffs and inflationary pressure, especially in sectors heavily exposed to global supply chains.
His view reflects a growing consensus that artificial intelligence is not just a tech trend but a crucial tool for business survival and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46365117/goldman-bets-on-ai-developer-to-boost-productivity-could-this-be-the-future-of-wall-street-jobs">long-term productivity gains</a>.
Last week, Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) CEO Sundar Pichai reportedly urged employees to increase their <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46711169/sundar-pichai-tells-employees-to-embrace-ai-or-fall-behind-as-google-parent-prepares-for-85-billion-spending-surge">use of AI to boost productivity</a>, highlighting that the company must &#8220;accomplish more&#8221; without expanding headcount.
Earlier this month, Yahoo Japan also instructed its 11,000 employees to incorporate generative AI into their daily workflows, to double productivity through automation by 2028.
AI-driven automation has also contributed to a surge in tech industry layoffs, impacting as many as 80,000 workers. Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), for example, has laid off 15,000 employees while simultaneously <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/46076895/microsofts-layoffs-news-july-2025-ai-investment-80-billion">allocating $80 billion toward</a> AI development.
Read next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/05/45687166/apple-may-see-fewer-searches-in-safari-but-google-ceo-sundar-pichai-insists-ai-is-fueling-overall-query-growth-far-from-a-zero-sum-game" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple May See Fewer Searches In Safari, But Google CEO Sundar Pichai Insists AI Is Fueling Overall Query Growth: ‘Far From A Zero-Sum Game'</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Tech

Kevin O'Leary Says All 54 Of His Small Businesses Are Using AI To Cut Costs, Stay Competitive Amid Tariffs

Australia has added YouTube, a subsidiary of 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, to its landmark social media ban for children under 16, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44132618/meta-tiktok-and-snapchat-push-back-against-youtubes-exemption-from-australias-social-media-ban-for-children-under-16">reversing an earlier exemption</a>.
What Happened: On Wednesday, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced that YouTube will now be included in the upcoming December ban prohibiting minors under 16 from having social media accounts, reported Reuters.
This move aligns YouTube with platforms like Meta Platforms Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) Facebook and Instagram, ByteDance-owned TikTok and Snap Inc.'s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNAP#NYSE">SNAP</a>) Snapchat.
&#8220;I&#8217;m calling time on it,&#8221; Albanese said in a statement. &#8220;I want Australian parents to know that we have their backs.&#8221;
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46712204/why-spotify-wont-raise-prices-like-peacock-ceo-explains-the-pedestal-strategy">Why Spotify Won&#8217;t Raise Prices Like Peacock: CEO Explains The &#8216;Pedestal&#8217; Strategy</a>
The reversal follows a recommendation from Australia's internet safety watchdog, citing a survey where 37% of minors reported encountering harmful content on YouTube — the highest of any major platform.
YouTube criticized the decision, arguing it is not a social media platform. &#8220;YouTube is a video-sharing platform… it&#8217;s not social media,&#8221; a company spokesperson said.
The company had earlier lobbied the government to retain its exemption and has not ruled out a legal challenge, the report said.
Communications Minister Anika Wells responded, saying, &#8220;I will not be intimidated by legal threats when this is a genuine fight for the well-being of Australian kids.&#8221;
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It&#8217;s Important: In 2024, Australia enacted one of the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40784803/after-feud-with-elon-musk-and-mark-zuckerberg-australian-pm-anthony-albanese-set-to-ban-social-media">world's toughest social media laws</a>, mandating platforms to restrict access for users under 16 or risk fines of up to A$49.5 million.
YouTube was initially exempted from the rule due to its role as an educational resource and its provision of supervised access via family accounts.
The platform has publicly stated that it is stepping up moderation efforts and enhancing its automated systems to better detect harmful content.
According to StatCounter Global Stats, Facebook remained the dominant social media platform in Australia as of June 2025, commanding a significant 64.35% market share.
Instagram followed distantly with 9.93%, closely trailed by X, formerly Twitter, at 9.33% and Pinterest (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PINS#NYSE">PINS</a>) at 8.1%. Reddit Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RDDT#NYSE">RDDT</a>) accounted for 3.34% of usage, while YouTube held a comparatively smaller share at 2.89%.
Price Action: In after-hours trading, Alphabet Inc.&#8217;s Class A shares declined 0.27% to $195.23, while Class C shares dipped 0.14% to $196.15, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro data</a>.
Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings indicate that GOOG continues to exhibit strong upward momentum across short, medium and long-term timeframes.<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound'"> Further performance details are available here</a>.
<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 decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/30021256/Screenshot-2025-07-30-at-8.38.58%E2%80%AFAM-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1006380" /></a></figure>
Photo courtesy: Juan Alejandro Bernal / Shutterstock.com
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/05/45687166/apple-may-see-fewer-searches-in-safari-but-google-ceo-sundar-pichai-insists-ai-is-fueling-overall-query-growth-far-from-a-zero-sum-game" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple May See Fewer Searches In Safari, But Google CEO Sundar Pichai Insists AI Is Fueling Overall Query Growth: ‘Far From A Zero-Sum Game'</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

PINS

RDDT

SNAP

YouTube Joins TikTok And Meta in Australia's Under-16 Ban As PM Says He's 'Calling Time On It'

On Tuesday, Spotify Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NASDAQ">SPOT</a>) executives addressed concerns over pricing strategy during the company's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46684547/spotify-user-base-grows-but-profitability-concerns-linger">second-quarter 2025 earnings</a> call.
What Happened: During the call, analyst Rich Greenfield questioned why Spotify doesn't raise subscription prices more quickly in developed markets, especially when platforms like Comcast Corp's (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMCSA#NASDAQ">CMCSA</a>) Peacock have done so despite lower engagement.
Spotify Chief Business Officer Alex Norström responded by stressing the company's "value-to-price" approach.
We've "always put subscribers on a pedestal," he said. "We've raised prices recently and seen very strong retention … We will use [pricing] again when we feel it's appropriate for the business."
He added that pricing decisions are made on a market-by-market basis depending on engagement levels and perceived value. "We take a portfolio approach," Norström said. "Even developed markets are different from one to the other."
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/reiteration/25/07/46668016/metas-strong-revenues-may-offset-concerns-over-soaring-ai-investments-analyst" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Meta's Strong Revenues May Offset Concerns Over Soaring AI Investments: Analyst</a>
Spotify CEO Daniel Ek reinforced the strategy, saying, "The biggest thing to realize as you&#8217;re operating a subscriber service at scale is really managing for retention…[it's] a lot better to keep the customer around for a longer time than to lose the customer and then try to reacquire the customer."
Why It's Important: Spotify reported a second-quarter loss of $0.48 per share, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings">missing expectations</a> of a $2.11 profit and posted $4.75 billion in revenue—up 10% year-over-year but below the projected $4.84 billion.
Here&#8217;s a comparison of the latest U.S. price hikes for individual plans across major music streaming platforms — Spotify, Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) Music, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) Music Unlimited and YouTube Music, a subsidiary of 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:
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table class="has-fixed-layout">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td class="has-text-align-left" data-align="left">Service</td>
<td>Date of Last Hike</td>
<td class="has-text-align-left" data-align="left">Old Price</td>
<td>New Price</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="has-text-align-left" data-align="left">Spotify</td>
<td>June 2024</td>
<td class="has-text-align-left" data-align="left">$10.99</td>
<td>$11.99</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="has-text-align-left" data-align="left">Apple Music</td>
<td>October 2022</td>
<td class="has-text-align-left" data-align="left">$9.99</td>
<td>$10.99</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="has-text-align-left" data-align="left">Amazon Music</td>
<td>March 2025&#x2A;</td>
<td class="has-text-align-left" data-align="left">$10.99</td>
<td>$11.99</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td class="has-text-align-left" data-align="left">YouTube Music</td>
<td>July 2023</td>
<td class="has-text-align-left" data-align="left">$9.99</td>
<td>$10.99</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">&#x2A;The updated Amazon Music Unlimited prices took effect for new subscribers on Jan. 29 and existing U.S. subscribers on March 5, 2025.</figcaption></figure>
Price Action: On Tuesday, Spotify shares dropped sharply by 11.55% in regular trading, but edged up 0.16% after hours, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0717">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Benzinga&#8217;s Edge Stock Rankings show that SPOT maintains strong momentum across short, medium and long-term periods. While the stock has a solid growth score, its value rating remains relatively weak. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-4/#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">More detailed performance insights are available here</a>.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-4/#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/30005055/Screenshot-2025-07-30-at-10.17.54%E2%80%AFAM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1006259" /></a></figure>
Read Next
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/06/45852024/apples-liquid-glass-interface-set-to-revolutionize-ios-26-hints-at-20th-anniversary-iphone" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple's Liquid Glass Interface Set To Revolutionize iOS 26, Hints At 20th Anniversary iPhone</a></li>
</ul>
Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock.com
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

CMCSA

SPOT

Why Spotify Won't Raise Prices Like Peacock: CEO Explains The 'Pedestal' Strategy

Google-parent Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) CEO Sundar Pichai has urged employees to ramp up their use of artificial intelligence, saying the company must boost productivity amid <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46587283/alphabet-q2-earnings-revenue-eps-beat-estimates-google-parent-raises-capex-outlook-due-to-strong-and-growing-cloud-demand">plans for $85 billion</a> in capital expenditures this year.
What Happened: At an all-hands meeting last week, Pichai told staff that the era of adding headcount to scale operations is over, and that Google must now "accomplish more," <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/29/google-execs-say-employees-have-to-be-more-ai-savvy-.html?taid=68894c1cef7df90001b89ad4&amp;utm_campaign=trueanthem&amp;utm_content=main&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter">reported</a> CNBC, citing an audio of the meeting.
"Anytime you go through a period of extraordinary investment, you respond by adding a lot of headcount, right?" Pichai stated, adding, "But, in this AI moment, I think we have to accomplish more by taking advantage of this transition."
"We are going to be going through a period of much higher investment and I think we have to be frugal with our resources," he continued.
See also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/movers-shakers/25/06/45807280/elon-musk-bleeds-34-billion-as-tesla-shares-tank-14-amid-spat-with-trump-how-the-billionaires-fortune-has-fared-so-far-in-2025" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Loses $34 Billion As Tesla Sheds $153 Billion Amid Feud With Trump—Here's How The Billionaire's Fortune Has Fared So Far In 2025</a>
Brian Saluzzo, head of Google's infrastructure teams, highlighted urgency in making employees "more AI-savvy," citing internal tools like "Cider," an AI coding assistant now used weekly by 50% of its users, the report said.
Google has also launched "AI Savvy Google," an internal training hub with toolkits and Gemini-based courses built in partnership with DeepMind.
Why It's Important: As Google ramps up AI spending—up from $75 billion to $85 billion in 2025—the tech giant is also trying to cut costs by making its workforce more efficient.
The push comes as competitors like Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), and Shopify Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SHOP#NYSE">SHOP</a>) demand <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46507890/amazon-ring-is-making-ai-a-job-requirement-starting-with-promotions">similar AI adoption</a> from employees.
Earlier this month, Yahoo Japan also mandated its 11,000 employees to integrate generative AI into their daily routines, aiming to double productivity through automation by 2028, <a href="https://www.techradar.com/pro/yahoo-japan-wants-all-its-11-000-employees-to-use-gen-ai-to-double-their-productivity-by-2028-is-it-a-sign-of-things-to-come">reported</a> TechRadar.
The rise of AI-powered automation has also accelerated layoffs in the tech sector, with up to 80,000 employees affected. Microsoft alone cut 15,000 jobs while <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/46076895/microsofts-layoffs-news-july-2025-ai-investment-80-billion">committing $80 billion to new AI</a> investments.
Price Action: In after-hours trading, Alphabet Inc.'s Class A shares slipped 0.27% to $195.23, and Class C shares edged down 0.14% to $196.15, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro data</a>.
Benzinga&#8217;s Edge Stock Rankings show that GOOG maintains strong upward momentum across short, medium and long-term periods. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound'">Additional performance metrics can be found here</a>.
<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 decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/29231033/Screenshot-2025-07-30-at-8.38.58%E2%80%AFAM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1006151" /></a></figure>
Read next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/05/45687166/apple-may-see-fewer-searches-in-safari-but-google-ceo-sundar-pichai-insists-ai-is-fueling-overall-query-growth-far-from-a-zero-sum-game" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple May See Fewer Searches In Safari, But Google CEO Sundar Pichai Insists AI Is Fueling Overall Query Growth: ‘Far From A Zero-Sum Game&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Photo Courtesy: JHVEPhoto on Shutterstock.com
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

SHOP

Sundar Pichai Tells Employees To Embrace AI Or Fall Behind As Google-Parent Prepares For $85 Billion Spending Surge

On Tuesday, Opera Ltd (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OPRA#NASDAQ">OPRA</a>) filed a formal complaint with Brazil's antitrust regulator, alleging Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) gives its Edge browser an unfair advantage on Windows devices at the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38178108/apple-google-and-microsoft-suffer-as-small-browsers-gain-market-share-after-this-new-law-made-it-eas">expense of rivals</a>.
What Happened: Norwegian browser developer Opera submitted a complaint to Brazil's Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE), accusing Microsoft of anti-competitive behavior, reported Reuters.
The company argued this practice blocks rivals like Opera from equal access and market opportunities.
"Microsoft thwarts browser competition on Windows at every turn," said Opera General Counsel Aaron McParlan. "First, browsers like Opera are locked out of important preinstallation opportunities. And then Microsoft frustrates users' ability to download and use alternative browsers."
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46686037/nvidia-is-now-worth-twice-tesla-amd-palantir-and-intel-combined" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nvidia Is Now Worth Twice Tesla, AMD, Palantir, And Intel Combined</a>
Opera also alleged that Microsoft incentivizes major PC manufacturers to pre-install Edge exclusively, and uses design tactics—referred to as dark patterns—to steer users away from switching browsers.
Microsoft did not immediately&nbsp;respond to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga's</a> request for comments.
Why It's Important: The complaint revives longstanding antitrust concerns over Microsoft's dominance in the browser space, dating back to its Internet Explorer era.
In 2013, the European Commission fined Microsoft €561 million ($648 million) for similar conduct, the report said.
Opera is the third-most-used desktop browser in Brazil, with 6.78% market share in June, trailing Microsoft Edge's 11.52% and Google Chrome's dominant 75%, according to StatCounter.
As of June 2025, 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 Chrome remains the clear leader in the global browser market, commanding a 68.35% share, according to Statcounter GlobalStats.
Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) Safari ranks a distant second with 16.25%, while Microsoft Edge holds 4.96%. Firefox captures 2.37% of the market, followed by Samsung Internet at 2.04% and Opera at 1.85%.
Microsoft is set to announce its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46696235/whats-going-on-with-microsoft-stock-tuesday-2">quarterly earnings on Wednesday</a>. Analysts are projecting earnings per share of $3.37 and revenue of $73.80 billion.
Price Action: On Tuesday, Microsoft shares inched up 0.014% during regular trading and rose another 0.23% after hours. In contrast, Opera shares fell 3.19% in regular trading but recovered slightly with a 0.55% gain after hours, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0717">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings indicate that MSFT continues to show strong momentum across short, medium and long-term timeframes, though its value rating remains comparatively low. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-4/#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">More performance insights are available here</a>.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-4/#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/29215047/Screenshot-2025-07-30-at-7.18.58%E2%80%AFAM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1006072" /></a></figure>
Read Next:&nbsp;
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/46127671/amazon-loses-top-ai-leader-in-high-stakes-talent-shuffle" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Amazon Loses Top AI Leader In High-Stakes Talent Shuffle</a></li>
</ul>
Photo Courtesy: Tada Images on Shutterstock.com
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

OPRA

Microsoft Is Frustrating The Ability Of Users To Switch Away From The Edge Browser, Alleges Opera In Brazil Anti-Trust Complaint

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/29150729/Google-Benzinga-Image-1-1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-16604" srcset="https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/29150729/Google-Benzinga-Image-1-1.png 1024w,https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/29150729/Google-Benzinga-Image-1-1-300x225.png 300w,https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/29150729/Google-Benzinga-Image-1-1-768x576.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Google&#8217;s operating expenses burdened by global lawsuits. Image created by the author.</figcaption></figure>
Google's earnings looked good enough on Wednesday to see it outperform Meta Platforms (META) for the remainder of the week. But hidden in the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/wiim/25/07/46597472/alphabet-shares-are-trading-higher-after-the-company-reported-better-than-expected-q2-financial-resu">earnings report</a> was this little gem: Alphabet, best known as Google, (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) is still facing an unrelenting onslaught of lawsuits from numerous countries. Could this be a serious headwind versus its rivals?
The company said that total operating expenses increased 20% in the second quarter to $26.1 billion. "The biggest driver of that was expenses for legal and other matters, which reflected the impact of a $1.4 billion charge related to a settlement in a legal case," noted Anat Ashkenazi, senior vice president at Alphabet and Google during the <a href="https://abc.xyz/assets/33/56/fb1a5b3646e6a8aabe50554d5056/2025-q2-earnings-transcript.pdf">earnings call</a> on Thursday. &nbsp;"Operating margin was flat year-on-year at 40.1%&#8230;partially offset by the legal charge," he said.
Google's <a href="https://abc.xyz/assets/31/51/97b903cd4743a29a94024b1e531b/goog-10-q-q2-2025.pdf">10-Q filing</a> discloses a wide range of legal proceedings beginning with the European Commission's (EC) 2017 lawsuit and resulting $3 billion fine and ending with two 2024 EC cases against it, where the company says they cannot even "estimate a possible loss."
In the first quarter of the year, Google showed a 17% annualized increase in General and Administrative costs, with the second quarter rising a bit more. Legal risks to Google are now some of the worst facing Big Tech. They are losing cases, absorbing fines, and paying settlements.
The most recent major legal case Google lost is a federal antitrust ruling in April 2025, where U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/04/17/judge-rules-google-holds-illegal-adtech-monopoly-00295953">found</a> that Google holds an illegal monopoly in two online advertising markets. The court ruled that Google violated U.S. antitrust laws by willfully acquiring and maintaining monopoly power over parts of the digital advertising ecosystem, specifically tying its ad server and ad exchange businesses in violation of the Sherman Act – the country's premier economic fairness law.
That ruling was Google&#8217;s second significant antitrust loss in under a year. There are constant rumors flying of it <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/03/44208199/googles-monopoly-fight-just-got-more-intense-justice-department-reaffirms-plan-to-split-up-the-tech-giant-in-historic-antitrust-battle">being broken into pieces</a>, though some say this will be good news for Google shareholders.
"Breakups often promise to unlock shareholder value in theory but fail in practice, this case appears to be an exception, one where real value could be realized," Gene Munster, managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management, was quoted saying by well-known Google beat writer David Streitfeld at The New York Times on June 2.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Russia, Turkey, UK Follow EU With Google Lawsuits</h2>
Google lawsuits are trending in the wrong direction for Alphabet investors.
In their 10-Q, Google says that a case in Russia is unlikely to have a materially adverse effect on their bottom line, but the company still faces a staggering dispute against 17 Russian TV networks over the removal of their YouTube channels.&nbsp; Alphabet owns YouTube.
The total amount of fines imposed on the company by Russia stands at approximately 46 billion rubles, or around $580 million.
Google has already paid around 25 billion rubles ($325 million) – <a href="https://iz.ru/en/node/1857290">13 billion</a> rubles ($163 million) reported by Russian news publishers Izvestiya and <a href="https://www.interfax.ru/russia/838921">7 billion</a> rubles ($88 million) reported by the Interfax newswire, and <a href="https://fssp.gov.ru/iss/ip/?is%5Bvariant%5D=2&amp;is%5Bdrtr_name%5D=281118%2F25%2F98077-%D0%B8%D0%BF">5 billion</a> rubles ($63 million) more according to publicly available records.
Even though Google downplays this legal risk, the political environment in Russia makes it more uncertain. Courts have previously frozen billions in local assets of foreign companies. For instance, a Russian court froze <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-17/russian-court-freezes-unicredit-assets-on-gazprom-venture-claim">$1 billion in local assets</a> linked to UniCredit last year, as well as to Germany&#8217;s Deutsche Bank AG and Commerzbank AG.
Google is under increasing legal and regulatory scrutiny no matter where you look:

<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Risk of $35 billion in other EU fines, with Google admitting it failed to resolve discord, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/legal/litigation/google-says-discord-over-search-results-is-unresolved-risks-eu-antitrust-fine-2025-07-09/">reported</a> on July 9.</li>
<li>Google is likely to lose its appeal of the EU's 4.3 billion euro Android fine (final ruling expected soon).</li>
<li>A $314 million jury verdict in California over misused cell phone data.</li>
<li>U.S. antitrust trial with Texas could lead to over $100 billion in potential penalties for ad tech unlawful dominance.</li>
<li>New EU complaint from publishers over AI Overviews misusing web content.</li>
<li>Additional "mammoth complaints" in the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44857710/google-faces-a-mammoth-66-billion-lawsuit-in-the-uk-over-suspected-market-dominance-abuse">UK</a>, Turkey and South Africa.</li>
</ul>
Google did not return a request for comment made Thursday during market hours.
Other countries are smelling blood in the water around Google. But there is good news for Alphabet.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="560" src="https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/29143855/Tradeing-View-1024x560.png" alt="" class="wp-image-16599" srcset="https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/29143855/Tradeing-View-1024x560.png 1024w,https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/29143855/Tradeing-View-300x164.png 300w,https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/29143855/Tradeing-View-768x420.png 768w,https://contributor-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/29143855/Tradeing-View.png 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Chart Source: Benzinga Meta Platforms has been a better investment for Big Tech holders, with Google underperforming the QQQ for the last 12 months. Google trades at lower multiples, and usually outperforms the Nasdaq, setting the table for a Google run to catch its peers. </figcaption></figure>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Google is Loaded. But Meta Outperforms.</h2>
In 2024 alone, Google was fined nearly $2.9 billion (primarily from antitrust penalties), according to <a href="https://proton.me/tech-fines-tracker#:~:text=In%202024%2C%20Alphabet%2C%20Google%27s%20parent,that%27s%20almost%20impossible%20to%20imagine">Proton's tech fines tracker</a>. Some examples include a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/12/36296656/google-agrees-to-700m-settlement-in-antitrust-case-promises-play-store-policy-revisions">$700 million settlement</a> in late 2023 resolving an all-50-state antitrust lawsuit over Google's Play Store practices, and a record <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/05/09/google-texas-privacy-lawsuit-settlement-ken-paxton/">$1.375 billion</a> privacy settlement with Texas in 2025 for alleged unlawful data tracking. Google also settled a 40-state location-tracking case for <a href="https://proton.me/tech-fines-tracker#:~:text=Google%E2%80%99s%20%24391%20million%20settlement%20pushes,over%20%243%20billion%20in%202022">$391.5 million</a> in 2022, based on Proton's tech fines tracker.
Despite billions in fines, <a href="https://www.macrotrends.net/stocks/charts/GOOG/alphabet/operating-expenses#:~:text=Alphabet%20Operating%20Expenses%202010,">Alphabet's operating expenses can cover it</a>. They had about $208 billion in operating expenses in 2022, then $223 billion in 2023 and rising slightly to <a href="https://abc.xyz/assets/a3/91/6d1950c148fa84c7d699abe05284/2024q4-alphabet-earnings-release.pdf#:~:text=Results%20abc,2022%20to%20the%20Quarter">$237.6 billion in 2024</a>. This means Google's legal payouts are on the order of 1% or less of its yearly operating costs.
Meanwhile, Meta's legal expenses are also substantial, but its expense base is smaller than its Big Tech rival.
The largest recent hit was a $1.4 billion settlement with Texas, announced last year, over Facebook's past use of facial recognition without consent. That was their <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/07/40047183/meta-hit-with-largest-ever-state-privacy-fine-texas-ag-secures-1-4b-settlement">largest-ever fine</a> imposed by a state, and right around what Texas charged Google. 
In May 2023, the EU fined Meta 1.2 billion euros for violations in data transfers – the biggest fine under Europe's digital security rules at the time. Google looks ready to double that payout to the EU, however, when considering the <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/record-45-bln-eu-fine-punished-its-innovation-google-tells-eu-court-2025-01-28/">massive Android case</a> alone.
Year to date, Meta is up 22% and Google is far behind, up under 2%.  Meta is up over 55% in the last 12 months, with Google up 11%. Google is also trailing far behind the Nasdaq, as measured by the Invesco Nasdaq Trust (QQQ) ETF.
For this reason, Google shares are cheaper than Meta. Google trades at forward price to earnings of 20.6 times while Meta investors will pay 27.9 times for a fairly similar product line, and a similar AI sidebar play. And less legal risk.
Benzinga Disclaimer: This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga&#8217;s reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.

Legal

Opinion

Trading Ideas

Are Google's High Legal Costs A Drag on Its Stock Vs. Peers?

Wells Fargo analyst Ken Gawrelski maintains Alphabet (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) with a Equal-Weight and raises the price target from $184 to $187.

Price Target

Analyst Ratings

Wells Fargo Maintains Equal-Weight on Alphabet, Raises Price Target to $187

India has emerged as the leading smartphone supplier to the United States for the first time, capturing 44% of U.S. smartphone imports in the second quarter of 2025 as manufacturers accelerate production shifts away from China amid escalating trade tensions.
What Happened: Made-in-India smartphone shipments to the U.S. surged 240% year-over-year, according to new research from Canalys. China&#8217;s share of US smartphone shipments plummeted from 61% in Q2 2024 to just 25% in Q2 2025 as vendors frontload inventories to mitigate potential tariff risks.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) drove much of this transformation through its &#8220;China Plus One&#8221; strategy, dedicating most of its Indian export capacity to U.S. markets. The iPhone maker began manufacturing Pro models of the iPhone 16 series in India while maintaining dependence on Chinese facilities for a scaled U.S. supply of premium devices.
&#8220;Apple has scaled up its production capacity in India over the last several years and has opted to dedicate most of its export capacity in India to supply the U.S. market so far in 2025,&#8221; said Sanyam Chaurasia, Principal Analyst at Canalys.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46680292/peter-thiel-debates-6-layer-ai-future-with-palantir-cofounder-why-nvidia-is-untouchable-at-level-1-and-pltr-may-be-at-risk-in-level-4">Peter Thiel Debates 6-Layer AI Future With Palantir Cofounder: Why Nvidia Is Untouchable At Level 1—And PLTR May Be At Risk In Level 4</a>
Why It Matters: The supply chain reorientation comes as President Donald Trump confirmed 25% tariffs on <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45599904/trump-confirms-25-tariff-on-samsung-and-other-companies-making-smartphones-outside-the-us">smartphones manufactured outside the U.S.</a>, specifically targeting companies like Samsung Electronics (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SSNLF#OTC">SSNLF</a>) and others. The tariffs are expected to take effect by late June 2025.
Despite the manufacturing surge, the U.S. smartphone market growth remained modest at 1% in the second quarter of 2025, reaching 27.1 million units. Apple maintained its market leadership with a 49% share despite an 11% decline in shipments to 13.3 million units. Samsung gained ground with 38% growth to 8.3 million units, capturing 31% market share.
Motorola continued its expansion with 2% growth to 3.2 million units, while Alphabet Inc.&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) Google grew 13% to 0.8 million units. TCL declined 23% to 0.7 million units.
India&#8217;s smartphone exports to the U.S. have become the country&#8217;s second-largest export category behind diamonds, jumping from $5.23 million in fiscal 2019 to $5.56 billion in fiscal 2024.
Read Next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46678276/jim-cramer-says-trumps-tariff-deal-with-eu-lands-dead-last-on-wall-streets-priority-list-heres-whats-important" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jim Cramer Says Trump's Tariff Deal With EU Lands ‘Dead Last' On Wall Street's Priority List: Here's What's Important</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

SSNLF

India Becomes Top US Smartphone Exporter As Trade War Pressures Drive Supply Chain Shift From China

Apple Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) has 18 months to revamp its&nbsp;Apple Intelligence&nbsp;strategy, according to a leading analyst. The analyst also predicts the release of a folding iPhone in 2026.
What Happened:  Investment firm TD Cowen has set a deadline for Apple to make its AI strategy more compelling. The firm believes that Apple has until the end of 2026 to achieve this, <a href="https://appleinsider.com/articles/25/07/28/apple-has-18-months-to-sort-out-apple-intelligence">reported</a> AppleInsider on Monday.
Check out the current price of <a href="https://benzinga.com/quote/AAPL" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AAPL stock here</a>.
Despite the predicted moderate earnings growth and the launch of folding devices, TD Cowen anticipates that the factors that led to the increase in Apple&#8217;s target price will take longer to improve. The firm, however, maintains its&nbsp;target price of $275 and&nbsp;advises investors to buy shares.
TD Cowen&#8217;s analysts have shared their insights ahead of Apple&#8217;s&nbsp;next earnings call on July&nbsp;31, 2025. They believe that Apple&#8217;s iPhone shipments have remained broadly seasonal, with a 4% year-over-year increase in 2025. This growth is attributed to declining sales in China and an incomplete AI strategy.
TD Cowen expects Google (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>) to introduce the Pixel 10 with advanced AI features that Apple will be pressured to match. The firm projects that AI-related challenges will continue over the next two quarters, with Apple Intelligence unlikely to deliver a meaningful uplift for the current or next iPhone lineup.
Despite the hurdles, TD Cowen believes Apple has an 18-month window to position Apple Intelligence as a standout feature. The firm also anticipates that Apple will unveil at least one foldable device during this period—predicting the launch of the iPhone 18 Fold in September 2026, with projected sales of 7 to 10 million units.
SEE ALSO: <a href="https://benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/07/46612914/bitcoin-could-go-to-300000-before-great-depression-crisis-traders-argue" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin Could Go To $300,000 Before &#8216;Great Depression&#8217; Crisis, Traders Argue &#8211; Benzinga</a>
Why It Matters: Apple&#8217;s AI strategy has been under scrutiny for some time. Investors have been pressuring Apple to revamp its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46408440/apples-ai-strategy-costs-630-billion-in-market-cap-investors-want-the-company-to-look-at-acquisitions">AI strategy </a>following a significant decline in its share price. Earlier, tech analyst Gene Munster suggested that Apple had approximately <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45764870/apple-has-at-least-two-years-before-losing-customers-despite-its-several-ai-missteps-says-gene-munster-heres-why">two years</a> to rectify its AI strategy, which aligns with TD Cowen&#8217;s 18-month deadline.
Despite these challenges, Apple is expected to rebound in the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/reiteration/25/07/46669056/can-apples-slim-iphone-and-cheaper-macs-reverse-the-2025-stock-slump">latter half </a>of fiscal 2025, with the launch of new product cycles, including a &#8216;slim&#8217; iPhone. This potential rebound is being closely watched by investors ahead of Apple&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46641166/apple-shares-edge-higher-ahead-of-q3-earnings-release">Q3 earnings </a>release.
With TD Cowen&#8217;s deadline, the pressure is on for Apple to enhance its AI capabilities and deliver on its product promises to maintain investor confidence and drive growth.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="768" height="116" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/29040505/image-439.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1004631" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/29040505/image-439.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/29040505/image-439-300x45.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></figure>
Benzinga's Edge Rankings place Apple in the 79th percentile for quality and the 33rd percentile for growth, reflecting mixed performance in both areas. Check the detailed report <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>. 
READ MORE:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/entertainment/25/07/46652636/apples-brad-pitt-starrer-f1-races-past-500-million-at-box-office-becomes-its-biggest-theatrical-hit">Apple&#8217;s Brad Pitt-Starrer &#8216;F1&#8217; Races Past $500 Million At Box Office, Becomes Its Biggest Theatrical Hit </a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Apple Faces 18-Month Deadline To Deliver On AI, Says Analyst

A newly finalized trade agreement between the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46650830/donald-trump-announces-15-tariff-trade-agreement-with-eu-ending-months-of-trade-uncertainty">U.S. and the European Union</a> is poised to significantly benefit U.S.-based LNG exporters, the Magnificent 7 technology giants, and the broader tech sector, according to market experts.
What Happened: The <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46650830/donald-trump-announces-15-tariff-trade-agreement-with-eu-ending-months-of-trade-uncertainty">deal</a>, announced ahead of the Aug. 1 deadline, is seen as removing a key layer of uncertainty that had hung over the markets. 
Louis Navellier, founder and chief investment officer of Navellier &amp; Associates, told <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga</a> that LNG exporters such as Dorian LPG Ltd. as likely winners. He noted that &#8220;the analyst community is revising their earnings estimates higher&#8221; for these companies.
The trade deal includes the EU's commitment to purchase $750 billion in U.S. energy over three years and invest another $600 billion in the U.S. economy.
Navellier also pointed to the &#8220;Magnificent 7 and other big U.S. technology companies&#8221; as beneficiaries, anticipating that &#8220;the EU is expected to be more reluctant to hit them with digital taxes&#8221; under the Donald Trump Administration.
The agreement&#8217;s impact extends to the overall U.S. stock market. Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at Northlight Asset Management, told Benzinga that he views the deal as &#8220;good for US markets as it removes some of the uncertainty that was an overhang for the market, and at a 15% rate, it is lower than what was originally feared.&#8221;
Zaccarelli reiterated the positive outlook for technology and emphasized the energy sector, stating it &#8220;will be an even bigger beneficiary because of the intent of the EU to buy more energy from the United States as a result of the new trade deal.&#8221;
While the deal brings clarity, some of the positive news may have already been factored into stock prices. Zaccarelli noted, &#8220;news of this deal being &#8216;close&#8217; was released last week and some of the good news was likely already reflected in prices before today's official announcement.&#8221;
Here&#8217;s a list of the energy and technology sector beneficiaries highlighted by experts;
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table class="has-fixed-layout">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Energy Stocks</td>
<td>YTD Performance</td>
<td>One-Year Performance</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XOM#NYSE">XOM</a>)</td>
<td>3.85%</td>
<td>-4.01%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Chevron Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVX#NYSE">CVX</a>)</td>
<td>6.52%</td>
<td>-0.20%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Occidental Petroleum Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OXY#NYSE">OXY</a>)</td>
<td>-8.55%</td>
<td>-24.31%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>EOG Resources Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EOG#NYSE">EOG</a>)</td>
<td>-2.45%</td>
<td>-2.82%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Marathon Petroleum Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MPC#NYSE">MPC</a>)</td>
<td>23.54%</td>
<td>1.65%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CVR Energy Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVI#NYSE">CVI</a>)</td>
<td>52.93%</td>
<td>6.69%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Schlumberger NV (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SLB#NYSE">SLB</a>)</td>
<td>-6.25%</td>
<td>-24.78%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dorian LPG Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LPG#NYSE">LPG</a>)</td>
<td>18.02%</td>
<td>-25.71%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table class="has-fixed-layout">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Energy ETFs</td>
<td>YTD Performance</td>
<td>One-Year Performance</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>United States Oil Fund LP (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/USO#NYSE">USO</a>)</td>
<td>0.31%</td>
<td>2.63%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ProShares Ultra Bloomberg Crude Oil (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UCO#NYSE">UCO</a>)</td>
<td>-11.66%</td>
<td>-16.09%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SPDR S&amp;P Oil &amp; Gas Exploration &amp; Production ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XOP#NYSE">XOP</a>)</td>
<td>-2.89%</td>
<td>-8.66%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table class="has-fixed-layout">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Big Tech Stocks And ETF</td>
<td>YTD Performance</td>
<td>One-Year Performance</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>)</td>
<td>27.79%</td>
<td>58.39%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>)</td>
<td>-12.22%</td>
<td>-1.92%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>)</td>
<td>22.44%</td>
<td>20.10%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>)</td>
<td>5.71%</td>
<td>27.07%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>)</td>
<td>1.46%</td>
<td>13.03%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>)</td>
<td>19.76%</td>
<td>54.09%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>)</td>
<td>-14.16%</td>
<td>40.28%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MAGS#BATS">MAGS</a>)</td>
<td>7.46%</td>
<td>31.23%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46679779/opendoor-skyrockets-314-in-a-month-amid-meme-stock-mania-hedge-fund-manager-who-reaped-windfall-">Opendoor Skyrockets 314% In A Month Amid Meme Stock Mania: Hedge Fund Manager Who Reaped Windfall Gains Says &#8216;I&#8217;m Not Here To Pump Up A Stock&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: Looking ahead, experts believe the Aug. 1 deadline is largely being adhered to, providing further market certainty.
However, major outstanding trade negotiations include China, where Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is reportedly in talks to extend the Aug. 14 deadline, and continuing discussions with Mexico and Canada.
Smaller deals with other nations are also anticipated to be finalized by the end of this week.
Price Action: 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, ended on a mixed note on Monday. The SPY was down 0.025% at $636.94, while the QQQ advanced 0.31% to $568.14, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.
On Tuesday, the futures of the Dow Jones, S&amp;P 500, and Nasdaq 100 indices were trading higher.
Read Next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46657284/palantirs-next-stop-is-200-says-jim-cramer-as-pltr-glides-like-a-knife-through-butter" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Palantir's Next Stop Is $200, Says Jim Cramer As PLTR Glides ‘Like A Knife Through Butter'</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Trump's EU Deal 'Good For US Markets,' Say Experts: META, AAPL, PLTR Among Likely Winners — See Full List

Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NYSE">PLTR</a>) cofounder Joe Lonsdale revealed a six-layer artificial intelligence investment framework during a debate with company chairman Peter Thiel, raising concerns about his own firm&#8217;s position in the competitive landscape.
What Happened: Speaking on his &#8220;American Optimist&#8221; podcast with LinkedIn cofounder Reid Hoffman, Lonsdale outlined an investment thesis that divides AI opportunities into six distinct levels. 
Level zero encompasses energy infrastructure, while level one includes chip manufacturers like Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>). Data centers occupy level two, followed by model companies including Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) and Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) at level three.
The framework places software infrastructure companies at level four, where Lonsdale positioned Palantir. Level five represents direct applications and services in the broader economy.
&#8220;I&#8217;m worried level three is going to eat a lot of level four,&#8221; Lonsdale said, expressing concern about model companies potentially consuming the software infrastructure layer where Palantir operates.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46678323/trumps-trade-deals-have-a-hidden-cost-says-economist-peter-schiff-less-demand-for-treasuries-higher-prices-for-consumers" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump's Trade Deals Have A Hidden Cost, Says Economist Peter Schiff: Less Demand For Treasuries, Higher Prices For Consumers</a>
Hoffman, who serves on Microsoft Corp.&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) board and invests through Greylock Partners, largely agreed with the framework&#8217;s structure. He emphasized that venture capital firms should focus primarily on level five applications while selectively pursuing level four infrastructure opportunities.
Why It Matters: The discussion highlighted ongoing challenges in AI startup funding, particularly around scale compute requirements. Hoffman&#8217;s previous company, Inflection AI, was acquired by Microsoft after launching five months after ChatGPT&#8216;s debut.
&#8220;There&#8217;s a limited number of startups that are going to be able to do the scale compute infrastructure that is required for frontier models,&#8221; Hoffman said, noting monthly expenses can reach $1 billion for compute-intensive AI companies.
Lonsdale&#8217;s 8VC venture firm has concentrated investments in level five applications, including recent backing of Bedrock Robotics, a construction automation startup founded by former Waymo executives. The company emerged from stealth mode in July to deploy AI-powered heavy machinery in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46462578/palantir-co-founder-joe-lonsdale-backs-bedrock-robotics-to-automate-construction-union-leader-calls-it-misguided">the $2 trillion U.S. construction industry</a>.
Meanwhile, Hoffman continues expanding his AI portfolio with a $12 million investment in Sanmai Technologies, developing non-invasive brain stimulation <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/topics/25/07/46260744/billionaire-reid-hoffman-bets-12m-on-this-ai-brain-scanner-to-rival-neuralink-without-surgery-or-drugs">devices priced under $500 for mental health treatment</a>.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="What People Get Wrong About Our AI Future - LinkedIn Founder" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kEtiYFgnZn8?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div>
</figure>
Read Next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46678276/jim-cramer-says-trumps-tariff-deal-with-eu-lands-dead-last-on-wall-streets-priority-list-heres-whats-important" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jim Cramer Says Trump&#8217;s Tariff Deal With EU Lands ‘Dead Last&#8217; On Wall Street&#8217;s Priority List: Here&#8217;s What&#8217;s Important</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo Courtesy: Mark Reinstein On Shutterstock.com

PLTR

Peter Thiel Debates 6-Layer AI Future With Palantir Cofounder: Why Nvidia Is Untouchable At Level 1—And PLTR May Be At Risk In Level 4

Investment bank Morgan Stanley (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MS#NYSE">MS</a>) has published a report predicting a $200 billion market for self-driving cars by the year 2030.
What Happened: Analyst Adam Jonas and Tim Hsiao shared in the report that adoption for autonomous vehicles will take off in the near future with the growth of AI and comprise 28% of unit sales by 2030, Bloomberg reported <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/videos/2025-07-28/morgan-stanley-sees-200b-autonomous-car-market-by-2030-video">on</a> Monday.
The report outlined 5 levels of autonomous driving for vehicles and predicts that smart driving would generate over $300-$400 billion in revenue for companies by 2035.
However, the report also spoke about China's dominance in the all-electric mobility sector, writing that "An outsized EV user base and tech deflation have given China an early edge."
The report also added that Silicon Valley's "dominance of AI computing power and data" is an advantage for tech companies as well as the German big three automakers.
Why It Matters: The news comes in as autonomous driving in the U.S. could face stricter regulations from the government after President Donald Trump's nominee for the NHTSA, Jonathan Morrison, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46434613/elon-musks-tesla-could-face-stricter-oversight-as-trumps-nhtsa-pick-targets-autonomous-driving-cannot-sit-back">called for tougher oversight</a> on the sector.
Autonomous driving has seen growth in the U.S. as Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>) partnered up with Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) Waymo to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46485120/gary-black-thinks-uber-benefits-most-as-autonomous-driving-technology-develops-says-tesla-could-undercut-other-ride-hailing-companies-by-mastering-unsupervised-autonomy">expand its services</a> in Atlanta.&nbsp;
Elsewhere, Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) has shared plans to expand into cities like Phoenix and the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46643657/tesla-shares-rise-nearly-4-on-bay-area-robotaxi-launch-hopes">San Francisco Bay Area</a>, in pursuit of Elon Musk's ambitious plan to serve over <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46594297/elon-musk-aims-to-deploy-robotaxis-to-serve-half-the-us-population-by-the-end-of-2025-targets-million-optimus-units-annually-as-fast-as-its-humanly-possible">half the population</a> of the U.S. with Tesla robotaxis by the end of the year.
Check out more of Benzinga's Future Of Mobility coverage by<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility"> following this link.</a>
Read Next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46572391/elon-musks-tesla-recorded-one-crash-every-6-69-million-miles-driven-ev-maker-says-ahead-of-q2-earnings">Elon Musk&#8217;s Tesla Recorded &#8216;One Crash&#8217; Every 6.69 Million Miles Driven, EV Maker Says Ahead Of Q2 Earnings</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

UBER

Self-Driving Cars Could Be $200 Billion Market By 2030, Says Morgan Stanley

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) faces new criticism over its upcoming iOS 26 spam filtering feature, which the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) warns could slash political fundraising revenue by hundreds of millions of dollars.
What Happened: The iPhone maker&#8217;s latest update, scheduled for mid-September rollout, will automatically filter text messages from unknown senders into a separate &#8220;Unknown Senders&#8221; folder without notifications. Users must manually check this folder and mark messages as known or delete them.
According to a July 24 memo from the NRSC obtained <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-ios-26-impact-political-fundraising-senate-republicans-2025-7">by</a> Business Insider, the feature could cost the GOP committee $25 million in lost revenue and trigger $500 million in losses across all Republican campaigns. The estimate assumes 70% of small-dollar donations originate from text messages and iPhones represent 60% of U.S. mobile devices.
&#8220;That change has profound implications for our ability to fundraise, mobilize voters, and run digital campaigns,&#8221; the NRSC memo stated. The committee called the feature &#8220;voter disenfranchisement&#8221; and urged Apple to delay implementation.
Apple senior executive Darin Adler defended the feature at June&#8217;s Worldwide Developers Conference, saying users would still receive &#8220;important time-sensitive messages&#8221; like verification codes. The company declined to comment on the NRSC&#8217;s concerns.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46678117/samsung-electronics-shares-fall-2-54-following-teslas-16-5-billion-ai-chip-manufacturing-agreement" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Samsung Electronics Shares Fall 2.54% Following Tesla's $16.5 Billion AI Chip Manufacturing Agreement</a>
Why IT Matters: The controversy adds to Apple&#8217;s mounting regulatory challenges across key markets. Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) recently announced it will <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46654484/mark-zuckerbergs-meta-shuts-down-eu-political-ads-on-facebook-instagram-whatsapp-calls-new-rules-unworkable">ban political advertising</a> in the European Union starting in October due to &#8220;unworkable requirements&#8221; under new transparency rules. Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) made similar moves last year.
Democratic digital fundraising expert Mike Nellis of Authentic criticized campaigns&#8217; reliance on potentially misleading text strategies. &#8220;If you&#8217;re panicking about losing $500 million in revenue, it probably means you were scamming people in the first place,&#8221; Nellis told BI.
The iOS 26 backlash comes as Apple stock trades down 12.22% year-to-date versus the S&amp;P 500&#8217;s 8.88% gain. Needham analyst Laura Martin warns Apple faces &#8220;existential threats&#8221; without a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/reiteration/25/07/46636565/apple-faces-existential-threat-if-it-fails-to-act-on-genai">clear generative AI strategy</a>, potentially requiring $30-50 billion in additional capital expenditure to compete with rivals.
Read Next: 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46678276/jim-cramer-says-trumps-tariff-deal-with-eu-lands-dead-last-on-wall-streets-priority-list-heres-whats-important">Jim Cramer Says Trump&#8217;s Tariff Deal With EU Lands &#8216;Dead Last&#8217; On Wall Street&#8217;s Priority List: Here&#8217;s What&#8217;s Important</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: jamesteohart / Shutterstock.com

Politics

Apple's iOS 26 Sparks GOP Panic—NRSC Warns Spam Filter Could Wipe Out $500 Million In Political Donations

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) has started testing a new experimental Copilot Mode in its Edge browser.
What Happened: On Monday, Microsoft rolled out Copilot Mode in Edge, a feature designed to allow its AI assistant to analyze all open tabs, summarize content, compare options and even complete tasks like booking a restaurant — all from within the browser.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced the launch on X, formerly Twitter, saying, "Today we're introducing Copilot Mode in Edge, our first step in reinventing the browser for the AI age."
He added that his favorite feature is multi-tab RAG (retrieval-augmented generation), which lets Copilot analyze and extract insights across multiple open pages.
"You can use Copilot to analyze your open tabs, like I do here with papers our team has published in Nature journals over the last year," Nadella wrote.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/46136541/elon-musk-backs-satya-nadellas-view-that-ai-must-produce-socially-useful-results-the-real-question-in-the-next-five-years-is" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Backs Satya Nadella's View That AI Must Produce ‘Socially Useful' Results: ‘The Real Question In The Next Five Years Is…'</a> 
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Today we're introducing Copilot Mode in Edge, our first step in reinventing the browser for the AI age. My favorite feature is multi-tab RAG. You can use Copilot to analyze your open tabs, like I do here with papers our team has published in <a href="https://twitter.com/Nature?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Nature</a> journals over the last year.… <a href="https://t.co/iF0gmbqTSW">pic.twitter.com/iF0gmbqTSW</a>
&mdash; Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) <a href="https://twitter.com/satyanadella/status/1949884999345590406?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Copilot Mode brings the AI chatbot directly to the new tab page and enables voice navigation. With permission, it can also access browsing history and stored credentials to help users complete tasks, such as reservations or comparisons.
Sean Lyndersay, vice president of product for Microsoft Edge, noted in a blog post that the tool will soon help organize browsing activity into "helpful, topic-based journeys."
Why It's Important: Copilot Mode is Microsoft's latest move to integrate generative AI across its core products, following <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40722943/microsoft-customers-reportedly-ditching-copilot-ai-office-tools-but-top-analyst-thinks-it-is-just-gr">Copilot's expansion</a> in Office, Teams and Windows.
Unlike Alphabet Inc.-owned (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's limited Gemini <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/46108450/google-says-its-made-it-easier-for-gemini-to-interact-with-your-device-but-some-are-now-worried-about-their-privacy">integration in</a> Chrome, Copilot Mode appears to offer deeper functionality <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/05/45314987/google-deploys-on-device-gemini-ai-to-fight-online-scams-blocks-millions-of-fraud-pages-in-real-time">inside the browser</a>.
Microsoft says the feature is optional and currently free for a limited time, with some usage limits — indicating a possible future paywall.
As of June 2025, Chrome continues to dominate the global browser market with a commanding 68.35% share, according to Statcounter GlobalStats.
Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) Safari holds a distant second place at 16.25%, followed by Microsoft Edge with 4.96%. Firefox accounts for 2.37% of the market, while Samsung Internet and Opera trail closely behind with 2.04% and 1.85%, respectively.
Price Action: On Monday, Microsoft shares dipped 0.24% in regular trading but edged up 0.18% in after-hours trading, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0717">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Benzinga&#8217;s Edge Stock Rankings show that MSFT maintains strong momentum across short, medium, and long-term periods. However, despite this solid momentum, the stock&#8217;s value rating remains relatively weak. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-4/#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">Additional performance details are available here</a>.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-4/#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/28231315/Screenshot-2025-07-29-at-8.41.40%E2%80%AFAM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1004253" /></a></figure>
Read Next:&nbsp;
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/46127671/amazon-loses-top-ai-leader-in-high-stakes-talent-shuffle" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Amazon Loses Top AI Leader In High-Stakes Talent Shuffle</a></li>
</ul>
Photo Courtesy: JLStock on Shutterstock.com
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Satya Nadella Touts Copilot Mode In Edge, Can Microsoft Finally Leverage AI To Snag Browser Dominance From Google Chrome?

On Monday, Cathie Wood-led Ark Invest made significant trades, including a notable purchase of Bitmine Immersion Technologies Inc. (BMNR) shares. The investment firm also increased its holdings in Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) and NVIDIA Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), while reducing its stake in Robinhood Markets Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HOOD#NASDAQ">HOOD</a>) and Palantir Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>).
The Bitmine Trade Ark Invest made a substantial investment in Bitmine Immersion through Ark Fintech Innovation ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKF#BATS">ARKF</a>), ARK Innovation ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKK#BATS">ARKK</a>), and ARK Next Generation Internet ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKW#BATS">ARKW</a>). This strategic move follows Bitmine&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46614797/bitmine-immersion-shares-rise-after-ethereum-holdings-surpass-2-billion">announcement</a> that its Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) holdings have exceeded $2 billion. 
The total purchase of 573,853 shares by Ark Invest reflects confidence in Bitmine&#8217;s Ethereum treasury strategy. The investment is valued at approximately $20.1 million, based on the latest closing price of $35.11. Notably, it was reported earlier that Ark <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/broad-u-s-equity-etfs/25/07/46535966/peter-thiel-effect-cathie-wood-pours-175-million-into-bitmine-immersion-stock-as-founders-fund-backing-ethereum-spike-fuels-buzz">poured $175 million</a> into Bitmine Immersion stock.
Notably, shares of Bitmine Immersion Technologies fell 15.1% in after-hours trading on Monday after it <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/25/07/46678140/bitmine-stock-falls-15-1-after-hours-as-peter-thiel-backed-company-files-shelf-offering-might-consider-eth">filed a shelf registration for securities resale</a> by existing stockholders. The move was seen as dilutive, despite the company potentially raising $25.18 million if warrants are exercised.
The Alphabet Trade Ark Invest&#8217;s ARKW ETF acquired 181,640 units of Alphabet&#8217;s Class C stock on Monday. This purchase comes amidst ongoing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46666336/google-judge-decision-monopoly-remedy-upside">scrutiny of Google&#8217;s search monopoly</a>, with a judge&#8217;s ruling anticipated soon. Despite these challenges, analyst Doug Anmuth maintains an Overweight rating on Alphabet, with a price target of $232. The value of Ark&#8217;s investment in Alphabet is approximately $35.1 million as the stock ended the day at $193.42.
The NVIDIA Trade Ark Invest&#8217;s ARK Autonomous Technology &amp; Robotics ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKQ#BATS">ARKQ</a>) and ARK Space Exploration &amp; Innovation ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKX#BATS">ARKX</a>) increased their holdings in the Jensen Huang-led chipmaker by purchasing a combined total of 27,124 shares. NVIDIA recently reached a $4 trillion market cap, but analysts caution that its AI growth may be <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46652751/nvidia-now-worth-4-trillion-but-lawrence-mcdonald-warns-its-ai-growth-depends-on-an-energy-sector-50-times-smaller">constrained by energy infrastructure limitations</a>. The total value of Ark&#8217;s NVIDIA purchase is approximately $4.8 million. On Monday, Nvidia stock ended the day at $176.75.
The Robinhood Trade Ark Invest reduced its position in the retail-oriented trading platform by selling 119,090 shares across its ARKF and ARKW ETFs. The sale is valued at approximately $12.7 million. It should be noted that Wood has been <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/broad-u-s-equity-etfs/25/07/46535966/peter-thiel-effect-cathie-wood-pours-175-million-into-bitmine-immersion-stock-as-founders-fund-backing-ethereum-spike-fuels-buzz">trimming Ark&#8217;s Robinhood holdings recently</a> and sold $11.5 million worth of stock last week as well. 
The Palantir Trade saw Ark Invest selling shares of Palantir across its ARKF and ARKW ETFs. On this day, the firm sold 17,583 shares from ARKF and 44,002 shares from ARKW. The transaction was valued at $9.7 million as the stock closed at $157.88 for the day.
This decision aligns with a period of heightened interest in Palantir, as the stock recently hit an all-time high of $160.39, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46663581/whats-going-on-with-palantir-technologies-stock">driven by a new Overweight rating</a> from Piper Sandler with a $170 price target. Palantir&#8217;s stock has been on a remarkable upward trajectory, with market experts like Jim Cramer predicting further gains, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46657284/palantirs-next-stop-is-200-says-jim-cramer-as-pltr-glides-like-a-knife-through-butter">potentially reaching $200.</a>
Other Key Trades:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Sold 134,833 shares of Block Inc (XYZ) from ARKK, 43,003 shares from ARKW and 8581 shares from ARKF valued at approximately $15 million.</li>
<li>Sold 43,479 shares of CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) from ARKG.</li>
<li>Bought 227,594 shares of Veracyte Inc (VCYT) from ARKK.</li>
</ul>
Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings indicate BMNR checks out on Short, Medium and Long Price Trends. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">Here is how</a> the stock fares on other metrics.
<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="445" height="284" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/28215853/Screenshot-2025-07-29-at-10.58.38.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1004200" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/28215853/Screenshot-2025-07-29-at-10.58.38.png 445w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/28215853/Screenshot-2025-07-29-at-10.58.38-300x191.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 445px) 100vw, 445px" /></a></figure>
Photo Courtesy: ChrisStock82 on Shutterstock.com
Read Next: 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46654871/berkshire-hathaways-buffett-premium-is-fading-says-hedge-fund-manager-we-sold-the-last-of-our-berkshire">Berkshire Hathaway&#8217;s Buffett Premium Is Fading, Says Hedge Fund Manager: &#8216;We Sold The Last Of Our Berkshire&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/shivdeep-dhaliwal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shivdeep Dhaliwal</a>

Markets

ETFs

$ETH

ARKF

ARKK

ARKQ

ARKW

ARKX

BMNR

COIN

HOOD

Cathie Wood Goes On A $20M Bitmine Immersion Bargain Hunt As Ark Trims Robinhood And Palantir Stakes

Alphabet (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) is navigating a pivotal period marked by accelerating business fundamentals, robust advertising performance, and strong leadership in AI and cloud computing, even as a critical antitrust ruling looms.
The upcoming decision from Judge Amit Mehta in the U.S. Department of Justice&#8217;s search antitrust case, expected by August 8, 2025, could reshape the company&#8217;s operational landscape, though the long-term implications are viewed as manageable.
Despite the shadow of regulatory uncertainty, Alphabet&#8217;s core growth engines and aggressive AI initiatives signal sustained strength, as underscored by J.P. Morgan analyst Doug Anmuth.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/reiteration/25/07/46638272/googles-ai-power-play-goldman-says-buy-as-cloud-youtube-search-drive-big-upside" rel="noreferrer noopener">Google Cloud, YouTube, And Search Drive Big Upside: Goldman Sachs</a>
On Monday, Anmuth reiterated an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/GOOGL/analyst-ratings" rel="noreferrer noopener">Overweight rating</a> on Alphabet with a price forecast of $232, citing accelerating fundamentals, resilient advertising performance, and the company&#8217;s long-term leadership in both artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
Anmuth supported the rerating by the company&#8217;s accelerating fundamentals, resilient advertising performance, and long-term leadership in artificial intelligence and cloud computing.
While regulatory uncertainty continues to dominate investor sentiment, particularly surrounding the U.S. Department of Justice&#8217;s ongoing antitrust case over Alphabet&#8217;s search business, the analyst believes the risks are manageable and potentially over-discounted in the stock&#8217;s valuation.
He noted that investor attention is now centered on Judge Amit Mehta&#8217;s upcoming decision on remedies in the search antitrust case, which is expected no later than August 8, 2025.
While the exact nature of the remedy remains unclear, Anmuth believes the most likely outcome would involve a prohibition on exclusionary practices and exclusive preloading of Google Search across major access points such as Apple (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) devices, Android smartphones, third-party browsers, and Chrome in the United States.
More punitive measures, such as banning all distribution payments, forcing a Chrome divestiture, restricting AI programs, or enforcing extended remedy durations, are considered less probable but remain on the table, per the analyst.
Regardless of the outcome, Alphabet is expected to appeal both the August 2024 monopoly ruling and any associated remedies, potentially extending the regulatory process by 1.5 to 2.5 years based on historical precedent, such as the Microsoft (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) case, he noted.
From a financial perspective, Anmuth projects that Alphabet could face a 5% to 10% headwind to GAAP EPS in 2026 if stricter remedies are enforced.
The most exposed segments include U.S. Search &amp; Other revenue, which the analyst estimates will reach $86 billion in 2026, accounting for roughly 78% of Alphabet&#8217;s U.S. S&amp;O segment, 35% of global S&amp;O revenue, and 19% of total company revenue. He noted that related U.S. traffic acquisition costs (TAC) are expected to total $20 billion, or 18% of domestic S&amp;O (Sales &amp; Operations) revenue.
Despite these risks, Anmuth considers Alphabet&#8217;s second quarter a defining moment for the stock. He noted that Google Cloud revenue grew 32% year-over-year, significantly accelerating, while Search &amp; Other revenue rose 11% excluding foreign exchange impacts.
Excluding legal fees and one-time settlement costs, the company&#8217;s operating margin expanded by approximately 150 basis points year-over-year, reflecting continued efficiency even amid a surge in AI-related capital expenditures, as per the analyst.
Valuation remains a strong point, Anmuth noted. Alphabet shares are trading at roughly 18.3 times 2026 GAAP EPS and 16.3 times 2027 EPS, which the analyst sees as attractive given the company&#8217;s growth prospects. For 2027, the analyst projects GAAP EPS of $11.89, which supports the firm&#8217;s $232 price forecast based on a 19.5x multiple.
Alphabet is ranked as the analyst&#8217;s second-highest conviction pick behind Amazon.com (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), driven by several key tailwinds: sustained leadership in AI and generative search transition, healthy growth in core ad businesses such as Search and YouTube, accelerating demand and capacity expansion in Google Cloud, and improving margin performance despite increased capex and depreciation, he said.
Ultimately, while the legal overhang introduces short-term uncertainty, Anmuth argues that Alphabet remains one of the strongest long-term opportunities in large-cap tech. Any remedy-driven weakness in the stock could offer investors a compelling entry point, especially if the final ruling proves less punitive than feared, as per the analyst.
Price Action: GOOGL stock is down 0.74% at $191.71 at last check on Monday.
Read Next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46654514/alibabas-new-ai-glasses-let-you-pay-navigate-and-more" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alibaba&#8217;s New AI Glasses Let You Pay, Navigate, And More</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Reiteration

Google Parent Alphabet's Legal Woes May Create Buying Opportunity: Analyst

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>) shares have been under pressure since the second-quarter earnings with investors focusing on Judge Amit Mehta's impending decision on remedies for Google's search monopoly, according to JPMorgan.
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Check out <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings">other analyst stock ratings</a>.</li>
</ul>
The Alphabet Analyst: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/analyst/591479b8290fa7000138e4b4/doug-anmuth">Analyst Doug Anmuth</a> reiterated an Overweight rating and price target of $232.
The Alphabet Thesis: While the financial implications of the remedy are "difficult to predict," it will provide greater clarity, Anmuth said in the note.
While investors widely expect a negative outcome, the remedy could be "less punitive than expected," he added.
The outcome could be a prohibition of exclusionary practices and preloading of Google Search, the analyst stated.
"Regardless of the remedy, Google will immediately appeal the Judge's initial August 2024 monopoly ruling, and perhaps the remedy itself," he wrote.
Those possibilities outweigh the near-term risks, "which we believe could be a 5-10% headwind to GAAP EPS," Anmuth further stated.
Price Action: Shares of Alphabet had declined by 0.71% to $192.71 at the time of publication on Monday.
Read More: 
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/entertainment/25/07/46371957/netflixs-squid-game-reality-show-gets-season-2-date-4-56-million-prize-without-the-killing">Consumer Tech News (July 21–July 25): Big Tech Earnings, Pony AI Robotaxi, Tesla Discounts And More</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

Google Faces Judge's Ruling, But Relief May Be In Sight

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO Elon Musk's reaction to a video of Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) Waymo robotaxi has put the LiDAR vs Camera autonomous driving debate back at the forefront.
Check out the current price of<a href="https://benzinga.com/quote/tsla"> TSLA stock here</a>.
What Happened: The billionaire took to the social media platform X on Sunday, reacting to a video that showcases a Waymo robotaxi driving into a car on the street.
"But what do I know about technology," Musk said in the post. The billionaire had shared his response by quoting a post from X handle "@ray4tesla", which criticized LiDAR and hailed the camera-based FSD or Full Self-Driving system's tests in China.
<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">But what do I know about technology &#x1f937;&#x200d;&#x2642;&#xfe0f; <a href="https://t.co/Hn28BIpAD2">https://t.co/Hn28BIpAD2</a>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1949713654439407987?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Why It Matters: The comments come as Tesla's FSD has been under scrutiny by the NHTSA over <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/46067027/tesla-robotaxi-faces-nhtsa-scrutiny-over-traffic-violations-during-austin-launch">possible traffic violations</a> during last month's robotaxi launch in Austin.
The technology has also been under criticism following incidents where the occupants' safety was put in danger when a Tesla Model 3 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45945298/tesla-model-3-on-fsd-mode-struck-by-train-after-getting-trapped-on-railroad-tracks-report">was struck by a train</a> on the railroad track after getting stuck while on FSD.
Tesla also faces a lawsuit from California's DMV over <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46537614/elon-musks-tesla-could-lose-license-to-sell-cars-in-california-amid-autopilot-fsd-false-advertising-lawsuit-report">false advertising</a> of its Autopilot and FSD features, which could result in a 30-day suspension of its license to sell cars in the state.
In the midst of it all, Musk had shared with investors during the Q2 earnings call that he aims to serve over <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46594297/elon-musk-aims-to-deploy-robotaxis-to-serve-half-the-us-population-by-the-end-of-2025-targets-million-optimus-units-annually-as-fast-as-its-humanly-possible">half of the population</a> of the U.S. with Tesla Robotaxis by the end of the year.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="197" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/28050901/TSLA-JUL-28-2025-1-1024x197.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-1002897" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/28050901/TSLA-JUL-28-2025-1-1024x197.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/28050901/TSLA-JUL-28-2025-1-300x58.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/28050901/TSLA-JUL-28-2025-1-768x148.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/28050901/TSLA-JUL-28-2025-1-1536x295.jpg 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/28050901/TSLA-JUL-28-2025-1.jpg 1566w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></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>
Read Next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46594394/dan-ives-sees-1-trillion-potential-in-teslas-ai-ambitions-calls-elon-musks-ev-giant-best-physical-ai-play-alongside-nvidia">Dan Ives Sees $1 Trillion Potential In Tesla's AI Ambitions, Calls Elon Musk's EV Giant ‘Best Physical AI Play' Alongside Nvidia</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Elon Musk Reacts Sarcastically About LiDAR As Waymo Attempts Head-On Collision, Blocks Traffic: 'What Do I Know About Technology'

Meta Platforms Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) has announced a ban on political, electoral, and social issue advertising in the European Union (EU) due to the &#8220;unworkable requirements&#8221; of the new rules.
What Happened: Meta, the parent company of social media giants Facebook and Instagram, as well as messaging app WhatsApp, is set to implement the ban from October, <a href="https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20250725-meta-to-ban-political-ads-in-eu-due-to-bloc-s-unworkable-rules">reported</a> AFP. The new EU regulations, known as the Transparency and Targeting of Political Advertising (TTPA), are aimed at enhancing transparency in online advertising following the 2018 Cambridge Analytica scandal.
Check out the current price of&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/quote/META" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">META stock here</a>.
Meta CEO&nbsp;Mark Zuckerberg&nbsp;has been vocal about his discontent with the EU&#8217;s regulations, previously accusing the EU of &#8220;censorship&#8221; and equating fines to tariffs. The company is currently facing a 200-million-euro ($235-million) fine for violating personal data rules on Facebook and Instagram, with the possibility of additional daily penalties if changes are not made.
Meta is not alone in this move. Google (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) last year also revealed plans to block&nbsp;political advertising in the EU&nbsp;from October 2025 due to similar challenges and legal uncertainties.
SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46650830/donald-trump-announces-15-tariff-trade-agreement-with-eu-ending-months-of-trade-uncertainty" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Donald Trump Announces 15% Tariff Trade Agreement With EU, Ending Months Of Trade Uncertainty</a>
Why It Matters: This decision by Meta comes amid a series of regulatory challenges faced by the company in the EU. Earlier in July,&nbsp;Meta, along with other tech giants, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46536032/mark-zuckerbergs-meta-and-elon-musks-x-fight-back-against-efforts-by-italy-to-tax-free-access-to-social-media-in-exchange-for-users-personal-data">fought back</a> against a tax case in Italy&nbsp;that could alter how digital services are taxed across the EU. 
Additionally, WhatsApp, owned by Meta, was warned of a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46492350/russian-lawmaker-says-whatsapp-should-prepare-to-leave-amid-push-for-state-backed-messaging-app">potential exit </a>from the Russian market due to national security concerns. These instances highlight the increasing regulatory scrutiny faced by Meta in the region.
Furthermore, the EU&#8217;s stringent regulations have not only affected Meta but also other tech companies. For instance,&nbsp;Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) was expected to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46565660/apple-set-to-dodge-over-50-million-in-daily-eu-fines-with-app-store-overhaul-opening-door-to-cheaper-developer-payments-report">dodge daily </a>EU fines&nbsp;by accepting changes to its App Store rules and fees. This growing regulatory pressure on tech companies in the EU could potentially reshape the digital landscape in the region.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="787" height="138" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/28054138/image-424.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1002946" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/28054138/image-424.png 787w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/28054138/image-424-300x53.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/28054138/image-424-768x135.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 787px) 100vw, 787px" /></figure>
Benzinga&#8217;s Edge Rankings place Amazon in the 90th percentile for quality and the 93rd percentile for growth, reflecting strong performance in both areas. Check the detailed report&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.&nbsp;
READ MORE:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46647034/mark-zuckerberg-names-openai-veteran-shengjia-zhao-as-chief-scientist-of-meta-superintelligence-labs">Mark Zuckerberg Names OpenAI Veteran Shengjia Zhao As Chief Scientist Of Meta Superintelligence Labs </a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Mark Zuckerberg's Meta Shuts Down EU Political Ads On Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp — Calls New Rules 'Unworkable'

YouTube cofounder Steve Chen warned parents against allowing children to consume only short-form content, citing concerns about diminishing attention spans and addictive design elements that could impact cognitive development.
What Happened: &#8220;I don&#8217;t know if I want my kids to be watching like short-form content as their only way and they can&#8217;t be able to watch something that&#8217;s more than 15 minutes in length,&#8221; Chen said during a Stanford Business School talk published Friday. 
The former Chief Technology Officer helped launch YouTube in 2005 before Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) owned Google acquired the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/10/41616337/google-bought-youtube-for-1-65b-and-now-it-prints-50b-in-revenue-just-in-1-year-sundar-pich">platform for $1.65 billion in 2006</a>.
Chen&#8217;s comments carry significant weight as YouTube now generates $50 billion in combined <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/10/41616337/google-bought-youtube-for-1-65b-and-now-it-prints-50b-in-revenue-just-in-1-year-sundar-pich">advertising and subscription revenue</a>, representing a massive return on Google&#8217;s initial investment. The platform competes directly with TikTok and Meta Platforms Inc.&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) Instagram Reels for user engagement.
&#8220;I think TikTok is entertainment, but it&#8217;s purely entertainment,&#8221; said Chen, who moved to Taiwan in 2019. &#8220;Just shorter form content equates to shorter attention spans.&#8221;
During the talk, Chen mentioned that some parents are intentionally steering their children toward long-form content while avoiding videos with flashy visuals and &#8220;addictive eyeballs,&#8221; recognizing how easily such content can get kids hooked.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46654181/alibaba-cloud-pioneer-says-he-doesnt-like-agi-asi-classifications-it-just-means-you-get-more-capability-thats-it">Alibaba Cloud Pioneer Says He Doesn&#8217;t Like AGI, ASI Classifications: &#8216;It Just Means You Get More Capability. That&#8217;s It&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: A 2022 survey shows that Gen Z users spend over <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/22/12/30065546/gen-z-users-want-short-form-content-spend-4-hours-on-social-media-daily-like-superheroes-wh">four hours daily on social media</a>, with 71% preferring content under 30 minutes. 
Chen suggested implementing age-based daily access restrictions, noting the &#8220;delicate balance between what is going to get users&#8217; eyes and what&#8217;s going to monetize more versus what is actually useful.&#8221;
His warnings come as Amazon.com Inc.&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) Twitch <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38541148/amazons-twitch-launches-short-form-video-platform-to-challenge-tiktok-as-chinese-platforms-future-re">launched short-form features in 2024</a> and TikTok faces U.S. regulatory challenges, creating market opportunities for established players like YouTube to capture shifting user <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/social-media/25/07/46310388/kevin-oleary-torpedoes-trumps-tiktok-deal-claim-we-dont-have-a-seller">engagement patterns</a>.
Read Next:
<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/education/25/07/46652824/mark-cuban-says-its-not-the-students-at-fault-but-the-school-if-answers-can-be-generated-with-ai-kids-take-path-of-least-resistance">Mark Cuban Says It&#8217;s Not The Students At Fault But The School If Answers Can Be Generated With AI: Kids Take &#8216;Path Of Least Resistance&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock.com

Social Media

YouTube Cofounder Says He May Not Want His Kids Watching Only Shorts, Reels Or TikTok—Warns Of 'Addictive Eyeballs,' Shrinking Attention Spans

Small Cap

Press Releases

Quantum Threats Are Accelerating -- These Companies Are Preparing for the Shift

DeepSeek Challenges U.S. Tech Giants with Cost-Effective AI Models

Google's New Quantum Chip Raises Cryptocurrency Security Concerns

BetterInvesting™ Magazine Update on Facebook (NASDAQ: META) and Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ: GOOG)

New Advances in Healthcare AI Could Unlock Billions in Market Opportunity

ADL and JLens Urge Shareholders of Alphabet Inc. to Vote AGAINST Anti-Israel Shareholder Proposal

Global AI In Cybersecurity Market Expected to Reach $219 Billion By 2034 as Frequency of Cyber Threats Increase

New Healthcare AI Models Could Reshape Everything From Burnout to Diagnostics

Smart Healthcare Is Taking Over. Here's Where the Money's Headed

$BTC

AMST

AVAI

CLOV

CSE:SCPE

CYBR

CYCU

FFIV

GEHC

OMDA

ORCL

PANW

RENB

SCPCF

TREN

WKEY

Autohome Inc. American Depositary Shares, each representing four class A ordinary shares.

Autohome

Baidu, Inc. - American Depositary Shares, each representing 8 ordinary share

Baidu

Bilibili Inc. - American Depositary Shares

Bilibili

KANZHUN LIMITED - American Depository Shares

Kanzhun

CarGurus

Trump Media & Technology Group Corp. - Common Stock

Trump Media & Tech Gr

Trump Media & Technology Group Corp. - Warrants

Grindr

ZoomInfo Technologies Inc. - Common Stock

ZoomInfo Technologies

JOYY

Hello Group Inc. - American Depositary Shares

Hello Gr

Match Group

Pinterest

Reddit

Rumble

Snap

Tripadvisor

Weibo Corporation - American Depositary Shares

Weibo

WEBTOON Entertainment Inc. - Common stock

Webtoon Entertainment

Yalla Group Limited American Depositary Shares, each representing one Class A Ordinary Share

Yalla Group

Yelp

Ziff Davis

Raymond James

Oppenheimer

JP Morgan

Scotiabank

Screenshot 2025-07-24 at 8.22.27 PM

Coverage of Bitcoin, Etherum, Ripple and all the latest digital currencies.

Cryptocurrency

Commodities

No Longer Just An Institutional Darling: Uranium.io Allows Direct Investment In Uranium For Retail Traders

Screenshot 2025-06-05 at 8.26.45 PM

URNJ

URNM

Uranium&#39;s Resurgence: Structural Shifts And Federal Initiative Are Powering A Long-Term Energy Narrative

Vatom Is Part Of The Revolution Redefining The Future Of Immersive Technology

Screenshot 2025-02-20 at 7.39.13 PM

Sports Betting

SRAD

Betting On The Future: How Sportradar Merges Sports, AI And Fan Engagement

Screenshot 2025-01-03 at 6.21.37 PM

Movers & Shakers

RZLV

Rezolve Ai&#39;s Recent Deals With Microsoft, Google Could Jumpstart Its Revenues In $7.6 Billion Market

Screenshot 2025-01-02 at 6.35.01 PM

Emerging Markets

HIVE

HIVE Digital (Nasdaq: HIVE) Makes AI Push With $30 Million Nvidia (Nasdaq: NVDA) Chip Investment

Screenshot 2024-12-19 at 9.44.18 PM

Fintech news covering the emerging Financial Technology services sector

Fintech

DELL

QRL To Join Visa, IBM, Amazon Web Services And Other Cybersecurity Leaders At PKI Consortium&#39;s Post-Quantum Cryptography Conference 2025

Screenshot 2024-11-26 at 6.31.26 PM

BWXT

OKLO

Amazon, Google And Microsoft Bet Big On Nuclear: AI&#39;s Growing Energy Demands Fuel New Projects

Screenshot 2024-10-16 at 6.31.12 PM

Quantum Resistant Ledger (QRL) Strikes Key Industry Partnerships, Fortifying Its Position As Quantum Computing Era Nears

Screenshot 2024-08-26 at 7.19.14 PM

FEPI

NVDQ

ETF Opportunities Trust T-Rex 2X Long NVIDIA Daily Target ETF

NVDX

Nvidia Is Up Over 150% YTD, But Some Are Flagging Risks – Trade Your Expectation Either Way With REX Shares Leveraged ETFs

Comments

Alphabet

Alphabet (GOOG) Opciones

Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG) Bolsa, Cadena de Opciones

Noticias

SOCIO/CONTRIBUIDOR

BENZINGA GLOBAL