Alphabet Option Alert: Jan, 2027 $190 Puts at the Ask: 350 vs 741 OI

Alphabet Option Alert: Jan, 2027 $190 Puts at the Ask: 350 @ $26.75 vs 741 OI; Ref=$184.52

Alphabet Option Alert: Jan, 2027 $190 Puts at the Ask: 1000 vs 741 OI

Alphabet Option Alert: Jan, 2027 $190 Puts at the Ask: 1000 @ $26.75 vs 741 OI; Ref=$184.49

Alphabet Option Alert: Apr 17 $185 Puts at the Bid: 700 vs 5435 OI

Alphabet Option Alert: Apr 17 $185 Puts at the Bid: 700 @ $7.3 vs 5435 OI; Ref=$183.85

Alphabet Option Alert: Jan, 2027 $150 Calls at the Bid: 146 vs 762 OI

Alphabet Option Alert: Jan, 2027 $150 Calls at the Bid: 146 @ $56.3 vs 762 OI; Ref=$183.9295

Alphabet Option Alert: Jan, 2027 $150 Calls Sweep (12) near the Ask: 200 vs 762 OI

Alphabet Option Alert: Jan, 2027 $150 Calls Sweep (12) near the Ask: 200 @ $56.3 vs 762 OI; Ref=$183.91

Alphabet Option Alert: Jan, 2027 $150 Calls Sweep (14) near the Ask: 180 vs 762 OI

Alphabet Option Alert: Jan, 2027 $150 Calls Sweep (14) near the Ask: 180 @ $56.299 vs 762 OI; Ref=$183.98

Alphabet Option Alert: Jan, 2027 $150 Calls Sweep (5) near the Ask: 200 vs 762 OI

Alphabet Option Alert: Jan, 2027 $150 Calls Sweep (5) near the Ask: 200 @ $56.2 vs 762 OI; Ref=$183.95

Alphabet Option Alert: Jan 16 $150 Calls Sweep (5) near the midpoint: 110 vs 12112 OI

Alphabet Option Alert: Jan 16 $150 Calls Sweep (5) near the midpoint: 110 @ $45.75 vs 12112 OI; Ref=$184.57

Alphabet Option Alert: Jan, 2027 $130 Puts at the Bid: 2000 vs 2250 OI

Alphabet Option Alert: Jan, 2027 $130 Puts at the Bid: 2000 @ $6.25 vs 2250 OI; Ref=$182.57

Alphabet Option Alert: Apr 17 $100 Calls Sweep (3) near the Ask: 70 vs 27 OI

Alphabet Option Alert: Apr 17 $100 Calls Sweep (3) near the Ask: 70 @ $84.81 vs 27 OI; Ref=$183.95

Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) Bolsa

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.

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La última inversión en Anthropic ha consolidado su posición en la IA generativa y ha impulsado su valoración a niveles históricos.

Anthropic crece con Amazon y Google: nueva financiación y ejecutivos ahora son multimillonarios

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Rigetti Computing busca competir con IBM y Google en computación cuántica, apostando por su enfoque modular y nuevos desarrollos en 2025.

Rigetti Computing (RGTI) se compara con IBM y Google y apunta a 100 cúbits en 2025

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Las acciones tecnológicas caen en 2025, pero ¿es un rebote técnico o una tendencia a largo plazo? Descubre qué dice este analista.

Las acciones tecnológicas caen en 2025: ¿Es el momento perfecto para comprar antes del rebote?

Alphabet Inc

Only Meta Platforms Inc. has outperformed the S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq 100 indices in 2025 because it is &#8220;less leveraged,&#8221; as compared to the other &#8216;Magnificent 7&#8217; stocks, explains an analyst.
While Meta, led by Mark Zuckerberg, continues to be an investor favorite, it is also undervalued as compared to its peers.
What Happened: The high interest rate environment in 2025 has kept the technology mega caps under pressure, according to John Murillo, the chief dealing officer at B2BROKER.
&#8220;Many tech companies, especially those with high leverage, are particularly susceptible to changes in interest rates,&#8221; said Murillo, adding that the Federal Reserve's current stance has been impacting these companies' profitability and valuations.
He also highlights that the current U.S. administration's tariff policies, particularly targeting China, have created uncertainties in global trade, risking increasing costs for tech companies and affecting their earnings.
Thus, investors have grown increasingly skeptical about the high-tech index&#8217;s performance in 2025 due to a weaker guidance amid high interest rates and an inflationary push from Donald Trump's tariff policy, according to Murillo.
&#8220;Currently investors favor less leveraged tech stocks like Meta, bearing in mind that loan paybacks can significantly eat into their net profits,&#8221; he said.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/03/44159401/rigetti-claims-leadership-in-quantum-computing-race-aims-to-scale-to-100-qubits-as-it-looks-to-catch-up-with-ibm-google">Rigetti Asserts &#8216;Leadership&#8217; In Quantum Computing Race, Aims To Scale To 100 Qubits As It Looks To Catch Up With IBM, Google</a>
Why It Matters: Meta is up 4.41% on a year-to-date basis, whereas the exchange-traded fund tracking S&amp;P 500 index, SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) was down 1.49%. Also, Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), tracking the Nasdaq 100 declined 3.61% in the same period.
According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data, Meta&#8217;s long term debt stood at $28.826 billion but it has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.269, implying its strength to service its debts.
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Stocks</td>
<td>Long Term Debt</td>
<td>Debt-To-Equity Ratio</td>
<td>YTD Performance</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>)</td>
<td>$8.463 Billion</td>
<td>0.129</td>
<td>-18.52%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>)</td>
<td>$83.956 Billion</td>
<td>1.45</td>
<td>-1.96%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>)</td>
<td>$39.722 Billion</td>
<td>0.206</td>
<td>-6.04%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>)</td>
<td>$52.623 Billion</td>
<td>0.458</td>
<td>-9.52%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>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>)</td>
<td>$10.833 Billion</td>
<td>0.078</td>
<td>-7.81%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>)</td>
<td>$28.826 Billion</td>
<td>0.269</td>
<td>4.41%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>)</td>
<td>$5.535 Billion</td>
<td>2.025</td>
<td>-30.75%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Source: <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a></figcaption></figure>
Elon Musk&#8216;s Tesla, on the other hand, has underperformed the most in 2025, falling 30.75% since the start of the year.
Price Action: Meta closed 0.36% lower at $625.66 on Friday. Over the last one year, the stock rose by 29.38%.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/META/analyst-ratings">Benzinga tracks 43 analysts</a> with an average price target of $731.76 for the stock, reflecting a "buy" rating. Estimates range widely from $575 to $935. Recent ratings from Tigress Financial, UBS, and Citigroup average at $833.67, suggesting a potential 35.34% upside.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/META/analyst-ratings"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="383" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/10044120/Meta-Platforms-ANR-1024x383.png" alt="" class="wp-image-816095" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/10044120/Meta-Platforms-ANR-1024x383.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/10044120/Meta-Platforms-ANR-300x112.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/10044120/Meta-Platforms-ANR-768x287.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/10044120/Meta-Platforms-ANR.png 1062w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>
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Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Mark Zuckerberg's Meta Platforms A Lucrative Bet As 'Investors Favor Less Leveraged Tech Stocks,' Says Expert Amid Mag7's 2025 Underperformance

On Thursday, the House Judiciary Committee subpoenaed 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>), the parent company of Google, which owns YouTube, demanding it turn over communications with the executive branch regarding content moderation and alleged government pressure to censor speech.
What Happened: House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) issued the subpoena requesting Alphabet's internal communications with the current and previous administrations, as well as with third-party groups working with the federal government, <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/technology/5180818-jim-jordan-alphabet-subpoena-communications-biden-administration/">reported</a> The Hill.
"The Committee's oversight has revealed that YouTube, a subsidiary of Alphabet, was a direct participant in the federal government's censorship regime," Jordan wrote in a letter to Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai.
Jordan cited emails between Google and the White House in 2021 concerning COVID-19 misinformation, stating that government officials pressured tech platforms to remove certain content.
He argued that the subpoena was necessary to help develop legislation limiting the executive branch's ability to influence content decisions on social media platforms.
Google spokesperson José Castañeda responded, stating, "We will continue to show the committee how we enforce our policies independently, rooted in our commitment to free expression."
Last year, Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) CEO Mark Zuckerberg revealed that during the COVID-19 pandemic, his company experienced <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/08/40575260/mark-zuckerberg-reveals-biden-administration-pressured-meta-platforms-to-censor-certain-covid-19-">pressure from top officials</a> in the Joe Biden administration to restrict certain content on its platforms.
Zuckerberg also stated that he would oppose any similar pressures in the future.
"Alphabet, to our knowledge, has not similarly disavowed the Biden-Harris Administration's attempts to censor speech," Jordan said in his letter on Thursday.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/03/44135027/googles-chrome-changes-disable-ublock-origin-for-even-more-users-can-you-still-block-ads" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Google's Chrome Changes Disable uBlock Origin For Even More Users —Can You Still Block Ads?</a>
Why It's Important: The subpoena issued to Alphabet is part of a broader scrutiny of tech companies&#8217; relationships with the government.
Earlier this year, Meta also decided to shift toward a Community Notes-style content moderation system, resembling the method used by Elon Musk&#8217;s X, formerly Twitter.
The transition was viewed as part of big tech companies' attempt to build ties with the Donald Trump administration. For instance, several major U.S. corporations including Meta, Target Corp, and McDonald's have <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/news/25/01/43214683/target-ends-dei-program-following-trumps-call-to-eliminate-illegal-preferences-expert-calls-it-brand-suicide-for-retail-giant-with-diverse-customer-base">ended their diversity, equity, and inclusion</a> (DEI) program following former Trump&#8217;s call to eliminate &#8220;illegal preferences.&#8221;&nbsp;
Meanwhile, the Justice Department has also <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">intensified its call to break up</a> Alphabet Inc.&#8217;s Google, advocating for the sale of Chrome and imposing limits on its search operations.
Price Action: At the time of writing, Alphabet&#8217;s Class A shares dipped 0.086% in after-hours trading to $173.71, while Class C shares fell 0.023% to $175.71. During Friday&#8217;s regular session, Class A shares closed 0.88% higher at $173.86, and Class C shares rose 0.88% to $175.75, according to <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/lxquj26b2sag">Benzinga Pro data</a>.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43221770/apples-ipad-turns-15-today-heres-a-throwback-to-when-steve-jobs-explained-called-it-the-third-category-after-phones-and-notebooks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple&#8217;s iPad Turns 15 Today: Here&#8217;s A Throwback To When Steve Jobs Explained Called It The ‘Third Category&#8217; After Phones And Notebooks</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Media

Google Faces Congressional Scrutiny As House Panel Demands Internal Communications On Government Pressure: 'YouTube… Was A Direct Participant In The Federal Government's Censorship Regime'

The Justice Department has doubled down on its demand to break up 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, pushing for the sale of Chrome and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/08/40475379/alphabets-google-faces-revived-chrome-lawsuit-after-appeals-court-ruling">restrictions on its search</a> business.
What Happened: In a court filing on Friday, the Justice Department reaffirmed its call for Google to divest Chrome and end its exclusive search engine deals with Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), Mozilla, and smartphone manufacturers.
"Google's illegal conduct has created an economic goliath, one that wreaks havoc over the marketplace to ensure that—no matter what occurs—Google always wins," the filing stated.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/03/44135027/googles-chrome-changes-disable-ublock-origin-for-even-more-users-can-you-still-block-ads">Google&#8217;s Chrome Changes Disable uBlock Origin For Even More Users —Can You Still Block Ads?</a>
The push follows a landmark ruling by Judge Amit P. Mehta last year, which found that Google illegally maintained a monopoly by paying billions to remain the default search engine on popular browsers and devices.
Google, which has appealed the ruling, argued that its search dominance is due to superior technology rather than anticompetitive behavior.
Judge Mehta will preside over a two-week hearing in April to determine how Google must comply with the ruling—potentially reshaping the future of Big Tech regulation.
Why It's Important: The Justice Department's decision to stand by its proposal to fundamentally reshape the operations of a $2 trillion company marks one of the first clear indications of how the new administration may approach tech regulation.
The proposed remedies—among the most significant in a tech monopoly case since the DOJ sought to break up Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) in 2000—could offer insight into how President Donald Trump's appointees will handle a series of high-stakes antitrust battles against Silicon Valley's biggest players, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/technology/trump-google-search-antitrust.html">reported</a> the New York Times.
The Justice Department has already taken legal action against Google over its dominance in digital advertising, with a ruling still pending.
It has also filed a lawsuit against Apple, arguing that the company's tightly integrated ecosystem makes it difficult for consumers to switch to rival products.
Meanwhile, the Federal Trade Commission is preparing to take Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) to trial in April, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/11/42177636/meta-heads-to-trial-over-instagram-whatsapp-acquisitions">alleging that its acquisitions</a> of Instagram and WhatsApp stifled competition.
The agency has also sued Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), accusing the e-commerce giant of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/09/41108210/amazon-secures-partial-victory-over-ftc-in-monopoly-case-trial-split-into-two-by-judge">illegally maintaining its dominance</a> in online retail.
Price Action: At the time of writing, Alphabet's Class A shares edged down 0.086% in after-hours trading to $173.71, while Class C shares slipped 0.023% to $175.71. Earlier, during Friday's regular trading session, Class A shares closed 0.88% higher at $173.86, with Class C shares also gaining 0.88% to reach $175.75, according to <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/lxquj26b2sag">Benzinga Pro data</a>.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43221770/apples-ipad-turns-15-today-heres-a-throwback-to-when-steve-jobs-explained-called-it-the-third-category-after-phones-and-notebooks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple's iPad Turns 15 Today: Here's A Throwback To When Steve Jobs Explained Called It The ‘Third Category' After Phones And Notebooks</a></li>
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Legal

Google's Monopoly Fight Just Got More Intense: Justice Department Reaffirms Plan To Split Up The Tech Giant In Historic Antitrust Battle

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) has confirmed that its highly anticipated Siri upgrade, including AI-powered personalization and contextual awareness, has been delayed and will <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39665558/apples-most-awaited-siri-ai-upgrade-will-not-come-until-2025-report">roll out later than expected</a>.
What Happened: On Friday, an Apple spokesperson Jacqueline Roy confirmed the delay in a <a href="https://daringfireball.net/2025/03/apple_is_delaying_the_more_personalized_siri_apple_intelligence_features">statement</a> to Daring Fireball.
"We've also been working on a more personalized Siri, giving it more awareness of your personal context, as well as the ability to take action for you within and across your apps. It's going to take us longer than we thought to deliver on these features, and we anticipate rolling them out in the coming year," Roy stated.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/03/44133360/apple-challenges-uks-backdoor-order-in-landmark-legal-case-after-trump-compares-directive-to-china-style-surveillance-report">Apple Challenges UK&#8217;s &#8216;Backdoor&#8217; Order In Landmark Legal Case After Trump Compares Directive To China-Style Surveillance: Report</a>
Why It's Important: Apple <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/large-cap/23/06/32721949/apple-unveils-ios-17-and-ipados-17-at-wwdc-2023-introduces-new-standby-mode-and-more">originally promised</a> at WWDC 2023 that the upgraded Siri would launch over the next year. The new features were expected this spring, but internal testing revealed significant issues.
According to Bloomberg columnist Mark Gurman, Apple executives, including Craig Federighi, expressed concerns that the features didn't work properly in testing.
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.
Some within Apple's AI division reportedly fear the work may need to be scrapped and rebuilt from scratch.
This setback comes as 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 and Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) aggressively expand their AI-powered voice assistants.
With AI assistants becoming a major battleground, Apple risks falling behind if it cannot deliver a more intelligent, conversational Siri—which, according to Gurman, <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/tech/25/03/44068020/apples-ai-crisis-falling-behind-in-the-ai-race">may not arrive until</a> iOS 20 at best.
Price Action: Apple&#8217;s stock closed at $239.07 on Friday, rising 1.54%. However, it dipped 0.18% in after-hours trading. Year to date, AAPL is down 1.96%, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro data</a>.
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>.
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Apple Delays Next-Gen Siri: 'It's Going To Take Us Longer Than We Thought' To Deliver AI Upgrades

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 is experimenting with a new look for Gboard on Android, introducing circular and pill-shaped keys that are currently rolling out to some beta testers.
What Happened: A Gboard beta update (version 15.1) on Thursday introduced a major visual redesign, replacing the traditional rounded rectangular keys with fully circular keys for letters and pill-shaped keys for the space bar and function buttons, <a href="https://9to5google.com/2025/03/06/gboard-circle-keys/">reported</a> 9To5Google.
The new design offers a more modern, rounded aesthetic, but some users have noted that it feels more cramped, especially for those who use the &#8220;Long press for symbols&#8221; feature.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/startups/25/02/43681931/googles-ai-ambitions-spark-cost-cuts-over-25000-employees-offered-buyouts-as-company-focuses-on-speed-and-efficiency">Google&#8217;s AI Ambitions Spark Cost Cuts – Over 25,000 Employees Offered Buyouts as Company Focuses on &#8216;Speed and Efficiency&#8217;</a>
The shift moves Gboard further away from the square key design found on most physical keyboards, aligning it more with touch-friendly mobile UI trends.
This update follows Google&#8217;s simplification of Dynamic Color theming and changes to the shortcut button in the suggestion strip. The new key shapes are currently limited to select beta users, and it's unclear if or when Google will roll them out widely.
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's Important: Gboard is one of the most widely used smartphone keyboards, and even small design tweaks impact millions of users.
This change reflects Google&#8217;s push toward a more modern and touch-optimized UI, but whether users will embrace the rounded keys remains to be seen.
For those who dislike the new look, Google still allows users to disable key borders in Gboard Settings &gt; Theme.
Price Action: Alphabet Inc. Class A closed at $172.35 on Thursday, down 0.39%, but rose to $173.26 in pre-market trading on Friday. Class C finished at $174.21, down 0.45%, before climbing to $175.10 in pre-market Friday, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro data</a>.
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>.
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/44031714/google-implements-layoffs-in-hr-and-cloud-divisions-as-ai-investment-accelerates-report">Google Implements Layoffs In HR And Cloud Divisions As AI Investment Accelerates: Report</a></li>
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Google Is Testing Circular And Pill-Shaped Gboard Keys: But Do You Actually Want Them?

Former Google CEO&nbsp;Eric Schmidt, Scale AI CEO&nbsp;Alexandr Wang,&nbsp;and Center for AI Safety&nbsp;Director&nbsp;Dan Hendrycks&nbsp;have issued a warning against a global race to develop superintelligent AI.
What Happened: The trio, in a paper titled &#8220;Superintelligence Strategy,&#8221; expressed concerns over the U.S. government&#8217;s potential pursuit&nbsp;of artificial general intelligence (AGI)&nbsp;in a manner akin to the Manhattan Project. The experts worry that such a race could trigger dangerous global conflicts, reminiscent of the nuclear arms race.
"What begins as a push for a superweapon and global control risks prompting hostile countermeasures and escalating tensions, thereby undermining the very stability the strategy purports to secure,&#8221; wrote the co-authors in the paper.
The authors argue for a cautious approach to AI development, rather than a competition to surpass global rivals. They introduce&nbsp;a unique concept—Mutual Assured AI&nbsp;Malfunction (MAIM)—inspired by the nuclear arms race&#8217;s Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD). The paper also recommends that nations participate in nonproliferation efforts and deterrence strategies,&nbsp;akin to their approach with nuclear weapons.
SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44176616/trump-vs-musk-tesla-to-be-hurt-by-tariffs-on-mexico-despite-friendship">Trump Vs. Musk: Tesla To Be Hurt By Tariffs On Mexico Despite Friendship</a>
Why It Matters: Schmidt&#8217;s concerns were amplified by President Donald Trump&#8216;s announcement in February of a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/startups/25/02/43420092/as-easy-as-it-can-be-trump-promises-ai-giants-support-with-500b-investment-plan-how-does-it-compare-with-deepseek" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$500 billion investment</a> in AI, dubbed the &#8216;Stargate Project.&#8217; The Trump administration even reversed AI regulations implemented by the previous administration.
Even on earlier occasions, Schmidt <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/02/43683647/ex-google-ceo-eric-schmidt-warns-if-west-doesnt-get-its-act-together-on-open-source-ai-china-will-become-the-leader-if-we-dont-do-something">cautioned</a> about the West&#8217;s need to prioritize a combination of open and closed-source AI models to prevent China from taking the lead. Notably, OpenAI&#8217;s GPT-4, Alphabet Inc.&#8217;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 Gemini, and Anthropic&#8217;s Claude are closed-source.
In a sharp contrast to Schmidt, Vice President, JD Vance stated "We believe that excessive regulation of the AI sector could kill a transformative industry just as it&#8217;s taking off.&#8221; Interestingly, the U.S. and the U.K. also stayed away from signing <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/02/43646841/us-and-uk-did-not-sign-ai-safety-pact-at-paris-summitvice-president-jd-vance-says-excessive-regulation-could-kill-the-industry" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">a global AI safety declaration</a>&nbsp;at the AI Action Summit in Paris in February. 
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/03/44170204/vladimir-putin-said-nobody-can-ban-bitcoin-but-russia-isnt-looking-to-follow-donald-trumps-push-for-a-crypto-reserve">Vladimir Putin Said &#8216;Nobody Can Ban Bitcoin,&#8217; But Russia Isn&#8217;t Looking To Follow Donald Trump&#8217;s Push For A Crypto Reserve</a>
Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt Warns Of Nuclear-Level Risks In Global Superintelligent AI Race: 'What Begins As A Push For A Superweapon...'

Larry Page, the co-founder of 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>), the holding company for Google, is reportedly building a new AI-powered startup, Dynatomics.
What Happened: Page is working with a small team of engineers on AI-driven technology that can generate highly optimized product designs and have them manufactured in factories, <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/06/google-co-founder-larry-page-reportedly-has-a-new-ai-startup/?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAM8uQdkyfxfUnv3ZNiMkZFb8gCkwNwpdeTZvBxaWZ7aPPKX-vkILxZe6XBV_FCfvu1fhwUGnmDPyNBn-W3qBJAsRl6SJ3rOw8nNw49u0UH4hWXRpnrphBXawcYQvi4AHmZW7yjZ_GtFO6kXxBmPtdPZkxcpMC3iTYtdVSreMzoEA">reported</a> TechCrunch, <a href="http://theinformation.com/articles/larry-page-has-a-new-ai-startup (opens in a new tab)">citing</a> The Information.
The stealth startup is being led by Chris Anderson, the former CTO of Page-backed electric airplane company Kittyhawk.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/11/42154628/larry-page-google-co-founder-said-hed-leave-his-fortune-to-elon-musk-over-charity-because-of-his-plans-to-go-to-mars-to-back-up-humanity">Larry Page, Google Co-Founder, Said He&#8217;d Leave His Fortune To Elon Musk Over Charity Because Of His Plans &#8216;To Go To Mars To Back Up Humanity&#8217;</a>
The startup's goal is to streamline product development by leveraging AI to create designs that maximize efficiency, durability, and functionality.
While details remain scarce, Dynatomics is expected to focus on automating and enhancing the manufacturing process across industries.
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's Important: Page's initiative follows a growing trend of AI-driven manufacturing innovation. Other startups, such as Orbital Materials and PhysicsX, are already exploring AI applications in material discovery and engineering simulations.
The Google co-founder currently has a net worth of $156 billion, making him the eighth wealthiest person in the world, according to Bloomberg Billionaires <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/">Index</a>.
Most of Page&#8217;s wealth comes from his stake in Alphabet. He holds Class B and C shares, owning around 6% of the company, based on its 2024 proxy and an April 2022 filing.
Photo Courtesy: Jakub Krechowicz On Shutterstock.com
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;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:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38849496/elon-musk-recalls-breaking-friendship-with-googles-larry-page-over-ilya-sutskever-linchpin-for-opena">Elon Musk Recalls Breaking Friendship With Google&#8217;s Larry Page Over Ilya Sutskever: &#8216;Linchpin For OpenAI Being Successful&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with&nbsp;the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was&nbsp;reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Google Co-Founder Larry Page's New AI Startup Could Change How Humans Make Things Forever: Report

On Thursday, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) called out five tech giants, alleging they could gain $75 billion in tax benefits due to their close ties with the Trump administration.
What Happened: In a post on X, Warren pointed out that Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</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>) could benefit significantly from tax cuts proposed by the Trump administration. She urged for transparency in the lobbying efforts of these companies and their potential impact on executive compensation.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Tesla, Amazon, Meta, Apple, and Alphabet could rake in $75 billion of tax giveaways after cozying up to the Trump administration. Let's find out how much they spent lobbying for this potential windfall. And let's find out how it could affect their executive compensation. <a href="https://t.co/uJFgkTsLUt">https://t.co/uJFgkTsLUt</a>
&mdash; Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) <a href="https://twitter.com/ewarren/status/1897800449564328269?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Warren is pressing the CEOs of major tech firms on their lobbying efforts to restore an immediate R&amp;D tax deduction, which could be worth $75 billion retroactively. She wants details on their spending, political donations, and plans for the funds, with a response due by March 19, according to Semafor. Warren shared her letters to the likes of Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos with the publication.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/03/44156631/elon-musks-doge-team-has-door-slammed-on-it-at-africa-aid-agency-amid-raging-turf-war">Elon Musk&#8217;s DOGE Team Has Door Slammed On It At Africa Aid Agency Amid Raging Turf War</a>
Why It Matters: This comes in the wake of Trump&#8217;s proposed tax plan, which could reduce federal revenue by $5 trillion to $11.2 trillion over the next decade, according to estimates from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget. Critics warn that this could lead to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/02/44063509/trumps-5-trillion-to-11-trillion-tax-plan-a-boost-for-growth-or-a-path-to-unprecedented-debt">severe fiscal consequences</a>, particularly in regard to rising national debt.
The Trump administration&#8217;s tax reduction plans have been <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43774882/donald-trumps-tax-cut-could-add-46-trillion-to-deficit-says-robert-reich-emphasizing-48-billion-relief-for-top-100-us-firms-via-corporate-tax-cuts">criticized as a &#8220;shameless giveaway&#8221; </a>that could increase the deficit by $4.6 trillion. The potential tax cuts for wealthy individuals and lower corporate tax rates are likely to widen the U.S. trade deficit. The top 100 firms in the U.S. could see a tax relief of $48 billion, as per former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich.
Image via Shutterstock
Did You Know?
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<li>Congress Is Making Huge Investments. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/gov-trades">Get Tips On What They Bought And Sold Ahead Of The 2024 Election With Our Easy-to-Use Tool</a></li>
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This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/shivdeep-dhaliwal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shivdeep Dhaliwal</a>

Politics

General

Elizabeth Warren Wants To Know From Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg And Jeff Bezos How Much They Spent Lobbying For 'Potential Windfall' — Accuses Tech Giants Of 'Cozying Up' Up To Trump Administration

<a href="https://www.semafor.com/article/03/06/2025/house-republicans-subpoena-google-and-youtube-parent" title="https://www.semafor.com/article/03/06/2025/house-republicans-subpoena-google-and-youtube-parent">https://www.semafor.com/article/03/06/2025/house-republicans-subpoena-google-and-youtube-parent</a>

'House Republicans Subpoena Google And YouTube Parent' - Semafor

Google Cloud, SLB And Project Innerspace Collaborate To Drive Adoption Og Geothermal Energy

Good Morning Traders! In today&#8217;s Market Clubhouse Morning Memo, we will discuss SPY, QQQ, AAPL, MSFT, NVDA, GOOGL, META, and TSLA.
Our proprietary formula, exclusive to Market Clubhouse, dictates these price levels. This dynamic equation takes into account price, volume, and options flow. These levels are updated every day and shared with all Clubhouse Members, prior to the opening of the market.
We recommend closely monitoring these stocks, and be prepared to leverage potential breakouts or reversals. As always, stay alert and ready to adjust your tactics based on the market&#8217;s pulse to optimize your trading gains. Now, let&#8217;s dive into the stock analysis:
SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>)
SPY is currently trading around our key level of 576.62. Bulls need to maintain support at this level to push higher toward 577.87. If buyers can establish 577.87 as a solid floor, we anticipate a move to 579.12. Should momentum persist, the next upside target would be 580.67, with the potential to extend toward 600.51 if buying remains aggressive.
If SPY fails to hold 576.62, sellers may test the strength of 575.67. Continued weakness could drive the auction lower to 574.65. If that level gives way under sustained selling, the next key downside area is 573.50, with a potential drop to 572.15 if bears take full control of the session.
Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1 (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>)
QQQ is currently positioned around 495.35. If buyers can defend this level, we anticipate a push to 496.94. A breakout above that could lead to a test of 498.37. Strong bullish participation may extend the move to 499.44, with a high bull target for today set at 501.07.
Should 495.35 fail as support, we look for sellers to take charge, targeting 493.60. Increased bearish activity could bring a test of 491.82. If weakness persists, we expect 490.05 to be challenged, with further downside possibly extending to our low bear target of 487.69.
Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>)
Apple is currently auctioning near 234.20. Bulls need to establish support above this level to drive price action to 234.97. If strength continues, we anticipate a push to 235.74. Further upside momentum could bring 236.69 into play, with a high bull target of 237.49.
If 234.20 fails as support, we expect sellers to press for a move down to 233.28. If this level is lost, the next downside test is 231.76. Continued bearish pressure could bring a move to 230.25, with a potential extension lower to our bear target of 229.03.
Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>)
Microsoft is currently positioned around 395.68. If bulls can sustain support at this level, a move toward 397.65 is in play. Holding above 397.65 would increase the likelihood of a push to 398.38. A strong session could see price action reaching our high bull target of 399.21.
If 395.68 fails as support, we look for the bears to drive the auction lower to 394.46. Further weakness could lead to a breakdown toward 393.47. If selling pressure remains dominant, we expect a move down to 392.49, with a low bear target of 390.98.
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) NVIDIA is trading near 113.68, a key level to watch. If bulls can defend this area, we anticipate a push toward 114.29. A successful breakout could lead to a rally up to 115.15. Sustained bullish pressure may see a test of 115.83, with a high bull target of 116.61.
If 113.68 does not hold, bears are likely to drive the price lower to 112.54. A breakdown of that level could bring 111.70 into play. If weakness persists, we expect a test of 110.73, with further selling pressure potentially pushing price action to our low bear target of 109.86.
Alphabet Inc Class A (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>)
Alphabet is currently trading around 171.14. Bulls need to maintain support at this level for an upward move to 172.28. Continued buying momentum could push price action toward 174.01, which serves as today's high bull target.
If 171.14 is lost as support, sellers will likely drive the auction lower to 169.34. A further breakdown could lead to a test of 167.04. If the bearish trend strengthens, the price may extend down to our low bear target of 165.41.
Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>)
Meta is trading near 650.56. If bulls hold this level as support, we expect a move to 655.54. A continued uptrend could see price action testing 658.86, with a high bull target of 663.33 if buyers remain in control.
If 650.56 is lost as support, bears are likely to push for a test of 646.48. Additional selling could drive the price down to 642.59. If weakness persists, we look for a further move lower to our low bear target of 635.49.
Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>)
Tesla is auctioning around 272.42. Bulls need to hold this level for an attempt at 275.07. A strong move above 275.07 could bring 278.11 into play. If buyers sustain momentum, Tesla could reach 279.43, with a high bull target at 281.32.
If 272.42 does not hold as support, we expect sellers to test 269.48. A breakdown of this level could see price action move toward 266.83. If bearish pressure persists, we anticipate a further drop to our low bear target of 264.46.
Final Word:
Today&#8217;s economic calendar includes Initial and Continuing Jobless Claims at 8:30 AM ET, followed by Wholesale Trade Sales and Inventories for January at 10 AM ET. The Treasury will conduct 4-week and 8-week Bill Auctions at 11:30 AM ET. Additionally, we will hear from Fed members Harker, Waller, and Bostic, along with Treasury Secretary Bessent. As the market reacts to these catalysts, expect increased volatility. Manage risk effectively and trade with caution. Good luck!
The Morning Memo is curated by RIPS, a pro trader with years of experience in equities, options, and futures trading. RIPS is at the heart of the exclusive Market Clubhouse community, offering his insights, expertise, and real-time mentorship.
Start your day with a live daily market analysis, a carefully selected watch list, early access to the Morning Memo, and exclusive Market Clubhouse price levels, providing precise support and resistance indicators. When you become a member of Market Clubhouse, you will gain early access to the Morning Memo, just like this one, every single day—hours before it&#8217;s published. You will also have access to a live stream with zero latency and screen sharing, enabling you to witness Rips executing his trades in real-time and sharing his exclusive trading plans, strategies, and live decision-making.
For a limited time during our special promotion, you can join RIPS and get a full access pass to Market Clubhouse for 7 full days for just $7. Check it out at <a href="https://marketclubhouse.club/7Days/" title="https://marketclubhouse.club/7Days/">https://marketclubhouse.club/7Days/</a> where you can trade live with him and tap into his wealth of knowledge and experience. You can also catch Rips on his live day trading streams every Monday-Friday at 8 am EST on the Market Clubhouse YouTube channel: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@MarketClubhouse" title="https://www.youtube.com/@MarketClubhouse">https://www.youtube.com/@MarketClubhouse</a>.

Technicals

Signals

Pre-Market Outlook

ETFs

How To Trade SPY When Market Reacts To Key Catalysts

The U.S. Justice Department has indicted 12 Chinese nationals for their alleged involvement in a worldwide hacking campaign. 
What Happened: The Justice Department suspects China&#8217;s Ministry of Public Security and Ministry of State Security to have employed hackers to acquire confidential information and track down critics worldwide. 
Assistant Director of the FBI's Cyber Division, Bryan Vorndran, stated &#8221; Chinese Ministry of Public Security has been paying hackers-for-hire to inflict digital harm on Americans who criticize the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).&#8221;
The individuals under suspicion comprise two officers from China&#8217;s Ministry of Public Security, eight employees of a company called i-Soon, and two members of the group known as Advanced Persistent Threat 27 (APT27), Zhou Shuai and Yin Kecheng.
Embassy of the People&#8217;s Republic of China in the U.S. did not immediately respond to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga&#8217;s</a> request for comment. 
The individuals would face federal charges in both New York and Washington. The Justice Department has announced a reward of up to $10 million for information regarding the MPS officers and i-Soon, and $2 million, each, for the APT27 members. The hackers are suspected to have sold stolen information to China&#8217;s intelligence and security agencies, aiding in the suppression of free speech and democratic processes globally.
The group&#8217;s targets included a major religious organization critical of the Chinese government, an organization advocating for human rights and religious freedom in China, and several news outlets in the U.S. The foreign ministries of Taiwan, India, South Korea, and Indonesia, along with a Hong Kong newspaper and a religious leader, were among the other intended targets.
Meanwhile, Liu Pengyu, the Chinese embassy spokesperson said, "We urge the US to stop using cybersecurity issues to smear China and stop abusing illegal unilateral sanctions,&#8221; <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3301215/us-says-china-operating-hacker-hire-network-available-cyberattacks-worldwide?module=top_story&amp;pgtype=homepage">reported </a>the South China Morning Post. Pengyu added, &#8220;China will take necessary measures to safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies and citizens."
SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44149983/feds-beige-book-shows-slight-growth-consumer-spending-decreased">Fed&#8217;s Beige Book Shows Slight Growth: Consumer Spending Slips As Prices Rise</a>
Why It Matters: This indictment is a significant development in the ongoing cyber warfare between the US and China. The charges are the first major hacking-related national security case brought under President Donald Trump's Justice Department. In 2022, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and FBI estimated the financial impact of the Chinese cyber attacks at between $300 billion and $600 billion per year, as per testimony by William R. Evanina, CEO of The Evanina Group.
The victims of these hackers include US-based critics of the Chinese government, Asian government foreign ministries, and U.S. federal and state agencies. This follows a recent incident that highlighted the activities of another Chinese hacker group, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43692893/chinese-hacker-group-salt-typhoon-expands-global-telecom-exploits-targets-cisco-routers">Salt Typhoon</a>, which has been exploiting vulnerabilities in global telecom networks and universities.
The U.S. Justice Department recognizes the vital role of public-private partnerships in addressing advanced cyber threats and thanked Microsoft (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) and Alphabet&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Mandiant among others for being instrumental in these investigations.
<ul>
<li>READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/03/44140016/tesla-stock-is-tumbling-and-dave-portnoy-is-calling-out-elon-musk-how-far-does-tsla-stock-have-to-crash-before-elon-goes-back-to-work">Tesla Stock Is Tumbling And Dave Portnoy Is Calling Out Elon Musk: &#8216;How Far Does TSLA Stock Have To Crash Before Elon Goes Back To Work?&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

US Indicts 12 Chinese Nationals Over Alleged Global Hacking Operation Targeting Critics: '...Been Paying Hackers-For-Hire To Inflict Digital Harm On Americans'

Rigetti Computing Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RGTI#NASDAQ">RGTI</a>) missed its fourth-quarter estimates but equated its quantum computing progress with International Business Machines (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) and Alphabet Inc.&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google with an ambitious target of scaling its chiplet strategy up to 100 qubits in 2025.
What Happened: Quantum computing race heats up as Rigetti&#8217;s president and CEO, Subodh Kulkarni, said during the company&#8217;s earnings call that it is a leader in the space as it is competing right at the top along with IBM and Google.
Explaining that RGTI&#8217;s roadmap was comparable to IBM, Google, Kulkarni added that &#8220;we certainly view ourselves along with IBM and Google in the leadership position&#8221;.
After its latest launch of 84-qubit Ankaa-3 system in December 2024, it outlined plans to scale to 100-plus qubits by the end of the year. However, IBM had unveiled its 400 qubit-plus quantum processor in 2022, which was not deployed because of challenges, said Kulkarni.
&#8220;IBM tried to go to 430-qubits a year ago and they had some challenges, which is why you don&#8217;t find it deployed right now,&#8221; he added. Google, on the other hand, last launched its Willow chip with 105 qubits.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44138112/defense-stocks-take-centerstage-as-donald-trump-freezes-ukraine-military-aid-heres-a-list-of-top-global-defense-etfs-to-watch">Defense Stocks In Focus As Trump Freezes Ukraine Military Aid: Here&#8217;s A List Of Top Global Defense ETFs To Watch</a>
Why It Matters: Despite IBM and Google&#8217;s lead in qubit counts, RGTI remained confident with its CEO saying that there were over 10 things to &#8220;differentiate&#8221; them from the peers. &#8220;The main differentiators are our open modular architecture, chiplet approach and a few other things like annealing,&#8221; Kulkarni said.
Along with this, RGTI expects strong government funding and focus on R&amp;D to keep them competitive in fidelity and gate speed advancements. &#8220;So overall between DOE and DoD, we are expecting sizable increase in U.S. government investment in quantum computing,&#8221; said CEO.
Its fourth quarter revenue came in at $2.3 million, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/03/44153467/rigetti-computing-q4-earnings-revenue-miss-quanta-computer-collaboration-highlights">missing estimates</a>, with an adjusted EPS loss of $0.08, which met the estimates. Full-year revenue was $10.8 million, and net loss was $201 million. RGTI ended the year with $217.2 million in cash.
Rigetti also partnered with Quanta Computer with the latter investing $35 million and both committing over $100 million to the collaboration over the next five years.
Price Action: Rigetti rose 4.07% on Wednesday and fell 11% after-hours following its earnings announcement. The exchange-traded fund tracking the Nasdaq Composite index, Fidelity NASDAQ Composite Index ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ONEQ#NASDAQ">ONEQ</a>) rose 1.43%.
The stock remains 59.10% lower on a year-to-date basis, however, it&#8217;s up 359.55% over a year.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/WBA/analyst-ratings">Benzinga tracks eight analysts</a> with an average price target of $8.43 for the stock, reflecting a &#8220;buy&#8221; rating. Estimates range widely from $1.5 to $15. Recent ratings from Benchmark, and B. Riley Securities average at $12.5, suggesting a potential 71.70% upside.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/WBA/analyst-ratings"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="388" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/06014931/RGTI-ANR-1024x388.png" alt="" class="wp-image-811494" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/06014931/RGTI-ANR-1024x388.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/06014931/RGTI-ANR-300x114.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/06014931/RGTI-ANR-768x291.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/06014931/RGTI-ANR.png 1069w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/03/44135177/trump-seeks-to-end-chips-act-who-stands-to-lose-heres-a-list-of-beneficiaries-that-could-be-affected" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump Seeks To End CHIPS Act: Who Stands To Lose? Here's A List Of Beneficiaries That Could Be Affected</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Rigetti Asserts 'Leadership' In Quantum Computing Race, Aims To Scale To 100 Qubits As It Looks To Catch Up With IBM, Google

Financial giants have made a conspicuous bearish move on Alphabet. Our analysis of options history for Alphabet (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) revealed 20 unusual trades.
Delving into the details, we found 40% of traders were bullish, while 50% showed bearish tendencies. Out of all the trades we spotted, 5 were puts, with a value of $588,184, and 15 were calls, valued at $1,058,743.
<h3>Expected Price Movements</h3>
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $150.0 to $225.0 for Alphabet over the last 3 months. 
<h3>Analyzing Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
Looking at the volume and open interest is an insightful way to conduct due diligence on a stock.
This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Alphabet's options for a given strike price.
Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of Alphabet's whale activity within a strike price range from $150.0 to $225.0 in the last 30 days. 
<h3>Alphabet 30-Day Option Volume &amp; Interest Snapshot</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1741205796_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Significant Options Trades Detected:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th align="right">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>GOOGL</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$5.95</td>
<td>$5.75</td>
<td>$5.85</td>
<td>$225.00</td>
<td>$438.7K</td>
<td>2.2K</td>
<td align="right">753</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>GOOGL</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$4.5</td>
<td>$4.45</td>
<td>$4.46</td>
<td>$155.00</td>
<td>$197.5K</td>
<td>7.9K</td>
<td align="right">162</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>GOOGL</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/07/25</td>
<td>$3.8</td>
<td>$3.65</td>
<td>$3.75</td>
<td>$175.00</td>
<td>$163.1K</td>
<td>5.3K</td>
<td align="right">848</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>GOOGL</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/20/26</td>
<td>$44.9</td>
<td>$44.4</td>
<td>$44.4</td>
<td>$210.00</td>
<td>$133.2K</td>
<td>55</td>
<td align="right">30</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>GOOGL</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$9.3</td>
<td>$9.2</td>
<td>$9.24</td>
<td>$150.00</td>
<td>$66.5K</td>
<td>10.2K</td>
<td align="right">728</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Alphabet</h3>
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.
In light of the recent options history for Alphabet, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.
<h3>Current Position of Alphabet</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a trading volume of 18,640,159, the price of GOOGL is up by 1.35%, reaching $173.22.</li>
<li>Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be approaching oversold.</li>
<li>Next earnings report is scheduled for 50 days from now.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Professional Analyst Ratings for Alphabet</h3>
A total of 5 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $218.4.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=Be8be9arja3be22bz20&amp;adType=benzinga-insights&amp;ad=options-activity&amp;campaign=wallstreetadvantage">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Citigroup persists with their Buy rating on Alphabet, maintaining a target price of $229. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from JP Morgan continues to hold a Overweight rating for Alphabet, targeting a price of $220. 
&#x2A; In a cautious move, an analyst from Needham downgraded its rating to Buy, setting a price target of $225. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Piper Sandler has decided to maintain their Overweight rating on Alphabet, which currently sits at a price target of $208. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Morgan Stanley has decided to maintain their Overweight rating on Alphabet, which currently sits at a price target of $210. 
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Alphabet, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a> gives you real-time options trades alerts.

Options

Alphabet's Options: A Look at What the Big Money is Thinking

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Communication Services sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>META</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/07/25</td>
<td>$660.00</td>
<td>$29.0K</td>
<td>4.5K</td>
<td>7.3K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>GOOG</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/07/25</td>
<td>$175.00</td>
<td>$33.7K</td>
<td>11.1K</td>
<td>4.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ASTS</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/14/25</td>
<td>$32.00</td>
<td>$80.0K</td>
<td>142</td>
<td>505</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SBGI</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>12/19/25</td>
<td>$12.50</td>
<td>$35.8K</td>
<td>505</td>
<td>175</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>GOOGL</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>07/18/25</td>
<td>$190.00</td>
<td>$52.8K</td>
<td>2.6K</td>
<td>98</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding META (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 2 day(s) on March 7, 2025. Parties traded 70 contract(s) at a $660.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $29.0K, with a price of $415.0 per contract. There were 4575 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 7344 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For GOOG (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 2 day(s) on March 7, 2025. This event was a transfer of 250 contract(s) at a $175.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 7 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $33.7K, with a price of $135.0 per contract. There were 11114 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 4553 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding ASTS (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ASTS#NASDAQ">ASTS</a>), we observe a put option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 9 day(s) on March 14, 2025. Parties traded 400 contract(s) at a $32.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $80.0K, with a price of $200.0 per contract. There were 142 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 505 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding SBGI (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SBGI#NASDAQ">SBGI</a>), we observe a put option sweep with neutral sentiment. It expires in 289 day(s) on December 19, 2025. Parties traded 175 contract(s) at a $12.50 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 7 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $35.8K, with a price of $205.0 per contract. There were 505 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 175 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding GOOGL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 135 day(s) on July 18, 2025. Parties traded 82 contract(s) at a $190.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 19 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $52.8K, with a price of $645.0 per contract. There were 2699 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 98 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more about unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

ASTS

SBGI

5 Communication Services Stocks Whale Activity In Today's Session

As technology giants have declined in 2025, underperforming the market on a year-to-date basis, this analyst says that the slide could be a buying opportunity anticipating a technical bounce back, however, he also highlights fundamental concerns for the longer-term.
What Happened: Based on his proprietary models and data analytics tool, Dan Niles, the founder and portfolio manager of Niles Investment Management, said that the technology stocks are getting to levels where he would pick up some of the names.
&#8220;I've been sort of waiting for a tech side where I thought they were overvalued, and now they've kind of come back in as some of these fears get discounted in the market,&#8221; he said in an X post.
However, he added that this was in the &#8220;anticipation of a near-term statistically likely technical bounce only,&#8221; whereas he had different fundamental and longer-term views. Niles excluded all of the Magnificent 7 tech giants from his top five stock picks for 2025, highlighting the disappointing first-quarter earnings outlook as a major reason for it.
&#8220;The issue with the S&amp;P is investors are falling out of love with U.S. technology stocks because estimates are going down and valuations are high,&#8221; he said.
Niles&#8217; top concerns included:
<ul>
<li>Political uncertainty: Potential impact of Trump&#8217;s policies on inflation, economic growth, and the Federal Reserve&#8217;s actions.</li>
<li>Overvalued assets: Current market valuations are too high.</li>
<li>AI investment pause: A slowdown in AI-related capital expenditures as the market absorbs recent investments.</li>
</ul>
<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">I said in an interview around noon on tech stocks: "They're getting to levels where I'm probably going to force myself just based on the statistics to pick up some of the names I've been sort of waiting for on the tech side where I thought they were overvalued, and now they've…
&mdash; Dan Niles (@DanielTNiles) <a href="https://twitter.com/DanielTNiles/status/1897060621121654953?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/03/44135177/trump-seeks-to-end-chips-act-who-stands-to-lose-heres-a-list-of-beneficiaries-that-could-be-affected">Trump Seeks To End CHIPS Act: Who Stands To Lose? Here&#8217;s A List Of Beneficiaries That Could Be Affected</a>
Why It Matters: The &#8216;Magnificent 7&#8217; tech giants have <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/03/44105284/from-mag7-to-meh7-no-tech-giant-ranks-among-sp-500s-top-50-performers-in-2025-experts-say-struggle-is-justified">fallen from grace</a> in 2025. None of these former market leaders rank among the top 50 performing stocks in the S&amp;P 500 this year, whereas only Meta Platforms Inc. has outperformed the S&amp;P 500 index.
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Stocks</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>-16.14%</td>
<td>34.93%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>)</td>
<td>-3.25%</td>
<td>38.68%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>)</td>
<td>-7.16%</td>
<td>-3.49%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>)</td>
<td>-7.46%</td>
<td>17.50%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alphabet Inc. Class A (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>)</td>
<td>-9.77%</td>
<td>28.83%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>)</td>
<td>6.80%</td>
<td>30.55%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>)</td>
<td>-28.27%</td>
<td>50.51%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>-1.54%</td>
<td>13.77%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>)</td>
<td>-1.33%</td>
<td>13.74%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
However, according to a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/03/44105284/from-mag7-to-meh7-no-tech-giant-ranks-among-sp-500s-top-50-performers-in-2025-experts-say-struggle-is-justified">Charles Schwab note</a> this isn&#8217;t bad news for stock pickers. Over the last year, only 22% of the constituents in the S&amp;P 500 outperformed the index, whereas over the last month, 50% of the stocks were outperforming the index.
Similarly, Niles added that tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump will &#8220;sort themselves out&#8221; because no foreign country wants to lose access to the U.S. consumers, which are about one sixth of global GDP. &#8220;Don't forget during Trump's first term, the S&amp;P CAGR was 14% with tariff uncertainty then as well,&#8221; he said.
Lastly, quoting Charles Darwin, Niles added that forces of nature, &#8220;adaptable to change,&#8221; have the highest chance at survival.
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, fell on Tuesday. The SPY declined 1.18% to $576.86, and the QQQ dropped 0.30% to $495.55, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.
On Wednesday, the futures of Dow Jones were up 0.61%, S&amp;P 500 traded 0.70% higher, whereas Nasdaq 100 futures advanced by 0.84%.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44070799/mark-cuban-supports-trumps-new-gold-card-scheme-if-sold-to-corporations-for-employee-citizenship-have-a-look-at-the-listed-companies-with-most-number-of-immigrants" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mark Cuban Supports Trump&#8217;s New ‘Gold Card&#8217; Scheme If Sold To Corporations For Employee Citizenship: Here&#8217;re The Listed-Companies With Most Number Of Immigrants</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Big Tech Slide An Opportunity To Buy Amid Selloff? Analyst Highlights Bigger Fundamental Concerns Amid The Possibility Of Technical Bounce Back

Chinese smartphone manufacturers are joining forces with Google&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) artificial intelligence (AI) to take on international tech behemoths such as Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) and Samsung Electronics Co. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SSNLF#OTC">SSNLF</a>).
What Happened: Chinese smartphone brands such as Xiaomi, Honor, and Oppo debuted their latest AI-driven smartphones at MWC 2025 in Barcelona, showcasing advanced features powered by Google's Gemini AI technology, <a href="https://www.scmp.com/tech/tech-trends/article/3300983/mwc-2025-chinese-smartphone-makers-turn-google-ai-compete-globally">reported</a> the South China Morning Post on Wednesday. They promoted features like &#8220;AI erasers&#8221; for eliminating unwanted objects in photos and AI agents for tasks such as restaurant reservations.
Nicole Peng, Senior&nbsp;Vice President at Canalys, stated that&nbsp;Chinese manufacturers opted to partner with Google because of its extensive capabilities, which span across applications like YouTube, as well as hardware and infrastructure.
Peng observed that numerous Chinese vendors acknowledged the necessity for a partner to further their international objectives. This strategy mirrors Samsung&#8217;s partnership with Google, rather than striving for uniqueness. &#8220;There aren&#8217;t&nbsp;a lot of options at&nbsp;the moment,&#8221; Peng commented, naming Google as the primary beneficiary of this trend.
SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/03/44125859/feds-williams-weighs-tariff-impact-as-markets-brace-for-uncertainty-bloomberg">Fed&#8217;s Williams Weighs Tariff Impact As Markets Brace For Uncertainty: Bloomberg</a>
Why It Matters: This move comes in the wake of Chinese smartphone maker Honor&#8216;s announcement of a $10 billion investment over the next five years to boost its AI ambitions. Honor, a spin-off from Huawei Technologies in 2020, is deepening its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44068933/google-and-chinas-honor-deepen-ai-partnership-as-huawei-spin-off-takes-on-apple-and-samsung-with-10-billion-inves">partnership with Alphabet</a> Inc.&#8217;s Google&nbsp;to compete with Apple and&nbsp;Samsung in the global smartphone market.
Besides, Honor, Oppo also announced its adoption of a secure cloud computing solution from Google to safeguard user data in its AI products. Matt Waldbusser, Google Cloud's managing director of global solutions and consumer AI, emphasized how the integration of Gemini with Chinese smartphones enabled advanced features like AI agents. 
Meanwhile, Bryan Ma, the Vice President of client devices research at IDC acknowledged that the market for AI smartphones is evolving and Chinese smartphone makers are struggling to create a differentiating element for their products. He stated that the industry was eager to see whether device manufacturers would introduce more unique AI applications and expand their AI capabilities to integrate with more third-party developers this year.
READ MORE: <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">Meta, TikTok, And Snapchat Push Back Against YouTube&#8217;s Exemption From Australia&#8217;s Social Media Ban For Children</a>
Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

SSNLF

Chinese Smartphone Makers Team Up With Google AI To Challenge Apple, Samsung

Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google has begun disabling uBlock Origin and other extensions that rely on its outdated Manifest V2 framework, leaving millions of Chrome users scrambling for alternatives as the company fully transitions to its new extension standard, Manifest V3.
What Happened: Chrome users have reported seeing notifications that certain extensions, including uBlock Origin, have been turned off and are "no longer supported."
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Ublock origin has been &quot;turned off&quot; on google Chrome it´s time to move to brave or firefox <a href="https://t.co/KmXmoc0wvd">pic.twitter.com/KmXmoc0wvd</a>
&mdash; Pirat_Nation &#x1f534; (@Pirat_Nation) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pirat_Nation/status/1892572056371232989?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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See Also: <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43256798/google-maps-to-rename-gulf-of-mexico-to-gulf-of-america-for-us-users-in-aftermath-of-trump-executive-order">Google Maps To Rename &#8216;Gulf Of Mexico&#8217; To &#8216;Gulf Of America&#8217; For US Users In Aftermath Of Trump Executive Order</a>
This change is part of Google's long-planned migration to Manifest V3, a new extension framework designed to enhance security and privacy, but one that also limits how ad blockers function, <a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/622953/google-chrome-extensions-ublock-origin-disabled-manifest-v3">reported</a> The Verge.
Why It Matters: The phaseout initially began in October 2024, but its impact has expanded in recent weeks. Reports confirm that uBlock Origin and other unsupported extensions are being automatically disabled.
Users are being encouraged to switch to uBlock Origin Lite, though it lacks many of the original's powerful filtering features due to the new restrictions.
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Other Chromium-based browsers like Microsoft Edge and Brave will also be affected, as they rely on Google's Chrome Web Store. However, Mozilla's Firefox has announced that it will continue supporting both Manifest V2 and V3, making it a potential refuge for users looking to keep their ad blockers fully functional, the report noted.
Last month, Alphabet reported a total revenue of <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/02/43479274/alphabet-q4-earnings-highlights-ai-cloud-youtube-momentum-continues-capex-guidance-sends-shares-lower">$96.5 billion for the fourth quarter</a>, reflecting a 12% increase compared to the previous year. However, this figure fell slightly short of Wall Street expectations, which had projected revenue of $96.6 billion.
Price Action: As of this writing, Alphabet&#8217;s Class A shares climbed 0.95% in after-hours trading to $172.54, while Class C shares increased 0.83% to $174.05. During Tuesday&#8217;s regular trading session, Class A shares closed 2.24% higher at $170.92, and Class C shares rose 2.34% to $172.61, according to <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/lxquj26b2sag">Benzinga Pro data</a>.
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech">following this link</a>.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43221770/apples-ipad-turns-15-today-heres-a-throwback-to-when-steve-jobs-explained-called-it-the-third-category-after-phones-and-notebooks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple&#8217;s iPad Turns 15 Today: Here&#8217;s A Throwback To When Steve Jobs Explained Called It The ‘Third Category&#8217; After Phones And Notebooks</a></li>
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Google's Chrome Changes Disable uBlock Origin For Even More Users —Can You Still Block Ads?

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 is urging the U.S. government to reconsider its antitrust cases, warning that potential breakup proposals could harm the American economy and national security.
What Happened: The U.S. Department of Justice is currently pursuing two anti-monopoly cases against Google, focusing on search and advertising technology. In a recent meeting with government officials, Google representatives expressed deep concerns about proposed remedies that could significantly alter the company&#8217;s operations, Reuters reported, citing sources.
The DOJ&#8217;s potential remedies include forcing Google to divest its Chrome Web browser and terminate default search engine agreements with companies like Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>). A trial to determine appropriate remedies is scheduled for April, with a final ruling expected in August.
Industry analysts have <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/24/11/42143421/staggering-google-breakup-proposal-from-doj-a-kitchen-sink-moment-alphabet-analyst">mixed reactions to the proposals</a>. Brian Pitz from BMO Capital Markets described the DOJ&#8217;s approach as a &#8220;kitchen sink moment,&#8221; while JPMorgan&#8216;s Doug Anmuth suggested the current proposals represent a worst-case scenario for Google.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/03/44068159/nba-legend-shaq-says-his-net-worth-quadrupled-once-he-took-note-from-jeff-bezos-and-started-investing-in-things-that-change-peoples-lives">NBA Legend Shaq Says His Net Worth &#8216;Quadrupled&#8217; Once He Took Note From Jeff Bezos And Started Investing In Things That &#8216;Change People&#8217;s Lives&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: The antitrust pressure comes as Google simultaneously <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/44031714/google-implements-layoffs-in-hr-and-cloud-divisions-as-ai-investment-accelerates-report">navigates significant internal restructuring</a>. The company is implementing layoffs in its human resources and cloud divisions while accelerating investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure. CFO Anat Ashkenazi has emphasized cost-cutting as a priority, particularly as demand for AI products continues to grow.
Complicating the landscape, potential <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/24/11/42143421/staggering-google-breakup-proposal-from-doj-a-kitchen-sink-moment-alphabet-analyst">changes in administration may impact</a> the antitrust approach. President Donald Trump has previously expressed skepticism about breaking up tech companies, suggesting more nuanced regulatory interventions.
Price Action: Alphabet Inc. Class A shares closed at $170.92 on Tuesday, up 2.34%, and rose another 0.95% after hours to $172.54. Class C shares ended at $172.61, gaining 2.34%, with an additional 0.83% increase to $174.05 after hours, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/03/44065932/mark-cuban-was-asked-how-hed-invest-100k-his-answer-buy-bulk-toothpaste-and-soup-for-the-best-guaranteed-return-on-investment">Mark Cuban Was Asked How He&#8217;d Invest $100K — His Answer? Buy Bulk Toothpaste And Soup For The &#8216;Best Guaranteed Return On Investment&#8217;</a></li>
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Image Via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Google Fights Back Against DOJ Antitrust Cases, Says Breakup Threatens Economy, National Security: Report

Major tech firms, including Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), ByteDance-owned TikTok, and Snap Inc.'s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNAP#NYSE">SNAP</a>) Snapchat, are urging Australia to reconsider the exemption of YouTube, an online video sharing platform owned by 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, from its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42237670/meta-tiktok-snapchat-could-face-32m-fines-as-australia-enforces-social-media-ban-for-under-16s-while-exempting-youtube">ban on social media access</a> for users under 16.
What Happened: Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, criticized the decision, stating that YouTube uses the same algorithm-driven content recommendations and social features as other platforms, exposing young users to similar risks, reported Reuters.
TikTok called the exemption "illogical, anticompetitive, and short-sighted," urging the Australian government to enforce a consistent policy across all social media companies.
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.
Snapchat argued that no company should receive preferential treatment and that all platforms must be held to the same regulatory standards.
Why It Matters: Australia passed 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 strictest social media regulations</a> in November 2024, requiring platforms to bar users under 16 or face fines of up to A$49.5 million ($31 million).
However, YouTube has been granted an exemption because it is considered a key educational tool and allows supervised access through family accounts.
YouTube has previously stated in public online announcements that it is intensifying its moderation efforts and expanding its criteria for identifying harmful content through its automated detection system.
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Photo by Sky Motion on Shutterstock
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43998792/youtube-surpasses-spotify-with-1-billion-monthly-podcast-users-ceo-pledges-enhanced-monetization-for-creators">YouTube Beats Out Spotify As Top Podcast Platform With 1 Billion Users, CEO Promises Bigger Paydays For Creators</a></li>
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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Date	Put/Call	Strike Price	Exp Date	DTE	Trade Vol	Day Vol	Vol / OI	OI	Trade Type	Sentiment
03:09 PMFeb 20, 2025	PUT	$190.00	Jan 15, 2027	675	1350	350	182	741	TRADE	BEARISH
03:08 PMFeb 20, 2025	PUT	$190.00	Jan 15, 2027	675	0	1000	0	741	TRADE	BEARISH
01:04 PMFeb 20, 2025	PUT	$185.00	Apr 17, 2025	37	970	700	18	5435	TRADE	BULLISH
11:19 AMFeb 20, 2025	CALL	$150.00	Jan 15, 2027	675	2923	146	384	762	TRADE	BEARISH
11:19 AMFeb 20, 2025	CALL	$150.00	Jan 15, 2027	675	2577	200	338	762	SWEEP	BULLISH
11:17 AMFeb 20, 2025	CALL	$150.00	Jan 15, 2027	675	2397	180	315	762	SWEEP	BULLISH
11:06 AMFeb 20, 2025	CALL	$150.00	Jan 15, 2027	675	1376	200	181	762	SWEEP	BULLISH
11:34 AMFeb 19, 2025	CALL	$150.00	Jan 16, 2026	311	207	110	2	12112	SWEEP	NEUTRAL
02:34 PMFeb 18, 2025	PUT	$130.00	Jan 15, 2027	675	1	2000	0	2250	TRADE	NEUTRAL
01:00 PMFeb 13, 2025	CALL	$100.00	Apr 17, 2025	37	72	70	267	27	SWEEP	BULLISH