Wall Street bounced back after President Donald Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum agreed to a one-month suspension of tariffs following Mexico's pledge to bolster its military presence <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/02/43440692/us-mexico-agrees-on-one-month-tariffs-pause-stocks-rebound-peso-rallies">at the northern border.</a>



Earlier on Monday, markets had been rattled by Trump&#8217;s announcement of sweeping tariffs — 25% on all imports from Mexico and Canada and 10% on Chinese goods. The prospect of escalating trade tensions led to sharp early session declines.



The temporary tariff reprieve on Mexico has fueled speculation that Trump may be using tariffs as a negotiation tool rather than a definitive policy, potentially easing concerns they will remain in place if U.S. demands — centered on immigration and drug trafficking — are met.



Trump is set to speak with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at 3 p.m. ET.



By midday in New York, the S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq 100 were down 0.8%, trimming earlier losses, while the Dow nearly erased its decline entirely, reflecting renewed investor confidence in industrial and less tech-sensitive stocks.



Some of the Magnificent Seven stocks remained under pressure. Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) and Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) all faced sharp declines, by 6%, 4% and 3.8% respectively, amid concerns over worsening trade relations with China and the risk of retaliatory measures from Beijing.



In fixed income, long-term Treasury yields edged lower, while the U.S. dollar trimmed its early session gains. The Mexican peso rebounded sharply, rising over 1% by 12:30 p.m. ET, recovering from overnight losses of up to 2%.



Commodity markets experienced turbulence. Natural gas prices soared 11% on Monday, surpassing $3 per million British thermal units, while oil climbed 0.8%.



Safe-haven demand remained strong, with gold rallying 0.8% to a record high of over $2,810 per ounce.



Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) surged back to $99,000 following news of the U.S. pause on Mexico tariffs. 



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



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Major Indices </td><td>Price</td><td>Chg 1-day %</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>44,433.51</td><td>-0.1%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>5,994.65</td><td>-0.8%</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>21,280.79</td><td>-0.9%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>2,257.74</td><td>-1.3%</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated at 12:38 p.m. ET</figcaption></figure>



According to&nbsp;<a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent020325&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>&nbsp;data:



<ul>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>)&nbsp;eased 0.8% to $596.84.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>) eased 0.3% to $443.77.</li>



<li>The tech-heavy&nbsp;Invesco QQQ Trust Series&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>)&nbsp;fell 0.9% to $517.15.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) dropped 1.2% to $223.80.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLE#NYSE">XLE</a>) outperformed, up 0.4%; the&nbsp;Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLK#NYSE">XLK</a>) lagged, down 1.4%.</li>
</ul>



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



<ul>
<li>Stocks moving on earnings report include Tyson Foods Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSN#NYSE">TSN</a>), up 1.2%, IDEXX Laboratories Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IDXX#NASDAQ">IDXX</a>), up 11.2%. </li>



<li>Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>), NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NXPI#NASDAQ">NXPI</a>) Equity Residential (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EQR#NYSE">EQR</a>), Clorox Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CLX#NYSE">CLX</a>) are among large-cap companies reporting after the close.</li>



<li>Polaris Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PII#NYSE">PII</a>) tumbled 8% after UBS slashed the stock price target from $67 to $48. </li>
</ul>



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43439462/us-manufacturing-confidence-tops-forecasts">US Manufacturing Confidence Tops Forecasts, Yet Price Pressures Intensify, &#8216;Could Become A Concern,&#8217; Economist Says</a></li>
</ul>



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Stocks Trim Losses On Mexico Tariff Delay, Gold Extends Records, Tesla Sinks 6%: What's Driving Markets Monday?

President Donald Trump's announced tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China could impact many sectors and see retailers and companies raising prices on consumers to offset<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43423288/trumps-tariffs-are-here-heres-what-will-get-more-expensive-from-canada-china-and-mexico"> the higher prices.</a>



Here's a look at the sectors and stocks that could be hurt the most by Trump's tariffs and retaliatory efforts by the three countries back on the U.S.



What Happened: Trump <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/02/43427091/as-trump-imposes-tariffs-on-americas-3-largest-trading-partners-this-macro-strategist-call">announced 25% tariffs </a>on imports from Canada and Mexico along with a 10% tariffs on items imported from China. Trump and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Monday the U.S. tariffs on Mexico have been paused for one month. 



Canada fought back with retaliatory measures on U.S. imports.



Trump said he spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and plans to speak to the leader again at 3 p.m. ET Monday.



The tariffs were met with anger in Canada where sports fans booed the playing of &#8220;The Star-Spangled Banner,&#8221; the U.S. national anthem, at NBA and NHL sporting events over the weekend, as reported by <a href="https://deadline.com/2025/02/u-s-national-anthem-booed-nhl-nba-games-canada-tariffs-1236276207/">Deadline</a>.



NBA and NHL games involving teams from both countries typically play national anthems ahead of games.



Goods and Sectors Impacted: Here's a look at the top imports from Canada, Mexico and China that will be impacted if the tariffs stick.



Beer and Spirits: One of the companies that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/11/42220682/trump-tariffs-on-mexico-could-affect-beer-why-your-modelo-corona-could-cost-more-next-year">could be hit hardest</a> by the tariff news is Constellation Brands Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STZ#NYSE">STZ</a>), an alcohol company that holds the exclusive U.S. license for several of the top imported beer brands in America. Constellation imports brands like Modelo, Corona and Pacifico from Mexico, where they are brewed by Grupo Modelo, which is a unit of Anheuser-Busch InBev (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BUD#NYSE">BUD</a>).



Modelo is the top imported beer in the U.S., with Corona ranking second. Heineken and Dos Equis XX, which are imported by Heineken USA, a unit of Heineken NV (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HEINY#OTC">HEINY</a>), ranked third and fourth on the list of top imported beers. Dos Equis is manufactured in Mexico and imported to the U.S.



Constellation stock is down around 40% since it was flagged as a company to see pressure from tariffs back in November.



The U.S. is also a large importer of tequila, a sector that could be hit hard by tariffs on Mexico.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/24/12/42536470/costco-warns-that-tariffs-raise-prices-trump-team-says-trade-policies-will-make-life-affordable">Costco Warns That Tariffs Raise Prices, Trump Team Says Trade Policies Will &#8216;Make Life Affordable&#8217;</a>



Automotive: Several automotive companies like Ford Motor Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/F#NYSE">F</a>), General Motors Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>) and Honda Motor Co Ltd (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HMC#NYSE">HMC</a>) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/24/12/42688941/are-us-vehicles-under-30000-a-thing-of-the-past-trumps-mexico-tariff-plans-could-change-auto-market">have sub-$30,000 vehicles</a> that are partially or fully built in Mexico and Canada. Tariffs on these countries could quickly make these sub-$30,000 vehicles cost more for consumers and eliminate options in the popular starting price point.



Avocados: American imports over 80% of its avocados from Mexico, which could lead to higher prices ahead of Super Bowl Sunday on Feb. 9, as <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/02/02/us-news/whats-going-to-get-hit-by-trumps-tariffs-avocados-modelo-and-iphones/">reported </a>by the New York Post. Stocks that could be impacted by higher avocado costs are Mission Produce Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVO#NASDAQ">AVO</a>), Calavo Growers, Inc. (NASDDAQ: CVGW) and Limoneira Co (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMNR#NASDAQ">LMNR</a>).



Fruits and Vegetables: Canada is the largest supplier of cherry tomatoes for the U.S., which could see higher produce costs for consumers and restaurants.



Smartphones: China is one of the largest exporters of smartphones to the U.S., accounting for an estimated 87% of production according to the report. The iPhone from Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) has 95% of production assembled in China as of 2023.



Toys: The Toy Association industry group estimates that 75% of all imported toys come from China, making the sector one area that could be significantly hit by higher tariffs. Hasbro Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HAS#NASDAQ">HAS</a>) and Mattel Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MAT#NASDAQ">MAT</a>) are two stocks that could see pressure with the tariffs impacting one of their key sectors. &nbsp;



Clothing: Imported clothes from e-commerce companies including Shein and PDD Holdings &#8211; ADR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PDD#NASDAQ">PDD</a>) brand Temu will see higher prices with the tariff on China. Canadian clothing companies Aritzia and Lululemon Athletica (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LULU#NASDAQ">LULU</a>) will also be impacted by the tariff news. 



The footwear portion of the clothing sector could see the biggest impact with the Footwear Distributors &amp; Retailers of America estimating that 99% of shoes sold in the U.S. are imported. Nike Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NKE#NYSE">NKE</a>) could be among the companies hit hardest by the tariff news.



Construction: The American Iron and Steel Institute estimates that 25% of American steel comes from Canada and 12% comes from Mexico, which means steel prices could go up. Canadian lumber is also a large export to the U.S., which makes up around 30% of all lumber the country uses. Other construction items like drywall, lime and gypsum come from Mexico, which will put more pressure on homebuilders. The tariffs could lead to home prices going up and putting further pressure on the sector.



Oil: The U.S. is a large importer<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/12/42300450/trump-told-trudeau-canada-could-avoid-tariffs-by-becoming-51st-state-a-look-at-sectors-trade-war-could-impact"> of Canadian oil.</a> While oil will only see a 10% tariff compared to the 25% on other Canadian goods, the sector could likely see a large impact. Companies like Suncor Energy Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SU#NYSE">SU</a>), Enbridge (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ENB#NYSE">ENB</a>), Canadian Natural Resources (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CNQ#NYSE">CNQ</a>) and TC Pipelines (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TRP#NYSE">TRP</a>)&nbsp;could face significant impacts from the tariffs and a potential blow to the sector.



Transportation: Railway company Canadian Pacific Kansas City Limited (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CP#NYSE">CP</a>) and trucking companies Old Dominion Freight Line (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ODFL#NASDAQ">ODFL</a>) and Knight-Swift Transportation Holdings (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KNX#NYSE">KNX</a>) could be impacted by the tariffs and negative impact on trade between the United States and Canada.



Retailers: Dollar stores and discount retailers like Dollar Tree (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DLTR#NASDAQ">DLTR</a>) could be<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/12/42402629/trump-to-change-dollar-stores-for-good-dollar-tree-exec-says-prepared-to-act"> impacted by the tariffs.</a> Executives warned of the potential impact in late 2024 with the goal of offsetting the higher prices with new product sizes and negotiating lower costs with suppliers. The company also said it would consider stopping the sale of several items due to the planned tariffs.



Price Actions on Monday at publication: The iShares MSCI Canada Index Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EWC#NYSE">EWC</a>) is down 1.46% to $40.62.



The iShares MSCI Mexico ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EWW#NYSE">EWW</a>) is up 2.12% to $50.02.



The iShares MSCI China ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MCHI#NASDAQ">MCHI</a>) is down 0.29% to $48.27.



Read Next: 



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43430259/miners-plead-for-collaboration-as-trade-wars-threaten-critical-mineral-supply-chains">Miners Plead For Collaboration As Trade Wars Threaten Critical Mineral Supply Chains</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Visuals6x via Shutterstock

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Why Beer, Tequila, Avocados, Cars, iPhone Prices Could Rise: Trump's Tariffs On Canada, Mexico, China To Hurt Several Sectors

Elon Musk and his <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/11/41965420/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-led-department-of-government-efficiency-opens-account-on-x-says-it-is-working-overtime">Department of Government Efficiency</a> have been granted access to a sensitive Treasury Department payment system containing personal data of millions of Americans receiving tax refunds, Medicare, Social Security and other payments from the federal government.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How Did This $6 Trillion Agency Fall Under Musk&#8217;s Purview? </h2>



According to the New York Times, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/01/us/politics/elon-musk-doge-federal-payments-system.html">approved the access </a>late Friday, which coincided with the resignation of David Lebryk, a career Treasury official who clashed with DOGE over the system. The Bureau of Fiscal Service, normally run by civil servants, processes over $6 trillion annually.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Democrats Are Furious</h2>



Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), the top Democrat on the Senate Banking Committee sent a <a href="https://www.warren.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/final_-_rm_warren_letter_to_bessent_re_treasury_payment_system.pdf">letter</a> on Monday to Bessent demanding answers, calling Musk's "meddling&#8221; with a system that processes trillions in transactions "extraordinarily dangerous."



"I am alarmed that as one of your first acts as Secretary, you appear to have handed over a highly sensitive system responsible for millions of Americans' private data – and a key function of government – to an unelected billionaire and an unknown number of his unqualified flunkies,&#8221; Warren wrote.



Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), also a member of the Senate Finance Committee, <a href="https://www.finance.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/letter_from_senator_wyden_to_secretary_bessent_on_payment_systemspdf.pdf">did the same</a> on Friday. "I can think of no good reason why political operators who have demonstrated a blatant disregard for the law would need access to these sensitive, mission-critical systems,&#8221; he said. 



Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) called the situation a five alarm fire following news that Musk was intending to merge the U.S. Agency for International Development with the State Department — a move that requires Congressional approval. "The people elected Donald Trump to be President ― not Elon Musk. Having an unelected billionaire, with his own foreign debts and motives, raiding US classified information is a grave threat to national security," AOC <a href="https://x.com/AOC/status/1886149143980032275">wrote</a> on X.



Musk said early Monday that Trump has "agreed" to the USAID shutdown, <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5122521-musk-trump-agreed-usaid-should-be-shut-down/">according</a> to The Hill.



<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 is a five alarm fire. The people elected Donald Trump to be President &#8211; not Elon Musk. Having an unelected billionaire, with his own foreign debts and motives, raiding US classified information is a grave threat to national security. This should not be a partisan issue. <a href="https://t.co/OkEfM1n1Ga">https://t.co/OkEfM1n1Ga</a>&mdash; Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) <a href="https://twitter.com/AOC/status/1886149143980032275?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Remember The Constitution?</h2>



The U.S. Constitution explicitly requires Senate confirmation for anyone wielding significant federal power, a requirement that Musk has apparently been enabled by President Donald Trump to ignore. This was demonstrated recently when Musk <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43417749/elon-musks-aides-block-government-workers-from-federal-data-systems-report">installed numerous loyalists</a> throughout the government, essentially demanding access to many of the levers of power.



The mounting news of Musk-led takeovers and threats of more to come have heightened fears the Trump administration is consolidating power by sidelining career officials, not to mention stripping many Americans and institutions of much needed financial payments.



Now Read:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43425216/elon-musk-supports-putting-treasury-department-operations-on-blockchain-to-fix-irregularities">Elon Musk Says Treasury Officials &#8216;Breaking The Law Every Hour&#8217; By Approving Fraudulent Payments — DOGE Lead Wants A Blockchain Fix</a></li>
</ul>



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Elon Musk, Says Elizabeth Warren, Is 'Meddling' With Trillions In US Treasury Via 'Unqualified Flunkies'

A major U-turn in the tariff drama unfolded Monday as the United States and Mexico agreed to pause the planned trade <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s">levies for one month.</a>



Both nations pledged to tackle key security concerns, including drug trafficking and arms smuggling, while reopening trade negotiations.



Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum confirmed the agreement via social media platform X at 10:21 a.m. ET.



She indicated the deployment of 10,000 National Guard troops to Mexico's northern border to combat fentanyl trafficking and a U.S. pledge to curb the flow of high-powered weapons into Mexico.



Sheibaum said: &#8220;Our teams will begin working today on two fronts: security and trade.&#8221;



Twenty minutes later, President Donald Trump announced the deal on Truth Social, calling his conversation with Sheinbaum &#8220;very friendly.&#8221; 



He stressed Mexico's commitment to border security and said high-level negotiations will be led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Trump also indicated his involvement in talks, expressing optimism for a broader trade agreement.



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43439462/us-manufacturing-confidence-tops-forecasts">Read also: US Manufacturing Confidence Tops Forecasts, Yet Price Pressures Intensify, &#8216;Could Become A Concern,&#8217; Economist Says</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Markets Rebound As Tariff Pause Fuels Optimism</h2>



Investor sentiment improved sharply following the announcement.



The S&amp;P 500 – as tracked by the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) –&nbsp;trimmed losses to 0.6%, rebounding from steeper declines earlier in the session as traders anticipated a potential de-escalation in trade tensions.



The Mexican peso staged a dramatic turnaround, surging 1% after initially falling nearly 2% overnight.



The USD/MXN exchange rate dropped to 20.42, down from a session high of 21.32, reflecting renewed confidence in Mexico's economic outlook.



The iShares MSCI Mexico ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EWW#NYSE">EWW</a>) rallied to 3%, reversing earlier session losses of up to 2.5%. 



All eyes now turn to Trump&#8217;s scheduled call with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at 3 p.m. ET, as markets speculate whether similar tariff relief could be extended to Canada.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/02/43435750/ford-general-motors-shares-are-sliding-monday-whats-going-on">Ford, General Motors Shares Are Sliding Monday: What&#8217;s Going On?</a></li>
</ul>



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US, Mexico Agree On 1-Month Tariff Pause: Stocks Rebound, Peso Rallies

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>) will be reporting its fourth-quarter earnings on Tuesday. Wall Street expects $2.13 in EPS and $96.56 billion in revenues as the company reports<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings?tickers=GOOGL" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> after market hours</a>.



The stock is up 41.10% over the past year, 7.02% YTD.



Let&#8217;s look at what the charts indicate for Alphabet stock and how the stock currently maps against Wall Street estimates.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/01/43375573/mexican-president-asks-google-not-to-rename-gulf-of-mexico-takes-a-swipe-at-trump-decision-by-asking-for-mexican-america">Mexican President Asks Google Not To Rename Gulf Of Mexico, Takes A Swipe At Trump Decision By Asking For &#8216;Mexican America&#8217;</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Alphabet Stock Strongly Bullish Ahead Of Q4 Earnings</h2>



Alphabet stock is currently in a strongly bullish trend, with its share price of $202.73 comfortably above its key exponential moving averages (EMAs) for five, 20 and 50 days. This indicates solid upward momentum and suggests that the stock could continue to outperform in the near term. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent020325&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="626" height="490" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/03111813/Screenshot-2025-02-03-at-9.43.05-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-762948" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/03111813/Screenshot-2025-02-03-at-9.43.05-PM.png 626w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/03111813/Screenshot-2025-02-03-at-9.43.05-PM-300x235.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 626px) 100vw, 626px" /></a></figure>



<a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent020325&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chart created using Benzinga Pro</a>



Short-term bullish signals are further supported by Alphabet stock trading above its eight-day simple moving average (SMA) of $198.54, 20-day SMA of $196 and 50-day SMA of $187.86. These SMA levels confirm strong buying momentum and indicate the potential for continued upward movement. 



Additionally, Alphabet stock remains well above its 200-day SMA of $174.00, reinforcing long-term strength. 



The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator is at 3.37, signaling further bullish momentum, while the Relative Strength Index (RSI) at 61.64 indicates that the stock is not yet overbought, leaving room for continued growth. 



Alphabet stock investors should consider the current trend as favorable, but also monitor for any signs of overheating or correction if RSI climbs higher.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Alphabet Analysts See 5% Upside</h2>



Ratings &amp; Consensus Estimates:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/GOOGL/analyst-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> The consensus analyst rating</a> on Alphabet stock stands at a Buy currently with a price target of $210.91. The latest analyst ratings from Needham, DA Davidson and Cantor Fitzgerald suggest a 4.59% upside for Alphabet stock, with an average price target of $211.67.



GOOGL Stock Price Action: Alphabet stock was trading at $203.30 at the time of publication.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/25/01/43403758/exclusive-this-magnificent-7-stock-will-feel-the-pinch-of-feds-rate-decision-poll-shows" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EXCLUSIVE: This &#8216;Magnificent 7&#8217; Stock Will Feel The Pinch Of Fed&#8217;s Rate Decision, Poll Shows</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Technicals

Previews

Tech

GOOG

GOOGL

Alphabet Q4 Earnings Preview: Bullish Trend Just Getting Started?

The U.S. manufacturing sector surprisingly returned to expansion in January, signaling renewed business optimism, though mounting input costs pose a growing inflation risk <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s">for the months ahead.</a>



Two key indicators tracking U.S. factory activity that were released Monday showed stronger-than-expected growth last month.



The S&amp;P Global U.S. Manufacturing PMI was upwardly revised to 51.2, exceeding the preliminary estimate of 50.1 and improving from 49.4 in December. 



The ISM Manufacturing PMI rose to 50.9 from a downwardly revised 49.2 in December, beating market forecasts of 49.8, according to TradingEconomics. This marked the first expansion in the ISM index after 26 consecutive months of contraction.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Manufacturing Activity Surges In January</h3>



"The start of the new year saw a renewed expansion in the U.S. manufacturing sector amid a surge in confidence," S&amp;P Global wrote in its report. 



The firm attributed part of the optimism to expectations that business conditions would improve under President Donald Trump&#8216;s administration.



"Business confidence about prospects for the year ahead has leaped to the highest level in nearly three years after one of the largest monthly gains yet recorded by the survey," said Chris Williamson, chief business economist at S&amp;P Global Market Intelligence.



While manufacturing activity rebounded, rising input costs threaten to push consumer price inflation higher in the months ahead. Costs continued to increase sharply, driving the pace of output price inflation to its highest level since May 2024.



"A rise in the rate of increase of both input costs and selling prices could become a concern if this intensification of inflationary pressures is sustained in the coming months," Williamson stated. 



"Especially as the combination of higher price pressures alongside accelerating economic growth and rising employment is not typically conducive to cutting interest rates," he added.



A separate ISM survey reinforced these concerns, with its Prices Paid Index climbing 2.4 points from December to 54.9, the highest since May 2024, exceeding market expectations of 52.6. 



Timothy Fiore, chair of the ISM Manufacturing Business Survey Committee, highlighted that price pressures would be a significant challenge throughout 2025.



"As predicted, maintaining a slower rate of price increases as demand returns will be a major challenge for 2025," Fiore said.



The ISM report also highlighted that companies in the Food, Beverage &amp; Tobacco Products industry are actively assessing supply chain adjustments in response to potential tariff-driven cost increases.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Market Reactions: Stocks Drop, Bonds And Gold Rally</h2>



Markets reacted negatively to the confirmation of new tariffs on Canada and Mexico at 25% and China at 10% announced by Trump over the weekend.



By 10:30 a.m. ET, the S&amp;P 500 — tracked by the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) — was down 1.2%.



Treasury yields declined, signaling demand for safe-haven assets. The yield on the 30-year Treasury bond dropped 5 basis points to 4.75%, pushing the iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TLT#NASDAQ">TLT</a>) up 0.7%.



Gold prices surged to fresh all-time highs, with spot gold reaching $2,800 per ounce, while the SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GLD#NYSE">GLD</a>) rose 0.7%, reflecting heightened investor concerns over inflation and economic uncertainty.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43430801/exclusive-anthony-scaramucci-warns-donald-trumps-crypto-promises-may-be-a-mirage">EXCLUSIVE: Anthony Scaramucci Warns Donald Trump&#8217;s Crypto Promises May Be A &#8216;Mirage&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Photo via Shutterstock.

Bonds

Econ #s

Economics

US Manufacturing Confidence Tops Forecasts, Yet Price Pressures Intensify, 'Could Become A Concern,' Economist Says

Shares of U.S. automakers including Ford Motor Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/F#NYSE">F</a>) and General Motors Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>) are moving lower Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump placed tariffs on <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43423288/trumps-tariffs-are-here-heres-what-will-get-more-expensive-from-canada-china-and-mexico">Canada, Mexico and China</a>.



What Happened: Trump signed executive orders on Saturday to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico and 10% tariffs on China in an effort to curb immigration and narcotics trafficking, per Reuters. 



The tariffs, which are expected to take effect on Tuesday, include a 25% duty on all&nbsp;imports from Mexico and most&nbsp;goods from Canada, as well as a 10% duty on Chinese goods. 



The auto industry is expected to be one of the hardest hit as U.S. automakers build, assemble and use parts from Canada and Mexico. Investors are also concerned about a potential trade war as Canada and Mexico have threatened to retaliate. The auto industry has a heavy reliance on North America, particularly Mexico where a lot of vehicles are manufactured.



&#8220;We may have short term some little pain, and people understand that. But long term, the United States has been ripped off by virtually every country in the world,&#8221; Trump reportedly told reporters on Sunday.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/02/43429067/us-stocks-likely-to-open-lower-as-trump-imposes-tariffs-on-china-canada-and-mexico-expert-notes-feb-worst-month-in-post-election-years">US Stocks Likely To Open Lower As Trump Imposes Tariffs On China, Canada, And Mexico: Expert Notes Feb Worst Month In Post-Election Years</a>



General Motors reported <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43263700/general-motors-stock-gains-after-q4-earnings-beat-incurs-charges-from-funding-halt-of-cruise-robotaxi-business">fourth-quarter earnings</a> last week that came in above analyst expectations. The automaker guided for strong earnings in 2025 on the back of growth in North America. 



Ford is due to report fourth-quarter earnings after the market close on Wednesday. The company is expected to report earnings of 33 cents per share and revenue of $43.25 billion, according to estimates from <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>.



F, GM Price Action: Ford shares were down 3.89% at $9.68 and GM shares were down 5.90% at $46.60 at the time of publication Monday, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Photo: courtesy of Ford.

Ford, General Motors Shares Are Sliding Monday: What's Going On?

Palantir Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>) will be reporting its fourth-quarter earnings on Monday. Wall Street expects 11 cents in EPS and $775.91 million in revenues as the company reports<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings?tickers=PLTR" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> after market hours</a>.



The stock is up 393.36%% over the past year, 9.71% YTD.



Let&#8217;s look at what the charts indicate for Palantir stock and how the stock currently maps against Wall Street estimates.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43426284">Palantir Technologies Plunges Overnight On Robinhood: Trump Tariff Impact Or Investor Jitters?</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">PLTR Stock Strongly Bullish Ahead Of Q4 Earnings&#8230;</h2>



PLTR stock is in a strongly bullish trend, trading above its five-day, 20-day and 50-day exponential moving averages. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent020325&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="626" height="490" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/03065308/Screenshot-2025-02-03-at-5.22.51-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-762426" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/03065308/Screenshot-2025-02-03-at-5.22.51-PM.png 626w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/03065308/Screenshot-2025-02-03-at-5.22.51-PM-300x235.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 626px) 100vw, 626px" /></a></figure>



<a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent020325&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">Chart created using Benzinga Pro</a>



At $81.20, the stock sits comfortably above key moving averages, reinforcing upward momentum. Notably, PLTR is well above its eight-day SMA (simple moving average) of $79.79, 20-day SMA of $74.48 and 50-day SMA of $73.06, all bullish indicators suggesting continued strength. 



The 200-day SMA at $42.02 further underscores a long-term uptrend, with the stock having nearly doubled over this period.



Momentum indicators also support the bullish case. The MACD (moving average convergence/divergence) indicator at 2.61 signals increasing upside momentum, often a precursor to further gains. However, the RSI (relative strength index) at 61.03 indicates that while the stock isn&#8217;t yet overbought, it is approaching elevated levels, suggesting some caution as PLTR stock nears resistance zones. 



PLTR stock investors should watch for potential consolidation or minor pullbacks, but the overall technical picture remains bullish.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">&#8230;Yet Palantir Analysts See 9% Downside</h2>



Ratings &amp; Consensus Estimates:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/PLTR/analyst-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> The consensus analyst rating</a> on Palantir stock stands at a Neutral currently with a price target of $39.38. Recent analyst ratings from Wedbush, Cantor Fitzgerald and Morgan Stanley imply an 8.77% downside for PLTR stock, with an average price target of $74.



PLTR Stock Price Action: Palantir stock closed the trading day Friday at $82.49, up 1.56%.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/43420511">Palantir CEO Alex Karp Sounds Alarm on China&#8217;s Deepseek – Could This Threaten Palantir&#8217;s AI Dominance?</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Palantir Q4 Earnings Countdown: Bullish Charts Vs. Bearish Analysts

A fresh wave of market turmoil hit global equities on Monday as President Donald Trump signed executive orders imposing new tariffs: 25% on imports from Mexico and Canada and 10% <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s">on imports from China.</a> 



The tariffs, set to take effect Tuesday, Feb. 4, include a 10% carve-out for Canadian gas, power, and minerals.



U.S. stock futures tumbled over 1% on Friday. That afternoon, as of 1:10 p.m. ET, S&amp;P 500 futures were down 1.5%, slipping below 6,000 points. Nasdaq 100 futures declined 1.6% and Dow Jones Industrial Average futures sank over 1.2%.



&#8220;Both Canada and Mexico have threatened retaliation, and markets are concerned that this is the start of a global trade war,&#8221; said David Morrison, market analyst at Trade Nation.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Automakers Take A Hit Amid Trade Disruption, Energy Commodities Rise</h3>



The automotive sector bore the brunt of the tariff shock, with General Motors Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>) plunging 6% in premarket trading.



Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/F#NYSE">F</a>) and Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STLA#NYSE">STLA</a>) also suffered losses, down 3.9% and 4.7%, respectively. Given the reliance of U.S. automakers on North American trade, the new tariffs could significantly disrupt supply chains and raise costs.



Within tech, shares of Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) shrunk 4% to $115, eyeing the lowest levels since October. 



The tariffs sent ripples through commodity markets. Henry Hub natural gas prices — as tracked by the U.S. Natural Gas Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNG#NYSE">UNG</a>) — soared 8.5%, surpassing $3 per million British thermal units, while crude oil climbed 2.2% to $74 per barrel.



Gold edged up 0.5% to $2,810 per ounce, reflecting heightened market uncertainty.



The U.S. dollar benchmark — as tracked by the Invesco DB USD Index Bullish Fund ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UUP#NYSE">UUP</a>) — surged across the board, with up 0.9%. The greenback gained 1% against the Canadian dollar and 1.5% against the Mexican peso, pushing USD/MXN to 21, levels not seen since February 2022.



Cryptocurrency markets were not immune to the selloff. Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) slumped 2.8% to trade below $95,000, hitting an overnight low of $91,200 as investors moved toward safer assets.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Analyst Reactions: Uncertainty Looms Over Tariff Impact</h3>



S&amp;P Global warned that U.S. tariffs on metals and minerals &#8220;are widely expected to ratchet up costs for U.S. manufacturers that depend on Canada, Mexico, and China for materials.&#8221;



Goldman Sachs&#8217; economist Jan Hatzius highlighted that tariffs may be temporary, yet the outlook remains uncertain. &#8220;We think it is more likely that the tariffs will be temporary, but the outlook is unclear.&#8221; 



He added that a sustained 25% tariff on Canadian and Mexican imports could raise core U.S. Personal Consumption Expenditure inflation by 0.7% and shave 0.4% off GDP growth.



&#8220;S&amp;P 500 companies derive 28% of revenues outside the U.S. A 10% increase in the trade-weighted USD would reduce S&amp;P 500 EPS by roughly 2%,&#8221; said Goldman Sachs&#8217; analyst David J. Kostin. 



Now Read: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/02/43432736/copper-stocks-on-shaky-ground-jpmorgan-analysts-say-tariffs-deepseek-cloud-outlook">Copper Stocks On Shaky Ground, JPMorgan Analysts Say: Tariffs, DeepSeek Cloud Outlook</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

STLA

Trump's Tariffs Hit Markets, Natural Gas Spikes, Mexican Peso Hits 2-Year Lows, Bitcoin Freefalls: 'The Outlook Is Unclear,' Analysts Warn

SkyBridge Capital founder Anthony Scaramucci on Monday cast doubt on the crypto industry&#8217;s high hopes for President Donald Trump, suggesting his promises <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/43177482/trump-signs-executive-order-on-crypto-bitcoin-reserve-to-be-evaluated">of regulatory relief</a> may be a &#8220;mirage.&#8221; 



What Happened: &#8220;Sometimes in the desert, when you see the oasis, there could be a mirage,&#8221; Scaramucci said, suggesting that the initial optimism in the cryptocurrency industry over a change of course from the Biden administration may not be fulfilled.



Scaramucci pointed to several factors supporting his view. 



He highlighted Trump's launch of the Trump (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">TRUMP</a>) meme coin shortly before assuming the presidency, which signals a lack of focus on the industry&#8217;s needs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Danger of Trump Tariffs</h2>



Scaramucci expressed concern over the president&#8217;s &#8220;capricious&#8221; moves on trade, particularly the imposition of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43423288/trumps-tariffs-are-here-heres-what-will-get-more-expensive-from-canada-china-and-mexico">substantial tariffs</a> on Canada, Mexico and China without any clear conditions or context. &#8216;



This uncertainty, he argued, is deeply unsettling for markets, which thrive on predictability and stability. 



&#8220;Markets hate lack of predictability. Markets hate uncertainty. Markets love tranquility,&#8221; he said, adding that the president's decisions have created an environment of unease.



Scaramucci also noted that markets are wary of Trump&#8217;s complete control over the government. 



&#8220;He has the House, the Senate, the Supreme Court and the presidency,&#8221; which, according to Scaramucci, makes it difficult to predict his next moves, creating market nervousness.



He noted how Trump is constantly breaking norms, which shocks the American system.



Scaramucci criticized the widespread surprise about Trump&#8217;s recent actions, stating, &#8220;It surprises me that people are surprised.&#8221;



He pointed out that Trump&#8217;s behavior over the past four years has clearly indicated a pattern of transactional decision-making, including flip-flopping on policies based on his own self-interest.



&#8220;You get everything with him. You get the trade wars, you get the flip-flopping.&#8221; 



He cited examples such as <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/25/01/43088960/trump-suspends-us-tiktok-ban-for-75-days-with-executive-order-but-legal-and-market-uncertainty-looms-over-platforms-future">his stance on TikTok</a> and Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>), which have shifted dramatically depending on the situation and who is funding him.



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/43404802/grayscale-seeks-sec-approval-to-convert-xrp-trust-into-exchange-traded-fund">Grayscale Seeks SEC Approval To Convert XRP Trust Into Exchange-Traded Fund</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Future of Crypto Under Trump</h2>



Despite these concerns, Scaramucci believes that the crypto industry will ultimately receive <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/43008666/sec-under-trump-administration-to-revise-crypto-policies-report">the positive legislation</a> it seeks.



He anticipates this occurring before February or March of next year, noting that &#8220;the Democrats are scared now,&#8221; because they lost seats in congress due to crypto, likely forcing them to concede.



However, this regulatory clarity, according to Scaramucci, is not likely due to any sudden shift in Trump's support, but rather a consequence of the Democrats trying to avoid past mistakes. 



Scaramucci predicts that Bitcoin will continue to grow, forecasting a price above $200,000 within the next three years, given institutional demand.



Scaramucci further said, the crypto industry will not miss <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/42885028/gary-gensler-says-10000-15000-projects-wont-survive-crypto-market-is-wrapped-up-in-sentiment">former SEC chair Gary Gensler</a>, who he described as an &#8220;unmitigated disaster.&#8221;



Instead, he anticipates the industry will find Trump&#8217;s actions frustrating, due to his irrational and unpredictable behavior.



Regarding the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/01/43257172/deepseek-themed-crypto-explodes-600-on-ai-disruption-but-heres-why-you-should-be-cautious">tech sell-off due to DeepSeek</a>, Scaramucci argued that the market reaction was exaggerated and that the AI narrative remains intact.



He also noted the U.S. government reporting that China was using middlemen in Singapore to obtain chips restricted from them.



He believes these companies will have much higher prices in a year's time.



Reiterating his concerns about Trump's approach to international relations, Scaramucci said that these methods could result in less predictable outcomes.



He stated that Trump's actions are causing the Russians and the Chinese to unite due to the uncertainty inflicted on them by the West. He believes Trump&#8217;s goals can be achieved without this kind of drama.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/43399688/microstrategy-prices-preferred-stock-offering-at-80-per-share-seeks-563m-to-buy-bitcoin">MicroStrategy Prices Preferred Stock Offering At $80 Per Share, Seeks $563M To Buy Bitcoin</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Cryptocurrency

$TRUMP

EXCLUSIVE: Anthony Scaramucci Warns Donald Trump's Crypto Promises May Be A 'Mirage'

U.S. stock futures dropped sharply on Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed tariffs on three of its major trade partners, Canada, China, and Mexico.



The new tariffs will begin Tuesday, with a 10% levy on China and a 25% levy on a few Canadian and Mexican imports, each. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce warns of supply chain disruptions and higher family costs, citing concerns over trade with Mexico worth $46 billion in agricultural products, and Canada valued at $97 billion in energy supplied.



The U.S. dollar index strengthened over 1% following this announcement.



All major index futures were down, with the Russell 2000 falling more than 2%. This drop comes after the indices had posted gains for three consecutive weeks.



Companies reporting earnings this week include Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), Google parent 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>), Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>), and Fortinet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FTNT#NASDAQ">FTNT</a>).



The 10-year Treasury yield stood at 4.54%, while the two-year yield was at 4.27%. According to the CME Group's FedWatch <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">tool</a>, there is an 86.5% chance that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged for the March meeting.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Futures</td><td>Change (+/-)</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>-1.78%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>-1.57%</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>-1.38%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-2.14%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) both experienced negative premarket trading on Monday. SPY fell 1.51% to $592.76, and QQQ plunged 1.72% to $513.33, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.



Cues From The Last Session



Energy, IT, and materials stocks led the decline on Friday as the U.S. markets reacted to new tariffs on the country's three largest suppliers &#8211; Canada, Mexico, and China.



Communication services and consumer discretionary stocks were exceptions. The news overshadowed strong earnings from Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XOM#NYSE">XOM</a>).



On the economic front, the U.S. personal income rose 0.4% in December (up from 0.3% in November), while personal spending climbed 0.7% to an annualized rate of $20.387 trillion. The core PCE price index increased 0.2%.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Index</td><td>Performance (+/-)</td><td>Value</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq Composite</td><td>-0.28%</td><td>19,627.44</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>-0.50%</td><td>6,040.53</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>-0.75%</td><td>44,544.66</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-0.86%</td><td>2,287.69</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Insights From Analysts



The newly issued tariffs as highlighted by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will be used to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. It will also be used to raise revenues to help pay for extending Trump&#8217;s 2017 tax cuts and as a lever to negotiate with other countries as an alternative to sanctions.



However, Ed Yardeni and Eric Wallerstein in their QuickTakes note mentioned that &#8220;During Trump 1.0, tariff hikes by the U.S. seem to have depressed merchandise imports in 2018 and 2019. But they also depressed U.S. exports because global economic growth was weakened by trade tensions.&#8221;



Ryan Detrick, the chief market strategist at Carson Research highlighted in an X post that February is historically the worst month during a post-election year.



<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">February is historically the worst year during a post election year, so maybe rough seas this month shouldn&#39;t be a shock? Is it just a President likes to get all the bad stuff out of the way early? <a href="https://t.co/kooyDUoqs7">pic.twitter.com/kooyDUoqs7</a>&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1886221160209363356?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Furthermore, Detrick pointed out that &#8220;the first quarter of a post-election year usually isn&#8217;t all that strong.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Yes, it was a very strong January for stocks, but be aware the first quarter of a post-election year usually isn&#39;t all that strong. <a href="https://t.co/nZx4SPu4XX">pic.twitter.com/nZx4SPu4XX</a>&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1886223993058812398?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 3, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



He added that the S&amp;P 500 has been up eight of the past nine quarters. &#8220;One of these days it&#8217;ll fall and that is perfectly normal.&#8221;



According to Ivan Martchev, investment strategist at Navellier &amp; Associates, &#8220;Seasonality is not a promise.&#8221;



Martchev highlighted that December was supposed to be strong, but it turned out to be weak. He added that since 1928, September has been the weakest seasonal month, but last year only the first week was down while the rest of the month was strong.



&#8220;So as we approach February which is weak over the long term, we must remember that seasonality is a guideline, but it can deviate widely each year,&#8221; he added.



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



Upcoming Economic Data



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



<ul>
<li>On Monday, January&#8217;s S&amp;P final U.S. manufacturing PMI will be released at 9:45 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>December&#8217;s construction spending data and January&#8217;s ISM manufacturing data will be announced at 10:00 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic will speak at noon, and auto sales data for January will also be released on Monday.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>On Tuesday, December&#8217;s job openings and factory orders data will be out at 10:00 a.m., ET</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic will speak again at 11:00 a.m., ET on Tuesday, on the topic of housing.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>San Francisco Fed President Daly will speak at 2:00 p.m., ET and Federal Reserve Vice Chairman Philip Jefferson will speak at 7:30 p.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>On Wednesday, January&#8217;s ADP employment data will be out at 8:15 a.m., and December&#8217;s U.S. trade deficit data will be released at 8:30 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin will speak at 9:00 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>January&#8217;s S&amp;P final U.S. services PMI will be announced at 9:45 a.m. and ISM services data will be out by 10:00 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Chicago Fed President Goolsbee will speak at 1:00 p.m., Fed Governor Michelle Bowman will speak at 3:00 p.m., and Fed Vice Chairman Philip Jefferson will speak again at 7:30 p.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>On Thursday, initial jobless claims till Feb. 1 and the U.S. productivity data for the fourth quarter will be out at 8:30 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Fed Governor Christopher Waller will speak at 2:30 p.m. and Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan will speak at 5:10 p.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>On Friday, the U.S. employment, unemployment, and hourly wages report for January will be out at 8:30 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Fed Governor Michelle Bowman will speak again at 9:25 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>December&#8217;s wholesale inventory data will be announced at 10:00 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>January&#8217;s preliminary consumer sentiment data will be out at 10:00 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>December&#8217;s consumer credit will be released at 3:00 p.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



Stocks In Focus:



<ul>
<li>Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>) was down 2.68% in the premarket on Monday as it is expected to report its fourth-quarter earnings after market hours. According to Benzinga's consensus estimates, the company is expected to report earnings of $0.11 per share on revenue of $775.91 million.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Super Micro Computer Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>) declined 3.26% as it is expected to report its earnings after having missed filing reports since March 31 quarterly results in May 2024.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>MicroStrategy Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>) slipped 5.73% as Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) fell over 4% to $95,403.03 per coin.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Tyson Foods Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSN#NYSE">TSN</a>) was up 1.56% ahead of its earnings before the opening bell. Analysts expect it to report quarterly earnings of 88 cents per share on revenue of $13.44 billion.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Clorox Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CLX#NYSE">CLX</a>) was down 0.20% as Wall Street expects it to report quarterly earnings of $1.41 per share on revenue of $1.63 billion after the closing bell.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Fabrinet (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FN#NYSE">FN</a>) declined 2.87% ahead of its earnings after the closing bell. Analysts expect it to report quarterly earnings of $2.50 per share on revenue of $814.33 million.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>NXP Semiconductors NV (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NXPI#NASDAQ">NXPI</a>) dropped 2.56% as Wall Street expects it to report quarterly earnings of $3.14 per share on revenue of $3.10 billion after the closing bell.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Territorial Bancorp Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TBNK#NASDAQ">TBNK</a>) was down 7.52% after it reported a net loss of $1.72 million, or 20 cents per share, for the fourth quarter.</li>
</ul>



Commodities, Gold And Global Equity Markets:



Crude oil futures were trading higher in the early New York session by 2.29% to hover around $74.19 per barrel.



The gold spot index was down by 0.16% to $2,796.63 per ounce. The Dollar Index was up 1.09% at 109.554 level.



Asian markets fell sharply on Monday as Hong Kong's Hang Seng, Australia's ASX 200, South Korea's Kospi, China's CSI 300, and Japan's Nikkei 225 index declined. European markets were also lower in trade.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43428231/as-dollar-strengthens-after-trumps-tariff-imposition-this-hedge-fund-manager-says-usd-devaluation-is-inevitable-heres-why">Trump Tariffs Strengthen Dollar, But Hedge Fund CEO Sees Impending Decline</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Earnings

Market Summary

Futures

Pre-Market Outlook

AMZN

FTNT

MSTR

SMCI

TBNK

US Stocks Likely To Open Lower As Trump Imposes Tariffs On China, Canada, And Mexico: Expert Notes Feb Worst Month In Post-Election Years

Elon Musk, the lead of the Department of Government Efficiency, backed the idea of using blockchain technology on Sunday to streamline the U.S. Treasury.



What happened: The Tesla and SpaceX CEO accused the Treasury Department officials of flouting rules to sanction government payments.



"Career Treasury officials are breaking the law every hour of every day by approving payments that are fraudulent or do not match the funding laws passed by Congress," Musk wrote in an X post.



Musk cited 31 U.S.C. Section 3325, which requires government disbursing officials to obtain certification from the head of the relevant executive agency before authorizing such payments.



<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">Yes!&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1886164124981166241?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



In response, widely followed X user Mario Nawfal asked Musk whether it would be wise to place the Treasury on the blockchain to plug these holes, to which the tech titan said, &#8220;Yes.&#8221;



See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42735744/pharma-bro-martin-shkreli-predicts-doom-for-michael-saylors-microstrategy-as-stock-dips-below-300-in-after-hours-trading"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43325381/elon-musks-tesla-racks-up-600-million-paper-gains-on-bitcoin-in-q4">Elon Musk&#8217;s Tesla Records $600 Million In Paper Gains On Bitcoin In Q4 Thanks To New Accounting Rule</a>&nbsp;



Why It Matters: The blockchain idea comes a week after reports that Musk was <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43219929/musks-doge-department-reportedly-eyeing-blockchain-technology-to-slash-federal-spendingjustin-sun-pitches-tron">contemplating the use of a digital ledger</a> to support his federal spending plans at the Department of Government Efficiency, also called DOGE.&nbsp;The blockchain would be utilized to track spending, secure data, and make payments.



The development comes on the heels of reports that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/02/43419885/musks-doge-eyes-treasury-payment-system-sparks-controversy-leading-to-officials-exit">DOGE was seeking access </a>to the payment systems of the Treasury Department.



The Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, is an entity<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/11/41927289/trump-appoints-elon-musk-and-vivek-ramaswamy-to-lead-doge-targeting-bureaucracy-and-65-trillion-federal-spending-we-will-not-go-gently"> tasked with cutting federal spending</a> and abolishing meaningless regulations. The agency was <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43086309/trumps-doge-committee-faces-lawsuit-over-alleged-federal-advisory-violations-and-lack-of-transparency">hit with a barrage of lawsuits</a> shortly after Trump took office as president last month.



Price Action: At the time of writing, Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>), the cryptocurrency symbolically linked to the department, was exchanging hands at $0.3308, crashing 21.72% in the last 24 hours, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data from Benzinga Pro</a>. 



Image via Shutterstock



Read Next:&nbsp;



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43326463/former-senator-bob-menendez-who-said-bitcoin-will-open-doors-of-corruption-in-el-salvador-gets-11-year-jail-term-for-accepting-bribes">Former Senator Bob Menendez Who Said &#8216;Bitcoin Will Open Doors Of Corruption In El Salvador&#8217; Gets 11-Year Jail Term For Accepting Bribes</a></li>
</ul>

$DOGE

Elon Musk Says Treasury Officials 'Breaking The Law Every Hour' By Approving Fraudulent Payments — DOGE Lead Wants A Blockchain Fix

On Sunday, OpenAI revealed a new feature for ChatGPT called &#8220;deep research,&#8221; which autonomously plans and executes multi-step data searches.



What Happened: This feature allows users to input questions using text, images, and files like PDFs or spreadsheets. It takes five to 30 minutes to generate a response but goes beyond text generation.



The deep research feature displays a sidebar summary that outlines its research process, includes citations, and provides a reference overview.



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43377716/tesla-employee-headcount-drops-after-april-layoff" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tesla Reports Over 10% Employee Reduction By Year-End Following April Layoffs</a>



However, despite its capabilities, OpenAI acknowledges that deep research can sometimes &#8220;hallucinate&#8221; or confuse authoritative information with rumors.



The tool is designed to operate at a research analyst level, but it is still refining its accuracy and reliability.



OpenAI&#8217;s deep research is available for Pro users, offering up to 100 queries per month <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42356469/openai-unveils-200-chatgpt-pro-subscription-inside-the-o1-reasoning-model-and-what-it-means-for-power-users">for a $200 fee</a>. Limited access is also available for Plus, Team, and Enterprise users.



The model powering deep research achieved a 26.6% accuracy on an AI benchmark, surpassing previous models, said OpenAI.



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.



<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="Introduction to Deep Research" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/jv-lpIsnLOo?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>



Why It Matters: Last week, OpenAI launched the o3-mini model, which promises exceptional capabilities in science, math, and coding, <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43418650/openai-launches-o3-mini-model-makes-it-free-after-deepseeks-launch">while keeping costs low</a>. This model is part of OpenAI&#8217;s reasoning series and is available on both ChatGPT and the API.



OpenAI&#8217;s latest developments also include the debut of Operator, an AI agent capable of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43186741/openai-debuts-operator-ai-agent-that-performs-web-tasks-but-early-error-has-sam-altman-scrambling-for-a-quick-fix">autonomously performing web tasks</a>. This agent integrates GPT-4o's vision capabilities with advanced reasoning through reinforcement learning.



Meanwhile, SoftBank Group Corp. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBY#OTC">SFTBY</a>) is reportedly in talks to lead a new $40 billion funding round for OpenAI, which could <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/01/43374528/softbank-may-lead-openais-40-billion-funding-round-at-a-300-billion-valuation-despite-deepseek-disruption-report">value the company at</a> $300 billion.



Image via Shutterstock



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:



<ul>
<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:&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.

SFTBF

SFTBY

OpenAI's 'Deep Research' Promises AI-Powered Analysis — Here's What It Can (And Can't) Do

Tesla Inc.&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) global export strategy faces mounting pressure from rising trade tensions and persistently high interest rates, according to prominent Tesla investor Gary Black.



What Happened: Black, Managing Partner at The Future Fund LLC, warned on Sunday that elevated long-term interest rates continue to weigh on auto sales across the industry, affecting major manufacturers including Tesla, General Motors Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>), Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/F#NYSE">F</a>), Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STLA#NYSE">STLA</a>), and Rivian Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIVN#NASDAQ">RIVN</a>).



The warning comes as President Donald Trump implements aggressive trade measures, including 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports effective Feb. 1. These actions have sparked concerns about retaliatory measures that could disrupt global automotive trade.



According to data from Troy Teslike cited by Black, Tesla exported 323,499 vehicles in 2024, representing 18.1% of its total 1.79 million deliveries. The company&#8217;s Shanghai factory led export operations, shipping 246,910 units overseas, while U.S. facilities exported 49,747 vehicles and the Berlin plant sent 26,842 units abroad.



&#8220;That is the volume at risk if Trump&#8217;s tariffs develop into a full-scale retaliatory trade war similar to what happened globally in the 1930s,&#8221; Black said.



In the 1930s, the world experienced the Great Depression, a severe global economic downturn that lasted from 1929 to the early 1940s. One of the key events that worsened the economic crisis was the rise of protectionist trade policies, most notably the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act of 1930 in the United States.



<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">Based on <a href="https://twitter.com/TroyTeslike?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@troyteslike</a> ‘s estimates, approximately 18% of <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24TSLA&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$TSLA</a> ‘s 2024 deliveries (323K of 1,789K) were imported from outside the country of final demand. That is the volume at risk if Trump's tariffs develop into a full scale retaliatory trade war similar to what happened… <a href="https://t.co/YAxqDxaSdf">pic.twitter.com/YAxqDxaSdf</a>&mdash; Gary Black (@garyblack00) <a href="https://twitter.com/garyblack00/status/1886128280790573251?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<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">Long-term interest rates remain high, keeping pressure on home and auto sales, where consumers generally borrow to finance purchases. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24TSLA&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$TSLA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24GM&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$GM</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24F&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$F</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24STLA&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$STLA</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24RIVN&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$RIVN</a> <a href="https://t.co/6qE8B74DoT">pic.twitter.com/6qE8B74DoT</a>&mdash; Gary Black (@garyblack00) <a href="https://twitter.com/garyblack00/status/1886136847736180925?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 2, 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/news/25/02/43424608/21-interest-rates-youve-got-to-be-kidding-me-kevin-oleary-slams-credit-card-debt-as-the-real-silent-killer-in-america">&#8216;21% Interest Rates?! You&#8217;ve Got To Be Kidding Me!&#8217; Kevin O&#8217;Leary Slams Credit Card Debt As &#8216;The Real Silent Killer In America&#8217;</a>



Why It Matters: The export concerns emerge against a backdrop of steady U.S. interest rates, with the Federal Reserve maintaining its target range at 4.25% to 4.5% after ending a series of rate cuts that began in September. Treasury yields, while declining from late-2024 peaks, remain elevated compared to levels seen when the Fed began easing policy.



The combination of trade tensions and high borrowing costs poses a dual challenge for automakers as they navigate an increasingly complex global market environment.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43425160/trump-tariffs-a-strategic-gift-to-xi-jinpings-china-says-obama-era-treasury-secretary-jobs-in-industrial-heartland-will-be-lost">Trump Tariffs A &#8216;Strategic Gift&#8217; To Xi Jinping&#8217;s China, Says Obama-Era Treasury Secretary: &#8216;Jobs In Industrial Heartland Will Be Lost&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Image Via Shutterstock 



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

RIVN

Gary Black Warns Tesla's 18% Export Volume At Risk Amid Trump Tariffs: 'Full-Scale Retaliatory Trade War' Possible

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



U.S. stocks settled lower on Friday, with the Dow Jones index falling more than 300 points during the session after the White House confirmed that new tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China would take effect on Saturday, escalating trade tensions with the country&#8217;s three largest suppliers.



Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) reported better-than-expected first-quarter financial results after the market closed on Thursday. Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XOM#NYSE">XOM</a>) reported stronger-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings.



On the economic data front, U.S. personal income increased 0.4% month-over-month in December compared to a 0.3% gain in November. Personal spending climbed by 0.7% month-over-month to an annualized rate of $20.387 trillion in December. The core PCE price index in the US increased by 0.2% from the previous month for December.



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



The Dow Jones closed lower by around 337 points to 44,544.66 on Thursday. The S&amp;P 500 fell 0.50% to 6,040.53, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.28% at 19,627.44 during Friday's session.



Investors are awaiting earnings results from Tyson Foods Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSN#NYSE">TSN</a>), Clorox Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CLX#NYSE">CLX</a>), and NXP Semiconductors N.V. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NXPI#NASDAQ">NXPI</a>) today.



What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?



At a current reading of 45.8, the index remained in the &#8220;Neutral&#8221; zone on Friday, versus a prior reading of 49.4.



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



Read Next: 



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43390127/wall-streets-most-accurate-analysts-give-their-take-on-3-energy-stocks-delivering-high-dividend-yields">Wall Street&#8217;s Most Accurate Analysts Give Their Take On 3 Energy Stocks Delivering High-Dividend Yields</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Long Ideas

Dow Dips Over 300 Points As Trump Imposes Tariffs On Canada, Mexico, And China: Fear & Greed Index Remains In 'Neutral' Zone

Real estate developer Sean Sweeney has ignited a lively debate on X by suggesting that Donald Trump and Elon Musk – two of the world's most prominent figures – are bound to turn into &#8220;full-fledged enemies&#8221; within the next 12 to 24 months. He's willing to put his money where his mouth is, sparking bets from other casual observers.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Betting on a Bromance Breakup</h2>



<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">How do I short Trump &amp; Elon&#39;s relationship? Is there a bet I can place or a financial instrument I can buy? Willing to put up a big $$ bet that they are full fledged enemies in 12-24 months.&mdash; Sean Sweeney (@seandsweeney) <a href="https://twitter.com/seandsweeney/status/1882160788837908486?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 22, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



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<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/mark-cubans-annuity-adv">Many are surprised by Mark Cuban's advice for lotto winners: Cash or annuity?</a></li>



<li>Nancy Pelosi Invested $5 Million In An AI Company Last Year — <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/elf-labs-nancy-pelosi">Here's How You Can Invest In Multiple Pre-IPO AI Startups With Just $1,000</a></li>
</ul>



Sean's original tweet read: "How do I short Trump &amp; Elon's relationship? Is there a bet I can place or a financial instrument I can buy? Willing to put up a big $$ bet that they are full-fledged enemies in 12-24 months."&nbsp;



He followed up, explaining that he's not making a political judgment but simply believes their larger-than-life personalities &#8220;can&#8217;t coexist peacefully for too long.&#8221;&nbsp;



The tweet blew up, prompting users to weigh in with opinions, humor and even cash.



So far, Sean has racked up $7,000 in bets. One notable wager involves $5,000 riding on whether Musk and Trump remain friends over the next 18 months. Sean pays up if they're still on good terms; if not, his opponent loses. Another smaller bet for $100 will be determined by a Twitter poll in mid-2026 asking followers if Musk and Trump are &#8220;still on the same page.&#8221; Other bets have ranged from $500 to tickets to a game.



Trending: Deloitte's fastest-growing software company partners with Amazon, Walmart &amp; Target – <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/mode-mobile-2">Many are rushing to grab 4,000 of its pre-IPO shares for just $0.26/share!</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why People Think It's Inevitable</h2>



A lot of people agree with Sean's prediction. They point out that Musk and Trump have clashed before and that their big personalities could create problems. Some noted that Trump isn't known for sharing the spotlight, while Musk's bluntness and work ethic could clash with Trump's style. Comments like, "Trump's really not gonna like sharing the spotlight with Elon," and "They are both alphas, so there&#8217;s that" echoed these sentiments.



Sweeney himself doubled down on his confidence, stating, "I don't know much about politics, but I read people for a living and trust my judgment 100%. Their fight seems like as close to a sure thing as I&#8217;ve seen in a while."



Trending: According to Juniper Research, the total value of B2B cross-border payments stored on the blockchain is projected to exceed $4.4 trillion — <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/web3-enabler-future-of-enterprise-transactions">Join the first company to bring blockchain payments to Salesforce early with just $100.</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">A History of Ups and Downs</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Trump weighs in on the Twitter v Elon drama <a href="https://t.co/b4lJUC2JgC">pic.twitter.com/b4lJUC2JgC</a>&mdash; Ramp Capital (@RampCapitalLLC) <a href="https://twitter.com/RampCapitalLLC/status/1546997700062846976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 12, 2022</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



The bets aren't entirely unfounded. Trump and Musk have a history of both cooperation and public disputes:



<ul>
<li>In 2016, Musk criticized Trump as unfit for office but later joined his economic advisory council.</li>



<li>In 2017, <a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/870369915894546432">Musk quit</a> the council over Trump's withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement.</li>



<li>In 2022, Trump called Musk a "bulls&#x2A;&#x2A;&#x2A; artist," making Musk fire back on social media.</li>
</ul>



Fast forward to 2024. Musk and Trump's relationship strengthened after Musk publicly backed Trump during his campaign and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41507080/justice-department-flags-potential-legal-issues-with-elon-musk-backed-1m-voter-giveaway-america-pac">formed the &#8220;America PAC&#8221;</a> to support his policies. Musk even referred to himself as Trump's "First Buddy."



See Also: ‘Scrolling To UBI' — Deloitte's #1 fastest-growing software company allows users to earn money on their phones. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/mode-mobile-2">You can invest today for just $0.26/share with a $1000 minimum.</a>



But now, some reports say their relationship might already be cracking. Trump is reportedly annoyed with Musk over disagreements about immigration policies, leading some to wonder if their friendship&#8217;s &#8220;honeymoon phase&#8221; is over.



The drama took another twist with the announcement of a $500 billion AI project called Stargate, led by Musk's rival, Sam Altman. Musk wasn't part of the project and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/01/43121798/elon-musk-says-project-stargate-doesnt-actually-have-the-money-after-trump-announces-500-billion-ai-investment-led-by-softbank-oracle-and-openai">criticized it online</a>, saying it doesn't have enough money to back it up. While this doesn't directly involve Trump, it shows how Musk's competitive side might cause issues even with his allies.



Beyond the drama, the relationship between Musk and Trump matters to investors. Tesla's stock has gone up significantly since Trump's election win. People on Wall Street believe Trump's policies will help Musk's businesses, like Tesla's plan to launch self-driving robotaxis. However, if Musk and Trump's relationship sours, it could have a big effect on those projects and on Tesla's stock.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li>Built on the trusted network of Fortune 500 companies, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/web3-enabler-the-most-boring-blockchain-company-partners-with-salesforce">this blockchain company partners with Salesforce to uproot lengthy and expensive B2B transactions, and you can invest with just $100.</a></li>



<li>If there was a new fund backed by Jeff Bezos offering a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/arrived-private-credit-fund">7-9% target yield with monthly dividends would you invest in it</a>?</li>
</ul>

Entrepreneur Sparks Debate Over Betting That Musk And Trump Will Turn Into 'Full-Fledged Enemies' – People Are Already Taking The Bet

The White House said the National Security Council is reviewing the implications of&nbsp;DeepSeek, a Chinese AI firm.&nbsp;The review comes amid fears of intellectual property theft, a concern raised by&nbsp;David Sacks, the White <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43293506/chinas-deepseek-under-white-house-scrutiny-over-potential-national-security-risks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">House's AI and crypto czar</a>.



Meta Platforms Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) CEO&nbsp;Mark Zuckerberg&nbsp;is reportedly considering purchasing a property in Washington DC as part of his strategy to work <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43296858/mark-zuckerberg-reportedly-explores-buying-property-in-washington-dc-as-meta-ceo-looks-to-work-closely-with-trump" rel="noreferrer noopener">closely with President&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43296858/mark-zuckerberg-reportedly-explores-buying-property-in-washington-dc-as-meta-ceo-looks-to-work-closely-with-trump" rel="noreferrer noopener">Donald Trump</a>.



Earnings Results



Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>)&nbsp;reported second-quarter GAAP earnings of $3.23 per share, beating the $3.11 consensus estimate. Quarterly revenue clocked in at $69.6 billion, beating the $68.78 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43320124/microsoft-shares-slide-after-q2-results-cloud-revenue-misses-expectations-details" rel="noreferrer noopener">billion analyst consensus estimate</a>.



Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43327016/microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-accepts-deepseek-ai-has-some-real-innovations-but-wont-say-if-they-mark-a-turning-point-for-ai-cost-reduction" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella Accepts DeepSeek AI Has Some &#8216;Real Innovations&#8217; — But Won&#8217;t Say If They Mark A Turning Point For AI Cost Reduction</a>



International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) reported fourth-quarter earnings of&nbsp;$3.92&nbsp;per share, which beat the analyst consensus estimate of&nbsp;$3.75. Quarterly revenue came in at $17.55 billion,&nbsp;which beat the analyst <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43321676/ibm-reports-q4" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus estimate of&nbsp;$17.54 billion</a>.



Meta reported fourth-quarter revenue of $48.39 billion, beating&nbsp;analyst estimates of $47.03 billion. The company reported fourth-quarter earnings of $8.02 per share,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/25/01/43322201/meta-platforms-q4-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-daily-actives-up-5-continued-strong-revenue-growth-expected" rel="noreferrer noopener"> beating analyst estimates of $6.77 per share</a>.



Related:<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/01/43326499/mark-zuckerberg-says-chinas-deepseek-did-some-novel-things-were-still-digesting-but-meta-may-keep-pouring-billions-into-ai-infrastructure-anyway" rel="noreferrer noopener"> Mark Zuckerberg Says China&#8217;s DeepSeek Did Some Novel Things &#8216;We&#8217;re Still Digesting,&#8217; But Meta May Keep Pouring Billions Into AI Infrastructure Anyway</a>



Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>) reported fourth-quarter earnings of&nbsp;13&nbsp;per share, which beat the analyst consensus estimate of&nbsp;12&nbsp;cents. Quarterly revenue clocked in at $14.3 billion,&nbsp;which beat the analyst <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43354712/intel-stock-climbs-on-better-than-expected-q4-report-details" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus estimate of&nbsp;$13.81 billion</a>.



Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) reported fiscal first-quarter revenue of $124.3 billion, beating analyst&nbsp;estimates&nbsp;of $124.13 billion. The iPhone maker reported first-quarter adjusted earnings of $2.40 per share, beating <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43355688/apple-q1-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-iphone-sales-slip-installed-base-climbs-to-all-time-high-ou" rel="noreferrer noopener">analyst estimates of $2.36 per share</a>.



Related: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/01/43373775/tim-cook-praises-chinas-deepseek-for-driving-efficiency-stresses-apples-prudent-and-deliberate-approach-toward-capital-expenditure" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tim Cook Praises China&#8217;s DeepSeek For Driving Efficiency, Stresses Apple&#8217;s &#8216;Prudent And Deliberate&#8217; Approach Toward Capital Expenditure</a>



Artificial Intelligence



Nvidia Corporation&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) stock took a hit as China&#8217;s&nbsp;DeepSeek unveiled an AI model that reportedly offers cutting-edge performance at a fraction of the cost. This development has sparked doubts about the need <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43220297/nvidia-stock-slide-as-chinas-deepseek-ai-sparks-doubts-over-gpu-spending-frenzy-what-tech-experts-are-saying" rel="noreferrer noopener">for&nbsp;massive GPU investments</a>.



The race among large language models has intensified with DeepSeek R1 emerging&nbsp;as a formidable competitor&nbsp;to established players like OpenAI's o1 and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/25/01/43243584/deepseek-r1-vs-openai-what-consumers-need-to-know-about-ais-latest-challenger" rel="noreferrer noopener">Meta Platforms Inc.</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/25/01/43243584/deepseek-r1-vs-openai-what-consumers-need-to-know-about-ais-latest-challenger" rel="noreferrer noopener">‘s Llama 3.2</a>.



DeepSeek was targeted by significant cyberattacks, coinciding with its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43257133/chinese-ai-startup-deepseek-hit-by-cyberattacks-after-toppling-us-giants-like-nvidia-with-new-ai-model-dubbed-as-chatgpt-killer" rel="noreferrer noopener">growing prominence in the AI sector</a>.



Veteran investor&nbsp;Ross Gerber voiced his apprehensions <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43258810/ross-gerber-slams-deepseeks-privacy-policy-as-the-chinese-ai-models-rise-triggers-market-chaos-i-dont-trust-a-thing-china-does" rel="noreferrer noopener">regarding&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43258810/ross-gerber-slams-deepseeks-privacy-policy-as-the-chinese-ai-models-rise-triggers-market-chaos-i-dont-trust-a-thing-china-does" rel="noreferrer noopener">DeepSeek's</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43258810/ross-gerber-slams-deepseeks-privacy-policy-as-the-chinese-ai-models-rise-triggers-market-chaos-i-dont-trust-a-thing-china-does" rel="noreferrer noopener"> privacy policy on&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43258810/ross-gerber-slams-deepseeks-privacy-policy-as-the-chinese-ai-models-rise-triggers-market-chaos-i-dont-trust-a-thing-china-does" rel="noreferrer noopener">X</a>.



OpenAI&nbsp;CEO&nbsp;Sam Altman has addressed the capabilities of&nbsp;DeepSeek's R1 model, acknowledging its impressive <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43259545/deepseeks-r1-is-impressive-but-openai-ceo-sam-altman-says-they-will-crush-it-with-much-better-models-looking-forward-to-bringing-you-all-agi-and-beyond" rel="noreferrer noopener">performance and cost-</a>effectiveness.



Palmer Luckey, founder of&nbsp;Oculus&nbsp;and&nbsp;Anduril Industries, has voiced strong criticism against the reaction to&nbsp;DeepSeek,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43294552/palmer-luckey-blasts-hysteria-over-deepseek-oculus-founder-says-chinese-hedge-funds-psyops-targeted-us-ai-giants-like-nvidia" rel="noreferrer noopener"> labeling it as an overreaction</a>.



SoftBank Group (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFBQF#OTC">SFBQF</a>)&nbsp;is reportedly negotiating a potential investment of $15 billion to $25 billion in&nbsp;OpenAI. This move could make SoftBank the largest investor in the&nbsp;ChatGPT&nbsp;creator, surpassing&nbsp;Microsoft, which <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43327823/softbank-eyes-historic-25-billion-investment-in-openai-poised-to-dethrone-microsoft-as-chatgpt-parents-biggest-investor" rel="noreferrer noopener">has&nbsp;invested nearly $14 billion</a>.



Technology &amp; Telecom



Meta said it has agreed to a $25 million settlement with President&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp;over his suspension from&nbsp;Facebook&nbsp;and&nbsp;Instagram&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/01/43325503/mark-zuckerbergs-meta-pays-trump-25-million-to-settle-lawsuit-over-facebook-instagram-ban-after-jan-6-riot-a-big-year-for-redefining-our-relationships-with-governments" rel="noreferrer noopener">following&nbsp;the Jan. 6 Capitol riot</a>.



As McKinsey highlights a significant shift in how artificial intelligence will be used in the future,&nbsp;Verizon Communications Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>) launched&nbsp;AI Connect&nbsp;during its fourth quarter conference call, to meet the growing demand for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/01/43222744/verizon-launches-ai-connect-as-mckinsey-predicts-that-60-70-of-ai-workload-will-shift-from-training-to-inferencing-by-2030" rel="noreferrer noopener">network capacity and computational power</a>.



Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43223228/satya-nadella-said-we-should-take-development-out-of-china-very-very-seriously-now-deepseeks-r1-has-emerged-as-chatgpt-killer-outperforming-openai-with-50x-cheaper-prices-heres-more" rel="noreferrer noopener">Satya Nadella Said &#8216;We Should Take Development Out Of China Very, Very Seriously.&#8217; Now, DeepSeek&#8217;s R1 Has Emerged As A ChatGPT Killer, Outperforming OpenAI With 50x Lower Costs: Here&#8217;s More</a>



Google Maps, owned by&nbsp;Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>), said that it will rename the "Gulf of Mexico" to "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.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" rel="noreferrer noopener">Gulf of America" for U.S. users</a>.&nbsp;



Google&nbsp;has reportedly reclassified the U.S. as a "sensitive country.", which is typically reserved for nations with strict governments or border <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/01/43295150/google-reclassifies-us-as-sensitive-country-just-like-china-and-russia-after-trumps-gulf-of-america-move" rel="noreferrer noopener">disputes like China, Russia, and Iraq</a>.



Social Media



Jeff Bezos-backed&nbsp;Perplexity AI has reportedly submitted a&nbsp;revised proposal&nbsp;to merge with&nbsp;TikTok&#8217;s U.S. business, offering the U.S. government a 50% stake in the new entity.



A group of U.S. investors, with backing from&nbsp;YouTube&nbsp;star&nbsp;Jimmy Donaldson, also known as&nbsp;MrBeast, has amassed over <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43325891/backed-by-youtube-king-mrbeast-group-of-american-investors-including-roblox-ceo-lock-in-over-20-billion-for-tiktok-takeover-but-they-have-not-heard-back-directly-from-bytedance" rel="noreferrer noopener">$20 billion to bid for&nbsp;</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43325891/backed-by-youtube-king-mrbeast-group-of-american-investors-including-roblox-ceo-lock-in-over-20-billion-for-tiktok-takeover-but-they-have-not-heard-back-directly-from-bytedance" rel="noreferrer noopener">TikTok</a>.



Smartphones



Apple reportedly plans to release the&nbsp;iOS 18.4&nbsp;update in April, following the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43221500/ios-18-4-preview-updates-to-siri-more-languages-for-apple-intelligence-and-robot-vacuum-support-everything-we-know-so-far" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">public rollout of&nbsp;</a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43221500/ios-18-4-preview-updates-to-siri-more-languages-for-apple-intelligence-and-robot-vacuum-support-everything-we-know-so-far" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">iOS 18.3</a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43221500/ios-18-4-preview-updates-to-siri-more-languages-for-apple-intelligence-and-robot-vacuum-support-everything-we-know-so-far" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;this week</a>.&nbsp;Apple has released&nbsp;iOS 18.3, addressing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43257851/ios-183-released-with-urgent-security-fixes-heres-why-every-iphone-user-should-update-immediately" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">29 security vulnerabilities</a>.



Apple joined forces with Elon Musk&#8217;s SpaceX and T-Mobile US Inc. to bring Starlink <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43294364/apple-surprises-iphone-users-by-teaming-up-with-spacex-and-t-mobile-to-bring-starlink-satellite-texting-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-feature" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">satellite texting capabilities to </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43294364/apple-surprises-iphone-users-by-teaming-up-with-spacex-and-t-mobile-to-bring-starlink-satellite-texting-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-the-new-feature" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">iPhones</a>.



Image: Shutterstock

INTC

MSFT

SFBQF

Consumer Tech News (Jan 27-Jan 31): China's DeepSeek Launch Gets Mixed Reaction From Experts, Tech Biggies Reported Earnings & More

As we wrap up another eventful week, the headlines were dominated by President Donald Trump&#8216;s tariff decisions, the Federal Reserve&#8217;s interest rate moves, and billionaire investor Ray Dalio&#8216;s take on America&#8217;s debt crisis. Let&#8217;s dive into the top stories that shaped the market landscape.



Trump Imposes 25% Tariffs on Canada, Mexico&nbsp;&#8211; The week kicked off with President Trump confirming the imposition of 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico starting February 1. The move is a response to concerns over illegal immigration, trade deficits, and fentanyl trafficking from both countries. The U.S. imported $429.6 billion in goods from Canada and $480 billion from Mexico in 2023, making Mexico the largest U.S. trading partner in terms of imports.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/01/43353698/trump-slaps-25-tariffs-on-canada-mexico-loonie-peso-slide-oil-climbs">Read the full article here.</a>



Trump&#8217;s Potential Tariffs on Colombia Stir Inflation Worries&nbsp;&#8211; President Trump&#8217;s announcement of potential 50% tariffs on Colombian imports has sparked fresh inflation concerns. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez criticized the proposed tariffs, arguing they would exacerbate inflation for working-class Americans. The tariff threat came after Colombia&#8217;s President Gustavo Petro denied entry to two U.S. repatriation flights carrying Colombian migrants.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/01/43220073/trump-is-about-to-make-americans-pay-even-more-for-coffee-to-punish-colombia-says-aoc-he-is-all-about-making-inflation-worse">Read the full article here.</a>



Fed Holds Interest Rates Steady&nbsp;&#8211; The Federal Reserve decided to keep interest rates unchanged at its Wednesday meeting, ending a streak of three consecutive rate cuts that began in September. The federal funds rate remains in a target range of 4.25% to 4.5%.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43316048/fed-holds-interest-rates-steady-halts-streak-of-consecutive-cuts-as-inflation-remains-elevated">Read the full article here.</a>



Trump Criticizes Fed&#8217;s Handling of Inflation&nbsp;&#8211; Following the Fed&#8217;s decision to hold interest rates steady, President Trump criticized the Federal Reserve's handling of inflation and banking regulation. Trump pledged to combat inflation through expanded energy production and regulatory cuts if elected.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/01/43325490/trump-slams-feds-terrible-job-on-bank-regulation-after-rate-hold-vows-to-unleash-lending-for-all-american-people">Read the full article here.</a>



Ray Dalio Proposes &#8216;3% Solution&#8217; to Tackle America&#8217;s Debt Crisis &#8211; Billionaire investor Ray Dalio called for urgent measures to address the mounting U.S. federal debt crisis. He proposed reducing the deficit to 3% of gross domestic product from its current level of nearly 7%. The U.S. federal debt has surged to $36.4 trillion against a GDP of $29.1 trillion. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/01/43328856/ray-dalio-backs-trumps-interest-rate-cut-proposes-3-solution-to-tackle-36-trillion-americas-debt-crisis">Read the full article here.</a>



Image via Shutterstock



 This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/navdeep-yadav" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Navdeep Yadav.</a>

General

Trump's Tariffs, Fed Rate Decisions, And America's Debt Crisis: This Week In Economics

Billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban has put forth an idea that could potentially shake up the dominance of tech giants in the social media space. Cuban shared his strategy on the social news network Bluesky.



What Happened: Cuban&#8217;s proposition is straightforward: dedicate 20 minutes each day to encourage friends, family, and businesses to join Bluesky. 



The platform currently has 1.5 million daily users, significantly less than its competitor X, which boasts 18 million. Despite this, Cuban views Bluesky, a decentralized platform, as the &#8220;last, best chance&#8221; for the majority to reclaim power over social media.



Since the November election, Cuban has been actively using Bluesky, gathering a following of 869,000. 



He has lauded the platform as a &#8220;less hateful world&#8221; compared to X. At the CES event in Las Vegas, Cuban urged the audience to join him on Bluesky, criticizing X for its content and lack of effective features.



However, Cuban is not advocating for a complete shift from X, but rather the growth of Bluesky as a platform that can&#8217;t be monopolized by a few. 



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/43219136/cuban-on-musk-i-have-no-problem-throwing-elon-under-the-bus-but-ill-save-it-for-when-its-truly-deserved">Cuban on Musk: &#8216;I Have No Problem Throwing Elon Under the Bus, but I&#8217;ll Save It for When It&#8217;s Truly Deserved&#8217;</a>



He asserts that there&#8217;s no downside to creating a profile on Bluesky, particularly as the platform expands and the influence of other social media platforms begins to wane.



In a <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:y5xyloyy7s4a2bwfeimj7r3b/post/3lf46sttalc2m?ref_src=embed&amp;ref_url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.inc.com%252Fbill-murphy-jr%252Fmark-cuban-just-suggested-a-20-minute-daily-habit-to-destabilize-elon-musk-mark-zuckerberg-and-president-trump%252F91104367">post </a>in the platform, Cuban said, &#8220;Is it worth 20 MINS a day to proactively recruit and bring your friends, neighbors, relatives, businesses, anyone who is or could be a user, to @bsky.app? If Bluesky ends up with more users than the others, you destabilize musk, zuck, trump."



Why It Matters: Cuban&#8217;s endorsement of Bluesky comes at a time when the power dynamics of social media are under scrutiny. His strategy could potentially disrupt the status quo, challenging the dominance of tech giants in the social media landscape. 



By advocating for a decentralized platform, Cuban is promoting a more democratic approach to social media, where power is not concentrated in the hands of a few. 



This could usher in a new era of social media, where users have more control over their online experiences.



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