A rare bond market signal just re-emerged in mid-August 2025, one not seen since 1998 — and back then, it was the calm before one of the most explosive bull <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/08/47083655/sp-500-hits-16th-all-time-high-experts-say-wall-of-worry-cant-stop-bulls-as-jobs-strength-fed-bets-drive-rally">markets in U.S. history.</a>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>LQD is breaking past resistance. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/LQD">Check live prices here. </a></li>
</ul>



The spread between U.S. investment-grade corporate bonds and Treasury yields has collapsed to just 75 basis points, the lowest level since June 2008. 



This means investors are demanding almost no additional compensation to buy corporate debt instead of risk-free U.S. Treasuries.



In plain terms, the bond market is showing extreme confidence in corporate America's ability to repay debt, and companies are taking full advantage.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">No Extra Premium Needed—Wall Street Loves Corporate Debt Right Now</h2>



The investment-grade credit spread is a crucial barometer for financial conditions. 



When it narrows, borrowing becomes cheaper for companies — and that's exactly what's happening. Despite elevated interest rates, there's no almost risk premium being demanded from companies to borrow capital.



This surge in bond demand allows businesses to lock in financing without paying significantly more than what the U.S. government pays to finance its own debt. 



Despite U.S. Treasury bonds posting losses this year — with the iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TLT#NASDAQ">TLT</a>) down 1.6% year-to-date — investment-grade corporate credit – as tracked by the iShares iBoxx $ Investment Grade Corporate ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LQD#NYSE">LQD</a>) – has climbed nearly 3% over the same period.



That's boosting corporate investment, balance sheet flexibility and potentially even shareholder returns.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="556" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/18131959/image-308-1024x556.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1032906" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/18131959/image-308-1024x556.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/18131959/image-308-300x163.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/18131959/image-308-768x417.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/18131959/image-308-1536x834.png 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/18131959/image-308-2048x1112.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Equity Rally Looks Narrow, Credit Rally Is Broad</h2>



Spencer Rogers, credit strategist at Goldman Sachs, highlighted that while equity valuations appear expensive and concentrated among a handful of names, the bond rally is more democratic.



"The impressive rally in equities has long been criticized for its narrow breadth," Rogers said in a note last week.



"In contrast, the rally in the USD IG credit market has been remarkably broad-based, with the median bond even outperforming the weighted-average index."



Over the past few months, the U.S. investment-grade index tightened by 17 basis points, pushing spreads toward historic lows. But unlike in stocks, where tech giants continue to dominate returns, the credit rally has lifted almost every corner of the bond market.



That broad participation is rare — and powerful.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What Happens Next? </h2>



As long as recession risks stay low, Goldman Sachs believes corporate credit spreads could remain near current levels.



"Spread dispersion in the IG index has collapsed," Rogers said, meaning investors aren&#8217;t distinguishing much between different borrowers. 



That's a sign of growing confidence in the overall health of the corporate sector — not just its top performers.



While spreads this tight may seem risky, history suggests otherwise. 



The last time investment-grade spreads collapsed like this — in 1998 — U.S. stocks entered a multi-year rally before the dot-com peak. Whether history repeats itself is anyone's guess, but the bond market just flashed a very bullish signal.



Read Next:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/fda/25/08/47186100/stock-market-bubble-risks-august-ed-yardeni">Get Ready For A FOMO-Fueled Stock Market Melt-Up: Ed Yardeni</a></li>
</ul>



Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

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This Rare Signal Last Flashed In 1998—Then Stocks Took Off

When it comes to Warren Buffett and Cathie Wood, their investment styles are incredibly different. Buffett is a fan of value stocks and profitable companies, which have helped him<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/education/25/01/42832123/warren-buffett-beats-sp-500-in-2024-how-oracle-of-omahas-returns-compare-over-past-20-years"> beat the performance </a>of the S&amp;P 500 for many years. Wood, on the other hand, prefers high-growth stocks that are often not yet profitable.



While the two well-known investors don't have many stocks in their portfolios in common, there are two names that are held by both.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Warren Buffett and Cathie Wood's Stock Overlap</h2>



While Wood counts Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) as the largest holding in Ark Invest and a top holding in multiple ETFs, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/22/04/26775738/lot-of-companies-make-cars-but-you-have-to-make-cars-that-people-want-warren-buffett-on-elon-musk-an-1">Buffett famously passed</a> on investing in the company led by Elon Musk. It might come as a coincidence that it's a Tesla rival that is one of the two stocks that Wood and Musk have in common.



BYD Co (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BYDDF#OTC">BYDDF</a>)(OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BYDDY#OTC">BYDDY</a>), a Chinese electric vehicle company, is owned by both Berkshire Hathaway and Ark Invest.



For Berkshire Hathaway, the company is a $2.4 billion investment with over 162 million shares owned, representing 4.4% of the EV company, according to <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/berkshire-hathaway-portfolio/">CNBC</a>. The investment represents around 0.8% of the Berkshire Hathaway investment portfolio.



For Ark Invest, BYD is owned in the Ark Autonomous Technology &amp; Robotics ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKQ#BATS">ARKQ</a>). The stock represents a $15.1 million investment. The stock is the 25th largest holding in the ETF at 1.14% of assets.



Being in only one of the six main Ark Invest ETFs means BYD is a smaller stake for Ark Invest. The stake represents less than 0.1% of the overall Ark Invest assets in the main six ETFs.



Along with both Buffett and Wood owning BYD stock, the two well-known investors also share a Magnificent Seven stock in common.



Both Buffett and Wood own Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) stock.



Berkshire Hathaway owns 10 million shares of Amazon worth $2.3 billion. The investment represents around 0.1% of the e-commerce company and 0.8% of Buffett's investment portfolio for Berkshire Hathaway.



Amazon stock is owned by five of the six main Ark Invest ETFs and is the 14th largest position for the ETF company overall, according to tracking from <a href="https://cathiesark.com/ark-funds-combined/complete-holdings">CathiesArk</a>. This makes Amazon around 1.9% of the entire Ark Invest assets under the main six ETFs.



Here are the positions in Amazon stock by ETF:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Ark Innovation ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKK#BATS">ARKK</a>): 16th largest position, $154.0 million, 1.73% of assets</li>



<li>Ark Next Generation Innovation ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKW#BATS">ARKW</a>): 19th largest position, $48.2 million, 1.68% of assets</li>



<li>Ark Autonomous Technology &amp; Robotics ETF: 11th largest position, $40.8 million, 3.07% of assets</li>



<li>Ark Fintech Innovation ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKF#BATS">ARKF</a>): 21st largest position, $25.7 million, 1.69% of assets</li>



<li>Ark Space Exploration &amp; Innovation ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKX#BATS">ARKX</a>): 11th largest position, $15.6 million, 3.68% of assets</li>
</ul>



While BYD and Amazon are the two stocks the main portfolios of Buffett and Wood have in common, there are some other stocks both have exposure.



Berkshire Hathaway also owns New England Asset Management, which <a href="https://13f.info/13f/000108514625005250-new-england-asset-management-inc-q2-2025">owns </a>four stocks also owned by the four main Ark Invest funds. Both own shares of Lockheed Martin Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMT#NYSE">LMT</a>), Qualcomm Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QCOM#NASDAQ">QCOM</a>), Amgen Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMGN#NASDAQ">AMGN</a>) and Honeywell International Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HON#NASDAQ">HON</a>).



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/25/08/47131632/cathie-woods-top-10-stock-picks-unpacking-ark-funds-innovation-picks-for-the-next-decade">Cathie Wood&#8217;s Top 10 Stock Picks: Unpacking Ark Funds Innovation Picks For The Next Decade</a>



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



When it comes to performance in 2025, Wood is outperforming Buffett. All five of the ETFs mentioned above are up more than 30% year-to-date, outperforming both Berkshire Hathaway and the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>), which tracks the S&amp;P 500 Index.



Here are the year-to-date performances:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>SPY: +9.9%</li>



<li>ARKK: +35.4%</li>



<li>ARKQ: +30.9%</li>



<li>ARKW: +46.1%</li>



<li>ARKX: +37.2%</li>



<li>ARKF: +45.2%</li>



<li>BRKA: +6.0%</li>



<li>BRKB: +5.8%</li>
</ul>



Looking at the returns above, Berkshire Hathaway trails the Ark Invest ETFs by a significant margin and is behind the performance of the S&amp;P 500 in 2025.



Berkshire has beaten the S&amp;P 500 in 11 of the past 20 years, including three of the last four, but 2025 looks like Buffett will trail the overall broader market returns.



Read Next: 



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/25/08/47161924/warren-buffetts-top-10-berkshire-bets-span-apple-coca-cola-finance-and-oil">Warren Buffett&#8217;s Top 10 Berkshire Bets Span Apple, Coca-Cola, Finance And Oil</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Buffett, Shutterstock; Wood, Courtesy ARK Invest

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Trading Ideas

AMGN

AMZN

ARKF

ARKK

ARKQ

ARKW

ARKX

BYDDF

BYDDY

QCOM

TSLA

Warren Buffett, Cathie Wood Share 2 Stock Investments In Common: Can You Guess What They Are?

With markets at all-time highs, thanks to an unprecedented <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/08/47173521/tech-expert-ai-boom-could-have-greater-financial-impact-than-dot-com-crash">AI boom</a>, it might be tempting to jump in and take your chances.



But this rising tide is not lifting all boats. Some big-name stocks, even some AI-related ones, haven&#8217;t participated in this summer&#8217;s rally. Others have soared but are running out of steam.



A good way to tell whether a stock is about to turn downwards is the &#8220;Death Cross&#8221; indicator.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Wednesday: Matt Maley's Plan To Trade August's Biggest Earnings Movers</h2>



August is delivering earnings from NVIDIA and other sector-driving names — and the volatility could be massive. This Wednesday at 6 PM ET, 42-year Wall Street veteran Matt Maley goes live to show how he's trading short-term setups that can close in days, not weeks. If you want to be ready before the market reacts, start here. <a href="https://events2.benzinga.com/matt-maley-webinar-wed-aug20-2025-registration/?utm_campaign=082025-webinar&amp;utm_adType=sponsorad&amp;utm_ad=RD0819258">Reserve Your Free Spot</a>



We touched on Golden Crosses <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/Opinion/25/07/46584599/5-high-momentum-stocks-with-a-golden-cross-buy-signal">recently</a>, but today we'll turn our focus to its evil cousin &#8211; the Death Cross, which occurs when a stock's 50-day moving average crosses below its 200-day moving average. This indicates slowing momentum and is considered one of the most reliable bearish signals in the market technician's toolkit.



A Death Cross alone isn't a reason to suspect a stock is about to fall off a cliff, and investors still need to confirm signals with multiple indicators to gauge the strength of the trend. However, a Death Cross is a reliable signal when searching for reversals or continuations. Today we'll examine five stocks that recently had a Death Cross form on their daily charts.



We aren't looking at Death Crosses alone &#8211; each of the stocks on this list has additional technical or fundamental headwinds working against them.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Charter Communications Inc.</h2>



Charter Communications (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CHTR#NASDAQ">CHTR</a>) is a conglomerate that formed in 2016 during the merger of Time Warner Cable, Bright House Networks, and Legacy Charter. While the initial agreement was met with acclaim from investors and analysts alike, it has been anything but smooth sailing for the stock. CHTR shares have declined by over 55% in the last five years, and the bad news continues to mount for the cable giant.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcrRF-uMTW85AtJ5EG4IBHSzrwuKM4ctGF77CXDlyMKdwUwcaJ4YNZezty8UxTq8BCZQAAGUBT73YtC5D0lmcBLTd5_S7zZ2PQHS9D67viyLeEGHdk5UpiWWjCfdrhpgBsz7WWt2w?key=6LOLPQQd6heikKDaPmdT-A" alt=""/></figure>



Charter reported Q2 earnings on July 25 and missed badly on EPS, reporting $9.18 per share versus the estimated $9.78. Revenue slightly surpassed expectations, but grew at only a 0.6% clip year-over-year (YOY). CHTR shares dropped by more than 18% following the report and have continued to decline in the weeks that followed. The stock stabilized recently, but last week's Death Cross could signal that further declines are ahead. CHTR's Benzinga Edge scores also leave a lot to be desired, including a dreadful 12.95 Momentum rating.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Paychex Inc.</h2>



Paychex (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PAYX#NASDAQ">PAYX</a>) provides a range of payroll and human resource services to small and mid-size businesses. Unfortunately, this has become an area of concern as small and mid-size companies are more heavily affected by tariffs, and Paychex could suffer further declines if the job market continues to deteriorate. Additionally, the stock is beset by technical signals indicating a strengthening downtrend.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXc0gQ-q3mqHd86hcZl7BUvi6ewK4hL-bu7Q7LNs3d9iTOuDTM5QOSQzkT86NmyLJ0j8JqWAmKkChQkLcKWTa6vhhu_q-JtpLnbWKXbK5PIIL5h1gDfPSrULFsMFUzAYN3W2WcgvAQ?key=6LOLPQQd6heikKDaPmdT-A" alt=""/></figure>



PAYX shares have risen approximately 10% over the last 12 months; however, the stock currently faces some technical headwinds. The price has pierced the 50-day and 200-day simple moving averages to the downside, and a Death Cross has now formed to confirm the downtrend. Its Benzinga Edge rankings have also cratered, including a 17.50 Value score and a 30.68 Growth score. The Relative Strength Index (RSI) is also above the Oversold threshold of 30, which indicates that this drawdown isn't finished quite yet.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">ServiceNow Inc.</h2>



ServiceNow (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NOW#NYSE">NOW</a>) is a software provider with a healthy list of AI clients, but despite the massive tailwinds in the AI sector, NOW shares haven't participated in the rally. The stock is down more than 18% year-to-date (YTD), with 9% of that decline coming in the last month alone. ServiceNow has one of the lowest Benzinga Edge Value scores we're tracking at 10.55, thanks in large part to its 107 Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio. However, valuation is not the only concern for NOW investors &#8211; the stock is also flashing some technical alarms.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfic4MEBVaOLs89G-fMW5nJBTXepokGkO6GAxs24xGzQTtkr9PoDjhpZXheBQPGRqzrPVxqdiuBFXTZJqPHMMuN8jwX_owxxoO_lYOthkDLZRG7ISTd9FskyqXDEAtjI6voS-_CgQ?key=6LOLPQQd6heikKDaPmdT-A" alt=""/></figure>



NOW shares have posted two Death Crosses this year, with the most recent one being more concerning, as tariff fears in the tech sector have largely subsided. An Oversold reading on the RSI has delayed the downturn over the last few trading sessions, but now that a second Death Cross has formed, the weight of its valuation could be too much despite impressive earnings figures.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Roper Technologies Inc.</h2>



If you check out Roper Technologies' (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ROP#NASDAQ">ROP</a>) Benzinga Edge scores, you might need sunglasses to block out all the red: 17.55 in Value, 19.24 in Quality, 28.89 in Momentum, and 29.43 in Growth. The stock's decline has also intensified in recent weeks, and now trades below its 50-day and 200-day SMAs. Despite strong Q2 earnings, Roper now expects significant margin declines in the second half of 2025, and investors have started to take notice.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfHEjd3jiMtZnxalR9wBuLljyPxN5VTzYbTazF8ZX9_nxbC_Mjry9uW1T3d6UC_lP0tUQ0a6FOUYprS6T-KPUTR6__hg-x02Gr1piaOuFW296AhUtrWR9dLNcGOwRHihHP31ch37g?key=6LOLPQQd6heikKDaPmdT-A" alt=""/></figure>



ROP shares saw a Death Cross form earlier this month amid a nearly 10% drop. A brief rebound occurred last week as the RSI triggered an Oversold signal, but the share price is now firmly below the 200-day SMA, which had previously been an area of support. Roper was a big winner during the AI early innings in 2023 and 2024, but the stock's uptrend has been halted and more downside action could be on the horizon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Costco Wholesale Corp.</h2>



Wait, Costco (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COST#NASDAQ">COST</a>) on a list of death cross stocks? Say it ain't so! However, unfortunately, the rally in COST shares has begun to falter due to the stock's pricey valuation and sky-high expectations. The company reported its Q3 numbers for fiscal 2025 in May, once again surpassing analysts' expectations on both EPS and revenue. Comparable sales grew nearly 6%, a staggering number during a time of heightened uncertainty. But COST now trades at 55 times earnings, and investors might be getting less willing to pay a premium for a company with Costco's margins.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcPg5UcjBZ_yoP29YfZ5lR1EPKoGh71a1ybezEc5WaVOl0JpNTaxcTYCcJPJLEfj4R5BlCQ7ryMr7VpMIb_R6_HAbdJbhAI89JAS3kQKFPEwtMChgYLOMKHQTjSc086L0HiqO-hIA?key=6LOLPQQd6heikKDaPmdT-A" alt=""/></figure>



After comfortably trading above its 50-day and 200-day SMAs for most of 2024, the uptrend started cracking in Q1 2025 amid tariff worries and valuation concerns. The stock has essentially traded sideways since the election, and now technical signals are indicating a potential further breakdown. The Death Cross formed earlier at a crucial point as the price fights for strength along the 200-day SMA. If the stock fails to rally from here, the RSI shows that the decline could be lengthy before Oversold levels are reached.



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



Image: Shutterstock

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5 'Death Cross' Stocks To Avoid As Markets Keep Rallying

On Friday, high-profile investors&nbsp;Michael Burry and&nbsp;Warren Buffett&nbsp;took positions in UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNH#NYSE">UNH</a>). Warren Buffett's fund bought little more than 5 million shares, and Burry disclosed in&nbsp;13F filings&nbsp;that he purchased call contracts against 350,000 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/08/47155919/why-is-unitedhealth-stock-trading-higher-friday" rel="noreferrer noopener">shares of UnitedHealth</a>.



The holdings suggest Burry is betting on a sector turnaround, particularly as Medicare Advantage rates have exceeded expectations for 2026, and UnitedHealth's competitive positioning remains strong despite recent setbacks.



Berkshire Hathaway's stake in UnitedHealth signals confidence but largely reinforces the consensus that earnings are currently depressed. Investors with a five-year horizon could benefit, though most still expect steady annual returns.



Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/hedge-funds/25/08/47165128/unitedhealth-burry-buffett-tepper-go-long-as-halvorsen-exits" rel="noreferrer noopener">UnitedHealth: Burry, Buffett, Tepper Go Long As Halvorsen Exits</a>



Bank of America Securities (BofA) remains bullish, projecting earnings recovery by 2027, which could drive both upside in profits and valuation multiples.



Analyst Kevin Fischbeck raised the price forecast from $290 to $325 on the better peer multiples, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/UNH/analyst-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reaffirming the Neutral rating</a>.



For UnitedHealth, guidance is everything. The stock only works if the company delivers, particularly with upside on its medical loss ratio.



BofA notes it's been over two years since a "United-type" quarter, but steady beats and raises could restore confidence in management and its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/medicare" rel="noreferrer noopener">grasp of healthcare trends</a>.



CMS will release 2027 Star Ratings in mid-October, determining how much UnitedHealth's Medicare Advantage business qualifies for the 5% quality bonus. With Medicare Advantage margins thin at 3–5%, ratings are a key driver of profitability.



Recent drops at Humana Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HUM#NYSE">HUM</a>) and CVS Health Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVS#NYSE">CVS</a>) underscore the risk.



If UnitedHealth posts weaker scores, margin recovery could be pushed back to 2028, leaving it no better than peers.



For UnitedHealth, the key focus is the 2027 Medicare Advantage (MA) rate update, due in February 2026. The 2026 update delivered the most significant increase in a decade, easing concerns about an unfriendly policy stance.



The bigger risk lies in coding changes. With 2026 as the final year of the V28 phase-in, no extra cuts were applied, which improved sentiment. However, 2027 could pair a stronger rate update with a new coding adjustment (V29), potentially offsetting gains.



Price Action: UNH stock is trading higher by 3.58% to $314.88 at last check Monday.



Read Next:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/08/47188510/opendoor-open-hits-golden-cross-meme-stock-mania-meets-technical-bull-signal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Opendoor (OPEN) Hits Golden Cross: Meme-Stock Mania Meets Technical Bull Signal</a></li>
</ul>



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Berkshire's UnitedHealth Bet Highlights Long-Term Confidence Despite Depressed Earnings

Investor risk sentiment paused at the start of the week, as markets awaited details expected to emerge later when President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders.



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>IWM ETF is moving fast. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/QQQ">Check live prices here. </a></li>
</ul>



On Friday, Trump met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. However, no agreement was reached on a ceasefire in Ukraine. Russia has demanded territorial concessions — including the Donbass and Crimea — as a condition for any deal, an option firmly rejected by Zelenskyy.



The S&amp;P 500, Nasdaq 100 and Dow Jones were all little changed, holding near the record highs reached last week.



Small caps, tracked by the Russell 2000, edged up 0.3%. Treasury yields were broadly steady, with the 10-year yield at 4.33%.



Gold slipped 0.1% to $3,333 per ounce, while oil prices fell 0.8% to $62 a barrel.



Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) dropped 1.2% to $116,000, pulling back from last week's record of $124,517. Losses were widespread across the crypto market, with Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) down 3.3% to $4,327, Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>) off 4.3%, and Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>) sliding more than 5%.



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



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Major Indices</td><td>Price</td><td>1-day % chg</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>2,295.13</td><td>0.4%</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>44,967.07</td><td>0.0%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>6,450.31</td><td>0.0%</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>23,709.13</td><td>0.0%</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated by 12:35 p.m. ET</figcaption></figure>



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



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>The&nbsp;Vanguard S&amp;P 500 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VOO#NYSE">VOO</a>) flattened at $591.03.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>) held steady at $449.33.</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;eased 0.1% to $576.08.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) edged 0.3% higher to $227.78.</li>



<li>The Industrial Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLI#NYSE">XLI</a>) is up 0.3%; the Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLC#NYSE">XLC</a>) was down 0.66%.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Stocks On The Move Monday</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Solar stocks extended Friday's rally. First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FSLR#NASDAQ">FSLR</a>) rose 10.15%, Sunrun Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RUN#NASDAQ">RUN</a>) advanced 10.63% and Enphase Energy Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ENPH#NASDAQ">ENPH</a>) added 5.24% after a new guidance on clean energy tax credits that was less restrictive than feared.</li>



<li>UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNH#NYSE">UNH</a>) added a further 3.15%, on top of Friday&#8217;s 12% gain, after Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>) disclosed a $1.6 billion stake.</li>



<li>Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>) fell 4% after reports said the Trump administration plans to take a 10% stake in the company.</li>



<li>Duolingo Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DUOL#NASDAQ">DUOL</a>) gained 11% after KeyBanc upgraded it to Overweight and Citi Research started coverage with a Buy rating.</li>



<li>Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVO#NYSE">NVO</a>) rose 5.03% after the FDA approved its weight-loss drug Wegovy to treat liver disease.</li>



<li>GoodRx Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GDRX#NASDAQ">GDRX</a>) jumped 40% on news it will partner with Novo Nordisk to sell Wegovy and Ozempic for $499 a month. </li>
</ul>



Read Now:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/fda/25/08/47186100/stock-market-bubble-risks-august-ed-yardeni">Get Ready For A FOMO-Fueled Stock Market Melt-Up: Ed Yardeni</a> Photo: Shutterstock<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/fda/25/08/47186100/stock-market-bubble-risks-august-ed-yardeni"> </a></li>
</ul>

Equities

Politics

Global

$BTC

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$ETH

$SOL

DUOL

ENPH

FSLR

GDRX

INTC

Stocks Muted Ahead Trump-Zelenskyy Meeting, First Solar Jumps: What's Moving Markets Monday?

A possible Federal Reserve rate cut in September could supercharge an already euphoric U.S. stock market, stoking fears of a melt-up rally driven more by momentum and the fear of missing out <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/expert-ideas">(FOMO) than fundamentals.</a>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>QQQ ETF has risen for five straight months. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/QQQ">Check the chart here.</a> </li>
</ul>



That's the take from <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/ed-yardeni">Ed Yardeni</a>, president of Yardeni Research, who said the economy "is too resilient and inflation is not close enough to 2.0% for Fed officials to muck around with easing."



The S&amp;P 500 – as tracked by the Vanguard S&amp;P 500 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VOO#NYSE">VOO</a>) – has jumped 3.4% since August 1, when a weaker-than-expected jobs report triggered bets on easier monetary policy. The index closed at another record high last Thursday, highlighting the bullish mood among stock investors.



Yet markets are already pricing in a cut, and the potential policy shift is adding fuel to Wall Street's fire.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Inflation Says A Rate Cut Is Not Needed</h2>



However, last week, signs of inflationary pressures re-emerged, questioning the urgency of a Fed move in September.



The July Consumer Price Index held steady at 2.7% year-over-year, but it was the Producer Price Index that delivered a jolt. Prices at the wholesale level surged 0.9% month-over-month, the largest monthly increase in three years, pushing the annual rate to 3.3%—well above expectations of 2.7%.



That development could be a red flag.



 Yardeni said that "Trump's tariffs aren't pushing inflation higher (so far), but they may have caused inflation to stall around 3.0% rather than falling to the Fed's 2.0% target."



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How Much Higher Can Stocks Go?</h2>



If the Fed cuts interest rates, stock market valuations may reach bubble territory.



The Buffett Ratio—calculated as the ratio of total market cap to GDP—rose to a record 3.1 in mid-August. 



The S&amp;P 500's forward price-to-earnings ratio hit 22.5 that week, just 11% away from the Tech Bubble peak of 25.0 in 2000.



Since the April lows, tech and AI-heavy sectors are up 50.7%, while the S&amp;P 500 gained 28.2% as of last Friday.



Yardeni warns that "the only problem with melt-ups is that they are followed by meltdowns," drawing comparisons to the late 1990s' Tech Bubble and subsequent crash.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Fed Credibility Is Now At Stake</h2>



If the Federal Open Market Committee proceeds with a rate cut at its September 16-17 meeting despite elevated inflation, Yardeni says it could damage the Fed's credibility as an inflation-fighting institution.



That may trigger a response from the so-called "Bond Vigilantes"—market participants who demand higher yields to compensate for inflation risks. 



"It is up to them to maintain law and order in the credit markets now that the sheriff isn't doing so," Yardeni said.



Bond yields would remain elevated, frustrating President Trump's push to lower mortgage rates and revive the housing market.



Last year, when the Fed cut rates, the 30-year mortgage rate paradoxically rose from 6.08% at the end of September to 6.95% by early February 2025.



The Fed now walks a tightrope. 



&#8220;For the Fed, a stock market meltup increases the likelihood of financial instability,&#8221; Yardeni said.



Ease too early, and it may inflate an asset bubble. Hold rates steady, and it risks political pressure from the White House.



With inflation still hovering around 3% and economic activity resilient, a September rate cut might not be needed. However, if it does happen, markets could take off—for better or worse. 



Read now: 



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/real-estate/25/08/47167616/mortgage-rates-august-2025-today-30-year-homebuilder-stocks-outlook">Mortgage Rates Hit Lowest Since Last October — Homebuilder Stocks Breaking Out</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Federal Reserve

Tech

Get Ready For A FOMO-Fueled Stock Market Melt-Up: Ed Yardeni

Prominent Wedbush analyst Dan Ives has updated the holdings of his &#8220;AI Revolution 30&#8221; list, the basis for his new ETF, by adding four new companies and removing three.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Dan Ives Announces Changes To IVES ETF</h2>



In a post on X Monday, Ives announced the inclusion of cybersecurity leader CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRWD#NASDAQ">CRWD</a>), gaming platform Roblox Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RBLX#NYSE">RBLX</a>), energy giant GE Vernova Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GEV#NYSE">GEV</a>), and cloud provider Nebius Group NV (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NBIS#NASDAQ">NBIS</a>).



To make way for the new additions, software maker Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ADBE#NASDAQ">ADBE</a>), along with cybersecurity firms Cyberark Software Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CYBR#NASDAQ">CYBR</a>) and Elastic NV (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ESTC#NYSE">ESTC</a>), have been removed from the Dan IVES Wedbush AI Revolution ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IVES#NYSE">IVES</a>).



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">We are updating the IVES AI Revolution 30 list reflecting recent momentum in the AI Revolution. We are adding CrowdStrike, Roblox, GE Vernova, and Nebius to our list of 30 tech companies that we believe will define the future of the AI theme over the coming years. &#x1f525;&#x1f3c6;&#x1f402;&#x1f3af;&#x1f37f; <a href="https://t.co/Q0gxfhqH32">pic.twitter.com/Q0gxfhqH32</a>&mdash; Dan Ives (@DivesTech) <a href="https://twitter.com/DivesTech/status/1957224946976854270?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">&#8216;Future Of The AI Theme Over The Coming Years&#8217;</h2>



The changes underscore the active management of the ETF and reflect Ives&#8217;s evolving view on which companies will &#8220;define the future of the AI theme.&#8221;



The additions broaden the fund&#8217;s exposure across key sectors: CrowdStrike deepens its position in AI-driven cybersecurity, Roblox represents a significant play on AI in consumer and metaverse applications, GE Vernova signals a bet on AI&#8217;s integration into the industrial sector, and Nebius strengthens its exposure to foundational cloud infrastructure.



This strategic shuffle aligns with Ives&#8217;s core investment philosophy of looking beyond simple metrics to identify future leaders.



He believes Wall Street is<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/sector-etfs/25/06/46013679/dan-ives-says-market-is-massively-underestimating-this-ai-play-urges-investors-to-look-beyong-mag-7"> too focused on near-term valuations</a>, a view he has summarized by stating, &#8220;If you focus just on valuation, you miss every transformational tech stock of the last 20 years.&#8221; 



This approach justifies including companies like Roblox and GE Vernova, which may not be viewed as pure-play AI stocks today but hold immense potential for AI-driven transformation.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/hedge-funds/25/08/47177810/legendary-investor-stanley-druckenmiller-made-huge-ai-and-chipmaker-bets-in-q2-heres-what-he-knows-that-you-dont">Legendary Investor Stanley Druckenmiller Made Huge AI And Chipmaker Bets In Q2 — Here&#8217;s What He Knows That You Don&#8217;t</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">About IVES ETF</h2>



The IVES ETF, which began trading on June 4, is designed to capture growth in the AI sector by investing in a diverse basket of 30 companies.



It has gained 11.35% since its listing on June 4.



While the fund includes AI titans like Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) and Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), its main thesis is to find growth in less obvious names across industries.



Ives has called the current environment a &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46463595/dan-ives-picks-5-stocks-for-2nd-half-of-2025-nvidia-palantir-microsoft-and-more-golden-age-of-tech-is-here-with-ai-revolution">golden age</a>&#8221; for AI, and these latest portfolio changes signal his conviction in a broad, multi-year technology revolution. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Price Action</h2>



The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which track the S&amp;P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, fell in premarket on Monday. The SPY was down 0.12% at $642.67, while the QQQ declined 0.21% to $576.11, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.



Read Next:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/08/47177421/growth-stocks-flash-bullish-golden-cross-on-ai-spending-spree-expert-reveals-next-wave-of-winners-beyond-chipmakers">Growth Stocks Flash Bullish &#8216;Golden Cross&#8217; On AI Spending Spree: Expert Reveals Next Wave Of Winners Beyond Chipmakers</a></li>
</ul>



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



Image via Shutterstock

ADBE

CRWD

CYBR

ESTC

IVES

MSFT

NBIS

NVDA

RBLX

Dan Ives Just Revealed Four Explosive New Picks Into His AI Revolution 30 List — And He Says These Companies Will Define Future Of AI

Investors are gearing up for another week of earnings reports, and some retail-investor favorites are <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/25/08/47020935/benzingas-stock-whisper-index-5-stocks-investors-secretly-monitor-but-dont-talk-about-yet-77">part of the line-up.&nbsp;</a>



Here&#8217;s a look at companies reporting this week that individual investors may be interested in. 



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>How will PANW stock react to earnings? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/PANW">Watch the chart here. </a></li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Monday, Aug. 18</h2>



Before Market Open: Crypto mining company Bitdeer Technologies Group (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BTDR#NASDAQ">BTDR</a>) will kick off the week with its second-quarter release before Monday's opening bell.&nbsp;



Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/08/47144318/michael-burry-joins-warren-buffett-going-long-on-unitedhealth-stock?utm_source=articleShare">Michael Burry Joins Warren Buffett Going Long On UnitedHealth Stock&nbsp;</a>



After Market Close: Cybersecurity company Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PANW#NASDAQ">PANW</a>) is set to report after Monday's closing bell. Analysts expect the company to report earnings of 89 cents on revenue of $2.5 billion, according to estimates from<a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?gspk=YWRhbWVja2VydDUzMzY&amp;gsxid=zBMR4PKmcgBw"> Benzinga Pro</a>.&nbsp;



Faraday Future Intelligent Electric, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FFAI#NASDAQ">FFAI</a>), Blink Charging Co. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BLNK#NASDAQ">BLNK</a>), XP Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XP#NASDAQ">XP</a>) and BHP Group Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BHP#NYSE">BHP</a>) will also report after the market close.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tuesday, Aug. 19</h2>



Before Market Open: XPeng, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XPEV#NYSE">XPEV</a>) will report its second-quarter results ahead of Tuesday's opening bell. Medtronic Plc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MDT#NYSE">MDT</a>), Amer Sports, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AS#NYSE">AS</a>), Home Depot Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HD#NYSE">HD</a>) and Viking Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VIK#NYSE">VIK</a>) will also report before the market opens.&nbsp;



After Market Close: Homebuilder Toll Brothers, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TOL#NYSE">TOL</a>) will report after Tuesday's closing bell. Investors will be watching Toll Brothers' earnings for trends in new home order growth and updates on housing market demand.&nbsp;&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Wednesday, Aug. 20</h2>



Before Market Open: Several large retailers are reporting before Wednesday's opening bell including Target Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TGT#NYSE">TGT</a>), Lowe&#8217;s Companies, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>) and TJX Companies, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TJX#NYSE">TJX</a>)



Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>), Analog Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ADI#NASDAQ">ADI</a>), iQIYI, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IQ#NASDAQ">IQ</a>), ZIM Integrated Shipping Services, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ZIM#NYSE">ZIM</a>), Estée Lauder Companies, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EL#NYSE">EL</a>), Coty, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COTY#NYSE">COTY</a>) and Futu Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FUTU#NASDAQ">FUTU</a>) will also report before the bell.&nbsp;



Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/08/47129109/earnings-reports-from-these-retail-investors-top-stocks">Earnings Reports From These Retail Investors&#8217; Top Stocks: Rigetti, Plug Power, BigBearAI And More&nbsp;</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday, Aug. 21</h2>



Before Market Open: Investors will be watching Walmart, Inc.'s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WMT#NYSE">WMT</a>) second-quarter report set to be released before Thursday's opening bell. Analysts expect the mega retailer to report earnings of 74 cents per share on revenue of $176.7 billion, according to estimates from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?gspk=YWRhbWVja2VydDUzMzY&amp;gsxid=zBMR4PKmcgBw">Benzinga Pro</a>.&nbsp;



Bilibili Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BILI#NASDAQ">BILI</a>) and Canadian Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSIQ#NASDAQ">CSIQ</a>) will also report before Thursday's market open.&nbsp;



After Market Close: Zoom Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ZM#NASDAQ">ZM</a>), Workday, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WDAY#NASDAQ">WDAY</a>), Intuit, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTU#NASDAQ">INTU</a>) and Ross Stores, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ROST#NASDAQ">ROST</a>) will report after Thursday's closing bell.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Friday, Aug. 22&nbsp;</h2>



Before Market Open: Warehouse club chain BJ's Wholesale Club Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BJ#NYSE">BJ</a>) and Buckle, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BKE#NYSE">BKE</a>) will close out the week with their earnings releases before Friday's opening bell. 



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/large-cap/25/08/47134890/should-you-buy-the-dip-on-stocks-like-unitedhealth-and-the-trade-desk?utm_source=articleShare">Should You Buy The Dip On These Large-Cap &#8216;Left-Behind&#8217; Stocks Like UnitedHealth And The Trade Desk? </a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Earnings

BIDU

BILI

BLNK

BTDR

COTY

CSIQ

FFAI

FUTU

INTU

PANW

ROST

WDAY

XPEV

Retail Investors' Top Stocks With Earnings This Week: Faraday Future, XPeng, Walmart And More

European and NATO leaders are set to join&nbsp;President Volodymyr Zelenskyy&nbsp;in Washington for pivotal discussions with&nbsp;President Donald Trump&nbsp;regarding the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This meeting follows Zelenskyy&#8217;s exclusion from a recent summit between Trump and&nbsp;Russian President Vladimir Putin.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Zelenskyy Won&#8217;t Be Alone With Trump</h2>



European leaders, including those from Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Finland, will accompany Zelenskyy to the White House on Monday, as <a href="https://apnews.com/article/european-leaders-white-house-meeting-zelenskyy-trump-d7b082bae4136ef8932e16ac2d166303">reported</a> by the Associated Press. 



The goal is to present a united front and secure U.S. support for Ukraine. Retired French Gen. Dominique Trinquand highlighted the Europeans&#8217; intent to avoid a repeat of a previous tense meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy. 



&#8220;The Europeans are very afraid of the Oval Office scene being repeated and so they want to support Mr. Zelenskyy to the hilt,&#8221; said Trinquand.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Plan Is To Strengthen Ukraine&#8217;s Military Forces</h2>



French President Emmanuel Macron stressed the importance of a credible plan to enhance Ukraine&#8217;s military capabilities. He said, &#8220;We need a credible format for the Ukrainian army, that's the first point, and say — we Europeans and Americans — how we'll train them, equip them, and finance this effort in the long-term.&#8221;



Meanwhile, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff noted that Putin agreed to consider NATO-style security protections for Ukraine during a recent summit in Alaska.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Meeting Part Of Wider Effort To End War</h2>



The discussions in Washington come at a critical juncture. Zelenskyy <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/08/47173471/zelenskyy-trump-to-discuss-peace-deal-in-washington-amid-rising-tensions">confirmed his visit to Washington</a>, emphasizing the focus on ending hostilities and securing lasting peace. This meeting is part of U.S.-led efforts to address the war with Russia. 



Friedrich Merz, Chancellor of Germany; Macron, President of France; Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom; Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy; and Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, are set to accompany him, according to a Reuters report.



The recent Trump-Putin summit in Alaska <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/08/47170781/trump-putin-alaska-summit-ends-without-ukraine-ceasefire-deal-as-us-president-says-weve-made-some-headway">ended without a ceasefire agreement</a>, leaving Moscow with a diplomatic boost but no tangible progress toward peace.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Trump-Putin Meet Drew Criticism</h2>



Trump stated that while some headway was made, no concrete agreements were reached. The summit drew sharp criticism, particularly from Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), who termed it a &#8220;disaster&#8221; and a &#8220;national embarrassment&#8221; as Putin reportedly <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/08/47175181/chris-murphy-says-trump-putin-meeting-was-a-disaster-an-embarrassment-for-us-putin-got-everything-he-wanted">gained everything</a> he wanted without conceding to a ceasefire. The European leaders&#8217; presence in Washington underscores the urgency and importance of reaching a resolution to the conflict.



Check This Out:



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



Photo Courtesy: Joshua Sukoff on Shutterstock.com



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

Zelenskyy Heads To US For Talks With Trump, Leaders From UK, France, Germany And Italy To Join Him: Europeans Scared Of Oval Office Scene Repeat

Editor&#8217;s Note: The future prices of benchmark tracking ETFs were updated in the story



U.S. stock futures slipped on Monday following Friday&#8217;s mixed moves. Futures of major benchmark indices were lower.



All eyes will be on Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell&#8216;s upcoming speech at the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/economic-data/25/08/47177191/jerome-powell-set-to-deliver-pivotal-jackson-hole-address-as-analysts-warn-it-could-be-make-or-break-moment-for-dovish-fed">Jackson Hole Economic Policy Symposium</a> on Friday. 



The theme for the 2025 symposium, which will take place from Aug. 21-23, is "Labor Markets in Transition: Demographics, Productivity, and Macroeconomic Policy."



Meanwhile, investors will also focus on the earnings from top U.S. retailers this week, including Walmart Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WMT#NYSE">WMT</a>), Target Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TGT#NYSE">TGT</a>), Lowe&#8217;s Companies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>), and Home Depot Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HD#NYSE">HD</a>)



According to FactSet, out of the 92% of S&amp;P 500 companies that have already reported this quarter, 82% of the companies have surpassed Wall Street's expectations.



The 10-year Treasury bond yielded 4.29% and the two-year bond was at 3.74%. The CME Group's FedWatch <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">tool</a>&#8216;s projections show markets pricing an 84.8% likelihood of the Federal Reserve cutting the current interest rates for the Sept. 17 decision. 



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Futures</td><td>Change (+/-)</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>-0.06%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>-0.12%</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>-0.13%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>0.13%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which track the S&amp;P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, fell in premarket on Monday. The SPY was down 0.11% at $642.73, while the QQQ declined 0.18% to $576.32, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-3/#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">Benzinga Pro</a> data.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cues From Last Session</h2>



Sectors recording the biggest losses on Friday included financials, industrials, and information technology, while real estate and health care services bucked the overall market trend.



Consequently, U.S. stocks settled mixed, with the S&amp;P 500 closing lower as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of the Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin meeting and after data showed a dip in consumer confidence alongside mounting inflation concerns. However, the broad market index still managed to record gains last week.



For the week, the Dow jumped 1.74%, while the S&amp;P 500 and the Nasdaq rose 0.94% and 0.81%, respectively, showing solid weekly performance.



UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNH#NYSE">UNH</a>) shares jumped a notable 12% after Warren Buffett&#8217;s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>) (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>) announced it had bought shares, which had previously tumbled by over 40% year-to-date.



Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>) rose 3% on reports that the U.S. administration is considering taking a stake in the company to bolster domestic chip manufacturing.



On the economic data front, retail sales for July rose by 0.5% on a month-over-month basis, coming in as expected. However, consumer weakness surfaced in the latest University of Michigan&#8217;s flash consumer sentiment report for August. The University of Michigan's preliminary August survey showed consumer sentiment slipping to 58.6 from 61.7, missing expectations of 62.



The Dow Jones index ended 35 points or 0.078% higher at 44,946.12, whereas the S&amp;P 500 index fell 0.29% to 6,449.80. Nasdaq Composite declined 0.40% to 21,622.98, and the small-cap gauge, Russell 2000, tumbled 0.55% to end at 2,286.52.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Index</td><td>Performance (+/-)</td><td>Value</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq Composite</td><td>-0.40%</td><td>21,622.98</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>-0.29%</td><td>6,449.80</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>0.078%</td><td>44,946.12</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-0.55%</td><td>2,286.52</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Insights From Analysts</h2>



Tom Lee of FundStrat expressed his hope for a "<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/economic-data/25/08/47177191/jerome-powell-set-to-deliver-pivotal-jackson-hole-address-as-analysts-warn-it-could-be-make-or-break-moment-for-dovish-fed">conciliatory tone</a>&#8221; on the rate cuts from the Fed Chair Powell during his upcoming speech at the Jackson Hole economic symposium. 



<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">Fed Chair comments at end of week at Jackson Hole will be closely watched &#x1f447; PS: hopefully a conciliatory tone to rate cuts <a href="https://t.co/xGtU9qilzZ">https://t.co/xGtU9qilzZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/zYfaV9njOL">pic.twitter.com/zYfaV9njOL</a>&mdash; Thomas (Tom) Lee (not drummer) FSInsight.com (@fundstrat) <a href="https://twitter.com/fundstrat/status/1957166707497124193?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/08/47176138/larry-summers-warns-scott-bessent-unless-we-see-a-recession-you-shouldnt-be-prescribing-a-175-basis-point-cut-in-interest-rates">criticized the current U.S. Treasury Secretary</a> Scott Bessent for weighing too directly on the direction of interest rates, something he believes could blur the lines between fiscal and monetary polices.



Summers, who served as the Treasury Secretary under President Bill Clinton, says that he is surprised to see Bessent "be that prescriptive on interest rates," noting that usually administrative officials aren't involved in such judgements, while adding that he's "not sure it's helpful for the Administration to be publicly prescribing on monetary policy."



He also points to multiple forces that he believes are driving higher demand for capital, including "substantially elevated deficit spending," a surge in "data center spending," reduced U.S. trade deficits, and "higher asset prices" that limit the flow of savings.



Altogether, he says, these dynamics suggest that "neutral interest rates have risen quite substantially," noting that under such circumstances Bessent&#8217;s stance on steep rate reductions was misplaced.



In such a case, he notes, you shouldn't be "prescribing [a] 175 basis point cut in rates unless we see a recession."



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">I was surprised to see <a href="https://twitter.com/SecScottBessent?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecScottBessent</a>, or any Secretary of the Treasury, be that prescriptive on interest rates. Usually that kind of judgment is not made by Administration officials. I&#39;m not sure it&#39;s helpful for the Administration to be publicly prescribing on monetary…&mdash; Lawrence H. Summers (@LHSummers) <a href="https://twitter.com/LHSummers/status/1957225279815831977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Meanwhile, economist Peter Schiff said that President Trump's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/08/47176397/trump-tariffs-likely-to-be-struck-down-as-unconstitutional-in-appellate-court-says-peter-schiff-handing-the-president-another-scapegoat">tariffs are likely headed for defeat</a> at the U.S. Appellate Court, setting the stage for what he refers to as "another scapegoat" for the coming recession. 



On Sunday, in a post on X, Schiff said, "The U.S. appellate court will likely strike down Trump&#8217;s tariffs as unconstitutional," bringing an end to a central piece of Trump's trade policy, while also opening the door for American importers to recover substantial sums of money already paid as tariffs.



"That means U.S. importers can get refunds on amounts paid," Schiff says, referring to the billions that the administration has collected from tariffs in recent months.



Schiff believes that this essentially sets the stage for Trump to blame "another scapegoat" for the upcoming recession, alongside Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, whom he's been repeatedly attacking for not cutting rates fast enough, and former President Joe Biden.



<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">The U.S. appellate court will likely strike down Trump's tariffs as unconstitutional. That means U.S. importers can get refunds on amounts paid, handing Trump another scapegoat—alongside Powell and Biden—for the coming recession. Ironically, repealing tariffs would actually help.&mdash; Peter Schiff (@PeterSchiff) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeterSchiff/status/1957133527725613080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 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/money/how-to-trade-futures">How to Trade Futures</a> 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Upcoming Economic Data</h2>



Here's what investors will be keeping an eye on this week;



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>On Monday, August&#8217;s home builder confidence index data will be released by 10:00 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>On Tuesday, July&#8217;s housing start and building permits data will be out by 8:30 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>On Wednesday, the minutes of the Federal Reserve&#8217;s July FOMC meeting will be released at 2:00 p.m. ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>On Thursday, the initial jobless claims data for the week ending Aug. 16, and August&#8217;s Philadelphia Fed manufacturing survey data will be announced at 8:30 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>August&#8217;s S&amp;P flash U.S. services PMI and S&amp;P flash U.S. manufacturing PMI will be out by 9:45 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>July&#8217;s existing home sales and U.S. leading economic indicators will also be released by 10:00 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>The three-day annual Jackson Hole Symposium will also commence on Thursday, Aug. 21, in Wyoming.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>On Friday, Jerome Powell will speak at Jackson Hole.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Stocks In Focus</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Palo Alto Networks Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PANW#NASDAQ">PANW</a>) was up 0.50% in premarket on Monday as it is expected to report earnings after the closing bell. Analysts estimate earnings of 89 cents per share on revenue of $2.50 billion.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>XP Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XP#NASDAQ">XP</a>) rose 0.85% as analysts expect it to report earnings of 39 cents per share on revenue of $834.73 million after the closing bell.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Allarity Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ALLR#NASDAQ">ALLR</a>) rose 3.32% as it reported better-than-expected EPS in the second quarter. Its quarterly loss of 15 cents per share was better than the market estimates of a loss of 21 cents per share.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNH#NYSE">UNH</a>) continued its momentum, up 3.32% following disclosure that legendary investors Michael Burry and Warren Buffett have taken significant positions in the healthcare giant.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Amcor PLC (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMCR#NYSE">AMCR</a>) was down 1.03% as its earnings per share missed Wall Street expectations.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Opendoor Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OPEN#NASDAQ">OPEN</a>) rose 4.42% after CEO Carrie Wheeler stepped down. According to J.P. Morgan, Opendoor&#8217;s value proposition, making home selling simple and fast, remains intact, but stresses the importance of appointing a leader capable of navigating ongoing housing market challenges and executing the business model transformation.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Sharplink Gaming Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SBET#NASDAQ">SBET</a>) tumbled 4.08% after the company reported a year-over-year decline in second-quarter sales and posted a significant net loss.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Commodities, Gold, And Global Equity Markets</h2>



Crude oil futures were trading higher in the early New York session by 0.29% to hover around $62.16 per barrel.



Gold Spot US Dollar rose 0.45% to hover around $3,350.32 per ounce. Its last record high stood at $3,500.33 per ounce. The U.S. Dollar Index spot was 0.13% higher at the 97.9790 level.



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



Read Next:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/hedge-funds/25/08/47177810/legendary-investor-stanley-druckenmiller-made-huge-ai-and-chipmaker-bets-in-q2-heres-what-he-knows-that-you-dont">Legendary Investor Stanley Druckenmiller Made Huge AI And Chipmaker Bets In Q2 — Here&#8217;s What He Knows That You Don&#8217;t </a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

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Stock Market Today: Nasdaq 100 Futures Slip— Palo Alto, XP, Allarity Earnings In Focus (UPDATED)

Alphabet&#8216;s Google (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) has agreed to pay a hefty fine of $36 million in Australia. This comes after allegations of anti-competitive practices involving the country&#8217;s two largest telecom companies.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Google Faces Fine In ACCC Search Deal Case</h2>



Google faced allegations of stifling competition by paying Telstra and Optus to pre-install its search app on Android devices, effectively shutting out rival search engines. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) stated that Google acknowledged the arrangement, which was in place from late 2019 to early 2021, significantly affected competition and has since ceased entering into such agreements, as per Reuters on Monday.



Check out the current price of&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/quote/GOOG" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GOOG stock here</a>.



Google and the ACCC have jointly proposed to the Federal Court that Google pay a fine of A$55 million ($36 Million), though the court has yet to rule on its appropriateness.



According to a Google spokesperson, the company welcomed the resolution of the ACCC's concerns and emphasized its dedication to offering Android device manufacturers more options for pre-loading browsers and search applications.



ACCC Chair Gina-Cass Gottlieb expressed optimism that the outcome of the case would pave the way for greater search choice for Australians and provide competing search providers with meaningful exposure to Australian consumers. The proposed fine is yet to be approved by the Federal Court.



Telstra had earlier told Reuters that both Telstra and Optus, owned by Singapore Telecommunications, had fully cooperated with the ACCC and agreed not to enter into deals with Google to pre-install its search product since 2024.



SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/08/47174853/mark-zuckerberg-once-admitted-he-made-an-early-mistake-that-cost-him-billions-but-then-said-its-fine" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mark Zuckerberg Once Admitted He Made An Early Mistake That Cost Him Billions, But Then Said It&#8217;s Fine: Here&#8217;s Why</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Fresh Legal Battles Add To Google's Growing Troubles</h2>



This fine is another blow for Google in Australia, following a court ruling last week that largely sided against the tech giant in a lawsuit filed by Fortnite creator <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/08/47057842/epic-games-wins-partial-victory-against-apple-google-in-australian-court-what-happened">Epic Games</a>. The lawsuit accused Google and&nbsp;Apple Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>)&nbsp;from blocking rival app stores on their operating systems.



Australia also has extended its social media ban for users under 16 to include Google's YouTube, overturning an earlier decision to exempt the platform.



Earlier in the year, Google also agreed to pay a $28 million settlement in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44397597/google-to-pay-28-million-to-settle-employee-discrimination-lawsuit-we-continue-to-disagree-with-the-allegations-says-spokesperson">class-action lawsuit</a>&nbsp;that alleged the company favored white and Asian employees over others



These legal challenges, along with others, have led to a surge in Google&#8217;s legal costs, which some analysts believe could be a&nbsp;drag on its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/07/46695395/are-googles-high-legal-costs-a-drag-on-its-stock-vs-peers">stock performance</a>. Alphabet's Q2 operating expenses rose 20% to $26.1 billion, driven largely by a $1.4 billion legal settlement charge, stated Anat Ashkenazi, senior vice president at Alphabet and Google. Despite this, operating margin held steady at 40.1%.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="448" height="278" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/18031313/image-303.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1031961" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/18031313/image-303.png 448w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/18031313/image-303-300x186.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 448px) 100vw, 448px" /></figure>



According to Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings, Google has a growth score of 76.95% and a value rating of 51.89%. Click&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here&nbsp;</a>to see how it compares to other leading tech companies.



READ MORE:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/hedge-funds/25/08/47173380/billionaire-investor-buys-google-and-this-gold-miner-stock">Billionaire Investor Buys Google And This Gold Miner Stock</a></li>
</ul>



Image via Shutterstock



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

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Google Slapped With $36 Million Fine Amid Anti-Competitive Practices In Australia

Leading cryptocurrencies slid on Sunday night as large investors began to lock in gains.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><thead><tr><th>Cryptocurrency</th><th>Gains +/-</th><th>Price (Recorded at 10:05 p.m. ET)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td><td>-1.09%</td><td>$116,272.17</td></tr><tr><td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>-0.51%</td><td>$4,390.04</td></tr><tr><td>XRP (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>-2.27%</td><td>$3.03</td></tr><tr><td>Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>-1.13%</td><td>$186.59</td></tr><tr><td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>-1.48%</td><td>$0.2285</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Cryptos Sell Off As Shorts Spike</h2>



Bitcoin tumbled below $116,000 overnight, while trading volume rose slightly by 5% in the last 24 hours. The decline comes after the apex cryptocurrency reached an all-time high of $124,000 earlier this week.



According to <a href="https://userguide.cryptoquant.com/cryptoquant-metrics/market/exchange-whale-ratio">CryptoQuant</a>, the Exchange Whale ratio, the ratio of the top 10 inflows to the total inflows of the exchange, surged sharply, suggesting that whales were cashing out.



Ethereum recorded a similar plunge, dropping from an intraday high of $4,575 to below $4,400.



Nearly $350 million was liquidated from the market over the last 24 hours, with bullish long traders losing $236 million.



Bitcoin's open interest rose 0.15% over the last 24 hours. When price falls but open interest starts rising, it typically indicates that traders are opening new short positions.



The BTC Long/Short ratio also revealed a sharp increase in bearish bets during the last 24 hours, from 50% to 57%.



The "Greed" sentiment weakened from 64 to 60, according to the Crypto Fear &amp; Greed Index.



Top Gainers (24 Hours)



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><thead><tr><th>Cryptocurrency</th><th>Gains +/-</th><th>Price (Recorded at 10:05 p.m. ET)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Chainlink (LINK) </td><td>+14.73%</td><td>$25.76</td></tr><tr><td>Arbitrum (ARB) &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>+8.13%</td><td>$0.5273</td></tr><tr><td>MemeCore (M)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td> +7.41%</td><td>$0.4386 </td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $3.94 trillion, following a decrease of 0.77% in the last 24 hours.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Stock Futures In The Green</h2>



Stock futures edged higher overnight Sunday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average Futures gained 66 points, or 0.15%, as of 9:26 p.m. EDT.&nbsp; Futures tied to the S&amp;P 500 rose 0.17%, while Nasdaq 100 Futures lifted 0.29%.



Major averages finished last week on a high, with Dow ending 1.73% higher and &nbsp;S&amp;P 500 gaining 0.85%.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">ETH On Track For $5,000?</h2>



Widely followed cryptocurrency analyst and trader Michaël van de Poppe weighed in on the market's weekend moves, identifying $120,000 as a crucial target for Bitcoin to surpass.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> rallying up again during the weekend. Good volatility on the markets, as <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24ETH&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$ETH</a> is oging up evn more. Crucially is that we get a breakout above <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24120K&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$120K</a>. <a href="https://t.co/df34SiOkiQ">pic.twitter.com/df34SiOkiQ</a>&mdash; Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) <a href="https://twitter.com/CryptoMichNL/status/1957035427203821778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Another popular cryptocurrency-focused X user Wolf ruled out an immediate correction for Ethereum.



"First, ETH needs to take out ATHs above $5,000. That's the plan, and we're sticking to it," the analyst projected.



<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">There will be a correction, but not yet. First, <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24ETH&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$ETH</a> needs to take out ATHs above <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%245K&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$5K</a>. That's the plan, and we're sticking to it. <a href="https://t.co/cgM5yKTJSv">pic.twitter.com/cgM5yKTJSv</a>&mdash; Wolf &#x1f43a; (@IamCryptoWolf) <a href="https://twitter.com/IamCryptoWolf/status/1956991072850133102?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Photo: Yalcin Sonat on Shutterstock.com



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Cryptocurrency

$XRP

Bitcoin Slides As Whales Take Profits; Ethereum, Dogecoin Also Slip: Analyst Rules Out Major ETH Correction Before It Hits $5,000

Former Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers criticized the current U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for weighing too directly on the direction of interest rates, something he believes could blur the lines between fiscal and monetary polices. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">&#8216;Not Sure It&#8217;s Helpful&#8217; To Be Prescriptive</h2>



Summers, who served as the Treasury Secretary under President Bill Clinton, says that he is surprised to see Bessent &#8220;be that prescriptive on interest rates,&#8221; noting that usually administrative officials aren&#8217;t involved in such judgements, while adding that he&#8217;s &#8220;not sure it&#8217;s helpful for the Administration to be publicly prescribing on monetary policy.&#8221;



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He says that any model of monetary policy must rest &#8220;on a judgment about what the neutral interest rate is,&#8221; which is the level that allows the economy to sustain full employment without fueling inflation.



He also cites &#8220;a judgment about inflation expectations&#8221; as another requisite for arriving at a monetary policy model, saying that this is how he would approach it.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Rising Demand For Capital</h2>



Summers also points to multiple forces that he believes are driving higher demand for capital, including &#8220;substantially elevated deficit spending,&#8221; a surge in &#8220;data center spending,&#8221; reduced U.S. trade deficits, and &#8220;higher asset prices&#8221; that limit the flow of savings.



Altogether, he says, these dynamics suggest that &#8220;neutral interest rates have risen quite substantially,&#8221; noting that under such circumstances Bessent's stance on steep rate reductions was misplaced.



In such a case, he notes, you shouldn&#8217;t be &#8220;prescribing [a] 175 basis point cut in rates unless we see a recession.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">I was surprised to see <a href="https://twitter.com/SecScottBessent?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecScottBessent</a>, or any Secretary of the Treasury, be that prescriptive on interest rates. Usually that kind of judgment is not made by Administration officials. I&#39;m not sure it&#39;s helpful for the Administration to be publicly prescribing on monetary…&mdash; Lawrence H. Summers (@LHSummers) <a href="https://twitter.com/LHSummers/status/1957225279815831977?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">&#8220;We Should Be 150-175 Points Lower&#8221;</h2>



Last week, Bessent argued that the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/economic-data/25/08/47088535/scott-bessent-federal-reserve-trump-putin-meeting-interest-rates">current interest rates</a> were too restrictive, saying that &#8220;we should be 150-175 basis points lower on the fed funds now,&#8221; noting that had the Bureau of Labor Statistics been more accurate recently, the Federal Reserve would have cut rates in June or July. 



According <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">to</a> the CME Group&#8217;s FedWatch tool, the probabilities of a 25 basis point rate cut in September are at 84.6%, and 51.5% for another cut in October. 



Leading banks such as JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs have since <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/economic-data/25/08/47041972/september-fed-rate-cut-goldman-jpmorgan-make-the-same-call">made the same call</a>, expecting the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates in September. 



Read More:



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/08/47024606/dissenting-fed-vice-chair-urges-rate-cuts-as-jobs-data-weakens-inflation-nears-target-still-sees-three-cuts-in-2025">Dissenting Fed Vice Chair Urges Rate Cuts As Jobs Data Weakens, Inflation Nears Target — Still Sees &#8216;Three Cuts&#8217; In 2025</a></li>
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Photo Courtesy: eamesBot on Shutterstock.com

Larry Summers Warns Scott Bessent: 'Unless We See A Recession,' You Shouldn't Be Prescribing A 175 Basis Point Cut In Interest Rates

People have long wondered if the secret to investing success is as simple as copying Warren Buffett. If the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/movers-shakers/25/06/45736983/warren-buffett-makes-over-2-2-million-a-day-from-this-stock">Berkshire Hathaway CEO buys Coca-Cola</a>, why not buy Coca-Cola too? Turns out, even Amazon founder Jeff Bezos — one of the richest people on the planet — once asked him that very question.



That story comes courtesy of another self-made success, Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky, who shared it <a href="https://youtu.be/XCFh3BzloTQ?si=K5Jtt-Ug7EFWjffF">during an appearance on "The Carlos Watson Show."</a> Chesky recounted a surreal lunch at Sundance, where he found himself sitting with both Buffett and Bezos.&nbsp;



At the time, he was a 31-year-old newcomer to tech, "very starstruck and kind of nervous," but determined to make the most of the moment.



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Buffett had invited him to join, and knowing Bezos often referred to the legendary investor as a mentor, Chesky decided to ask what Buffett's best piece of advice to Bezos had been.&nbsp;



Bezos answered with a story. "One day I called him up," Bezos told Chesky. "I said, ‘You're one of the wealthiest guys in the world, and your investment thesis is so simple. Why doesn't anyone copy you?'"



Buffett didn't miss a beat: "Because no one wants to get rich slow."



It was a lesson Chesky instantly understood. In his interview with Watson, he connected Buffett's philosophy to Airbnb's early struggles. "When we started Airbnb, no one wanted to invest," Chesky said. "I felt like a failure so many days. It was small, it wasn't growing… A sane person probably would have quit. But we kept going through obscurity, through rejection. We couldn't raise money — but over time, it started growing."



Trending: Bill Gates Warned About Water Scarcity. <a href="https://benzingapartners.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=587&amp;aff_id=1">This Award-Winning Device Just Might Fix It — And You Can Invest Early</a>



That mindset — patience over speed — is at the core of Buffett's decades-long success. Chesky echoed it on the show, noting, "You can overestimate what you can do in a short period of time, but if you stick with something, all the gains are in the outside years."



From renting out air mattresses to becoming a household name in travel, Airbnb's rise wasn't an overnight success. Chesky says the company's survival — through early skepticism, market disruptions, and shifting travel trends — came from sticking with the long game. Like Buffett's investing, it wasn't about quick wins, but about staying the course long enough to see results.



And if there's one takeaway from that Sundance lunch? In a world obsessed with getting rich overnight, the people who actually make it might just be the ones willing to take it slow. Buffett's own career proves it — his biggest wins came decades into his journey, thanks to the sheer magnitude of his investments and his <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/entertainment/25/08/46975442/warren-buffett-buys-stock-of-company-with-500-million-howard-stern-decision-to-make">focus on buying great businesses</a>, not just stocks.



As Buffett and his late partner, Charlie Munger, often said, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/management/25/07/46310299/charlie-munger-said-if-you-want-to-get-rich-the-secret-is-to-get-your-hands-on-100000-its-the-hardest-milestone-but-you-gotta-do-it">wealth-building is like rolling a snowball</a> — it starts small, gains momentum, and grows larger over time. The key is patience, persistence, and the ability to keep that snowball rolling, no matter how slow it feels in the moment.



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Jeff Bezos Once Asked Warren Buffett Why People Don't Just Copy His 'Simple' Investment Strategy —He Said 'Because No One Wants To Get Rich Slow'

With earnings season nearing its end and the macroeconomy running hot, shifting sentiment, bold policy moves, and volatile commodity prices are setting the stage<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets" rel="noreferrer noopener"> for a mixed corporate performance.</a>



U.S. consumer sentiment weakened in August, ending a two-month rebound as renewed inflation concerns <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/economic-data/25/08/47157537/michigan-consumer-sentiment-august-tariffs-inflation" rel="noreferrer noopener">weighed on household confidence.</a>



The University of Michigan&#8217;s Consumer Sentiment Index slipped to 58.6 from 61.7 in July, missing expectations for a rise to 62, marking the first decline in four months and the lowest reading since May.



Global market sentiment, however, found pockets of optimism. U.S.-listed Chinese stocks rallied after Beijing announced fresh stimulus measures aimed at boosting consumer loans and service-sector businesses, building on momentum from President Donald Trump's extension of the U.S.-China<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/25/08/47093284/cheaper-loans-tariff-relief-chinese-stocks-climbing-trump" rel="noreferrer noopener"> trade truce earlier this week.</a>



Oil prices also climbed, with traders positioning ahead of Friday's closely watched meeting between Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, although hopes for an immediate <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/commodities/25/08/47135926/trump-putin-meeting-ceasefire-ukraine-zelenskyy-oil-prices" rel="noreferrer noopener">ceasefire deal remained cautious.</a>



These shifts in sentiment, policy moves, and commodity prices have created a mixed backdrop for corporate performance as the earnings season draws to a close.



Earnings:



Advance Auto Parts Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAP#NYSE">AAP</a>) reported second-quarter adjusted earnings per share of 69 cents, beating&nbsp;analysts&#8217; consensus estimate of 57 cents. Quarterly sales of $2.01 billion <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/reiteration/25/08/47131702/advance-auto-parts-tumbles-on-weak-outlook-margin-concerns" rel="noreferrer noopener">outpaced the Street view of $1.978 billion.</a>



Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>)&nbsp;reported fiscal fourth-quarter revenue of $14.67 billion, beating the&nbsp;consensus estimate of $14.62 billion. The networking equipment maker reported fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of 99 cents per share, beating<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/08/47107407/cisco-q4-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-strong-guidance-company-sees-massive-ai-infrastructure-opportunity-ahead" rel="noreferrer noopener"> analyst estimates of 97 cents per share.</a>



Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMAT#NASDAQ">AMAT</a>) reported third-quarter revenue of $7.3 billion, beating analyst&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://benzinga.com/quote/amat/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimates</a> of $7.22 billion. The chip equipment manufacturer reported third-quarter adjusted earnings of $2.48 per share, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/08/47139064/applied-materials-beats-q3-earnings-estimates-warns-of-bumpy-start-to-q4-outlook-disappoints" rel="noreferrer noopener">beating analyst estimates of $2.36 per share</a>.



AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMC#NYSE">AMC</a>) reported second-quarter revenue of $1.4 billion, beating analyst&nbsp;estimates&nbsp;of $1.34 billion. The company reported breakeven adjusted earnings per share versus <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/08/47034894/amc-stock-climbs-after-q2-revenue-eps-top-estimates" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimates for a loss of 9 cents per share.</a>



Deere &amp; Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DE#NYSE">DE</a>) posted mixed third-quarter results and trimmed its&nbsp;full-year profit forecast, highlighting persistent headwinds from declining sales, tariffs,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/08/47124985/tariffs-take-a-bite-out-of-deere-profit-demand-challenges-hit-core-businesses" rel="noreferrer noopener"> and cautious customer demand</a>.



Tapestry, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TPR#NYSE">TPR</a>) posted fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.04 per share, ahead of&nbsp;the $1.02 consensus, on revenue of $1.72 billion, up 8% <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/08/47120856/coach-parent-warns-of-tariff-pressure-despite-strong-performance" rel="noreferrer noopener">year-over-year and above expectations.</a>



Birkenstock Holding plc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIRK#NYSE">BIRK</a>) reported third-quarter adjusted earnings per share of 70 cents, beating&nbsp;the analyst consensus estimate of 67 cents. Quarterly sales of $720.12 million missed the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/08/47126007/birkenstock-ceo-says-well-positioned-to-navigate-tariffs-reaffirms-outlook" rel="noreferrer noopener">Street view of $739.49 million.</a>



Technology:



The White House has developed a scorecard evaluating 553 companies and trade associations on their support for the "One Big Beautiful Bill" and other Trump policies. Distributed among senior staff, the ratings will serve as a reference when <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/08/47154066/white-house-reportedly-launches-a-scorecard-rating-500-companies-on-trump-loyalty-whos-listed-and-how-ratings-are-determined" rel="noreferrer noopener">reviewing corporate requests.</a>



Alphabet Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google has introduced new licensing requirements for cryptocurrency wallet applications on its Play Store, a move critics argue could block many non-custodial wallets <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/08/47107111/google-plays-new-licensing-rules-threaten-non-custodial-crypto-wallets-in-us-eu" rel="noreferrer noopener">from&nbsp;reaching users in key markets.</a>



Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) will introduce a&nbsp;redesigned Blood Oxygen feature&nbsp;for some Apple Watch Series 9, Series 10, and Apple Watch Ultra 2 users through an iPhone and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/08/47131264/apple-to-reintroduce-blood-oxygen-feature-on-select-watches-following-customs-ruling" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple Watch software update later on Thursday.</a>



Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) faces congressional scrutiny after media reports exposed internal policies allowing artificial intelligence chatbots to engage children in "romantic or sensual" conversations and generate racist content, raising investor concerns about regulatory compliance <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/08/47148294/meta-faces-congressional-fire-over-leaked-ai-rulebook-that-allowed-chatbots-to-flirt-with-kids" rel="noreferrer noopener">and brand reputation risks.</a>



Opendoor Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OPEN#NASDAQ">OPEN</a>) CEO Carrie Wheeler abruptly stepped down on Friday morning. Opendoor CTPO Shrisha Radhakrishna will assume the&nbsp;role of president&nbsp;and interim CEO, effective immediately. A formal search for a permanent <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/08/47158523/opendoor-ceo-steps-down-retail-investors-celebrate-power-to-the-people" rel="noreferrer noopener">successor is currently underway.</a>



Oracle Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>) &nbsp;unveiled a modern Electronic Health Record (EHR) system for ambulatory providers in the U.S., aiming to simplify clinical workflows and enhance patient care with<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/health-care/25/08/47098429/oracle-brings-ai-intelligence-to-electronic-health-records" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;artificial intelligence-driven tools.</a>



Oracle&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/oracle" rel="noreferrer noopener">stock dropped on</a>&nbsp;Wednesday amid reports indicating the company has begun cutting jobs in its cloud unit as it works to rein in costs amid heavy<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/08/47100451/oracle-cloud-layoffs-mirror-big-techs-cost-controls-as-ai-bills-climb" rel="noreferrer noopener"> AI infrastructure spending.</a>



Alibaba Group Holding&#8217;s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>)&nbsp;international commerce arm&nbsp;launched the Accio Agent on Thursday to help merchants source products and supplies, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/08/47149401/alibaba-launches-ai-powered-agent-to-automate-merchant-operations" rel="noreferrer noopener">aiming to transform online business operations.</a>



Robinhood Markets, Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HOOD#NASDAQ">HOOD</a>)&nbsp;CEO&nbsp;Vlad Tenev&nbsp;has established an exclusive founders club comprising the company's 150 best-performing employees across all levels, designed to serve as a strategic rebuild <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/08/47148601/robinhood-ceo-vlad-tenev-builds-apocalypse-squad-150-top-performers-picked-to-rebuild-company-if-disaster-strikes" rel="noreferrer noopener">team in catastrophic scenarios</a>.



Artificial Intelligence:



OpenAI&nbsp;CEO Sam Altman&nbsp;detailed his vision for an artificial intelligence companion device during a recent podcast appearance, describing plans for "ambiently aware" hardware that could fundamentally change how users interact with technology<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/08/47149733/openai-ceo-sam-altman-reveals-sci-fi-ai-companion-vision-with-ex-apple-design-chief-jony-ive-to-replace-smartphones" rel="noreferrer noopener"> beyond traditional smartphones</a>.



The Chinese AI start-up&nbsp;DeepSeek&nbsp;has reportedly postponed the launch of its new model after technical issues with&nbsp;Huawei Technologies'&nbsp;chips forced a reliance on U.S.-made&nbsp;NVIDIA Corporation&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/08/47148339/deepseeks-latest-ai-model-delayed-after-huawei-chips-fail-amid-chinas-push-to-reduce-reliance-on-us-companies-like-nvidia-report" rel="noreferrer noopener">processors</a>.



Automobiles:



Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) sales surged in Norway during the first half of the year despite a slump across other markets in Europe amid&nbsp;Elon Musk‘s dip in popularity due to his close ties <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/08/47115413/tesla-sales-surge-24-in-norway-defying-european-decline-elon-musks-dip-in-popularity" rel="noreferrer noopener">with&nbsp;the Trump administration.</a>



BYD Co., Ltd.&#8217;s (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BYDDY#OTC">BYDDY</a>) local franchise partner in the country said the company is observing a shift in customer behavior, Nikkei Asia reported&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://asia.nikkei.com/business/automobiles/electric-vehicles/byd-sets-india-sales-record-on-back-of-dealership-expansion?tblci=GiAIRlI0k8093O7NDun8A3VPr6xAR70_aoZJ6XnLiAtCAyCN1Vcoz7Dpifi1v-7FATDviEo" rel="noreferrer noopener">on</a>&nbsp;Thursday. &#8220;Now, most of them consider buying a BYD as their primary vehicle,&#8221; a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/08/47116812/tesla-rival-byd-sets-new-sales-record-in-india-amid-elon-musk-led-ev-giants-push-into-the-region" rel="noreferrer noopener">BYD representative said in the report.</a>



WeRide Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WRD#NASDAQ">WRD</a>)&nbsp;stock gained on Friday after it announced that Grab Holdings Limited (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GRAB#NASDAQ">GRAB</a>)&nbsp;will take a&nbsp;strategic equity stake&nbsp;as part of a deeper partnership to speed up the deployment and commercialization of Level 4 Robotaxis and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/m-a/25/08/47150409/weride-lands-grab-investment-to-speed-robotaxi-rollout-in-southeast-asia" rel="noreferrer noopener">shuttles across Southeast Asia.</a>



NIO Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NIO#NYSE">NIO</a>)&nbsp;saw its stock gain in premarket trading Friday as its premium compact electric vehicle (EV) brand Firefly reportedly began delivering its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/08/47151038/teslas-chinese-rival-nio-sparks-global-push-as-firefly-evs-hit-european-roads" rel="noreferrer noopener">first units to&nbsp;customers in Europe.</a>



XPeng Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XPEV#NYSE">XPEV</a>) and Volkswagen AG (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VLKAF#OTC">VLKAF</a>) announced on that they have&nbsp;deepened their partnership&nbsp;by expanding their E/E Architecture collaboration beyond electric vehicles to internal combustion engine (ICE) and plug-in hybrid <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/08/47149732/volkswagen-expands-xpeng-partnership-to-speed-software-upgrades-across-all-car-types" rel="noreferrer noopener">(PHEV) platforms in China.</a>



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Consumer Tech News (August 11–August 15): Consumer Sentiment Slips, Stimulus Sparks Rallies, and Cisco & Applied Materials Headline Earnings

The past week in the crypto world was a mixed bag of events. Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) saw a rise following the Federal Reserve Governor&#8217;s dovish comments on rate cuts, while altcoins pulled back. Meanwhile, former U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz made headlines with his purchase of Pudgy Penguins token and an economist issued a stern warning about a potential crypto crash. Let&#8217;s dive into the details.



Bitcoin Rises Amid Fed Governor&#8217;s Dovish Comments



Bitcoin experienced a surge, while altcoins took a step back, following the Federal Reserve Governor&#8217;s dovish remarks on rate cuts. The governor&#8217;s comments seemed to have a positive impact on Bitcoin, but the altcoins didn&#8217;t share the same fate.



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/08/47022606/bitcoin-rises-as-fed-governor-backs-three-rate-cuts-in-2025-ethereum-dogecoin-xrp-correct-eth-may-have-more-room-to-run-says-analyst">Read the full article here.</a>



Matt Gaetz Buys Pudgy Penguins&#8217; PENGU



Former U.S. Representative Matt Gaetz announced his purchase of the Pudgy Penguins token PENGU, referring to them as &#8220;digital penguins&#8221; and expressing his excitement about the current era. Crypto trader Broski also endorsed PENGU as a long-term investment.



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/08/47131407/former-us-representative-matt-gaetz-buys-pudgy-penguins-pengu-calls-it-digital-penguins">Read the full article here.</a>



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/08/47135923/bitcoin-ethereum-tumble-after-inflation-surprise" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin, Ethereum Tumble After Inflation Surprise</a>



Economist Warns Of Potential Crypto Crash



Macroeconomist and technical analyst Henrik Zeberg issued a warning about the cryptocurrency market, describing it as the "Bubble of this era" and predicting a significant crash.



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/08/47084815/economist-warns-of-horrendous-crypto-crash-but-says-big-profits-can-still-be-made-before-va">Read the full article here.</a>



US Treasury Halts Bitcoin Purchases



U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed that the government will not be buying additional Bitcoin for its strategic reserve, stating that the holdings will grow only through confiscated assets. Bessent also projected that tariff revenues could exceed earlier forecasts.



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/08/47122642/us-treasury-freezes-bitcoin-purchases-heres-what-scott-bessent-plans-to-do-instead">Read the full article here.</a>



XRP Dips, But Analyst Sees Opportunity



XRP may have dipped, but an analyst believes this could be the &#8220;ideal&#8221; time to enter for those who have not yet invested. &#8220;For those not already in, this [around $3.10] would be "ideal" entry for a position. We are just sitting above it atm but I think we probably dip into it shortly,&#8221;



&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/08/47051848/xrp-is-falling-but-this-analyst-feels-now-is-the-ideal-entry-point-before-new-highs">Read the full article here.</a>



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<li><a href="https://benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/08/47166841/bitcoin-ethereum-xrp-dogecoin-trade-sideways-ahead-of-trump-putin-summit" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin Trade Sideways Ahead Of Trump-Putin Summit</a></li>
</ul>



Photo Courtesy: alfernec on Shutterstock.com



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/ananya-gairola" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ananya Gairola</a>

Bitcoin Climbs On Fed Rate Cut Hopes, Matt Gaetz Buys 'Digital Penguins,' Analyst Calls XRP 'Ideal' Entry — Weekly Crypto Recap

Mexican business magnate Ricardo Salinas Pliego has been a strong Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) advocate for years and recently considered allocating the entirety of his wealth to the top cryptocurrency.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Salinas Wants To Go All In On BTC</h2>



During an interview with Austrian economist Saifedean Ammous in May, Salinas, who has a <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/ricardo-salinas-pliego/">net worth </a>of over $5 billion, disclosed that he has no exposure to stocks other than a "very small proportion" of gold and Bitcoin miners.



"I think that anybody who has an investment portfolio should be extremely careful because of the way that stocks are valued today. It's ridiculous," Mexico's third-richest individual said.



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<iframe loading="lazy" title="275. The Bitcoin Enlightenment with Ricardo Salinas Pliego" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VGwUjGyH5aU?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>
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He said that 80% of his wealth is tied up in Bitcoin-related investments and the rest in gold.



"I don&#8217;t know why do I still have gold. Well I could probably move to 100% Bitcoin. Maybe I need a little bit more time being an old guy," Salinas chuckled.



See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44621245/gold-backed-cryptos-match-yellow-metals-highs-following-trumps-liberation-day-shock"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/08/47111206/bitcoin-sets-new-all-time-high-at-124000-as-record-breaking-surge-continues">Bitcoin Sets New All-Time High At $124,000 As Record-Breaking Surge Continues</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Salinas&#8217; History With &#8216;Sound Money&#8217;</h2>



Salinas revealed that the devaluation of the Mexican national currency Peso, during the 80s, due to what he regarded as &#8220;mismanagement,&#8221; pushed him toward <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/03/44273077/bitcoin-is-digital-sound-money-in-the-safest-most-prosperous-time-in-history-anthony-pompliano-says">sound money</a>.



He said that he became a gold bug and "did really well" in the subsequent decades before adopting Bitcoin in 2013.



Salinan previously said that he began investing in Bitcoin w<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/23/09/34330634/billionaire-reveals-portfolio-why-hes-betting-on-bitcoin-microstrategy-and-crypto-miners">hen it was around $200</a> and went through its highs and lows, ending in one of his most profitable moves when he sold his Bitcoin for roughly $17,000.



"Bitcoin is now in the stage of being revalued to its actual usefulness for the world. The more people find it useful the more valuable it&#8217;s going to be," he remarked.



Price Action: At the time of writing, BTC was exchanging hands at $119,217.31, down 2.23% 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..">data from Benzinga Pro</a>. The leading cryptocurrency is up over 14% since Salinas&#8217; interview.



Photo: Rido on Shutterstock.com



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/08/47112380/eric-trump-says-the-trumps-didnt-have-a-choice-but-to-embrace-crypto-after-they-were-debanked">Eric Trump Says The Trumps Didn&#8217;t Have A &#8216;Choice&#8217; But To Embrace Crypto After They Were Debanked</a></li>
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MSTR

Mexico's 3rd Richest Person Holds 80% Of Their Wealth In Bitcoin, Now They Plan To Make That A 100%: Here Is The Reason Why

Billionaire Mark Cuban has resisted calls to run for president, but recently said that any effort by President Donald Trump to seek a third term could drawn him into the race.



What Happened: Cuban, who supported Kamala Harris in the 2024 election, has been speculated as a possible contender for the 2028 race. He said that his decision to run will be influenced by Trump&#8217;s potential attempt at a third term.



Speaking on a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmHqOIquS9Q">recent</a> podcast, Cuban said,&nbsp;&#8220;I&#8217;m not going to do&nbsp;it. I&#8217;ve&nbsp;said the only way I&nbsp;would do it is if&nbsp;Trump tried&nbsp;to run for a third&nbsp;term. Because then that&#8217;s just&nbsp;changing everything, right? And that&#8217;s&nbsp;a true threat.&#8221;



Trump has previously hinted at Vice President JD Vance, as a possible successor, but has also flirted with the idea of a third term.



In another interview in early August, Trump stated,&nbsp;&#8220;I got the highest vote&nbsp;in the history of Texas,&nbsp;a record that they say&nbsp;won&#8217;t be beaten unless I&nbsp;run again.&#8221;



When probed about his plans&nbsp;to run again, Trump responded,&nbsp;&#8220;No, probably not. Probably not.&#8221;



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/entrepreneurship/25/07/46266500/mark-cuban-says-his-children-struggle-with-the-downsides-of-his-wealth-not-that-they-want-to-be-poor-but-it-sets-an-expectation">Mark Cuban Says His Children Struggle With the Downsides of His Wealth: &#8216;Not That They Want To Be Poor, But It Sets An Expectation&#8217;</a>



Cuban also shared his apprehensions about subjecting his family to the strains of a presidential campaign, referring to the &#8220;grief and abuse&#8221; that accompanies a run for president.



&#8220;But other than that, I&#8217;m not going to put my family through that, you know?&#8221; Cuban added. He further explained that with his three children, ages 15 to 21, he would rather avoid the "grief and criticism" that often comes with a presidential run.



&#8220;When I&#8217;m 95 and taking &#8211; or 105 and taking my last breaths, right? I don&#8217;t want to say, ‘Well, gee, I ran for president. Maybe won, maybe didn&#8217;t,'&#8221; he continued.



Why It Matters: The potential of a third-term run by Trump could significantly alter the political landscape, prompting Cuban to consider a presidential bid. 



Cuban&#8217;s decision underscores the impact of Trump&#8217;s political moves on potential candidates and the broader political discourse. 



The billionaire&#8217;s reluctance to expose his family to the rigors of a campaign also highlights the personal sacrifices often required in the pursuit of public office.



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<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/03/44211508/mark-cuban-once-questioned-whether-donald-trump-is-really-a-billionaire">Mark Cuban Once Questioned Whether Donald Trump Is Really a Billionaire</a>



Image: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Cuban Has Resisted Presidential Run, but Says a Trump Third-Term Bid Could Draw Him Into the Race

Let&#8217;s take a look at some of the most significant stories that broke over the weekend, including the latest on China&#8217;s economy, the S&amp;P 500 earnings, and the impact of stablecoins on the U.S. dollar.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">1. Small Caps Rally, AMD Hits 13-Month Highs: Markets Today</h3>



On Wednesday, the S&amp;P 500 inched up by 0.1% to 6,450, after hitting a new all-time high of 6,480 earlier in the day. The Nasdaq 100 remained unchanged, despite setting new record highs during the session, while the Dow surged by 0.7%, building on Tuesday&#8217;s 1.1% rise.&nbsp;Advanced Micro Devices Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) reached a 13-month high.&nbsp;



Read the full article&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/08/47101089/markets-today-wall-street-wednesday-amd-ge-vernova-small-caps-bessent">here</a>.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">2. Stablecoins Are Quietly Exploding The Dollar &#8211; The Inflation Secret Wall Street Doesn&#8217;t Want You To Know</h3>



Over $270 billion in stablecoins like USDT and USDC are circulating globally, yet this isn't causing grocery prices to skyrocket. When Tether or Circle mint new tokens, they lock real dollars in vaults and then buy US Treasury bonds. This isn't theoretical. Tether now holds $127 billion in Treasuries, making it the 18th largest US debt holder globally, bigger than South Korea's entire holdings. Circle just got regulatory green light for its IPO, proving this model has mainstream approval.&nbsp;



Read the full article&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/08/47067924/stablecoins-are-quietly-exploding-the-dollar-the-inflation-secret-wall-street-doesnt-want-">here</a>.



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/news/topics/25/08/47171394/social-security-could-go-broke-by-2032-18000-cuts-loom-as-90-year-old-program-nears-breaking-point" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Social Security Could Go Broke By 2032 — $18,000 Cuts Loom As 90-Year-Old Program Nears Breaking Point</a>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">3. Bubble? Recession? S&amp;P 500 Companies Are Crushing The Street</h3>



U.S. corporations are delivering one of the strongest top-line beats in years, outpacing even Wall Street&#8217;s most optimistic projections and challenging the narrative that stock valuations are dangerously stretched.&nbsp;



Read the full article&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/large-cap/25/08/47072830/sp500-bubble-economic-recession-corporate-earnings-revenue-surprise">here</a>.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">4. Xi Jinping Is &#8216;Difficult To Deal&#8217; With, Says Scott Bessent, Calls China Most &#8216;imbalanced Economy&#8217; In Modern History</h3>



Scott Bessent, the U.S. Treasury Secretary, shared his thoughts on China's economy and the challenges it poses to the U.S.



Read the full article&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/08/47051834/xi-jinping-is-difficult-to-deal-with-says-scott-bessent-calls-china-most-imbalanced-economy-in-modern-history">here</a>.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">5. Cheaper Loans, Tariff Relief: Why Chinese Stocks Are Climbing</h3>



U.S.-listed Chinese stocks rallied sharply Wednesday morning, as Beijing&#8217;s new stimulus targeting consumer loans and service-sector businesses signaled a deeper commitment to reviving domestic demand and supporting economic growth.&nbsp;



Read the full article&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/25/08/47093284/cheaper-loans-tariff-relief-chinese-stocks-climbing-trump">here</a>.



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<li><a href="https://benzinga.com/markets/economic-data/25/08/47172250/peter-schiff-slams-nixons-1971-gold-standard-exit-as-us-debt-soars-9-trillion-while-bullion-jumps-85-both-poised-to-spiral-higher" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Peter Schiff Slams Nixon&#8217;s 1971 Gold Standard Exit As US Debt Soars $9 Trillion While Bullion Jumps 85%, Both &#8216;Poised To Spiral Higher&#8217;</a></li>
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Image Via Shutterstock

Macro Economic Events

IPOs

Xi Jinping Is 'Difficult To Deal' With, Says Treasury Secretary; S&P 500 Earnings Beat, Chinese Stocks Jolt From Trump Moves — Weekly Economics Recap

The S&amp;P 500, Nasdaq 100 and Dow Jones all hit new all-time highs as investors continue to bet on the strength of corporates despite fresh data pointing to an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/inflation">unwelcome resurgence in inflation.</a>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>The SPY ETF is trading at record highs. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/SPY">Check the chart here. </a></li>
</ul>



July's consumer price index held steady at 2.7% year-over-year — slightly below expectations — offering a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/economic-data/25/08/47057291/us-inflation-july-tariffs">brief sense of relief.</a> 



But the real inflation shock came from the wholesale side on Thursday. 



The Producer Price Index, a key gauge of price pressures at the factory and distribution level, jumped 0.9% month-over-month. That&#8217;s the sharpest increase in three years. It pushed the annual rate to 3.3%, well <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/economic-data/25/08/47120725/us-july-producer-inflation-trump-tariffs">above expectations of 2.7%.</a>



Indeed, the producer inflation reading is hotter-than-expected. Still, markets expect the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates by a quarter <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/economic-data/25/08/47128926/hot-inflation-report-fuels-fed-dilemma-as-tariff-driven-pressures-mount">of a percentage point</a> in September.



Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent has even called for more aggressive action, saying rates should be 150–175 basis points lower and hinting that a half-point cut could be on <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/economic-data/25/08/47088535/scott-bessent-federal-reserve-trump-putin-meeting-interest-rates">the table next month.</a>



Consumers, meanwhile, are perceiving the pinch. The <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/economic-data/25/08/47157537/michigan-consumer-sentiment-august-tariffs-inflation">University of Michigan's August consumer sentiment survey </a>revealed a decline in household confidence, alongside rising inflation expectations.



Americans now expect prices to increase 4.9% over the next year. That&#8217;s up from 4.5% in July — and 3.9% over a five-year horizon. Compare that with the 3.4% previously, which complicates the Fed's interest-rate path.



On the corporate front, the White House is <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/08/47162958/trumps-moves-push-intel-to-strongest-week-in-25-years">reportedly in talks</a> with Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>) over a potential government stake. The deal, still under negotiation, would use funding from the CHIPS Act, with details on the size and valuation yet to be finalized.



The prospect of a government investment ignited a rally in Intel shares, which soared nearly 25% for the week — the company's strongest <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/08/47162958/trumps-moves-push-intel-to-strongest-week-in-25-years">weekly gain since January 2000.</a>



UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNH#NYSE">UNH</a>) also drew attention after Warren Buffett&#8216;s Berkshire Hathaway disclosed a new five-million-share<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/08/47155919/why-is-unitedhealth-stock-trading-higher-friday"> stake in the insurer.</a> The move came after UnitedHealth's stock suffered a year-to-date drop of more than 40%, prompting dip buyers to speculate on a recovery.



Next week, Fed Chair Jerome Powell's remarks at the annual Jackson Hole Economic Symposium may offer fresh insight into whether policymakers will opt for a cautious quarter-point cut or keep rates on hold.



Now Read:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/health-care/25/08/47156785/exclusive-has-unh-stock-hit-the-bottom-heres-what-our-readers-think">EXCLUSIVE: Has UNH Stock Hit The Bottom? Here&#8217;s What Our Readers Think </a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Inflation Clouds Fed's Path, White House Eyes Intel Stake: This Week In Markets

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