Streaming giant Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) reported first-quarter financial results after <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings">market close Thursday.</a>



Here are the key highlights.



What Happened: Netflix reported first-quarter revenue of $10.54 billion, up 12.5% year-over-year. The revenue total beat a Street consensus estimate of $10.52 billion according to data<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0417"> from Benzinga Pro.</a>



The company reported earnings per share of $6.61, beating a Street consensus estimate of $5.74.



Revenue and operating income came in ahead of company guidance, according to the company. Netflix said higher subscription and advertising revenue and the timing of expenses contributed to the guidance beat.



Here are the revenue figures by region and their year-over-year change:



<ul>
<li>UCAN: $4.62 billion, +9%</li>



<li>EMEA: $3.41 billion, +15%</li>



<li>LATAM: $1.26 billion, +8%</li>



<li>APAC: $1.26 billion, 23%</li>
</ul>



Netflix did not break out subscriber growth or total subscriber figures as it previously disclosed it would stop doing on a quarterly basis.



"We're executing on our 2025 priorities: improving our series and film offering and growing our ads business; further developing newer initiatives like live programming and games; and sustaining healthy revenue and profit growth," the company said.



WWE RAW on Netflix launched in the first quarter and the company said the content has been on its top 10 global list every week. Other content highlighted from the first quarter included "Adolescence," "Back in Action" and "Counterattack."



Netflix announced that Reed Hastings transitioned from executive chairman to chairman of the board and a non-executive director.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/sports/25/04/44848932/netflix-q1-earnings-preview-no-subscriber-figures-experts-see-shares-as-safer-haven-in-this-tariff-war-environment">Netflix Q1 Earnings Preview: No Subscriber Figures, Experts See Shares As &#8216;Safer Haven In This Tariff War Environment&#8217;</a>



 What's Next: Netflix is guiding for second-quarter revenue to be $11.04 billion, which would be up 15.4% year-over-year. Earnings per share for the second quarter is $6.61. The company maintained its full-year revenue guidance of $43.5 billion to $44.5 billion.



The company said its live event strategy remains unchanged and highlighted an upcoming boxing match on July 11, as well as the addition of a second NFL game on Christmas Day in 2025, which it opted into.



Netflix also highlighted the upcoming third season of "Squid Game," its most popular series ever. The season will debut on June 27, 2025. Netflix also said its game "Squid Game: Unleashed" based on the series has been one of its biggest games to date and will have new content based on the third season.



"We remain optimistic about our 2025 slate with a lineup that includes returning favorites, series finales, new discoveries and unexpected surprises designed to thrill our members," the company said.



Netflix said it launched it ad tech platform in the US on April 1 and is on track to roll out the platform to other countries in the coming months.



"We are working hard to improve and expand our entertainment offering with the goal to build the most valued entertainment company for members, creators and shareholders."



NFLX Price Action: Netflix stock is up 4.5% to $1,016.82 in after-hours trading versus a 52-week trading range of $542.01 to $1,064.50. &nbsp;



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/25/04/44869415/netflix-vs-the-enormous-eight-one-stocks-bull-run-amid-big-tech-blues">Netflix Vs. The Enormous Eight: One Stock&#8217;s Bull Run Amid Big Tech Blues</a></li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="&#x1f534; WATCH LIVE: Netflix Q1 2025 Earnings Call &#x7C; $NFLX" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6z_9AeJ-xZc?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



Photo courtesy: marekfromrzeszow / Shutterstock

Earnings

Entertainment

News

Movers

Trading Ideas

NFLX

Netflix Crushes Q1, Says It's 'Working Hard To Improve And Expand' Its Offering

Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman posted his investment thesis for Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HTZ#NYSE">HTZ</a>) on Thursday, one day after disclosing his fund, Pershing Square, had built a sizable stake in the<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/04/44876089/hertz-stock-is-racing-higher-thursday-whats-driving-the-action"> car rental company. </a>



The Details: Ackman confirmed a previous CNBC report that Pershing Square now holds a 19.8% stake in Hertz, making the fund the company's second-largest shareholder.&nbsp;



Read Next:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/health-care/25/04/44869920/unitedhealth-ceo-says-high-cost-of-us-health-care-simply-not-sustainable"> UnitedHealth CEO Says High Cost Of US Health Care &#8216;Simply Not Sustainable&#8217;&nbsp;</a>



In a <a href="https://x.com/BillAckman/status/1912955549542744462">post </a>on X, the hedge fund manager pointed to several factors he believes make Hertz an attractive investment:



"We believe that a combination of: (1) an improving industry structure and more rational competitive behavior, (2) the near resolution of the company's over exposure to Teslas, (3) a successful operational turnaround plan under a new management team with a track record of success in an adjacent industry, and (4) the company's leveraged capital structure will enable Hertz shareholders to generate a highly attractive return on investment," Ackman wrote. 



He highlighted Enterprise as an industry leader and said his firm estimates that Enterprise has profit margins of 20% or higher, demonstrating the potential for large profits in the car rental industry. 



Ackman closed the post with a proposed scenario in which Hertz could potentially partner with Uber Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: UBER) on an autonomous vehicle fleet. 



"Hertz's large installed fleet of 500k vehicles, its expertise in vehicle maintenance and servicing, and the significant scope and scale of its thousands of locations (11,200 globally) and other difficult to replace at scale physical infrastructure make it an ideal partner for @Uber, a partnership which could greatly improve the utilization and profitability of Hertz's vehicle fleet," Ackman wrote.&nbsp;



<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 began accumulating shares in <a href="https://twitter.com/Hertz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Hertz</a> late last year, and as of today, we have a 19.8% stake in the company comprised of outright share ownership and total return swaps. Hertz can be thought of as an operating company combined with a highly leveraged portfolio of automobiles.…&mdash; Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillAckman/status/1912955549542744462?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/25/04/44817229/chinese-tiktok-influencers-expose-cheap-nike-lululemon-suppliers-to-bypass-trump-tariffs">Chinese TikTok Influencers &#8216;Expose&#8217; Cheap Nike, Lululemon Suppliers To Bypass Trump Tariffs&nbsp;</a></li>
</ul>



Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

Social Media

Tech

General

UBER

Billionare Investor Bill Ackman Posts Hertz Investment Thesis, Proposes AV Fleet Partnership With Uber

During an official Oval Office meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, President Donald Trump reignited his push against Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, warning he could remove him if rate cuts don't come soon—just hours after another round of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/04/44862662/trump-pressures-fed-as-ecb-delivers-7th-straight-rate-cut">policy easing from Europe.</a>



On Thursday, Trump and Meloni addressed reporters following bilateral talks on trade, China, Ukraine and broader transatlantic relations. The Italian leader praised her host's role in global affairs, saying: "The goal for me is to make the West great again."



Yet, Trump swiftly redirected the focus toward domestic monetary policy, using the moment to sharply criticize Powell.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">&#8216;Oh, He'll Leave&#8217;</h3>



Trump accused the Fed chair of playing politics and holding rates unnecessarily high despite disinflationary signals across major sectors.



"He's too late. Always too late. A little slow. And I'm not happy with him," Trump said, adding, "Oh, if I want him out, he'll be out of there real fast. Believe me." He continued: "He'll be out of there if I ask him."



Powell's term as Fed chair runs through May 2026, and he has previously defended the central bank's independence by noting that his position is protected by statute. A Federal Reserve chair can only be removed for cause, which has historically been interpreted as misconduct or incapacity—not policy disagreements.



Trump pointed directly to the ECB's aggressive monetary easing as a model the Fed should follow. 



"In Europe, they've reduced [rates] seven times… but our guy wants to play cute," he said, warning that keeping U.S. rates higher puts the economy at a disadvantage.



The U.S. Dollar Index – as tracked by the Invesco DB USD Index Bullish Fund ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UUP#NYSE">UUP</a>) – was up 0.2% on Thursday, yet it has fallen by more than 10% since Trump&#8217;s inauguration in January. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Inflation Is Essentially Gone, Trump Says</h3>



The president claimed that inflation is no longer a concern, arguing that falling oil, grocery and egg prices show clear evidence of relief. "We essentially have no inflation. It's hard to have inflation when oil goes down," he said.



Trump insisted the Fed is the only institution holding back the economy, saying, "Interest rates should be down now… they're not very smart. The Federal Reserve is playing politics."



"We're essentially being played by our own central bank," he added. 



As Trump left the podium Thursday, he summed up his stance plainly: "The Fed owes it to the American people to get interest rates down. That's the only thing he's good for."



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Meloni Meeting Covers Trade, China, Ukraine</h3>



Meloni hinted at a deeper NATO commitment, signaling Italy's increasing willingness to meet defense spending targets. 



The two also briefly discussed China, with Trump noting, "We're doing very well with negotiations… everyone wants to make a deal. If they don't, we'll make it for them."



A U.S.-Ukraine mineral deal is expected to be signed next Thursday, as part of efforts to deepen Western investment and counter Russian influence.



Trump reiterated his skepticism toward Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, stating, "I'm not a big fan of Zelenskyy. He hasn't done a good job."



Read now: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/04/44873779/wall-street-rebounds-eli-lilly-rallies-unitedhealth-group-plummets-whats-driving-markets-thursday">Wall Street Rebounds, Eli Lilly Rallies, UnitedHealth Group Plummets: What&#8217;s Driving Markets Thursday?</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: noamgalai/Shutterstock

Macro Economic Events

Eurozone

Politics

Econ #s

Economics

'He'll Be Out... If I Ask Him': Can Trump's Threat To Oust Powell Shake The Fed?

The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/department-of-justice" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S. Department of Justice</a> has won its antitrust case against Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google for operating a monopoly in advertising technology.&nbsp;



The ruling by U.S. District Judge Leonie Brinkema <a target="_blank" href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/25900111-google-ad-antitrust-ruling/" rel="noreferrer noopener">concluded that</a> Google has engaged in a series of anticompetitive acts to acquire and maintain monopoly power in the publisher ad server and ad exchange markets for open-web display advertising.



For over ten years, Google has bundled its publisher ad server and ad exchange to help it maintain monopoly power in these two markets.



Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44497080/qualcomm-accuses-arm-of-antitrust-violations-across-us-eu-and-korea-over-chip-access" rel="noreferrer noopener">Qualcomm Accuses Arm Of Antitrust Violations Across US, EU, And Korea Over Chip Access</a>



However, Judge Brinkema dismissed allegations against Google for monopolizing ad networks. In August, U.S. District Judge&nbsp;Amit Mehta ruled that&nbsp;Google&#8217;s dominant search engine is an unlawful monopoly.



Judge Brinkema, like Judge Mehta, warned Google for failing to preserve internal communications, citing an internal messaging app that deleted records of chats between employees.



Google VP Lee-Anne Mulholland told&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.theverge.com/news/650665/google-loses-ad-tech-antitrust-monopoly-lawsuit" rel="noreferrer noopener">the</a> Verge that Google has won half of this case and will appeal the other half. The Court found that Google&#8217;s advertiser tools and acquisitions, like DoubleClick, did not breach antitrust rules. Google disagreed with the Court&#8217;s decision regarding its publisher tools.



The U.S. Big Tech giants have drawn global regulatory attention for alleged antitrust violations.



Google is facing a £5 billion ($6.6 billion) <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44857710/google-faces-a-mammoth-66-billion-lawsuit-in-the-uk-over-suspected-market-dominance-abuse" rel="noreferrer noopener">class action lawsuit</a> in the U.K. for allegedly exploiting&nbsp;its dominant market position in&nbsp;the online search industry.



In January, Google&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43274659/google-fights-record-eu-android-fine-claims-users-choose-its-services-over-rivals" rel="noreferrer noopener">contested the&nbsp;European Commission</a> in Luxembourg against the record European Union antitrust fine over its Android operating system. The European Union regulator penalized Google by 4.34 billion euros ($4.55 billion) in 2018 for allegedly exploiting its influence to drive traffic from Android devices to Google&#8217;s search engine.



Reportedly, the Justice Department has <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/03/44208199/googles-monopoly-fight-just-got-more-intense-justice-department-reaffirms-plan-to-split-up-the-tech-giant-in-historic-antitrust-battle" rel="noreferrer noopener">doubled down on</a> its demand to break up&nbsp;Google, pushing for the sale of&nbsp;Chrome&nbsp;and&nbsp;restrictions on its search&nbsp;business. As per a court filing in March, the Justice Department reaffirmed its call for Google to divest Chrome and end its exclusive search engine deals with&nbsp;Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>),&nbsp;Mozilla, and smartphone manufacturers.



Google held $95.66 billion in cash and equivalents as of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1652044/000165204425000010/googexhibit991q42024.htm" rel="noreferrer noopener">December 31, 2024</a>.



Separately, the Federal Trade Commission is preparing to take&nbsp;Meta Platforms, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) for allegedly stifling competition with acquisitions&nbsp;of&nbsp;Instagram&nbsp;and&nbsp;WhatsApp. It is also alleged Amazon.com, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) is&nbsp;illegally maintaining its dominance&nbsp;in online retail.



Price Action: GOOGL stock is down 1.40% at $151.22 at last check Thursday.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/downgrades/25/04/44874447/microsoft-analyst-lowers-rating-flags-slower-growth-flat-valuation-outlook">Microsoft Analyst Lowers Rating, Flags Slower Growth, Flat Valuation Outlook</a></li>
</ul>



Photo Courtesy: JHVEPhoto On Shutterstock.com

Legal

Media

AAPL

AMZN

GOOG

GOOGL

Google Scores Partial Win In Antitrust Case But Faces Setback On Publisher Tools

Wall Street saw a rebound in risk appetite on Thursday ahead of the long Easter weekend, as President Donald Trump signaled positive <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/donald-trump">momentum in trade negotiations.</a>



Speaking ahead of a scheduled meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Trump expressed strong confidence in reaching a trade agreement with the European Union. He also hinted at progress with China, stating, "We will make a good deal with China." 



Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent noted that trade talks with Japan are moving in a highly satisfactory direction.



By midday in New York, the S&amp;P 500 had climbed 0.9%, while the Nasdaq 100 gained 0.5%, recouping some losses after a 3% slide on Wednesday. The Dow Jones, however, slipped 0.9%, weighed down by a sharp 23% plunge in UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNH#NYSE">UNH</a>) after the company slashed its full-year earnings forecast.



Energy stocks led the day&#8217;s gains, buoyed by rising oil prices. Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XOM#NYSE">XOM</a>) rallied 4.1%, while Chevron Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVX#NYSE">CVX</a>) advanced 3.5%.



Gold prices retreated nearly 1% after a strong multi-day rally, pressured by a firmer U.S. dollar and rising Treasury yields. The 10-year Treasury yield climbed six basis points to 4.34%.



Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) edged up 0.9% to $85,000.



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday&#8217;s Performance In Major US Indices, ETFs</h1>



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Major Indices</td><td>Price</td><td>Chg (%)</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>1,884.35</td><td>1.0%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>5,323.43</td><td>0.9%</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>18,357.77</td><td>0.5%</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>39,441.72</td><td colspan="2">-0.6%</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated by 12:55 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>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) rose 0.8% to $530.09.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>) fell 0.7% to $394.05.</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;rose 0.5% to $446.19.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) soared 1% to $186.67.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;Energt&nbsp;Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLE#NYSE">XLE</a>) outperformed, up 3.5%; the&nbsp;Health Care&nbsp;Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLV#NYSE">XLV</a>) lagged, down 0.1%.</li>
</ul>



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday&#8217;s Stock Movers</h1>



<ul>
<li>Eli Lilly Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>) surged 16% after announcing that its oral GLP-1 receptor agonist, Orforglipron, successfully completed Phase 3 trials without requiring food or water restrictions.</li>



<li>Fidelity National Information Services (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FIS#NYSE">FIS</a>) jumped 9% after announcing a $13.5 billion deal to acquire Global Payments Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPN#NYSE">GPN</a>)&#8217;s Issuer Solutions business. The move is aimed at bolstering FIS's fintech capabilities and is expected to generate over $125 million in annual revenue synergies. Shares of GPN tumbled 15%. </li>



<li>Companies reacting to earnings reports included American Express Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AXP#NYSE">AXP</a>), up 0.5%; Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BX#NYSE">BX</a>), up 1.9%; Charles Schwab Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SCHW#NYSE">SCHW</a>), up 2.7%; Marsh &amp; McLennan Companies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MMC#NYSE">MMC</a>) down 3.3%; Truist Financial Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TFC#NYSE">TFC</a>), up 1.3%; State Street Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STT#NYSE">STT</a>), up 3.2%; KeyCorp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KEY#NYSE">KEY</a>), up 3.7% and Huntington Bancshares Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HBAN#NASDAQ">HBAN</a>), up 4%.</li>



<li>Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) rose 2% ahead of the earnings report, which is slated for release after the market close. </li>
</ul>



Read Now: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/health-care/25/04/44869920/unitedhealth-ceo-says-high-cost-of-us-health-care-simply-not-sustainable">UnitedHealth CEO Says High Cost Of US Health Care &#8216;Simply Not Sustainable&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Equities

Large Cap

Sector ETFs

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

ETFs

$BTC

HBAN

SCHW

Wall Street Rebounds, Eli Lilly Rallies, UnitedHealth Group Plummets: What's Driving Markets Thursday?

UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNH#NYSE">UNH</a>) shares were down by more than 21% Thursday, the stock's worst drop since 1998, after the company reported worse-than-expected quarterly results due in part to the rising cost of health care in the U.S. CEO Andrew Witty provided additional insights on the company's earnings call<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/health-care/25/04/44860240/unitedhealth-slashes-2025-outlook-on-medicare-funding-reductions-stock-crashes"> following the print.&nbsp;</a>



What To Know: UnitedHealth cut its fiscal 2025 earnings guidance significantly and said it now expects adjusted earnings in the range of $26 to $26.50 per share versus an earlier range of $29.50 to $30 per share. 



The company said the change was partially driven by "heightened care activity indications within UnitedHealthcare's Medicare Advantage business," as utilization rates of physician and outpatient services were higher than expected.&nbsp;



Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/04/44841158/hongkong-post-stops-us-package-service-china-e-commerce-stocks-drop">Hong Kong Post Stops US Package Service, China E-Commerce Stocks Drop </a>



Witty provided more context on the high costs of health care services during the call with analysts.&nbsp;



"We all have to contend with the stubborn fact that health care costs more in the U.S. than it should, even beyond the widely recognized disparities in drug prices," the CEO said. 



"Common procedures such as heart bypass surgery, spinal fusions and heart stents are four times as expensive in the U.S. as they are in Germany, Australia, and the U.K. Total Hip Replacements are twice as much. It's simply not sustainable," Witty added. 



He pointed to UnitedHealth's Medicaid Advantage and OptumHealth programs as part of the solution for lower costs and improved patient outcomes.&nbsp;



"We know that when a Medicare Advantage patient is in a fully delegated value-based care managed clinic like OptumHealth, they will save even more money for the system, and they will have better personal experience, they have better clinical outcomes, and the government spends less money. It's those sorts of integrated approaches which we think are the response," Witty said.&nbsp;



The health care giant's CEO closed the call by expressing UnitedHealth's "determination to improve" and enthusiasm about the path ahead. 



"We remain deeply committed to the value-based care strategy of the company, and we believe that that is the way to solve many of America's health care problems, both from a cost, but most importantly, a patient experience and outcome perspective," Witty told the analysts.&nbsp;



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/25/04/44817229/chinese-tiktok-influencers-expose-cheap-nike-lululemon-suppliers-to-bypass-trump-tariffs">Chinese TikTok Influencers &#8216;Expose&#8217; Cheap Nike, Lululemon Suppliers To Bypass Trump Tariffs&nbsp;</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Health Care

Management

Insurance

UnitedHealth CEO Says High Cost Of US Health Care 'Simply Not Sustainable'

The <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/cybersecurity">cybersecurity sector</a> may be breathing a sigh of relief after a deal was reached to continue funding for the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures database, commonly known as the CVE program.



What Happened: The 25-year-old CVE program is used to identify cybersecurity vulnerabilities and has been considered a vital part of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/25/03/44501515/cybersecurity-stocks-to-outperform-its-the-one-line-item-that-no-company-in-the-world-is-cutting-josh-brown">the cybersecurity sector.</a>



News spread this week that funding for the CVE program expired on April 16 and a contract with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had not been renewed. However, in a last-minute turnaround, the program was reinstated, according to a Forbes <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kateoflahertyuk/2025/04/16/cve-program-funding-cut-what-it-means-and-what-to-do-next/">report</a>.



"The CVE Program is invaluable to cyber community and a priority of CISA. Last night, CISA executed the option period on the contract to ensure there will be no lapse in critical CVE services," a CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) spokesperson told Forbes.



The report said the CISA's extension of funding will last 11 months.



A new body, which includes a subset of the CVE Board, will break off and maintain the CVE Program, according to the report. 



"The CVE Foundation has been formally established to ensure the long-term viability, stability, and independence of the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures Program, a critical pillar of the global cybersecurity infrastructure for 25 years," the new CVE governing body said.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/sector-etfs/25/03/44241995/cybersecurity-report-flags-7-major-threats-against-governments-corporations-stocks-and-etfs-to-watch">Cybersecurity Report Flags 7 Major Threats Against Governments, Corporations: Stocks And ETFs To Watch</a>



Why It's Important: Experts warned that the end of the CVE Program could lead to increased vulnerabilities in the cybersecurity sector.



"Without CVE, defenders are at a massive disadvantage against global cyber threats," CVE Board Member Kent Landfield said. "CVE, as a cornerstone of the global cybersecurity ecosystem, is too important to be vulnerable itself."



If the CVE had not been able to continue its funding, the list of logged vulnerabilities would have ended, and organizations could have been more vulnerable to attacks.



The funding extension eases worries temporarily but leaves questions about the future of the CVE, which comes as cybersecurity attacks have increased and remain a key concern for large companies.



Investors seeking exposure to the cybersecurity sector have several options, including individual stocks and ETFs. These are the largest ETFs covering the sector:



<ul>
<li>First Trust Nasdaq Cybersecurity ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CIBR#NASDAQ">CIBR</a>)</li>



<li>Amplify Cybersecurity ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HACK#NYSE">HACK</a>)</li>



<li>Global X Cybersecurity ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BUG#NASDAQ">BUG</a>)</li>



<li>iShares Cybersecurity And Tech ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IHAK#NYSE">IHAK</a>)</li>
</ul>



In the ETFs, some of the top holdings include CrowdStrike Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRWD#NASDAQ">CRWD</a>), Broadcom Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>), Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>), Check Point Software (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CHKP#NASDAQ">CHKP</a>) and Okta Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OKTA#NASDAQ">OKTA</a>).



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44859945/whistleblower-alleges-doge-involved-in-major-cybersecurity-breach-at-us-labor-agency">Whistleblower Says DOGE May Have Caused Major Cybersecurity Breach At US Labor Agency</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

AVGO

CHKP

CIBR

CRWD

CSCO

HACK

IHAK

OKTA

Pillar Of America's Cyber Security Lost Funding Temporarily: What Investors Should Know About CVE Program, Funding Extension

If you hold U.S.-listed Chinese stocks like Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NASDAQ">BABA</a>), JD.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JD#NASDAQ">JD</a>) or PDD Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PDD#NASDAQ">PDD</a>), you may soon face serious liquidity risks, as delisting threats tied to geopolitical and regulatory frictions between Washington and Beijing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/tariffs">mount with fresh urgency.</a>



In a note shared Thursday, Goldman Sachs analyst Kinger Lau, CFA, said delisting fears for Chinese American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) are rising again, driven by escalating trade tensions and new policy guidance from U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump&#8216;s America First Investment Policy and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent's statement that "everything is on the table" in the response to China's retaliatory tariffs.



According to Goldman Sachs&#8217; ADR Delisting Barometer, there is currently a 66% probability of delisting risk embedded in Chinese ADRs. A full pricing in of delisting risk could lead to a 9% drop in ADR valuations from current levels. 



&#8220;U.S. listings by Chinese companies is widely regarded as an embodiment of financial market relations and a leverage for the potential negotiation between the two nations,&#8221; Lau wrote.



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">How High Are The Stakes?</h1>



&#8220;We estimate that U.S. institutional investors currently own around U.S.$830 billion of Chinese stocks across A shares, H shares and ADRs,&#8221; Goldman Sachs stated. Of this, approximately $250 billion is tied up in ADRs specifically.



At the same time, Chinese investors could be forced to offload up to $1.7 trillion in U.S. financial assets, including approximately $370 billion in equities and $1.3 trillion in bonds.



This extreme scenario — which alludes to a full investment ban — would represent the largest forced unwind of cross-border holdings in modern financial history.



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Who Gets Hit The Hardest?</h1>



According to Goldman's analysis, 5% of Alibaba's and 3% of PDD's market cap is owned by U.S. institutions that currently don't own other Hong Kong-listed stocks such as Tencent or Meituan. That means they may not have operational flexibility to pivot to Hong Kong in the event of delisting.



Roughly 20% of U.S. institutional holdings in top ADRs — equivalent to 7% of the total market cap — may face similar constraints, meaning they may be forced sellers.



For Alibaba, there are 1,275 institutional holders globally, and institutional investors collectively own 50% of the company&#8217;s outstanding shares. Out of that, 26% of Alibaba's total shares are held by U.S.-based institutions, with 176 U.S. institutional investors holding positions larger than 0.005% of the company's total shares.



For PDD, the figures are more concentrated: it has 1,006 institutional holders, with institutions holding 31% of the stock overall. 16% of the total shares are held by U.S. institutional investors, and there are 107 U.S.-based institutional holders with significant stakes (above 0.005% ownership).



In short, the data suggests Alibaba has both broader and deeper institutional engagement, especially from U.S. investors, compared to PDD. This means that, in the event of a U.S. delisting, Alibaba could see a greater volume of forced selling from U.S. institutional investors due to the larger size and scale of U.S. holdings.



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Are ETFs And Derivatives at Risk?</h1>



Yes. Passive funds and ETF products are particularly exposed. The KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KWEB#NYSE">KWEB</a>) has 33% of its assets in ADRs, half of which do not have Hong Kong listings, making it vulnerable in a forced delisting scenario.



Other funds, like the iShares MSCI China ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MCHI#NYSE">MCHI</a>), have already shifted weightings from ADRs to Hong Kong shares, thanks to changes in primary ticker designations by index providers like MSCI.



In derivatives markets, any forced delisting of ADRs could trigger early termination events under ISDA contracts, potentially unwinding outstanding options and swaps linked to these securities.



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">What Happens In A Delisting Event?</h1>



If a delisting takes place, investors may have a few paths forward depending on how the company is structured. For firms with dual listings, investors can convert their ADRs into Hong Kong-listed shares through the depositary bank. 



This process typically takes about two business days and may involve fees and applicable taxes. In some cases, investors might be able to sell their shares on over-the-counter (OTC) markets, although this route is blocked for companies delisted under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act (HFCAA) or sanctioned by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). 



If no action is taken by the investor, the ADR program will eventually be terminated and the depositary will sell the underlying shares, distributing the net proceeds in cash after deducting fees.



Read Now: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/04/44862662/trump-pressures-fed-as-ecb-delivers-7th-straight-rate-cut">Trump Pressures Fed As ECB Delivers 7th Straight Rate Cut</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Asia

Government

Regulations

Specialty ETFs

Global

BABA

KWEB

MCHI

US-Listed Chinese Stocks Face $250 Billion Forced Selling Risk As Delisting Fears Emerge: What Investors Need To Know

The European Central Bank cut interest rates for the seventh straight time Thursday, lowering its key rate to 2.25% in a move anticipated by President Donald Trump, who seized the moment to launch a fresh attack on<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/jerome-powell"> Fed Chair Jerome Powell.</a>



In a post published Thursday morning on Truth Social, Trump predicted the ECB would slash rates again, calling out Powell for falling behind his European counterpart. "The ECB is expected to cut interest rates for the 7th time," Trump wrote. 



Trump added that "Too Late" Jerome Powell, who he claimed is consistently late and wrong, released yet another report that he called a typical, total &#8220;mess&#8221;—despite falling oil and grocery prices and increasing U.S. tariff revenues.



The president went as far as calling for Powell's removal, saying, "Powell&#8217;s termination cannot come fast enough!"



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">ECB Slashes Interest Rates As Trade Tensions Weigh On Outlook</h3>



The ECB justified the 25-basis-point reduction citing both progress on disinflation and heightened economic uncertainty tied to trade tensions, a direct nod to ongoing U.S. tariff policies. 



"The disinflation process is well on track. Inflation has continued to develop as staff expected," the central bank said in its statement, adding that volatility in financial markets and weaker confidence among firms and households could further drag euro-area growth.



&#8220;The adverse and volatile market response to the trade tensions is likely to have a tightening impact on financing conditions,&#8221; Frankfurt stated. 



Powell, speaking a day earlier at the Economic Club of Chicago, took a more cautious stance. While acknowledging inflationary risks tied to new tariffs and a weakening growth outlook, he said the Fed is in no rush to adjust interest rates at this stage. 



He emphasized that market volatility, which has surged in recent sessions, falls outside the central bank's mandate.



Asked whether the Fed would intervene to curb market volatility—a concept often referred to as the "Fed put"—Powell said, "I&#8217;m going to say no," adding that such action falls outside the central bank's mandate as long as markets are functioning in an orderly manner.



Read also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/04/44850992/stocks-sink-as-powell-dismisses-fed-put-safety-net-gold-extends-massive-lead-over-nasdaq">Stocks Sink As Powell Dismisses &#8216;Fed Put&#8217; Safety Net, Gold Extends Massive Lead Over Nasdaq</a>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Trump Ramps Up Trade Momentum</h3>



Trump also pointed to progress on the trade front, claiming improving momentum across multiple negotiations. 



"Had a very productive call with the President of Mexico yesterday," he wrote. "Likewise, I met with the highest level Japanese Trade Representatives… Every Nation, including China, wants to meet! Today, Italy!"



U.S. equity futures rebounded early Thursday in New York, trimming Wednesday's steep losses. 



Contracts on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 gained 0.8% in premarket trading, after the index dropped 3% in the prior session. Futures on the S&amp;P 500 rose as well by 0.6%, after the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) fell 2.2% Wednesday.



Gold erased earlier losses and surged to $3,330 per ounce as investors sought safety amid policy uncertainty.



In currency markets, the euro changed hands at 1.1350 dollars, down 0.4%. 



Read now: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/04/44859233/us-stocks-likely-to-open-higher-ahead-of-festive-weekend-current-equity-levels-offer-an-attractive-entry-opportunity">US Stocks Likely To Open Higher Ahead Of Festive Weekend: &#8216;Current Equity Levels Offer An Attractive Entry Opportunity&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Rawpixel.com/Shutterstock

Forex

Federal Reserve

Trump Pressures Fed As ECB Delivers 7th Straight Rate Cut

Lockheed Martin Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMT#NYSE">LMT</a>) announced on Thursday that it has named Evan Scott its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/04/n44862734/lockheed-martin-announces-chief-financial-officer-transition" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">CFO, effective immediately</a>.



Scott succeeds Jesus &#8220;Jay&#8221; Malave, who advised the company that he was pursuing other opportunities.



Scott, a 26-year Lockheed Martin finance executive, has served as the company&#8217;s Treasurer and the CFO of two business areas.



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43313600/lockheed-martin-to-face-near-term-challenges-say-analysts" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Lockheed Martin Sentiment Hit By Charges And Headwinds, But Analysts Remain Bullish On F-35 Ramp Up</a>



The company will hold its first quarter 2025 earnings results webcast on&nbsp;April 22.&nbsp;



James Taiclet&nbsp;and&nbsp;Maria Ricciardone, vice president, Treasurer, and Investor Relations, will reaffirm the company&#8217;s previously issued 2025 guidance, exclusive of the evolving impacts of tariffs and the recent Next Generation Air Dominance announcement. They will also provide updates on other key topics and answer questions.



Lockheed Martin <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43271143/lockheed-martin-q4-earnings-sales-miss-margin-squeeze-but-backlog-boosts-2025-prospects" rel="noreferrer noopener">expects fiscal 2025</a> net sales of $73.75 billion-$74.75 billion versus the consensus of $74.28 billion. It projects EPS for the fiscal of ~$27-$27.30&nbsp;versus the consensus of $27.24.



In March, BofA Securities analyst&nbsp;Ronald J. Epstein&nbsp;downgraded Lockheed Martin <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/large-cap/25/03/44462549/lockheed-martin-stock-dips-as-bofa-analyst-lowers-eps-estimates-forecast-after-air-force-contract-setback" rel="noreferrer noopener">from Buy to Neutral</a> and cut its&nbsp;price forecast from $685 to $485. The White House and U.S. Air Force (USAF) selected Boeing Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BA#NYSE">BA</a>) over the company as the winner of the $20 billion contract for the Next&nbsp;Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, replacing&nbsp;Lockheed Martin&#8217;s F-22 Raptor.&nbsp;While defense budgets will likely increase, concerns remain regarding Lockheed Martin&#8217;s recent earnings quality, the loss of all six next-generation manned tactical aircraft programs, and the absence of near-term company-specific catalysts, adds the analyst.



LMT&nbsp;Price Action: Lockheed Martin shares are down 4.83% at $454.89 at last check Thursday.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/price-target/25/04/44848020/google-genai-ai-cloud-services-drive-analyst-confidence-in-long-term-growth" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Google GenAI, AI Cloud Services Drive Analyst Confidence In Long-Term Growth</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Lockheed Martin Confirms New CFO, Evan Scott Takes Over For Jesus 'Jay' Malave

American Express Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AXP#NYSE">AXP</a>) reported fiscal first-quarter 2025 results on Thursday. The stock price declined <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/04/b44859812/american-express-delivers-strong-first-quarter-results-with-revenue-of-17-0-billion-up-7-or-8-on-a" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">after the report</a>.



The company reported revenue&nbsp;(net of interest expense) growth of 7% year-on-year to $16.97 billion, topping the&nbsp;analyst <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus estimate of&nbsp;$16.94 billion</a>.&nbsp;



The revenue increase was primarily driven by strong Card Member spending, higher net interest income supported by growth in revolving loan balances, and accelerated card fee growth.



GAAP EPS of $3.64 topped the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">analyst consensus estimate of $3.47</a>.&nbsp;



Read Next: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/04/44811593/bank-of-america-ceo-says-consumer-continues-to-spend-and-maintain-healthy-credit-quality-sticks-to-annual-outlook" rel="noreferrer noopener">Despite Tariff Turmoil, Bank Of America CEO Says Consumer Is ‘Continuing To Spend' (UPDATED)</a>



Card Member spending or Billed Business grew 6% Y/Y to $387.4 billion. U.S. Consumer Services revenue&nbsp;was $8.25 billion,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ir.americanexpress.com/events/default.aspx" rel="noreferrer noopener">up 7%&nbsp;Y/Y</a>. Commercial Services revenue was $4.04 billion, up 2%&nbsp;Y/Y.



International Card Services revenue was $2.94 billion, up 13% year over year, and Global Merchant and Network Services revenue was $1.82 billion, down 2.9% year over year.



Total expenses increased by 10%&nbsp;Y/Y&nbsp;to $12.5 billion, primarily reflecting higher variable customer engagement costs.&nbsp;



Provision for credit losses stood at $1.2 billion, compared with $1.3 billion a year ago, reflecting a modest net reserve build.&nbsp;



FY25 Outlook: Amex&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43190630/american-express-q4-record-spending-and-card-acquisitions-9-topline-growth-17-dividend-hike" rel="noreferrer noopener">reiterated a revenue outlook of</a> $71.22 billion-$72.54 billion (up by 8%-10% Y/Y) versus&nbsp;a&nbsp;consensus of $71.34 billion subject to the macroeconomic environment. It reaffirmed EPS of $15.00–$15.50 versus&nbsp;the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/guidance" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus of $15.25</a>.



"Based on the steady spend and credit trends we have seen to date and the current economic outlook, we are maintaining our full-year guidance for revenue growth of 8 to 10 percent and EPS of $15.00 to $15.50, in line with the ranges we provided in January, subject to the macroeconomic environment," Chairman and CEO Stephen J. Squeri said.



Last week, BofA Securities analyst&nbsp;Mihir Bhatia&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/upgrades/25/04/44768565/american-express-receives-upgrade-what-makes-this-stock-so-appealing" rel="noreferrer noopener">upgraded&nbsp;American Express</a> from Neutral to Buy and lowered the&nbsp;price target from&nbsp;$325&nbsp;to&nbsp;$274&nbsp;citing its high-quality customer base should drive more durable earnings while keeping credit losses in check. Bhatia noted the current downtick offers long-term oriented investors an opportunity to buy a high-quality company at a reasonable valuation.



The analyst predicts that higher-income consumers, who comprise American Express' customer base, will prove to be more resilient from a credit and spending perspective. Amex stock is down over 15% year-to-date.



Price Action:&nbsp;AXP stock is down 0.76% at $250.99 premarket&nbsp;at the last check on Thursday.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/04/44851295/asml-cfo-incorporates-tariff-impact-in-outlook-reveals-strong-demand-for-advanced-euv-and-high-na-systems" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ASML CFO Incorporates Tariff Impact In Outlook, Reveals Strong Demand For Advanced EUV And High NA Systems</a></li>
</ul>



Photo via Shutterstock

Guidance

Amex CEO Says Consumers Still Spending Freely: So Why Is the Stock Sliding?

While President Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44729499/rh-rallies-after-trump-pauses-tariffs-that-triggered-40-selloff">90-day tariff pause</a> announced last week calmed the worst of the market&#8217;s recent volatility, it's still a market that leaves even the most stalwart investors uncomfortable. Volatility and uncertainty appear entrenched now that the trade war between the US and China is escalating, but that doesn&#8217;t mean you have to sit on the sidelines.



There&#8217;s a whole class of stocks that is barely affected by the US-China spat.



​​Here are five &#8211; and each one pays a nice dividend, too.



Income investing has been a popular theme lately and you don't need to stick to domestic equities to find quality dividends. Today, we'll look at five international stocks with enticing (yet sustainable) dividends whose profits are unlikely to get bogged down by tariffs.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Mizuho Financial Group Inc.&nbsp;</h2>



Once the largest asset manager in the world, Mizuho Financial Group (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MFG#NYSE">MFG</a>) is still the third largest bank in Japan with nearly $2 trillion in assets (254 trillion yen) and over 59,000 employees. Based in Tokyo, Mizuho splits its divisions into four groups: Retail, Corporate, Wealth and Asset Management and Specialty Affiliates (such as the Mizuho Research Institute). The company's current market cap in dollars is just under $61 billion.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdD5uBfLKiF-GsMqc2-akZEwM1I7JfVwVmvQGiqZyzD9Wtvft7BdArnG7pwg26q5SvzaffHxtTCoYqD3U5NaQPbB4xf_MtdsAkQvQsPCFbR2MW8WTRLc3orQwU4-4DvXXc7SyDp3Q?key=_zL7ppl5XDh7Ks-FiCwdajeQ" alt=""/></figure>



Mizuho has strong fundamentals and was continuing on an uptrend to start 2025 before crashing in the aftermath of the White House's tariff announcements. The stock trades at just nine times forward earnings with a Price-to-Book (P/B) value of 0.91. MFG pays a 3.32% dividend yield with a dividend payout ratio (DPR) under 28, indicating a sustainable payout with room for growth. Benzinga Edge also grades MFG at a 98.94 for Quality, 86.30 for Momentum, and 73.54 for Growth.



On the technical side, MFG had been using the 50-day moving average as a support level before April's crash, but recently triggered an oversold signal on the Relative Strength Index (RSI). If the stock can break through the 200-day moving average here, there could be more upside ahead in addition to the healthy dividend.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">SK Telecom Co Ltd.&nbsp;</h2>



SK Telecom (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SKM#NYSE">SKM</a>) is one of the largest telecommunication firms in South Korea, with more than $13 billion (USD equivalent) in annual sales and a market cap approaching $9 billion. It's also one of the most prominent sports sponsors in the country (plus esports through a partnership with Comcast), making it one of the most recognizable South Korean brands worldwide.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcPOyF1GCYfudyCsmXQrGIP4aWuHEleayr__lhxg70cz6eXo20_ZyTDD3BSyvckFu3dubD1PAdXAyF_Zpd_0fKIprbrNbUGN4wNAEXLz7OWXJOOofRDZjzoFOsgeH2TJ55VQpBr?key=_zL7ppl5XDh7Ks-FiCwdajeQ" alt=""/></figure>



SKM is also a powerhouse in Korean markets, trading shares on the Korea Exchange and the NYSE. SK Telecom trades at an affordable valuation: the forward P/E is just 9.99, and the Price-to-Sales (P/S) ratio is just 0.64. Telecom has always been a thin-margin business, but SKM posted a 6.89% profit margin last quarter and pays a hefty 6.47% dividend yield (with an elevated yet sustainable 65.7% DPR).



The weekly stock chart also shows a MACD cross, which could trigger the next upward momentum swing. SK Telecom grades out well on Benzinga Edge, too, highlighted by a 99.68 Quality score and 96.10 Value score.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Banco Santander S.A. ADR&nbsp;</h2>



Founded over 160 years ago, Banco Santander (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SAN#NYSE">SAN</a>) is one of Spain's largest banks and the world's 49th-largest public company as of 2023. Its current market cap sits at approximately $101 billion; it generates more than 70% of its revenue through its Retail Banking segments. Over the last 12 months, the bank reported more than $145 billion in sales and $13.6 billion in net income.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXebQQIGOiJw5pfEM0rN2rRmvAwBLpaqZ1nlO7j9qTq1gDR_izYSojLJTxhh6AV4eD7YN79XDenMgfiU3HlaRKqx8gNpO8vXWsKHwvVyqWpch-JzbGR4Zd8gHEbzphk64plPlgYMOQ?key=_zL7ppl5XDh7Ks-FiCwdajeQ" alt=""/></figure>



Banco Santander's dividend is as safe and sturdy as it gets within the European banking sector. The current yield is 3.52% with a DPR under 20%, and the company has grown its payout by more than 50% over the last three years. The stock trades at just 6.8 times forward earnings with a P/S ratio of 0.70 and a P/B value of 1.00. The share price also recently broke back above the 50-day moving average, a positive signal for upward momentum.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Jiayin Group Inc.&nbsp;</h2>



How will a Chinese consumer finance company avoid the strictest of Donald Trump's tariffs? By focusing on its domestic products! Jiayin Group (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JFIN#NASDAQ">JFIN</a>) is a fintech platform that connects lenders and borrowers on a proprietary platform, and consumer finance products could see a boost from Beijing's aggressive stimulus plans in 2025.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcWNuLOXMJb5Kjky--Rta-j4sDUuvodLk-7vLeaWGpNj7Ww_xwe8FCXPNEzZNnbL9PkSjwHL6_eqKs9oXN5oIoa-RdHYbLT6sfFDaqN6-U9j9uTdVCBPbE3QpmoOVoG_14kk_Yj?key=_zL7ppl5XDh7Ks-FiCwdajeQ" alt=""/></figure>



JFIN currently yields a mouth-watering 7.89%, often too high to be sustainable. However, the company's DPR rate is just 17.8%, and the company's most recent earnings release noted impressive 65% gross margins. JFIN also has a 4.18 P/E ratio and a 0.35 P/S ratio, plus Benzinga Edge scores of 96.17 in Value, 96.60 in Momentum, and 79.21 in Growth. The daily stock chart shows a strong uptrend still in place, with the 50-day MA above the 200-day MA and the RSI showing a comfortable number under 50.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Gold Fields Ltd. ADR&nbsp;</h2>



One asset that hasn't been rocked by volatility is gold, which continues to make new all-time highs in 2025. If you don't want to own gold bullion or U.S. gold miners, you can still get exposure through international stocks, and with Gold Field Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GFI#NYSE">GFI</a>), you'll earn a dividend yield above 2% as well.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXchJ5TjyU5GC9qrhC1otwSGwgvUIcWuiLOlP8bamG_yJtC1zCxDDftRP6phCTocDrtnXqDHg6_rNfpHKHpFYLACbzLXg8GDlCGAl1oNHDX59m1q5cVtuNnuF1qnhX0h72oZd2qC?key=_zL7ppl5XDh7Ks-FiCwdajeQ" alt=""/></figure>



Gold Fields has mines in South Africa, Australia, Ghana and Peru. The company has had numerous successful hauls over the last few years and currently expects EPS growth of 75% this year. The DPR is sustainable at 26%, and the stock trades at 8.7 times forward earnings. Technical signs also point to more upside ahead as well.



A golden cross (50-day MA above 200-day MA) occurred in early February, and the stock price recently challenged the 50-day MA on a dip. But the line held firm as support, triggering the next move upward. As long as gold continues to be a popular trade, gold stocks like GFI could see higher prices and strong dividends ahead.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">1,400% Gains While Others Sat in Cash</h2>



Last week, Matt's Inner Circle was alerted to six major trade opportunities—including 1,400% on SQQQ—while others waited for "clarity." Volatility is our edge, not our enemy. Get the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/7-day-free-trial-matt-maley-inner-circle/?el=ResearchDaily&amp;he={{email}}&amp;adt_ei={{email}}&amp;utm_adType=SponsorAd&amp;utm_ad=RD0417&amp;utm_campaign=7daytrial">next alert for free</a> before the market moves again.



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



Photo: Shutterstock

Opinion

JFIN

5 Tariff-Resistant International Stocks With Dividends

U.S. stock futures rose on Thursday ahead of the long weekend, with Good Friday falling on April 18 and Easter Sunday on April 20. Futures of major benchmark indices were higher in premarket.



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/04/44848474/fed-chair-powell-says-tariffs-lead-to-temporary-rise-in-inflation">Federal Reserve</a> Chairman Jerome Powell dismissed the possibility of a &#8220;Fed put&#8221; in the near term while speaking in Chicago on Wednesday.



&#8220;We may find ourselves in the challenging scenario in which our dual-mandate goals are in tension. If that were to occur, we would consider how far the economy is from each goal, and the potentially different time horizons over which those respective gaps would be anticipated to close,&#8221; said Powell.



U.S. export restrictions on Nvidia Corp.&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) <a href="https://benzinga.com/25/04/44844084/nvidias-h20-chip-ban-could-lead-to-manageable-sales-drop-bank-of-america-says">H20 GPUs</a> pulled the stock market down on Wednesday.



The 10-year Treasury bond yielded 4.32% and the two-year bond was at 3.82%. 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 86.4% likelihood of the Federal Reserve keeping the current interest rates unchanged in its May meeting.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Futures</td><td>Change (+/-)</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>0.75%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>0.83%</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>1.02%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>0.66%</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, rose in premarket on Thursday. The SPY was up 1.03% to $531.05, while the QQQ advanced 1.04% to $448.78, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.



Cues From Last Session:



U.S. stocks closed sharply lower on Wednesday, driven by a significant sell-off in the semiconductor sector and broader tech weakness.



The iShares Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOXX#NASDAQ">SOXX</a>) experienced a steep decline, with Nvidia Corp. and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) both falling approximately 7% following new export restrictions on Nvidia chips to China.



This news heavily impacted the information technology sector, which, along with consumer discretionary and communication services, recorded the largest losses. In contrast, energy stocks defied the overall downward trend, closing higher.



Among individual companies, Travelers Companies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TRV#NYSE">TRV</a>) reported better-than-expected first-quarter results, and Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ABT#NYSE">ABT</a>) posted upbeat first-quarter adjusted EPS.



On the economic front, U.S. industrial production fell by 0.3% in March, slightly more than anticipated. However, U.S. retail sales surged 1.4% month-over-month in March, exceeding both the previous month&#8217;s gain and market expectations.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Index</td><td>Performance (+/-)</td><td>Value</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq Composite</td><td>-3.07%</td><td>16,307.16</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>-2.24%</td><td>5,275.70</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>-1.73%</td><td>39,669.39</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-1.03%</td><td>1,863.48</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Insights From Analysts:



According to Scott Wren, the senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo, &#8220;current equity levels offer an attractive entry opportunity even with the bounce higher off the recent lows.&#8221;



Wren further emphasized the importance of having a &#8220;plan of action or at least be happy with where you currently stand,&#8221; regardless of individual perspectives on the implemented tariffs.



&#8220;Over the course of the last couple of weeks, we have seen the administration go from an aggressive reciprocal tariff strategy that involved meaningful universal tariffs on virtually all of our trading partners to a pause that suspends most reciprocal tariffs but leaves a 145% levy on imports from China,&#8221; Wren notes.



Despite the tariff uncertainty, Wren&#8217;s firm maintains a view that the U.S. economy was already heading for a slowdown in the first half of the year, even before the current trade strategies were implemented. &#8220;From our perspective, even before the current tariff strategies were deployed, our analysis suggested the economy was going to hit a bump in the road and slow in the first half of this year. That line of thought is still intact,&#8221; Wren states.



Wren also suggests a strategic shift in fixed income, advising investors to &#8220;move money from bonds, specifically the intermediate portion of the yield curve, into mid-cap U.S. equities in an effort to take advantage of the fall in stocks and the rally in bond prices (yields fell).&#8221;



Meanwhile, the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/04/44858165/policy-push-vs-market-pull-dollar-under-pressure-as-reserve-currency-may-be-called-into-question-amid-tariff-turmoil">U.S. dollar is facing pressure</a>, with its &#8220;reserve currency&#8221; status. A recent study titled &#8216;Dollar Upheaval: This Time is Different&#8217; noted a 3.6% depreciation between April 4th and 14th, an unusual move as the dollar typically gains during global volatility.



This suggests a break from traditional market behavior, raising concerns that U.S. Treasuries lose their safe-haven appeal.



"If U.S. Treasuries are no longer viewed as the world's preferred safe asset, then the status of the dollar as the world's reserve currency may be called into question,&#8221; stated the note.



Investors are now <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/treasuries/25/04/44857989/gold-nears-3400-mark-experts-point-to-likely-correction-amid-bull-market-rates-will-drop-like-rock">flocking to Gold</a>, which has been hitting fresh highs as it trades above $3,300 per ounce. According to data shared by Charlie Bilello of Creative Planning, the inflation-adjusted gold prices were back at an all-time high, after 45 years, surpassing the prior peak from 1980.



<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">It took 45 years to get there, but inflation-adjusted Gold prices are back at an all-time high, surpassing the prior peak from 1980. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24GOLD&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$GOLD</a><a href="https://t.co/l5IYmkeySJ">https://t.co/l5IYmkeySJ</a> <a href="https://t.co/bXWisvrl3c">pic.twitter.com/bXWisvrl3c</a>&mdash; Charlie Bilello (@charliebilello) <a href="https://twitter.com/charliebilello/status/1912558536573268362?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Economist Mohamed El-Erian attributed the increasing price of gold to a gradual shift away from the U.S. dollar by some foreign central banks and other entities seeking diversification.



<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 price of gold registered another record high today, overcoming yet another periodic round of profit-taking by some tactical traders — this as it benefits from the tailwind of slow and steady diversification away from the dollar by some foreign central banks and others.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/gold?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#gold</a>… <a href="https://t.co/MKDnxZddv0">pic.twitter.com/MKDnxZddv0</a>&mdash; Mohamed A. El-Erian (@elerianm) <a href="https://twitter.com/elerianm/status/1912523089557987357?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 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>



Upcoming Economic Data



Here&#8217;s what investors will keep an eye on Thursday and Friday:



<ul>
<li>On Thursday, initial jobless claims data for the week ending April 12 and March&#8217;s housing starts, building permits, and April&#8217;s Philadelphia Fed manufacturing survey data will be released by 8:30 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>On Friday, San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly will speak at 8:00 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>



Stocks In Focus:



<ul>
<li>UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNH#NYSE">UNH</a>) fell 0.64% in premarket on Thursday as it is expected to report earnings before the opening bell. Analysts expect a quarterly earnings of $7.29 per share on revenue of $111.60 billion.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>DR Horton Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DHI#NYSE">DHI</a>) rose 0.39% as Wall Street expects it to report earnings of $2.65 per share on revenue of $8.03 billion before the opening bell.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) was up 1.38% as it is expected to report earnings before the opening bell. Analysts expect a quarterly earnings of $5.72 per share on revenue of $10.52 billion.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>FNB Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FNB#NYSE">FNB</a>) was up 1.14% as it posted better-than-expected earnings for its first quarter on Wednesday.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>) jumped 3.45% after reporting a 60% surge in its net profit for the first quarter, topping market expectations.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Rio Tinto Plc ADR (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIO#NYSE">RIO</a>) climbed 1.68% after it announced the assessment of the low-carbon aluminum project in India along with AMG Metals &amp; Materials.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Woodside Energy Group Ltd. ADR (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WDS#NYSE">WDS</a>) advanced 2.73% after signing LNG supply agreements with Uniper.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>BP PLC (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BP#NYSE">BP</a>) gained 1.08%, and Kosmos Energy Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KOS#NYSE">KOS</a>) was 4.22% higher after BP completed loading the first cargo from the Greater Tortue Ahmeyim LNG project.</li>
</ul>



Commodities, Gold, And Global Equity Markets:



Crude oil futures were trading higher in the early New York session by 1.02% to hover around $63.11 per barrel.



Gold Spot US Dollar declined 0.57% to hover around $3,324.20 per ounce. Its fresh record high stood at $3,357.81 per ounce. The U.S. Dollar Index spot was higher by 0.10% at the 99.4760 level.



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



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/04/44858165/policy-push-vs-market-pull-dollar-under-pressure-as-reserve-currency-may-be-called-into-qu">Policy Push vs. Market Pull: Dollar Under Pressure As &#8216;Reserve Currency May Be Called Into Question&#8217; Amid Tariff Turmoil</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Market Summary

Futures

Commodities

Treasuries

Pre-Market Outlook

Markets

Analyst Ratings

NVDA

SOXX

US Stocks Likely To Open Higher Ahead Of Festive Weekend: 'Current Equity Levels Offer An Attractive Entry Opportunity'

UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNH#NYSE">UNH</a>) on Thursday&nbsp;reported first-quarter 2025 earnings and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/04/b44858844/unitedhealth-group-reports-first-quarter-2025-results-and-revises-full-year-guidance" rel="noreferrer noopener">revised 2025 guidance</a>.



The insurance giant reported adjusted EPS of $7.20, up from $6.91 a year ago, missing the consensus of $7.29. Revenues increased 6.8% year over year to $109.6 billion, missing the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus of $111.60 billion</a>.



&#8220;UnitedHealth Group&#8230;did not perform up to our expectations, and we are aggressively addressing those challenges to position us well for the years ahead and return to our long-term earnings growth rate target of 13 to 16%,&#8221; said Andrew Witty, chief executive officer of UnitedHealth Group.



The first quarter medical care ratio was 84.8% compared to 84.3% in 2024.



<ul>
<li>The increase was primarily due to the revenue effects of the ongoing Medicare funding reductions and member mix and the higher senior care activity, partially offset by the Medicare Part D program changes, which affected seasonality.</li>



<li>The company did not reflect any favorable earnings impacting medical reserve development in the quarter.</li>
</ul>



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/health-care/25/04/44821140/unitedhealth-demands-rapid-repayment-of-cyberattack-relief-loan-billions-providers-say-push-undermines-recovery" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">UnitedHealth Demands Rapid Repayment Of Cyberattack Relief Loan Billions, Providers Say Push Undermines Recovery</a>



UnitedHealthcare&#8217;s first-quarter revenues of $84.6 billion grew by $9.3 billion year over year. Operating earnings were $5.2 billion, impacted by higher-than-expected care activity levels within its Medicare Advantage business.



<ul>
<li>The number of consumers served with self-funded commercial benefits increased by about 700,000. Commercial insured membership was impacted by attrition within individual exchange offerings due to a highly price-competitive marketplace.</li>



<li>The number of people served by the company&#8217;s offerings for seniors and people with complex needs grew by 545,000 and is expected to reach 800,000 in 2025.</li>



<li>People served by the company&#8217;s state-based community plans increased to 7.6 million members.</li>
</ul>



Optum&#8217;s first quarter revenues of $63.9 billion increased by $2.8 billion, led by Optum Rx. Operating earnings were $3.9 billion.



<ul>
<li>Optum Health&#8217;s revenues were $25.3 billion, and it expects to serve 650,000 new value-based care patients in 2025.</li>



<li>Optum Insight revenues were $4.6 billion and the revenue backlog was $32.9 billion.</li>



<li>Optum Rx revenues were $35.1 billion, with strong growth driven by new clients and expanded relationships with existing clients. Adjusted scripts grew to 408 million, compared to 395 million last year.</li>
</ul>



Guidance: UnitedHealth Group cuts its 2025 performance outlook. It expects adjusted earnings of $26.00-$26.50 per share versus <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/health-care/25/01/43025159/unitedhealth-q4-earnings-revenue-falls-short-medical-ratio-rises-to-85-5-stock-falls" rel="noreferrer noopener">prior guidance of 29.50-$30.00</a> versus consensus of $29.73, reflecting:



<ul>
<li>Heightened care activity indications within UnitedHealthcare&#8217;s Medicare Advantage businesses became visible as the quarter closed, far above the planned 2025 increase consistent with the elevated levels in 2024.This activity was most notable within physician and outpatient services.</li>



<li>Unanticipated changes in the profile of Optum Health members impacting planned 2025 reimbursement due to unexpectedly minimal 2024 beneficiary engagement by plans exiting markets. In addition, a greater-than-expected impact to current and new complex patients from the ongoing Medicare funding reductions enacted by the previous administration.</li>
</ul>



Price Action: UNH stock is down 20.50% at $465 during the premarket session on the last check Thursday.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44852717/earnings-preview-jpmorgan-bullish-on-atmos-amid-tariff-jitters-and-focus-on-ira-focus-more" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JPMorgan Boosts Atmos Price Target, Reaffirms Bullish View On Spire And NJR</a></li>
</ul>



Photo by Ken Wolter via Shutterstock

UnitedHealth Slashes 2025 Outlook On Medicare Funding Reductions, Stock Crashes

On Thursday,&nbsp;Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>) first-quarter results beat forecasts, fueled by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/tsmc" rel="noreferrer noopener">demand for advanced</a> processor node technologies for artificial intelligence applications.



The contract chipmaker, which supplies chips for&nbsp;Nvidia Corp's (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>)&nbsp;graphics processing unit&nbsp;(GPU)&nbsp;and&nbsp;Apple, Inc's (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>)&nbsp;smartphones, guided for strong second-quarter revenue.



Taiwan Semiconductor reported first-quarter net sales of $25.53 billion (839.25 billion New Taiwanese Dollars), up 41.6% year-over-year, topping the analyst consensus estimate of $23.92 billion. Net sales declined <a target="_blank" href="https://pr.tsmc.com/english/news/3222" rel="noreferrer noopener">3.4% quarter-over-quarter</a>.



Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/04/44851295/asml-cfo-incorporates-tariff-impact-in-outlook-reveals-strong-demand-for-advanced-euv-and-high-na-systems" rel="noreferrer noopener">ASML CFO Incorporates Tariff Impact In Outlook, Reveals Strong Demand For Advanced EUV And High NA Systems</a>



Net income and earnings per share were $361.56 billion New Taiwanese Dollars and 13.94 New Taiwanese Dollars per share (or $2.12), topping the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">analyst consensus of $1.82</a>.



In U.S. dollar terms, revenue growth was 35.3% year over year and down by 5.1% quarter over quarter.&nbsp;The top-line performance&nbsp;aligned with the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43022654/taiwan-semiconductor-q4-earnings-3nm-and-5nm-nodes-lead-topline-growth-expands-margins-issues-strong-q1-outlook" rel="noreferrer noopener">company's guidance of</a> $25.0 billion to $25.8 billion.



The company said 3-nm accounted for 22% of the total revenue, 5-nm accounted for 36%, and 7-nm technologies accounted for 15%. 7-nm and more advanced technologies comprised 73% of the total wafer revenue.



Margin Profile: Taiwan Semiconductor's AI technology moat helped it expand its quarterly gross margins by 572 bps to 58.8%. Taiwan Semiconductor's operating margin expanded by 649 bps to 48.5%.



Outlook: Taiwan Semiconductor <a target="_blank" href="https://pr.tsmc.com/system/files/newspdf/attachment/47bb551441da2d6b6a3ec0c03763e3e7a18a243e/1Q25%20%28E%29_with%20guidance_final_wmn.pdf" rel="noreferrer noopener">guided second-quarter</a> 2025 revenue of $28.4 billion to $29.2 billion versus the $26.79<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/guidance" rel="noreferrer noopener"> billion analyst estimate</a>. It expects a gross margin of 57% to 59% and operating profit margins of 47% to 49%.



CFO Wendell Huang said, "Moving into second quarter 2025, we expect our business to be supported by strong demand for our industry-leading 3nm and 5nm technologies. While we have not seen any changes in our customers' behavior so far, uncertainties and risks from the potential impact from tariff policies exist. We will continue to closely monitor the potential impact on the end market demand, and manage our business prudently."



Taiwan Semiconductor did not&nbsp;engage in discussions to form a venture or share its technology with any company, dismissing speculation of possible collaboration with struggling chipmaker&nbsp;Intel Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>), Bloomberg&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-04-17/tsmc-dismisses-intel-tie-up-talk-says-no-intent-to-share-tech?srnd=phx-technology&amp;sref=TBDibEcD" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>,&nbsp;citing company executives.



In March, Taiwan Semiconductor chief&nbsp;C.C. Wei&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44815107/taiwan-semiconductor-preps-new-chip-tech-to-supercharge-ai-performance-by-2027" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced&nbsp;an additional</a> $100 billion&nbsp;investment&nbsp;in U.S. chipmaking (on top of $65 billion in April 2024). The investment followed&nbsp;President Donald Trump's verbal attacks&nbsp;on Taiwan "for stealing" the U.S. semiconductor business, which led to massive trade deficits for Washington.



Price Action:&nbsp;TSM stock traded higher by 4.40% to $157.33 premarket at the last check on Thursday.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44852860/nvidia-lam-research-and-marvell-to-face-least-impact-from-tariffs-while-intel-and-arm-could-suffer-more-bofa-analyst" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">These Semiconductor Stocks To Face Least Tariffs Impact Compared To Intel</a></li>
</ul>



Photo by Sundry Photography on Shutterstock

Emerging Markets

INTC

Taiwan Semiconductor CFO Anticipates Tariffs Impact But Has Not Seen Change In Customer Behavior Yet, Issues Strong Q2 Outlook

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed a further increase in the overall fear level, while the index remained in the &#8220;Extreme Fear&#8221; zone on Wednesday.



U.S. stocks settled lower on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones index falling around 700 points during the session after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell linked rising tariffs to higher inflation and slower growth, while making it clear the central bank has no intention of cushioning market losses.



Semiconductors were particularly hit hard following fresh export restrictions on Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) chips to China. The iShares Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOXX#NASDAQ">SOXX</a>) fell sharply on Wednesday, with Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) both down around 7%.



Travelers Companies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TRV#NYSE">TRV</a>) posted better-than-expected first-quarter results on Wednesday. Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ABT#NYSE">ABT</a>) reported upbeat first-quarter adjusted EPS results.



On the economic data front, U.S. industrial production declined by 0.3% in March compared to market estimates of a 0.2% fall. U.S. retail sales rose 1.4% month-over-month in March versus a 0.2% gain in the previous month and better than estimates of 1.3%.



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



The Dow Jones closed lower by around 700 points to 39,669.39 on Wednesday. The S&amp;P 500 fell 2.24% to 5,275.70, while the Nasdaq Composite dipped 3.07% to 16,307.16 during Wednesday's session.



Investors are awaiting earnings results from Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>), UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNH#NYSE">UNH</a>), and D.R. Horton Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DHI#NYSE">DHI</a>) today.



What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?



At a current reading of 14.4, the index remained in the &#8220;Extreme Fear&#8221; zone on Wednesday, versus a prior reading of 18.2.



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



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44836567/jim-cramer-nrg-energy-is-very-good-utility">Jim Cramer: NRG Up, Deluxe Out, Nvidia &#8216;You Have To Trim&#8217;</a> </li>
</ul>



Photo via Shutterstock

Nasdaq Dips 3% Amid Plunge In Nvidia, AMD: Greed Index Remains In 'Extreme Fear' Zone

Leading cryptocurrencies traded flat on Wednesday as Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell&#8217;s positive comments regarding the industry.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Gains +/-</td><td>Price (Recorded at 8:30 p.m. ET)</td></tr><tr><td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td><td>0.88%</td><td>$84,097.68</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>-0.11%</td><td>$1,584.40</td></tr><tr><td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>+0.70%</td><td>$0.1548</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



What Happened: Bitcoin reached a high of $85,428.28 in the afternoon but reversed sharply to $83,000, as trading volume dipped 1.28% in the last 24 hours.



Ethereum also had a choppy session, bouncing around $1,500, with the exception of a brief jump above $1,600.



Bitcoin&#8217;s market dominance increased to 63.1%, while Ethereum&#8217;s share fell to 7.2%.



Over $278 million was liquidated from the market in the last 24 hours, with bullish bets accounting for $160 million.



Bitcoin&#8217;s Open Interest dropped 0.13% in the last 24 hours, while the Long/Short Ratio on Binance indicated a higher percentage of traders positioned bullish on the apex cryptocurrency.



The market mood remained one of "Fear," according to the Crypto Fear and Greed Index.



Top Gainers (24-Hours)



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Gains +/-</td><td>Price (Recorded at 8:30 p.m. ET)</td></tr><tr><td>Core (CORE)</td><td>15.67%</td><td>$0.609</td></tr><tr><td>Fartcoin (FARTCOIN)</td><td>11.80%</td><td>$0.9025</td></tr><tr><td>Raydium (RAY)</td><td>11.54%</td><td>$2.29</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $2.65 trillion, following a marginal increase of 0.41% in the last 24 hours.



Stocks sold off sharply on Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 699.57 points, or 1.73%, to close at 39,669.39. The S&amp;P 500 lost 2.24%, ending at 5,275.70, while the tech-focused Nasdaq Composite retreated 3.07% to close at 16,307.16.



The market shuddered after Fed Chair Powell <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/04/44848474/fed-chair-powell-says-tariffs-lead-to-temporary-rise-in-inflation">hinted at the growing risk of higher inflation and slower growth</a> due to President Donald Trump's tariffs.



The probability of interest rates remaining unchanged at next month&#8217;s central bank meeting rose to 83.1% from 81.4% the day before, <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">according </a>to the CME FedWatch tool.



In another development, Powell said that the U.S. was preparing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/04/44850021/fed-chair-powell-says-crypto-and-banking-rules-will-loosen-as-sector-matures">to relax certain cryptocurrency and banking rules</a> and that the industry has matured and become more mainstream.



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



Analyst Notes: Popular on-chain analytics firm CryptoQuant noted that the pace of Bitcoin accumulation has reached a two-month low, while outflows have increased.



"Whale holdings fell by 30,000 BTC this week. Miner outflows hit 15,000 BTC on April 7 as margins sank to 33%. Accumulation is now at its lowest pace since February," CryptoQuant added.



<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">Whale holdings fell by 30K BTC this week. Miner outflows hit 15K BTC on April 7 as margins sank to 33%. Accumulation is now at its lowest pace since February. <a href="https://t.co/3CcbzfO5x4">pic.twitter.com/3CcbzfO5x4</a>&mdash; CryptoQuant.com (@cryptoquant_com) <a href="https://twitter.com/cryptoquant_com/status/1912484962235752850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Amid Ethereum's stagnation, influential cryptocurrency analyst Ali Martinez identified levels of interest to watch for.



"$1,528.50 is a key support level for Ethereum, where 2.61 million addresses accumulated over 4.82 million $ETH," Martinez stated.



<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">$1,528.50 is a key support level for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ethereum?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ethereum</a>, where 2.61 million addresses accumulated over 4.82 million <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24ETH&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$ETH</a>, as shown by on-chain data from <a href="https://twitter.com/intotheblock?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@intotheblock</a>. <a href="https://t.co/HRnfADqqcR">pic.twitter.com/HRnfADqqcR</a>&mdash; Ali (@ali_charts) <a href="https://twitter.com/ali_charts/status/1912567919533588523?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 16, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Photo Courtesy: Paopano On Shutterstock.com



Read Next:    



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44849610/bitcoin-miners-buckle-under-april-price-pressure-but-jp-morgan-analyst-says-mara-cleanspark-held-strong">Bitcoin Miners Buckle Under April Price Pressure, But JP Morgan Analyst Says MARA, CleanSpark Held Strong</a></li>
</ul>

Cryptocurrency

$DOGE

$ETH

Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Steady Amid Stock Meltdown As Fed Chair Jerome Powell Signals Crypto Rules Relaxation: Popular Analyst Identifies Key Support Level For ETH

On Wednesday, Cathie Wood-led Ark Invest made significant trades, notably acquiring shares in Robinhood Markets Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HOOD#NASDAQ">HOOD</a>), ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKB#BATS">ARKB</a>), and 3iQ Solana Staking ETF.



The Robinhood Trade



Ark Invest&#8217;s flagship fund, ARK Innovation ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKK#NYSE">ARKK</a>), purchased 60,266 shares of Robinhood Markets Inc. on Wednesday. The trade, valued at approximately $2.45 million, was made as Robinhood&#8217;s stock <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/04/44850529/whats-going-on-with-robinhood-markets-hood-stock-2">faced a sharp decline</a>. The stock closed at $40.66, down 7.76% on Wednesday following Powell&#8217;s remarks about inflation and trade tariffs, which spooked the market. Robinhood, heavily reliant on retail trading, is particularly sensitive to such market volatility. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/04/44850529/whats-going-on-with-robinhood-markets-hood-stock-2">Robinhood&#8217;s user</a> <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/04/44850529/whats-going-on-with-robinhood-markets-hood-stock-2">base</a>, largely consisting of retail investors, may reduce trading activity in uncertain environments, adding pressure on the company&#8217;s performance.



The ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF Trade



In another notable move,  ARK Next Generation Internet ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKW#NYSE">ARKW</a>) fund sold 31,817 shares of the ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF. The ETF closed at $84.15, marking a slight increase of 0.38%. This trade, worth $2.7 million, comes as Bitcoin ETFs are showing signs of recovery after a challenging period. According to recent reports, Bitcoin ETFs <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44850800/bitcoin-holds-steady-as-etf-inflows-continue-and-state-reserve-efforts-face-setback">recorded $76.4 million</a> in net inflows, signaling a rebound after significant outflows. Over 24 hours, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) traded nearly 1% higher at $84,350.98.



The 3iQ Solana Staking ETF Trade



Ark Invest also made a significant purchase of 500,000 shares of the 3iQ Solana Staking ETF across its Ark Fintech Innovation ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKF#NYSE">ARKF</a>) and ARKW funds. SOLQ.U closed at $10.34 on Wednesday, making the Ark transaction worth $5.2 million. The ETF began trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange on Wednesday, with its largest unitholders including Anthony Scaramucci founded and managed SkyBridge Capital. It invests in long-term holdings of Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>), which are bought from over-the-counter counterparties and aims to give investors &#8220;attractive staking rewards, according to a statement released by 3iQ, which calls itself the world&#8217;s first Digital Assets Managed Account Platform. Over a 24-hour period, Solana shot up over 5% to $132.08.



Other Key Trades:



<ul>
<li>Sold 234,788 shares of UiPath Inc from the ARKF fund.</li>



<li>Sold 9,610 shares of Repare Therapeutics Inc from the ARKG fund.</li>



<li>Sold 88 shares of Prime Medicine Inc from the ARKK fund.</li>
</ul>



Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings show Robinhood Momentum in the 98th percentile and Growth in the 92nd percentile. Want to know how Interactive Brokers stacks up? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">Click here</a> and find out.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="793" height="100" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/16213737/Screenshot-2025-04-17-at-10.37.14.png" alt="" class="wp-image-875468" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/16213737/Screenshot-2025-04-17-at-10.37.14.png 793w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/16213737/Screenshot-2025-04-17-at-10.37.14-300x38.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/16213737/Screenshot-2025-04-17-at-10.37.14-768x97.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 793px) 100vw, 793px" /></a></figure>



Photo Courtesy: viewimage on Shutterstock.com



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://benzinga.com/25/04/44831978/senator-josh-hawley-proposes-historic-tax-cuts-for-americans-earning-below-80k-annually-republicans-should-fix-th" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Josh Hawley Proposes &#8216;Historic&#8217; Tax Cuts For Americans Earning Below $80K Annually: &#8216;Republicans Should Fix This Now&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



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

$SOL

ARKB

ARKF

ARKK

ARKW

HOOD

Cathie Wood's Crypto Shuffle: Pours $5.2 Million Into Newly Listed Solana Staking Fund, Dumps Bitcoin ETF And Buys Robinhood Dip

U.S. stock futures posted modest gains on Wednesday night, recovering from a steep decline in the afternoon session following Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell&#8217;s latest comments on the market, tariffs, and inflation.



The S&amp;P 500 Futures are up 0.51% at 5,333, the Nasdaq Futures&nbsp;trade at 18,500, up 0.63%, and the&nbsp;Dow Jones&nbsp;is&nbsp;at 40,023, up 0.43%. This comes amid all three indices ending down in the spot market on Wednesday, by 2.24%, 3.07%, and 1.73%, respectively.



See More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/specialty-etfs/25/04/44854372/gold-hits-new-record-highs-as-safe-haven-demand-climbs-2-ways-to-invest">Gold Hits New Record Highs As Safe-Haven Demand Climbs: 2 Ways To Invest</a>



Japan&#8217;s benchmark Nikkei 225 opened up 0.27% on Thursday morning, led once again by tech and export-linked stocks.



The U.S. Dollar Index is up 0.13% at the time of writing, after having slid by 0.70% following Fed Chair Jerome Powell&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/04/44850992/stocks-sink-as-powell-dismisses-fed-put-safety-net-gold-extends-massive-lead-over-nasdaq">comments on the tariffs</a>, stating that it can lead to &#8220;higher inflation and slower growth&#8221; at the Economic Club of Chicago.



Oil prices witnessed a late rally on Wednesday, with Brent Crude Oil up 0.49%, now trading at $66.17 per barrel, and the U.S. West Texas Intermediate up by 0.67%. This comes after the U.S. Treasury Department decided to sanction a &#8220;teapot&#8221; refinery in China, Shandong Shengxing Chemical Co., for purchasing close to a billion dollars worth of crude oil from Iran, according to a report by Reuters.



With Washington restarting negotiations with Tehran on its nuclear program, the move is aimed at applying additional pressure. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said, &#8220;Any refinery, company, or broker that chooses to purchase Iranian oil or facilitate Iran's oil trade places itself at serious risk&#8221; in a press release by the department.



Concerns of a tighter supply in the global markets led to a rally in the commodity, which has been reeling under pressure throughout this month owing to tariffs and growing recessionary concerns, <a href="https://tradingeconomics.com/commodity/crude-oil%20">according</a> to TradingEconomics.



Besides this, the markets will be closely watching the earnings results of UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNH#NYSE">UNH</a>), Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>), and American Express Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AXP#NYSE">AXP</a>) on Thursday.



Photo Courtesy: tadamichi on Shutterstock.com



Read More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/specialty-etfs/25/04/44854262/chipwrecked-nvidias-export-ban-triggers-etf-meltdown-and-one-big-winner">Chipwrecked: Nvidia&#8217;s Export Ban Triggers ETF Meltdown (And One Big Winner)</a>

Scott Bessent Warns Of 'Serious Risk' To Anyone Buying Iran Oil — Crude Moves Up, US Futures And Nikkei Post Modest Gains

Risk sentiment took a sharp blow Wednesday afternoon after Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell linked rising tariffs to higher inflation and slower growth, while making it clear the central bank has no intention <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/04/44848474/fed-chair-powell-says-tariffs-lead-to-temporary-rise-in-inflation">of cushioning market losses.</a>



In remarks at the Economic Club of Chicago, Powell said the inflationary effects of tariffs could be more persistent than previously thought, and warned that current policy uncertainty makes it difficult to gauge their full impact. 



Most notably for Wall Street, Powell addressed the notion of a so-called "Fed put"—the belief that the central bank would intervene if markets drop sharply—and offered a blunt response: "I'm going to say no."



That single line pushed traders to recalibrate expectations for any near-term monetary support.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Stocks Tumble As Chipmakers Extend Losses</h3>



By 3:15 p.m. ET, the S&amp;P 500 – as tracked by the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) – had dropped 3.1% to 5,230 points, while the Nasdaq 100 – tracked by the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) plunged 4.1% to 18,050, dragged down by the tech-heavy weighting of the index. 



The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 838 points, or 2.1%, and the Russell 2000 small-cap index also fell 2.1%.



Nearly every sector turned red, with the Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLK#NYSE">XLK</a>) nosediving 5%. Energy stocks were the sole exception, buoyed by higher crude prices and safe-haven commodity demand.



Semiconductors were particularly hard hit following fresh export restrictions on Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) chips to China. 



The iShares Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOXX#NASDAQ">SOXX</a>) plummeted 6.8%, with Nvidia and Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) both down around 10%.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Gold Shines In Flight To Safety</h3>



As stocks tumbled, gold prices climbed, continuing their powerful 2025 rally. The precious metal hit new record highs, rising to over $2,350 an ounce, and is now up 26% year to date. 



With the Nasdaq 100 down 23% over the same period, gold has outperformed the tech index by nearly 50% in less than four months.



Gold's appeal has grown amid mounting inflation concerns, policy uncertainty, and geopolitical tension.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Powell: No Market Rescue This Time</h3>



Powell's refusal to endorse the "Fed put" marked a sharp shift in tone from the central bank's more accommodative stance in past downturns. While he acknowledged market volatility, he said both equity and bond markets were "functioning" and "orderly."



"Markets are struggling with a lot of uncertainty, and that means volatility," Powell said. "But having said that, markets are functioning."



The Fed chair emphasized that rate decisions will continue to focus on economic data, especially inflation and employment, and not on asset prices.



Top S&amp;P 500 Gainers:



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><thead><tr><th>Name</th><th>Last</th><th>Chg %</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ABT#NYSE">ABT</a>)</td><td>129.93</td><td>+2.94%</td></tr><tr><td>APA Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APA#NYSE">APA</a>)</td><td>15.27</td><td>+2.52%</td></tr><tr><td>Devon Energy Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DVN#NYSE">DVN</a>)</td><td>29.21</td><td>+2.40%</td></tr><tr><td>Newmont Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NEM#NYSE">NEM</a>)</td><td>55.88</td><td>+2.37%</td></tr><tr><td>Diamondback Energy Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FANG#NYSE">FANG</a>)</td><td>129.98</td><td>+2.23%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Top S&amp;P 500 Losers:



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><thead><tr><th>Name</th><th>Last</th><th>Chg %</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Advanced Micro Devices Inc.</td><td>85.90</td><td>-9.86%</td></tr><tr><td>Nvidia Corp.</td><td>101.25</td><td>-9.76%</td></tr><tr><td>J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JBHT#NYSE">JBHT</a>)</td><td>123.21</td><td>-8.81%</td></tr><tr><td>Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>)</td><td>89.90</td><td>-8.63%</td></tr><tr><td>KLA Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KLAC#NASDAQ">KLAC</a>)</td><td>622.99</td><td>-7.87%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Read now: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44844084/nvidias-h20-chip-ban-could-lead-to-manageable-sales-drop-bank-of-america-says">Nvidia H20 Chip Ban Could Lead To &#8216;Manageable&#8217; Sales Drop, Bank Of America Says</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Bonds

FANG

JBHT

KLAC

PLTR

Stocks Sink As Powell Dismisses 'Fed Put' Safety Net, Gold Extends Massive Lead Over Nasdaq

The Symbol TFFP was not found. Here are some similar symbols and popular symbols to consider.

TFFP Page Not Found - Benzinga

Symbol Similar to: TFFP

Top Gaining Stocks

Noticias

SOCIO/CONTRIBUIDOR

BENZINGA GLOBAL