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



U.S. stocks settled lower on Monday, with the Dow Jones index dipping more than 400 points during the session. Large tech stocks fell again on Monday, with shares of Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) declining 3.3% and Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) losing 1.4% during the session.



Although major indices settled lower on Friday, they still recorded gains last week. The blue-chip index gained around 0.4% last week, ending a three-week losing streak, while the S&amp;P 500 added 0.7%. The Nasdaq, meanwhile, rose about 0.8% during the week.



On the economic data front, the Chicago PMI fell to 36.9 in December from 40.2 in November and missing market estimates of 42.5. U.S. pending home sales increased 2.2% month-over-month in November, following a revised 1.8% gain in October and above market estimates of a 0.7% increase. The Dallas Fed's Texas manufacturing activity index rose six points to a reading of 3.4 in December.



All sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed on a negative note, with consumer discretionary, materials, and healthcare stocks recording the biggest losses on Monday.



The Dow Jones closed lower by around 418 points to 42,573.73 on Monday. The S&amp;P 500 fell 1.07% to 5,906.94, while the Nasdaq Composite dipped 1.19% to close at 19,486.79 during Monday's session.



What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?



At a current reading of 27.9, the index remained in the &#8220;Fear&#8221; zone on Monday, versus a prior reading of 30.8.



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



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/short-ideas/24/12/42720878/top-3-tech-stocks-that-may-fall-off-a-cliff-this-quarter">Top 3 Tech Stocks That May Fall Off A Cliff This Quarter</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Earnings

News

Pre-Market Outlook

Markets

Trading Ideas

TSLA

Dow Tumbles Over 400 Points As Tesla, Meta Decline: Fear Continues To Grip Markets, Greed Index Remains In Red Zone

Leading digital asset manager Grayscale Investments broadened its Top 20 list of cryptocurrencies on Monday by adding six new tokens with strong growth potential for the upcoming quarter.



What Happened: Grayscale <a href="https://www.grayscale.com/research/market-commentary/grayscale-research-insights-crypto-sectors-in-q1-2025">added </a>Layer-1 blockchain token Hyperliquid (HYPE), decentralized stablecoin protocol Ethena (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">ENA</a>), AI agent creator Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL), decentralized exchange Jupiter (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">JUP</a>), liquid staking protocol Jito (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">JTO</a>), and decentralized data network Grass (GRASS) to the list, which it publishes every quarter.



Interestingly, VIRTUAL has been the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42717267/2024s-cryptocurrency-champions-these-top-performers-surpass-bitcoin-in-a-year-of-unprecedented-gains">market&#8217;s best performer in 2024</a>, with year-to-date gains of 26043%. Additionally, ENA has been <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/12/42500884/trump-backed-world-liberty-financials-purchases-trigger-strong-rally-in-these-defi-tokens">heavily accumulated</a> by President-elect Donald Trump-backed platform World Liberty Financial.



The asset manager said it considered metrics like network adoption, upcoming catalysts, sustainability of fundamentals, token valuation, token supply inflation, and potential tail risks for the inclusion.



Grayscale added that the focus was on assets that touched on themes like the U.S. election and its potential impact on cryptocurrency regulation, decentralized AI technology, and growth in the Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>) ecosystem.



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42729068/donald-trumps-9-9-million-crypto-portfolio-over-50-growth-since-september-how-many-cryptocurrencies-does-trump-own">Donald Trump&#8217;s $9.9 Million Crypto Portfolio: Over 50% Growth Since September – How Many Cryptocurrencies Does Trump Own?</a>



The &#8216;Top 20&#8217; list consisted of a diversified set of assets spanning different cryptocurrency sectors, including Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>), Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>), Chainlink (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/link/usd">LINK</a>), and Uniswap (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/uni/usd">UNI</a>).



Why It Matters: This decision by Grayscale Research comes in the wake of a transformative forecast for the cryptocurrency industry in 2025. According to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42724952/2025-outlook-bitcoin-to-150000-ethereum-to-5500-dogecoin-hits-1-galaxy-research-predicts">study</a>&nbsp;by Galaxy Research, the industry is set for significant advances in adoption, infrastructure, and regulatory clarity. 



The research predicted Bitcoin to surpass $150,000 in the first half of 2025, potentially reaching or exceeding $185,000 by the fourth quarter.



The inclusion of these new tokens implied the growing potential of assets tied to decentralized finance and AI, as well as the weight attached to assets that provide utility. 



Price Action: At the time of writing, all of these new entrants to the &#8216;Top 20&#8217; list were down in the 24-hour period, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA..">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.



Photo by Avi Rozen on Shutterstock



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42729819/bitcoin-up-1-to-94000-sweet-setup-going-into-2025-but-beware-a-drop-below-93000-experts-say">Bitcoin Up 1% To $94,000: &#8216;Sweet&#8217; Setup Going Into 2025, But Beware A Drop Below $93,000, Experts Say</a></li>
</ul>

Cryptocurrency

$BTC

$ENA

$ETH

$JTO

$JUP

$LINK

$SOL

$UNI

TSX:ENA

Trump-Backed Platform's Pick, Year's Chart Topper: 6 New Cryptos Added To Grayscale's 'Top 20' List With Growth Potential In Q1 2025

Influential economist Mohamed El-Erian recently pointed out the stark contrast between US &#8220;economic exceptionalism&#8221; and the struggles of lower-income households in what he calls a &#8220;K economy.&#8221;



What Happened: On Monday, El-Erian posted a comment and shared a story from the front page of the Financial Times, highlighting the growing economic disparity in the United States. He noted that while the US economy is exceptional in many ways, it has also led to a &#8220;K economy&#8221; where lower-income households face significant and increasing challenges.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">This is from the front page of today&#39;s <a href="https://twitter.com/FT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FT</a>. It is a reminder that, from a distributional perspective, US &quot;economic exceptionalism&quot; has been accompanied by what many have called a &quot;K economy&quot; in which lower-income households face considerable and mounting challenges. <a href="https://t.co/0HL08g8nMJ">pic.twitter.com/0HL08g8nMJ</a>&mdash; Mohamed A. El-Erian (@elerianm) <a href="https://twitter.com/elerianm/status/1873726565982617611?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



El-Erian&#8217;s post comes in the context of a recent report on the surge in US credit card defaults, which have reached their highest level since the 2008 financial crisis. 



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42711387/wall-streets-santa-rally-at-risk-palantir-dethrones-nvidia-consumer-confidence-pulls-back-this-week-in-the-markets?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Wall Street&#8217;s Santa Rally At Risk, Palantir Dethrones Nvidia, Consumer Confidence Pulls Back: This Week In The Markets</a>



Why It Matters: This situation underscores the financial strain on lower-income households, which El-Erian refers to in his &#8220;K economy&#8221; comment. The term &#8220;K economy&#8221; refers to a situation where the wealthy continue to prosper while the less affluent struggle, creating a divide that resembles the letter &#8216;K.&#8217; Traditionally the economy is viewed as &#8216;V&#8217; shaped with even ups and downs.



Credit card lenders wrote off a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42721109/mark-cuban-once-said-credit-card-users-dont-want-to-be-rich-now-us-credit-card-defaults-have-skyrocketed-to-highest-levels-since-2008-financial-crisis">staggering $46 billion</a>&nbsp;in seriously delinquent loan balances&nbsp;during&nbsp;the first nine months of&nbsp;2024. This figure, representing a 50% increase&nbsp;from the same period in&nbsp;2023, is the highest&nbsp;in 14 years, according to&nbsp;data from BankRegData.



Mark Zandi, the head of Moody's Analytics, stated,&nbsp;"High-income households are fine, but&nbsp;the bottom third of US&nbsp;consumers are tapped out. Their&nbsp;savings rate right now is&nbsp;zero."



The rise in defaults underscores the strain on consumers&#8217; personal finances following years of high inflation and the Federal Reserve&#8217;s policy of maintaining elevated borrowing costs. Early indicators suggest a growing number of&nbsp;defaults on consumer debt.



Capital One, the third-largest credit card lender in the US, reported its annualized credit card write-off rate hit 6.1% as of November, up from 5.2% a year ago.



Odysseas Papadimitriou, head of consumer&nbsp;credit research firm WalletHub, noted,&nbsp;"Consumer spending power has been&nbsp;diminished." Despite nearly $60 billion&nbsp;in consumer credit card debt&nbsp;being written off&nbsp;in the past year, another&nbsp;$37 billion remains overdue by at least one month.



Photo by International Monetary Fund on Flickr



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42710703/sp-500-poised-for-best-year-vs-global-stocks-since-1997-bank-of-america-warns-of-2005-rotation?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">S&amp;P 500 Poised For Best Year Vs. Global Stocks Since 1997: Bank Of America Warns Of 2005 Rotation</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>

Economics

General

El-Erian Warns Of Hidden Crisis In 'Exceptional' US Economy As Lower Income Households Face 'Considerable' Challenges

On Monday, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives unveiled his top 10 tech winners for the AI revolution into 2025, leaving two major Magnificent 7 players notably absent from the list.



What Happened:&nbsp; In his post, Ives said that the companies are poised to ride the wave of a $2 trillion AI capital expenditure boom over the next three years.



His list of top 10 tech winners for the AI revolution: Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>), Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), MongoDB Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MDB#NASDAQ">MDB</a>), Pegasystems Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEGA#NASDAQ">PEGA</a>), Snowflake Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNOW#NYSE">SNOW</a>), and Salesforce Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>).&nbsp;



&#8216;Magnificent 7&#8217; heavyweights Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) and Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) were conspicuously absent from the list.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42715441/openais-for-profit-transition-trumps-ai-advisor-and-googles-code-red-this-week-in-ai?itm_source=parsely-api">OpenAI&#8217;s For-Profit Transition, Trump&#8217;s AI Advisor, And Google&#8217;s Code Red: This Week In AI</a>



"We expect tech stocks to be up 25% in 2025," Ives stated, adding that it will be bolstered by "a goldilocks foundation for Big Tech and Tesla" and reduced regulatory hurdles under a Donald Trump-led administration.



Ives also cautioned about potential "white-knuckle moments" in 2025, citing concerns around Fed actions, China trade dynamics, and stretched valuations.



However, he said, &#8220;This will create the opportunities to own the tech theme and key names which has been our core investing tech playbook the last 2 years.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">We expect tech stocks to be up 25% in 2025 as the Street further digests a less regulatory spider web under Trump in the White House with Khan/FTC days in the rear-view mirror, stronger AI initiatives within the Beltway, and a goldilocks foundation for Big Tech into 2025 &#x1f525;&#x1f3c6;&#x1f402; <a href="https://t.co/buam9doR6K">pic.twitter.com/buam9doR6K</a>&mdash; Dan Ives (@DivesTech) <a href="https://twitter.com/DivesTech/status/1873877365572723044?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Why It Matters: Apple currently leads the market with an impressive valuation of $3.812 trillion, and its stock has surged by 35.85% year-to-date.



Cupertino introduced Apple Intelligence this year, a robust collection of AI tools and features designed to greatly improve the user experience on its devices.



Following closely is Nvidia, with a market cap of $3.367 trillion and an impressive 185.43% year-to-date increase. Nvidia is anticipated to launch its next-generation RTX 5000 series GPUs at <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/12/42677149/nvidia-ces-2025-keynote-how-to-watch-jensen-huang-unveil-the-rtx-5000-series-gpus">CES 2025 scheduled for the second week</a> of January.



Microsoft secures the third spot with a valuation of $3.158 trillion. Alphabet, the parent company of Google, holds a market cap of $2.350.



Amazon rounds out the top five with a valuation of $2.326 trillion, while Meta and Tesla are at number seven and eight with a market cap of $1.492 trillion and $1.339 trillion, respectively.



Image via Shutterstock



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42717000/palantir-was-not-part-of-cool-kids-club-says-dan-ives-as-stock-surges-376-institutional-investors-were-stuck">Palantir Was Not Part Of &#8216;Cool Kids Club,&#8217; Says Dan Ives, As Stock Surges 376%: &#8216;Group Think&#8217; Mentality Of Institutional Investors Gave Retail The Edge</a></li>
</ul>



Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Tech

AAPL

AMZN

GOOG

GOOGL

MSFT

NVDA

PEGA

PLTR

SNOW

Palantir, Salesforce, And Snowflake Made The Cut, But 2 'Magnificent 7' Giants Left Out From Dan Ives' Top 10 Tech Winners For The AI Revolution In 2025 List

Fannie Mae (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FNMA#OTC">FNMA</a>) and Freddie Mac (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FMCC#OTC">FMCC</a>) shares soared on Monday afternoon after billionaire investor Bill Ackman touted the<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/12/42635629/bill-ackmans-advice-stay-away-from-shorting-stocks-avoid-commodity-sensitive-industries-and-you-do-great"> stocks on social media. </a>



The Details: Ackman, CEO of Pershing Square hedge fund, recommended the stocks as an investment with "large asymmetric upside versus downside" in <a href="https://x.com/BillAckman/status/1873818034428694837">a post</a> on the social media platform X.&nbsp;



Ackman said he sees the potential for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to come out of conservatorship in the next two years. Ackman pointed to the incoming Trump administration as a factor making the end of conservatorship more likely for the home lenders. 



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">I am often asked for stock recommendations, but generally don't share individual names unless I believe the risk versus the reward is extraordinarily compelling. As we look toward 2025, one investment in our portfolio stands out for large asymmetric upside versus downside so I…&mdash; Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillAckman/status/1873818034428694837?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 30, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were placed under conservatorship in September 2008 in response to the deterioration of the housing market during the 2008 financial crisis. The Federal Housing Finance Agency became the conservator to preserve and conserve the assets and to provide stability to the housing and mortgage markets.&nbsp;



Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42700819/investors-bet-on-milei-the-argentina-trade">Milei&#8217;s Economic Chainsaw Slashes Inflation As Argentine Stocks Explode 175%</a>&nbsp;



Ackman said that the companies have built $168 billion of capital since 2019 and described this as a "fortress-level of capital for guarantors of fixed-rate, first mortgages to creditworthy, middle class borrowers."&nbsp;



Ackman said he estimates the value of each company at approximately $34 per share, assuming the companies could IPO in the fourth quarter of 2026. He added that he sees the IPOs priced at approximately $31 per share accounting for a 10% discount to their value.&nbsp;&nbsp;



He also pointed to the benefits of ending the conservatorship for the federal government including the removal of approximately $8 trillion in liabilities and the potential to generate more than $300 billion in profits. 



"Trump likes big deals and this would be the biggest deal in history. I am confident he will get it done," Ackman wrote.&nbsp;



FNMA, FMCC Price Action: Fannie Mae shares ended Monday&#8217;s session up 36.14% at $3.39 and Freddie Mac shares closed 33.87% higher at $3.32.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/24/12/42687945/zelle-became-a-gold-mine-for-fraudsters-consumer-financial-protection-bureau-lawsuit">&nbsp;&#8216;Zelle Became A Gold Mine For Fraudsters&#8217;: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Lawsuit</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Social Media

Movers

FMCC

FNMA

Bill Ackman Sends Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Stocks Soaring: 'Trump Likes Big Deals'

While the Cybertruck may have actually made its debut on the U.S. roadways in November 2023, this Tesla electric vehicle&#8217;s debutante year of 2024 was nothing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/cybertruck">less than a success</a> among Benzinga readers. 



Sightings of this not-so-demure rare bird<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39894802/tesla-vehicle-goes-up-in-flames-at-charging-station-these-are-not-easy-fires-to-put-out-first-respon"> included the truck in flames</a> — a metaphor for 2024, some might say. 



Shaquille O'Neal, a former NBA superstar who makes multiple appearances on the 2024 list, is among its fans, but the Cybertruck is also intrinsically linked to Tesla CEO Elon Musk.



Despite the ubiquity of Cybertrucks, Musk and Shaq, the No. 1 spot went to Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>), which made a stellar <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42501517/whale-accumulation-powers-bitcoins-bull-run-but-retail-still-the-king-in-ownership">comeback in the latter part of 2024</a>, much to the chagrin of one possible Bitcoin holder — and the No. 1 article for 2024.



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/23/12/36438573/benzingas-top-5-articles-for-2023-a-tesla-model-y-inferno-brics-currency-ambitions-and-othe"> The No. 1 article for 2023 was "Tesla Told Driver To Bring &#8216;Fully Burned&#8217; Model Y To Service Center After It Burst Into Flames On Roadside&#8221; by Adam Eckert.</a>



1. &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/10/41308908/man-who-accidentally-threw-hard-drive-containing-8-000-bitcoins-worth-half-a-billion-dolla">Man Who Accidentally Threw Hard Drive Containing 8,000 Bitcoins Worth Half a Billion Dollars in Landfill</a>,&#8221; by Aniket Verma, published, Oct. 14. (There was a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/42232028/remember-james-howells-who-lost-his-hard-drive-with-8000-bitcoins-now-worth-760m-his-ex-girlfriend-reveals-it-was-she-who-threw-it-away">follow-up article on Nov. 28</a> in which the ex-girlfriend admitted to throwing it out.)



If there is a winner of messing up on the world stage, it would have to go to the Bitcoin holder who threw away millions.



In 2013, when Bitcoin traded between $50 and $1,242 per token, an unfortunate man discarded a hard drive containing the private key for 8,000 Bitcoins. Fast forward to Dec. 30, 2024, with Bitcoin priced at $92,562 per token, that lost stash is now worth $740,496,000. While it falls short of landing him on the Forbes Billionaire list, it&#8217;s still more than enough to afford a luxurious penthouse on Park Avenue in New York City or in Dubai.



But lo and behold — spoiler alert — it turns out his ex-girlfriend actually threw the hard drive out, per his request to help him tidy up his house, according to a Daily Mail <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14117759/threw-away-569million-Bitcoin-fortune-council-tip.html">article</a>. Probably not one of the best decisions he's ever made.



2. &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/09/40758484/nba-legend-shaq-shows-off-his-new-widebody-carbon-fiber-tesla-cybertruck-elon-musk-has-a-on">NBA Legend Shaq Shows Off His New Widebody Carbon Fiber Tesla Cybertruck: Elon Musk Has A One Word Reaction</a>,&#8221; by Rounak Jain, published Sept. 7.



Shaq likes cars. He has around 40 vehicles, with a good portion of them customized — it could be that he is 7 feet 1 inches tall or perhaps he just likes to add a personal touch, such as a Superman "S" log on the front of his black Range Rover, according<a href="https://www.gamedaynews.com/athletes/shaqs-massive-vehicle-collection"> to</a> GameDay News. Car aficionado that he is, Shaq of course had to have a Cybertruck. But not just any Cybertruck. Customized by Effortless Motors, the vehicle, dubbed "Cyberbeast," has a wide body kit and carbon fiber construction, as well as 26-inch rims and a black-on-black color scheme. 



Musk weighed in on it on X, saying it was "Nice." Compliment or shade? Only Musk knows for sure. 



3. &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/41059891/elon-musk-says-because-almost-none-of-you-do-your-math-sums-the-world-is-largely-not-using-the-big-f">Elon Musk Says That World Isn't Using The Sun's Energy Enough Because Most People Don't Do The Math</a>,&#8221; by Benzinga Neuro,&nbsp;published Sept. 26



Is it even a Benzinga Top 5 Articles of the Year if there isn&#8217;t more than one article featuring Musk? No! (See <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/22/12/30219131/benzingas-top-5-articles-for-2022-aka-the-year-your-grandparents-found-out-who-elon-musk-i">"Benzinga&#8217;s Top 5 Articles For 2022 — AKA The Year Your Grandparents Found Out Who Elon Musk Is" </a>as a sample of the Musk-omnipresence.)



Musk touts solar energy with some interesting facts, such as he "suggested that the amount of solar energy received by Earth could <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/02/30973037/elon-musk-says-this-energy-source-can-power-a-civilization-over-100-times-larger-than-ours">power a civilization</a> 100 times larger than ours." 



Solar is an industry that has had a bumpy to bad year: the Invesco Solar ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TAN#NYSE">TAN</a>) is down around 36% year-to-date, for example. 



But let's not forget that Musk's Tesla also makes Powerwall battery storage, which can store energy either solar or from the electrical grid. Solar energy plus Powerwall, equals more money for Tesla. It's all in the math, so to speak.



4.  &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/08/40413674/nba-legend-shaq-missed-his-tesla-cybertruck-so-much-instead-of-shipping-it-from-vegas-to-at">NBA Legend Shaq Missed His Tesla Cybertuck So Much, Instead of Shipping it from Vegas to Atlanta, He Reportedly Ordered One More,&#8221;</a> by Rounak Jain, published Aug. 16



Yes, indeed, Shaq's love for the Cybertruck had him make a decision only a multimillionaire, former NBA player could do: buy another Cybertruck when he didn't want to ship it from one location to another. 



Musk also chimed in X on this, saying "Understandable." Could Shaq be poised to have a Cybertruck in every major U.S. city?



5. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40971831/putin-ally-who-unveiled-tesla-cybertruck-with-machine-gun-last-month-now-says-elon-musk-remotely-dis">Putin Ally Who Unveiled Tesla Cybertruck with Machine Gun Last Month Now Says Elon Musk ‘Remotely Disabled' the Militarized EV</a>, by Bibhu Pattnaik, published Sept. 22



On the flip side of customization, Chechen warlord&nbsp;Ramzan Kadyrov&nbsp;accused Musk of remotely disabling his Cybertruck.&nbsp;



Why, you may ask? This Vladimir Putin ally (and colonel general in the Russian army) Kadyrov decided to mount a machine gun on the Cybertruck, hinting that it would be used in the war against Ukraine.



Kadyrov also stated in a <a href="https://t.me/RKadyrov_95/5103">Telegram</a> post the vehicle was a gift from Musk, saying "Elon Musk behaved badly. He gives expensive gifts from the heart, and then turns them off remotely." 



Musk <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/08/40434114/elon-musk-denies-donating-tesla-cybertruck-to-ramzan-kadyrov-after-russian-general-showed-off-truck">strongly denied he gifted </a>the vehicle to Kadyrov.&nbsp;



There is one practical theory on why the car could have become disabled — a lack of charging stations on the battlefield, something pointed out by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/08/40504595/military-expert-calls-russian-president-allys-tesla-cybertruck-super-cool-but-useless-combat-vehicle">one international relations expert</a>.



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">And just in case you were wondering….</h1>



6. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/08/40131648/anthony-scaramucci-says-trump-could-drop-his-presidential-bid-against-kamala-harris-if-this-happens">&#8220;Anthony Scaramucci Says Trump Could Drop His Presidential Bid Against Kamala Harris If This Happens: ‘I Know How This Man Thinks,&#8220;</a> by Shanthi Rexaline, published Aug. 2 7. &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/09/40971563/nba-legend-shaq-once-found-a-wallet-in-beverly-hills-usually-when-i-find-wallets-i-just-tak'">NBA Legend Shaq Once Found A Wallet In Beverly Hills: &#8216;Usually When I Find Wallets I Just Take All The Money Out&#8217; — But This One Was David Beckham's, So Here's What He Did</a>,&#8221; by Chris Katje, Sept. 22



8. &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40935722/spacex-ceo-elon-musk-says-anyone-can-go-to-mars-with-spacex-but-journey-would-be-like-a-long-sea-voy">SpaceX CEO Elon Musk Says Anyone Can Go To Mars With SpaceX But Journey Would Be Like A &#8216;Long Sea Voyage In Centuries Past,&#8221;</a> by Anan Ashraf, published Sept. 19



9. &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41196932/legendary-apple-co-founder-steve-jobs-once-said-being-the-richest-man-in-the-cemetery-doesnt-matter">Legendary Apple Co-Founder Steve Jobs Once Said, &#8216;Being The Richest Man In The Cemetery Doesn&#8217;t Matter To Me:&#8217; Maybe That&#8217;s Why His Impact Transcends Financial Success For iPhone-Maker And Beyond,</a>&#8221; by Ananya Gairola, published Oct. 5



10. &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40673148/t-mobile-customers-will-get-starlink-satellite-internet-directly-on-their-mobiles-first-and-others-o">T-Mobile Customers Will Get Starlink Satellite Internet Directly On Their Mobiles First And Others Only Later, Says SpaceX CEO Elon Musk</a>,&#8221; by Anan Ashraf, published Sept. 2



These articles were originally published in 2024 by the news department. Some were written with the help of artificial intelligence. 



Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42724952/2025-outlook-bitcoin-to-150000-ethereum-to-5500-dogecoin-hits-1-galaxy-research-predicts"> •&nbsp;2025 Outlook: Bitcoin To $150,000, Ethereum To $5,500, Dogecoin Hits $1, Galaxy Research Predicts</a>



The page views used to determine the top 5 articles were compiled on the morning of Dec. 27, 2024.



Photo: Elon Musk, courtesy Shutterstock, Cybertruck courtesy: Tesla

Entertainment

Benzinga's Top 5 Stories In 2024: The Year Of The Cybertruck

President Jimmy Carter, who <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/movers-shakers/24/12/42716329/jimmy-carter-the-39th-us-president-who-championed-human-rights-and-peace-in-the-middle-east-had-died">died at his home</a> on Sunday at age 100, brought a political outsider status to Washington, D.C. during a period of immense distrust in government. 



There was the Watergate scandal, high inflation, mass protests due to the Vietnam War, high government spending and loose monetary policy. 



Carter, a Georgian native who won the White House in 1976, inherited an economy reeling from a recession and subsequent inflation proved disastrous for his 1980 reelection bid.



<a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FPCPITOTLZGUSA">According</a> to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, inflation neared 6% in 1976 before Carter&#8217;s presidency began. 



Carter then presided over 6.5%, 7.5%, 11.3% and 13.5% inflation in successive years. Economists consider 2% to be a healthy rate of inflation.



&#8220;In the last 10 years, in our attempts to protect ourselves from inflation, we've developed attitudes and habits that actually keep inflation going once it has begun,&#8221; the 39th U.S. President <a href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2014/article/one-hundred-years-of-price-change-the-consumer-price-index-and-the-american-inflation-experience.htm#_edn47">said</a> in 1978.



&#8220;Most companies raise their prices because they expect costs to rise. Unions call for large wage settlements because they expect it to happen, and once it's started, wages and prices chase each other up and up. It's like a crowd standing at a football stadium. No one can see any better than when everyone is sitting down, but no one is willing to be the first to sit down.&#8221;



In 1979, Carter nominated Paul Volcker, then the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, to chair the Federal Reserve. Volcker <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/22/10/29239702/the-fed-is-skating-to-where-the-puck-was-analogies-to-volckers-1980s-inflation-are-conce-1">hawkishly shaped monetary policy</a> by <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FEDFUNDS">hiking</a> the federal funds rate from 10% to nearly 18%. 



The economy then entered a recession as the unemployment rate neared 8%.



That year, Carter was also dealing with the Iranian Revolution. From April 1979 to November 1980, the price of oil spiked over 130%, <a href="https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=pet&amp;s=f000000__3&amp;f=m">per</a> the Energy Information Administration. This worsened inflation and created &#8220;stagflation,&#8221; an increase in prices and unemployment due to a negative supply shock.



Carter faced a primary challenge from Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy, which he won decisively. But he fared much worse in the general election, suffering a landslide loss to then-California Governor Ronald Reagan. Reagan, a Republican, carried 44 states and won the popular vote by nearly 10%.



Volcker&#8217;s monetary policy and the induced recession did not lend Carter any electoral help. Volcker&#8217;s rate hikes continued during the Reagan administration. They went as high as 21% leading to a prolonged recession in 1981 and 1982. 



Still, economists <a href="https://www.bu.edu/econ/files/2011/01/GKcr2005.pdf">credit</a> Volcker for the historic disinflation and end of high inflation expectations. Inflation remained below 6%, usually hovering around 2%, for several decades following the 1980s.



Historians have increasingly reevaluated Carter&#8217;s presidency. Today, they acknowledge the long-term significance of his decisions despite his administration&#8217;s unpopularity. 



Carter&#8217;s appointing of Volcker as Fed chair was politically costly but is considered a crucial step in curbing historic inflation.



Also Read:



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42725647/markets-will-close-for-president-jimmy-carters-state-funeral-what-you-need-to-know">Markets Will Close For President Jimmy Carter&#8217;s State Funeral: What You Need To Know</a></li>
</ul>

Government

Politics

Federal Reserve

Jimmy Carter's Complex Economic Legacy: High Inflation, But Effective, Hawkish Fed Under Volcker

The saga of meme stocks in 2024 proved once again that retail investors, armed with social media and a touch of chaos, are a force <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/meme-stocks">to reckon with</a>. 



From GameStop Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GME#NYSE">GME</a>)&#8217;s comeback to Donald Trump-inspired trading frenzies, the year showcased how &#8220;diamond hands&#8221; and internet-driven hype continue to shake up the Wall Street establishment.



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">The Year Of Roaring Returns</h1>



2024 marked the return of Keith Gill, aka &#8220;Roaring Kitty,&#8221; the face of the 2021 GameStop frenzy. After a three-year hiatus, Gill reignited interest in original meme stocks such as GameStop and AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMC#NYSE">AMC</a>). His cryptic social media posts and YouTube livestreams, where he doubled down on GameStop's "transformation story," sent ripples through the retail trading community.



GameStop soared 67.7% this year, thanks to Gill&#8217;s endorsement and a surprise third-quarter profit. However, analysts remain skeptical, with Wedbush warning of slim chances for profitability in GameStop&#8217;s core business. 



AMC wasn't as lucky. Despite record-breaking Thanksgiving attendance and aggressive investment plans, its stock slid 34% in 2024.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/12/42699339/gamestop-shares-dip-in-fridays-premarket-after-surging-nearly-6-in-last-session-fueled-by-roaring-kittys-christmas-present">GameStop Shares Dip In Friday&#8217;s Premarket After Surging Nearly 6% In Last Session, Fueled By Roaring Kitty&#8217;s &#8216;Christmas Present&#8217;</a>



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Trump Trades, Meme Mania</h1>



As the presidential election heated up, stocks tied to Donald Trump, such as Trump Media &amp; Technology Group Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DJT#NASDAQ">DJT</a>) and Phunware Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PHUN#NASDAQ">PHUN</a>), garnered meme-like attention. Trump Media saw a wild ride, soaring to $70 per share before cooling off to around $35, while Phunware is down to $5.51 from highs of $14.14 in October.



With Trump set to return to the White House in January, these "Trump trades" could see another resurgence in 2025.



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Chewy Challenges Meme Label</h1>



Chewy Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CHWY#NYSE">CHWY</a>), the online pet retailer, also had its moment in the meme-stock spotlight. Thanks to Gill's investment and strong fundamentals, Chewy outperformed expectations, posting over 53% gain in 2024.



Analysts at Bank of America and JPMorgan hailed Chewy's disciplined execution and growth potential, with some even suggesting it has outgrown its meme-stock roots.



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Reddit Rides High</h1>



One of the standout meme stocks of 2024 was Reddit Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RDDT#NYSE">RDDT</a>), which surged a staggering 230% year-to-date. Its success underscores how social media continues to drive retail investor enthusiasm and meme-stock momentum.



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Wall Street&#8217;s Uneasy Truce With Meme Stocks</h1>



While institutional investors often dismiss meme stocks as a retail-driven sideshow, the year's gains tell a different story. Palantir Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>) climbed over 373%, and Coinbase Global Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>) more than doubled in value, proving that retail investors can still move markets in a big way.



As 2025 approaches, the meme-stock battlefield remains as unpredictable as ever. Whether it's Roaring Kitty's cryptic posts, Trump's influence, or a new wave of internet-driven hype, one thing is clear: Retail investors are here to stay, and Wall Street needs keep watching.



Read Next: 



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Photo: Shutterstock

Long Ideas

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COIN

PHUN

RDDT

GameStop's Comeback, Trump's Meme Stock Magic: Retail Vs. Wall Street  In 2024

Editor&#8217;s Note: This article was updated to correct the rankings to account for Walmart&#8217;s 2024 stock split.



The Dow Jones Industrial Average hit an all-time high of over 45,000 points in December, one of several stock market indexes to hit records after Donald Trump won the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/41857971/trumps-win-sends-wall-street-to-record-highs-small-caps-tesla-outperform-fed-cuts-interest-rates-this-week-in-the-market">2024 presidential election.</a>



Here's a look at the top-performing and worst-performing Dow Jones Industrial Average components in 2024 and how the index's leaders could look much different in 2025.



2024 Performance: In 2024, 18 of the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/dow-jones-industrial-average">Dow Jones component stocks </a>were up, with 12 stocks declining for the full year. This includes the original Dow Jones members at the start of 2024 and does not factor in the index changes made throughout the year.



Here's a look at the top five gainers for the full year, based on Dec. 27 closing prices:



<ol>
<li>Walmart (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WMT#NYSE">WMT</a>): +70.6%</li>



<li>American Express (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AXP#NYSE">AXP</a>): +60.7%</li>



<li>Goldman Sachs (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GS#NYSE">GS</a>): +49.4%</li>



<li>JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JPM#NYSE">JPM</a>): +41.8%</li>



<li>International Business Machines (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>): +36.2%</li>
</ol>



Here are the top five losers for the full year, based on Dec. 27 closing prices:



<ol>
<li>Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDSSQ:WBA): -63.2%</li>



<li>Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>): -59.6%</li>



<li>Boeing Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BA#NYSE">BA</a>): -30.7%</li>



<li>Nike Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NKE#NYSE">NKE</a>): -29.6%</li>



<li>Dow Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DOW#NYSE">DOW</a>) -27.0%</li>
</ol>



For comparison, 19 of the Dow Jones components stocks <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/01/36455419/5-biggest-winners-5-biggest-losers-from-dow-jones-industrial-average-in-2023">were up in 2023</a>, with 11 down for the full year.



A quick look at the losers list shows two stocks that are no longer part of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, thanks to several changes that took place in 2024 to the 30 core components.



Apple is the only stock to appear on the top gainers list for both 2023 and 2024, ranking fourth in 2023 and fifth in 2024.



Intel was the second-biggest gainer in 2023 before falling in 2024 and turning in the second-worst performance of the 30 stocks. Boeing also flipped from being a top performer, ranking fifth in 2023 to turning in a poor performance in 2024.



Walgreens was the worst-performing Dow Jones stock for the second straight year, but that will be a thing of the past heading into 2025.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/broad-u-s-equity-etfs/24/11/41724410/nvidia-joining-dow-jones-industrial-average-where-tech-giant-ranks-in-the-index-why-sh">Nvidia Joining Dow Jones Industrial Average: Where Tech Giant Ranks In The Index, Why Sherwin-Williams Addition Could Be More Important</a>



 What's Next in 2025: After several years of no changes to the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the well-known market index made multiple changes in 2024.



The index replaced underperforming Walgreens with Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) in February. The index also replaced Intel and Dow Inc with NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) and Sherwin-Williams (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SHW#NYSE">SHW</a>) respectively.



With the changes, the Dow Jones Industrial Average will now have four of the seven Magnificent 7 stocks heading into 2025 with Amazon, Nvidia, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) and Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) all included in the Dow.



The stocks that left the Dow Jones in 2024 were among the biggest losers in 2024 for the index, with Walgreens ranking worst for yearly performance, Intel ranking second worst and Dow ranking sixth worst at -27.0%.



The underperformance of several Dow Jones components kept the index down compared to other market barometers. The SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>), which tracks the Dow Jones Industrial Average, is up 14.0% year-to-date in 2024.



For comparison, the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>), which tracks the S&amp;P 500 Index, is up 23.8% year-to-date.



The Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MAGS#NASDAQ">MAGS</a>), which tracks the Magnificent 7 stocks, is up 68.5% year-to-date.



Having Amazon, Nvidia and Sherwin Williams as components to start 2024 would have made the index's returns look significantly different. While the three stocks that left the index were each down over 25% year-to-date in 2024, here are the year-to-date returns of the replacement stocks in 2024:



<ul>
<li>Amazon: +46.6%</li>



<li>Nvidia: +179.8%</li>



<li>Sherwin-Williams: +11.8%</li>
</ul>



The Dow Jones Industrial Average will look significantly different in 2025 than in previous years, and more changes could be ahead for stocks that have underperformed in the index.



Did You Know?



<ul>
<li>Congress Is Making Huge Investments. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/gov-trades/?utm_source=BZprocontent123024">Get Tips On What They Bought And Sold Ahead Of The 2024 Election With Our Easy-to-Use Tool</a></li>
</ul>



Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

ETFs

INTC

MAGS

Dow Jones 2024 Scoreboard: Top 5 Winners, Losers — And How Amazon, Nvidia Could Reshape 2025 (CORRECTED)

Former President Jimmy Carter died Sunday at the age of 100. While in office, Carter led the country through challenging times that included economic turmoil, the bailout of a legacy automaker and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/movers-shakers/24/12/42716329/jimmy-carter-the-39th-us-president-who-championed-human-rights-and-peace-in-the-middle-east-had-died">an energy crisis.&nbsp;&nbsp;</a>



Carter — elected 39th President of the United States in 1976 — leaves behind a legacy of diplomacy and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42716729/jimmy-carter-to-receive-state-funeral-trump-calls-him-truly-a-good-man-biden-mourns-loss-of-extraordinary-leader">humanitarian work</a>. During Carter's presidency, the nation weathered tough economic conditions including rising inflation and high interest rates which contributed to his defeat in 1980. 



Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42700819/investors-bet-on-milei-the-argentina-trade">Milei&#8217;s Economic Chainsaw Slashes Inflation As Argentine Stocks Explode 175%</a>&nbsp;



Inflation: According to <a href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2014/article/one-hundred-years-of-price-change-the-consumer-price-index-and-the-american-inflation-experience.htm">data from</a> the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Carter's administration saw the highest average year-over-year inflation rate of all U.S. presidents, at 9.9%. By the end of his presidency, inflation had surged to more than 13%.&nbsp;



Carter appointed Paul Volcker as chairman of the Federal Reserve Board in 1978 to combat the rising inflation. Volcker enacted a policy of dramatically increasing interest rates to slow economic activity and curb rising prices. This led to consumer loan interest rates as high as 18% by 1980, <a href="https://billofrightsinstitute.org/essays/jimmy-carter-and-the-malaise-speech">per the</a> Bill of Rights Institute.  



The combination of inflation and high interest rates led to "stagflation." It also pushed the economy into a recession as Carter ran for reelection in 1980. Ultimately, Carter lost the election to former President Ronald Regan.  



Chrysler: In 1980, Detroit automaker Chrysler was on the verge of bankruptcy as the country faced high unemployment and economic stagnation. To avoid job losses and further damage to the economy, Carter signed the Chrysler Corporation Loan Guarantee Act on Jan. 7, 1980, which provided $1.5 billion in loan guarantees, as <a href="https://www.npr.org/2008/11/12/96922222/examining-chryslers-1979-rescue">reported</a> by NPR.  



The Chrysler loan guarantee rescued the company from bankruptcy, stabilized the auto industry and saved thousands of jobs. This marked a shift toward more direct government involvement in the economy.  



The Carter administration faced criticism from opponents of the Chrysler bailout. And Chrysler eventually filed for bankruptcy in 2009. It was bought by Fiat later that year. 



Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. repaid $12.5 billion of Chrysler's government loans and was renamed Stellantis N.V. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STLA#NYSE">STLA</a>) which continues to operate today.



Energy Crisis: Carter also led the U.S. through a major energy crisis during his term in office. The Iranian Revolution in 1979 led to a significant drop in global oil production. Oil prices spiked from $13 per barrel in mid-1979 to $34 per barrel in mid-1980, <a href="https://www.energypolicy.columbia.edu/jimmy-carters-energy-policy-legacy/">according</a> to the Center for Global Energy Policy.  



Drivers waited in long lines at gas stations amid fuel shortages in the summer of 1979 and Carter responded with calls for energy conservation and alternative energy development.&nbsp;



"Our decision about energy will test the character of the American people and the ability of the president and the Congress to govern. This difficult effort will be the ‘moral equivalent of war' — except that we will be uniting our efforts to build and not destroy," Carter said in a speech on the energy crisis.&nbsp;



He encouraged energy conservation and efficiency and created the Department of Energy to centralize energy policy. Carter's focus on energy efficiency led to improvements in household appliances, with programs like the Appliance Standards Program, and his emphasis on renewable energy laid the groundwork for future developments in solar and other alternative energy sources. 



Carter even had 32 solar thermal panels installed on the White House roof to underscore the administration&#8217;s commitment to renewable energy and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.



When the panels were unveiled, Carter <a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/jimmy-carter-green-energy-visionary?utm_source=chatgpt.com">predicted</a> renewable energy would be critical to the future of the United States.



By 1986, under the Reagan administration, the solar panels were removed and funding for renewable energy initiatives were significantly reduced. 



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Image: Shutterstock.

Global

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Former President Jimmy Carter's Business Legacy Includes Chrysler Rescue, High Interest Rates, Energy Crisis

According to Rosenblatt analyst Barton Crockett, Netflix Inc&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) performance on Christmas Day <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/streaming" rel="noreferrer noopener">streaming</a> two NFL games bolstered the notion of more major sports migrating over time to streaming.



He found it positive for disruptive, sports-linked streamers, including Netflix and Amazon.Com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), and challenging for traditional TV networks.



The analyst flagged the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/24/12/42701434/netflixs-nfl-debut-brings-record-streams-but-lags-traditional-tv-report" rel="noreferrer noopener">drop in domestic ratings</a> year-on-year as expected.



Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42675098/netflix-takes-vmware-to-court-over-patent-infringement-claims" rel="noreferrer noopener">Broadcom and Netflix Clash Over Patent Disputes Ahead of 2025 Trial</a>



Netflix tapped Nielsen for average minute audience domestic ratings that were 24.1 million for the first game, Chief-Steelers, and 24.3 million for the Ravens-Texans match, a Ravens blowout win (that featured the Beyonce halftime show, which reached peak viewership of over 27 million.



By comparison, last year, the Christmas Day tripleheader on TV drew 29.6 million viewers on CBS, 29 million on Fox, and 27.1 million on ESPN and ABC.



So, the Netflix games did not repeat the Tyson and Paul boxing match spectacle, which drove much more viewership than anyone expected (Netflix reported 108 million globally for the boxing match).



Related Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/42492251" rel="noreferrer noopener">Netflix CEO Says Paul-Tyson Fight &#8216;Really Phenomenal,&#8217; Strong Demand For NFL Game Advertising</a>



The NFL game&#8217;s audience was consistent with expectations for a typical dip in streaming versus TV.



Crockett noted that Netflix&#8217;s international numbers will come out on December 31 as a meaningful step up.



The analyst found Netflix&#8217;s P&amp;L as constructive as it came close to covering the $75 million it paid in license fees for each game, plus other expenses (Beyonce reports speculating a $20 million cost) with ad sales.



Still, the economics look better for Netflix than TV, which licenses a full season of NFL games, looks to use the games to drive up retransmission and affiliate fees, and sees advertising covering only a portion of the license costs.



Price Actions: NFLX stock is down 0.30% at $904.82 at last check Monday.



Also Read:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42667652/nvidias-advanced-ai-tech-powers-olympian-motors-new-electric-vehicle-platform" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nvidia&#8217;s Advanced AI Tech Powers Olympian Motors&#8217; New Electric Vehicle Platform</a></li>
</ul>



Photo via Shutterstock.

Analyst Color

Equities

Sports

Analyst Ratings

NFLX

Netflix's NFL Push Signals Shift In Sports Streaming Landscape, Analyst Says

MicroStrategy Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>) extends its Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) acquisition strategy, announcing on Monday its latest purchase of 2,138 BTC for approximately $209 million to bring the company&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42665877/microstrategy-to-hold-special-shareholder-vote-to-support-the-42-billion-bitcoin-acquisition-strategy">total holdings to 446,400 BTC</a>.



What Happened: MicroStrategy&#8217;s Executive Chairman Michael Saylor <a href="https://x.com/saylor/status/1873716433919803868">announced</a> the acquisition on X, having purchased the Bitcoin at an average price of $97,837 per coin.



Saylor highlighted MicroStrategy&#8217;s performance, noting a &#8220;BTC Yield of 47.8% QTD and 74.1% YTD.&#8221; 



As of Dec. 29, MicroStrategy&#8217;s total Bitcoin holdings were acquired for about $27.9 billion at an average price of $62,428 per Bitcoin.



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42720351/ethereum-to-outperform-bitcoin-in-q1-2025-for-these-3-reasons-whale-trader-says">Ethereum To Outperform Bitcoin In Q1 2025 For These 3 Reasons, Whale Trader Says</a>



Why It Matters: This latest purchase marks the eighth consecutive week of Bitcoin acquisitions for MicroStrategy, although the volume of purchases has decreased compared to previous weeks. 



Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-12-30/microstrategy-buys-209-million-of-bitcoin-as-purchases-lessen?sref=TBDibEcD">highlighted</a> the decreasing volume, which possibly comes as a response to the recent price fluctuations that saw Bitcoin briefly surpass $100,000 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42656507/bitcoin-price-decisively-back-below-100000-what-is-going-on">before settling back down</a>.



MicroStrategy&#8217;s aggressive Bitcoin strategy has propelled the company to new heights, with its market capitalization exceeding $80 billion and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42503221/microstrategy-shares-surge-nearly-7-amid-nasdaq-100-inclusion-and-bitcoins-new-record-high">securing its place in the Nasdaq 100 Index</a>. 



The inclusion in this prestigious index is expected to boost the company&#8217;s visibility and attract significant inflows from major ETFs.



The company&#8217;s success has not been without controversy. 



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/42138209/microstrategy-trading-at-insane-256-premium-to-bitcoin-holdings-research-shows">Research by BitMEX</a> published on Nov.22 noted that MicroStrategy is trading at a 256% premium to the net asset value of its Bitcoin holdings. 



This extreme valuation disparity has led some analysts to question the sustainability of the company&#8217;s strategy and the rationality of investor behavior.



Despite these concerns, MicroStrategy remains committed to its Bitcoin-centric approach. 



The company <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/41818982/will-microstrategys-42-billion-bitcoin-bet-boost-mstr-stock-further">aims to raise $42 billion</a> over the next three years through stock sales and convertible debt offerings to fund further Bitcoin purchases, having already surpassed two-thirds of its equity goals in just two months.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42717267/2024s-cryptocurrency-champions-these-top-performers-surpass-bitcoin-in-a-year-of-unprecedented-gains">Bitcoin, Dogecoin Trail These 2024 Crypto Champions: Here Are The Top Performers Of The Year</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

MSTR

MicroStrategy Drops Another $209 Million On Bitcoin, Extends Buying Streak To 8 Weeks

Major U.S. stock markets are set to close Jan. 9 to honor the life and legacy of former President Jimmy Carter, who died at the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/movers-shakers/24/12/42716329/jimmy-carter-the-39th-us-president-who-championed-human-rights-and-peace-in-the-middle-east-had-died">age of 100 Sunday.</a>



What Happened: The New York Stock Exchange, which is owned by the Intercontinental Exchange (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ICE#NYSE">ICE</a>), confirmed Monday it <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/12/42717748/will-markets-be-closed-for-former-president-jimmy-carters-funeral-heres-what-investors-should-know">will close markets </a>on Jan. 9 as part of President Joe Biden's declaration of a National Day of Mourning for Carter.



Carter served as the 39th president of the United States from 1977 to 1981 and was the oldest living president until his death Sunday.



"Jimmy Carter, with humble roots as a farmer and family man, devoted his life to public service and defending our freedom," NYSE Group President Lynn Martin said.



Martin said the NYSE will honor Carter's "lifetime of service" to the nation with the market closing on the National Day of Mourning and to coincide with his state funeral on Jan. 9 in Washington, D.C.



The U.S. flag above the NYSE will fly at half-staff throughout the mourning period.



The Nasdaq (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NDAQ#NASDAQ">NDAQ</a>) will also close operations on Jan. 9 to honor Carter's life and legacy.



"We mourn the loss of President Carter and will be closing our U.S. markets during the National Day of Mourning to celebrate his life and honor his legacy," Nasdaq President Tal Cohen said.



Read Also<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/10/41130171/jimmy-carter-at-100-5-things-you-didnt-know-about-the-rock-roll-president">: Jimmy Carter At 100: 5 Things You Didn&#8217;t Know About The Rock &amp; Roll President</a>



Why It's Important: The announcements from the NYSE and Nasdaq follow an American tradition of closing the stock markets after presidents die.



Major stock markets previously closed on Dec. 5, 2018 to coincide with the National Day of Mourning for former President George H.W. Bush. The markets were also closed on Jan. 2, 2007 to honor the life of former President Gerald R. Ford.



The major stock markets close to honor the lives of former presidents and have also closed due to natural disasters and national emergencies in the past.



Markets closed on April 9, 1968 for the National Day of Mourning for Martin Luther King Jr., the only non-president to receive the stock market honor. Markets are now closed every MLK Day, which is celebrated on the third Monday of January.



With the Jan. 9 closure, the stock markets will be closed three days in January: New Year's Day (Jan. 1), the National Day of Mourning (Jan. 9) and MLK Day (Jan. 20).



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42716729/jimmy-carter-to-receive-state-funeral-trump-calls-him-truly-a-good-man-biden-mourns-loss-of-extraordinary-leader">Jimmy Carter To Receive State Funeral: Trump Calls Him &#8216;Truly A Good Man,&#8217; Biden Mourns Loss Of &#8216;Extraordinary Leader&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Photo via Shutterstock.

NDAQ

Markets Will Close For President Jimmy Carter's State Funeral: What You Need To Know

Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>) is cooling off after a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/PLTR/news">blistering 2024 run</a>. The stock dipped 4.22% on Friday, followed by a 1.8% slide in pre-market trading Monday, as investors cashed in gains amid broader market turmoil.



The question now: Does this pullback present a buying opportunity, or is it the start of a deeper correction?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tech&#8217;s Year-End Stumble</h2>



Palantir isn't alone in feeling the heat. The Nasdaq 100 sank 2.2% on Friday, dragged down by megacap names like Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) which was down 4.55%, Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) which dipped 2.89% and Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) which was down 2.44%. The broader S&amp;P 500 also retreated, reflecting a tech-heavy sell-off fueled by profit-taking, tax-loss harvesting and year-end portfolio rebalancing.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42717000/palantir-was-not-part-of-cool-kids-club-says-dan-ives-as-stock-surges-376-institutional-investors-were-stuck">Palantir Was Not Part Of &#8216;Cool Kids Club,&#8217; Says Dan Ives, As Stock Surges 376%: &#8216;Group Think&#8217; Mentality Of Institutional Investors Gave Retail The Edge</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">PLTR Stock's Pullback: Blip Or Bigger Trend?</h2>



Despite the recent dip, PLTR stock's technicals remain robust. The stock has soared 376.96% year-to-date, including a 205.56% gain over the past six months. Even with the recent hiccup, PLTR stock is up 19.11% over the past month.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent123024&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="630" height="493" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/30055556/Screenshot-2024-12-30-at-4.25.32-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-711199" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/30055556/Screenshot-2024-12-30-at-4.25.32-PM.png 630w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/30055556/Screenshot-2024-12-30-at-4.25.32-PM-300x235.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px" /></a></figure>



<a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent123024&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">Chart created using Benzinga Pro</a>



From a technical perspective:



<ul>
<li>Moving Averages: PLTR stock trades well above its eight-day ($78.52), 20-day ($74.94) and 50-day ($62.38) simple moving averages—clear bullish signals.</li>



<li>Relative Strength Index (RSI) and Moving Average Convergence/Divergence (MACD) indicator: With an RSI of 60.84 and a bullish MACD of 4.92, PLTR stock is not showing signs of overbought territory just yet.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What's Next For PLTR Stock?</h2>



The year-end sell-off feels more like a necessary breather than a red flag for Palantir.



For investors eyeing the long term, the dip might be a gift-wrapped opportunity. With Palantir maintaining strong momentum and bullish technical signals, this pullback could be a chance to get in before the next leg higher. Just keep an eye on macro factors like bond yields and institutional flows — they'll dictate whether &#8216;buy-the-dip&#8217; thesis holds water.



So, is it time to pounce? For believers in Palantir's story, the answer might just be yes.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42717777/nvidia-was-blue-chip-star-of-2024-but-trailblazers-in-the-small-cap-universe-charted-exhilarating-gains-here-are-the-chart-toppers">Nvidia Was Blue Chip Star Of 2024, But Trailblazers In the Small Cap Universe Charted Exhilarating Gains — Here Are The Chart Toppers</a></li>
</ul>



Photo by Spyro the Dragon on Shutterstock

Technicals

Palantir Stock Slips On Profit-Taking: Is It Time To Buy The Dip?

Beginning on Jan. 20, 2025, a network of powerful billionaires will exert unparalleled influence over the U.S. government, according to former Labor Secretary <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/robert-reich">Robert Reich</a>. He names venture capitalist <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/peter-thiel">Peter Thiel</a> as a central figure in what Reich describes as a &#8220;billionaire brain trust&#8221; poised to shape key aspects of policy and governance in President-elect <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&#8216;s second term.



Thiel, co-founder of Palantir Technologies, PayPal and an early Facebook investor, has cultivated relationships with influential figures now securely inside Trump's political orbit, noted the Clinton-era labor secretary in a <a href="https://robertreich.substack.com/p/what-are-they-really-seeking?utm_source=post-email-title&amp;publication_id=365422&amp;post_id=153507615&amp;utm_campaign=email-post-title&amp;isFreemail=true&amp;r=wlhj&amp;triedRedirect=true&amp;utm_medium=email">Sunday newsletter</a> on Substack. Among them is <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/jd-vance">J.D. Vance</a>, who worked at Thiel's investment fund, Mithril Capital, before <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/startups/24/08/40221033/peter-thiel-launched-j-d-vances-venture-capital-career-but-a-former-colleague-says-he-was-rarely-in">launching his own</a>. Thiel also <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/startups/24/11/41865349/future-vice-president-jd-vance-has-a-powerful-silicon-valley-backer">financed Vance's 2022 Senate campaign</a> and introduced him to Trump.



Then there&#8217;s Tesla CEO <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a> who once worked at PayPal alongside Thiel who, via his Founders Fund, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/11/35953853/elon-musks-neuralink-secures-43m-in-fresh-funding-led-by-peter-thiels-founders-fund-amid-controversi">invested heavily</a> in Musk&#8217;s ventures, including <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/spacex">SpaceX</a>, the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/the-boring-company">Boring Company</a> and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/neuralink">Neuralink</a>.



Musk, who is <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/12/42715951/trump-backs-immigration-visas-musk-praises-his-stance-and-says-rising-tide-lifts-all-boats">shaping up to be</a> one of the President-elect&#8217;s most important advisers, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/12/42378550/musk-kicked-in-more-than-a-quarter-billion-dollars-to-trump-and-gop">reportedly</a> donated up to a quarter of a billion dollars to Trump's 2024 election campaign. Along with billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy, Musk was tapped <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/11/41927289/trump-appoints-elon-musk-and-vivek-ramaswamy-to-lead-doge-targeting-bureaucracy-and-65-trillion-federal-spending-we-will-not-go-gently">to lead</a> the so-called <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/department-of-government-efficiency">Department of Government Efficiency </a>(DOGE).



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/24/12/42713690/musk-and-ramaswamy-back-foreign-tech-workers-sparking-rift-in-maga-trump-camp-twitter-firestorm">Musk And Ramaswamy Back Foreign Tech Workers, Sparking Rift In MAGA Trump Camp &amp; Twitter Firestorm</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Silicon Valley Execs In The White House</h2>



Thiel's influence extends to billionaire David Sacks, a fellow PayPal colleague who <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42356067/venture-capitalist-david-sacks-appointed-as-white-house-ai-crypto-czar-by-trump">Trump recently appointed</a> as the &#8220;White House A.I. &amp; Crypto Czar.&#8221; Two high-profile leaders at venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz were recently offered White House jobs — <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42639812/trump-taps-sriram-krishnan-as-senior-ai-advisor-to-work-closely-with-ai-and-crypto-czar-david-sacks">Sriram Krishnan</a> to head up the Office of Science and Technology Policy and Scott Kupor as director of the Office of Personnel Management.



Other Thiel Silicon Valley allies include Jim O'Neill, who Trump tapped to be the deputy director of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and Michael Kratsios to head the Antitrust Division at the Justice Dept., <a href="https://www.yahoo.com/news/trump-names-kratsios-parker-tech-013000420.html">reported</a> Yahoo! News on Dec. 22. Trump named former Uber executive Emil Michael as undersecretary for research and engineering, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/12/23/trump-taps-silicon-valley-execs-for-key-administration-roles.html">according</a> to CNBC.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What's The Ultimate Plan, If Any?</h2>



Reich suggests that Thiel and his associates appear to be seeking a rollback of reforms dating back to the New Deal era. In his essay, Reich draws parallels between today's billionaire influence and the Gilded Age of the 1920s — a period of extreme inequality that culminated in the Great Depression.



"If America learned anything from the first Gilded Age and the fascism that grew like a cancer in the 1930s,&#8221; Reich wrote, &#8220;it should have been that gross inequalities of income and wealth fuel gross inequalities of political power — as Musk, Thiel, Sachs, and other oligarchs are putting on full display — which in turn generate strongmen who destroy both democracy and freedom."



Now Read: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42714387/tech-titans-warm-up-to-donald-trump-who-says-everybody-wants-to-be-my-friend-claims-bill-gates-asked-to-come-to-mar-a-lago">Tech Titans Warm Up To Donald Trump, Who Says &#8216;Everybody Wants To Be My Friend,&#8217; Claims Bill Gates Asked To Come To Mar-a-Lago</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Elon Musk and Peter Thiel, Shutterstock

Elon Musk, Peter Thiel And Billionaires' Influence In Trump's White House: Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich's Warning

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) shares closed down by 4.95% on Friday and slipped another 1.35% in pre-market trading Monday, pausing what has been <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/TSLA/news">an electrifying 2024</a>. 



With year-to-date gains of 73.76% and a 105.69% surge over the past six months, is this dip a buying opportunity — or a warning sign for investors?



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tesla&#8217;s Q4 Delivery Buzz Meets Profit-Taking Blues</h2>



Tesla's recent stumble comes as the EV giant gears up to report its fourth-quarter delivery numbers. Wall Street <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/watch-these-tesla-price-levels-as-stock-hits-brakes-ahead-of-q4-deliveries-report-8767370">anticipates</a> 511,000 vehicles, up 10% from the prior quarter and 5% year-over-year. If these numbers hold, this Elon Musk-led company&#8217;s 2024 total deliveries could reach 1.8 million vehicles, narrowly missing 2023's figure of 1.81 million.



Adding to the mix, speculation about the Cybertruck's potential launch in China stirred excitement, only to be promptly squashed by Tesla China, which denied any plans for a Jan. 1 debut.



Meanwhile, macro headwinds loom. The Federal Reserve&#8217;s hawkish stance on interest rates could weigh on vehicle sales, as rising borrowing costs discourage financing—a critical factor for the auto sector.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42717968/teslas-referral-benefits-to-reduce-starting-2025">Tesla&#8217;s Referral Benefits In North America To Reduce Starting 2025: Here&#8217;s What You Should Know</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tesla Stock Chart: Mixed Messages For Traders</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent123024&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="630" height="493" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/30072328/Screenshot-2024-12-30-at-5.47.57-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-711302" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/30072328/Screenshot-2024-12-30-at-5.47.57-PM.png 630w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/30072328/Screenshot-2024-12-30-at-5.47.57-PM-300x235.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 630px) 100vw, 630px" /></a></figure>



<a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent123024&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chart created using Benzinga Pro</a>



Tesla's technical indicators present a fascinating puzzle:



<ul>
<li>Bearish near-term signals: TSLA stock trades below its eight-day simple moving average (SMA) ($444.49), a potential red flag.</li>



<li>Bullish longer-term signals: TSLA stock remains above its 20-day ($412.95), 50-day ($338.59) and 200-day ($236.36) SMAs, keeping optimism alive.</li>



<li>Momentum indicators: A robust moving average convergence/divergence (MACD) indicator of 31.46 and a relative strength index (RSI) of 58.59 suggest the stock isn't overbought—yet.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What's Next For TSLA Stock?</h2>



Tesla's trajectory depends on its fourth quarter delivery performance and investor appetite for high-growth names in a challenging macro environment. 



While the stock's recent pullback reflects profit-taking and cautious positioning, the longer-term bullish indicators hint at potential upside if deliveries beat expectations.



For now, the EV leader's stock faces a critical juncture. A stellar delivery report could recharge the rally, but elevated interest rates and bearish near-term technicals pose risks. Investors may want to buckle up for volatility ahead.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42719784/tesla-bull-urges-investors-to-do-their-own-research-ceos-are-paid-to-be-optimistic">Tesla Bull Urges Investors To Do Their Own Research: &#8216;&#8230;CEOs Are Paid To Be Optimistic&#8230;&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Photo via Shutterstock.

Tesla Stock Takes A Breather: Is The Rally Losing Charge?

Boeing Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BA#NYSE">BA</a>) is back in the spotlight after a Boeing 737-800 operated by South Korea&#8217;s JejuAir crashed at Muan International Airport on Sunday, tragically killing 179 of 181 passengers and raising fresh questions about the aerospace manufacturer's safety record.



What Happened: The crash comes amid Boeing&#8217;s ongoing challenges, including a 30% stock decline in 2024 and production restrictions imposed by federal regulators following January&#8217;s Alaska Airlines door plug incident on a 737 MAX aircraft, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/korea-plane-crash-boeing-51abcf86c1a4d01b94ad17b30f5fc774">reported</a> Associated Press on Sunday.



JejuAir&#8217;s shares plunged 7.67% to 7,570 ($5.14) South Korean won following the crash, while Boeing&#8217;s stock, already down 28.22% year-to-date, faces uncertain trading as markets process the incident&#8217;s implications.



Aviation consultant and former Delta Air Lines chief pilot Alan Price emphasized that the 737-800 involved in Sunday&#8217;s crash differs from the troubled MAX variant, calling it &#8220;a very proven airplane&#8221; with a strong safety record.



&#8220;We are in contact with Jeju Air regarding flight 2216 and stand ready to support them. We extend our deepest condolences to the families who lost loved ones, and our thoughts remain with the passengers and crew,&#8221; Boeing wrote on X on Sunday. 



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://t.co/TIrIUBw4RB">pic.twitter.com/TIrIUBw4RB</a>&mdash; The Boeing Company (@Boeing) <a href="https://twitter.com/Boeing/status/1873240531771285768?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 29, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/12/42710358/veteran-investor-bets-big-on-sp-500-hitting-7000-by-end-of-2025-these-sectors-could-lead-the-charge">Veteran Investor Bets Big On S&amp;P 500 Hitting 7,000 By End Of 2025: These Sectors Could Lead The Charge</a>



Why It Matters: The incident adds to Boeing&#8217;s recent setbacks, including a seven-week machinists strike that disrupted production of key aircraft models and January&#8217;s FAA manufacturing oversight restrictions. The company has struggled to rebuild its reputation following two fatal 737 MAX crashes in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people and led to $23 billion in losses.



Under new leadership since CEO David Calhoun&#8216;s departure in August, Boeing has initiated safety improvement discussions among 70,000 employees. The cause of Sunday&#8217;s crash remains under investigation by South Korean authorities.



Market analysts note that while distinct from previous 737 MAX issues, the crash could further impact investor confidence in Boeing as it competes with European rival Airbus for market share in the commercial aviation sector.



Price Action: Boeing Co.&#8217;s stock is trading down 4.15% at $173.50 during Robinhood&#8217;s overnight trading service. On Friday, the stock closed at $180.72, up 0.19% for the day, before edging higher by 0.10% in after-hours trading to $180.90. Year to date, Boeing&#8217;s stock has fallen significantly, down 28.22%, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.



Boeing has a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/BA/analyst-ratings">consensus price target</a> of $197.85 from 23 analysts, with a high of $260 and a low of $85. The latest ratings from JP Morgan, Wells Fargo, and RBC Capital average $158.33, implying a 12.47% downside.



Boeing&#8217;s 30-day average trading volume stands at 10.71 million shares, with a 52-week range of $137.03 to $264.66. The company has a market capitalization of $135.34 billion, and its 14-day Relative Strength Index is at 77.4, indicating overbought conditions.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/29201756/Screenshot-2024-12-30-at-6.46.58%E2%80%AFAM-1024x365.png" alt="" class="wp-image-710436" style="width:763px;height:auto"/></figure>



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/movers-shakers/24/12/42716329/jimmy-carter-the-39th-us-president-who-championed-human-rights-and-peace-in-the-middle-east-had-died">Jimmy Carter, Former U.S. President, Nobel Peace Prize Winner, Dies At 100</a></li>
</ul>



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

Boeing In Spotlight After Fatal 737-800 Crash In South Korea, Stock Declined 28% Amid Deepening 2024 Challenges

U.S. stock futures declined on Monday after ending <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42711387/wall-streets-santa-rally-at-risk-palantir-dethrones-nvidia-consumer-confidence-pulls-back-this-week-in-the-markets">lower </a>on Friday. All four index futures slipped in trade.



Although ‘Santa Rally' has not picked up pace despite rising over 1% on Christmas Eve, the S&amp;P 500 index is on its way to registering a robust 20% plus return for the second consecutive year in 2024.



The 10-year and two-year Treasury notes yielded 4.59% and 4.30%, respectively. The probability of having no change in the interest rates for the upcoming Jan. 31, 2025, FOMC meeting was at 88.8%, according <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">to</a> CME Group&#8217;s FedWatch tool.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table><tbody><tr><td>Futures</td><td>Change (+/-)</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>-0.18%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>-0.21%</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>-0.21%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-0.02%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



In premarket trading on Monday, the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) was down 0.23% to $593.66 and the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) fell 0.20% to $521.43, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.



Cues From The Last Session



U.S. stock markets experienced a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/12/42717902/dow-dips-over-300-points-but-records-weekly-gain-greed-index-remains-in-fear-zone">lower</a> close on Friday as major indices retreated following gains on a weekly basis. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined by over 300 points, while Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) and Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) suffered losses.



The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at 42,992.21, down approximately 0.77%, whereas, the S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq Composite also experienced declines, falling by 1.11% and 1.49%, respectively.



All sectors within the S&amp;P 500 ended the day in negative territory. Consumer discretionary, communication services, and information technology sectors recorded the most significant losses.



On the economic front, U.S. wholesale inventories decreased by 0.2% in November. The U.S. trade deficit in goods widened to $102.86 billion.



Despite Friday&#8217;s losses, major indices still recorded positive returns for the week. The Dow Jones gained approximately 0.4%, ending a three-week losing streak. The S&amp;P 500 added 0.7%, and the Nasdaq rose by about 0.8%.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table><tbody><tr><td>Index</td><td>Performance (+/-)</td><td>Value</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq Composite</td><td>-1.49%</td><td>19,722.03</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>-1.11%</td><td>5.970.84</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>-0.77%</td><td>42,992.21</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-1.56%</td><td>2,244.59</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Insights From Analysts



Chamath Palihapitiya, the billionaire investor, and former Facebook executive, explained in an X post that greater concentration in a few stocks increases the risks of investing.



He highlighted the inequality in the weight of the stocks within the S&amp;P 500 index and said, "If there is any market volatility, the lack of diversification could cause massive impairment."



Kevin Gordon, the director and senior investment strategist at Charles Schwab shared a graphic showing the top ten stocks in the S&amp;P 500 represent 40% of the index market capitalization.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">This needs to be fixed or it will end in disaster. Why? Average Americans buy S&amp;P 500 index ETFs, in part, because Buffett told them to. They were told they would pay very little and get diversification in the 500 best companies on earth to ride out storms. But as… <a href="https://t.co/YEYhjvrSg7">https://t.co/YEYhjvrSg7</a>&mdash; Chamath Palihapitiya (@chamath) <a href="https://twitter.com/chamath/status/1873144394100187263?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



As the ‘Magnificent Seven&#8217; stock led the market lower on Friday, Louis Navellier of Navellier &amp; Associates in his note said, "The Santa Claus rally is in serious doubt now." But he quipped that "It certainly appears to be a bit of profit-taking."



Reinstalling confidence among investors Navellier added that Friday's selloff should not be worrisome and the ‘B team' of traders were getting rid of their inventory before the weekend.



"Investors shouldn&#8217;t worry about the sell-off – it&#8217;s just what we call inventory cleaning. But there is a sell-off today, and if you did want to buy, it's not a bad time to nibble. Normally, we rally going into New Year&#8217;s, and we normally rally in the new year. So, if we don&#8217;t, it means we have to wait until the A team comes back, which will of course be after the New Year&#8217;s holiday," he added.



The 10-year Treasury yield hit 4.631% during Friday's session, which was its highest level since May 30, 2024. However, it is currently yielding 4.59% on Monday.



Talking about the spiking yields, Ed Yardeni, the president at Yardeni Research said in a note "The Bond Vigilantes are sending a loud warning message. They aren&#8217;t convinced Donald Trump, the new sheriff coming to town, will maintain fiscal law and order any better than the old sheriff. They are also losing their confidence in Jerome Powell, the deputy in charge of monetary law and order."



According to Navellier, "The bond vigilantes have been pushing the narrative that the Trump tariffs are going to be inflationary, but the reality is that a strong U.S. dollar causes the prices of commodities and imported goods to decline."



Yardeni, in his note, mentioned that a pullback in the markets may have already started. "We still think that the 10-year yield should trade around 4.50% plus/minus 25bps in 2025. But we can&#8217;t rule out a move back up to last year&#8217;s high of 5.00% early next year. That&#8217;s another reason why we expect a stock market pullback/correction that might have started already. The S&amp;P 500 peaked at a record 6090.27 on Dec. 6," he said.



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



Upcoming Economic Data



A few important data points will be released in this truncated week that will help investors determine the future course of action.



<ul>
<li>On Monday, Chicago Business Barometer (PMI) data for December will announced at 9:45 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>November's pending home sales data will be released at 10:00 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>On Tuesday, November's S&amp;P Case-Shiller home price index for 20 cities will be announced at 9:00 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>No data is slated to be released on Wednesday, Jan. 1, owning to a New Year's holiday.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>On Thursday, initial jobless claims till Dec. 28 will be announced at 8:30 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Construction spending data for November will be released at 10:00 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>On Friday, ISM manufacturing data for December will be announced at 10:00 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



Stocks In Focus:



<ul>
<li>CEL-SCI Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVM#NYSE">CVM</a>) was down 43.34% in premarket trade after it priced its $5 million public offering of 16.13 million common shares at 31 cents per share.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>CCSC Technology International (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CCTG#NASDAQ">CCTG</a>) was up 31.71% after its earnings on Friday. Its revenue surged by 22.9% year-over-year to $9.2 million for the third quarter.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Citius Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTXR#NASDAQ">CTXR</a>) was down 16.58% after reporting a net loss of $39.4 million, or $5.97 per share for the full year ended Sept. 30, versus a year-ago net loss of $32.5 million, or $5.57 per share.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Genius Group (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GNS#NYSE">GNS</a>) was up 15.81% in premarket after posting first-half revenue of $4.9 million, down from $11.8 million in the year-ago period. Its net assets surged 177% to $54.6 million from $19.7 million as of Dec. 31, 2023.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Intrusion Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTZ#NASDAQ">INTZ</a>) was up 125.93% in premarket after Dow Newswire reported Streeterville Capital has acquired a 9.8% stake in the company.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Amplitech Group Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMPG#NASDAQ">AMPG</a>) was up 24.17% as it raised $5.8 million in gross proceeds for the company before fees and expenses were deducted. It was a direct offer of 1,871,000 shares of common stock at $3.10 per share to institutional investors.</li>
</ul>



Commodities, Gold And Global Equity Markets:



Crude oil futures were lower in the early New York session by 0.18% to hover around $70.47 per barrel.



The gold spot index was down by 0.25% to $2,625.56 per ounce. The Dollar Index was down 0.05% to 107.947 level.



Asian markets were mostly lower on Monday as Hong Kong&#8217;s Hang Seng, Japan&#8217;s Nikkei 225, Australia&#8217;s ASX 200, and South Korea&#8217;s Kospi declined. Whereas, China&#8217;s CSI 300 ended higher. European markets were mixed.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42678368/sp-500-hits-57-all-time-highs-in-record-breaking-2024-magnificent-7-drive-30-of-nasdaqs-surge">S&amp;P 500 Hits 57 All-Time Highs In Record-Breaking 2024: Magnificent 7 Drive 30% Of Nasdaq&#8217;s Surge</a> </li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Market Summary

Futures

AMPG

CCTG

CTXR

INTZ

US Stock Futures Slip After Friday's Fall: 'Santa Rally' In Doubt? Analyst Calls It A Bit Of Profit-Taking

On Friday, December 27, U.S. markets closed lower, with Wall Street ending the week in a broad sell-off that broke the Dow&#8217;s recent winning streak. Rising Treasury yields and widespread profit-taking significantly impacted tech and growth stocks, including major players like Tesla and Nvidia. The sell-off also affected the top-performing S&amp;P 500 stocks of the year, disrupting the anticipated year-end rally. Analysts attributed the decline to portfolio rebalancing and growing concerns over tech valuations amid shifting market conditions.



In economic data, U.S. wholesale inventories fell 0.2% in November to $902 billion, reversing a 0.1% gain in October and missing expectations of a 0.2% rise. Meanwhile, the U.S. trade deficit in goods widened to $102.86 billion, exceeding forecasts of $100.7 billion.



All 11 major S&amp;P sectors declined, with 2024&#8217;s top-performing indexes—consumer discretionary, information technology, and communication services—leading the losses.



The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.77% and closed at 42,992.21, the S&amp;P 500 closed lower by 1.11% at 5,970.84, and the Nasdaq Composite fell 1.49% to finish at 19,722.03.



Asia Markets Today



<ul>
<li>On Monday, Japan&#8217;s Nikkei 225 declined 0.77% and ended the session at 39,968.00, led by losses in the Paper &amp; Pulp, Rubber, and Transportation Equipment sectors.</li>



<li>Australia&#8217;s S&amp;P/ASX 200 closed lower by 0.32% at 8,235.00, led by losses in the A-REITs, Utilities and Financials sectors.</li>



<li>India&#8217;s Nifty 50 declined 0.64% to 23,661.10, and Nifty 500 was down 0.42%, closing at 22,351.95, led by losses in the Metals, Capital Goods, and Real Estate sectors.</li>



<li>China&#8217;s Shanghai Composite rose 0.21% to close at 3,407.33, while the Shenzhen CSI 300 gained 0.45%, finishing the day at 3,999.05.</li>



<li>Hong Kong Hang Seng closed the session lower by 0.24% at 20,041.42.</li>
</ul>



Eurozone at 06:00 AM ET



<ul>
<li>The European STOXX 50 was down 0.01%.</li>



<li>Germany&#8217;s DAX rose 0.01%.</li>



<li>France&#8217;s CAC gained 0.11%.</li>



<li>U.K.&#8217;s FTSE 100 traded lower by 0.20%.</li>
</ul>



Commodities at 06:00 AM ET



<ul>
<li>Crude Oil WTI was trading lower by 0.20% at $70.46/bbl, and Brent was down 0.26% at $73.60/bbl.</li>



<li>Oil prices remained steady in thin holiday trading as markets awaited U.S. and Chinese economic data. Optimism for China&#8217;s growth and low global oil stockpiles supported demand outlook for 2025.</li>



<li>Natural Gas futures rose by 11.38% to $3.77. Ukraine has threatened to cease allowing Russian gas to flow across its territory from January 1 while at war. This could trigger retaliation from European Union territories that get gas supplies from Russia via pipeline.</li>



<li>Gold was trading lower by 0.23% at $2,625.04, Silver was down 0.02% to $29.062 and slid 0.11% to $4.1178.</li>
</ul>



U.S. Futures at 06:00 AM ET



Dow futures were down 0.16%, S&amp;P 500 futures declined 0.22%, and Nasdaq 100 futures slid 0.20%.



Forex at 06:00 AM ET



<ul>
<li>The U.S. Dollar Index was down 0.12% to 107.86, USD/JPY fell 0.07% to 157.71, and USD/AUD fell 0.35% to 1.6029.</li>



<li>The dollar held firm, supported by rising U.S. yields and expectations of prolonged high rates, while the yen hovered near five-month lows amid diverging central bank policies.</li>
</ul>



Photo via Shutterstock

Asia

Emerging Markets

Eurozone

Commodities

Forex

ADIV

AGOV

ASHR

BBEU

BOIL

CQQQ

EEMA

FLAX

IEMG

IEUR

KDIV

SPEM

USDU

Geopolitical Tensions Trigger Natural Gas Futures 11% Jump, Asia And Europe Markets Mixed - Global Markets Today While Us Slept

EV giant Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) said on Saturday that the company will reduce benefits as part of its referral program in North America starting next year.



What Happened: &#8220;Current Referral Program benefits are valid through Dec 31 as well (will be reduced starting Jan 1),&#8221; the company announced in a post on social media platform X. 



Tesla&#8217;s referral program aims to reward new and existing customers of the company. Existing customers can gain benefits by referring other first-time customers and new customers by making purchases with referrals. 



<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">To make things easier for those on the fence If taking delivery by Dec 31: &#x1f1fa;&#x1f1f8; – 3 months of free Supercharging + FSD Supervised – Current FSD Supervised owners can transfer to new vehicle (except non-Foundation <a href="https://twitter.com/cybertruck?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cybertruck</a>) &#x1f1e8;&#x1f1e6; – 0% APR available when purchasing FSD Supervised…&mdash; Tesla North America (@tesla_na) <a href="https://twitter.com/tesla_na/status/1873123516918448277?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Why It Matters: Late in November, Tesla <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/11/42207185/tesla-sweetens-referral-program-allowing-customers-to-earn-up-to-10000-as-elon-musks-ev-giant-races-to-500k-q4-delivery-target">updated its referral program</a> to include enhanced discounts and rewards. 



Customers could earn $1,000 for each successful referral, while the new buyer could receive&nbsp;up to $2,000 off a&nbsp;new Tesla. Additionally, those who&nbsp;take delivery before the end&nbsp;of 2024 will benefit from three&nbsp;months of free FSD (Supervised)&nbsp;and unlimited Supercharging, the company then said. 



However, these benefits are valid only through the end of this quarter and are possibly aimed at increasing the company&#8217;s deliveries this year as compared to 2023.



For the full year 2023, Tesla delivered 1,808,581 vehicles around the globe. To mark a growth over last year, the company has to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42571913/tesla-registrations-drop-by-nearly-41-in-november-in-eu-dragging-down-optimism-for-over-500000-ev-deliveries-in-q4">deliver at least 514,926 vehicles</a> in the three months through the end of December. Tesla has never delivered over 500,000 EVs in a quarter to date, making this an ambitious target.



Check out more of Benzinga's Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link.</a>



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/space/24/12/42717337/spacex-kicks-off-post-christmas-operations-with-double-launch-eyes-134-missions-in-2024" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">SpaceX Kicks Off Post-Christmas Operations With Double Launch, Eyes 134 Missions In 2024</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Tesla

Tesla's Referral Benefits In North America To Reduce Starting 2025: Here's What You Should Know

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