U.S. stock futures swung between gains and losses on Friday after ending on a mixed note on Thursday. Futures of major benchmark indices were mixed.



In the escalating feud between the two, President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46620784/trump-powell-clash-over-3-billion-federal-reserve-renovations-in-front-of-reporters">visited the Federal Reserve</a> and met Chairman Jerome Powell, having a public disagreement over the escalating price for renovation work at the Federal Reserve&#8217;s headquarters. 



This occurred just a few days ahead of the Fed&#8217;s decision on interest rates on July 30. Trump has been increasing pressure on Powell to decrease interest rates, while also backing away from his earlier talk of dismissing Powell before his term ends next May.



Meanwhile, the administration&#8217;s Aug. 1 deadline on tariff negotiations also falls on Thursday next week as investors look out for more trade deals.



The 10-year Treasury bond yielded 4.42% and the two-year bond was at 3.93%. The CME Group's FedWatch <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">tool&#8217;</a>s projections show markets pricing a 97.4% likelihood of the Federal Reserve keeping the current interest rates unchanged in its July meeting. 



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Futures</td><td>Change (+/-)</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>0.12%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>0.07%</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>-0.04%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>0.15%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which track the S&amp;P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, were higher in premarket on Friday. The SPY was up 0.13% at $635.26, while the QQQ advanced 0.048% to $565.28, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.



Cues From Last Session:



Energy and information technology stocks bucked the overall market trend on Thursday, closing the session higher, while most sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed on a negative note, with health care, materials, and consumer discretionary stocks recording the biggest losses. U.S. stocks settled mixed.



Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) reported better-than-expected second-quarter financial results and increased its investment in capital expenditures in 2025.



Conversely, Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) reported weaker-than-expected second-quarter financial results after the market closed Wednesday.



On the economic data front, the S&amp;P Global manufacturing PMI declined to 49.5 in July, down from market estimates of 52.6, while U.S. initial jobless claims declined by 4,000 from the previous week to 217,000 in the third week of July, compared to market estimates of 227,000.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Index</td><td>Performance (+/-)</td><td>Value</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq Composite</td><td>0.18%</td><td>21,057.96</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>0.07%</td><td>6,363.35</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>-0.70%</td><td>44,693.91</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-1.36%</td><td>2,252.13</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Insights From Analysts:



Analysis by Adam Turnquist, the chief technical strategist at LPL Financial, highlighted that the advance-decline line reached new highs before the S&amp;P 500, creating a bullish divergence that supported the case for a sustainable rally.



This followed a recovery from the April 8 low, showing broad participation, with most stocks rebounding sharply from oversold conditions, Turnquist explained.



A rising advance-decline line is indicative of positive market breadth as the number of advancing stocks is outpacing the number of declining stocks. The line is calculated by taking the difference between the number of advancing and declining stocks on the index for a given trading day and adding that difference to the prior day's value.



However, Turnquist noted that &#8220;over the past month, participation in the S&amp;P 500's push to new highs narrowed. For example, without the help from a handful of Magnificent Seven names, the S&amp;P 500 would only be up around 0.5% month-to-date, far below the index's 1.7% total return.&#8221;



This has resulted in the advance-decline line failing to set a new high earlier this month, creating a short-term divergence between price and breadth.



&#8220;Encouragingly, this gap is now closed as participation recently expanded beyond large-cap and/or tech stocks. Yesterday's (Wednesday&#8217;s) new high in the A/D line reinforces the health of the bull market, signaling a broader rally with receding concentration risk,&#8221; he added.



Louis Navellier of Navellier &amp; Associates explained that &#8220;we are truly in a special environment and an economic renaissance for the U.S.&#8221;



According to him, as Asia and much of Europe are in the midst of a demographic collapse, the U.S. is better positioned for household formation and better assimilates immigrants.



&#8220;Furthermore, the U.S. is food and energy independent, plus is benefiting from surging exports as well as onshoring. This is why the U.S. dollar suddenly got its &#8216;mojo&#8217; back, since it is obvious that the tariffs are going to help the U.S. to better manage its budget deficit,&#8221; he said.



He concluded by noting that &#8220;Hopefully, all the tariffs will be finalized on August 1st, the Fed signals that rate cuts will be forthcoming and virtually all economic uncertainty will end. As estimates for GDP growth steadily rise, I expect both business and consumer confidence will soar.&#8221;



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



Upcoming Economic Data



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



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>June durable-goods orders data will be announced by 8:30 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>



Stocks In Focus:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>) dropped 4.99% after reporting a loss for the second quarter, while sales topped estimates. CEO Lip-Bu Tan shared a memo with employees saying that the company will reduce its workforce to 75,000 employees by the end of the year through layoffs and attrition.</li>



<li>Phillips 66 (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PSX#NYSE">PSX</a>) was up 0.72% as analysts expect it to report earnings of $1.69 per share on revenue of $32.53 billion before the opening bell.</li>



<li>Centene Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CNC#NYSE">CNC</a>) rose 1.46% as it is expected to report earnings before the opening bell. Analysts estimate earnings of $1.26 per share on revenue of $44.48 billion.</li>



<li>Charter Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CHTR#NASDAQ">CHTR</a>) advanced 1.36% as analysts expect it to report earnings of $9.78 per share on revenue of $13.76 billion before the opening bell.</li>



<li>NextCure Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NXTC#NASDAQ">NXTC</a>) jumped 24.33% after the company presented new preclinical data for NC605, a potential treatment for brittle bone disease.</li>



<li>Garden Stage Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GSIW#NASDAQ">GSIW</a>) zoomed 33.94% after the company announced a $4.2 million registered direct offering of 38.4 million ordinary shares and pre-funded warrants at $0.11 per share.</li>



<li>Linkhome Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LHAI#NASDAQ">LHAI</a>) gained 54.42% after listing on July 24 as it upsized its initial public offering of $6 million. Consisting of 1,500,000 shares of common stock, the offering was priced at $4 per share. Before deducting underwriting discounts and offering expenses, the total gross proceeds resulted in $6 million.</li>



<li>Charles Schwab Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SCHW#NYSE">SCHW</a>) was 1.04% higher after authorizing a $20 billion stock repurchase program.</li>



<li>Paramount Global (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PARA#NASDAQ">PARA</a>) was up 3.09% after the Federal Communications Commission approved its merger with Skydance Media.</li>
</ul>



Commodities, Gold, And Global Equity Markets:



Crude oil futures were trading higher in the early New York session by 0.42% to hover around $66.31 per barrel.



Gold Spot US Dollar fell 0.73% to hover around $3,344.22 per ounce. Its last record high stood at $3,500.33 per ounce. The U.S. Dollar Index spot was higher by 0.33% at the 97.7020 level.



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



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Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Equities

CHTR

GOOG

GOOGL

GSIW

INTC

LHAI

NXTC

PARA

SCHW

TSLA

US Stocks Likely To Open On A Mixed Note: Intel, Philips 66, Centene, Charter Earnings In Focus

A booming underground repair industry in China is breathing new <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/04/44971572/nvidia-chip-ban-wont-stop-chinas-ai-momentum-say-analysts-blocking-h20-would-hand-market-to-huawei-amid-trump-era-export-crackdown">life into banned</a> Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) AI chips, raising alarms in Washington over enforcement gaps and national security risks.



What Happened: Despite a U.S. export ban on Nvidia's advanced H100 and A100 graphics processing units (GPUs), Chinese tech firms are repairing hundreds of the restricted chips each month, reported Reuters on Thursday.



Two repair companies in Shenzhen confirmed they service up to 500 Nvidia AI chips monthly, including H100s that were never legally sold in China, the report said.



"There is really significant repair demand," said a co-owner of one repair firm, who recently created a new company to handle the AI chip influx. Their facilities include server rooms replicating data center environments to test the repaired chips.



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/news/topics/25/07/46590373/elon-musk-richest-man-alive-is-asked-how-he-feels-about-being-labeled-evil-billionaire-its-not-like-ive-got-some-massive-cash-balance" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk, Richest Man Alive, Is Asked How He Feels About Being Labeled ‘Evil Billionaire' — ‘It's Not Like I've Got Some Massive Cash Balance'</a>



These GPUs, prized for AI training, are believed to have entered the country through large-scale smuggling, with evidence suggesting use by Chinese government and military entities.



The U.S. has banned sales of these chips to China since 2022 to curtail its AI and defense advancements.



Nvidia said only it and its authorized partners are allowed to service its hardware. "Using restricted products without approved hardware, software, and technical support is a nonstarter," a company spokesperson told the publication.



Why It Matters: Earlier in the day, it was reported that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46600247/nvidia-ai-chips-worth-1-billion-flood-chinas-black-market-after-trumps-export-curbs-its-like-a-seafood-market">over $1 billion worth</a> of Nvidia's advanced AI chips, including the sought-after B200, were reportedly smuggled into China despite U.S. export restrictions.



Last week, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang announced that the Donald Trump administration would <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46407517/nvidia-resumes-h20-shipments-to-china-as-jensen-huang-meets-trump-beijing-officials-fully-compliant-rtx-pro-aims-to-bridge-ai-cold-war">once again permit the sale</a> of the company's H20 chip, which is specifically designed for the Chinese market.



This development came shortly after <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46526759/nvidias-ceo-hits-beijing-like-a-rockstar-stirs-jensen-mania-in-china">Huang's widely publicized visit</a> to China, where he was welcomed like a rock star and received an enthusiastic reception.



Last month, Nvidia <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/06/45918580/nvidia-drops-china-from-guidance-after-2-5-billion-q1-revenue-hit-ceo-jensen-huang-says-hes-not-counting-on-us-lifting-export-controls-but-if-it-happens-it-will-be-a-great-bonus">revised its financial strategy</a> after U.S. export restrictions halted AI chip sales to China, leading to a $2.5 billion revenue loss in the first quarter of 2025.



At the time, Huang said the company will no longer include China in future revenue or profit forecasts, calling any potential sales there a &#8220;bonus.&#8221;



Price Action: Nvidia shares rose 1.73% on Thursday, closing at $173.74 during regular trading hours. However, in Friday's pre-market session, the stock was down 0.14% at the time of writing, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Benzinga's Edge Stock Rankings indicate that Nvidia continues to demonstrate strong upward momentum across short, medium and long-term timeframes. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound'">Additional performance insights can be found here</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound'"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/25050343/Screenshot-2025-07-25-at-2.31.21%E2%80%AFPM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-1000354"/></a></figure>



Read Next:&nbsp;



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<li><a href="https://benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/07/46567973/ethereum-treasury-company-trend-will-accelerate-says-bitwises-matt-hougan-heres-what-it-means-for-eths-price" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ethereum Treasury Company Trend ‘Will Accelerate', Says Bitwise's Matt Hougan—Here's What It Means For ETH's Price</a></li>
</ul>



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



Photo courtesy: gguy via Shutterstock

Tech

NVDA

Chinese Repair Shops Quietly Keep Smuggled Nvidia AI Chips Alive, Fixing Up To 500 Banned H100 GPUs Per Month As US Scrambles To Track Them: Report

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman defended Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NYSE">PLTR</a>) co-founder Peter Thiel as &#8220;one of the most brilliant people&#8221; he knows, pushing back against media characterizations following comments about human survival and recent surveillance allegations.



What Happened: Speaking during a Wednesday podcast interview with Theo Von at OpenAI&#8217;s San Francisco headquarters, Altman addressed Thiel&#8217;s polarizing public image, which intensified after a viral interview where Thiel hesitated when asked whether the human race should survive before discussing transhumanism and radical body transformation.



&#8220;I think Peter is one of the most brilliant people I&#8217;ve ever met,&#8221; Altman said when asked about Thiel&#8217;s perceived &#8220;dark lord&#8221; image. &#8220;I think he does get characterized in the media as this like evil mastermind&#8230; We&#8217;re very close friends&#8230; I don&#8217;t feel that energy from him at all.&#8221;



The defense comes as Thiel faces renewed scrutiny over Palantir&#8217;s reported role in Trump administration data collection. The New York Times recently reported that federal agencies are using Palantir&#8217;s Foundry platform to combine personal <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/06/45764231/palantir-says-it-doesnt-unlawfully-spy-on-americans-calls-report-alleging-use-by-trump-administration-for-surveillance-blatantly-untrue">data, including bank records and medical claims</a>, though Palantir called the report &#8220;blatantly untrue.&#8221;



Altman attributed Thiel&#8217;s controversial moments to unconventional thinking patterns. &#8220;He doesn&#8217;t have maybe the circuit in his brain that makes him immediately say yes and then say what he was going to say,&#8221; Altman explained, referencing Thiel&#8217;s hesitation about human survival. &#8220;His brain just works differently.&#8221;



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46625050/jensen-huang-saw-gpu-future-while-others-chased-cpus-trump-ai-czar-david-sacks-rejects-calls-to-break-up-nvidia-backs-build-baby-build-strategy">Jensen Huang Saw GPU Future While Others Chased CPUs — Trump AI Czar David Sacks Rejects Calls To Break Up Nvidia, Backs &#8216;Build Baby Build&#8217; Strategy</a>



Thiel&#8217;s human survival comments sparked debate when he discussed transhumanism, stating that traditional gender transitions were &#8220;pathetically little&#8221; compared to his vision of transforming &#8220;your heart and change your mind and change your whole body.&#8221; He advocated for radical body modification beyond current medical capabilities.



Why It Matters: Altman acknowledged broader AI surveillance concerns while defending his friend. &#8220;I am worried that the more AI in the world we have the more surveillance the world is going to want,&#8221; he said, noting governments may demand oversight tools to prevent AI misuse for weapons development.



Thirteen former Palantir employees signed a letter urging the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/06/45715850/trump-administration-silently-employs-palantir-to-gather-personal-data-of-each-american-raising-privacy-data-misuse-concerns-report">company to cut ties with the Trump administration</a>, citing concerns over potential data misuse. The Department of Government Efficiency, overseen by Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO Elon Musk, reportedly influenced Palantir&#8217;s vendor selection.



Researcher Mario Gabriele recently suggested that Thiel had a significant <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46339592/peter-thiel-red-pilled-elon-musk-mark-zuckerberg-and-silicon-valleys-elite-at-critical-turning-points-says-researcher-tracking-founders-funds-influence">impact on influential tech leaders</a>, including Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, by challenging their perspectives.



As per the Bloomberg Billionaires <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/profiles/peter-a-thiel/">Index</a>, Thiel's net worth stood at $23.5 billion. He is placed at No. 99 on the list and has seen his wealth increase by 46.2% so far this year.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Sam Altman &#x7C; This Past Weekend w/ Theo Von #599" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aYn8VKW6vXA?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



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<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://benzinga.com/news/topics/25/07/46590373/elon-musk-richest-man-alive-is-asked-how-he-feels-about-being-labeled-evil-billionaire-its-not-like-i" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Elon Musk, Richest Man Alive, Is Asked How He Feels About Being Labeled &#8216;Evil Billionaire&#8217; — &#8216;It&#8217;s Not Like I&#8217;ve Got Some Massive Cash Balance&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



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



Photo Courtesy: Mark Reinstein On Shutterstock.com

News

PLTR

Sam Altman Rejects Peter Thiel's 'Dark Lord' Image Amid Palantir Surveillance Report, Warns Against AI Misuse By Government

Samsung Electronics (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SSNLF#OTC">SSNLF</a>) is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/smartphones" rel="noreferrer noopener">actively negotiating with</a> OpenAI and Perplexity AI to bring a broader range of AI services to its next-generation Galaxy devices. The company aims to move beyond exclusive reliance on Alphabet (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google&#8217;s Gemini model.



According to Choi Won-Joon, president and COO of Samsung&#8217;s mobile division, the company plans to offer more AI-powered choices in its upcoming Galaxy S26 smartphone lineup, Bloomberg <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-07-25/samsung-pushes-for-diverse-ai-agents-in-galaxy-mobile-devices?srnd=phx-technology&amp;sref=TBDibEcD" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a> on Friday.



While Samsung&#8217;s current models, like many Android phones, rely heavily on Alphabet&#8217;s AI, the company now seeks to diversify its offerings.



Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46246152/iphone-sales-bounce-back-in-china-but-huawei-and-xiaomi-intensify-pressure" rel="noreferrer noopener">iPhone Sales Bounce Back In China, But Huawei And Xiaomi Intensify Pressure</a>



In a related development, Bloomberg News reported in June that Samsung is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46507918/perplexity-ai-targets-google-chromes-stronghold-with-smartphone-pre-install-strategy-report" rel="noreferrer noopener">nearing the finalization</a> of an investment deal with Perplexity AI. This agreement would see the startup&#8217;s AI assistant and application seamlessly integrated into future Samsung devices.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Competition Heats Up: Foldables and Chipsets in Focus</h2>



Choi also expressed support for increased competition in the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/technicals/25/07/46510551/apples-first-foldable-iphone-a-game-changer-or-just-catching-up" rel="noreferrer noopener">foldable phone market</a>, as Samsung anticipates Apple&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) long-awaited entry into the category.



Apple is widely expected to unveil its inaugural foldable iPhone next year, reportedly drawing inspiration from Samsung&#8217;s established Galaxy Z Fold design.



Concurrently, Samsung is evaluating its application processor strategy for the Galaxy S26, weighing the adoption of Qualcomm (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QCOM#NASDAQ">QCOM</a>) chips against its proprietary Exynos 2600.



This assessment follows Samsung&#8217;s recent decision to equip the newly launched Galaxy Z Flip 7 with its Exynos chipset, marking a notable first for its foldable line.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Chinese OEMs Embrace Google AI</h2>



Meanwhile, Chinese smartphone manufacturers are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44135586/chinese-smartphone-makers-leverage-google-ai-to-challenge-global-tech-giants" rel="noreferrer noopener">increasingly turning to</a> Google&#8217;s AI to stay competitive against global leaders like Apple and Samsung.



At MWC 2025 in Barcelona, prominent Chinese brands including Xiaomi (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XIACY#OTC">XIACY</a>), Honor, and Oppo showcased new AI-powered handsets featuring Google&#8217;s Gemini. The phones showcased tools like AI photo erasers and virtual assistants for tasks like bookings.



Nicole Peng, VP at Canalys, observed that Chinese brands&#8217; adoption of Google&#8217;s AI stems from its extensive capabilities and global reach, a strategy that aligns more closely with Samsung&#8217;s diversified approach rather than developing independent solutions. Peng emphasized that Google is poised to be a primary beneficiary of this growing trend.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Market Dynamics: Apple Leads, Samsung Holds Strong</h2>



In the first quarter, Apple commanded the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/04/44796659/apple-tops-global-smartphone-sales-with-19-share-boosted-by-iphone-16e-emerging-market-growth" rel="noreferrer noopener">global smartphone sales</a> landscape with a 19% market share, propelled by strong demand for the iPhone 16e and robust growth in key emerging markets like India and Japan. Samsung followed closely with an 18% share, bolstered by the performance of its S25 and A-series models.



Counterpoint Research reported a 3% overall market growth for the quarter, attributing the expansion to strong performance in China and other emerging regions, which offset declines in more developed markets. IDC recorded a 1.5% rise in global shipments, noting Apple&#8217;s strategic stockpiling of iPhones in the U.S. in anticipation of potential tariffs from the Trump administration.



Looking ahead, Counterpoint projects a market decline in 2025, largely due to demand suppression stemming from tariff-related uncertainty, particularly in the U.S. Following Apple and Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo secured the subsequent top positions in market share.



Read Next:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43197956/qualcomm-gains-2-billion-boost-from-samsung-s25-chipset-deal-analyst-highlights-growth-in-handsets-and-beyond" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Qualcomm Gains $2 Billion Boost From Samsung S25 Chipset Deal, Analyst Highlights Growth in Handsets and Beyond</a></li>
</ul>



Photo by Sybillla via Shutterstock

Media

AAPL

QCOM

SSNLF

XIACY

Samsung In Talks With OpenAI And Perplexity AI For Galaxy S26

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



U.S. stocks settled mixed on Thursday, with the Dow Jones index falling more than 300 points during the session.



Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) reported better-than-expected second-quarter financial results and increased its investment in capital expenditures in 2025. Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) reported weaker-than-expected second-quarter financial results after the market closed Wednesday.



On the economic data front, the S&amp;P Global manufacturing PMI declined to 49.5 in July, down from market estimates of 52.6. U.S. initial jobless claims declined by 4,000 from the previous week to 217,000 in the third week of July, compared to market estimates of 227,000.



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



The Dow Jones closed lower by 316 points to 44,693.91 on Thursday. The S&amp;P 500 gained 0.07% to 6,363.35, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.18% to 21,057.96 during Thursday's session.



Investors are awaiting earnings results from Charter Communications Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CHTR#NASDAQ">CHTR</a>), Centene Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CNC#NYSE">CNC</a>) and Phillips 66 (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PSX#NYSE">PSX</a>) today.



What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?



At a current reading of 75, the index remained in the &#8220;Extreme Greed&#8221; zone on Thursday, versus a prior reading of 76.6.



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



Read Next: 



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/short-ideas/25/07/46599936/top-2-tech-stocks-you-may-want-to-dump-this-quarter">Top 2 Tech Stocks You May Want To Dump This Quarter</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Pre-Market Outlook

Dow Dips Over 300 Points Amid Alphabet, Tesla Earnings: Investor Sentiment Declines, But Fear Index Remains In 'Extreme Greed' Zone

Intel Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>) reported financial results for the second quarter after the market close on Thursday. Here&#8217;s a rundown <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/07/b46616151/intel-reports-second-quarter-2025-financial-results">of the chipmaker&#8217;s report</a>.



Check out the current price of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/INTC">INTC stock here</a>.



Q2 Earnings: Intel reported second-quarter revenue of $12.86 billion, beating analyst&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/intc/earnings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimates</a>&nbsp;of $11.91 billion. The chipmaker reported a second-quarter adjusted loss of 10 cents per share, missing analyst estimates for earnings of one cent per share, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>. 



Total revenue growth in the second quarter was flat on a year-over-year basis. Here's a breakdown of revenue by category.&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Client Computing Group: $7.9 billion, down 3% year-over-year</li>



<li>Data Center and AI: $3.9 billion, up 4% year-over-year</li>



<li>All Other: $1.1 billion, up 20% year-over-year</li>



<li>Total Intel Products: $11.8 billion, down 1% year-over-year</li>



<li>Intel Foundry: $4.4 billion, up 3% year-over-year</li>
</ul>



Intel generated $2.1 billion in cash from operations during the quarter. The company ended the period with approximately $9.64 billion in cash and cash equivalents.



&#8220;Our operating performance demonstrates the initial progress we are making to improve our execution and drive greater efficiency. We are laser-focused on strengthening our core product portfolio and our AI roadmap to better serve customers,&#8221; said&nbsp;Lip-Bu Tan, CEO of Intel.



&#8220;We are also taking the actions needed to build a more financially disciplined foundry. It&#8217;s going to take time, but we see clear opportunities to enhance our competitive position, improve our profitability and create long-term shareholder value.&#8221;



Outlook:&nbsp;Intel expects third-quarter revenue to be in the range of $12.6 billion to $13.6 billion versus estimates of $12.63 billion. The company anticipates a third-quarter loss of 24 cents per share versus estimates for a loss of 18 cents per share.



Intel&#8217;s management team will further discuss details from the quarter on an earnings call with investors and analysts at 5 p.m. ET.



INTC Price Action: <a href="http://benzinga.com/quote/intc" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Intel shares</a> were up 2.34% in after-hours Thursday, trading at $23.16 at the time of publication, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Read Next:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46600247/nvidia-ai-chips-worth-1-billion-flood-chinas-black-market-after-trumps-export-curbs-its-like-a-seafood-market">Nvidia AI Chips Worth $1 Billion Flood China&#8217;s Black Market After Trump&#8217;s Export Curbs: &#8216;It&#8217;s Like A Seafood Market&#8217;</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46594910/lisa-su-says-ai-chip-demand-could-top-500-billion-in-just-a-few-years-says-us-must-rapidly-scale-manufacturing-to-keep-up-with-elon-musk-sam-altman">Lisa Su Says AI Chip Demand Could Top $500 Billion In Just A Few Years — Says US Must Rapidly Scale Manufacturing To Keep Up With Elon Musk, Sam Altman</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/g/Chetroni">Daniel Chetroni</a>/Shutterstock.com



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="&#x1f534; Intel Earnings Call Q2 2025 &#x7C; $INTC &#x7C; WATCH LIVE" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cR0vKKIb5QM?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>

Earnings

Guidance

After-Hours Center

Movers

Intel Q2 Earnings: Revenue Beat, EPS Miss, Chipmaker Sees 'Clear Opportunities' To Enhance Competitive Position

Newmont Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NEM#NYSE">NEM</a>) released its second-quarter results after Thursday's closing bell. Here's a look at the key figures <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/07/b46616467/newmont-reports-second-quarter-2025-results">from the quarter.&nbsp;</a>



Check out the current price of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/NEM">NEM stock here.</a>



The Details:&nbsp;Newmont reported quarterly earnings of&nbsp;$1.43&nbsp;per share, which beat the<a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?gspk=YWRhbWVja2VydDUzMzY&amp;gsxid=zBMR4PKmcgBw"> analyst estimate</a> of&nbsp;$1.12. Quarterly revenue came in at&nbsp;$5.31 billion, which beat the analyst consensus estimate of&nbsp;$4.93 billion&nbsp;and is up from&nbsp;$4.4 billion in the prior year&#8217;s quarter.



Read Next:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46505139/quantum-stock-tracker-rigetti-achieves-major-breakthrough-but-jim-cramer-names-another-stock-to-own?utm_source=articleShare">Quantum Stock Tracker: Rigetti Achieves Major Breakthrough, But Jim Cramer Names Another Stock To &#8216;Own&#8217;</a>



Attributable gold production decreased 4% to 1,478,000 ounces from the prior quarter as expected. 



Average realized gold price&nbsp;was $3,320 per ounce, an increase of $376 per ounce over the prior quarter. 



Average realized gold price includes $3,301 per ounce of gross price received, a favorable impact of $25 per ounce mark-to-market on provisionally priced sales and reductions of $6 per ounce for treatment and refining charges.



&#8220;Newmont delivered a strong second quarter, producing approximately 1.5 million attributable gold ounces and generating an all-time record quarterly free cash flow of $1.7 billion, underscoring the strength of our world-class portfolio and the disciplined execution of the commitments we shared at the beginning of the year,&#8221; said Tom Palmer, Newmont&#8217;s CEO.



NEM Price Action: According to data from<a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?gspk=YWRhbWVja2VydDUzMzY&amp;gsxid=zBMR4PKmcgBw"> Benzinga Pro</a>, Newmont stock was up 2.50% at $63.05 in Thursday's extended trading.&nbsp;



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/space/25/07/46534529/space-stock-tracker-virgin-galactic-makes-a-comeback-while-rocket-lab-takes-a-breather?utm_source=articleShare">Space Stock Tracker: Virgin Galactic Makes A Comeback While Rocket Lab Takes A Breather</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Commodities

Trading Ideas

World's Largest Gold Miner Newmont Reports Q2 Results Above Estimates: Details

Can Tesla Inc&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) audacious bet on autonomy and AI outmaneuver mounting market headwinds? As analysts hold their ground <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46587882/tesla-q2-earnings-highlights-revenue-and-earnings-fall-short-new-models-still-set-for-2025-2026">despite disappointing earnings</a>, the electric vehicle giant faces a pivotal moment that could redefine its future trajectory.



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>TSLA stock is moving fast. Check the latest price <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/TSLA">here</a>.</li>
</ul>



The Tesla Analysts: 



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Needham analyst Chris Pierce reiterated a Hold rating on Tesla with no price target.</li>



<li>Wedbush analyst Dan Ives maintained an Outperform rating with a $500 price target.</li>



<li>Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Andres Sheppard maintained an Overweight rating with a $355 price target.</li>
</ul>



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46594381/elon-musk-says-tesla-could-face-a-few-rough-quarters-as-ev-incentives-expire-and-trump-tariff-pressures-mount">Elon Musk Says Tesla Could Face &#8216;A Few Rough Quarters&#8217; As EV Incentives Expire And Trump Tariff Pressures Mount</a>



Needham on TSLA: Near-term headwinds could outweigh the long-term outlook for Tesla, Pierce said in a new investor note.



"Rideshare as a catalyst looks promising, but it's early," Pierce said.



The analyst said the long-term outlook for autonomy, robotics and a new lower-cost vehicle are promising, but could be offset by headwinds and a high valuation.



Pierce says Tesla stock is still "expensive" and trades at a 25x multiple for 2030 adjusted EBITDA estimates discounted back to current levels.



"FSD adoption as a demand flywheel. Conversations with bullish investor remain focused on Full Self Driving software as a potential catalyst for long term unit growth, with greater consumer exposure to autonomous rideshare."



The analyst said volume production of a lower-cost vehicle set for the second half of 2025 remains a "critical milestone for the company" and could increase Tesla's total addressable market size and "capture demand from more cost-sensitive customers."



"Bullish robotaxi and humanoid robot estimates drive minimal upside."



Wedbush on TSLA: Tesla is making progress with its autonomous vehicles and artificial intelligence future, Ives said in a new investor note.



The analyst said Tesla is navigating through a difficult demand environment for electric vehicles.



"While the company will continue to manage the business strategically to maintain a strong balance sheet during this uncertain period, the company expects to see an acceleration of AI, software, and fleet-based profits over time which will bring higher-margin revenues to the business," Ives said.



Ives also highlights Tesla's confirmation that volume production for a lower-cost vehicle is coming in the second half of 2025.



"We believe [Tesla] will start to accelerate deliveries into the back-half of this year with the Model Y refresh and into 2026 laying the foundation for the autonomous future."



Ives says Musk is now "acting as Wartime CEO" at Tesla after previously spending time away at the White House.



"We believe that the upcoming quarters will be critical for TSLA on the autonomous front as Musk &amp; Co. aim to have autonomous ride hailing in half the U.S. population by the end of 2025."



The analyst reiterated a call that the autonomous opportunity for Tesla could be worth $1 trillion on its own.



"There are still headwinds, tariffs, and clear growth challenges for Tesla over the coming 3-6 months… but Musk now entering the picture as a wartime CEO to put TSLA on an aggressive AI-focused strategy represents the biggest and best possible news for Tesla investors."



Cantor on TSLA: The electric vehicle company remaining on track for volume production of several models was the key highlight in the report for Sheppard.



The analyst said a key question remains what vehicle demand looks like in the second half of 2025.



Sheppard said the key risks to Tesla short and long term include tariffs, competition from Chinese automakers, regulatory approval for FSD and Robotaxi, a slowdown in EV demand and the removal of the federal EV tax credit.



"We believe Tesla benefits from future upside from its Full Self-Driving software (plus upcoming Robotaxi segment), the introduction of lower-priced models, a global manufacturing footprint with economies-of-scale, and the industry's largest Charging Infrastructure," Sheppard said.



The analyst said Tesla is also likely to benefit from the acceleration of artificial intelligence.



TSLA Price Action: Tesla stock is down 8.8% to $303.19 on Thursday versus a 52-week trading range of $182.00 to $488.54. Tesla stock is down 20.1% year-to-date in 2025.



Read Next: 



<ul class="wp-block-list">
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</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Price Target

Reiteration

Analyst Ratings

Tesla Stock Faces 'Critical Milestone' Ahead: Here's What Analysts Are Flagging As Next Key Catalyst

American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAL#NASDAQ">AAL</a>) on Thursday reported <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/07/g46597076/american-airlines-reports-second-quarter-2025-financial-results" rel="noreferrer noopener">second-quarter 2025</a> earnings and revenue that surpassed Wall Street expectations, offering a strong performance despite persistent industry headwinds.



However, the company issued a cautious forecast for the third quarter and narrowed its full-year guidance, citing ongoing uncertainty in travel demand.



The airline reported an adjusted earnings per share of 95 cents, beating the consensus estimate of 77 cents. Revenue for the quarter rose slightly to $14.39 billion, edging past <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings">analyst expectations of $14.3 billion</a>.



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/travel/25/07/46521049/american-airlines-leverages-mastercard-analytics-for-new-era-of-customized-travel-rewards" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">American Airlines Leverages Mastercard Analytics For New Era Of Customized Travel Rewards</a>



On a GAAP basis, American posted net income of $599 million, or 91 cents per share, highlighting operational strength despite economic pressures and weather-related disruptions across its network.



American said the results were driven by strong international and premium cabin performance, growth in its loyalty program, and disciplined cost management.



Passenger unit revenue in Atlantic markets climbed 5% from the year-ago quarter, while co-branded credit card spending rose 6%. The company also saw a 7% increase in AAdvantage loyalty program enrollments.



The company generated $3.42 billion in operating cash flow through the first half of the year and reported $2.48 billion in free cash flow, helping bring its total available liquidity to $12 billion at the end of the quarter. Total debt stood at $38 billion, with net debt of $29 billion.



CEO Robert Isom said the airline is well-positioned to navigate current volatility due to its modernized fleet, loyalty initiatives, and a strengthened balance sheet.



American noted that disruptive weather events in key hubs impacted operations during the quarter, though the airline said it maintained reliability amid a 36% increase in such incidents.



The company recently introduced new loyalty features, including the ability to use miles for upgrades, and expanded premium offerings such as its Flagship Suite inflight experience and Flagship Lounge in Miami.



American Airlines reported modest growth in core operational metrics for the second quarter of 2025, with available seat miles (ASM) rising 3.2% year-over-year and revenue passenger miles (RPM) up 0.9%, signaling steady demand and strategic capacity increases.



However, the passenger load factor declined by 1.9 percentage points to 84.7%, indicating slightly lower aircraft occupancy amid expanded service levels.



The carrier saw some pricing pressure, as passenger yield dipped 1.5% to 19.96 cents, and passenger revenue per ASM fell 3.6% year-over-year. Despite the decline in unit revenue, American benefited from a 15.3% drop in average fuel prices, helping reduce overall operating cost per ASM (CASM) by 0.8%, with CASM ex-fuel and special items rising 3.4%.



The airline ended the quarter with 1,539 aircraft in its fleet and 138,100 full-time equivalent employees, slightly higher than the year-ago period.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Outlook</h2>



American Airlines expects a third-quarter 2025 adjusted loss per share between $0.10 and $0.60, below the consensus estimate of a $0.03 profit, citing current booking levels, demand trends, and fuel prices.



For the full year, it projects adjusted earnings between a $0.20 loss and $0.80 profit, with a midpoint of $0.30. The company says the upper end is achievable if domestic demand strengthens, while the lower end would only materialize if unexpected macroeconomic weakness emerges.



In the earnings conference call, American Airlines&#8217; CFO reportedly said that the airline anticipates receiving 50 new aircraft deliveries this year. Capacity is expected to increase by 5% during the peak July period. However, this growth is projected to slow to 2% in August and decrease by 1% in September. 



The CFO also stated that the worst is over and year-over-year revenue is expected to show sequential monthly improvements throughout the current quarter.



Price Action: At last check Thursday, AAL shares were trading lower by 9.63% at $11.46.



Read Next:



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46600510/honeywell-lifts-outlook-as-transformation-picks-up-speed" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Honeywell Lifts Outlook As Transformation Picks Up Speed</a></li>
</ul>

American Airlines CFO Declares Worst Is Over, But Cautious Outlook Sinks Stock

Nvidia Corp.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) advanced AI processors worth over $1 billion were reportedly smuggled to China after the U.S. government&#8217;s efforts to restrict chip exports.



What Happened: The shipments took place within three months of President Donald Trump&#8217;s tightened export controls. The B200, a chip widely used by U.S. tech giants for their AI systems, was the most sought-after chip in China&#8217;s&nbsp;black market for American semiconductors, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/6f806f6e-61c1-4b8d-9694-90d7328a7b54">report</a>&nbsp;by the Financial Times on Thursday.



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



Chinese distributors began selling the B200 to data center suppliers serving Chinese AI groups&nbsp;soon after the Trump administration&nbsp;restricted the sale of the H20, a less-powerful Nvidia chip designed to comply with the regulations under former President Joe Biden.



Distributors in China's Guangdong, Zhejiang, and Anhui provinces sold Nvidia's B200 chips along with other restricted processors like the H100 and H200. Total sales during this period are estimated to have exceeded $1 billion.



Although it&#8217;s legal to import and sell restricted Nvidia chips within China if the appropriate border tariffs are paid, entities that sell and ship them to China would be violating U.S. regulations.



On social media, groups are formed to connect hundreds of traders with data center suppliers, aligning supply with demand. One distributor told the publication, "It's like a seafood market&#8230;There's no shortage."



Nvidia has consistently maintained that there is &#8220;no&nbsp;evidence of any AI chip&nbsp;diversion&#8221;.&nbsp;The company also said it is unaware of any of its restricted products being sold to China.



SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/news/topics/25/07/46598941/tucker-carlsons-milton-interview-sparks-outrage-bill-ackman-backs-hindenburg-founder-against-former-nikola-ceo-calls-him-convicted-corporate-stock-market-fraudster" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tucker Carlson&#8217;s Milton Interview Sparks Outrage: Bill Ackman Backs Hindenburg Founder Against Former Nikola CEO, Calls Him &#8216;Convicted Corporate Stock Market Fraudster&#8217; &#8211; Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (</a>



Why It Matters: The smuggling of Nvidia&#8217;s AI chips to China comes amid the U.S. government&#8217;s efforts to curb semiconductor smuggling into China.



In early July, the U.S. government considered <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/25/07/46266218/us-plans-to-restrict-ai-chip-exports-to-malaysia-thailand-to-curb-diversion-to-china">imposing restrictions</a> on the export of AI chips, including those produced by Nvidia, to Malaysia and Thailand to prevent China from acquiring these components through intermediaries in these countries.



Despite these efforts, the smuggling of Nvidia&#8217;s chips to China continued, highlighting the challenges faced by the U.S. in controlling the flow of advanced technology to China.



Last week, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang revealed that the Trump administration would resume allowing the sale of the company's China-specific H20 chip.



The news also follows Huang&#8217;s recent <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46526759/nvidias-ceo-hits-beijing-like-a-rockstar-stirs-jensen-mania-in-china">high-profile visit to China</a>, where he was hailed as a rockstar and received a warm reception.



Huang&#8217;s visit was seen as a sign of Nvidia&#8217;s commitment to the Chinese market despite ongoing trade tensions between the U.S. and China.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="784" height="127" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/24083431/image-365.png" alt="" class="wp-image-998978" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/24083431/image-365.png 784w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/24083431/image-365-300x49.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/24083431/image-365-768x124.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 784px) 100vw, 784px" /></figure>



Benzinga&#8217;s Edge Rankings place Nvidia in the 85th percentile for momentum and the 99th percentile for growth, reflecting its strong performance in both areas. Check the detailed report&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>.&nbsp;



READ MORE:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46597603/as-elon-musk-mark-zuckerberg-and-sam-altman-chase-nvidia-ai-chips-jensen-huang-says-just-call-me-heres-how-allocation-really-works">As Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg And Sam Altman Chase Nvidia AI Chips, Jensen Huang Says &#8216;Just Call Me&#8217; — Here&#8217;s How Allocation Really Works</a></li>
</ul>



Image via Shutterstock



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

Nvidia AI Chips Worth $1 Billion Flood China's Black Market After Trump's Export Curbs: 'It's Like A Seafood Market'

Momentum is back in the stock market in a big way, and investors are digging into speculative assets like meme stocks and crypto with a fervor not seen since 2021.



However, while short squeezes and YOLO trading dominate social media, there are still numerous stocks flashing traditional bullish signals. These can pay off with much less risk of the kind of 40% drop OPEN saw earlier this week, after the stock&#8217;s meme hype fizzled.



Even better, you don't need to be a technical wizard to understand the bullish undertones on some of these stock charts. Today, we&#8217;re focusing on stocks with a Golden Cross, one of the most heavily used bullish trading signals.



It happens when a stock's 50-day moving average crosses above its 200-day moving average. Golden Crosses often form during a steady uptrend, often causing an additional upswing in stock price once the market identifies the signal.



Here are five stocks flashing the buy signal thanks to a Golden Cross.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">30-Minute Trading Advantage, Free for 2 Weeks</h2>



Benzinga Pro alerts have led to major gains, like 270% on BLPH and 147% on CRBP. Access this market-shaping news before anyone else with Benzinga Pro's free two-week trial. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;el=ResearchDaily&amp;he=%7B%7Bemail%7D%7D&amp;adt_ei=%7B%7Bemail%7D%7D&amp;utm_adType=SponsorAd&amp;utm_ad=RD072425">Click HERE to start now</a>.



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



Datadog (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DDOG#NASDAQ">DDOG</a>) is an SaaS data analysis darling from a previous bull market, but it's once again making noise following a 58% gain over the last three months. The company reported record revenue of $762 million in Q1 2025, representing year-over-year (YOY) growth of more than 24%. This impressive growth is why Datadog's Benzinga Edge Growth score is 96.01, the highest of any entry on our list today.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdO7qiO9gzrka_MELfjB5kRB2dI8Tcpqn3XavUO26VSE4nX5Q1afHotNADoDKKUjZ_1S5aoa43GRLOIs6enDVy5m0gsoVKGG9T1NLY3smnEJmlAHwRv_-Y0eWc03XoZny33aRPEkw?key=jUI_A-c8KWzLrFEjWj61Fg" alt=""/></figure>



DDOG is also our first entry on this list because its chart shows several promising signals. An uptrend that began in April has finally brought the stock price back over the 50-day and 200-day moving averages, a gain of more than 60% in just three months. While it might be tempting to take profits here, the appearance of a Golden Cross and the Relative Strength Index (RSI) retreating under 70 indicates that more upside could be on the horizon.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">NXP Semiconductors NV&nbsp;</h2>



Semiconductor stocks have led this market rally, driven by seemingly endless demand for AI capital expenditures. While NVDA and AMD dominate most chip headlines, NXP (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NXPI#NASDAQ">NXPI</a>) has been quietly demonstrating solid growth, consistently beating analyst expectations. The company reported earnings on Monday, and while revenue growth slowed YOY, EPS and revenue results both bested expectations. The Q3 revenue guidance of $3.15 billion prompted analysts at Cantor Fitzgerald and Needham &amp; Company to raise their price targets to $250, suggesting potential future upside of more than 10% from current levels.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXeLU-KJGOc50gtXxmO-FcedrtyZKpMV9DLgKnmQb_ujZ2Ty8YI_LNkxyWk7HTR5zNR_FC0-2FRQgvbfRfCdfwv989DUHIcuM0jHaqdsbBThhi0zQXa6zJx2dt0YKoXXCjc68qbqnQ?key=jUI_A-c8KWzLrFEjWj61Fg" alt=""/></figure>



NXPI shares have been steadily grinding upward since late April, but only recently have bullish patterns begun to emerge on the stock chart. The price didn't break above the 200-day MA until late May, and now a Golden Cross has triggered a significant volume spike of buyers. An upbeat earnings call can only add to the bullish energy, and the Benzinga Edge Growth score of 91.72 indicates higher prices are on the way for this stock.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Northrop Grumman Corp.&nbsp;</h2>



Defense conglomerate Northrop Grumman (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NOC#NYSE">NOC</a>) is riding fundamental and technical tailwinds as it seeks to break out of a tight range. The company reported earnings on Tuesday, July 22, and while it posted a slight miss on both EPS and revenue, the full-year guidance figures grabbed investors' attention, and the stock finished the day up over 9%. Compared to Lockheed Martin Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMT#NYSE">LMT</a>), which dropped more than 10% following earnings, Northrop appears to be in the driver's seat for large-cap defense contractors.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXe0sojbQ5wI0jCg7LbRoFdL1hE5P9MfCX9xdY6MMYSh8TNXFpUn7Ng-Txxp77oGcN9arwyMO4ulkYZtJ5Tee2ICC7bslwDivnCUtRDDGVVl7ipi6YASdnvmbojoNdJA2XZm3HfW2w?key=jUI_A-c8KWzLrFEjWj61Fg" alt=""/></figure>



NOC shares were already up 10% year-to-date (YTD) before this earnings release, but the path to this gain has been anything but straightforward. The stock gyrated around the 50- and 200-day MAs for most of May and June before finally breaking both levels at the start of July. The MACD confirmed this uptrend, and with a Golden Cross triggering a large post-earnings move, this stock could surge higher in the next few sessions. The Benzinga Edge Growth score of 88.60 also indicates more upside ahead.



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



The largest equipment rental supplier in the country, United Rentals (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/URI#NYSE">URI</a>), reports earnings after the market close on Wednesday, and is looking to build on last quarter's report that saw revenue growth of 6% YOY and strong margins of 45%. The adjusted EBITDA of $1.7 billion was also a record for United Rentals.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcbLQ471ULZ8IrYO90BXLRxJYFGH_M1cffWfsa7G2nBvvHmoLa37ALHJV1KYke3Vh9Na9g2HC_Rb_SoCT1F855_O3rMm_ahm8l9moA-NSSU5An2fVCXsdAur9R3caeIH1-HTb8l?key=jUI_A-c8KWzLrFEjWj61Fg" alt=""/></figure>



The chart is sending some conflicting information about the next move after earnings, but we continue to lean bullish based on recent trends. The stock formed a Golden Cross earlier this month, although this resulted in the RSI spiking over 70, and investors took profits following the post-tariff runup from April. But now that the RSI is comfortably back under 70 with the stock price still firmly above the 50-day and 200-day MAs, any upside earnings surprise will likely trigger another wave of bullish activity.



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



AMETEK (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AME#NYSE">AME</a>) is a large-cap industrial firm that's undergone more transformations than a Decepticon. The company planted its roots as a metal and machine shop in 1930 in the Philadelphia suburb of Berwyn and has since evolved into a conglomerate of 40 different industrial businesses, specializing in electronic parts and automated systems. AMETEK went shopping again this month, acquiring FARO Technologies in an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/m-a/25/07/46430120/faro-shareholders-approve-proposed-merger-with-ametek">all-cash deal worth $920 million</a> and adding it to the Ultra Precision Technologies Division. FARO focuses on 3D imaging and measurement, which has been a key area of focus for AMETEK following its acquisitions of Virtek and Creaform. The stock is down 1.5% YTD, but up over 14% in the last three months, and the daily chart shows a distinct area of interest.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXed_FQIocJHhZZlY5jPv95wo6J2oxo1vgBeFs825olCSPMuSg6grtXeEBiA7J-EyjB5SiamvNhqrGuRV48aMcH0Ivb7Ii4ReMnJwS5Z_SkNi_z1mM6qd6TNXp5uAbN_cNrNcXS4Hg?key=jUI_A-c8KWzLrFEjWj61Fg" alt=""/></figure>



AME shares quickly recovered from the Liberation Day tariff selloff, but have now been stuck in a tight range since early May. However, the consolidation could be coming to an end now that a Golden Cross has formed, and the RSI indicates an upswing would have plenty of room to run. The Benzinga Edge Growth score of 95.62 hints at more upside potential as well. AMETEK has a catalyst coming up when it reports Q2 2025 earnings on July 31 and will look to build on a Q1 release that saw EPS beat expectations but revenue fall slightly short of expectations.



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



Image: Shutterstock

Opinion

DDOG

NXPI

5 High-Momentum Stocks With A 'Golden Cross' Buy Signal

Honeywell International Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HON#NASDAQ">HON</a>) on Thursday reported <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/07/n46595843/honeywell-reports-second-quarter-results-updates-2025-guidance" rel="noreferrer noopener">second-quarter 2025 results</a> that beat Wall Street expectations and raised its full-year earnings and sales outlook as it continues a sweeping portfolio transformation.



The company posted adjusted earnings of $2.75 per share, topping <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings">analysts&#8217; estimates of $2.65</a>. Revenue for the quarter rose 8% year over year to $10.35 billion, beating expectations of $10.02 billion.



Net income on a GAAP basis was $2.45 per share, up 4% from the prior-year period.



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/reiteration/25/07/46400504/honeywell-set-to-soar-analyst-says-smart-price-hikes-solid-backlog-ma-could-drive-big-gains" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Honeywell Set To Soar? Analyst Says Smart Price Hikes, Solid Backlog, M&amp;A Could Drive Big Gains</a>



Operating income rose 7% and segment profit increased 8% to $2.4 billion, led by strength in Building Automation and Defense and Space. Operating margin contracted 30 basis points to 20.4% and segment margin contracted 10 basis points to 22.9%.



Operating cash flow was $1.3 billion, down 4% year over year, and free cash flow was $1.0 billion, down 9% year over year.



Segment results were mixed. Aerospace Technologies generated $4.31 billion in sales, up 6% organically, though segment margins declined 170 basis points due to cost inflation and recent acquisitions.



Building Automation posted $1.83 billion in sales with 8% organic growth and a 90 basis-point margin expansion.



Industrial Automation reported $2.38 billion in sales, flat on an organic basis, as gains in sensing and smart energy were offset by declines in warehouse automation and productivity solutions.



Energy and Sustainability Solutions recorded $1.84 billion in sales, up 6% organically, though segment margins contracted due to cost inflation and a customer settlement.



The quarter also marked continued execution on Honeywell&#8217;s portfolio restructuring. The company closed its $2.2 billion <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44109915/honeywell-acquires-sundyne-for-216-billion-expanding-energy-and-industrial-equipment-portfolio" rel="noreferrer noopener">acquisition</a> of Sundyne, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/large-cap/25/05/45561483/honeywell-deepens-renewable-fuels-push-with-2-4-billion-deal" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a> the £1.8 billion acquisition of Johnson Matthey&#8217;s Catalyst Technologies business, and completed the $1.3 billion sale of its personal protective equipment unit. It also <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asset-sales/25/07/46297523/honeywell-eyes-strategic-changes-ahead-of-2026-split" rel="noreferrer noopener">initiated</a> a strategic review of its Productivity Solutions and Services and Warehouse and Workflow Solutions segments.



In February, Honeywell <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43526541/honeywell-q4-earnings-revenue-and-eps-beat-pursues-planned-split-into-3-public-companies-by-2026" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a> it would separate its Automation and Aerospace businesses. The Solstice Advanced Materials spin-off remains on track for the fourth quarter of 2025, with the full restructuring expected to be completed in the second half of 2026.



&#8220;With the announcement of our review of strategic alternatives for our Productivity Solutions and Services and Warehouse and Workflow Solutions businesses, this month also marked the conclusion of the in-depth portfolio review that I initiated early in my tenure as CEO to simplify and optimize Honeywell&#8217;s businesses. As we prepare to separate into three industry-leading public companies, we are confident that our efforts to shape our portfolio have positioned Honeywell to deliver significant value for customers, employees, and shareholders,&#8221; commented Vimal Kapur, chairman and chief executive officer of Honeywell.



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



Honeywell raised its full-year 2025 adjusted earnings guidance to $10.45 to $10.65 per share, up from its prior forecast of $10.20 to $10.50, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/guidance">versus the consensus of $10.40</a>.



The company also increased its full-year sales outlook to $40.8 billion and $41.3 billion, up from $39.6 billion to $40.5 billion, versus a consensus of $40.27 billion.



Honeywell expects operating cash flow to be between $6.7 billion and $7.1 billion, and free cash flow between $5.4 billion and $5.8 billion. Excluding the Bombardier settlement, it forecasts 3% to 4% organic sales growth, slightly lower segment margins, and adjusted EPS growth of 1% to 3%.



For the third quarter, Honeywell expects adjusted earnings of $2.50 to $2.60 per share, compared with the analysts&#8217; estimate of $2.54. GAAP earnings are projected to range from $2.30 to $2.40 per share.



Sales are expected to be between $10 billion and $10.3 billion, versus the consensus of $10.02 billion. The updated forecast includes contributions from the Sundyne acquisition and the sale of its personal protective equipment business.



Price Action: At last check Thursday, HON shares were trading lower by 3.04% to $232 premarket.



Read Next:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46597398/elon-musks-starlink-powered-t-satellite-aims-to-end-dead-zones-but-expert-warns-this-will-bite-t-mobile-after-12-month-deal-ends" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk&#8217;s Starlink-Powered T-Satellite Aims To End Dead Zones — But Expert Warns: &#8216;This Will Bite T-Mobile&#8217; After 12-Month Deal Ends</a></li>
</ul>



Photo by Piotr Swat via Shutterstock

Honeywell Lifts Outlook As Transformation Picks Up Speed

U.S. stock futures were fluctuating on Thursday after rallying on Wednesday. Futures of major benchmark indices were mixed.



Alphabet Inc. drove gains as Google Search alone brought in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46593735/google-ceo-sundar-pichai-shrugs-off-headling-grabbing-exits-amid-talent-war-hype-we-are-doing-very-well">$54.19 billion in the second quarter</a>, and it raised its capital expenditure forecast for 2025 to around $85 billion, citing &#8220;strong and growing demand&#8221; for its cloud products and services.



Meanwhile, Tesla Inc. dropped after the CEO, Elon Musk, and CFO Vaibhav Taneja warned about the projected impacts from President Donald Trump&#8216;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46592460/tesla-stock-drops-after-hours-analysts-lament-lack-of-clear-metrics-balance-sheet-pressure-and-legal-risks-elon-musk-gave-ton-of-ammunition-to-lawyers-suing-him">tax and spending package </a>and the end of the EV tax credit.



Additionally, Trump said that U.S. trading partners will see tariff rates <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46593182/trump-signs-new-executive-orders-to-fast-track-ai-dominance-we-will-be-unstoppable-as-a-nation">ranging from 15% to 50%</a> at an AI summit hosted by the Hill &amp; Valley Forum and the &#8220;All-In&#8221; podcast. 



The 10-year Treasury bond yielded 4.40% and the two-year bond was at 3.89%. The CME Group's FedWatch <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">tool</a>&#8216;s projections show markets pricing a 97.4% likelihood of the Federal Reserve keeping the current interest rates unchanged in its July meeting. 



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Futures</td><td>Change (+/-)</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>-0.31%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>0.07%</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>0.34%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-0.32%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which track the S&amp;P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, were slightly higher in premarket on Thursday. The SPY was up 0.0016% at $634.22, while the QQQ advanced 0.19% to $564.89, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.



Cues From Last Session:



Healthcare, industrials, and energy stocks were among the biggest gainers on the S&amp;P 500 on Wednesday, while utilities and consumer staples bucked the trend and closed lower. Overall, U.S. stocks settled higher, with the S&amp;P 500 recording its 12th record close of the year.



President Trump announced agreements with the Philippines, Indonesia, and, most notably, Japan, while the Financial Times reported an imminent U.S.-EU trade deal, expected to mirror the Tokyo framework. The U.S.-Japan pact raised the baseline tariff on Japanese goods to 15% from 10%, avoiding the previously threatened 25% level.



In corporate news, Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TMO#NYSE">TMO</a>) reported better-than-expected second-quarter financial results on Wednesday.



AT&amp;T Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/T#NYSE">T</a>) also announced strong financial results for its fiscal second quarter of 2025, surpassing analyst expectations for both revenue and earnings.



On the economic data front, U.S. existing-home sales declined 2.7% from the previous month to an annual rate of 3.93 million units in June.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Index</td><td>Performance (+/-)</td><td>Value</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq Composite</td><td>0.61%</td><td>21,020.02</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>0.78%</td><td>6,358.91</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>1.14%</td><td>45,010.29</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>1.53%</td><td>2,283.13</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Insights From Analysts:



Despite a recent uptick in performance, the fundamentals do not support a favorable rating on U.S. small-cap equities, according to Scott Wren, Senior Global Market Strategist at Wells Fargo Investment Institute. Wren expressed a cautious stance, advising clients to temper expectations for the asset class for the remainder of 2025 and into 2026.



&#8220;We do not believe the fundamentals support a favorable rating on U.S. Small Cap Equities,&#8221; stated Wren, noting that many strategists have struggled to accurately time a resurgence in small-cap stocks relative to their large-cap counterparts over the past few years.



The Russell 2000 Index, a key measure of small-cap performance, has seen a noticeable improvement since the S&amp;P 500 Index hit its year-low on April 7. Since then, the R2K has slightly outperformed the S&amp;P 500, rallying 27.7% compared to the latter&#8217;s 27.2% rise as of July 23.



This recent neck-and-neck performance has drawn attention, particularly given the S&amp;P 500&#8217;s significant outperformance over the past two years. Over the past four years, the S&amp;P 500 is up nearly 55% while the R2K is largely flat.



Wren attributes the historical underperformance and recent improvement to a combination of &#8220;poor fundamentals (in recent years) and market risk tolerance (more recently).&#8221; He elaborated that smaller-cap equities typically possess weaker balance sheets and are more sensitive to interest rates, relying heavily on credit.



Wells Fargo Investment Institute has maintained a neutral weighting for U.S. Small Cap Equities for nearly a year. While investors have recently gravitated towards small caps amid a &#8220;risk-on&#8221; mood and expectations for multiple Federal Reserve interest rate cuts this year, Wren stated, &#8220;We, on the other hand, have stuck with our recommendation to lean toward quality large-cap equities and look for the Fed to cut interest rates only one time this year.&#8221;



As a result, Wells Fargo suggests investors consider trimming their exposure to U.S. Small Cap Equities, either holding those funds for future reinvestment at lower levels or reallocating them to favored sectors that have recently underperformed, such as Energy, Utilities, and Financials.



Meanwhile, Ryan Detrick of Carson Research highlighted that July 2025 was going to match an old record from 1950 to 1961 when the S&amp;P 500 index was up for 11 consecutive Julys. This July would mark the 11th consecutive year as well, starting from 2014.



<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">With a week to go, the S&amp;P 500 is up a very solid 2.5% in July. This would be the 11th consecutive year stocks were higher in July, tying the longest win streak ever. <a href="https://t.co/5WU1FviJBG">pic.twitter.com/5WU1FviJBG</a>&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1948117334314357165?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



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



Upcoming Economic Data



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



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>The initial jobless claims data for the week ended July 19 will be announced by 8:30 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>July&#8217;s S&amp;P flash U.S. services and manufacturing PMI will be out by 9:45 a.m., and June&#8217;s new home sales data will be released by 10:00 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>



Stocks In Focus:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) tumbled 6.09% in premarket on Thursday after reporting weaker-than-expected second-quarter financial results. Its revenue of $22.5 billion was down 12% year-over-year. It missed a Street consensus estimate of $22.8 billion. Its earnings per share were $0.40 in the quarter, missing the Street consensus estimate of $0.42 per share.</li>



<li>Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) rose 2.89% after reporting better-than-expected second-quarter financial results and increasing its investment in capital expenditures in 2025. Its second-quarter revenue of $96.43 billion beat analyst estimates of $93.72 billion. Its earnings of $2.31 per share beat estimates of $2.16 per share.</li>



<li>American Eagle Outfitters Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AEO#NYSE">AEO</a>) jumped 16.08% following the launch of a new advertising campaign featuring actress Sydney Sweeney.</li>



<li>Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>) was up 0.43% as analysts expect it to report earnings of 1 cent per share on revenue of $11.91 billion after the closing bell.</li>



<li>American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAL#NASDAQ">AAL</a>) was down 0.79% as it is expected to report earnings before the opening bell. Analysts estimate earnings of 77 cents per share on revenue of $14.30 billion.</li>



<li>Honeywell International Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HON#NASDAQ">HON</a>) advanced 1.12% as analysts expect it to report earnings of $2.65 per share on revenue of $10.02 billion before the opening bell.</li>



<li>Opendoor Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OPEN#NASDAQ">OPEN</a>) zoomed 8.73% continuing to be driven by retail investor hype and viral buzz across and notable backing from Eric Jackson, founder of EMJ Capital.</li>



<li>Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CMG#NYSE">CMG</a>) dropped 10.44% as its earnings per share exceeded expectations by $0.01, but its revenue fell short of estimates. The company also adjusted its 2025 same-store sales forecast to be flat, which led to the stock price decline.</li>



<li>T-Mobile US Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TMUS#NASDAQ">TMUS</a>) rose 5.16% after a robust second-quarter earnings and the launch of T-Satellite in partnership with Satrlink.</li>
</ul>



Commodities, Gold, And Global Equity Markets:



Crude oil futures were trading higher in the early New York session by 1.15% to hover around $66.00 per barrel.



Gold Spot US Dollar fell 0.59% to hover around $3,367.29 per ounce. Its last record high stood at $3,500.33 per ounce. The U.S. Dollar Index spot was higher by 0.14% at the 97.3490 level.



Asian markets ended on a mixed note on Thursday as Japan's Nikkei 225, South Korea's Kospi, Hong Kong's Hang Seng, and China&#8217;s CSI 300 indices advanced. However, India's S&amp;P BSE Sensex and Australia's ASX 200 indices fell. European markets were higher in early trade.



Read Next:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46594057/trumps-big-beautiful-bill-fuels-atts-5g-fiber-expansion-we-intend-to-invest-more-rapidly-in-next-generation-networks">Trump&#8217;s &#8216;Big, Beautiful Bill&#8217; Fuels AT&amp;T&#8217;s 5G, Fiber Expansion: &#8216;We Intend To Invest More Rapidly In Next Generation Networks&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

OPEN

TMUS

US Stocks Likely To Open On A Mixed Note After Tesla, Alphabet Earnings: Intel, American Airlines, Honeywell In Focus

Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) CEO Lisa Su has projected explosive growth in AI chip demand while warning that the U.S. must rapidly expand its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44770461/intel-on-slump-as-china-hits-us-made-chips-with-tariffs-amd-and-taiwan-semiconductor-rise-on-exemption-boost">manufacturing capacity</a> to stay ahead in the global AI arms race.



What Happened: Speaking at an AI policy summit hosted by the Hill &amp; Valley Forum and the "All-In" podcast on Wednesday, Su said AI chip demand could soar to more than $500 billion within a couple of years, driven by surging infrastructure needs from companies like Elon Musk's xAI and Sam Altman's OpenAI.



"We're imagining that just the accelerator market—so the chips for these AI large computing systems—will be like over $500 billion in a couple of years," Su said, citing the need for rapid scaling in both chip design and manufacturing.



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46290622/openai-sticks-with-nvidia-chatgpt-maker-says-no-plans-to-use-googles-ai-chips-at-scale" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">OpenAI Sticks With Nvidia: ChatGPT Maker Says No Plans To Use Google's AI Chips At Scale</a>



She stressed that meeting this demand would require scaling "the entire ecosystem," not just silicon production. "The U.S. is going to be a huge piece of it," she added, calling the Donald Trump administration's AI Action Plan "a really excellent blueprint" for supporting growth.



Su also predicted a "Cambrian explosion" of chip diversity, saying AI's spread across science, manufacturing, personal devices, and more will require various custom-designed chips beyond just GPUs.



"I am a believer in there will be diversity of chips," she said.



Why It's Important: On Wednesday, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46593182/trump-signs-new-executive-orders-to-fast-track-ai-dominance-we-will-be-unstoppable-as-a-nation">Trump unveiled a trio of executive orders</a> as part of his &#8220;AI Action Plan,&#8221; aiming to strengthen U.S. leadership in artificial intelligence.



The orders seek to fast-track data center permitting, launch an American AI Exports Program to promote U.S. AI technology globally, and ban the use of ideologically biased AI—such as systems promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)—in federal agencies.



Trump&#8217;s push to reshore manufacturing has prompted major companies to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/05/45600424/trumps-commerce-secretary-says-future-of-american-manufacturing-is-tradecraft-jobs-that-only-require-high-school-education-great-jobs-that-start-in-80000">revamp their strategies</a> and boost investments in the U.S.



Earlier this year, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) announced a $500 billion investment to expand domestic manufacturing, while Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) plans to produce AI servers worth up to $500 billion in the country.



Other tech giants, including Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) and IBM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) have also unveiled significant U.S. investment initiatives in response to the policy shift.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Winning the AI Race Part 3: Jensen Huang, Lisa Su, James Litinsky, Chase Lochmiller" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9WkGNe27r_Q?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



According to Benzinga&#8217;s Edge Stock Rankings, AMD continues to demonstrate strong upward momentum over the short, medium and long term. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound'">More detailed performance metrics are available here</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound'"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/24042506/Screenshot-2025-07-24-at-1.53.02%E2%80%AFPM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-998579"/></a></figure>



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



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AMZN

Lisa Su Says AI Chip Demand Could Top $500 Billion In Just A Few Years — Says US Must Rapidly Scale Manufacturing To Keep Up With Elon Musk, Sam Altman

Vice President JD Vance expressed the President Donald Trump administration&#8217;s determination to lead the global AI race and criticized the European and the former President Joe Biden administration&#8217;s approach to artificial intelligence.



What Happened: On Wednesday, in an interview with the All In Podcast, Vance highlighted the administration&#8217;s strategy to embrace AI and ensure American dominance in the field. He emphasized the need to shift away from the overregulation and fear of the future that characterized the Biden administration&#8217;s approach.



Vance pointed out that the Trump administration acknowledges the challenges of AI, such as consumer protection and data privacy, but also focuses on innovation. He criticized the European approach, which he described as being &#8220;so terrified about the problems with AI&#8221; that they fail to embrace its potential.



He also highlighted the administration&#8217;s focus on technology and development, predicting that this approach would lead to job creation, increased productivity, and a new food revolution.



Vance contrasted this with the Biden administration&#8217;s reliance on importing cheap labor, which he termed a &#8220;dead end.&#8221;



See Also: <a href="https://benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42312553/telegram-related-ton-crypto-secures-20-million-raise-from-pantera-capital-down-13-from-all-time-high" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Telegram-Related TON Crypto Secures $20 Million Raise From Pantera Capital, Down 13% From All-Time High</a>



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<iframe loading="lazy" title="Winning the AI Race Part 2: Vice President JD Vance" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/8qT2SAJI_HQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



Why It Matters: In February, the U.S. faced stiff competition in the AI race, particularly from China. China&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/startups/25/02/43423992/ai-could-be-as-deadly-as-nuclear-weapons-how-chinas-advances-change-the-game">AI advances have raised concerns</a> among U.S. security experts, with Beijing potentially reshaping the global AI landscape.



This month, the Trump administration&#8217;s plans to announce <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46412125/trumps-latest-move-on-ai-and-china-propels-chip-stocks">substantial AI investments</a> and lift certain chip export restrictions to China led to a surge in AI chip stocks like Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>), and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>)



Earlier this year, the U.S. and U.K. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43646841/us-and-uk-did-not-sign-ai-safety-pact-at-paris-summitvice-president-jd-vance-says-excessive-regulation-could-kill-the-industry">declined to sign a global AI safety</a> pledge at the Paris AI Action Summit, breaking from prior support. Vance called the agreement overly cautious and a threat to innovation, as 60 other nations, including China and India, endorsed the non-binding deal.



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



Photo Courtesy: Lev Radin on Shutterstock.com

JD Vance Slams Biden And Europe's Fear-Driven AI Policy, Vows US Will Lead Global Tech Race Under Trump With Innovation Over Regulation

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed further improvement in the overall market sentiment, while the index moved to the &#8220;Extreme Greed&#8221; zone on Wednesday.



U.S. stocks settled higher on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones index gaining more than 500 points during the session. The S&amp;P 500 also logged its 12th record close of the year.



President Donald Trump announced agreements with the Philippines, Indonesia and—most significantly—Japan, while the Financial Times reported that a U.S.-EU trade deal is imminent, expected to mirror the Tokyo framework.



The U.S.-Japan pact raises the baseline tariff on Japanese goods to 15% from 10%, sidestepping the previously threatened 25% level.



Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TMO#NYSE">TMO</a>) reported better-than-expected second-quarter financial results on Wednesday. AT&amp;T Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/T#NYSE">T</a>) announced strong financial results for its fiscal second quarter of 2025 on Wednesday, surpassing analyst expectations for both revenue and earnings.



On the economic data front, U.S. existing-home sales declined 2.7% from the previous month to an annual rate of 3.93 million units in June.



Most sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed on a positive note, with healthcare, industrials, and energy stocks recording the biggest gains on Wednesday. However, utilities and consumer staples stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session lower.



The Dow Jones closed higher by 508 points to 45,010.29 on Wednesday. The S&amp;P 500 gained 0.78% to 6,358.91, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.61% at 21,020.02 during Wednesday's session.



Investors are awaiting earnings results from Honeywell International Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HON#NASDAQ">HON</a>), American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAL#NASDAQ">AAL</a>) and Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>) today.



What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?



At a current reading of 76.3, the index moved to the &#8220;Extreme Greed&#8221; zone on Wednesday, versus a prior reading of 73.5.



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.



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Dow Surges 500 Points Amid Trump's Trade Deal Deluge: Investor Sentiment Improves, Fear Index Moves To 'Extreme Greed' Zone

Leading cryptocurrencies diverged from stocks on Wednesday as investors parsed tariff-related developments ahead of the Aug. 1 deadline.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><thead><tr><th>Cryptocurrency</th><th>Gains +/-</th><th>Price (Recorded at 10:25 p.m. ET)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td><td>-0.32%</td><td>$118,916.47</td></tr><tr><td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>-2.71%</td><td>$3,642.88</td></tr><tr><td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>-8.69%</td><td>$0.2436</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



What Happened: Overnight, Bitcoin's price rebounded from its intraday low of $117,391.39 to near $119,000. Trading activity dropped, with volumes down by more than 13% in the last 24 hours.&nbsp;



Ethereum followed a similar trajectory, rising from $3,532 to more than $3,600 overnight.



Cryptocurrency liquidations reached $735 million in the last 24 hours, with long-position traders facing the brunt of the losses. A rally to $121,000, however, could erase over $580 million in Bitcoin shorts.



Bitcoin's open interest fell 2.19% in the last 24 hours to $84.26 billion. Interestingly, over 50% of Binance traders with open BTC positions were betting on further declines, according to the Long/Short ratio. 



Top Gainers (24 Hours)



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><thead><tr><th>Cryptocurrency</th><th>Gains +/-</th><th>Price (Recorded at 10:25 p.m. ET)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Story (IP)</td><td>+6.21%</td><td>$5.34</td></tr><tr><td>KuCoin Token (KCS)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>+0.77%</td><td>$12.14</td></tr><tr><td>Conflux (CFX)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>+0.55%</td><td>$0.1701 </td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $3.95 trillion, following a modest jump of 0.78% from the previous day.



Stocks notched higher in Wednesday's trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 507.85 points, or 1.14%, ending at 45,010.29. The S&amp;P 500 lifted 0.78% to end at a new record close of 6,358.91. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite spiked 0.61% to end at 21,020.02.



Tariff-related developments were high on investors' radar. A report indicated that the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46581998/stellantis-shares-surge-on-u-s-eu-tariff-deal-prospects-whats-going-on">U.S. and the EU are nearing an agreement</a> on a new trade deal before the Aug. 1 deadline.&nbsp;



Earlier in the week, President Donald Trump <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46581558/trump-just-announced-a-trade-deal-with-japan-why-this-automotive-stock-is-rallying">finalized</a> a long-anticipated trade agreement with Japan.



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



Analyst Notes: On-chain analytics firm Santiment noted a significant drop in retail Bitcoin sentiment following its recent highs.



"The dust has settled from the July 14th $123,077 all-time high, and traders have shown signs of doubt," Santiment added. "If this trend continues, it could lead to another quick ATH."



<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">&#x1f92b; Bitcoin retail has been quiet, with few calls for higher price levels. The dust has settled from the July 14th $123,077 all-time high, and traders have shown signs of doubt. &#x1f517; If this trend continues, it could lead to another quick ath. Track it here: <a href="https://t.co/y6cJO1fAo9">https://t.co/y6cJO1fAo9</a> <a href="https://t.co/CIHE9E5XHO">pic.twitter.com/CIHE9E5XHO</a>&mdash; Santiment (@santimentfeed) <a href="https://twitter.com/santimentfeed/status/1948050309311598665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Investor and entrepreneur Ted Pillows said that Ethereum is yet to enter the "banana zone" and anticipated a sideways accumulation before it breaks above $4,100.



"Once that happens, you&#8217;ll see the most violent rally," Pillows projected.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24ETH&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$ETH</a> is yet to enter the banana zone. &#x1f680; Right now, it&#39;s going through a correction after pulling a 70% rally. I think there&#39;ll be some sideways accumulation before ETH breaks above $4,100. Once that happens, you&#39;ll see the most violent rally. <a href="https://t.co/6h01P1qGKz">pic.twitter.com/6h01P1qGKz</a>&mdash; Ted (@TedPillows) <a href="https://twitter.com/TedPillows/status/1948030945019506974?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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Photo Courtesy: PeopleImages.com &#8211; Yuri A on Shutterstock.com



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Cryptocurrency

$BTC

$DOGE

$ETH

Bitcoin Consolidates Amid Trump's Tariff Moves; Ethereum, Dogecoin Fall: Analyst Foresees 'Violent' ETH Rally Once It Breaks This Level

Japan&#8217;s Fair Trade Commission has taken its first administrative action against the credit card industry, targeting Visa Worldwide Pte Ltd., a subsidiary of&nbsp;Visa Inc.&#8216;s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/V#NYSE">V</a>) Singapore operations, over suspected monopolistic practices in the authorization system market.



What Happened: The FTC approved Visa Worldwide&#8217;s voluntary corrective action plan following a probe into allegations that the payment giant effectively forced credit card companies to use its proprietary credit authorization system, <a href="https://ajw-origin.potaufeu.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15922631">reported</a> The Asahi Shimbun. 



The company must report implementation progress to regulators for five years under the commitment procedure based on Japan&#8217;s Anti-Monopoly Law.



Visa, the world&#8217;s largest international credit card network, operates through regional subsidiaries including Singapore-based Visa Worldwide, which manages Asian operations. The company doesn&#8217;t issue cards directly but provides transaction infrastructure, collecting license fees from card issuers and payment processors.



The investigation centered on Visa&#8217;s November 2021 terms changes that rendered credit card companies managing merchant outlets ineligible for commission discounts in certain industries unless they adopted Visa&#8217;s authorization system. According to the FTC, nearly all companies using rival systems switched to Visa&#8217;s platform after the February 2018 announcement.



The authorization system generates approximately 10 billion yen ($68 million) annually in fees from these companies. When consumers make purchases, card companies use this system to verify spending limits and detect potential fraud with cardholders&#8217; issuing banks.



Visa did not immediately respond to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga</a>'s request for comment.



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/topics/25/07/46537910/palantir-veterans-set-to-launch-founders-films-with-pro-america-ai-powered-slate-9-11-rescue-story-in-pipeline-report" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Palantir Veterans Set To Launch Founders Films With Pro-America, AI-Powered Slate — 9/11 Rescue Story In Pipeline: Report</a>



Why It Matters: FTC officials concluded the updated terms constituted suspected violations of unfair trade practices by restricting free transactions and excluding rival authorization providers. The watchdog conducted onsite investigations of Visa&#8217;s Japanese subsidiary in July 2024.



This regulatory scrutiny comes as Visa faces mounting competitive <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/07/46321038/buckle-up-visa-stablecoins-process-800-billion-in-transactions-per-month-report-finds">pressure from stablecoins and digital payment alternatives</a>. Recent reports indicate stablecoins now process approximately $800 billion monthly in transactions, approaching Visa&#8217;s $1.1 trillion monthly volume. The U.S. Senate&#8217;s passage of the GENIUS Act establishing stablecoin frameworks could intensify competition for traditional card networks.



Japan&#8217;s credit card market represents significant volume, with approximately 116 trillion yen ($788 billion in payments processed in 2024, according to the Japan Consumer Credit Association.



Visa stock has gained over 13% year-to-date, outpacing Mastercard Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MA#NYSE">MA</a>) at 7.60%, though <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/large-cap/25/07/46365557/visa-vs-mastercard">both lag broader technology sector gains.</a> Compare Visa and Mastercard on price trend, growth, momentum, and quality with Benzinga&#8217;s Stock Edge Rankings.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full is-resized"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-3/#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="882" height="628" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/24000714/image-347.png" alt="" class="wp-image-998216" style="width:541px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/24000714/image-347.png 882w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/24000714/image-347-300x214.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/24000714/image-347-768x547.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 882px) 100vw, 882px" /></a></figure>



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Image Via Shutterstock

Visa Hit By Japan's First-Ever Antitrust Action Against Credit Card Industry

Leading analysts react to Tesla Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) second-quarter earnings call, flagging a range of concerns regarding the company and its current direction.



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



What Happened: On Wednesday, soon after the call, Gene Munster, a managing partner at Deepwater Asset Management, posted on X, noting that the stock was &#8220;down almost 4.3%, compared to flat at the start of the call.&#8221; Munster adds that &#8220;There was no single trigger for the sell-off. It was a steady decline throughout the call.&#8221;



Munster highlighted several red flags in the call, starting with the absence of &#8220;clear metrics about what to expect this quarter from Austin,&#8221; referring to the company&#8217;s robotaxis that were rolled out in the city.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/07/46592191/elon-musks-tesla-sits-on-284-million-bitcoin-windfall-in-q2-refuses-to-cash-out">Elon Musk&#8217;s Tesla Sits On $284 Million Bitcoin Windfall In Q2, Refuses to Cash Out</a>



He further expressed concerns that Tesla would need to &#8220;fund autonomy from the balance sheet until it reaches scale,&#8221; which he said &#8220;raise[s] questions about what profits will look like over the next year.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">TSLA call just ended. The stock is now down almost 4.3 %, compared to flat at the start of the call. There was no single trigger for the sell off. It was a steady decline throughout the call. Some factors that may have played a part: 1. No clear metrics about what to expect…&mdash; Gene Munster (@munster_gene) <a href="https://twitter.com/munster_gene/status/1948150998742032475?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Investor and podcaster Amit Kukreja posted on X, saying that the call confirmed that &#8220;the affordable model is a smaller model Y,&#8221; fueling concerns of cannibalization.



He also highlights CEO Elon Musk&#8217;s warnings of hiccups for the next four quarters, &#8220;before material unit economic changes from robotaxi.&#8221;



&#8220;If you're a bull, there is nothing that new, if you are a bear, you probably continue to be bearish," he says, calling Tesla &#8220;rangebound until meaningful earnings growth.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">so… what did everyone think about the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24TSLA&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$TSLA</a> call &#x1f976; &#8211; back to prices from last week, down 5% &#8211; elon confirmed the affordable model is a smaller model Y &#8211; optimus 1M/year target now is 2030 &#8211; said that next 4 quarters will have hiccups before material unit economic changes from… <a href="https://t.co/cnC0Sr2OH7">pic.twitter.com/cnC0Sr2OH7</a>&mdash; amit (@amitisinvesting) <a href="https://twitter.com/amitisinvesting/status/1948166112836726788?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



The Editor-in-Chief of Electrek, Fred Lambert, however, had a rather blunt critique of the call. &#8220;What a shit show of a $TSLA call,&#8221; he says, adding that he is &#8220;pretty sure&#8221; that there was &#8220;a lie per minute.&#8221;



He also warned that Musk gave &#8220;a ton of ammunition&#8221; to the lawyers and shareholders who are currently suing him for breach of fiduciary duty &#8220;in the xAI/Tesla case,&#8221; he says.



Lambert also says that the company&#8217;s much-touted autonomous taxi business &#8220;will not be a giant profit center,&#8221; and that scaling in this space would be expensive, with fierce competition.



<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">What a shit show of a <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24TSLA&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$TSLA</a> call. I&#39;m pretty sure there was a lie per minute. Elon also gave a ton of ammunition to the lawyers of the shareholders suing him for breach of fiduciary duty in the xAI/Tesla case. The next few quarters are going to be hard with or without Elon.…&mdash; Fred Lambert (@FredericLambert) <a href="https://twitter.com/FredericLambert/status/1948149231073526066?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Why It Matters: Tesla released its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46587882/tesla-q2-earnings-highlights-revenue-and-earnings-fall-short-new-models-still-set-for-2025-2026">second-quarter results</a> on Wednesday, reporting $22.5 billion in revenue, down 12% year-over-year, and missing consensus estimates at $22.8 billion. The company reported a profit of $0.40 per share, again missing Street estimates at $0.42. 



Price Action: The company&#8217;s shares were up 0.14% on Wednesday, trading at $332.56, but are down 4.44% after hours, following the earnings call.



<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="759" height="110" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/23222247/Screenshot-2025-07-24-at-11.21.42.png" alt="" class="wp-image-998147" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/23222247/Screenshot-2025-07-24-at-11.21.42.png 759w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/23222247/Screenshot-2025-07-24-at-11.21.42-300x43.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 759px) 100vw, 759px" /></a></figure>



According to Benzinga&#8217;s Edge Stock Rankings, Tesla shares score well on Growth, but lag on other fronts. They have a favorable price trend in the short, medium and long terms. Click <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">here</a> for deeper insights into the stock. 



Photo Courtesy: Josiah True on Shutterstock.com



Read More: 



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46572391/elon-musks-tesla-recorded-one-crash-every-6-69-million-miles-driven-ev-maker-says-ahead-of-q2-earnings">Elon Musk&#8217;s Tesla Recorded &#8216;One Crash&#8217; Every 6.69 Million Miles Driven, EV Maker Says Ahead Of Q2 Earnings</a></li>
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Tesla Stock Drops After-Hours, Analysts Lament Lack Of 'Clear Metrics,' Balance Sheet Pressure And Legal Risks: Elon Musk Gave 'Ton Of Ammunition' To Lawyers Suing Him

Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) reported financial results for the second quarter after the market close on Wednesday. Here&#8217;s a look at the key details <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/07/46569664/how-to-earn-500-a-month-from-alphabet-stock-ahead-of-q2-earnings">from the period</a>.



Q2 Earnings:&nbsp;Google parent Alphabet reported second-quarter revenue of $96.43 billion, beating analyst <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimates</a>&nbsp;of $93.72 billion. The company reported second-quarter earnings of $2.31 per share, beating estimates of $2.16 per share. 



Alphabet has now exceeded analyst expectations on the top and bottom lines in 10 straight quarters, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Alphabet&#8217;s earnings per share were up 22% year-over-year. Total revenue was up 14% year-over-year, driven by &#8220;robust momentum&#8221; across the business. Here&#8217;s a breakdown of revenue by category:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Google Search: $54.19 billion, up from $48.51 billion year-over-year</li>



<li>YouTube Advertising: $9.8 billion, up from $8.66 billion year-over-year</li>



<li>Google Cloud: $13.62 billion, up from $10.35 billion year-over-year</li>



<li>Google Advertising: $71.34 billion, up from $64.62 billion year-over-year</li>
</ul>



Alphabet ended the quarter with approximately $95.15 billion in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities. 



&#8220;We are leading at the frontier of AI and shipping at an incredible pace. AI is positively impacting every part of the business, driving strong momentum. Search delivered double-digit revenue growth, and our new features, like AI Overviews and AI Mode, are performing well,&#8221; said&nbsp;Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet.



&#8220;We continue to see strong performance in YouTube as well as subscription offerings. And Cloud had strong growth in revenues, backlog and profitability. Its annual revenue run-rate is now more than $50 billion.&#8221;



Alphabet increased its capital expenditures outlook for 2025 to approximately $85 billion due to &#8220;strong and growing demand&#8221; for cloud products and services. 



Company executives will further discuss the quarter on a call with investors and analysts at 4:30 p.m. ET.



GOOG Price Action: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/GOOG" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alphabet shares</a> were down 1.82% in after-hours, trading at $186.77 at the time of publication on Wednesday, according to <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/gxjhpowx7zks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Read Next:



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46563068/microsoft-raids-google-deepmind-to-supercharge-ai-copilot-even-as-redmond-cuts-9000-jobs-elsewhere-report">Microsoft Raids Google DeepMind To Supercharge AI Copilot, Even As Redmond Cuts 9,000 Jobs Elsewhere: Report</a></li>
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Photo: Shutterstock.

Alphabet Q2 Earnings: Revenue, EPS Beat Estimates, Google Parent Raises CapEx Outlook Due To 'Strong And Growing' Cloud Demand

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