Alphabet Option Alert: Mar 21 $200 Puts at the Ask: 1565 vs 3722 OI

Alphabet Option Alert: Mar 21 $200 Puts at the Ask: 1565 @ $15.85 vs 3722 OI; Ref=$184.9

Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG) 株価情報

Alphabet

Alphabet is a holding company that wholly owns internet giant Google. The California-based company derives slightly less than 90% of its revenue from Google services, the vast majority of which is advertising sales. Alongside online ads, Google services houses sales stemming from Google's subscription services (YouTube TV, YouTube Music among others), platforms (sales and in-app purchases on Play Store), and devices (Chromebooks, Pixel smartphones, and smart home products such as Chromecast). Google's cloud computing platform, or GCP, accounts for roughly 10% of Alphabet's revenue with the firm's investments in up-and-coming technologies such as self-driving cars (Waymo), health (Verily), and internet access (Google Fiber) making up the rest.

Alphabet Inc

Lockheed Martin Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMT#NYSE">LMT</a>) and 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>) owned Google Public Sector have announced on Thursday a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/03/n44521685/lockheed-martin-and-google-cloud-announce-collaboration-to-advance-generative-ai-for-national-secu" rel="noreferrer noopener">strategic partnership to integrate Google&#8217;s</a> advanced generative artificial intelligence (AI) into Lockheed Martin&#8217;s AI Factory ecosystem.
The initiative aims to enhance the development, deployment, and maintenance of AI-driven solutions for national security, aerospace, and scientific fields.
Lockheed Martin&#8217;s AI Factory, a proprietary artificial intelligence platform, integrates both open-source and in-house AI models to maintain security, dependability, and transparency.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44517020/ev-maker-mullen-automotive-to-further-cut-costs-and-slash-workforce" rel="noreferrer noopener">EV Maker Mullen Automotive To Further Cut Costs And Slash Workforce: Details</a>
By incorporating Google Cloud&#8217;s AI capabilities, the company aims to boost its AI infrastructure, reinforcing its existing technologies to enable secure and reliable AI implementation.
&#8220;Using Google Cloud&#8217;s AI technologies allows us to explore a wide range of powerful capabilities to deliver innovative, reliable solutions that stay ahead of the curve,&#8221; said&nbsp;John Clark, senior vice president, Lockheed Martin Technology &amp; Strategic Innovation.
This partnership will enable Lockheed Martin to integrate AI innovations into critical areas, including real-time intelligence processing, aerospace maintenance, and improved engineering design.
Additional applications involve strengthening supply chain security, enhancing secure software development, tailoring workforce training, and speeding up scientific discoveries.
&#8220;Our Google Cloud AI technologies will provide Lockheed Martin with a powerful toolset to address some of their most demanding issues faster than ever before,&#8221; said Jim Kelly, vice president Federal, Google Public Sector.
Lockheed Martin will incorporate Google Cloud&#8217;s Vertex AI platform into its AI ecosystem, enabling secure and scalable AI model training and deployment.
Price Action: LMT shares closed lower by 0.65% at $442.28 on Thursday.
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44512324/hyundais-126b-metaplant-opens-in-georgia-expanding-ev-production" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hyundai&#8217;s Metaplant Opens In Georgia, Expanding EV Production</a></li>
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GOOG

GOOGL

Lockheed Martin And Google Partner To Advance AI In Defense

Waymo's autonomous vehicles have amassed fines totaling $65,065 in San Francisco.
What Happened: The self-driving Jaguar I-Pace EVs have been penalized for traffic violations, including obstructing traffic, ignoring street cleaning rules, and parking in restricted zones, according to<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/03/13/waymo-robotaxis-parking-tickets/"> a</a> report by The Washington Post.
The report highlights that Waymo&#8217;s robotaxis received 589 parking tickets in San Francisco last year. Additionally, in Los Angeles, 75 tickets were issued, with $543 in fines still unpaid.
Sterling Haywood, a San Francisco parking control officer, shared his experience with The Washington Post, recounting an incident where he issued a $96 ticket to a Waymo vehicle parked during street cleaning hours. Despite honking twice, the vehicle did not move, prompting the officer to issue the citation.
See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/space/25/03/44509379/boeing-lockheeds-vulcan-rocket-aimed-to-rival-spacexs-falcon-9-cleared-for-us-security-missions"> Boeing-Lockheed&#8217;s Vulcan Rocket Aimed To Rival SpaceX&#8217;s Falcon 9 Cleared For US Security Missions</a>
Waymo, a leader in the American robotaxi sector, continues to refine its technology to better detect traffic obstructions and recognize parking spaces. The company aims to reduce parking citations by upgrading its vehicles, ensuring they only briefly stop in commercial loading zones when necessary.
Why It Matters: Waymo, a subsidiary of 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>), has been at the forefront of the autonomous vehicle industry.
The company has achieved a significant milestone with over<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/03/44349240/googles-waymo-leads-robotaxi-race-with-2-millon-paid-rides-zoox-challenges-tesla-for-second-spot-as-unsupervised-autonomy-becomes-table-stakes-says-gary-black"> 2 million paid robotaxi rides</a> across various U.S. cities. Waymo&#8217;s operations span San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix.
Further, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/44035209/waymo-offering-200000-robotaxi-rides-per-week-says-alphabet-ceo-sundar-pichai">Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai</a> revealed that Waymo is now offering over 200,000 paid trips weekly, marking a 20-fold increase in less than two years. This rapid growth underscores the increasing demand and acceptance of autonomous vehicle technology.
Check out more of Benzinga's Future Of Mobility coverage by<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility"> following this link.</a>
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44507598/elon-musk-warns-of-significant-impact-on-tesla-due-to-trumps-auto-tariffs-the-cost-impact-is-not-trivial">Elon Musk Warns Of &#8216;Significant&#8217; Impact On Tesla Due To Trump&#8217;s Auto Tariffs: &#8216;The Cost Impact Is Not Trivial&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Tech

Waymo's Robotaxis Rack Up 600 Parking Tickets, $65,000 In Fines In Just San Francisco In 2024

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO Elon Musk doubled down on his longtime <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43327837/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-dismises-lidar-again-says-if-humans-drive-without-shooting-lasers-from-their-eyes-so-can-autonomous-cars">skepticism of LiDAR technology</a> on Thursday following the videos of YouTubers testing his EV vehicles against a ‘Wile E. Coyote' fake wall challenge.
What Happened: Musk took to X, formerly Twitter, to repeat a key pillar of Tesla's self-driving vision: cameras and AI are all you need.
"People don't shoot lasers out of their eyes to drive," Musk wrote, sharing an old clip from Tesla's 2019 Autonomy Day. "Just try Tesla self-driving today, which just uses cameras and AI, and you will understand."
In the video, Musk called LiDAR a "fool's errand," saying, "Anyone relying on LiDAR is doomed. Doomed! Expensive sensors that are unnecessary… like having a whole bunch of expensive appendices."
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/03/44508019/tesla-and-other-us-robotics-giants-demand-federal-strategy-to-compete-with-chinas-138-billion-push-warn-america-will-lose-the-race-without-it">Tesla And Other US Robotics Giants Demand Federal Strategy To Compete With China&#8217;s $138 Billion Push — Warn America Will Lose The Race Without It</a>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">People don't shoot lasers out of their eyes to drive. Just try Tesla self-driving today, which just uses cameras and AI, and you will understand. <a href="https://t.co/uArUTLAhlF">https://t.co/uArUTLAhlF</a>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1905296913567506951?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 27, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Unlike <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/11/41676465/tesla-can-make-cybercab-for-the-same-money-it-takes-waymo-to-install-lidar-sensors-on-its-robotaxi-s">competitors such as</a> Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Waymo and General Motors Co.'s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>) Cruise, Tesla has famously avoided using LiDAR, opting instead for a vision-based system.
However, in a twist, a 2024 earnings report from LiDAR manufacturer Luminar revealed that Tesla had quietly become its biggest customer. The EV giant accounted for over 10% of Luminar's first-quarter revenue, totaling more than $2 million.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It's Important: Musk's latest statement on LiDAR came just weeks after a YouTube video by Mark Rober, known for his science and engineering experiments, surfaced.
The video tested Tesla's camera-only Autopilot/FSD system against a LiDAR-based setup powered by Luminar's technology.
The results indicated that the LiDAR system outperformed the camera-based approach, mainly due to its superior performance in fog and rain, where visibility is reduced.
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In response to Rober&#8217;s Tesla fake wall test, creator Kyle Paul shared his video aiming to explore whether the company's Full Self-Driving (FSD) system can detect a Wile E. Coyote-style road obstruction in real-world conditions.
In Paul's experiment, the Model Y running FSD version 12.5.4.2 performed no better than in Rober's test—requiring manual intervention to avoid crashing into the fake wall, which appeared less convincing to the human eye. However, Tesla saw a glimmer of success with the Cybertruck, running FSD version 13.2.8, which successfully detected the obstruction and slowed down, ultimately coming to complete stop.
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<iframe loading="lazy" title="Re: Can You Fool A Self Driving Car?" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9KyIWpAevNs?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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Meanwhile, China has also made significant progress in lidar innovation. According to Tokyo-based Patent Result, Chinese companies have filed over 25,000 lidar-related patent applications since 2000—far more than the 18,000 from American firms or the 13,000 from Japanese companies, <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Automobiles/China-extends-lead-in-lidar-tech-crucial-to-self-driving-cars">reported</a> Nikkei Asia in 2024.
Chinese firms like Hesai Technology and RoboSense now dominate the global lidar market. Hesai, which supplies companies like GM Cruise and Baidu Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>), held a 47% market share in 2022.
Last month, it was reported that Hesai Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HSAI#NASDAQ">HSAI</a>) enhanced <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/news/25/02/43629182/hesais-lidar-takes-bigger-role-byds-gods-eye-advanced-driver-assistance">collaboration with Chinese EV</a> giant BYD Co. Ltd. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BYDDY#OTC">BYDDY</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BYDDF#OTC">BYDDF</a>).
Under the agreement, Hesai will supply LiDAR sensors for over 10 of BYD's upcoming models, which are set for mass production in 2025.
Previously, it was reported that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43327837/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-dismises-lidar-again-says-if-humans-drive-without-shooting-lasers-from-their-eyes-so-can-autonomous-cars">Tesla&#8217;s sales in China dropped</a> to 30,688 units in February 2025, marking the lowest monthly figure since July 2022.
Price Action: Tesla shares rose 0.39% on Thursday, closing at $273.13, before dipping 0.12% to $272.80 in after-hours trading. Year-to-date, the stock has fallen 27.99%, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro data</a>.
Benzinga's Edge Rankings give Tesla (TSLA) a 68.11% growth rating. Want to see how it compares to other companies?<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/TSLA"> Click here for the full breakdown</a>.
Image via Shutterstock
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link.</a>
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/01/43373775/tim-cook-praises-chinas-deepseek-for-driving-efficiency-stresses-apples-prudent-and-deliberate-approach-toward-capital-expenditure" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tim Cook Praises China's DeepSeek For Driving Efficiency, Stresses Apple's ‘Prudent And Deliberate' Approach Toward Capital Expenditure</a></li>
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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.

BIDU

BYDDF

BYDDY

HSAI

TSLA

Elon Musk Says Tesla Doesn't Need Lidar Because 'People Don't Shoot Lasers Out Of Their Eyes' After YouTubers Put His Cars Through Wylie E. Coyote Tests

On Thursday, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman touted the latest version of GPT-4o's improved "freedom." However, digital rights advocates have previously argued that the real threat isn't political bias but growing AI-driven censorship.
What Happened: Altman took to X, formerly Twitter, and said that the new version of GPT-4o is "particularly good at coding, instruction following, and freedom."
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">new version of GPT-4o particularly good at coding, instruction following, and freedom.
&mdash; Sam Altman (@sama) <a href="https://twitter.com/sama/status/1905419197120680193?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Earlier this week, OpenAI upgraded GPT-4o, which debuted about a year ago, by introducing advanced image-generation capabilities. Along with this new capability, the AI startup also outlined its updated safety measures and policies for GPT-4o.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/03/44526379/tesla-and-other-us-robotics-giants-demand-federal-strategy-to-compete-with-chinas-138-billion-push-w">Tesla And Other US Robotics Giants Demand Federal Strategy To Compete With China&#8217;s $138 Billion Push — Warn America Will Lose The Race Without It</a>
&#8220;In line with our Model Spec, we aim to maximize creative freedom by supporting valuable use cases like game development, historical exploration, and education—while maintaining strong safety standards,&#8221; the company stated, &#8220;At the same time, it remains as important as ever to block requests that violate those standards.&#8221;
Why It's Important: Altman's statement came at a time when the debate around AI's political leanings and bias mitigation strategies continues to swirl, particularly following missteps by Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google Gemini and Adobe Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ADBE#NASDAQ">ADBE</a>) Firefly, which <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37763969/elon-musk-says-woke-ai-like-google-gemini-can-be-deadly-it-will-do-whatever-it-can-potentially-even">drew backlash last year</a> over "woke" image outputs.
However, some experts say the bigger issue isn't about whether AI is biased—it's about whether AI is suppressing speech altogether.
A 2023 report from Freedom House, titled "The Repressive Power of Artificial Intelligence," warned that AI is enabling governments and companies to scale censorship, surveillance, and disinformation faster and more cheaply than ever.
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A 2024 report by The Conversation said, "We found that the use policies of major chatbots don't meet United Nations free speech standards," adding, "These vague and expansive rules give companies too much discretion to silence controversial or politically sensitive topics."
For instance, Google's Gemini bans content that "promotes or encourages hatred," a guideline critics say is overly broad and potentially suppressive.
As generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Anthropic's Claude gain widespread influence, their usage policies shape public discourse.
Without transparent safeguards that align with global human rights norms, free speech advocates warn that AI companies risk enabling digital repression—even while claiming to promote "freedom."
Photo by jamesonwu1972 on Shutterstock
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
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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.

ADBE

Sam Altman Hypes GPT-4o's 'Freedom' — But Critics Point Out AI's Real Problem Is Censorship, Not Bias

<a href="https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2025-03-27-Lockheed-Martin-and-Google-Cloud-Announce-Collaboration-to-Advance-Generative-AI-For-National-Security" title="https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2025-03-27-Lockheed-Martin-and-Google-Cloud-Announce-Collaboration-to-Advance-Generative-AI-For-National-Security">https://news.lockheedmartin.com/2025-03-27-Lockheed-Martin-and-Google-Cloud-Announce-Collaboration-to-Advance-Generative-AI-For-National-Security</a>

'Lockheed Martin And Google Cloud Announce Collaboration To Advance Generative AI For National Security'

Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) has shelved new <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/microsoft" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data center projects</a> in the US and Europe, potentially amounting to 2 gigawatts of electricity, possibly signifying AI computing overcapacity, Bloomberg reported Wednesday <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-03-26/microsoft-abandons-more-data-center-projects-td-cowen-says?srnd=phx-technology&amp;sref=TBDibEcD" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">citing</a> TD Cowen analysts.
In February, the analysts highlighted leases Microsoft had abandoned in the US. They described the latest move as the company&#8217;s choice to forgo some new business from ChatGPT maker OpenAI.
Microsoft and OpenAI this year restructured a multiyear deal, letting OpenAI use cloud-computing services from other companies, provided Microsoft did not want the business itself.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/03/44188379/microsoft-pours-297-million-into-ai-and-cloud-expansion-in-south-africa" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microsoft Pours $297 Million Into AI And Cloud Expansion In South Africa</a>
The TD Cowen analysts said in a note that Microsoft&#8217;s retrenchment in the last six months included lease cancellations and deferrals. 
According to Reuters, TD Cowen said in the note that its supply chain checks indicated that Microsoft&#8217;s pullback has led to Alphabet Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google to backfill the capacity in international markets. At the same time, Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) had scooped up some of the freed capacity in Europe.
Microsoft says it remains on track to spend about $80 billion building AI data centers this fiscal year.
Chinese upstart DeepSeeks&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43917474/microsoft-cancels-major-data-center-leases-raises-questions-on-ai-expansion-strategy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">open-source AI model</a> led to Wall Street questioning the sustainability of Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon.com Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) capex outlays on AI models.
Goldman Sachs analyst Kash Rangan noted Microsoft as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/03/44460154/microsoft-stock-one-of-the-most-compelling-investment-opportunities-analyst-highlights-ai-spending-roi-balance" rel="noreferrer noopener">one of the best</a> investment opportunities in the technology sector, citing its&nbsp;investments in the AI sector.
The analyst highlighted Microsoft&#8217;s AI investments, which are spread out across hardware and geography, signifying its long-term focus on the growing technology. Microsoft&#8217;s 365 and Azure are just two products that could grow in coming quarters, he added.
Price Action: MSFT stock was around flat at $390.01 at the last check Thursday.
Image via Shutterstock
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AMZN

MSFT

Microsoft Halts Expansion Plans, Yet Analysts Still Rank It Among Top Investment Picks

U.S. stock futures were swinging between gains and losses on Thursday after snapping a three-day winning streak on Wednesday. Futures of major benchmark indices were mixed in premarket trading.
Aiming to boost U.S. manufacturing and reduce reliance on global suppliers, new auto tariffs were introduced on Wednesday, which will go into effect from April 3.
Projected to generate $100 billion annually, President Donald Trump stated the policy &#8220;will continue to spur growth.&#8221; It&#8217;s noted that within the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44506345/trump-imposes-25-tariffs-on-auto-imports-says-this-will-continue-to-spur-growth-canada-eu-slam-the-move">USMCA agreement</a>, the 25% tariff only impacts the non-U.S. content of auto goods from Canada and Mexico. 
With the 10-year Treasury yield at 4.38% and the 2-year at 4.02%, the CME Group's FedWatch <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">tool</a> shows markets pricing in a 90.4% likelihood of the Federal Reserve maintaining current interest rates through its May meeting. 
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<td>Futures</td>
<td>Change (+/-)</td>
</tr>
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<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>-0.01%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>0.07%</td>
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<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>0.17%</td>
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<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>0.31%</td>
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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 mixed in premarket on Thursday. The SPY was up 0.10% to $569.18, while the QQQ declined 0.025% to $484.26, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.
Cues From Last Session:
Most sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed lower on Wednesday, with Consumer Discretionary, Communication Services, and Information Technology stocks recording the biggest losses.
However, Utilities and Consumer Staples bucked the overall market trend, closing the session higher.
Dragging the tech-heavy index Nasdaq down were major stocks like Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) and Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), which fell over 2%, while Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ: GOOGL declined more than 3%.
On the economic data front, U.S. new orders for manufactured durable goods rose 0.9% month over month in February to $289.3 billion.
The Dow Jones index fell 133 points or 0.31% on Wednesday to 42,454.79, whereas the S&amp;P 500 index was down 1.12% at 5,712.20. Nasdaq Composite notched a 2.04% drop to end at 17,899.02, and the small-cap gauge, Russell 2000, declined 1.03% to 2,073.83.
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Index</td>
<td>Performance (+/-)</td>
<td>Value</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq Composite</td>
<td>-2.04%</td>
<td>17,899.02</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>-1.12%</td>
<td>5,712.20</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>-0.31%</td>
<td>42,454.79</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>-1.03%</td>
<td>2,073.83</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
Insights From Analysts:
As Trump introduced auto tariffs and the date for implementing &#8220;reciprocal tariffs&#8221; near, Louis Navellier, the founder and CIO of Navellier &amp; Associates, said, &#8220;Expect volatility. Buckle up.&#8221;
&#8220;We&#8217;re a week away from Trump&#8217;s &#8216;Liberation Day,&#8217; when he plans to implement reciprocal tariffs, focusing on trading partners with significant trade imbalances with the U.S. It&#8217;s a risk factor that investors have never faced and may explain why the VIX is starting to rise again after falling since the March 10th high,&#8221; he added.
Scott Wren, senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo, believes that although tariffs come with anticipated economic costs, actions by both companies and consumers can substantially lessen their negative impact.
&#8220;Let&#8217;s be clear: We expect tariffs to have some economic cost," Wren acknowledged. He pointed out that price hikes implemented by some U.S. firms due to tariffs have often been lower than the tariff percentage itself, noting that strong corporate profitability provides "some room to absorb a portion of the price increases."
Steps toward mitigation are already being taken, Wren indicated. "Keep in mind that some companies have been diversifying supply chains since the early days of the pandemic or even prior to that," he elaborated.
Consumer behavior also factors in. "Consumers can also blunt some of the effect of potential tariffs… for many products, there are substitution possibilities," Wren remarked, mentioning shifts toward domestic products as an example. He assesses that "these reactions will blunt and dilute much of the negative tariff impact."
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>
<li>Initial jobless claims data, second revision of GDP, advanced U.S. trade balance in goods, and advanced wholesale inventories data are to be released at 8:30 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Pending home sales data is set to be released at 10 a.m. ET.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin is set to speak at 4:30 p.m.</li>
</ul>
Stocks In Focus:
<ul>
<li>TD Synnex Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNX#NYSE">SNX</a>) was up 0.27% in premarket on Thursday ahead of its earnings before the opening bell. Analysts expect quarterly earnings of $2.91 per share on revenue of $14.79 billion.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Winnebago Industries Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WGO#NYSE">WGO</a>) was down 0.029% as Wall Street expects it to report earnings of 13 cents per share on revenue of $616.66 million before the opening bell.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LULU#NASDAQ">LULU</a>) slipped 0.38% ahead of its earnings after the closing bell. Analysts expect quarterly earnings of $5.85 per share on revenue of $3.57 billion.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Steelcase Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SCS#NYSE">SCS</a>) jumped 11.79% after reporting better-than-expected fourth-quarter financial results and issuing first-quarter guidance above estimates.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>GameStop Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GME#NYSE">GME</a>) dropped 6.42% after it announced the issuance of $1.3 billion worth of its 0.00% convertible senior notes due 2030 in a private offering to institutional investors to acquire Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>American Rebel Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AREB#NASDAQ">AREB</a>) slumped 24.63% as the company announced that it will implement a 1-for-25 reverse stock split on March 31, 2025, reducing shares from ~10.6 million to ~423 thousand.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>SAGE Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SAGE#NASDAQ">SAGE</a>) declined 2.91% after it announced that Jacqui Cartin will replace Jonathan Howell as CFO in January 2026.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Aura Biosciences Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AURA#NASDAQ">AURA</a>) rose 9.68% as it highlighted progress with Bel-Sar. Bel-sar showed positive Phase 1 NMIBC data at the EAU Congress.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Soleno Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SLNO#NASDAQ">SLNO</a>) surged 36.82% after it received FDA approval for VYKAT XR (diazoxide choline), the first treatment for hyperphagia in Prader-Willi syndrome for patients aged four and older.</li>
</ul>
Commodities, Gold, And Global Equity Markets:
Crude oil futures were trading lower in the early New York session by 0.39% to hover around $69.38 per barrel.
Gold Spot US Dollar advanced 0.59% to hover around $3,036.97 per ounce. Its previous record high stood at $3,057.51 per ounce.
Asian markets closed on a mixed note on Thursday. China&#8217;s CSI 300, India's S&amp;P BSE Sensex, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index rose in trade. Whereas, South Korea's Kospi, Japan's Nikkei 225, and Australia's ASX 200 index declined. European markets were lower in early trade.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/03/44508744/donald-trump-reacts-to-selloff-following-auto-tariffs-that-can-take-care-of-itself-in-one-day-two-days-or-one-week">Trump Reacts To Selloff Following Auto Tariffs: &#8216;That Can Take Care Of Itself In One Day, Two Days, Or One Week&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

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Guidance

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$BTC

AREB

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SLNO

US Stocks Likely To Open Mixed: 'Expect Volatility. Buckle Up,' Says Expert

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed a decline in the overall market sentiment, while the index remained in the &#8220;Fear&#8221; zone on Wednesday.
U.S. stocks settled lower on Wednesday, with the Nasdaq Composite falling around 2% during the session.
Major tech stocks, including Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) and Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), fell more than 2% on Wednesday, while 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>) declined over 3% during the session.
On the economic data front, February saw U.S. new orders for manufactured durable goods rise 0.9% month over month to $289.3 billion.
Most sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed on a negative note, with consumer discretionary, communication services, and information technology stocks recording the biggest losses on Wednesday. However, utilities and consumer staples stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session higher.
The Dow Jones closed lower by around 133 points to 42,454.79 on Wednesday. The S&amp;P 500 dipped 1.12% to 5,712.20, while the Nasdaq Composite tumbled 2.04% to 17,899.02 during Wednesday's session.
Investors are awaiting earnings results from TD SYNNEX Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNX#NYSE">SNX</a>), Winnebago Industries Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WGO#NYSE">WGO</a>), and Lululemon Athletica Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LULU#NASDAQ">LULU</a>) today.
What is the CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?
At a current reading of 28.6, the index remained in the &#8220;Fear&#8221; zone on Wednesday, versus a prior reading of 30.5.
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.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44496478/top-2-industrials-stocks-that-may-crash-in-q1">Top 2 Industrials Stocks That May Crash In Q1</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Nasdaq Tumbles 2% Amid Decline In Alphabet, Amazon: Investor Sentiment Declines, Greed Index Remains In 'Fear' Zone

Amazon Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) has been lauded by&nbsp;Monness Crespi Hardt analyst for its positioning in the AI cloud sector, despite the weakness in other technology companies. 
What Happened: The GTC AI conference hosted by Nvidia (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), dubbed the &#8220;Super Bowl of AI,&#8221; which took place last week, did not significantly boost U.S. tech stocks. Brian White, the analyst at Monness Crespi Hardt, believes this is due to the market&#8217;s focus on an unstable macro environment and a decline in enthusiasm for the gen AI trade after more than two years of hype with few beneficiaries, <a href="https://www.investors.com/news/technology/amazon-stock-nvidia-ai-conference-amzn-news/">reported</a> Investor&#8217;s Business Daily.
Despite this, White shared in his investor note that Amazon&#8217;s cloud business, Amazon Web Services (AWS), has already seen benefits from gen AI through training Large Language Models (LLMs). He expects these growth drivers to increase over time. 
White also highlighted a possible larger market opportunity in the future for executing AI models, a process known as inferencing. This point was also made by Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang at the conference. Despite current market instability, White maintains&nbsp;a buy call for Amazon&nbsp;stock with a target price of $265, stating that AWS is well-positioned for long-term AI trends.
Despite &#8220;near-term turbulence, AWS remains well-positioned for long-term AI trends,&#8221; stated Whites in the investor note.
SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/03/44485001/big-tech-companies-employ-majority-of-h-1b-visa-workers-where-do-amazon-google-meta-rank">Big Tech Companies Employ Majority Of H-1B Visa Workers: Where Do Amazon, Google, Meta Rank?</a>
Why It Matters: Amazon&#8217;s positive review from White comes on the heels of another analyst&#8217;s endorsement. Evercore ISI&#8217;s Mark Mahaney expressed optimism about Amazon&#8217;s potential, naming it his <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/03/44477887/is-amazons-valuation-more-attractive-than-ever-before-analyst-says-its-time-to-aggressively-buy-his-favorite-stock">top stock to own</a>. Also, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives  stated, &#8220;We are seeing many IT departments focused on foundational hyperscale deployments for AI around Microsoft (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), Amazon, and Google (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) with a laser focus on the software-driven use cases currently underway.&#8221;
These endorsements underscore the potential of Amazon&#8217;s AI cloud positioning and its ability to capitalize on AI trends. The company&#8217;s ability to train LLMs and the future market opportunity for running AI models, as highlighted by White, further solidify Amazon&#8217;s standing in the AI space.
On Tuesday, Alibaba&#8217;s Chairman, Joe Tsai alarmed about a possible AI data center bubble in the U.S., however, market experts like Jim Cramer and Gene Munster <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44469333/alibabas-tsai-sounds-alarm-on-signs-of-ai-bubble-people-are-building-data-centers-on-speculation">dismissed the concerns</a>. 
Amazon holds a momentum rating of 75.34% and a growth rating of 94.54%, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/report/AMZN" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga's Proprietary Edge Rankings</a>. The Benzinga Growth metric evaluates a stock&#8217;s historical earnings and revenue expansion across multiple timeframes, prioritizing both long-term trends and recent performance. For an in-depth report on more stocks and insights into growth opportunities,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/screener/top-momentum-stocks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sign</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/screener/top-momentum-stocks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">up for Benzinga Edge.</a>
Amazon stock rose 1.2% to close at $205.71 on Tuesday. The stock has gained over 15% during the past year.
<ul>
<li>READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/03/44469111/irs-anticipates-over-500b-revenue-shortfall-while-treasury-stares-at-potential-cash-crunch-without-debt-ceiling-increase-report">IRS Anticipates Over $500B Revenue Shortfall, While Treasury Stares At Potential Cash Crunch Without Debt Ceiling Increase: Report</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.

NVDA

Amazon's AI Cloud Strategy To Stay Strong Despite 'Near-Term Turbulence,' Says Analyst

Rumble Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RUM#NASDAQ">RUM</a>) beat its revenue estimates, scaling a fresh record in the fourth quarter, and announced the creation of &#8220;Rumble Wallet&#8221; for its creator community during its earnings call.
What Happened: The online video platform and cloud services operator, Rumble, closed the $775 million investment from Tether (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">USDT</a>) in early February, which was announced in December 2024. However, the CEO highlighted four core impacts of this partnership during its earnings call.
One of the core impacts included the development of the first of its kind &#8220;Rumble Wallet&#8221; with Tether to become a leading media platform within the cryptocurrency community.
The company&#8217;s chairman, founder, and CEO, Chris Pavlovski, said that the wallet will include transactions in USD Tether, Tether Gold, and Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>). &#8220;We expect this to bring direct value to the crypto community on our platform and facilitate meaningful high-value partnerships with crypto exchanges,&#8221; he said.
Meanwhile, the other three impacts listed by Pavlovski included:
<ul>
<li>Utilization of Tether&#8217;s global reach to accelerate its international expansion for both its video platform and cloud services.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The partnership aims to onboard Tether&#8217;s portfolio companies onto Rumble Cloud, significantly expanding its customer base.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Tether&#8217;s investment strengthens Rumble&#8217;s financial position, allowing it to aggressively compete with major tech companies like Alphabet Inc.&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google.</li>
</ul>
&#8220;One of the things that we&#8217;re very aligned on with the Tether guys is that we want to take on Google head on. And I&#8217;ve always wanted to do that. We&#8217;ve taken a chip out of YouTube. I think there&#8217;s a real opportunity for us to really do something big on the cloud side,&#8221; said Pavlovski.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/03/44487750/us-recession-risk-pegged-at-30-35-by-pimco-but-stagflation-not-a-major-concern-says-chief">US Recession Risk Pegged At 30-35% By PIMCO, But Stagflation Not A Major Concern, Says Chief</a>
Why It Matters: Apart from the Tether partnership, Rumble unveiled its Bitcoin treasury strategy in November 2024, to purchase $20 million worth of coins. It added 188 Bitcoin to its treasury at an average price of $91,000 per coin, as per a March 12 press release.
The company also reported average global Monthly Active Users of 68 million in the fourth quarter of 2024, compared to 67 million in the third quarter. The management highlighted a strong post-election user retention in the first quarter, defying typical post-election drop-offs.
According to the company&#8217;s release dated Feb. 10, U.S. President Donald Trump also established an official White House channel on the platform.
The company reported a loss per share of $1.15 in the fourth quarter. For the first quarter, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44474709/whats-going-on-with-rumble-stock-today">Rumble anticipates</a> a minimum of 25% revenue growth compared to the previous year, and with the added financial flexibility from Tether&#8217;s investment, it is aiming to reach adjusted EBITDA breakeven in 2025 by strategically accelerating business expansion initiatives. 
Price Action: Rumble rose 0.25% on Tuesday and it was down 0.87% in premarket on Wednesday. The stock has fallen 35.24% on a year-to-date basis, whereas it is 6.74% lower over the year.
Benzinga&#8217;s Edge Rankings indicate a poor price trend in the short and medium term. While the stock&#8217;s Momentum ranking is exceptionally strong, ranking in the 87.31th percentile, it had weak growth and value rankings, the details for which are <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/report/RUM">available here</a>.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/report/RUM"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="805" height="138" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/26042453/RUM-Edge-rankings.png" alt="" class="wp-image-841913" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/26042453/RUM-Edge-rankings.png 805w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/26042453/RUM-Edge-rankings-300x51.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/26042453/RUM-Edge-rankings-768x132.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 805px) 100vw, 805px" /></a></figure>
Its consensus price target was $13.33, with a ‘buy&#8217; rating, based on the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/RUM/analyst-ratings">four analysts tracked by Benzinga</a>. The price targets ranged from a low of $8 to a high of $20. The latest ratings from Maxim Group, and Wedbush averaged $12, implying a 49.44% upside.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/RUM/analyst-ratings"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="386" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/26042431/RUM-ANR-1024x386.png" alt="" class="wp-image-841911" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/26042431/RUM-ANR-1024x386.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/26042431/RUM-ANR-300x113.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/26042431/RUM-ANR-768x290.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/26042431/RUM-ANR.png 1060w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44471782/netflix-spotify-can-weather-economic-uncertainty-because-of-subscription-based-models-says-jim-cramer-heres-what-their-charts-are-indicating" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Netflix, Spotify Can Weather Economic Uncertainty Because Of Subscription-Based Models, Says Jim Cramer: Here's What Their Charts Indicate</a></li>
</ul>
Image Via Shutterstock

$USDT

USDT

Rumble Launches Crypto Wallet For Creators Amid $775 Million Tether Investment: 'We Want To Take On Google Head On,' Says CEO

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) has announced its plans to launch a robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, this June, proclaiming &#8220;the future is autonomous.&#8221; However, this ambitious move faces skepticism from industry veterans and analysts. 
What Happened: The company&#8217;s official X account stated, &#8220;The future is autonomous &amp; it starts in Austin, this June. Thanks to Austin City &amp; Texas DOT for hosting &amp; supporting our efforts to unlock safe &amp; low-cost premium point-to-point electric transport.&#8221;
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The future is autonomous &amp; it starts in Austin, this June Thanks to Austin City &amp; Texas DOT for hosting &amp; supporting our efforts to unlock safe &amp; low-cost premium point-to-point electric transport <a href="https://t.co/4kcMAZuwl0">pic.twitter.com/4kcMAZuwl0</a>
&mdash; Tesla (@Tesla) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tesla/status/1904677503702045043?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
This announcement comes amid mixed signals for Tesla. Former Waymo CEO John Krafcik has <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/03/44444272/there-are-many-ways-to-fake-a-robotaxi-service-former-waymo-ceo-casts-doubt-on-teslas-upcoming-robotaxi-launch">publicly questioned Tesla&#8217;s readiness</a>, arguing that the company&#8217;s Cybercab concept lacks essential safety features. Krafcik stated, &#8220;If a company were serious about building a safe robotaxi business, the robotaxi wouldn&#8217;t look anything like this prototype.&#8221; He criticized the lack of redundant sensors and cleaning mechanisms, highlighting that &#8220;a serious robotaxi would demonstrate the primacy of safety.&#8221;
Adding to the complexity, Tesla recently secured a transportation charter-party carrier permit (TCP) in California, a preliminary step toward operating a ride-hailing service. However, a California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) spokesperson clarified that this permit does <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44392619/elon-musks-tesla-secures-first-approval-towards-rolling-out-robotaxi-in-california">not authorize fully autonomous rides</a>. 
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/25/03/44486235/chinas-milk-tea-chain-chagee-files-for-nasdaq-ipo-under-cha-taking-on-starbucks-in-growing-market">China&#8217;s Milk Tea Chain Chagee Files For Nasdaq IPO Under &#8216;CHA,&#8217; Taking On Starbucks In Growing Market</a>
Why It Matters: Tesla CEO Elon Musk&#8216;s past predictions about autonomous driving have also come under scrutiny. Ten years ago, at an Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) conference, Musk declared self-driving a &#8220;solved problem,&#8221; predicting, &#8220;We will be there in a few years.&#8221; However, as <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/03/44458804/elon-musk-10-years-ago-called-autonomous-driving-a-solved-problem-said-we-will-be-there-in-a-few-years">recently as the latest earnings call</a>, Musk admitted that Tesla&#8217;s current hardware requires upgrades for full autonomy, acknowledging it as &#8220;absolutely painful and difficult.&#8221;
Despite these challenges, Tesla&#8217;s move into robotaxis is seen as a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/03/44349240/googles-waymo-leads-robotaxi-race-with-2-millon-paid-rides-zoox-challenges-tesla-for-second-spot-as-unsupervised-autonomy-becomes-table-stakes-says-gary-black">strategic pivot amid slowing EV sales</a>. Tesla bull Gary Black emphasized the significance of the planned Austin launch. However, analysts at Goldman Sachs project only limited initial revenue, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/01/43036902/tesla-stock-valuation-analyst-flags-long-term-growth-opportunities-robotaxis-fsd">estimating around $115 million by 2027</a>.
Waymo, owned by 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>), has already completed over 2 million paid robotaxi rides, establishing itself as a leader in the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44068902/tesla-fsd-like-a-12-year-old-driving-compared-to-waymo-says-ross-gerber-warning-uber-has-got-to-be-hurting">autonomous vehicle market</a>. Investment manager Ross Gerber recently compared Tesla&#8217;s Full Self-Driving (FSD) to &#8220;a 12-year-old driving&#8221; next to Waymo&#8217;s system.
Tesla enjoys better momentum and a stronger growth forecast than Alphabet, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/TSLA">Benzinga Edge rankings</a>. For more insights, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/screener/top-momentum-stocks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sign up for Benzinga Edge</a>.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/03/44487389/sundar-pichai-shows-off-googles-most-intelligent-ai-ever-with-a-dinosaur-video-game-that-even-you-could-make-with-a-simple-prompt">Sundar Pichai Shows Off Google&#8217;s &#8216;Most Intelligent AI&#8217; Ever With A Dinosaur Video Game That Even You Could Make With A Simple Prompt</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.

Tesla Teases Robotaxi Launch In Texas, But Industry Veterans Question Safety And Readiness: 'If A Company Were Serious…'

Perplexity is intensifying competition in the artificial intelligence search market, challenging Alphabet Inc.&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) dominance. Perplexity CEO Aravind Srinivas stated on X Tuesday that &#8220;Native transactions are the best way to go after the AdWords revenue.&#8221; He believes this approach, though complex to implement seamlessly, is <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/02/43488268/googles-gemini-ai-could-soon-include-adssundar-pichai-hints-at-future-monetization-beyond-subscriptions">crucial for competing with Google</a>.
What Happened: Srinivas announced Perplexity&#8217;s introduction of answer modes to improve its core search product for specific verticals like travel, shopping, places, images, videos, and jobs. He highlighted the travel vertical, where Perplexity now enables native hotel bookings, a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40972869/jeff-bezos-backed-perplexity-ai-in-discussion-with-marriott-and-nike-as-it-prepares-to-challenge-to">feature developed in collaboration</a> with TripAdvisor and Selfbook. 
Srinivas emphasized the importance of moving beyond text-based answers to structured responses for verticals with entities like images, videos, and transactional capabilities. &#8220;Going beyond answering a wall of text and being good at structured answers for verticals with entities like images, videos, cards with built-in commercial transactions is a necessary step for being a daily-usage product and taking on Google,&#8221; he said.
<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">Native transactions are the best way to go after the AdWords revenue. It will take a while to get right and make it seamless. Google is positioned in an evil but legal way to claim maximum credit for any brand awareness that another platform (research or social) provides users. <a href="https://t.co/rUA7R3mEzw">https://t.co/rUA7R3mEzw</a>
&mdash; Aravind Srinivas (@AravSrinivas) <a href="https://twitter.com/AravSrinivas/status/1904652822156894335?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
This development comes as Alphabet reported that its AI-powered search features are generating revenue at similar rates to traditional search results. During <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43485518/google-ais-search-revenue-matches-traditional-ads-says-alphabet-but-there-is-rising-competition-from-openai-perplexity-deepseek">Alphabet's fourth-quarter 2024 earnings call</a>, Chief Business Officer Philipp Schindler stated that AI overviews are delivering revenue &#8220;at approximately the same rate&#8221; as conventional search results. 
This is significant, as search advertising remains Alphabet&#8217;s largest revenue source, generating $54 billion in the fourth quarter, a 13% year-over-year increase.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/25/03/44486235/chinas-milk-tea-chain-chagee-files-for-nasdaq-ipo-under-cha-taking-on-starbucks-in-growing-market">China&#8217;s Milk Tea Chain Chagee Files For Nasdaq IPO Under &#8216;CHA,&#8217; Taking On Starbucks In Growing Market</a>
Why It Matters: Alphabet faces growing competition from companies like OpenAI, Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) with its AI-powered Bing, DeepSeek, and Perplexity. 
Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai hinted at potential monetization strategies for Gemini AI, including the future integration of ads. During the earnings call, Pichai acknowledged that while the company is currently focused on subscription tiers, advertising is likely to play a <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/02/43488268/googles-gemini-ai-could-soon-include-adssundar-pichai-hints-at-future-monetization-beyond-subscriptions">role in Gemini&#8217;s monetization</a>.
Perplexity, backed by Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) founder Jeff Bezos and Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), is reportedly in talks to raise up to $1 billion in a new funding round, potentially <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/03/44432846/backed-by-jeff-bezos-and-nvidia-perplexity-ai-eyes-18-billion-valuation-in-new-funding-rounddoubling-in-just-4-months">valuing the company at $18 billion</a>. 
Perplexity&#8217;s rapid growth has also drawn scrutiny. Media companies have accused the startup of scraping and republishing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41442679/rupert-murdochs-dow-jones-new-york-post-sue-jeff-bezos-backed-perplexity-for-copyright-infringement">content without attribution</a>. 
Alphabet stock outpaces Microsoft in growth and momentum, per <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/GOOGL">Benzinga Edge Ranking</a>— For more insights, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/screener/top-momentum-stocks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sign up for Benzinga Edge</a>.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/03/44468143/sam-altman-founded-worldcoin-network-beats-bitcoin-ethereum-with-11-rally-amid-visa-partnership-reports" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sam Altman-Founded Worldcoin Network Beats Bitcoin, Ethereum With 11% Rally Amid Visa Partnership Reports</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.

SFTBF

SFTBY

Google's Ad Dominance Faces Challenge As Perplexity Introduces Answer Modes, Aravind Srinivas Advocates 'Native Transactions'

On Tuesday, Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google unveiled Gemini 2.5 Pro, the first in a new family of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44447804/a-peek-inside-googles-100-day-ai-sprint-how-gemini-went-from-generating-controversial-images-to-emerging-as-a-chatgpt-rival">advanced AI reasoning models</a> designed to pause and think before answering complex questions.
What Happened: Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Google CEO Sundar Pichai shared the development saying, &#8220;Gemini 2.5 is here, and it's our most intelligent AI model ever.&#8221;
Gemini 2.5 Pro is a multimodal model optimized for agentic reasoning, code generation, and visually rich web development. It is now available through Google AI Studio and the Gemini app for users subscribed to Gemini Advanced.
Pichai also shared an example stating that users can simply prompt the AI to create a basic video game—such as the well-known Chrome Dino game — and it will generate the fully executable code from just a single-line instruction.
<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">2/ Here's one example of what it can do. Tell it to create a basic video game (like the dino game below) and it applies its reasoning capability to produce the executable code from a single line prompt. Take a look: <a href="https://t.co/vRkRcbygC7">pic.twitter.com/vRkRcbygC7</a>
&mdash; Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) <a href="https://twitter.com/sundarpichai/status/1904580230699679922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
On Aider Polyglot, a benchmark for code editing, Gemini 2.5 Pro scored 68.6%, ahead of top models from OpenAI, Anthropic, and DeepSeek.
It also earned a 63.8% on SWE-bench Verified, a software development benchmark, surpassing OpenAI's o3-mini and DeepSeek's R1, though it fell short of Anthropic's Claude 3.7 Sonnet.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43487551/sundar-pichai-acknowledges-deepseeks-ai-advancementsbut-says-googles-gemini-still-leads-in-cost-performance-and-latency" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Sundar Pichai Downplays DeepSeek Threat — Google&#8217;s Gemini Still Leads In Cost, Performance, And Latency</a>
On the challenging multimodal benchmark Humanity's Last Exam, Gemini 2.5 Pro scored 18.8%, outperforming most flagship models.
The model launches with a 1 million token context window—roughly 750,000 words—and Google says support for a 2 million token window is coming soon.
<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">2/ Here's one example of what it can do. Tell it to create a basic video game (like the dino game below) and it applies its reasoning capability to produce the executable code from a single line prompt. Take a look: <a href="https://t.co/vRkRcbygC7">pic.twitter.com/vRkRcbygC7</a>
&mdash; Sundar Pichai (@sundarpichai) <a href="https://twitter.com/sundarpichai/status/1904580230699679922?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It's Important: Google introduced Gemini in December 2023, positioning it as a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/12/36131334/google-fires-biggest-salvo-against-openai-with-gemini-and-tiktok-parent-says-more-powerful-model-com">direct competitor</a> to OpenAI's advancements in artificial intelligence.
However, by early 2024, the company encountered setbacks with the model, particularly regarding inaccurate image generation, which led to a temporary suspension of that feature.
The controversy surrounding <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/02/37256429/gemini-ai-takes-a-timeout-google-halts-image-generation-after-historical-figure-controversy">Gemini's errors prompted</a> Google CEO Sundar Pichai to address the issue publicly, calling the inaccuracies "completely unacceptable."
Despite these obstacles, industry experts remain confident in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/10/41633398/alphabet-at-the-forefront-of-the-ai-race-analysts-see-attractive-valuation-highligh">Alphabet's competitive standing</a> in the AI landscape, pointing to its strong presence in cloud computing, search, and YouTube as key advantages.
Earlier this month, it was reported that Chinese smartphone brands have started leveraging <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/03/44135586/chinese-smartphone-makers-leverage-google-ai-to-challenge-global-tech-giants">Google&#8217;s AI technology</a> to compete with global tech giants.
Price Action: As of this writing, Alphabet's Class A shares were up 0.19% in after-hours trading, while Class C shares rose 0.24%. Earlier on Tuesday, Class A shares closed 1.72% higher at $170.56, while Class C shares gained 1.68%, ending at $172.79, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro data</a>.
According to Benzinga&#8217;s Edge Rankings, Google holds a 72.35% growth rating. Curious how it stacks up against other companies? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/GOOGL">Click here for the full picture</a>.
Image via Shutterstock
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
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</ul>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Sundar Pichai Shows Off Google's 'Most Intelligent AI' Ever With A Dinosaur Video Game That Even You Could Make With A Simple Prompt

Big tech companies are employing the majority of approved H-1B visa workers in the U.S., according to <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2025/03/04/what-we-know-about-the-us-h-1b-visa-program/">research</a> from the Pew Research Center.  Here's a look at which companies <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/12/42715951/trump-backs-immigration-visas-musk-praises-his-stance-and-says-rising-tide-lifts-all-boats">top the list</a>.
Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) came in first with 11,000 H-1B visa approvals in 2023, marking the third consecutive year the e-commerce giant topped the list. Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTSH#NASDAQ">CTSH</a>), Infosys Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INFY#NYSE">INFY</a>) and Tata Consultancy Services, Inc. round out the top four. 
Read Next:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44475805/homebuilders-kb-home-lennar-cut-prices-as-homebuyer-demand-has-slowed-materially"> Homebuilders KB Home, Lennar Cut Prices As Buyer Demand Has &#8216;Slowed Materially&#8217;</a>
Alphabet, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google came in fifth place and employed almost 5,550 H-1B workers in 2023, less than half compared to Amazon.
Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) followed in sixth with nearly 4,800 workers and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) came in right behind at 3,800.
Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) came in eighth place with 3,371 H-1B workers and currently faces a lawsuit claiming the company systematically favors foreign workers. 
Plaintiffs in the case argue that Meta has a pattern of prioritizing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/02/43964101/meta-hit-with-lawsuit-claiming-it-favors-foreign-workers-over-us-citizens-mark-zuckerberg-led-tech-giant-calls-it-baseless">visa holders</a> for employment, a claim supported by court-cited statistics: 15% of Meta&#8217;s U.S. workforce holds H-1B visas, compared to 0.5% across all industries.
Meta has denied the allegations and called the discrimination claims &#8220;baseless.&#8221;
Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) ranked near the bottom of the 30 companies on Pew Research's list with less than 1,100 H-1B visas, accounting for 0.3% of total H-1B approvals. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been an outspoken<a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1872374103983759835"> proponent</a> of the visa program, likening it to drafting talented foreign players to bolster an NBA team. 
The H-1B program, established in 1990, enables U.S. employers to recruit skilled foreign professionals with bachelor's degrees or equivalent qualifications for specialized roles.&nbsp;
H1-B visas are initially valid for three years, renewable up to six years, with potential extensions for those pursuing permanent residency. In 2023, 400,000 H-1B applications were approved with 65% of approvals being renewals.
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Photo: Cristian Storto via Shutterstock

Large Cap

AAPL

CTSH

INFY

Big Tech Companies Employ Majority Of H-1B Visa Workers: Where Do Amazon, Google, Meta Rank?

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Communication Services sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>META</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$630.00</td>
<td>$90.0K</td>
<td>1.4K</td>
<td>7.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>EA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$145.00</td>
<td>$30.7K</td>
<td>5.4K</td>
<td>1.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NFLX</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$980.00</td>
<td>$26.9K</td>
<td>128</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BIDU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$97.00</td>
<td>$34.1K</td>
<td>695</td>
<td>663</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>GOOG</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$200.00</td>
<td>$49.0K</td>
<td>9.5K</td>
<td>350</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>GOOGL</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$230.00</td>
<td>$25.0K</td>
<td>553</td>
<td>287</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TTD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$60.00</td>
<td>$26.9K</td>
<td>1.8K</td>
<td>213</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CCOI</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>07/18/25</td>
<td>$65.00</td>
<td>$36.0K</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>162</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SATS</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$30.00</td>
<td>$29.5K</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>73</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>RDDT</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>06/18/26</td>
<td>$115.00</td>
<td>$30.1K</td>
<td>12</td>
<td>27</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These itemized elaborations have been created using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding META (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 3 day(s) on March 28, 2025. Parties traded 99 contract(s) at a $630.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 6 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $90.0K, with a price of $910.0 per contract. There were 1449 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 7088 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For EA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EA#NASDAQ">EA</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 87 day(s) on June 20, 2025. This event was a transfer of 38 contract(s) at a $145.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $30.7K, with a price of $810.0 per contract. There were 5485 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1987 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For NFLX (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be neutral, expiring in 3 day(s) on March 28, 2025. This event was a transfer of 35 contract(s) at a $980.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 9 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $26.9K, with a price of $772.0 per contract. There were 128 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1297 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For BIDU (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 23 day(s) on April 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 90 contract(s) at a $97.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $34.1K, with a price of $379.0 per contract. There were 695 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 663 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For GOOG (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 297 day(s) on January 16, 2026. This event was a transfer of 50 contract(s) at a $200.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $49.0K, with a price of $985.0 per contract. There were 9574 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 350 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding GOOGL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>), we observe a put option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 661 day(s) on January 15, 2027. Parties traded 4 contract(s) at a $230.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $25.0K, with a price of $6250.0 per contract. There were 553 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 287 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding TTD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TTD#NASDAQ">TTD</a>), we observe a call option trade with neutral sentiment. It expires in 87 day(s) on June 20, 2025. Parties traded 35 contract(s) at a $60.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $26.9K, with a price of $770.0 per contract. There were 1882 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 213 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For CCOI (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CCOI#NASDAQ">CCOI</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 115 day(s) on July 18, 2025. This event was a transfer of 75 contract(s) at a $65.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 6 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $36.0K, with a price of $480.0 per contract. There were 0 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 162 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For SATS (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SATS#NASDAQ">SATS</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 52 day(s) on May 16, 2025. This event was a transfer of 73 contract(s) at a $30.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 6 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $29.5K, with a price of $405.0 per contract. There were 0 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 73 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding RDDT (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RDDT#NYSE">RDDT</a>), we observe a put option trade with neutral sentiment. It expires in 450 day(s) on June 18, 2026. Parties traded 10 contract(s) at a $115.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $30.1K, with a price of $3018.0 per contract. There were 12 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 27 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more about unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

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On Tuesday, Chinese AI startup DeepSeek released its upgraded DeepSeek-V3-0324 model, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/content/43851567/deepseeks-r1-model-revolutionizes-ai-landscape-says-expert-franklin-burgess" rel="noreferrer noopener">enhancing reasoning and coding abilities</a>.
Available on Hugging Face, the <a target="_blank" href="https://huggingface.co/deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-V3-0324" rel="noreferrer noopener">model</a> shows improved performance in technical benchmarks, intensifying competition with U.S. leaders like OpenAI and Anthropic.
The updated model has shown improvements across multiple benchmarks, particularly scoring 59.4 on the American Invitational Mathematics Examination, up from 39.6 in its predecessor, according to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3303798/deepseeks-upgraded-foundational-model-excels-coding-and-maths?firstTimeRegister=true" rel="noreferrer noopener">report </a>by the South China Morning Post.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44469333/alibabas-tsai-sounds-alarm-on-signs-of-ai-bubble-people-are-building-data-centers-on-speculation" rel="noreferrer noopener">Alibaba&#8217;s Tsai Sounds Alarm On Signs Of AI Bubble In US: &#8216;People Are Building Data Centers On Speculation&#8217;</a>
It also gained 10 points on LiveCodeBench, reaching a score of 49.2. The new model, with 685 billion parameters, uses an MIT software license, unlike DeepSeek V3, which has 671 billion parameters and a commercial license.
Earlier this year, DeepSeek&#8217;s R1 model disrupted American tech supremacy, sparking debates about Big Tech&#8217;s significant investments in large <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/content/43851567/deepseeks-r1-model-revolutionizes-ai-landscape-says-expert-franklin-burgess" rel="noreferrer noopener">language models and data centers.</a>
R1 made waves with its performance and lower costs, but analysts reportedly believe DeepSeek&#8217;s biggest impact is encouraging the use of open-source AI models, CNBC <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/24/china-open-source-deepseek-ai-spurs-innovation-and-adoption.html" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>. This shift has been a key factor in the company&#8217;s influence on the industry.
Wei Sun, principal analyst at Counterpoint Research, told CNBC that DeepSeek&#8217;s success shows open-source strategies drive faster innovation and wider adoption, with many companies adopting the model. She also mentioned that R1 is influencing China&#8217;s AI scene, prompting major firms like Baidu to open-source their own LLMs in response.
Recently, Kai-Fu Lee, the former head of Alphabet Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>)&nbsp;Google China and founder of AI startup&nbsp;01.AI, said that the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/02/37179799/elon-musk-taunts-sam-altman-and-openai-over-open-image" rel="noreferrer noopener">rise of open-source AI</a> models like&nbsp;DeepSeek&nbsp;has exposed an existential risk to OpenAI&#8217;s business—and he&#8217;s pivoting his company accordingly.
He questioned the long-term sustainability of OpenAI&#8217;s business model, especially when competing against open-source projects that offer similar quality at a fraction of the cost.
Tim Wang, managing partner at Monolith Management, shared in an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/24/china-open-source-deepseek-ai-spurs-innovation-and-adoption.html" rel="noreferrer noopener">interview</a> with CNBC that models from companies like DeepSeek have been powerful enablers in China, showing how progress can be made with fewer resources.
He noted that open-source models have reduced costs, allowing for product innovation—an area where Chinese companies excel.
Wang compared this development to the &#8220;Android moment,&#8221; when Google&#8217;s decision to make its operating system&#8217;s source code available sparked innovation in the app ecosystem.
He added that the perception of China being 12 to 24 months behind the U.S. in AI has now shifted to just 3 to 6 months.
This shift in China&#8217;s AI landscape, driven by open-source models like DeepSeek, is changing global competition and challenging traditional business models.
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Image via Shutterstock

China's DeepSeek Ups The Heat In OpenAI Rivalry, Upgrades V3 Model Improving Coding And Reasoning Capability

Alibaba Group Holding&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) Chairman Joe Tsai has expressed apprehension about a potential bubble in the AI data center construction sector. 
What Happened: At&nbsp;the HSBC Global Investment Summit&nbsp;in Hong Kong, Tsai cautioned that the rapid expansion of data centers could surpass the early demand for artificial intelligence (AI) services. He pointed out the reckless rush by tech firms, investment funds, and other entities to set up server bases from the U.S. to Asia, potentially leading to numerous projects being developed without a well-defined customer base, reported the <a href="https://www.scmp.com/business/banking-finance/article/3303769/some-ai-related-bets-are-speculative-and-creating-bubble-alibabas-tsai-says">South China Morning Post</a>.
&#8220;People are talking literally about $500 billion, several $100 billion [projects]. I don't think that is entirely necessary,&#8221; Tsai stated. The Alibaba Chair spoke specifically about the AI investments in the U.S.
"I start to get worried when people are building data centers on speculation,&#8221; Tsai added.
Major tech companies like&nbsp;Microsoft Corporation&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) and&nbsp;SoftBank Group Corp.&nbsp;(OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBY#OTC">SFTBY</a>) are investing billions in AI development. Alibaba itself has plans to invest over 380 billion yuan ($70 billion) in AI&nbsp;within the next three years.
Tsai voiced concerns about projects seeking funding without first securing uptake agreements. He specifically pointed out the heavy spending by US companies like&nbsp;Amazon.com, Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>),&nbsp;Alphabet Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>), and&nbsp;Meta Platforms Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) on AI infrastructure.
SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44468827/palantir-market-cap-surges-over-50-billion-in-2025-wont-be-a-seller-says-analyst-as-he-foresees-pltr-as-a-play-on-global-economy-and-ai">Palantir Market Cap Surges Over $50 Billion In 2025: Won&#8217;t Be A &#8216;Seller,&#8217; Says Analyst As He Foresees PLTR As An AI Play</a>
Why It Matters: Tsai&#8217;s concerns resonate with &nbsp;Edward Yardeni, the President of Yardeni Research who stated that the "AI bubble" <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/03/44371661/ai-bubble-bursting-magnificent-7s-profit-margins-face-pressure-as-capital-spending-can-tumble-in-2025">could be "bursting.&#8221;</a> He stated, "The fear now is that open-source large language models (LLMs) like DeepSeek and Manus, developed in China, require much less powerful semiconductors to operate."
"If so, then AI capital spending will tumble along with the profit margins on AI systems," warned Yardeni.
In February, TD Cowen analysts noted that Microsoft is canceling some U.S. data center leases, raising concerns about potential overinvestment in AI computing capacity.
However, Goldman Sachs analysts predict that AI-related investments in chips and hardware could add $305 billion in revenue by the end of 2025. The analysts also noted that while <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/03/44465542/ai-investments-set-to-power-chip-revenue-boom-adoption-rises-among-large-companies-goldman-sachs">tech giants</a> are investing heavily in AI infrastructure, leading to a significant semiconductor revenue boom, most companies are still in the early stages of adoption.
Given these factors, Tsai&#8217;s warning about a potential bubble in data center construction is significant and warrants attention from investors and tech companies alike.
Alibaba holds a momentum rating of 96.04% and a growth rating of 73.41%, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/report/BABA" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga&#8217;s Proprietary Edge Rankings</a>. The Benzinga Momentum metric measures a stock's relative strength based on its price movement patterns and volatility over multiple timeframes, ranked as a percentile against other stocks. For an in-depth report on more stocks and insights into growth opportunities,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/screener/top-momentum-stocks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sign</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/screener/top-momentum-stocks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">up for Benzinga Edge.</a>
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Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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The U.S. economy stands at a critical juncture. Mounting recession fears are colliding with the possibility of a technology-fueled productivity boom that could reshape the decade and power the stock <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets">market to new heights.</a>
In a note shared Monday, Ed Yardeni, one of Wall Street's most enduring bulls, said the U.S. economy faces "a fork in the road." The Yardeni Research president gives a 65% probability of a so-called Roaring 2020s scenario and a 35% chance of a more stagnant, stagflationary outcome, including a recession.
"We've decided to fold our 1990s meltup/meltdown scenario into our Roaring 2020s scenario," Yardeni said. 
"The current correction in the stock market suggests that the former has played out already, as the bull market's highflyers have been hit hardest."
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">What's Behind The Current Market Correction?</h3>
Markets have clearly been rattled. The S&amp;P 500 index — as tracked by the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) — has declined 10.1% from its Feb. 19 peak through Mar. 13, while the Nasdaq 100, tracked by the Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), has slid 11.8% since its Dec. 16 high.
&#8220;The Magnificent-7 stocks led the recent rout,&#8221; Yardeni said.
The Roundhill Magnificent Seven ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MAGS#NYSE">MAGS</a>)—tracking the elite group of tech giants like Microsoft Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NYSE">MSFT</a>), Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</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>), Amazon Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) and Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) —has dropped 18.8% from its Dec. 17 peak.
This contrasts with the Defiance Large Cap ex-Mag 7 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EXMAGS#NYSE">EXMAGS</a>), often referred to as the "S&amp;P 493," which is down just 6% since mid-February. The sharper decline in tech mega caps signals that the stock market correction is concentrated among prior highflyers.
These types of corrections—defined as 10%-20% pullbacks—typically reflect rising fears of an economic downturn.
Yet Yardeni stressed that forward earnings for the S&amp;P 500 continue to hit record highs, suggesting that Wall Street analysts remain more optimistic than investors. That divergence, he said, can be attributed to analysts being closely tied to corporate guidance, which often downplays macro fears.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading"> Two-Sided Outlook: Stagflation Or Productivity Boom?</h3>
Yardeni raised his recession probability to 35% earlier this month, attributing the increase to a "Trump Turmoil 2.0" characterized by tariff threats and political instability. Yet, his base case remains anchored in optimism.
In his Roaring 2020s scenario, Yardeni sees real GDP growth fueled by a 2% annual increase in productivity and labor force growth of 0.5%-1%, supporting potential economic expansion of 2.5%-3% annually. 
That would keep inflation in check, lift profit margins, boost wages and purchasing power, and ultimately push the S&amp;P 500 to 10,000 by the decade&#8217;s end.
"This includes the possibility of a rebound in the former highflyers," Yardeni said, suggesting tech stocks could still have room to run once market jitters subside.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">What The Fed And Markets Are Pricing In</h3>
The Federal Reserve's March dot plot revealed that policymakers are still anticipating two rate cuts in 2024, followed by two in 2025 and one more in 2027. 
The longer-run federal funds rate remains anchored at 3%. These projections, along with the downgrade in real GDP forecasts to 1.7% for 2025, reflect the Fed's view of a soft landing. They also acknowledge the economic drags coming from tighter fiscal policy and potential trade disruptions.
Fed officials trimmed their real GDP growth expectations across the board: 
<ul>
<li>from 2.1% to 1.7% for 2025</li>
<li>from 2.0% to 1.8% for 2026, and</li>
<li>from 1.9% to 1.8% for 2027.</li>
</ul>
The Fed also raised its inflation forecast for core personal consumption expenditures, the central bank's preferred inflation gauge, to 2.8% for year-end 2024, up from 2.5% in December.
Kalshi, a prediction market regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, shows a 40% probability of a U.S. recession in 2025. That&#8217;s slightly higher than Yardeni's 35% estimate. These odds have ticked higher recently, mirroring growing concern over macro headwinds and geopolitical noise.
<iframe loading="lazy" src="https://kalshi.com/external-widgets/events/RECSSNBER-25/markets/RECSSNBER-25?color_scheme=light&#038;widget_size=large&#038;utm_campaign=benzinga_widget" width="552px" height="400px" style="border:0"></iframe>
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