Palantir Technologies Option Alert: Mar 21 $90 Puts Sweep (45) near the Ask: 1906 vs 10756 OI

Palantir Technologies Option Alert: Mar 21 $90 Puts Sweep (45) near the Ask: 1906 @ $3.35 vs 10756 OI; Ref=$101.19

Palantir Technologies Option Alert: Apr 17 $100 Calls Sweep (6) near the Ask: 500 vs 4583 OI

Palantir Technologies Option Alert: Apr 17 $100 Calls Sweep (6) near the Ask: 500 @ $12.021 vs 4583 OI; Ref=$102.4001

Palantir Technologies Option Alert: Apr 17 $100 Puts Sweep (4) near the Ask: 1011 vs 6295 OI

Palantir Technologies Option Alert: Apr 17 $100 Puts Sweep (4) near the Ask: 1011 @ $6.8 vs 6295 OI; Ref=$108.82

Palantir Technologies Option Alert: Apr 4 $115 Puts Sweep (117) near the Ask: 1184 vs 142 OI

Palantir Technologies Option Alert: Apr 4 $115 Puts Sweep (117) near the Ask: 1184 @ $6.115 vs 142 OI; Ref=$123.74

Palantir Technologies Option Alert: Mar 21 $35 Calls at the Ask: 180 vs 4345 OI

Palantir Technologies Option Alert: Mar 21 $35 Calls at the Ask: 180 @ $84.05 vs 4345 OI; Ref=$118.786

Palantir Technologies Option Alert: Feb 21 $35 Calls at the Ask: 180 vs 6284 OI

Palantir Technologies Option Alert: Feb 21 $35 Calls at the Ask: 180 @ $83.95 vs 6284 OI; Ref=$118.786

Palantir Technologies Option Alert: Feb 21 $30 Calls Sweep (5) near the midpoint: 56 vs 1735 OI

Palantir Technologies Option Alert: Feb 21 $30 Calls Sweep (5) near the midpoint: 56 @ $89.292 vs 1735 OI; Ref=$119.2909

Palantir Technologies Option Alert: Mar 21 $130 Puts at the Bid: 600 vs 1179 OI

Palantir Technologies Option Alert: Mar 21 $130 Puts at the Bid: 600 @ $15.0 vs 1179 OI; Ref=$119.345

Palantir Technologies 株価情報 (NASDAQ: PLTR)

Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR) 株価情報

PALANTIR TECHNOLOGIES INC-A

Palantir Technologies

Palantir is an analytical software company that focuses on leveraging data to create efficiencies in its clients' organizations. The firm serves commercial and government clients via its Foundry and Gotham platforms, respectively. Palantir works only with entities in Western-allied nations and reserves the right not to work with anyone that is antithetical to Western values. The Denver-based company was founded in 2003 and went public in 2020.

Market,Sentiment,,Fear,And,Greed,Index,,Emotional,On,Stock,Market

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Pre-Market Outlook

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NVDA

PLTR

火曜日、CNNマネーの「恐怖と貪欲の指数」は下落し、「極度の恐怖」ゾーンのままので推移である。この日、ナスダック総合指数が約300ポイント下落、米国株も下落した

ナスダックは、300ポイント下落、市場センチメントは「極度の恐怖」のまま

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Equities

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AAPL

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NVDX

SOXL

iShares PHLX SOX Semiconductor Sector Index Fund

SOXX

先週8月2日に終了した週は、テクノロジースペースが下落し、テクノロジー選択セレクトセクターSPDRファンド（NYSE：XLK）が5%以上下げ、大型株企業の業績を測るS&amp;P500指数を下回った。今週、テック市場を駆りたてた要因と、これらの株が近期および中期に向けて向かっている方向をまとめた。

大型企業株　S&amp;P500株をSPDRファンドが下回る

MSFT

Wedbush（ウェッドブッシュ）のアナリスト、Dan Ives氏が、Nvidia Corporation（NASDAQ:NVDA) の拡大がテクノロジー業界への影響が大きいと強調し、同社の半導体に使われた1ドルが、産業全体で8ドルから10ドルを生み出すと語った。

Nvidiaの拡大は世界のテクノロジー産業発展に欠かせない

Palantir Technologies Inc. - Class A Common Stock

Palantir Technologies Inc

Collaboration provides enhanced cross-domain solutions for connectivity and secure data sharing.
 &nbsp;

Contracts

Everfox Inks Strategic Partnership With Palantir To Enhance Joint Command And Control Capabilities

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. 
Here's the list of options activity happening in today's session: 
<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>NVDA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$37.3K</td>
<td>82.7K</td>
<td>83.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PLTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$97.00</td>
<td>$36.6K</td>
<td>4.2K</td>
<td>16.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>XRX</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$5.00</td>
<td>$2.5 million</td>
<td>14.8K</td>
<td>15.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$245.00</td>
<td>$51.4K</td>
<td>45</td>
<td>5.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ORCL</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$150.00</td>
<td>$46.8K</td>
<td>7.6K</td>
<td>2.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DELL</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$97.00</td>
<td>$129.3K</td>
<td>287</td>
<td>2.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>QBTS</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/25/25</td>
<td>$8.50</td>
<td>$57.3K</td>
<td>535</td>
<td>1.8K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>APP</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$350.00</td>
<td>$150.7K</td>
<td>3.5K</td>
<td>1.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>U</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>08/15/25</td>
<td>$30.00</td>
<td>$48.5K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
<td>1.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ZM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/20/26</td>
<td>$80.00</td>
<td>$1.1 million</td>
<td>205</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 3 day(s) on March 28, 2025. Parties traded 171 contract(s) at a $120.00 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 $37.3K, with a price of $217.0 per contract. There were 82778 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 83484 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For PLTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 3 day(s) on March 28, 2025. This event was a transfer of 205 contract(s) at a $97.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 20 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $36.6K, with a price of $179.0 per contract. There were 4212 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 16566 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For XRX (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XRX#NASDAQ">XRX</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 661 day(s) on January 15, 2027. This event was a transfer of 15000 contract(s) at a $5.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $2.5 million, with a price of $170.0 per contract. There were 14865 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 15000 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding IBM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 87 day(s) on June 20, 2025. Parties traded 42 contract(s) at a $245.00 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 $51.4K, with a price of $1225.0 per contract. There were 45 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 5606 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For ORCL (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 3 day(s) on March 28, 2025. This event was a transfer of 720 contract(s) at a $150.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 37 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $46.8K, with a price of $65.0 per contract. There were 7631 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2675 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding DELL (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DELL#NYSE">DELL</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 3 day(s) on March 28, 2025. Parties traded 1540 contract(s) at a $97.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 27 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $129.3K, with a price of $84.0 per contract. There were 287 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2054 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding QBTS (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QBTS#NYSE">QBTS</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 31 day(s) on April 25, 2025. Parties traded 500 contract(s) at a $8.50 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 5 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $57.3K, with a price of $115.0 per contract. There were 535 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1812 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding APP (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APP#NASDAQ">APP</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 3 day(s) on March 28, 2025. Parties traded 201 contract(s) at a $350.00 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 $150.7K, with a price of $750.0 per contract. There were 3585 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1501 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding U (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/U#NYSE">U</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 143 day(s) on August 15, 2025. Parties traded 315 contract(s) at a $30.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 223 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $48.5K, with a price of $154.0 per contract. There were 1197 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1455 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding ZM (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ZM#NASDAQ">ZM</a>), we observe a put option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 360 day(s) on March 20, 2026. Parties traded 1200 contract(s) at a $80.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $1.1 million, with a price of $988.0 per contract. There were 205 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1200 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 news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Options

DELL

ORCL

QBTS

10 Information Technology Stocks Whale Activity In Today's Session

Despite market fluctuations, the shares of Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>) have risen on a year-to-date basis and the company has added about 29.45% in investor wealth in 2025. This analyst remains positive and says that he won&#8217;t be a &#8220;seller&#8221; at these levels.
What Happened: According to Kenny Polcari, the chief market strategist at Slatestone Wealth, PLTR has come back to fill the gap after the explosion it saw at the start of February.
Palantir provides data analytics tools to government customers for intelligence gathering, counterterrorism, and military purposes.
The stock price declined sharply in early February due to two key factors: President Donald Trump&#8216;s directive, implemented by Defense Secretary Pete&nbsp;Hegseth, to reduce the defense budget by 8% annually for five years; and CEO Alex Karp&#8216;s announcement of a plan to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43837935/palantir-plunges-as-alex-karp-plans-123-billion-stock-sale-jim-cramer-urges-palanteers-to-support-the-stock-right-now-as-pentagon-eyes-defense-cuts">sell up to 9.98 million</a> shares by September.
&#8220;You always want to see a stock fill the gap that it created, whether it&#8217;s on the downside or the upside, you want to see it come back and fill it and test, which is exactly what it did,&#8221; said Polcari.
Furthermore, he said, &#8220;PLTR&#8217;s going to be a name that's going to play a significant role in the global economy and in AI for a long time,&#8221; adding that &#8220;I wouldn&#8217;t be a seller of this name&#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">" <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24PLTR&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$PLTR</a>&#39;s going to be a name that's going to play a significant role in the global economy and in AI for a long time," Slatestone Wealth chief market strategist <a href="https://twitter.com/KennyPolcari?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KennyPolcari</a> says. <a href="https://t.co/fwfOWE3n5o">pic.twitter.com/fwfOWE3n5o</a>
&mdash; Yahoo Finance (@YahooFinance) <a href="https://twitter.com/YahooFinance/status/1904258957507453041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44431190/billionaire-mark-cuban-questions-motives-behind-national-turnaround-efforts-asks-who-will-be-worse-off-in-the-us-economic-shift">Mark Cuban Questions Motives Of Elon Musk-Led DOGE&#8217;s &#8216;Turnaround&#8217; Efforts, Asks &#8216;Who Will Be Worse Off?&#8217; In The US Economic Shift</a>
Why It Matters: PLTR&#8217;s market capitalization stood at $170.18 billion as of Dec. 31, 2024, and it currently stands at $220.30 billion. This represents a growth of $50.12 billion or 29.45% on a year-to-date basis.
Its stock price has risen by 28.67% in 2025, whereas it has gained 294.74% over a year. However, it is still 22.85% down from its 52-week high of $125.41 apiece.
The stock rose 6.37% on Monday as it <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/03/44451697/palantir-ceo-alex-karps-technological-republic-vision-faces-harvard-economists-critique-contemptuous-of-markets">joined the S&amp;P 100</a>, a subset of the S&amp;P 500, during its quarterly rebalancing. This inclusion is expected to increase institutional investor interest and drive ETF purchases, potentially boosting Palantir&#8217;s stock. However, any short-term &#8220;index effect&#8221; gains are likely to be temporary, with long-term performance depending on revenue and profitability. 
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/report/PLTR">Benzinga&#8217;s Edge Rankings</a> show a strong price trend in the short, medium, and long term. Its momentum ranking which shows whether the stock is in an upward or downward trend was sturdy at 98.96 percentile. The growth ranking which combines historical expansion in earnings and revenue across multiple periods was also solid at 87.14 percentile. Check out its valuation scores and other fundamentals <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/report/PLTR">here</a>.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/report/PLTR"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="900" height="142" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/25014553/PLTR-EDGE.png" alt="" class="wp-image-839652" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/25014553/PLTR-EDGE.png 900w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/25014553/PLTR-EDGE-300x47.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/25014553/PLTR-EDGE-768x121.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /></a></figure>
Its consensus price target was $69.57, with a ‘sell&#8217; rating, based on the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/PLTR/analyst-ratings">25 analysts tracked by Benzinga</a>. The price targets ranged from a low of $7.5 to a high of $125. The latest ratings from Loop Capital, and Wedbush averaged $128.67, implying a 33.97% upside.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/PLTR/analyst-ratings"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="919" height="388" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/25014525/PLTR-ANR-New-new.png" alt="" class="wp-image-839651" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/25014525/PLTR-ANR-New-new.png 919w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/25014525/PLTR-ANR-New-new-300x127.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/25014525/PLTR-ANR-New-new-768x324.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 919px) 100vw, 919px" /></a></figure>
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/03/44434672/gold-nears-3100-mark-as-us-accelerates-repatriation-amid-tariff-fears-and-securing-domestic-reserves">Gold Nears $3,100 Mark As US Accelerates Repatriation Amid Tariff Fears, Possibility Of An Audit</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Market Summary

Palantir Market Cap Surges Over $50 Billion In 2025: Won't Be A 'Seller,' Says Analyst As He Foresees PLTR As An AI Play

Wall Street saw a strong rally on Monday as investors grew optimistic about easing trade tensions and solid economic data. The S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq posted their best gains in months, with the S&amp;P 500 climbing 1.76% to 5,767.57 and the Nasdaq rising 2.3% to 18,188.59. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 1.4% higher at 42,583.22.
These are the top stocks that gained the attention of retail traders and investors throughout the day:
MicroAlgo Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MLGO#NASDAQ">MLGO</a>)
MicroAlgo shares skyrocketed by 455.16% to close at $13.99. The stock&#8217;s intraday high was $15.34, with a low of $3.83, while its 52-week high and low stand at $509.4 and $1.11 respectively. The surge followed the company&#8217;s announcement of a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/03/44463040/why-microalgo-mlgo-stock-is-skyrocketing">$20 million offering</a>&nbsp;to settle a convertible bond agreement.
Palantir Technologies Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>)
Palantir&#8217;s stock rose 6.37% to close at $96.75, with an intraday high and low of $97.39 and $92.28 respectively. The 52-week high stands at $125.41, and the low at $20.33. The rise was driven by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44467544/cathie-wood-bets-on-baidu-as-chinese-ai-buzz-intensifies-ark-loads-up-on-12-4-million-worth-of-stock">increasing investor confidence</a> in the company&#8217;s AI capabilities and government contracts.
23andMe Holding Co.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ME#NASDAQ">ME</a>)
23andMe&#8217;s stock tumbled by 59.22%, closing at $0.73. The stock&#8217;s intraday high was $0.97, with a low of $0.73, and its 52-week high and low are $12.76 and $0.73 respectively. The company&#8217;s shares plunged following its&nbsp;<a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/03/44456578/why-dna-test-provider-23andmes-stock-is-plunging-today">voluntary filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy</a>&nbsp;to enable a sale process.
Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>)
AMD shares rose 6.96% to close at $113.85, with an intraday high and low of $114.85 and $109.4 respectively. The 52-week high stands at $187.28, and the low at $94.73. The stock moved higher amid reports suggesting the U.S. could&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44463052/whats-going-on-with-advanced-micro-devices-stock-monday">narrow upcoming tariffs</a>.
Tesla Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>)
Tesla&#8217;s stock jumped 11.93% to close at $278.39. The stock&#8217;s intraday high was $278.64, with a low of $256.33, while its 52-week high and low stand at $488.54 and $138.80 respectively. The rise comes despite a new <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/25/03/44461252/tesla-stock-soars-monday-could-a-new-documentary-about-elon-musks-political-influence-pour-cold-water-on-momentum">documentary</a> that might have investors questioning CEO Elon Musk&#8217;s political influence.
Image via Shutterstock
Prepare for the day&#8217;s trading <a href="https://editorial.benzinga.com/wp-admin/Premarket%20Movers%20&amp;%20News">with top premarket movers and news</a> by Benzinga.
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</ul>
This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/shivdeep-dhaliwal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shivdeep Dhaliwal</a>

MLGO

TSLA

Microalgo, Palantir, 23Andme, AMD, And Tesla: Why These 5 Stocks Are On Investors' Radars Today

Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>) is continuing its strong upward trajectory Monday driven by increasing investor confidence in its AI <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/03/44451697/palantir-ceo-alex-karps-technological-republic-vision-faces-harvard-economists-critique-contemptuous-of-markets">capabilities and government contracts.</a>
What To Know: CEO Alex Karp's latest book, &#8220;The Technological Republic,&#8221; sparked debate, with Harvard economist Jason Furman criticizing its emphasis on cultural solutions over concrete policy recommendations. Furman argued that the book advocates for a stronger connection between the government and tech to address national security and climate challenges but dismisses market mechanisms and lacks substantive policy proposals. While he acknowledged some merit in the book's cultural arguments, he found the absence of actionable solutions problematic.
Palantir's stock continues to gain momentum, fueled by its growing influence in the AI sector and expanding government partnerships. The company's market capitalization has now surpassed Lockheed Martin and analysts expect further growth. 
Wedbush Securities' Dan Ives has called Palantir the "Messi of AI," predicting that 2025 will be a breakout year for its AI platform.
Karp's personal wealth has also skyrocketed, with his stake in Palantir increasing from $2.2 billion at the start of 2024 to $12.8 billion. The company is set to join the S&amp;P 100, a move that further solidifies its rising status.
PLTR Price Action: Palantir shares closed Monday up 6.37% at $96.75, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?new_user=False&amp;backend=google-oauth2">Benzinga Pro.</a>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="527" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/24155544/Screenshot-2025-03-24-at-15.55.15-1024x527.png" alt="" class="wp-image-839207" style="width:448px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/24155544/Screenshot-2025-03-24-at-15.55.15-1024x527.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/24155544/Screenshot-2025-03-24-at-15.55.15-300x154.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/24155544/Screenshot-2025-03-24-at-15.55.15-768x395.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/24155544/Screenshot-2025-03-24-at-15.55.15.png 1507w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>
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Photo: Shutterstock.

Movers

Palantir Technologies Shares Are Up Today: What's Going On?

Everybody loves a great growth stock. We all know the stories of the incredible wealth delivered by fast-growing companies that keep growing for a long period of time.
Fortunes have been made by investors who correctly selected the best growth stocks and stayed invested for a long period of time regardless of economic changes and market gyrations.
With a seemingly endless supply of news and gyrations, as we start 2025, this is one of the most important lessons we can learn from market history.
Of course, finding and holding a great growth stock is not that easy.
For every Amazon, there are a dozen Pet.Coms, eToys and Webvans.
For every Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, there are thousands of others whose stabs at technological greatness are still in a box of useless junk in the back of a garage.
Here's a new tool to help you find the growth stocks that will last.
It is not enough to find these great companies to earn massive returns. You have to hold on through the market&#8217;s ups and downs and the endless wave of BS that the media will throw at the company over the years.
In bear markets, these stocks can get crushed.
Investors who are confident enough to not just hold on but buy more stand to make the kind of gains most people only dream about.
There is a reason that very few people make as much as they should off these great growth stocks.
Finding them and then holding them for a long time is hard to do.
This is where the new <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/screener/top-growth-stocks">Benzinga growth ranking</a> can help you become a better growth stock investor.
I designed these ratings to help identify companies with strong long-term growth prospects.
These companies are selling more of their products and services and seeing profits grow along with revenues. 
We are not looking for flash in the pan one hit wonder stocks. We want those that have been growing sales and profits and are likely to continue to do so.
Here are five companies that receive high grades from the Benzinga ranking system for growth right now:
Corporación América Airports S.A. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CAAP#NYSE">CAAP</a>) operates a portfolio of airports across Latin America and Europe, with its crown jewel assets in Argentina. This is a textbook example of an emerging market infrastructure play with monopolistic tendencies. CAAP controls hard-to-replicate assets that directly benefit from long-term air traffic growth, tourism recovery and currency normalization.
Despite facing Argentina&#8217;s well-documented macro risks, the business has turned the corner operationally, with international diversification and cost controls setting the stage for margin expansion.
Historically, CAAP&#8217;s sales have been cyclical, heavily impacted by Argentina&#8217;s economy and global air travel disruptions like the pandemic. Revenues collapsed in 2020 but have since rebounded sharply, with 2023 sales surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Earnings have been volatile but are stabilizing, with 2023 showing significant EBITDA growth and a return to profitability. The current trajectory suggests a multi-year upside if Argentina&#8217;s economy doesn&#8217;t implode.
Blue Bird Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BLBD#NASDAQ">BLBD</a>), the oldest U.S. school bus maker, has methodically pivoted into electric vehicles. While the core business is solid, the real story is the company&#8217;s leadership in EV school buses. With government funding pouring in and school districts warming up to electrification, Blue Bird is grabbing market share.
It's not flashy, but it is predictable and levered to a secular trend.
Blue Bird&#8217;s sales have historically been steady, reflecting school district budget cycles. Earnings were thin for years, but recent federal incentives for EV buses have ignited a surge in revenue and profits. Fiscal 2023 saw record sales and a massive jump in adjusted EBITDA, driven by higher pricing power and EV penetration. The company now boasts a record backlog, setting the table for continued growth.
NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) has transformed from a graphics chip designer into the undisputed leader of AI infrastructure. The company&#8217;s GPUs are now essential tools for training large AI models, creating a near-insurmountable moat. Its data center segment has become the primary growth engine, dwarfing the original gaming business. NVIDIA is the shovel seller in the AI gold rush and it sells every shovel it can make.
Historically, NVIDIA has delivered incredible top-line and bottom-line growth, particularly over the past five years. Revenue soared from $11 billion in 2019 to over $60 billion in 2024, with margins expanding alongside. EPS has followed suit, driven by both sales growth and operating leverage. The recent AI boom has supercharged growth, with triple-digit year-over-year revenue increases in recent quarters.
Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>) has morphed into a pharmaceutical juggernaut, thanks largely to its success in diabetes and obesity treatments. Drugs like Mounjaro and Zepbound are redefining the market with massive commercial potential.
Combine that with a robust pipeline and Lilly&#8217;s execution, and you&#8217;ve got a healthcare powerhouse that&#8217;s just getting warmed up.
Historically, Lilly has grown revenue steadily, but the last three years have accelerated thanks to its metabolic drugs. Sales crossed $40 billion in 2023, up from $22 billion five years prior. Earnings have also exploded, with operating margins expanding due to high-margin drug sales.
The company&#8217;s forward growth outlook remains extremely strong.
Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>) is a unique software player, originally built for government intelligence and defense but is now making serious inroads into commercial markets.
Palantir&#8217;s platforms are sticky, complex, and mission-critical, which translates into strong pricing power and customer retention.
Historically, Palantir has posted consistent revenue growth north of 20% annually since going public. Sales have risen from $743 million in 2019 to over $2 billion in 2023. The company struggled with profitability early but recently posted GAAP profits, signaling a shift toward scale. Margins are improving as commercial contracts ramp, offering a compelling long-term growth story.
Earnings and sales growth across this group are either strong or downright explosive.
CAAP is rebounding nicely as air traffic picks up and Latin American economies stabilize, with recent double-digit revenue growth.
Blue Bird is riding the EV wave, posting record sales and margins as its backlog grows.
NVIDIA is simply a rocket ship, with sales and profits more than doubling as AI demand soars.
Eli Lilly is hitting its stride with obesity drugs, driving top and bottom-line growth at a blistering pace. Palantir is scaling into profitability while maintaining impressive revenue growth, setting up years of compounding ahead.
Simply put, these are companies in the right place at the right time, and the runway for continued growth looks wide open.
Finding Undervalued Stocks &amp; Managing Risk in a Volatile Market
Live on Tuesday, March 25, at 6 PM ET: Learn how to identify undervalued stocks with strong credit, protect your trades with options and take advantage of prime opportunities in today's volatile market with Tim Melvin, Ryan Faloona and Anne-Marie Baiynd. 
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Large Cap

Opinion

BLBD

CAAP

5 Stocks That Could Be The Next Nvidia

Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives discusses the benefits for software companies from the AI spending phase.
In recent weeks, the analyst has been tracking enterprise AI spending in 2025, focusing on use cases and identifying leading vendors. AI now makes up about 12% of many IT budgets, up from 10% in January, with some CIOs accelerating their AI strategies.
Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) chips and cloud providers are central to AI deployments, and for every $1 spent on Nvidia, there is an $8-$10 impact across the broader tech ecosystem.
Around 70% of companies have increased their AI budgets, signaling rapid tech spending despite economic uncertainties.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44457612/tilrays-hiball-energy-returns-to-whole-foods-market-details" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tilray&#8217;s Hi&#x2A;Ball Energy Returns To Whole Foods Market</a>
The analyst has been tracking AI adoption across industries like financial services, healthcare, transportation, and manufacturing.
Many IT departments are focusing on large-scale AI deployments with Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), and Alphabet Inc&#8216;s Google (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>), targeting software-driven use cases.
While customers were still in the strategy phase in late 2024, there is a shift in recent weeks, with high-priority AI use cases now being rapidly implemented across various sectors in 2025. Amid the widespread buzz in the software industry about monetizing AI, a select group of companies is beginning to stand out from the crowd.
The software sector is poised for significant growth as the AI Revolution accelerates, with the adoption of generative AI and LLM models becoming key drivers.
The analyst sees Palantir Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>) and Salesforce Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>) as top software plays amid the AI Revolution for 2025, with other vendors like Oracle Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>), International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>), Snowflake Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNOW#NYSE">SNOW</a>), Elastic N.V. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ESTC#NYSE">ESTC</a>), MongoDB, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MDB#NASDAQ">MDB</a>) and Pegasystems Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEGA#NASDAQ">PEGA</a>) also well-positioned.
IBM&#8217;s cloud penetration has been particularly successful, presenting a major monetization opportunity. Despite investor skepticism, the analyst said the accelerating AI adoption in enterprises will benefit the software industry in 2025. The analyst also added IBM to the Wedbush Best Ideas List, reflecting higher confidence.
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Photo via Shutterstock.

Analyst Ratings

AMZN

ESTC

GOOGL

PEGA

SNOW

Which Stocks Benefit From AI Spending? Analyst Names IBM And More

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. 
Here's the list of options activity happening in today's session: 
<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>AAPL</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$225.00</td>
<td>$30.4K</td>
<td>26.1K</td>
<td>29.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PLTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$95.00</td>
<td>$32.0K</td>
<td>10.8K</td>
<td>24.8K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$360.00</td>
<td>$32.0K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
<td>14.8K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>JAMF</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$12.50</td>
<td>$36.0K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
<td>2.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>INTC</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/18/26</td>
<td>$35.00</td>
<td>$118.5K</td>
<td>10.1K</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$200.00</td>
<td>$30.8K</td>
<td>37.2K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSFT</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>12/18/26</td>
<td>$480.00</td>
<td>$37.9K</td>
<td>2.0K</td>
<td>999</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>U</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$23.00</td>
<td>$44.4K</td>
<td>3.8K</td>
<td>907</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AMD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/04/25</td>
<td>$108.00</td>
<td>$163.2K</td>
<td>1.8K</td>
<td>877</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TSM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/11/25</td>
<td>$190.00</td>
<td>$35.7K</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
<td>438</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• For AAPL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 4 day(s) on March 28, 2025. This event was a transfer of 435 contract(s) at a $225.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 15 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $30.4K, with a price of $70.0 per contract. There were 26115 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 29410 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding PLTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 4 day(s) on March 28, 2025. Parties traded 100 contract(s) at a $95.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $32.0K, with a price of $320.0 per contract. There were 10875 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 24862 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MSTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 4 day(s) on March 28, 2025. Parties traded 120 contract(s) at a $360.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 12 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $32.0K, with a price of $267.0 per contract. There were 1179 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 14873 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For JAMF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JAMF#NASDAQ">JAMF</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 24 day(s) on April 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 400 contract(s) at a $12.50 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 16 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $36.0K, with a price of $90.0 per contract. There were 1069 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2402 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding INTC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 451 day(s) on June 18, 2026. Parties traded 500 contract(s) at a $35.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 28 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $118.5K, with a price of $237.0 per contract. There were 10150 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1653 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 298 day(s) on January 16, 2026. This event was a transfer of 70 contract(s) at a $200.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $30.8K, with a price of $440.0 per contract. There were 37222 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1134 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MSFT (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 634 day(s) on December 18, 2026. This event was a transfer of 4 contract(s) at a $480.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $37.9K, with a price of $9478.0 per contract. There were 2040 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 999 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding U (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/U#NYSE">U</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 53 day(s) on May 16, 2025. Parties traded 190 contract(s) at a $23.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 19 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $44.4K, with a price of $234.0 per contract. There were 3856 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 907 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding AMD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 11 day(s) on April 4, 2025. Parties traded 240 contract(s) at a $108.00 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 $163.2K, with a price of $680.0 per contract. There were 1899 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 877 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For TSM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 18 day(s) on April 11, 2025. This event was a transfer of 150 contract(s) at a $190.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $35.7K, with a price of $238.0 per contract. There were 1238 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 438 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 news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

JAMF

MSTR

10 Information Technology Stocks With Whale Alerts In Today's Session

U.S. chip stocks, which enjoyed the spotlight during last year's AI investment boom, have taken a noticeable hit this year as investors shift focus to software companies—the emerging engine of AI value creation.&nbsp;
Tariff‐driven volatility and a dimming demand outlook, compounded by the emergence of lower‐cost AI models from China's DeepSeek, have put pressure on semiconductor shares.&nbsp;
For example, the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index has fallen about 6% year‐to‐date, and industry leader Nvidia (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) has dropped nearly 14% from its recent December high.
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<li>This startup is on the brink of a huge disruption to a $654 billion industry – <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/venhub-adv">invest in it for under $10 before it's too late</a>.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Software Momentum Rising</h2>
Meanwhile, the software sector is showing robust gains. Companies such as Atlassian (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TEAM#NASDAQ">TEAM</a>), CrowdStrike Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRWD#NASDAQ">CRWD</a>), Palantir Technologies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NYSE">PLTR</a>), and Cognizant (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTSH#NASDAQ">CTSH</a>) have surged between 7% and 19% this year, reflecting growing investor confidence in AI-driven applications.&nbsp;
Capital flows further illustrate this shift. The iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF (CBOE: IGV) has attracted over $1.87 billion in inflows through Feb. 28, while both the iShares Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOXX#NASDAQ">SOXX</a>)&nbsp; and the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMH#NASDAQ">SMH</a>) have seen over $1 billion in outflows each.&nbsp;
In 2024, the iShares Expanded Tech-Software Sector ETF experienced significant inflows, including a $277 million addition on Oct. 14. The VanEck Semiconductor ETF also saw substantial growth, with a 40.4% year-to-date increase as of Dec. 23, driven by rising demand for AI applications and cloud computing.
Trending: Deloitte's fastest-growing software company partners with Amazon, Walmart &amp; Target – <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/mode-mobile-2">Many are rushing to grab 4,000 of its pre-IPO shares for just $0.26/share!</a>
According<a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/us-chip-darlings-struggle-some-bet-software-next-big-ai-play-2025-03-06/"> </a>to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/artificial-intelligence/us-chip-darlings-struggle-some-bet-software-next-big-ai-play-2025-03-06/">Reuters</a>, this rotation appears to be a natural progression. Adam Turnquist, chief technical strategist at LPL Financial, explained that "the shift is a natural progression for AI investing—as the use cases for AI evolve, the true revenue drivers are emerging in software applications."&nbsp;
In addition, Morgan Stanley equity analyst Keith Weiss <a href="https://www.morganstanley.com/insights/podcasts/thoughts-on-the-market/genai-profit-2025-joe-moore-keith-weiss">said</a>, "We're now starting to see the ascendancy of the software part of the equation, as companies begin to monetize their AI solutions effectively."
Yet, caution remains regarding the indispensable role of semiconductor hardware. According to <a href="https://www.investors.com/news/technology/ai-stocks-nvidia-stock-software-companies/">Investors Business Daily</a>, while software revenues offer stability, the performance of Nvidia's GPUs is critical for powering AI, and no clever software can fully compensate for a basic lack of processing power.&nbsp;
See Also: Hasbro, MGM, and Skechers trust this AI marketing firm — <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/rad-intel">invest pre-IPO from $0.55 per share now</a>.
DeepSeek's launch of a lower-priced chatbot has intensified competitive pressures. Goldman Sachs analyst Ryan Hammond said, according to <a href="https://www.investors.com/news/technology/ai-stocks-nvidia-stock-software-companies">Investor's Business Daily</a>, that "the AI trade will broaden and that stocks with AI-enabled revenues offer better risk/reward for new capital than those involved in infrastructure"
Escalating Sino‑U.S. trade tensions and export restrictions add further uncertainty to the chip sector, prompting many to see software investments as a more stable, long-term opportunity.&nbsp;
Read Next:
<ul>
<li>This platform is reshaping how you invest in private companies —<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/kingscrowd-adv"> and you can be a part of it for $0.18 per share</a></li>
<li>Inspired by Uber and Airbnb &#8211; Deloitte's fastest-growing software company is transforming 7 billion smartphones into income-generating assets &#8211; <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/mode-mobile-2">with $1,000 you can invest at just $0.26/share!</a></li>
</ul>

CRWD

CTSH

TEAM

Nvidia Takes a Hit: Why AI Investors Are Moving Away from Chips to Software

U.S. business output surged in March, powered by a stronger-than-expected rebound in services activity that challenged recession fears. However, mounting cost pressures from tariffs continue to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s">weigh on business confidence.</a>
According to flash business surveys released Monday by S&amp;P Global, the Composite Purchasing Managers Index, which tracks manufacturing and services, climbed to 53.5 in March, up from 51.6 in February. A reading above 50 indicates expansion, and the latest jump marks the strongest pace of private sector growth in 3 months.
The upside surprise came almost entirely from the services side. The S&amp;P Global Services PMI Flash surged to 54.3, decisively beating consensus expectations of 50.8, and up sharply from 51 in the previous month. 
Yet, according to Chris Williamson, economist at S&amp;P Global, part of the March upturn in services activity may reflect a temporary bounce following severe weather disruptions earlier in the year.
By contrast, manufacturing showed signs of softening. The S&amp;P Global Manufacturing PMI Flash fell to 49.8, below both February's 52.7 and market expectations of 51.8, dipping back into contractionary territory.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Business Confidence Falls</h3>
Despite the overall improvement in output, companies reported growing unease about the months ahead. 
Business expectations for the year dropped to their second-lowest level since October 2022, particularly among service providers. Firms cited deepening concerns over customer demand, higher costs, and policy uncertainty.
"Business confidence in the outlook has also darkened," Williamson said, noting that sentiment has "soured further from the buoyant mood seen at the start of the year to one of the gloomiest readings seen over the past three years."
The new Trump administration's policy moves, particularly federal spending cuts and tariffs, were most frequently cited as sources of concern. While manufacturers maintained relatively higher optimism—linked to potential tax relief and trade support—service sector confidence deteriorated for a third straight month.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Inflation Pressures Surge On Tariffs And Labor Costs</h3>
A warning sign in the March PMI data was a sharp acceleration in input costs, especially in manufacturing, where price inflation hit a 31-month high. Overall input costs across both goods and services rose at the fastest pace in nearly two years, with tariffs and rising labor expenses blamed as primary drivers.
"A key concern over tariffs is the impact on inflation, with the March survey indicating a further sharp rise in costs as suppliers pass tariff-related price hikes on to US companies," Williamson said.
Manufacturers increased their selling prices faster in 25 months, while service providers saw a more modest rise, constrained by the need to keep prices competitive amid fragile demand. The combined output price increase was the second largest in six months, yet still below the survey's long-run average.
&#8220;Firms&#8217; costs are now rising at the steepest rate for nearly two years, with factories increasingly passing these higher costs onto customers,&#8221; Williamson said. 
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">GDP Seen Slowing, But Not Contracting: Stocks Rally</h3>
The survey results suggest the U.S. economy is growing at an annualized pace of 1.9% in March, according to S&amp;P Global estimates, with growth slowing to just 1.5% over the first quarter—a clear deceleration from the final quarter of 2024.
While the report tempers near-term recession fears, it contrasts sharply with the Atlanta Fed's GDPNow model, which currently projects a 1.8% contraction for the first quarter.
U.S. stocks rallied Monday morning as stronger-than-expected PMI data eased recession concerns and reignited risk appetite on Wall Street.
By 10:10 a.m. ET, the S&amp;P 500 index – which is tracked by the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) – climbed 1.2%, while the Nasdaq 100 gained 1.5%, led by a rebound in growth and tech names. 
Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) jumped 8% and Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NYSE">PLTR</a>) rose 5%, ranking among the session's top performers. Within the Magnificent 7, Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) also advanced nearly 4%.
Read now: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/03/44458099/us-economy-faces-fork-in-the-road-is-yardenis-roaring-2020s-still-possible">US Economy Faces &#8216;Fork In The Road&#8217;: Is Yardeni&#8217;s &#8216;Roaring 2020s&#8217; Still Possible?</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Macro Economic Events

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

Econ #s

Economics

ETFs

US Business Activity Rebounds As Services Growth Outpaces Forecasts, Yet Cost Pressures Intensify

As Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NYSE">PLTR</a>) stock soars 20.97% year-to-date, Harvard professor and economist Jason Furman has delivered a measured critique of CEO Alex Karp&#8216;s new book, arguing it prioritizes cultural solutions over concrete policy recommendations.
What Happened: Furman wrote on X that &#8220;The Technological Republic&#8221; by Karp and Palantir Office of the CEO Nicholas Zamiska &#8220;advocates closer link between government and tech to solve big problems from defense to climate,&#8221; but criticized that &#8220;their solution rests on culture, is contemptuous of markets and disinterested in government policy.&#8221;
In his detailed review, Furman described the book as &#8220;perhaps the most cultural argument I have read about what has gone wrong with big tech and how to fix it.&#8221; He noted Karp and Zamiska want Silicon Valley to mirror their approach: patriotic Americans supporting national interests rather than focusing solely on consumer products.
The book argues that &#8220;the software industry should rebuild its relationship with government&#8221; to address pressing challenges, but Furman found himself &#8220;waiting for policy solutions&#8221; that never materialized. Instead, the authors offer cultural shifts as the primary remedy.
&#8220;I find myself in sympathy with many of their cultural arguments,&#8221; Furman acknowledged but questioned their &#8220;disdain for a classical liberal conception of capitalism&#8221; and lack of concrete governmental policy proposals.
<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 Technological Republic by Alexander Karp &amp; Nicholas Zamiska advocates closer link btwn govt &amp; tech to solve big problems from defense to climate. But their soln rests on culture, is contemptuous of markets &amp; disinterested in govt policy. My review <a href="https://t.co/8A9cu0HH9Y">https://t.co/8A9cu0HH9Y</a>
&mdash; Jason Furman (@jasonfurman) <a href="https://twitter.com/jasonfurman/status/1903891895513686084?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/03/44451565/mohamed-el-erian-says-week-ahead-packed-with-data-for-global-markets-as-feds-inflation-measure-central-bank-moves-and-chinas-outlook-dominate">Mohamed El-Erian Says Week Ahead &#8216;Packed&#8217; With Data For Global Markets As Fed&#8217;s Inflation Measure, Central Bank Moves, And China&#8217;s Outlook Dominate</a>
Why It Matters: The book&#8217;s timing is notable as Palantir&#8217;s market capitalization has surged to $207 billion, exceeding traditional defense contractor Lockheed Martin Corp. Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives has dubbed Palantir the &#8220;Messi of AI,&#8221; predicting 2025 will be a breakout year for <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42546044/alex-karp-jokes-about-cult-label-as-stanley-druckenmiller-praises-his-book-after-palantir-soars-nearly-350-in-2024">the company&#8217;s AI platform</a>.
Karp, whose Palantir holdings recently <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/media/25/03/44275158/palantir-ceo-becomes-top-earning-tech-boss-as-ai-stock-soars-216-report">surged to $12.8 billion from $2.2 billion</a> at the beginning of 2024, has emerged as the highest-earning U.S. tech CEO. The company is set to join the S&amp;P 100 index, solidifying its remarkable rise during the AI boom and following President Donald Trump&#8216;s return to the presidency.
Price Action: Palantir closed at $90.96 on Friday, up 4.09% for the day. In after-hours trading, the stock rose slightly to $91.21, gaining an additional 0.27%, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">data from Benzinga Pro</a>. Over the past year, Palantir&#8217;s stock has surged 271.11%.
Benzinga <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/PLTR">Edge Rankings</a> tell the full story about why Palantir enjoys a premium valuation. Check out momentum and growth scores here
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/23232012/Screenshot-2025-03-24-at-8.49.26%E2%80%AFAM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-837486" /></figure>
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/03/44450807/zuckerberg-says-2025-will-be-the-year-an-ai-assistant-hits-1-billion-users-and-he-wants-it-to-be-meta-ai" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Zuckerberg Says 2025 Will Be The Year An AI Assistant Hits 1 Billion Users—And He Wants It To Be Meta AI</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.

Palantir CEO Alex Karp's 'Technological Republic' Vision Faces Harvard Economist's Critique: 'Contemptuous Of Markets'

On Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo aimed at trimming wasteful spending within the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/department-of-defense" rel="noreferrer noopener">Department of Defense</a> (DOD).
This latest effort <a target="_blank" href="https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/4130310/dod-to-cut-580-million-in-spending/" rel="noreferrer noopener">eliminates </a>over $580 million in various contracts, programs, and grants, continuing a broader initiative to better allocate taxpayer dollars.
The directive is in line to ensure that funds are used effectively to support the DOD&#8217;s mission and the country&#8217;s military readiness.
&#8220;In other words, [the expenditures] are not a good use of taxpayer dollars; [and], ultimately, that&#8217;s who funds us,&#8221; Hegseth said.&nbsp;
&#8220;We owe [taxpayers] transparency and making sure we&#8217;re using [the money] well,&#8221; he added.&nbsp;
The contracts being called off for the spending cuts were identified by the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44186261/doge-staffers-reportedly-draw-hefty-salaries-funded-by-taxpayers-while-musk-pushes-for-wasteful-spending-cuts" rel="noreferrer noopener">Department of Government Efficiency </a>(DOGE), overseen by&nbsp;Tesla CEO&nbsp;Elon Musk.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44420034/d-waves-new-blockchain-architecture-could-slash-energy-usage-by-1000x" rel="noreferrer noopener">D-Wave Unveils New Blockchain Architecture To Slash Energy Usage</a>
The cuts target several key areas, including a <a target="_blank" href="https://media.defense.gov/2025/Mar/20/2003673531/-1/-1/0/CONTINUING-ELIMINATION-OF-WASTEFUL-SPENDING-AT-THE-DEPARTMENT-OF-DEFENSE.PDF" rel="noreferrer noopener">software development initiative</a> for the Defense Civilian Human Resources Management System.
Initially started in 2018 with a projected cost of $36 million and a one-year completion timeline, the program has experienced major delays and exceeded its budget.
Hegseth highlighted that the project is now almost eight years overdue, with costs soaring to $280 million over the original estimate. So the project has been scrapped.
Along with the software project, Hegseth highlighted reductions in external consulting contracts, including one worth $30 million. This contract was associated with the purchase of unused software licenses.
Additionally, the DOD is cutting $360 million in grants, which support various initiatives, such as a $6 million project aimed at reducing emissions from Navy ships and a $9 million grant for creating &#8220;equitable AI and machine learning models.&#8221;
&#8220;I need lethal machine learning models, not equitable machine learning models,&#8221;&nbsp;said Hegseth.
Shares of companies in the defense sector are on watch as details of the companies whose contract have been shelved are not immediately clear.&nbsp;
DOGE has been instrumental in driving significant cost-cutting measures and restructuring initiatives, resulting in the closure of multiple government agencies and large-scale l<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44186261/doge-staffers-reportedly-draw-hefty-salaries-funded-by-taxpayers-while-musk-pushes-for-wasteful-spending-cuts" rel="noreferrer noopener">ayoffs of federal workers.</a>
Recent reports indicate that the U.S. DOGE Service achieved $65 billion in savings.
With this announcement, the Department of Defense has now saved $800 million since <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/02/43836832/trump-administration-orders-sweeping-pentagon-cuts-defense-sector-stocks-on-watch" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">February 2025 through targeted cuts.</a>
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44421526/comcast-expands-high-speed-internet-to-southeast-georgia" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Comcast Expands High-Speed Internet To Communities In Southeast Georgia: Details</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock.

General

Defense Secretary Slashes $580 Million In Wasteful Spending—Targets Overdue, Overpriced Projects

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 will search for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges heavily from its normal worth. High amounts of trading activity could push option prices to exaggerated or underestimated levels. 
Here's the list of options activity happening in today's session: 
<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>AMD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$108.00</td>
<td>$32.4K</td>
<td>7.1K</td>
<td>31.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>INTC</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$24.00</td>
<td>$48.0K</td>
<td>18.4K</td>
<td>10.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PLTR</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$80.00</td>
<td>$72.1K</td>
<td>6.7K</td>
<td>9.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SOUN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>10/17/25</td>
<td>$8.00</td>
<td>$109.5K</td>
<td>132</td>
<td>2.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CRWD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/11/25</td>
<td>$355.00</td>
<td>$115.7K</td>
<td>43</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MRVL</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$67.50</td>
<td>$851.8K</td>
<td>1.9K</td>
<td>1.3K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSFT</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$380.00</td>
<td>$59.8K</td>
<td>4.7K</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TSM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$165.00</td>
<td>$28.7K</td>
<td>9.4K</td>
<td>935</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$115.00</td>
<td>$33.2K</td>
<td>1.4K</td>
<td>884</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$290.00</td>
<td>$399.0K</td>
<td>627</td>
<td>788</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• For AMD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 1 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 600 contract(s) at a $108.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $32.4K, with a price of $54.0 per contract. There were 7124 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 31089 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For INTC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 1 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 1500 contract(s) at a $24.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $48.0K, with a price of $32.0 per contract. There were 18476 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 10086 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding PLTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 8 day(s) on March 28, 2025. Parties traded 555 contract(s) at a $80.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 20 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $72.1K, with a price of $129.0 per contract. There were 6774 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 9229 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding SOUN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOUN#NASDAQ">SOUN</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 211 day(s) on October 17, 2025. Parties traded 300 contract(s) at a $8.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $109.5K, with a price of $365.0 per contract. There were 132 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2510 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding CRWD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRWD#NASDAQ">CRWD</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 22 day(s) on April 11, 2025. Parties traded 50 contract(s) at a $355.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $115.7K, with a price of $2315.0 per contract. There were 43 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1602 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MRVL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MRVL#NASDAQ">MRVL</a>), we observe a put option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 92 day(s) on June 20, 2025. Parties traded 1350 contract(s) at a $67.50 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $851.8K, with a price of $631.0 per contract. There were 1954 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1392 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MSFT (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 8 day(s) on March 28, 2025. Parties traded 192 contract(s) at a $380.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 11 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $59.8K, with a price of $312.0 per contract. There were 4712 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1239 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding TSM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 28 day(s) on April 17, 2025. Parties traded 82 contract(s) at a $165.00 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 $28.7K, with a price of $350.0 per contract. There were 9432 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 935 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MU (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 8 day(s) on March 28, 2025. Parties traded 200 contract(s) at a $115.00 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 $33.2K, with a price of $167.0 per contract. There were 1437 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 884 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MSTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), we observe a call option sweep with neutral sentiment. It expires in 8 day(s) on March 28, 2025. Parties traded 200 contract(s) at a $290.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 14 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $399.0K, with a price of $1995.0 per contract. There were 627 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 788 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 news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

MRVL

SOUN

Politics

Secretary Of Defense Pete Hegseth Says Canceling Pentagon HR Software Contract; Watching Shares Of Palantir

AVDX, FORTY, GFS, RGTI, SWKS
AVDX, FORTY, GFS, RGTI, SWKS

WIIM

AFRM

ALAR

ANET

APPS

ASAN

AVGO

BILL

BRZE

CALX

CDNS

CYBR

DDOG

GTLB

GWRE

HUBS

LOGI

MNDY

NFLX

NTNX

PCTY

SPOT

STNE

TOST

VERI

Shares of technology companies are trading higher in sympathy with overall market sentiment after the Fed policy decision to keep rates unchanged.

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 will search for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges heavily from its normal worth. High amounts of trading activity could push option prices to exaggerated or underestimated levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Information Technology 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>PLTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$84.00</td>
<td>$28.4K</td>
<td>3.0K</td>
<td>7.8K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WOLF</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$8.00</td>
<td>$117.0K</td>
<td>16.0K</td>
<td>6.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$290.00</td>
<td>$26.8K</td>
<td>8.4K</td>
<td>6.8K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$27.4K</td>
<td>12.3K</td>
<td>5.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WULF</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/18/26</td>
<td>$3.00</td>
<td>$109.1K</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>5.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CORZ</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$16.00</td>
<td>$71.9K</td>
<td>4.4K</td>
<td>2.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$125.00</td>
<td>$35.2K</td>
<td>37.6K</td>
<td>1.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SNOW</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/20/26</td>
<td>$170.00</td>
<td>$81.0K</td>
<td>60</td>
<td>874</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ORCL</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$195.00</td>
<td>$1.4 million</td>
<td>2.5K</td>
<td>800</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AAPL</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/04/25</td>
<td>$227.50</td>
<td>$46.8K</td>
<td>481</td>
<td>636</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These itemized elaborations have been created using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding PLTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 2 day(s) on March 21, 2025. Parties traded 85 contract(s) at a $84.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 9 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.4K, with a price of $335.0 per contract. There were 3003 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 7888 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding WOLF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WOLF#NYSE">WOLF</a>), we observe a put option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 303 day(s) on January 16, 2026. Parties traded 300 contract(s) at a $8.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $117.0K, with a price of $390.0 per contract. There were 16012 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 6935 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MSTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 2 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 20 contract(s) at a $290.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $26.8K, with a price of $1342.0 per contract. There were 8459 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 6830 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we observe a call option sweep with neutral sentiment. It expires in 184 day(s) on September 19, 2025. Parties traded 10 contract(s) at a $100.00 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 $27.4K, with a price of $2745.0 per contract. There were 12314 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 5467 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding WULF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WULF#NASDAQ">WULF</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 456 day(s) on June 18, 2026. Parties traded 1000 contract(s) at a $3.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 31 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $109.1K, with a price of $109.0 per contract. There were 0 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 5003 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding CORZ (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CORZ#NASDAQ">CORZ</a>), we observe a put option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 2 day(s) on March 21, 2025. Parties traded 97 contract(s) at a $16.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $71.9K, with a price of $742.0 per contract. There were 4403 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2260 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MU (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>), we observe a call option trade with neutral sentiment. It expires in 58 day(s) on May 16, 2025. Parties traded 160 contract(s) at a $125.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $35.2K, with a price of $220.0 per contract. There were 37693 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1535 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For SNOW (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNOW#NYSE">SNOW</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 366 day(s) on March 20, 2026. This event was a transfer of 30 contract(s) at a $170.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $81.0K, with a price of $2700.0 per contract. There were 60 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 874 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding ORCL (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>), we observe a call option trade with neutral sentiment. It expires in 667 day(s) on January 15, 2027. Parties traded 800 contract(s) at a $195.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $1.4 million, with a price of $1800.0 per contract. There were 2512 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 800 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AAPL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 16 day(s) on April 4, 2025. This event was a transfer of 400 contract(s) at a $227.50 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 8 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $46.8K, with a price of $117.0 per contract. There were 481 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 636 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 news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Core Scientific, Inc. - Class A Common Stock

CORZ

WOLF

WULF

U.S. stock futures advanced on Wednesday ahead of the Federal Open Market Committee&#8217;s (FOMC) decision on the interest rates. Futures of all four benchmark indices were higher in premarket trading.
On Tuesday, the stocks plunged after a two-day rally as the Magnificent 7 stocks dragged the indices down. Nvidia Corp.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) GTC AI Conference failed to ignite a rally despite a slew of announcements.
The two-day FOMC meeting began on Tuesday, and the Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell is expected to announce its decision during a press conference on Wednesday afternoon.
The 10-year Treasury yield stood at 4.29%, while the two-year yield was at 4.05%. According <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">to</a> the CME Group's FedWatch tool, there is a 99% chance that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged.
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Futures</td>
<td>Change (+/-)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>0.16%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>0.26%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>0.02%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>0.28%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which track the S&amp;P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, were higher in premarket on Wednesday. The SPY was up 0.26% to $562.46, and the QQQ advanced 0.35% to $476.22, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.
Cues From The Last Session
Technology, communication services, and consumer discretionary sectors led U.S. stock declines on Tuesday, with the Nasdaq Composite falling roughly 300 points.
Specifically, Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>) dropped about 4%, and Nvidia Corp. fell over 3%.
The Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLK#NYSE">XLK</a>) also saw a decline exceeding 1%. In contrast, energy and healthcare stocks rose, defying the broader market&#8217;s downward trend.
Economic data showed that U.S. import prices increased by 0.4% in February, exceeding expectations, while export prices rose 0.1%. The U.S. industrial production also surpassed estimates, increasing by 0.7% in February.
The Nasdaq 100 index continues to be in the correction zone as it was still 12.33% lower from its previous high. While Dow Jones was 7.75% lower, S&amp;P 500 declined 8.67% from their respective 52-week highs.
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Index</td>
<td>Performance (+/-)</td>
<td>Value</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq Composite</td>
<td>-1.71%</td>
<td>17,504.12 </td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>-1.07%</td>
<td>5,614.66</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>-0.62%</td>
<td>41,581.31</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>-0.89%</td>
<td>2,049.94</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
Insights From Analysts
"No rate change is expected," noted senior economist at WisdomTree, Jeremy Siegel ahead of the Federal Reserve&#8217;s decision, adding that the dot plot will be updated. The market is pricing in two rate cuts this year, he says, but he's "not convinced that the Fed will fully signal that just yet."
Furthermore, Siegel anticipates Powell will face intense scrutiny regarding declining market sentiment and inflation concerns.
He believes market direction hinges on the tariff situation; further escalation by President Donald Trump could trigger a significant downturn, potentially a &#8220;bear market&#8221;. Regarding Big Tech, Siegel argues current valuations, excluding Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), are high but not bubble-like, unlike the 2000 tech boom.
&#8220;For now, tariffs remain the dominant market force. The path forward depends on how Trump navigates trade policy—any softening would be bullish for equities, while continued escalation would put further downside pressure on stocks,&#8221; Siegel added.
&#8220;We don't expect any surprises at this week&#8217;s FOMC meeting, with the Fed likely holding the federal funds rate in the 4.25% to 4.5% range,&#8221; said Collin Martin, director, of fixed income strategy at the Schwab Center for Financial Research
&#8220;With growth concerns now making the most headlines, Fed Chairman Powell will likely be asked about the balance of risks given that all of the uncertainty out there could weigh on the labor market. We still expect rate cuts later this year, likely in the second half,&#8221; said Martin
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 Wednesday:
<ul>
<li>FOMC will announce its decision on interest rates at 2:00 p.m., and Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell will address a press conference at 2:30 p.m., ET.</li>
</ul>
Stocks In Focus:
<ul>
<li>Signet Jewelers Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SIG#NYSE">SIG</a>) was up 0.31% in premarket on Wednesday ahead of its earnings before the opening bell. Analysts expect earnings of $6.25 per share on revenue of $2.33 billion.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Williams-Sonoma Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WSM#NYSE">WSM</a>) advanced 1.17% as Wall Street expects it to report earnings of $2.93 per share on revenue of $2.35 billion before the opening bell.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Five Below Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FIVE#NASDAQ">FIVE</a>) rose 1.26% ahead of its earnings after the closing bell. Analysts expect earnings of $3.38 per share on revenue of $1.39 billion.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Healthequity Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HQY#NASDAQ">HQY</a>) slumped 13.09% after it posted downbeat earnings for its fourth quarter on Tuesday.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>StoneCo Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STNE#NASDAQ">STNE</a>) jumped 8.02% after reporting better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings and sales results.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Super Micro Computer Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>) was 2.01% higher after it announced an AI server lineup with new Nvidia GPU support.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) gained 1.06% ahead of the second day of the GTC AI conference.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) climbed 2.96% after receiving approval for rolling out its first Robotaxi in California.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>TEN Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XHLD#NASDAQ">XHLD</a>) surged 33.63% after it announced that it would initiate a $1 million stock repurchase program on March 17, 2025, with no set end date, funded by operating cash and subject to market conditions.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>5E Advanced Materials Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FEAM#NASDAQ">FEAM</a>) plunged 20.72% after it announced a resale of up to 20.63 million common shares by stockholders; the company will receive no proceeds and will cover all the expenses.</li>
</ul>
Commodities, Gold And Global Equity Markets:
Crude oil futures were trading lower in the early New York session by 0.63% to hover around $66.33 per barrel.
The gold spot index was down by 0.12% to $3,030.36 per ounce. Its last record high was at $3,045.39 per ounce. The Dollar Index was up by 0.35% at the 103.608 level.
Asian markets closed mixed on Wednesday with China&#8217;s CSI 300, South Korea's Kospi, Hong Kong's Hang Seng, and India's S&amp;P BSE Sensex advancing in trade. Japan's Nikkei 225, and Australia's ASX 200 index declined. European markets were also mixed in trade.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44392370/nvidia-destroys-420-billion-of-investor-wealth-since-deepseek-launch-valuation-hits-a-29-month-low-as-gtc-fails-to-ignite-stock">Nvidia Loses $420 Billion In Market Capitalization Since DeepSeek Launch, Valuation Hits A 29-Month Low As GTC Fails To Ignite Stock</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Government

Futures

Federal Reserve

FEAM

SMCI

XHLD

US Stocks Likely To Open Higher Ahead Of FOMC Decision: 'Tariffs Remain The Dominant Market Force' Amid Rising Economic Uncertainty, Says Expert

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed a decline in the overall market sentiment, while the index remained in the &#8220;Extreme Fear&#8221; zone on Tuesday.
U.S. stocks settled lower on Tuesday, with the Nasdaq Composite falling around 300 points during the session. Shares of Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>) fell around 4%, while Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) declined more than 3% on Tuesday. The Technology Select Sector SPDR Fund also fell more than 1% during the session.
On the economic data front, U.S. import prices increased by 0.4% in February, versus market estimates of a 0.1% decline. U.S. export prices rose by 0.1% month-over-month in February. U.S. industrial production increased by 0.7% in February, surpassing market estimates of 0.2%.
Most sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed on a negative note, with communication services, information technology, and consumer discretionary stocks recording the biggest losses on Tuesday. However, energy and healthcare stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session higher.
The Dow Jones closed lower by around 260 points to 41,581.31 on Tuesday. The S&amp;P 500 fell 1.07% to 5,614.66, while the Nasdaq Composite dipped 1.71% to 17,504.12 during Tuesday's session.
Investors are awaiting earnings results from Signet Jewelers Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SIG#NYSE">SIG</a>), Williams-Sonoma Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WSM#NYSE">WSM</a>), and Five Below Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FIVE#NASDAQ">FIVE</a>) today.
What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?
At a current reading of 19.7, the index remained in the &#8220;Extreme Fear&#8221; zone on Tuesday, versus a prior reading of 22.4.
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/25/03/44375233/top-3-materials-stocks-which-could-rescue-your-portfolio-this-month">Top 3 Materials Stocks Which Could Rescue Your Portfolio This Month</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Nasdaq Falls 300 Points As Nvidia, Palantir Decline: Greed Index Remains In 'Extreme Fear' Zone

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 Information Technology 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>NVDA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$26.4K</td>
<td>141.6K</td>
<td>106.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AAPL</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$212.50</td>
<td>$29.9K</td>
<td>7.2K</td>
<td>20.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>INTC</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$26.50</td>
<td>$53.2K</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
<td>4.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>QUBT</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$9.00</td>
<td>$50.7K</td>
<td>1.5K</td>
<td>3.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PLTR</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$82.00</td>
<td>$41.8K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
<td>1.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MARA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/15/27</td>
<td>$17.00</td>
<td>$195.7K</td>
<td>1.5K</td>
<td>1.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WDC</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/04/25</td>
<td>$43.50</td>
<td>$34.2K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IREN</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$5.00</td>
<td>$56.0K</td>
<td>6.2K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LRCX</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>08/15/25</td>
<td>$75.00</td>
<td>$71.5K</td>
<td>598</td>
<td>842</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DELL</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$95.00</td>
<td>$30.3K</td>
<td>2.0K</td>
<td>607</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 3 day(s) on March 21, 2025. Parties traded 90 contract(s) at a $120.00 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 $26.4K, with a price of $294.0 per contract. There were 141681 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 106245 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AAPL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 3 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 95 contract(s) at a $212.50 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $29.9K, with a price of $315.0 per contract. There were 7252 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 20787 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding INTC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 3 day(s) on March 21, 2025. Parties traded 555 contract(s) at a $26.50 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $53.2K, with a price of $96.0 per contract. There were 1694 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 4505 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For QUBT (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QUBT#NASDAQ">QUBT</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 3 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 483 contract(s) at a $9.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 8 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $50.7K, with a price of $105.0 per contract. There were 1522 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3157 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding PLTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>), we observe a put option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 10 day(s) on March 28, 2025. Parties traded 135 contract(s) at a $82.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $41.8K, with a price of $310.0 per contract. There were 1141 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1773 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MARA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 668 day(s) on January 15, 2027. Parties traded 412 contract(s) at a $17.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 24 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $195.7K, with a price of $475.0 per contract. There were 1570 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1523 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For WDC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WDC#NASDAQ">WDC</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 17 day(s) on April 4, 2025. This event was a transfer of 236 contract(s) at a $43.50 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 18 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $34.2K, with a price of $145.0 per contract. There were 1100 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1100 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding IREN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IREN#NASDAQ">IREN</a>), we observe a put option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 304 day(s) on January 16, 2026. Parties traded 500 contract(s) at a $5.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $56.0K, with a price of $112.0 per contract. There were 6245 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1065 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For LRCX (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LRCX#NASDAQ">LRCX</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 150 day(s) on August 15, 2025. This event was a transfer of 71 contract(s) at a $75.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 17 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $71.5K, with a price of $1006.0 per contract. There were 598 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 842 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding DELL (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DELL#NYSE">DELL</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 3 day(s) on March 21, 2025. Parties traded 110 contract(s) at a $95.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $30.3K, with a price of $276.0 per contract. There were 2059 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 607 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 news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

IREN

LRCX

MARA

QUBT

Renowned short-seller Jim Chanos has taken aim at Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NYSE">PLTR</a>) executives for what he perceives as hypocrisy in their public messaging versus private actions.
What Happened: &#8220;Palantir management continues to ridicule the skeptics on their stock price&#8230;while they keep selling material amounts of shares,&#8221; Chanos wrote on X, responding to news of significant insider selling.
Stephen Cohen, Palantir&#8217;s President, and Co-founder executed a substantial stock sale between Mar. 12-17, divesting 4.06 million shares worth approximately $328 million, according to The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings.
The data analytics company, known for its software used by intelligence agencies and commercial clients, has drawn investor attention due to these large transactions, particularly given its premium valuation metrics. 
Palantir currently trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 463, while the stock has declined nearly 30% over the past month, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24PLTR&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$PLTR</a> management continues to ridicule the skeptics on their stock price…while they keep selling material amounts of shares. <a href="https://t.co/mMpPtPq24K">https://t.co/mMpPtPq24K</a>
&mdash; James Chanos (@RealJimChanos) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealJimChanos/status/1901751581017612695?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
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See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/03/44368717/chinas-deepseek-sparks-national-security-alarm-do-not-download-view-access-any-applications">China&#8217;s DeepSeek Sparks National Security Alarm: &#8216;Do Not Download, View, Access Any Applications&#8230;&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: This criticism comes amid a broader market debate about Palantir&#8217;s growth prospects. Martin Shkreli, the controversial former hedge fund manager, recently questioned but ultimately defended Palantir&#8217;s projections. Shkreli challenged the common analysis that <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/03/44294672/palantirs-4-million-arpc-estimate-flawed-says-pharma-bro-martin-shkreli-but-i-wouldnt-bet-against-them">only about 20,000 companies</a> can afford Palantir&#8217;s $4 million data analytics suite, arguing that the software might generate positive returns regardless of budget constraints, and that per-seat pricing could expand market reach.
Despite these discussions, Palantir has <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/03/44212796/palantir-joins-sp-100-after-ai-driven-rally-stock-surges-almost-60-since-trump-victory">performed well since November</a>, surging over 55% following President Donald Trump&#8216;s election victory. The company was recently added to the S&amp;P 100 index, replacing Dow Inc., effective Mar. 24.
Recent <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/PLTR/analyst-ratings">analyst price targets</a> from Wedbush Securities, Loop Capital, and Citigroup average $123.67, suggesting a 46% upside potential from current levels, despite Shkreli&#8217;s acknowledgment of competitive threats from Snowflake Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNOW#NYSE">SNOW</a>), Databricks, and AI startups.
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/18010717/Screenshot-2025-03-18-at-10.36.32%E2%80%AFAM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-828614" style="width:606px;height:auto" /></figure>
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/03/44212672/jamie-dimon-cashed-out-234-million-in-jpmorgan-stock-warren-buffett-stockpiled-334-billion-in-cash-weeks-later-markets-crashed-coincidence" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jamie Dimon Cashed Out $234 Million In JPMorgan Stock, Warren Buffett Stockpiled $334 Billion In Cash — Weeks Later, Markets Crashed. Coincidence?</a></li>
</ul>
Image Via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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Unusual Options Activity for

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Date	Put/Call	Strike Price	Exp Date	DTE	Trade Vol	Day Vol	Vol / OI	OI	Trade Type	Sentiment
12:16 PMFeb 20, 2025	PUT	$90.00	Mar 21, 2025	-6	9643	1906	90	10756	SWEEP	BEARISH
12:01 PMFeb 20, 2025	CALL	$100.00	Apr 17, 2025	21	3199	500	70	4583	SWEEP	BULLISH
03:52 PMFeb 19, 2025	PUT	$100.00	Apr 17, 2025	21	8340	1011	132	6295	SWEEP	BEARISH
02:49 PMFeb 19, 2025	PUT	$115.00	Apr 04, 2025	8	1250	1184	880	142	SWEEP	BEARISH
02:52 PMFeb 14, 2025	CALL	$35.00	Mar 21, 2025	-6	181	180	4	4345	TRADE	BULLISH
02:52 PMFeb 14, 2025	CALL	$35.00	Feb 21, 2025	-34	180	180	3	6284	TRADE	BULLISH
01:07 PMFeb 14, 2025	CALL	$30.00	Feb 21, 2025	-34	38	56	2	1735	SWEEP	NEUTRAL
01:07 PMFeb 14, 2025	PUT	$130.00	Mar 21, 2025	-6	1518	600	129	1179	TRADE	NEUTRAL