Wall Street extended its rally this week, fully erasing the losses suffered after the Trump administration's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45172683/wall-street-eyes-9th-straight-day-of-gains-apple-falls-as-chinese-sales-disappoint-whats-driving-markets-friday">tariff announcement on April 2. </a>



Investor sentiment was buoyed by encouraging developments in trade negotiations and, most importantly, a stronger-than-expected start to earnings season.



Corporate America showed resilience in the face of trade headwinds. Mega-cap tech giants —including Microsoft Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NYSE">MSFT</a>), Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), and Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) — all surpassed Wall Street estimates, with Microsoft logging its best weekly performance in years.



The S&amp;P 500 posted its second consecutive weekly gain, marking its longest winning streak since May 2024.



Top individual performers included Arista Networks Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ANET#NYSE">ANET</a>) and Carrier Global Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CARR#NYSE">CARR</a>), both soaring roughly 20% for the week. On the downside, Becton, Dickinson and Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BDX#NYSE">BDX</a>) tumbled 20%, making it the worst performer.



Michigan-based automaker General Motors Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>) topped earnings forecasts yet withdrew guidance for the year amid "massive <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/05/45150325/gm-cut-its-2025-forecast-on-tariffs-but-core-business-holds-up-says-goldman-sachs">uncertainty&#8221; over tariffs.</a>



From a sector perspective, industrials and technology led the charge, while energy stocks lagged as crude oil prices slumped. Oil marked its second-worst week of the year, falling to $58 per barrel after Saudi Arabia signaled its readiness to cope with lower prices, stoking speculation that OPEC+ may boost output further in the coming months.



President Donald Trump's threat to impose secondary sanctions on nations buying Iranian oil failed to stabilize crude <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/05/45149446/oil-prices-soar-after-trump-threatens-sanctions-on-iranian-crude-buyers-is-china-on-top-of-the-list">prices, which continued to slide</a>.



Macroeconomic data painted a mixed picture. First-quarter gross domestic product shrank by 0.3%, missing forecasts of a 0.4% rise, largely due to a surge in imports.



Yet, inflation and employment data provided a more positive outlook. Nonfarm payrolls rose by 177,000 in April, beating the 130,000 consensus and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45164558/us-adds-177000-jobs-in-april-topping-forecasts-as-economy-navigates-tariff-impact">underscoring labor market strength.</a>



Meanwhile, Personal <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45102421/feds-key-inflation-gauge-cools-before-tariffs-hit-auto-outlays-spike-as-consumers-front-run-price-impacts">Consumption </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45102421/feds-key-inflation-gauge-cools-before-tariffs-hit-auto-outlays-spike-as-consumers-front-run-price-impacts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Expenditure inflation cooled</a>: annual price gains slowed from 2.7% in February to 2.3% in March. Core PCE, the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, eased to 2.6% year over year, aligning with expectations and down from 3%.



Looking ahead, markets will focus on the Federal Reserve's two-day policy meeting starting Tuesday. While no rate change is anticipated, Chair Jerome Powell's Wednesday press conference will be closely watched, especially after renewed calls from President Trump <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45166673/trump-pressures-fed-after-solid-jobs-cooling-inflation-lower-rates-now">to cut interest rates.</a>



Read now: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45173740/5-great-income-buys-for-the-coming-downturn">5 Great Income Buys For The Coming Downturn</a></li>
</ul>



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AMZN

ANET

CARR

MSFT

Wall Street Fully Recoups Tariff-Led Losses, Economy Contracts In First Quarter Yet April Payrolls Remain Strong: This Week In Markets

Reddit, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RDDT#NYSE">RDDT</a>) reported strong revenue and user growth in its better-than-expect Q1 report released Thursday. Executives offered more color and insight into future growth on the company's earnings <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/05/45176569/reddits-ad-strategy-is-clicking-say-analystsstrong-q1-sets-stage-for-profitable-growth-in-2025">call with analysts. </a>



Q1 Details: Reddit beat analysts' expectations on the top and bottom lines <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/25/05/45151798/reddit-stock-soars-after-better-than-expected-q1-daily-active-uniques-up-31-ad-revenue-up-61-and-more">with earnings</a> of 13 cents per share and revenue of $392.36 million, which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $370.01. 



Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/management/25/05/45140155/musk-shifts-focus-back-to-tesla-says-doge-will-endure-without-him-is-buddha-needed-for-buddhism?utm_source=articleShare">Musk Shifts Focus Back To Tesla, Says DOGE Will Endure Without Him: &#8216;Is Buddha Needed For Buddhism?&#8217;</a>



DAUs: The social platform also saw user growth of 31% year-over-year with 108.1 million daily active uniques.&nbsp;



Reddit CEO Steve Huffman said on the earnings call that Reddit had 400 million weekly active uniques in Q1, but does expect growth to be "bumpy" in the near term due to changes in Google's search ecosystem. Huffman added that DAU growth for April averaged in the high teens. 



However, the CEO expressed optimism for growth over the longer term.&nbsp;



"We believe we're in great shape over the medium and longer term. Look, ultimately, we drive growth when we make improvements to the product, which is where our focus is. So things like onboarding, search, machine translation, they all drive growth over the long term," Huffman told analysts.&nbsp;



Revenue: Reddit's ad revenue increased 61% year-over-year to $358.6 million, and other revenue increased 66% year-over-year to $33.7 million in the first quarter.&nbsp;



CFO Drew Vollero said on the earnings call that strength in ad impressions was the primary revenue driver, along with growth across various verticals and international markets. 



"Additionally, the increase in ad pricing from our investments in performance and targeting contributed to higher returns for advertisers," Vollero added.&nbsp;



Guidance: The CFO guided second-quarter revenue in the range of $410 million to $430 million, representing growth of&nbsp;46% to 53% year-over-year.&nbsp;



"We are confident in our ability to deliver strong growth in Q2 and beyond, given the positive momentum and investments we're making across product and sales,&#8221; Vollero said.&nbsp;



Read Next:&nbsp;



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/management/25/04/45084982/sofi-brings-crypto-back-after-trump-policy-changes?utm_source=articleShare">SoFi Brings Crypto Back After Trump Policy Changes&nbsp;</a></li>
</ul>



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Earnings

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Reddit Executives See 'Strong Growth In Q2 And Beyond'

The market rally continued into May as companies like Microsoft (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) and Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) reported blowout <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/05/45137383/microsoft-rallies-after-crushing-q3-earnings-goldman-sachs-lifts-target-to-480">Q1 earnings</a>. But while stocks reclaimed their pre-Liberation Day highs, sour sentiment and uncertainty continue to bleed into <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45139383/us-manufacturing-activity-contracts-in-april-as-tariffs-push-input-prices-toward-3-year-highs">survey data</a>.



Investors caught between the market rebound and declining sentiment may prefer to park their cash in sectors where product demand and market sentiment are less volatile, such as consumer staples.



Consumer staples stocks are resilient during downturns due to their focus on essential goods that people need regardless of economic conditions. This protects these firms from drastic revenue declines. Many also possess pricing power, allowing them to pass tariff costs to consumers without significant pushback.



Today, we'll look at five companies in the consumer staples space that offer strong dividends and high growth potential.



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



If your significant other has a favorite scent, there's a good chance Interparfums (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IPAR#NYSE">IPAR</a>) had a hand in making it. The France-based fragrance firm makes colognes and perfumes for brands like Donna Karan, Kate Spade, Coach, Guess, Montblanc, Ferragamo, and more. Interparfums reported $1.45 billion in sales over the past 12 months and currently has a market capitalization of over $3.5 billion.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXfOkma81-NTsApMIrtB1h37fir3zuZonotn9P4VHmyeGtE9VkFeAKehONFUln4YuZ3eEFsDWEkpsK-glcgCjLmhdKCSYWwewM3Xgs2btvofHcoxyD_gn_NDoNkxFinGPg0vfidy?key=T5If8DzUP6CFypYMGIowJsn4" alt=""/></figure>



IPAR currently yields 2.93% with a dividend payout ratio (DPR) of 63%, meaning that 63% of profits are allocated to dividend payments. Over 60% of profits going to a dividend may sound high, but consumer staples aren't growth-oriented firms and often return substantial chunks of earnings to shareholders. IPAR recently raised its quarterly dividend payout from $0.75 per share to $0.80 and reported 64% gross margins in the most recent earnings report. These figures indicate a strong dividend and the ability to absorb short-term tariff pressures. Additionally, the daily stock chart shows evidence of a trend reversal after a 22% decline in the preceding three months. IPAR has a high Benzinga Edge Quality score of 91.01 and reports its 2025 Q1 earnings on May 5.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">J.M. Smucker Co.&nbsp;</h2>



If you have young children, you've likely familiarized yourself with Uncrustables, the prepackaged sandwich treats sweeping elementary school cafeterias and Little League baseball diamonds. Uncrustables come from food giant J.M. Smucker Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SJM#NYSE">SJM</a>), famous for its peanut butter and jelly. It also owns popular brands like Hostess, Folgers, Cafe Bustelo, Meow Mix, and Milk-Bone.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXcfrFUcx03Ik9f-jz_NciLyClXb1QDzsyELB_8T3zP7J9oXcuZ_tqnL_xfxZiMvvPC_ZsbwE6YusYAxvg3Wbnjppa2-fgAPYGMifVnETbjn_JRNMOqGLfkunUwWFAocf55mDd3NJQ?key=T5If8DzUP6CFypYMGIowJsn4" alt=""/></figure>



SJM's dividend payout rate is beyond 100% this quarter due to a one-time impairment charge that affected earnings, but this charge blurs an otherwise sturdy dividend. SJM currently yields 3.72%, and the forward DPR based on 2026 estimates is just 41%. The company is also a Dividend Aristocrat, meaning it has increased its annual payout for at least 25 consecutive years (SJM has been raising its payout for 27 years now). SJM reported 36% gross margins in its most recent conference call, and the chart shows a potential Golden Cross forming as the 50-day moving average converges with the 200-day moving average.



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



United Breweries Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CCU#NYSE">CCU</a>) is a Chilean-based wine and spirits manufacturer known as Compañía Cervecerias Unidas in South America (hence the CCU stock ticker). The company operates primarily in South America, producing alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages under its own name and through popular brands such as Heineken, Guinness, Pepsi, and Keurig. CCU doesn't need to worry about tariffs, as the company doesn't export to the United States. However, U.S. investors can still earn income from its durable dividend.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXc6QuCfT64RbCmD6Za-lXtzz7EKsSt2aKYpZnAV8nXs3c5AlZkMZoVImhyJcZ6-kR-qmTpyf1Sl47cf5xxFniaipnXDTLKQDXR29mHNDQRZqteElswwRxjn0HtXy8c5BXPvXq0CFQ?key=T5If8DzUP6CFypYMGIowJsn4" alt=""/></figure>



CCU's stock has a dividend yield of 3% with an amenable 28% DPR, indicating a resilient payout. The company also has strong margins for a food and beverage maker, with 45% gross margins in its most recent earnings report. Benzinga Edge rates the stock 99.42 in Quality and 92.45 in Value, the highest figures for any company on our list today. The daily chart is also a thing of beauty, with the price firmly above the 50-day and 200-day simple moving averages (SMAs) and the Relative Strength Index (RSI) still well below the overbought threshold of 70.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Diageo plc ADR&nbsp;</h2>



It's been a rough road lately for the English alcohol behemoth Diageo (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DEO#NYSE">DEO</a>), which counts Johnny Walker, Crown Royal, Don Julio, Ketel One, Bailey's, and Smirnoff among its most popular brands. DEO stock was a top performer following the COVID crash in 2020, going from a March 2020 low of $102 to $222 by the first week of 2022.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXd6xmvco1-VofOa0YmRHYSHbswarzBdZ6C7-zRP77odB6DOHn-bGM41tVQSH23appZSVfPpFGkmmN49Mwom0xyO9bgfeb5Bs9Bv_xHhX18j5k87Hmup6xU717y4lBW4CJbxQojL?key=T5If8DzUP6CFypYMGIowJsn4" alt=""/></figure>



The stock has returned to that 2020 low, but this could finally be a turning point for the beleaguered beverage maker. The chart above shows a distinct long-term double bottom; the stock bounced off that level almost immediately. DEO shares have returned 7% over the last month, and fundamentals indicate that more gains could be ahead. The company posted gross margins of 60% in its most recent earnings release, and the stock yields 3.7% with a DPR of just 46%. Analysts rate the stock as a consensus Buy with an average price target of $180, indicating tremendous upside potential from current levels. Optimism could finally be sinking in at Diageo after a 50% haircut over the last two-plus years.



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



Strategic Education (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STRA#NASDAQ">STRA</a>) operates private colleges and universities, such as Strayer, Capella, and Torrens, and offers online post-secondary educational programs. STRA shares saw a massive uptick during the pandemic as online education gained market share, but they dropped to multi-year lows in 2022 amidst declining revenue and shrinking margins.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img decoding="async" src="https://lh7-rt.googleusercontent.com/docsz/AD_4nXdu1he7ZzwaHdzCJgxkVgpZ5vx4ZBR0A3ldQSCehzjbjpGoqoRz2WUqt3oKhnFAteEO5EUyF-lP5VXj9Pt7XrIIfGMoodp6NkBUVWNjL3gI-FikEWm-X7dNS-m80xpep1CP5C9D3g?key=T5If8DzUP6CFypYMGIowJsn4" alt=""/></figure>



STRA shares could be approaching a multi-year support level, as shown in the chart above. This fact, along with a safe dividend, makes this an attractive stock for income investors. The dividend yield is 2.94% with a 51% DPR, and the company has grown revenue for four consecutive quarters. Additionally, profit margins are back above 9% for the first time since the pandemic, with 47% gross margins, and the stock trades at just 17 times earnings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Markets Are Whipsawing—Here's How to Find Trades Inside It</h2>



Massive Dow swings. Tech whiplash. Every CPI print is rattling the market. Chris Capre is going live Sunday, May 4 at 1 PM ET to break down how to time high-probability trades with his proven 0–5 day momentum system. Register <a href="https://events2.benzinga.com/chris-capre-webinar-sun-may4-2025-registration/?">HERE</a> to join the session.



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



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IPAR

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5 Great Income Buys For The Coming Downturn

U.S. stocks powered higher Friday after signs emerged that China may be open to negotiating a resolution to the fentanyl crisis, signaling a potential softening of trade tensions with the U.S. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45172683/wall-street-eyes-9th-straight-day-of-gains-apple-falls-as-chinese-sales-disappoint-whats-driving-markets-friday">and lifting investor sentiment.</a>



Sources close to the Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/china/beijing-weighs-fentanyl-offer-to-u-s-to-start-trade-talks-287cf233">revealed </a>that Wang Xiaohong, China's minister of public security and a senior cabinet member, has been inquiring about what President Donald Trump's team expects from China regarding its role in the production of fentanyl precursors.



The inquiry marks a possible turning point in the long-standing diplomatic standoff between Washington and Beijing.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Markets Cheer Diplomatic Hopes</h3>



The S&amp;P 500 Index jumped 1.5% to 5,685 points, on the way to its ninth straight day of gains and returning to levels last seen in late March.



Since hitting a short-term bottom in April, the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) has rallied 17.5%, showcasing the index's strong recovery and renewed investor confidence.



The Nasdaq 100 rose even more aggressively during Friday trading, climbing 1.7% and above 20,100 points, driven by surging tech stocks. The index now trades at highs last seen on March 26.



Small caps staged an even sharper rebound. The Russell 2000 index – tracked by the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) – rallied 2.3% to 2,020 points, erasing losses incurred after the April 2 tariff announcements. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Beijing's Strategy: Leverage Fentanyl To Reset Trade Talks?</h3>



According to people familiar with the matter, China is exploring the possibility of sending Wang Xiaohong to the U.S. or arranging a high-level meeting with U.S. officials in a neutral location. 



The talks are described as fluid, but one consistent thread is that Beijing is seeking reciprocal movement from Washington on tariffs, WSJ reports.



The gesture could open the door to wider negotiations. On Friday, China's Commerce Ministry shifted its tone, stating that it was considering beginning discussions with the U.S. to halt the ongoing trade war. 



This marked a notable departure from its earlier stance, where it demanded that the U.S. first roll back tariffs as a precondition for any dialogue.



The thaw in rhetoric comes at a critical moment for China's economy, which is grappling with a prolonged real estate slump, falling prices and subdued business sentiment. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Tech Stocks Lead Friday&#8217;s Rally</h3>



Several large-cap tech names were at the forefront of the Nasdaq's rally. Among the top gainers:



<ul>
<li>DexCom Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DXCM#NASDAQ">DXCM</a>) soared 15% to $80.80</li>



<li>AppLovin Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APP#NASDAQ">APP</a>) gained 8.99% to $304.61</li>



<li>Arm Holdings plc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARM#NASDAQ">ARM</a>) advanced 6.32% to $122.69</li>



<li>Old Dominion Freight Line Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ODFL#NASDAQ">ODFL</a>) climbed 5.84% to $159.35</li>



<li>Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NYSE">PLTR</a>) rose 5.7% to $122.83</li>
</ul>



Among the worst performers were:



<ul>
<li>Atlassian Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TEAM#NASDAQ">TEAM</a>), down 6.71% to $213.69</li>



<li>Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TTWO#NASDAQ">TTWO</a>), off 5.62% to $221.95</li>



<li>Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), slipping 4% to $204.78</li>



<li>Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMGN#NASDAQ">AMGN</a>), falling 2.53% to $276.59</li>



<li>MercadoLibre Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MELI#NASDAQ">MELI</a>), down 1.46% to $2,261.06</li>
</ul>



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45164558/us-adds-177000-jobs-in-april-topping-forecasts-as-economy-navigates-tariff-impact">April Jobs Blow Past Expectations, But Tariff Storm May Be Brewing</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

AMGN

DXCM

MELI

ODFL

PLTR

TEAM

TTWO

Nasdaq 100 Leads Wall Street Rally As China Signals Openness To Fentanyl Talks, Easing Trade Tensions

Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) founder and executive chairman Jeff Bezos has been<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/11/41763411/jeff-bezos-sells-214m-worth-of-amazon-shares-in-latest-stock-move-heres-how-much-he-still-owns"> steadily whittling down </a>his ownership stake in the Seattle, Washington-based company recently, allocating capital instead to Blue Origin and his other ventures. A filing on Friday revealed that the billionaire entrepreneur plans to reduce his share count even more.



What Happened: Bezos&#8217; share reduction plan was revealed in a recent 10-Q <a href="https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1018724/000101872425000036/amzn-20250331.htm">filing</a>.



Bezos, the largest shareholder of the company, plans to sell up to 25,000,000 shares of Amazon stock over a period ending on May 29, 2026. At the company&#8217;s current stock price, the liquidation would amount to around $4.75 billion.



Why it Matters: Bezos will now own less than 9% of the company he founded in 1994.



It&#8217;s not the first time the Princeton alum has offloaded shares. In November 2024, Bezos<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/11/42027285/bezos-wraps-up-sale-of-3-4b-worth-of-amazon-shares" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> wrapped up</a> his sale of $3.4 billion shares. Bezos&#8217; remaining shares represent approximately a $170 billion position in the $2 trillion company.



Other billionaire tech founders have initiated similar share divestiture plans after their companies matured.



Bill Gates, the founder and former CEO of Microsoft, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/real-estate/24/06/39228376/bill-gates-could-be-the-worlds-first-trillionaire-if-he-had-diamond-handed-his-microsoft-shares-hed">sold the vast majority</a> of his position in the Redmond, Washington-based company in recent decades after his friend, Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett, advised him to diversify. Gates&#8217; position is now less than 1% of the $3 trillion company.



Read Next:



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/05/45162929/tim-cook-tells-commerce-secretary-lutnick-how-apple-could-bring-iphone-manufacturing-to-us">Tim Cook Tells Commerce Secretary Lutnick How Apple &#8216;Could&#8217; Bring iPhone Manufacturing To US</a></li>
</ul>



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Insider Trades

Markets

Jeff Bezos To Unload Almost $5 Billion In Amazon Stock: Filing

A historic divergence is unfolding across asset classes, with gold surging to its best presidential-term start since Gerald Ford while U.S. stocks post their worst performance since the same era, and Bank of America's chief strategist Michael Hartnett says investors are increasingly betting on policy shifts to rescue the market <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s">from soft macroeconomic headwinds.</a>



In a note shared Friday, Hartnett outlined how the "second 100 days" of Donald Trump's 2025 presidency could bring a pivot toward lower tariffs, lower rates and lower taxes — a bullish trifecta for risk assets.



That shift, he said, could revive appetite for equities, even as recession signals persist in the economic data.



Just a week ago, Hartnett said a sustainable bull market would need three things: lower Treasury yields under 4%, consistent earnings growth above 5%, and a meaningful U.S.-China tariff rollback. His strategy remained: "Stay BIG, sell rips" — favoring bonds, international stocks and gold while fading rallies in U.S. equities.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Best Start For Gold In Nearly 50 Years</h3>



Gold is the standout performer year to date, up 22%, marking its best opening 100 days since the Ford administration. 



In contrast, the S&amp;P 500 is down 0.3%, its worst kickoff since the 1970s, while the U.S. dollar has tumbled 7.6%, logging its steepest slide since the Nixon era.



Notably, gold – as tracked by the SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GLD#NYSE">GLD</a>) – logged its fifth straight month of outperformance versus stocks in April, notching both the longest streak since 2009 and the strongest since 2011. 



Read more: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45154011/gold-leaves-sp-500-in-the-dust-with-biggest-outperformance-in-14-years">Gold Leaves S&amp;P 500 In The Dust With Biggest Outperformance In 14 Years</a>



Hartnett attributed the initial market moves to headline-grabbing developments like artificial intelligence excitement, crypto speculation, NATO tensions and "Liberation Day" trades. 



Yet, these trades are now "unwinding significantly," he said, as attention shifts to potential Trump-era economic policies in the pipeline.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Lower Yields, Weaker Dollar Cushion ‘Soft' Macro Data</h3>



Treasury yields are reflecting expectations of easier monetary policy. The 2-year Treasury yield has fallen 70 basis points since Trump&#8217;s Inauguration Day, oil is down 20%, and the U.S. dollar is weakening. 



These moves, combined with strong capital expenditures in AI — tracking at $320 billion for 2025 — are helping to cushion the blow from deteriorating economic indicators.



Soft macro data is still troubling: GDP forecasts for 2026 have dropped to 1.5% from 2%, oil has plunged 56% since the Russia-Ukraine shock and 17% since "Liberation Day," and consumer sentiment remains weak. 



Yet, Hartnett said as long as the U.S. labor market holds up — with no significant cracks in payrolls — recession fears may be premature.



April employment growth soared by 177,000, according to official statistics released Friday, topping estimates of 130,000. 



Now Read: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45166673/trump-cheers-falling-inflation-traders-pare-bets-on-fed-easing-after-jobs-report-the-fed-should-lower-its-rate">Trump Pressures Fed After Solid Jobs, Cooling Inflation: &#8216;Lower Its Rate!&#8217; (CORRECTED)</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Econ #s

Forget The Stock Market's Tariff Turmoil. Trump's Next 100 Days Could Bring A Bullish Trifecta That Reignites Demand, Expert Says

U.S. stocks advanced across the board by midday Friday, with the S&amp;P 500 eyeing its ninth consecutive day of gains—poised for the longest winning <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets">streak since May 2024.</a>



Risk appetite remained firm, underpinned by solid corporate earnings and a stronger-than-expected April jobs report. Nonfarm payrolls rose by 177,000, beating expectations of 130,000 and easing concerns over tariff-related hiring slowdowns.



All eleven S&amp;P 500 sectors traded in positive territory, led slightly by financials over technology. Major indexes have now fully recovered from the declines sparked on April 2, when President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs across trading partners.



The Nasdaq 100 climbed to levels last seen in late March, capping a strong week for tech stocks. Among the Magnificent Seven, all were on pace to close the week higher except Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), which slipped 4% as strong earnings were overshadowed by weaker sales in China.



The U.S. dollar index resumed its decline, pressured by renewed calls from President Trump for the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates ahead of next week's policy meeting.



Treasury yields surged following the upbeat jobs data, with the 10-year note jumping 10 basis points to 4.31%, easing recession concerns entering the second quarter.



In commodities, oil prices fell back to $58 per barrel despite Thursday's rally on heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Gold rebounded 0.5%, set to snap a three-day losing streak, while natural gas prices jumped 4.4% to a two-week high.



Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) edged up 1% to $97,500, marking its fourth straight week of gains.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Major Indices</td><td>Price</td><td>1-day %chg</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>2,009.90</td><td>+1.7%</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>20,052.42</td><td>+1.3%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>5,671.17</td><td>+1.2%</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>41,130.34</td><td>+0.9%</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated by 11:30 a.m. ET</figcaption></figure>



According to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/?utm_source=BZprocontent&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">Benzinga Pro</a>&nbsp;data:



<ul>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) rose 1.2% to $565.03.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>) rose 0.9% to $411.29.</li>



<li>The tech-heavy&nbsp;Invesco QQQ Trust Series&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>)&nbsp;rallied 1.4% to $488.26.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) soared 1.8% to $199.58.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;Financials Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLF#NYSE">XLF</a>) outperformed, up 1.7%; the&nbsp;Consumer Staples&nbsp;Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLP#NYSE">XLP</a>) lagged, up 0.3%.</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Friday&#8217;s Stock Movers</h3>



Stocks reacting to earnings reports included: 



<ul>
<li>Apple Inc.: down 4.0%</li>



<li>Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>): up 0.2%</li>



<li>Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XOM#NYSE">XOM</a>): up 0.0%</li>



<li>Chevron Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVX#NYSE">CVX</a>): up 0.7%</li>



<li>Eaton Corporation plc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ETN#NYSE">ETN</a>): down 2.1%</li>



<li>Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMGN#NASDAQ">AMGN</a>): down 1.8%</li>



<li>Cigna Group (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CI#NYSE">CI</a>): down 0.5%</li>



<li>Arthur J. Gallagher &amp; Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AJG#NYSE">AJG</a>): up 3.5%</li>



<li>Monolithic Power Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MPWR#NASDAQ">MPWR</a>): up 4.0%</li>



<li>DexCom, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DXCM#NASDAQ">DXCM</a>): up 14.2%</li>



<li>Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APO#NYSE">APO</a>): down 1.7%</li>



<li>T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TROW#NASDAQ">TROW</a>): up 3.5%</li>



<li>Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CBOE#BATS">CBOE</a>): up 1.2%</li>



<li>Mettler-Toledo International Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MTD#NYSE">MTD</a>): up 1.4%</li>



<li>Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LYV#NYSE">LYV</a>): up 0.1%</li>



<li>Motorola Solutions, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSI#NYSE">MSI</a>): down 6.2%</li>



<li>Airbnb, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ABNB#NASDAQ">ABNB</a>): down 0.2%</li>
</ul>



Read now: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45166673/trump-pressures-fed-after-solid-jobs-cooling-inflation-lower-rates-now">Trump Pressures Fed After Solid Jobs, Cooling Inflation: &#8216;Lower Its Rate!&#8217; (CORRECTED)</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Cryptocurrency

$BTC

ABNB

CBOE

MPWR

TROW

Wall Street Eyes 9th Straight Day Of Gains, Apple Falls As Chinese Sales Disappoint: What's Driving Markets Friday?

The U.S. labor market showed signs of strength in April, with hiring momentum topping estimates despite the impact of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/tariffs">trade tariffs across industries.</a>



Nonfarm payrolls increased by 177,000 last month, slightly down from a downwardly revised 185,000 in March, according to data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 



The outcome surpassed both economist forecasts for a 130,000 gain and betting markets – tracked by CFTC-regulated platform Kalshi – which had priced in a 90,000 increase.



In April, employment continued to rise across several sectors, including health care, transportation and warehousing, financial activities, and social assistance, while federal government jobs declined.



The health care sector added 51,000 jobs—closely in line with its 12-month average of 52,000. Notable increases were seen in hospitals, up 22,000, and ambulatory health care services, up 21,000.



Transportation and warehousing employment rose by 29,000, rebounding from a modest gain of 3,000 in March. Within the sector, job growth was concentrated in warehousing and storage, up 10,000, couriers and messengers, up 8,000, and air transportation, up 3,000. 



Federal government employment declined by 9,000, reflecting rising layoffs amid reforms led by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).



The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.2%, as expected. 



Wage growth lost some momentum. Average hourly earnings rose 0.2% on the month, down from both the prior and expected 0.3%. On an annual basis, wages were up 3.8%, steady from March but slightly below the forecasted 3.9%.



Ahead of the April jobs report, money markets had priced in a 58% probability of a 25-basis-point rate cut at the Federal Reserve's June meeting, according to CME FedWatch.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><thead><tr><th>Indicator</th><th>April 2025</th><th>March 2025 </th><th>Forecast</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Nonfarm Payrolls</td><td>177,000</td><td>185,000 (downwardly revised from )</td><td>130,000</td></tr><tr><td>Unemployment Rate</td><td>4.2%</td><td>4.2%</td><td>4.2%</td></tr><tr><td>Avg. Hourly Earnings (MoM)</td><td>+0.2%</td><td>+0.3%</td><td>+0.3%</td></tr><tr><td>Avg. Hourly Earnings (YoY)</td><td>+3.8%</td><td>+3.8%</td><td>+3.9%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Market Reactions </h3>



The stronger-than-expected jobs data pushed the U.S. dollar and Treasury yields higher and boosted gains across major equity indices.



The U.S. Dollar Index, as tracked by the Invesco DB USD Index Bullish Fund ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UUP#NYSE">UUP</a>), trimmed session losses, down 0.2% by 8:35 a.m. ET. 



Treasury yields also rose, with the 2-year yield—often seen as a proxy for near-term rate expectations—rising 3 basis points to 3.74%.



S&amp;P 500 futures were up 0.7%, while tech stocks rose 0.8%. On Thursday, the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) closed 0.7% higher, marking its eighth consecutive session of gains.



Read now: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45154011/gold-leaves-sp-500-in-the-dust-with-biggest-outperformance-in-14-years">Gold Leaves S&amp;P 500 In The Dust With Biggest Outperformance In 14 Years</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

April Jobs Blow Past Expectations, But Tariff Storm May Be Brewing

Oil and gas midstream firm Oneok (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OKE#NYSE">OKE</a>) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/OKE/earnings">released earnings</a> on Wednesday and the response was mixed. Shares have now dropped to near multi-year lows.



A long base could be in store for this stock before it holds structure and breaks upwards again.



That leads me to consider a leap call butterfly options trade to profit from this setup.



Here&#8217;s how you set this trade up for maximum gain.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Long Call Butterfly Leap Explained&nbsp;</h2>



A long call butterfly is the combination of a long call spread and a short call spread, where both share the same short strike and the same expiration date. The term &#8220;leap&#8221; means that we position the option well into the future, using a bullish position that gives us time to wait out the sideways churn ahead. 



The beauty of a leap butterfly is that time decay becomes largely irrelevant, so we can wait out the noisy bits in the market as we recover.&nbsp;



Here are the trade details, positioned for upside:



<ul>
<li>Buy to open 1 OKE 20Mar 2026 80 calls </li>



<li>Sell to open 2 OKE 20Mar 2026 100 calls </li>



<li>Buy to open 1 OKE 20Mar 2026 120 calls </li>
</ul>



The long call butterfly holds a current debit of $4.90 at the time of writing, which represents the total risk incurred in the trade. The breakeven price of the stock at expiration on this trade is $84.90.



The total highest potential profit is $20 (the distance between 80 and 100) less the cost of the debit incurred by buying the call butterfly, so: $20 &#8211; $4.90 = $15.10 (less commissions).&nbsp;



Note that it&#8217;s extremely rare to collect all this premium on a butterfly of this kind. Instead, I like to consider 40%-90% profit of the longer-term investment. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">ONEOK Key Chart Levels</h2>



Oneok&#8217;s relative resistance zone sits around $105, as I write this, but trading could be choppy for many months due to market uncertainty at this level. Set an alert for prices near this middle strike so that you are aware of the motion into the middle strike, as this is where the maximum profit will engage into expiration.



You will also notice that price action is less sensitive to fluctuation the further we are from expiration. The stock&#8217;s support sits near $70.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Trade Management</h2>



This strategy provides several ways to exit the trade, but I will discuss the two main ones:



<ol>
<li>You can sell the call butterfly when the profit goal moves into your target parameters, particularly once the middle strike is tested near the expiration time. I often look for a 40%-90% return for these types of call butterflies with strikes deep in the money. </li>



<li>To sell the call butterfly when your loss threshold is breached. Customarily, this is 50% for me. </li>
</ol>



More advanced traders might consider rolling the short strikes down over time if the price continues to go up.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Live Sunday: How to Trade Whipsaw Market Moves</h2>



Markets are whipsawing daily as inflation data, bond spikes, and Fed silence shake up stocks. This Sunday, May 4, at 1 PM ET, Chris Capre will reveal how his 0–5 day momentum strategy turns chaos into fast, repeatable trades—built off institutional order flow and price action setups. Reserve your spot <a href="https://events2.benzinga.com/chris-capre-webinar-sun-may4-2025-registration">HERE</a>.



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



Photo: Shutterstock

Trade Profitably On Cooling Energy Earnings

Editor's Note: This headline has been updated to reflect the accurate wording of Donald Trump's quote



President Donald Trump on Friday celebrated what he described as a "transition stage" of economic renewal, as recent economic data showed falling consumer prices and solid job growth, defying concerns that trade tariffs would reignite inflation or <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s">destabilize the labor market.</a>



In a post shared Friday on Truth Social, Trump said gas prices had "just broke $1.98 a gallon," and claimed "no inflation," urging the Fed to lower interest rates. "Consumers have been waiting for years to see pricing come down," he said. 



"The Fed should lower its rate!," Trump stated.



During a rally in Michigan this week, Trump took fresh aim at Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, saying, "I have a Fed person who is not really doing a good job."



"You're not supposed to criticize the Fed," Trump added. "You're supposed to let him do his own thing, but I know much more than he does about interest rates."



The remarks extend a growing line of public criticism from Trump, who last month accused Powell of acting "too late and wrong" on rates. Still, the former president has assured investors he does not plan to remove Powell before his term ends in May 2026.



After the stronger-than-expected jobs report, traders scaled back bets on a June Fed rate cut, with odds dropping to 40% from 60%, according to CME FedWatch.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Strong Jobs Growth, Low Inflation Suggest Economy Doing Better Than Feared</h3>



The comments came as economic data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics painted a resilient labor market. Nonfarm payrolls increased by 177,000 in April, beating <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45164558/us-adds-177000-jobs-in-april-topping-forecasts-as-economy-navigates-tariff-impact">consensus expectations of 130,000.</a> 



While the figure marked a slight decline from the downwardly revised 185,000 in March, it reinforced market confidence that the U.S. economy remains on solid footing despite external shocks like tariffs.



On the inflation front, data released earlier in the week revealed that headline Personal Consumption Expenditures prices rose just 2.3% in March, slowing sharply from February's revised 2.7%. The monthly increase was flat, compared to February's 0.4% rise.



Core PCE, which excludes food and energy and is the Fed's preferred inflation gauge, cooled to 2.6% year-over-year, in line with expectations and down from 3%. 



Month-over-month, core prices were also flat, beating expectations for a 0.1% rise.



Oil prices – as tracked by the United States Oil Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/USO#NYSE">USO</a>) – are on track to end their second straight week of declines, with WTI crude holding below $60 a barrel. 



Year-to-date, U.S. gasoline futures – as tracked by the United States Gasoline Fund LP (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UGA#NYSE">UGA</a>) – have fallen 10% to $2.04 a gallon.



Read now: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/05/45149446/oil-prices-soar-after-trump-threatens-sanctions-on-iranian-crude-buyers-is-china-on-top-of-the-list">Oil Prices Soar After Trump Threatens Sanctions On Iranian Crude Buyers: Is China On Top Of The List?</a></li>
</ul>



Image created using photos from Shutterstock.

Specialty ETFs

Politics

Trump Pressures Fed After Solid Jobs, Cooling Inflation: 'Lower Its Rate!' (CORRECTED)

Oil giant Chevron Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVX#NYSE">CVX</a>) shares are trading lower premarket on Friday after the company&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/05/b45161156/chevron-reports-first-quarter-2025-results" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported&nbsp;first-quarter results</a>.



Revenues&nbsp;and other income of&nbsp;$47.61&nbsp;billion&nbsp;missed the consensus of&nbsp;$48.09 billion.&nbsp;



In the&nbsp;first quarter, net oil-equivalent production remained broadly flat Y/Y at 3,353 MBOED as growth at TCO (20%), in the Permian Basin (12%), and in the Gulf of America (7%) was offset by the impacts of asset sales.



Adjusted net earnings were&nbsp;$3.8 billion, with adjusted EPS at&nbsp;$2.18 (down from&nbsp;$2.93 a year ago) in the quarter <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">in line with the consensus.</a>



U.S. Upstream reported&nbsp;earnings of&nbsp;$1.86 billion versus $2.08 billion a year ago due to higher operating expenses, including a legal reserve, and lower liquids realizations.



Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/large-cap/25/04/44902787/chevron-totalenergies-fire-up-ballymore-deepwater-gulf-project-targeting-150-million-barrels-over-life" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chevron &amp; TotalEnergies Fire Up Ballymore: Deepwater Gulf Project Targeting 150 Million Barrels Over Life</a>



International upstream earnings fell&nbsp;to&nbsp;$1.90 billion&nbsp;from&nbsp;$3.16 billion&nbsp;a year ago, owing to lower liftings and weak affiliate earnings at TCO largely due to higher depreciation, depletion and amortization.



U.S. downstream earnings plunged to $103 million from $453 million a year ago, primarily due to narrower margins and legal reserves.



International downstream earnings declined to&nbsp;$222 million&nbsp;from&nbsp;$330 million&nbsp;in the prior year quarter due to decreased margins on refined product sales and a less favorable impact of foreign currency.



Operating cash flow decreased to&nbsp;$5.2 billion from&nbsp;$6.8 billion&nbsp;a year ago owing to lower earnings and tax payments related to the Canadian asset sale.



Capital expenditure stood at $3.9 billion in the first quarter of 2025, lower than $4.1 billion a year ago quarter, owing to inorganic investment in power solutions for U.S. data centers.



Chevron returned&nbsp;$6.9&nbsp;billion of cash to shareholders in the quarter, including $3.0 billion in dividends and $3.9 billion in share repurchases.



The company held cash and equivalents of&nbsp;$4.64 billion&nbsp;as of March 31.



Dividend: The company disclosed a quarterly dividend of&nbsp;$1.71&nbsp;per share, payable on June 10, to shareholders of record as of May 19, 2025.



Mike Wirth, Chevron's chairman and chief executive officer, said, "Despite changing market conditions, our resilient portfolio, strong balance sheet, and consistent focus on capital and cost discipline position us to deliver industry-leading <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44943850/chevron-ceo-sees-no-sign-of-recession-at-this-point-predicts-9-billion-in-free-cash-flow-by-2026" rel="noreferrer noopener">free cash flow growth by 2026.</a>"



The company disclosed a simpler organizational structure to improve execution, aiming to cut structural costs by $2 billion-$3 billion <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/guidance" rel="noreferrer noopener">by the end of 2026</a>.



Investors can gain exposure to CVX via&nbsp;EA Series Trust Strive U.S. Energy ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DRLL#NYSE">DRLL</a>) and&nbsp;SPDR Select Sector Fund – Energy Select Sector (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLE#NYSE">XLE</a>).



Price Action: CVX shares are down&nbsp;2.03%&nbsp;at&nbsp;$133.4506 premarket at the last check Friday.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45147266/chevron-vs-exxon-oil-giants-limp-into-q1-earnings-with-engines-stalling" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chevron Vs. Exxon: Oil Giants Limp Into Q1 Earnings With Engines Stalling</a></li>
</ul>



Photo by adwo via Shutterstock

Guidance

Dividends

Buybacks

DRLL

Chevron Q1 Profit Drops On Higher Costs, Weak International Margins

U.S. stock futures are in the green early Friday, after another winning day for the markets in the regular session on Thursday.



What Happened: The futures markets continue to inch higher following fresh signals from China that it is open to begin trade negotiations with Washington after weeks of stonewalling.



Strong earnings performance by Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>),&nbsp;Amazon.com Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), and Airbnb Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ABNB#NASDAQ">ABNB</a>), amid growing trade, tariff, and geopolitical headwinds, helped lift investor sentiments following weeks of turbulence and uncertainties.



On Friday, investors will be closely watching the earnings of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>) (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>), Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XOM#NYSE">XOM</a>), and Apollo Global Management Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APO#NYSE">APO</a>), among several others.



U.S. 10-Year Treasuries are at 4.20%, while the 2-Year Treasuries are at 3.69%. The CME Group's FedWatch&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tool</a>&nbsp;shows the markets pricing a 93.2% likelihood of interest rates remaining unchanged during the FOMC meeting that is scheduled to take place the first week of May, which marks a decrease from 95% on Thursday.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Futures</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Change (+/-)</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Dow Jones</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">0.54%</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">S&amp;P 500</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">0.50%</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Nasdaq 100</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">0.34%</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Russell 2000</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">1.01%</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> The&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 Trust ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) was up 0.71% on Monday, while the&nbsp;Invesco QQQ Trust&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which tracks the Nasdaq-100 Index, was up 1.31%, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;138z7gr&#x2A;_gcl_au&#x2A;MjA5Njc0MjY1My4xNzQwODM2NTUw&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;R1MxLjEuMTc0NDY0ODA3Mi4yLjAuMTc0NDY0ODA3NS4wLjAuMA..&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTc0NTgyOTMzMy4xLjEuMTc0NTgyOTYyMy4wLjAuMA..">Benzinga Pro</a>&nbsp;data. Cues From Last Session: The markets were upbeat on Thursday, with most S&amp;P 500 sectors in the green, with tech and consumer discretionary sectors leading the charge. Healthcare, however, witnessed a steep decline, down 2.73% during the day, owing to the 11.66% pullback in Eli Lilly And Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>), following its first quarter earnings. The S&amp;P 500 itself was up 0.63% during the day, closing at 5,604.14, followed by the Nasdaq Composite at 17,710.74, up 1.52%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average at 40,752.96, up 0.21%, and the small-cap gauge, Russell 2000, which was up 0.60%, closing at 1,975.86. Initial jobless claims at 241,000 came in significantly higher than the median forecast of 225,000, which soured sentiments during the day. As of Thursday, the Nasdaq 100 index was down 10.96% from its previous high of 22,222.61 points. The S&amp;P 500 index was 8.83% lower, as compared to the last record high of 6,147.43 points. On the other hand, Dow Jones was down 9.58% from its 52-week high of 45,073.63 points.</figcaption></figure>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Index</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Performance (+/-)</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Value</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Nasdaq Composite</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">1.52%</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">17,710.74</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">S&amp;P 500</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">0.63%</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">5,604.14</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Dow Jones</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">0.21%</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">40,752.96</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Russell 2000</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">0.60%</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">1,975.86</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Insights From Analysts:



According to analyst Seth Golden, a chief market strategist at the Finom Group, the S&amp;P 500 having retraced 50% of the bear market at closing on Thursday, points towards the markets going to their all-time high.



Golden says, &#8220;Since 1956, when this occurred, the index went on to all-time highs and was higher 12 months forward 100% of the time.&#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">It&#39;s official &#x2705; S&amp;P 500 has retraced 50% of the bear market on closing basis. Since 1956, when this occurred, the index went on to all-time highs and was higher 12 months forward 100% of the time! Only time the low was not in was 2022 (Jackson Hole &quot;more pain to come&quot;)<a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24SPX&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$SPX</a>… <a href="https://t.co/CeiiVqmdks">pic.twitter.com/CeiiVqmdks</a>&mdash; Seth Golden (@SethCL) <a href="https://twitter.com/SethCL/status/1918106892418580919?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



The only time this didn&#8217;t happen, says Golden, was in 2022, when Fed Chair Jerome Powell made his infamous &#8220;more pain to come&#8221; speech, leading to steeper declines in the market.



Upcoming Economic Data:



<ul>
<li>U.S. Non-Farm Payrolls, U.S. Unemployment Rate, U.S. Hourly Wages, and Hourly Wages Year-Over-Year are all set to be announced by 8:30 AM ET on Friday. </li>



<li>Factory Orders report for March is scheduled to be announced by 10 AM ET.</li>
</ul>



Stocks In Focus:



<ul>
<li>Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>) (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>) is set to release its earnings on Friday, and while there is no clarity on the timing of the announcement, the stock is up 1.12% pre-market. Analysts expect the company to report $4.72 per share in earnings, on $81.59 billion in revenue. </li>



<li>Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XOM#NYSE">XOM</a>) will be releasing its earnings at 9:30 AM, with analysts expecting $1.73 per share earnings, on $86.1 billion in revenue. The stock is up 0.87% pre-market. </li>



<li>Chevron Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVX#NYSE">CVX</a>) is scheduled to announce its first quarter earnings by 11:00 AM, with consensus estimates pegging its earnings at $2.15 per share, on $48.4 billion in revenue. The stock is up 0.66% pre-market. </li>



<li>The Cigna Group (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CI#NYSE">CI</a>) will be releasing its first quarter earnings before markets open at 8:30 AM, with the stock trading up 1.16% pre-market. Analysts expect $6.35 earnings per share, on $60.4 billion in revenue. </li>



<li>Apollo Global Management Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APO#NYSE">APO</a>) is up 1.23% pre-market, with the company expected to release its first quarter earnings before markets open at 8:30 AM. Analysts expect $1.84 in earnings, on $964 million in revenue.</li>
</ul>



Commodities, Gold And Global Equity Markets:



Crude oil futures are down for the day by 0.65%, trading at $58.87 per barrel, amid growing concerns of a recession and oversupply.



Gold Spot US Dollar has finally broken free from its losing streak, and is up 1.31% on Friday, trading at $3,259.42 per ounce, which is still considerably lower than $3,500.33 per ounce last week. The U.S. Dollar Index is down 0.48%, trading at 99.7175 at the time of writing.



All Asian, Australian, and New Zealand markets are in the green on Friday, barring China&#8217;s Shanghai Index which is marginally lower. 



Image via Shutterstock

Analyst Color

TSLA

US Futures Rise As Apple, Amazon, Airbnb Earnings Boost Market Sentiment: S&P 500 Hits Milestone That's Preceded A 100% Win Rate Since 1956, Says Expert

Apple Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>)&nbsp;CEO&nbsp;Tim Cook&nbsp;has reportedly identified a crucial factor that could see iPhone manufacturing shift to the United States.



What Happened: U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, in a conversation with <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/04/29/cnbc-transcript-united-states-commerce-secretary-howard-lutnick-speaks-with-cnbcs-brian-sullivan-on-the-exchange-today.html">CNBC's</a> Brian Sullivan on "The Exchange" Tuesday, shared details of a discussion he had with Apple CEO Tim Cook about the possibility of relocating iPhone production to the U.S. 



Amid escalating tariff tensions and global economic uncertainty, President Donald Trump has renewed his push to bring manufacturing back to American soil.



In his conversation with Lutnick, Cook revealed the key catalyst necessary for such a move. &#8221; I need to have the robotic arms, right, do it at a at a scale and a precision that I could bring it here,&#8221; Cook reportedly told Lutnick.



Tim Cook expressed a desire to move production closer to home, citing reliance on foreign labor—especially in China—as a major risk, particularly in the event of disruptions like a strike, as per the Commerce Secretary.



&#8220;Americans are going to be the technicians who drive those factories. They're not going to be the ones screwing it in&#8230;&#8221; <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/04/45082716/manufacturing-momentum-market-mirage-lutnick-dismisses-recession">asserted </a>Lutnick.



SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/25/05/45158172/amazon-ceo-andy-jassy-predicts-pandemic-like-consumer-shifts-says-company-is-maniacally-focused-on-keeping-prices" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Andy Jassy Predicts Pandemic-Like Consumer Shifts, Says Amazon Is &#8216;Maniacally Focused&#8217; On Keeping Prices Low</a>



Why It Matters: According to Alan Friedman from PhoneArena, by employing robots to handle tedious, low-wage assembly tasks—like building an iPhone—Apple can avoid the challenge of finding American workers willing to earn the $3 to $3.70 per hour that assemblers in Shenzhen reportedly make. Without automation, Apple would have to pay at least the U.S. federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour—more than double—likely resulting in higher iPhone prices.



However, Cook,<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/04/44783543/when-tim-cook-revealed-the-real-reason-iphones-are-made-in-chinaand-its-not-low-labor-costs-china-stopped-being-a-low-wage-country-years-ago"> </a>in a recent viral video from the past, dismissed the notion that iPhones are manufactured in China due to low labor costs. He emphasized that China&#8217;s unique concentration of skilled labor in a single region, combined with its advanced tooling capabilities, stands out as the primary reason.



Furthermore, Cook&#8217;s dialogue with Lutnick previously resulted in a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44882019/apple-ceo-tim-cooks-dialogue-with-commerce-secretary-lutnick-secured-tariff-exemption-for-iphones-and-electronics-report">tariff exemption</a> for iPhones. This exemption could have significant implications for iPhone prices and Apple&#8217;s bottom line.



That being said, the Apple CEO has warned of a $900 million <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/05/45156890/apple-ceo-tim-cook-warns-of-900-million-tariff-impact-in-june-quarter-expects-majority-of-iphones-sold-in-us-to-be-made-in-india">tariff impact</a> in the June quarter, expecting the majority of iPhones sold in the U.S. to be made in India. This shift in manufacturing could potentially reduce the tariff impact <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/05/45152493/apple-reports-strong-q2-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-installed-base-hits-all-time-high-across-all-segments-100-billion-buyback-and-more">and </a>increase profitability for Apple, which recently reported strong Q2 earnings.



Nevertheless, Friedman opined, if the Trump administration allows time for technology to advance, robotics could be the answer for Tim Cook. 



Apple holds a momentum rating of 74.54% and a quality rating of 86.08%, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/AAPL" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga&#8217;s Proprietary Edge Rankings</a>. For an in-depth report on more stocks and insights into growth opportunities,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/screener/top-momentum-stocks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sign</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/screener/top-momentum-stocks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">up for Benzinga Edge.</a>



Apple stock has declined 12.52% during the year-to-date period.



<ul>
<li>READ MORE:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/news/events/25/04/44971154/trump-fails-to-impress-americas-young-shows-poll-as-they-still-favor-biden-only-15-think-us-on-right-track" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump Fails To Impress America&#8217;s Young, Shows Poll As They Still Favor Biden — Only 15% Think US On Right Track &#8211; Benzinga</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.

Tim Cook Tells Commerce Secretary Lutnick How Apple 'Could' Bring iPhone Manufacturing To US

On Thursday, during Apple Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/05/45152493/apple-reports-strong-q2-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-installed-base-hits-all-time-high-across-all-segments-100-billion-buyback-and-more">fiscal second-quarter earnings</a> call, CEO Tim Cook said that the tech giant expects a $900 million cost impact in the June quarter due to tariffs.



What Happened: "For the June [quarter], we do expect the majority of iPhones sold in the U.S. will have India as their country of origin," Cook said. He added that Vietnam will now serve as the production hub for nearly all iPads, Macs, Apple Watches and AirPods sold in the U.S.



Apple's pivot comes amid mounting tariffs on Chinese imports.&nbsp;



"Most of our tariff exposure relates to the February IEEPA-related tariff at the rate of 20%, which applies to imports to the U.S. for products that have China as their country of origin," Cook explained.



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44855242/charlie-munger-once-highlighted-how-warren-buffetts-lifelong-learning-made-berkshire-hathaways-success-possible-and-the-crucial-lesson-you-can-take-from-it" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Charlie Munger Once Said Warren Buffett Is A ‘Learning Machine' And That's What Lies Beneath Berkshire Hathaway's Success From One Decade To Another</a>



He also noted that Apple's main product lines — iPhone, Mac, iPad, Apple Watch and Vision Pro — are <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/04/44970168/elizabeth-warren-slams-tim-cook-over-alleged-backdoor-deal-with-trump-to-shield-apple-from-crushing-china-tariffs-creates-the-appearance-of-impropriety">not currently impacted</a> by the newly announced global reciprocal tariffs related to semiconductors.



Still, the company is bracing for changes. "Assuming that the current global tariff rates, policies and applications don't change for the balance of the quarter," the impact will be $900 million to the company's costs.



Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.



Why It's Important: Apple posted fiscal second-quarter revenue of $95.36 billion, surpassing Wall Street expectations of $94.53 billion. For the June quarter, the company projects revenue growth in the low-to-mid-single-digit range and forecasts a gross margin between 45.5% and 46.5%.



Previously, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) raised concerns about Cook&#8217;s role in seeking tariff exemptions for Apple products after President Donald Trump threatened to impose up to 145% tariffs on Chinese imports.



If implemented, such tariffs would have significantly impacted Apple's supply chain and profit margins. Wedbush analyst Dan Ives had warned that iPhones made in the U.S. could cost as much as $3,500 — <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/04/44728758/trumps-tariffs-could-push-apple-iphone-prices-to-a-staggering-3500-says-top-analyst">more than triple their current price</a>.



Price Action: Apple shares rose 0.39% during Thursday's regular trading session but fell 3.78% in after-hours trading, closing at $205.25, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro data</a>.



Per Benzinga Edge's Stock Rankings, Apple has a growth score of 44.65% and a momentum score of 74.54%. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">Click here to see how it compares to other top tech stocks</a>.



Photo Courtesy: Ringo Chiu on Shutterstock.com



Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45126668/apple-lied-under-oath-judge-says-tim-cook-ignored-internal-warnings-in-epic-games-case-fallout-this-is-an-injunction-not-a-negotiation">Apple Executive &#8216;Outright Lied,&#8217; Says Judge In Epic Case Fallout — Tim Cook &#8216;Chose Poorly&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



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

Apple CEO Tim Cook Warns Of $900 Million Tariff Impact In June Quarter, Expects Majority Of iPhones Sold In US To Be Made In India

Leading cryptocurrencies rallied Thursday as investors turned to Bitcoin amid a weak financial climate.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Gains +/-</td><td>Price (Recorded at 8:30 p.m. ET)</td></tr><tr><td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td><td>+2.72%</td><td>$96,815.33</td></tr><tr><td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>+2.76%</td><td>$1,844.13</td></tr><tr><td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>+4.88%</td><td>$0.1812</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



What Happened: Bitcoin reached an intraday high of $97,437.96 in the early trading hours, then fell to roughly $96,500 in the afternoon before making a fresh move past $97,000 overnight.



Ethereum peaked at $1,872.94 for the day before pulling back to $1,835. Both assets saw an appreciable spike in trading volumes.



Bitcoin's market dominance rose to a yearly high of 63.8%, implying that investors were more confident in the "King Coin" relative to other cryptocurrencies.



Bitcoin&#8217;s uptick comes a day after the U.S. economy contracted in the first quarter, with investors possibly <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/04/45100047/recession-odds-spike-wall-street-tumbles-as-q1-gdp-surprisingly-contracts-be-patient-trump-responds">considering it as a safe haven</a> in times of economic turmoil.



The upsurge resulted in $209 million in cryptocurrency liquidations, with $154 million in bearish shorts erased.



Bitcoin&#8217;s Open Interest exploded 8.21% to $66.93 billion in the last 24 hours, marking a jump in leverage and potential market volatility. Interestingly, despite the surge, the majority of Binance traders with open BTC positions were short as of this writing.



The market returned to "Greed" sentiment, according to the Crypto Fear and Greed Index.



Top Gainers (24-Hours)



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Gains +/-</td><td>Price (Recorded at 8:30 p.m. ET)</td></tr><tr><td>Walrus (WAL)</td><td>+16.07%</td><td>$0.6488</td></tr><tr><td>Sonic (S)</td><td>+16.02%</td><td>$0.5731</td></tr><tr><td>Immutable (IMX)</td><td>+10.21%</td><td>$0.6169</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The global cryptocurrency market capitalization rose 2.02% to $3.01 trillion in the last 24 hours.



Stocks began May on a high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 83.60 points, or 0.21%, to end at 40,752.96. The S&amp;P 500 lifted 0.63% to finish at 5,604.14. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite spiked 1.52%, ending at 17,710.74.



The rally was catalyzed by strong first-quarter financials reported by tech biggies Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) and Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>). The two ‘Mag 7' companies <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45117886/microsoft-q3-earnings-highlights-revenue-beat-eps-beat-cloud-revenue-up-20">reported</a> revenue and earnings that exceeded expectations, gaining 7.63% and 4.23%, respectively.



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



Analyst Notes: Seasoned trader Peter Brandt said Bitcoin was on target to reach the bull cycle top between $125,000 and $150,000 by August or September if it can "regain the broken parabolic slope." From then on, Brandt projected a 50% pullback.



Typically, parabolic slope patterns are characterized by a steep, rapid, and exponential rise in price, followed by a sharp decline.



<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">Hey <a href="https://twitter.com/scottmelker?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@scottmelker</a> If Bitcoin can regain the broken parabolic slope then <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> is on target to reach the bull market cycle top in the $125k to $150K level by Aug/Sep 2025, then a 50%+ correction <a href="https://t.co/WUUzxl0ckn">pic.twitter.com/WUUzxl0ckn</a>&mdash; Peter Brandt (@PeterLBrandt) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeterLBrandt/status/1917927972625121316?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Cryptocurrency trader and analyst CryptoBullet stated Ethereum's mid-term correction is over, and the asset was primed for a "good" mid-term bounce.



"So in the next few months, I&#8217;m expecting a good rally: ETH &amp; its ecosystem will bounce. My first target is $2500," the trader predicted.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24ETH&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$ETH</a> Monthly chart &#x7C; Macro Perspective I believe this mid-term correction is over. We took out the Aug-Oct 2023 lows, printed a giant reversal candle and held the mid line of the Channel The bottom is in and we&#39;re gonna have a good mid-term bounce &#x1f4c8; This can be a Dead Cat… <a href="https://t.co/4vCK9DvjFq">https://t.co/4vCK9DvjFq</a> <a href="https://t.co/PddpRkujp1">pic.twitter.com/PddpRkujp1</a>&mdash; CryptoBullet (@CryptoBullet1) <a href="https://twitter.com/CryptoBullet1/status/1917946030773178711?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Photo Courtesy: alfernec on Shutterstock.com



Read Next:    



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/04/45106306/inside-donald-trumps-plan-to-become-the-bitcoin-superpower">Inside Donald Trump&#8217;s Plan To Become The &#8216;Bitcoin Superpower&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>

$DOGE

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Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Spike Alongside Stocks: Trader Peter Brandt Says BTC On Target To Reach Bull Market Top Of $125,000-$150,000

Social media platform,&nbsp;Reddit Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RDDT#NYSE">RDDT</a>) is seeing strong commercial intent across its iconic comment threads, and it&#8217;s now turning that engagement into ad revenue as part of a broader monetization push.



What Happened: During the company&#8217;s <a href="https://benzinga.com/general/social-media/25/05/45151798/reddit-stock-soars-after-better-than-expected-q1-daily-active-uniques-up-31-ad-revenue-up-61-and-more">first quarter earnings</a> call on Thursday, COO Jen Wong addressed the new ad placements inside the platform&#8217;s comments section, which is known for its high levels of engagement and activity. This comes in addition to the ads that were already in place below the post and above the comments.



Wong notes that 40% of conversations on Reddit are commercial in nature, with users actively discussing products and services. Given the high engagement, she said, many users are on their &#8220;purchase decision journey,&#8221; making the platform's comments section ripe for ad placements.



&#8220;I think almost no [other] platform has ads in their comments,&#8221; Wong said, adding that this level of engagement is a uniquely Reddit trait. 



See More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/price-target/25/05/45155666/robinhood-stock-falls-after-analysts-cite-weak-crypto-volumes-and-market-headwinds-in-q2-outlook">Robinhood Stock Falls After Analysts Cite Weak Crypto Volumes And Market Headwinds In Q2 Outlook</a>



Wong explains that there are two ways that people end up in Reddit&#8217;s famed comments section: either by clicking on search results for a very specific query, looking for answers in the comments, or by engaging with a post on their feed, because it looked interesting. Either way, she says, &#8220;the intent in the space is very high.&#8221; 



Reddit is encouraged by early results, with Wong noting earlier in the call that ads within comment sections already accounted for 6% of total ad impressions during the quarter.



Why It Matters: Analysts had predicted <a href="https://benzinga.com/markets/25/03/44209873/heres-why-reddits-ad-revenue-growth-is-outpacing-other-social-media-giants">Reddit&#8217;s ad revenue</a> growth to outpace that of peers in 2025, citing its growing appeal to advertisers and the community-driven nature of the platform.



Analysts also attribute the company&#8217;s growing ad business to the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/05/38703190/reddits-enhanced-advertising-tools-drive-sizable-upside-jpmorgan">significant enhancements</a> it has made to its advertising tools over the past year.



The company is now focused on <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/11/42221015/reddit-targets-india-brazil-to-boost-global-user-growth-revenue">accelerating its global expansion</a>, turning towards countries such as Brazil and India for user growth, as well as advertising opportunities.



The strong advertising performance is aiding Reddit&#8217;s bottom line, with the company reporting $0.13 earnings per share, from $392 million in revenue, up 61% YoY.



Price Action: The stock was up 1.96% during the regular session on Thursday, and is up 6.49% in after-hours trading, following the announcement of its first quarter results.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="136" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01223533/Screenshot-2025-05-02-at-8.05.14-AM-1024x136.png" alt="" class="wp-image-898190" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01223533/Screenshot-2025-05-02-at-8.05.14-AM-1024x136.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01223533/Screenshot-2025-05-02-at-8.05.14-AM-300x40.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01223533/Screenshot-2025-05-02-at-8.05.14-AM-768x102.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01223533/Screenshot-2025-05-02-at-8.05.14-AM-1536x204.png 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01223533/Screenshot-2025-05-02-at-8.05.14-AM.png 1598w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



According to Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings, the stock scores well on momentum but does poorly on growth and value. The price trend is favorable in the long run, but is weak in the short and medium terms. For more such insights, sign up for <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">Benzinga Edge</a>.



Photo Courtesy: Ink Drop On Shutterstock.com



Read More: 



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/05/45156890/apple-ceo-tim-cook-warns-of-900-million-tariff-impact-in-june-quarter-expects-majority-of-iphones-sold-in-us-to-be-made-in-india">Apple CEO Tim Cook Warns Of $900 Million Tariff Impact In June Quarter, Expects Majority Of iPhones Sold In US To Be Made In India</a></li>
</ul>

Reddit Stock Spikes Over 6% After-hours After Earning Beat, Platform Considers Putting Ads In Comments To Monetize High 'Engagement'

Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) reported financial results for the second quarter after the market close on Thursday. Here&#8217;s a rundown of the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/05/b45151418/apple-reports-second-quarter-results">iPhone maker&#8217;s report</a>.



Q2 Earnings: Apple reported fiscal second-quarter revenue of $95.36 billion, beating analyst&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">estimates</a>&nbsp;of $94.53 billion. The Cupertino-based company reported second-quarter earnings of $1.65 per share, beating analyst estimates of $1.63 per share.



With Thursday&#8217;s beat, Apple has now exceeded analyst estimates on the top and bottom lines in nine straight quarters, according to&nbsp;<a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Total revenue was up 5% year-over-year, and earnings per share climbed 8% year-over-year. Americas sales totaled $40.31 billion in the quarter, Europe sales came in at $24.45 billion, Greater China sales were approximately $16 billion, Japan sales totaled $7.3 billion and the rest of Asia Pacific sales were $7.29 billion.



Products revenue came in at $68.7 billion, up from $66.89 billion year-over-year. Services revenue totaled $26.65 billion, up from $23.87 billion year-over-year, representing a new all-time high. Here&#8217;s a breakdown of product sales by category:



<ul>
<li>iPhone:&nbsp;$46.84 billion, versus $45.96 billion last year</li>



<li>Mac:&nbsp;$7.95 billion, versus $7.45 billion last year</li>



<li>iPad:&nbsp;$6.4 billion, versus $5.56 billion last year</li>



<li>Wearables, Home and Accessories:&nbsp;$7.52 billion, versus $7.91 billion last year</li>
</ul>



Apple noted that its active installed base of devices once again reached new all-time highs across all products and geographic segments. The company attributed the growth to high levels of customer loyalty and satisfaction.



&#8220;Today Apple is reporting strong quarterly results, including double-digit growth in Services. We were happy to welcome iPhone 16e to our lineup, and to introduce powerful new Macs and iPads that take advantage of the extraordinary capabilities of Apple silicon,&#8221; said Tim Cook, CEO of Apple.



Check This Out: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/05/45128130/google-aims-for-gemini-ai-deal-with-apple-this-year-says-sundar-pichai-amid-dojs-bid-to-curb-search-monopoly">Google Aims For Gemini AI Deal With Apple This Year, Says Sundar Pichai Amid DOJ&#8217;s Bid To Curb Search Monopoly</a>



Apple&#8217;s board declared a quarterly cash dividend of&nbsp;26 cents&nbsp;per share. The dividend is payable on May 15 to shareholders of record as of May 12. The company also said its board authorized an additional share repurchase program of up to $100 billion. 



Apple refrained from providing an outlook in its second-quarter earnings release, but the company typically provides commentary on the conference call on how it generally expects its different product lines to perform in the months ahead. 



The second-quarter call is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. ET. A link to the conference call is provided below.



AAPL Price Action: <a href="http://benzinga.com/quote/aapl" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple shares</a> were down 2.20% after-hours, trading at $208.42 at the time of publication Thursday, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Read Next:



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/price-target/25/05/45145869/apples-strong-services-growth-and-iphone-pricing-power-fuel-analysts-confidence-despite-tariff-risks">Apple&#8217;s Strong Services Growth And iPhone Pricing Power Fuel Analyst&#8217;s Confidence Despite Tariff Risks</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Tada Images/Shutterstock.



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

After-Hours Center

Apple Reports 'Strong' Q2 Earnings: Revenue Beat, EPS Beat, Installed Base Hits All-Time High Across All Segments, $100 Billion Buyback And More

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



Here are the key highlights.



What Happened: Amazon.com reported first-quarter net sales of $155.7 billion, up 9% year-over-year. The net sales beat a Street consensus estimate of $155.04 billion according to data <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0501">from Benzinga Pro.</a>



The company reported first-quarter earnings per share of $1.59, beating a Street consensus estimate of $1.36.



By operating segment, here were the net sales:



<ul>
<li>North America: $92.9 billion, +8% year-over-year</li>



<li>International: $33.5 billion, +5% year-over-year</li>



<li>AWS: $29.3 billion, +17% year-over-year</li>
</ul>



The company reported operating income of $18.4 billion, up from $15.3 billion in last year's first quarter. Here was the operating income breakdown by segment, with last year&#8217;s first-quarter total in parentheses:



<ul>
<li>North America: $5.8 billion ($5.0 billion)</li>



<li>International: $1.0 billion ($0.9 billion)</li>



<li>AWS: $11.5 billion ($9.4 billion)</li>
</ul>



"We're pleased with the start to 2025, especially our pace of innovation and progress in continuing to improve customer experiences," Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said.



Jassy highlighted the company's next-generation Alexa+, delivery speed records for Prime members, the new Trainium2 chips and the first Project Kuiper satellites successfully launching.



"We're continuing to find meaningful ways to make customers' lives easier and better every day."



For the company's Prime Video streaming platform, the company highlighted the third season of "Reacher," which had 54.6 million viewers for the debut in the first 19 days.



The company also highlighted its new joint venture to create the next James Bond film.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/05/45142478/amazon-com-q1-earnings-preview-all-eyes-on-e-commerce-trends-ai-as-tariff-anxiety-grows">Amazon.com Q1 Earnings Preview: All Eyes On E-Commerce Trends, AI As Tariff Anxiety Grows</a>



What's Next: Amazon is guiding for second-quarter net sales of $159 billion to $164 billion, up 7% to 11%. Analysts expect the company to have net sales of $160.91 billion in the quarter.



The company is forecasting operating income to come in a range of $13.0 billion to $17.5 billion for the second quarter, compared to $14.7 billion in last year's second quarter.



Amazon said the guidance is subject to "unpredictable" items that include foreign exchange rates, changes in geopolitical conditions and "tariff and trade policies."



AMZN Price Action: Amazon stock is down 3.2% to $184.05 in after-hours trading Thursday versus a 52-week trading range of $151.61 to $242.52.



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/04/45067585/amazon-stock-tumbles-as-white-house-calls-tariff-visibility-plans-a-hostile-act">Amazon Stock Tumbles As White House Calls Tariff Visibility Plans A &#8216;Hostile&#8217; Act</a></li>
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<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
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</div></figure>



Image created using photos from Shutterstock.

Entertainment

Amazon Q1 Earnings: Double Beat, Q2 Guidance, CEO Focuses On Making 'Customers' Lives Easier And Better'

Oil prices jumped sharply Thursday after President Donald Trump took to Truth Social, telling all nations to cease purchases of Iranian oil and petrochemicals, or violators will face <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/regulations">sweeping U.S. secondary sanctions.</a>



"All purchases of Iranian Oil, or Petrochemical products, must stop, NOW!" Trump wrote. 



"Any Country or person who buys ANY AMOUNT of OIL or PETROCHEMICALS from Iran will be subject to, immediately, Secondary Sanctions. They will not be allowed to do business with the United States of America in any way, shape, or form."



While the declaration has yet to be backed by an official White House press release or executive order, energy markets wasted no time reacting. 



Within 30 minutes of the post going live, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude prices — tracked by the United States Oil Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/USO#NYSE">USO</a>) — rose from $58.60 to $59.20, a gain of nearly 1%. 



The move underscores the market's sensitivity to Middle East-related supply disruptions, particularly involving Iran, which remains a major crude player despite being under sanctions since 2018.



U.S. oil &amp; gas stocks – as tracked by the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLE#NYSE">XLE</a>) – flipped to gains, rising 1% by 2:20 p.m. ET. 



Wall Street remained broadly unfazed by the rising risk of a potential Iranian oil embargo, with the S&amp;P 500 index extending daily gains, up <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/05/45146182/wall-street-eyes-8th-positive-day-as-sp-500-recoups-tariff-led-losses-bitcoin-rallies-to-97000-whats-driving-markets-thursday">1.2% to 5,635 points. </a>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">China Is The Largest Buyer Of Iranian Crude</h3>



China currently accounts for nearly 90% of Iranian oil exports, which hit an all-time high of 1.8 million barrels per day in March, per ship tracking data from Vortex cited by Reuters.



A significant portion of that oil is believed to be offloaded into the northeastern province of Shandong, home to independent refineries that often operate outside international regulatory frameworks.



Beijing's persistent imports have drawn increasing ire from U.S. policymakers. 



"The Iranian regime uses the revenue it generates from these sales to finance attacks on U.S. allies, support terrorism around the world, and pursue other destabilizing actions," said Department of State spokesperson Tammy Bruce in a March press release.



According to the U.S. Department of State, &#8220;China is by far the largest importer of Iranian oil.&#8221; 



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Photo: Shutterstock

Oil Prices Soar After Trump Threatens Sanctions On Iranian Crude Buyers: Is China On Top Of The List?

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) analysts highlight a strong showing by Azure as the key factor that powered the tech giant&#8217;s better-than-expected <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45117886/microsoft-q3-earnings-highlights-revenue-beat-eps-beat-cloud-revenue-up-20">third-quarter performance.</a>



Microsoft Analysts: TD Cowen analyst Derrick Wood maintained a Buy rating on Microsoft and raised the price target from $475 to $490.



KeyBanc analyst Jackson Ader maintained a Sector Weight rating with no price target.



JPMorgan analyst Mark Murphy maintained an Overweight rating and raised the price target from $465 to $475.



Piper Sandler analyst Brent Bracelin maintained an Overweight rating and raised the price target from $435 to $475.



Bank of America analyst Brad Sills reiterated a Buy rating and raised the price target from $480 to $515.



Scotiabank analyst Patrick Colville reiterated a Sector Outperform rating and raised the price target from $470 to $500.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45125965/how-microsoft-plans-to-thrive-during-a-recession-satya-nadella-explains-the-role-of-cloud-solutions-in-weathering-economic-storms">Microsoft Plans To Leverage A &#8216;Malleable Resource&#8217; To Th</a>rive In A Recession, Satya Nadella Explains



TD Cowen on MSFT: A rebound in non-AI growth and strong AI demand were highlights in the third quarter for Wood according to a new investor note.



The analyst said Azure, cloud and AI saw strong demand in the quarter. For Azure, growth of 35% year-over-year was well above guidance, Wood said.



"MSFT attributed upside mostly to better-than-expected non-AI workload growth, driven by enterprise strength and accelerating demand for cloud migrations," Wood said.



Wood said the strength of Azure reverses several bumpy quarters and could shift the narrative on the stock.



"MSFT appears well positioned in key secular growth markets, particularly Public Cloud with its Azure platform, which we expect to be the company's main growth driver."



KeyBanc on MSFT: Microsoft reported its "cleanest quarter in a while," Ader said in a new investor note.



The analyst said the right items delivered the upside.



"Azure growth was the standout at 35% growth in constant currency on the back of cleaning up some execution that hurt last quarter and some capacity being unlocked earlier than expected," Ader said.



Ader said his recent downgrade of the stock "looks pretty foolish right now."



"The quarter does highlight a principal risk in not being overweight MSFT right now, which is that we have no visibility into capacity unlocks."



The analyst said Microsoft's return on investment math for AI is still difficult to make sense of and there could be better stocks to play "offense" with.



JPMorgan on MSFT: Investors may have been too pessimistic ahead of Microsoft's earnings, Murphy said in a new investor note.



"Azure performance a ray of light," Murphy said.



The analyst said the hard data looks more resilient than the soft data and Microsoft's Azure and AI strength showed up in the quarter.



"The apparent lack of any tangible macro stress or strain, including commentary that demand signals across the commercial business were consistent in April and are expected to remain so moving forward."



Murphy said Microsoft's AI Services are showing upside faster than expected.



"Microsoft has pulled ahead of the pack with a state-of-the-art cloud platform." &nbsp;



Piper Sandler on MSFT: Third-quarter results were "better-than-feared," Bracelin said in a new investor note.



"Azure growth surprisingly accelerated to 35% on a combination of non-AI outperformance and continued AI momentum," Bracelin said.



The analyst said Microsoft's strong operating cash flow provides flexibility for increased capex, dividends, M&amp;A or stock buybacks in the future.



"The world's largest cloud franchise with a first-mover advantage in Gen AI," Bracelin said of Microsoft.



Bank of America on MSFT: Azure and AI were the highlights for Sills.



"View Microsoft as the sole AI leader in both apps and infrastructure," Sills said.



The analyst said Microsoft has balanced cloud and AI growth that helped boost Azure in the quarter.



"Q3 results suggest that ROI on capex is coming into view sooner than expected."



Scotiabank on MSFT: Microsoft is bringing "a new golden age driven by Azure," Colville said in a new investor note.



The analyst said the third quarter was a standout quarter with standout guidance.



"Azure F3Q growth was a blowout, driven by unleashed AI spend and traditional workloads up-ticking Q/Q," Colville said.



The analyst said the quarterly results could shutdown the "AI slowdown bear narrative."



"With MSFT trading not far off 5-year valuation lows, we think now is the time to step back in."



The analyst said Microsoft has a strong future as a "leading horseman of the AI revolution."



MSFT Price Action: Microsoft stock is up 8.5% to $428.93 on Thursday versus a 52-week trading range of $344.79 to $468.35. Microsoft stock is up 2.4% year-to-date in 2025.



Read Next: 



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/05/45137383/microsoft-rallies-after-crushing-q3-earnings-goldman-sachs-lifts-target-to-480">Microsoft&#8217;s Blockbuster Quarter Cements Goldman&#8217;s Bullish AI, Cloud Thesis</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

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Microsoft Stock Rallies On Q3 Strength Of Azure: Analyst Says Company Is 'Sole AI Leader In Both Apps And Infrastructure'

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