Moody's Ratings downgraded the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/economy">United States' long-term</a> credit rating from Aaa to Aa1 and changed its outlook from "negative" to "stable."  



The move marks the loss of the United States' last remaining top-tier rating from the three major credit agencies, as Moody's joins Fitch and S&amp;P Global in grading the U.S. below the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/03/44480823/debt-alarm-bells-ring-in-washington-as-moodys-ray-dalio-call-for-urgent-fiscal-discipline">highest "triple-A" level.</a>



Rising Government Debt: Moody's cited a sustained increase in government debt and interest payment ratios over more than a decade as a reason for the downgrade.&nbsp;



The U.S. debt-to-gross domestic product ratio will climb from nearly 100% in 2025 to around 130% by 2035, according to Moody's.&nbsp;



Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/25/05/45471661/coinbase-under-sec-investigation-for-overstatement-of-user-numbers?utm_source=articleShare">Coinbase Under SEC Investigation For Overstatement Of User Numbers&nbsp;</a>



&#8220;Even in a very positive and low probability economic and financial scenario, debt affordability remains materially weaker than for other Aaa-rated and highly rated sovereigns,&#8221; Moody&#8217;s said in a statement in late March.&nbsp;



Persistent Fiscal Deficits: The agency noted that successive U.S. administrations and Congress have failed to agree on measures to reverse large annual fiscal deficits and growing interest costs. 



Moody's said it expects these trends to continue without material reductions in mandatory spending or deficits which will drive debt and interest burdens even higher over the next decade.&nbsp;



"While we recognize the US' significant economic and financial strengths, we believe these no longer fully counterbalance the decline in fiscal metrics," Moody's wrote Friday, per Bloomberg.&nbsp;



Markets React: The S&amp;P 500, tracked by the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>), and the Nasdaq 100, tracked by the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), slipped in Friday's after-hours trading on the news.&nbsp;



Read Next:&nbsp;



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/health-care/25/05/45305392/unitedhealth-investors-claim-company-hid-profit-impact-of-ceos-murder">UnitedHealth Investors Claim Company Hid Profit Impact Of CEO&#8217;s Murder</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Econ #s

Moody's Downgrades US Credit Rating Over Debt, Deficit Concerns

After enduring months of scrutiny over Tesla Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) falling stock price, Elon Musk has fired back <a href="https://benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/03/44451467/tim-walz-backtracks-on-tesla-stock-jab-i-was-making-a-joke-after-kevin-olearys-criticism">at a political critic</a> with a jab of his own.



What Happened: On Friday, Tesla shares closed at $349.98, marking a 44.89% surge over the past month and pushing its market cap to $1.12 trillion.



Musk celebrated the rebound on X, formerly Twitter, posting a screenshot of Tesla's chart along with a pointed message to Governor Tim Walz (D-Minn.): "Yo Timmy, how's your day bro?"



<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">Yo Timmy, how's your day bro? &#x1f921; <a href="https://t.co/etwL4KocIx">https://t.co/etwL4KocIx</a>&mdash; Kekius Maximus (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1923497002257535407?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/health-care/25/05/45461213/jim-cramer-reacts-as-unitedhealth-denies-report-on-criminal-probe-if-convicted-of-criminal-medicare-fraud" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Jim Cramer Reacts As UnitedHealth Denies Report On Criminal Probe—'If Convicted of Criminal Medicare Fraud…'</a>



The quip was a response to Walz's March 18 comment during a Wisconsin event, where he joked, "On the iPhone, they&#8217;ve got that little stock app. I added Tesla to it to give me a little boost during the day — $225 and dropping."



The audience laughed, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44549724/elon-musk-blasts-minnesota-governor-tim-walz-as-a-creep-over-tesla-stock-mockery-says-its-evil-to-celebrate-others-losses">but Musk didn't</a>. At the time, Musk called Walz a "huge j&#x2A;&#x2A;k" and "a creep," criticizing the governor for mocking investors and a U.S. company.



Walz also responded to the backlash, saying, "I was making a joke. These people have no sense of humor."



Why It's Important: Walz, who ran alongside former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential race, has been a vocal critic of both Musk and the Donald Trump administration.



Musk emerged as a key figure in Trump's White House during the first 100 days, spearheading major federal budget cuts and layoffs that galvanized Republican support but also sparked public protests, some of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44963440/tesla-takedown-says-protests-are-working-hitting-ev-company-where-it-hurts-the-companys-bottom-line">which were directed at Tesla</a>.



Last month, during <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/04/44937440/tesla-q1-misses-estimates-as-tariff-pressures-weigh-on-outlook-lower-cost-evs-still-on-track">Tesla&#8217;s first-quarter earnings</a> call, Musk announced that he would scale back his involvement with DOGE, <a href="https://benzinga.com/25/04/45031652/trumps-ai-and-crypto-czar-david-sacks-says-musk-isnt-out-of-doge-just-rationing-his-time-at-the-department-as-tesla-stock-surges-24-in-the-past-five-days">limiting his commitment</a> to just one or two days per week going forward.



Earlier, the Wall Street Journal reported that Tesla&#8217;s board had contacted executive search firms to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/04/45124373/tesla-board-explored-replacing-elon-musk-as-tesla-ceo-a-month-ago-report">find a replacement for Musk</a>. However, Tesla denied the claim, calling it false and reaffirming its confidence in Musk's leadership.



Price Action: Tesla shares rose 2.09% during Friday's regular session to close at $349.98, before dipping 2.81% after hours to $340.15. Over the past 12 months, the stock has surged 100.17%, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro data</a>.



Benzinga's Edge Rankings gives TSLA a 45.37% growth score. Wondering how it compares to other EV giants? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">Click here for the full breakdown</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16230231/Screenshot-2025-05-17-at-8.32.16%E2%80%AFAM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-918579"/></a></figure>



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/05/45463905/tesla-futurist-brian-wang-doubles-down-on-1000-price-target-bets-big-on-ai-and-robotaxis-few-technical-resistance-levels-then-its-all-time-highs">Tesla Futurist Brian Wang Doubles Down On $1,000 Price Target, Bets Big On AI And Robotaxis: &#8216;Few Technical Resistance Levels&#8230;Then It&#8217;s All-Time Highs&#8217;</a></li>
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

News

Markets

Tech

TSLA

Elon Musk Takes A Swipe At Minnesota Governor Tim Walz As TSLA Stock Surges 45% In One Month: 'How's Your Day, Bro?'

Benzinga examined the prospects for <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">many investors' favorite stocks</a> over the last week — here's a look at some of our top stories.



U.S. stocks extended their rally for a fifth consecutive day on Friday, buoyed by easing trade tensions and softer-than-expected April inflation data. The S&amp;P 500 returned to positive territory for the year, while the dollar rebounded amid rising Treasury yields. However, consumer sentiment slumped to 2020 levels, with one-year inflation expectations jumping to 7.3%, significantly above forecasts.



Despite the market's upward momentum, concerns about inflation persist. The University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index dropped to 50.8, reflecting heightened inflation fears. Gold prices fell 1.8% due to stronger yields and dollar strength, while Bitcoin recovered to over $104,500.



Looking ahead, investors are closely monitoring upcoming U.S.-China trade talks and potential adjustments to existing tariffs. The Federal Reserve's stance on interest rates remains a focal point, especially as real borrowing costs rise, tightening broader financial conditions. Additionally, corporate earnings reports and economic indicators will continue to influence market dynamics in the coming weeks.



Benzinga provides daily reports on the stocks most popular with investors. Here are a few of this past week's most bullish and bearish posts that are worth another look.







The Bulls



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/space/25/05/45455588/virgin-galactic-stock-rockets-higher-on-q1-earnings-beat">"Virgin Galactic Stock Rockets Higher On Q1 Earnings Beat"</a>, by Adam Eckert, reports that Virgin Galactic Holdings Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPCE#NYSE">SPCE</a>) shares surged after the company beat Q1 expectations with $461,000 in revenue and a $2.38 per-share loss, while reaffirming plans to launch Delta-class payload flights in summer 2026 and private astronaut missions that fall.



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/05/45378734/duolingos-89-bull-run-since-march-earnings-ai-and-a-whole-lot-of-green-candles">"Duolingo's 89% bull run since March: Earnings, AI and a whole lot of green candles"</a>, by Surbhi Jain, reports that Duolingo Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DUOL#NASDAQ">DUOL</a>) shares have surged 89% since March, driven by a Q1 earnings beat, rapid AI-driven course expansion, and significant user growth, with the company now targeting a $220 billion total addressable market.



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45443360/archer-aviation-stock-has-strong-momentum-whats-driving-the-action">"Archer Aviation stock has strong momentum: What's driving the action?"</a>, by Adam Eckert, reports that Archer Aviation Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ACHR#NYSE">ACHR</a>) shares surged over 35% in a week, nearing 52-week highs, after announcing an exclusive partnership as the official air taxi provider for the LA28 Olympic Games and Team USA.



For additional bullish calls of the past week, check out the following:



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/sports/25/05/45424475/foot-locker-stock-soars-on-potential-dicks-sporting-goods-deal-report">Foot Locker Stock Soars On Potential Dick's Sporting Goods Deal: Report</a>



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/large-cap/25/05/45414265/nvidia-climbs-on-saudi-ai-investments-analyst-estimates-15-billion-to-20-billion-in-revenue">Nvidia Climbs On Saudi AI Investments: Analyst Estimates $15 Billion To $20 Billion In Revenue</a>



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/05/45406701/super-micro-computer-stock-is-surging-again-whats-going-on">Super Micro Computer Stock Is Surging Again: What's Going On?</a>







The Bears



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/05/45437447/alibaba-stock-slides-5-after-revenue-miss-cloud-spend-hits-free-cash-flow">"Alibaba stock slides 5% after revenue miss, cloud spend hits free cash flow"</a>, by Anusuya Lahiri, reports that Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) shares fell after the company reported Q4 revenue of $32.58 billion—missing estimates—and a 76% drop in free cash flow due to increased cloud infrastructure investments, despite adjusted earnings per ADS of $1.73 beating expectations.



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/health-care/25/05/45454257/doximity-stock-dives-on-q4-earnings-as-guidance-comes-in-below-estimates">"Doximity stock dives on Q4 earnings as guidance comes in below estimates"</a>, by Adam Eckert, reports that Doximity Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DOCS#NYSE">DOCS</a>) shares fell over 24% after the company beat Q4 expectations with $138.3 million in revenue and $0.38 EPS but issued fiscal 2026 guidance below analyst estimates, citing macroeconomic and policy uncertainties impacting pharmaceutical advertising.



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/05/45443786/workhorse-stock-slides-after-q1-miss-plans-to-cut-workforce-to-curb-cash-burn">"Workhorse stock slides after Q1 miss, plans to cut workforce to curb cash burn"</a>, by Nabaparna Bhattacharya, reports that Workhorse Group Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WKHS#NASDAQ">WKHS</a>) shares dropped after the company reported a wider-than-expected Q1 loss and announced plans to reduce its workforce and monthly cash burn to $2.8 million by year-end.







For more bearish takes, be sure to see these posts:



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/05/45394173/american-eagle-shares-dive-after-retailer-warns-of-weak-q1-results-withdraws-fy25-guidance-we-are-clearly-disappointed-with-our-execution">American Eagle Shares Dive After Retailer Warns Of Weak Q1 Results, Withdraws FY25 Guidance: ‘We Are Clearly Disappointed With Our Execution'</a>



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/05/45453681/applied-materials-q2-earnings-revenue-miss-eps-beat-solid-guidance-no-significant-changes-to-customer-demand">Applied Materials Q2 Earnings: Revenue Miss, EPS Beat, Solid Guidance — No ‘Significant Changes' To Customer Demand</a>



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/05/45456686/kulr-technology-group-stock-tumbles-on-q1-earnings-company-plans-to-turbocharge-bitcoin-acquisition-strategy">KULR Technology Group Stock Tumbles On Q1 Earnings, Company Plans To ‘Turbocharge' Bitcoin Acquisition Strategy</a>







Keep up with all the latest breaking news and trading ideas by following <a href="https://twitter.com/Benzinga" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga</a><a href="http://twitter.com/Benzinga" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> on X</a>.



Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

ACHR

AMAT

BABA

DOCS

DUOL

KULR

NVDA

SMCI

SPCE

WKHS

Benzinga Bulls And Bears: Virgin Galactic, Duolingo, Alibaba — And Stocks Close Up Five Days In A Row

Each week,&nbsp;Benzinga&#8217;s Stock Whisper Index&nbsp;uses a combination of proprietary data and pattern recognition to showcase five stocks that are just under the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/stock-whisper-index" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">surface and deserve attention</a>.



Investors are constantly on the hunt for undervalued, under-followed and emerging stocks. With countless methods available to retail traders, the challenge often lies in sifting through the abundance of information to uncover new opportunities and understand why certain stocks should be of interest.



Read Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/25/05/45171636/exclusive-aprils-20-most-searched-tickers-on-benzinga-pro-where-do-tesla-apple-palantir-nvidia-stocks-rank" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EXCLUSIVE: April&#8217;s 20 Most-Searched Tickers On Benzinga Pro — Where Do Tesla, Apple, Palantir, Nvidia Stocks Rank?</a>



Here's a look at the Benzinga Stock Whisper Index for the week ending May 16:



 Realty Income Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/O#NYSE">O</a>): The real estate investment trust that pays out monthly dividends saw increased interest from readers during the week. Realty Income reported first-quarter financial results on May 5 and could be seeing interest after the report. The company <a href="https://www.realtyincome.com/investors/press-releases/realty-income-announces-operating-results-three-months-ended-march-31-2025">reported </a>adjusted funds from operations of $1.06, meeting a Wall Street consensus estimate. This came after two straight quarters of missing analyst estimates. The company reported quarterly sales of $1.38, which beat a Street estimate of $1.31 billion. This was the sixth straight quarter of beating analyst sales estimates. The company's CEO Sumit Roy highlighted the company's "high-quality tenant base," and predictable cash flows. The stock saw several analysts<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/O/analyst-ratings"> raise their price targets</a> after the report.



Realty Income stock was up slightly on the week, as shown on the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0516">Benzinga Pro chart </a>below. Shares are up around 2% over the last year.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0516"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="997" height="505" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16182455/Screenshot-416.png" alt="" class="wp-image-918543" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16182455/Screenshot-416.png 997w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16182455/Screenshot-416-300x152.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16182455/Screenshot-416-768x389.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 997px) 100vw, 997px" /></a></figure>



Simon Property Group (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPG#NYSE">SPG</a>): Investors were also drawn to another REIT this week with Simon Property Group seeing increased interest after reporting first-quarter financial <a href="https://investors.simon.com/news-releases/news-release-details/simonr-reports-first-quarter-2025-results-and-reaffirms-full">results </a>on May 12. The company missed funds from operations estimates from analysts, but beat sales estimates. The company has beaten analyst estimates for sales in more than 10 straight quarters. Simon Property Group reaffirmed full-year FFO guidance of a range of $12.40 to $12.65. The company also highlighted its US Mall and Premium Outlets occupancy up 0.4% from 95.5% in last year's first quarter to 95.9% in this year's first quarter. The company also saw the opening of Jakarta Premium Outlets in Indonesia in the quarter, with Simon Property owning 50% of the mall. Stifel <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/SPG/analyst-ratings">maintained their Buy rating</a> on the stock and raised the price target from $168.5 to $180.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0516"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="997" height="494" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16182508/Screenshot-417.png" alt="" class="wp-image-918544" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16182508/Screenshot-417.png 997w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16182508/Screenshot-417-300x149.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16182508/Screenshot-417-768x381.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 997px) 100vw, 997px" /></a></figure>



Cheniere Energy Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LNG#NYSE">LNG</a>): The liquified natural gas company <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/25/05/45183831/benzingas-stock-whisper-index-5-stocks-investors-secretly-monitor-but-dont-talk-about-yet-63">returns to the index </a>after another strong week of increased interest from readers. The company reported financial results on May 8 and has found its way onto the index two times in the last four weeks. Cheniere Energy missed analyst estimates for earnings per share, which was only the second miss in the last 10 quarters. The company beat sales estimates with $5.44 billion versus an estimate of $4.91 billion. This was the second straight quarter of beating sales estimates and seventh of the last 10 overall. The company reconfirmed some of its full-year financial targets and saw shares trade down slightly on the mixed results.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0516"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="997" height="505" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16182521/Screenshot-418.png" alt="" class="wp-image-918545" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16182521/Screenshot-418.png 997w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16182521/Screenshot-418-300x152.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16182521/Screenshot-418-768x389.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 997px) 100vw, 997px" /></a></figure>



Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APH#NYSE">APH</a>): The connectors and sensors company hit new all-time highs and continues to see strong interest from readers. The company <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/04/44950358/amphenol-q1-earnings-48-topline-growth-driven-by-it-mobile-defense-sectors">reported first-quarter financial results</a> in April with earnings per share and revenue both beating analyst estimates. In fact, the company has beaten analyst estimates for both key figures in more than 10 straight quarters. The first quarter saw sales up 48% year-over-year with strong organic growth in the IT market and organic growth in the networks markets. Contributions from recent acquisitions also helped the revenue growth. Guidance from the company for the second quarter came in ahead of analyst estimates for both revenue and earnings per share. Analysts were quick to<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/APH/analyst-ratings"> raise their price targets </a>after the results. The stock was up over 4% in a week that came several weeks after earnings. The stock is up around 30% over the last year and may continue to go higher with strong quarterly results.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0516"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="997" height="501" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16182534/Screenshot-419.png" alt="" class="wp-image-918546" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16182534/Screenshot-419.png 997w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16182534/Screenshot-419-300x151.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16182534/Screenshot-419-768x386.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 997px) 100vw, 997px" /></a></figure>



Philip Morris International (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PM#NYSE">PM</a>): The international tobacco company could be one of the stocks gaining interest from investors as a stock that could be highly insulated from the tariff impacts. The company sells tobacco products in other countries with facilities worldwide. In the United States, the company sells the Zyn nicotine pouches thanks to the acquisition of Swedish Match in 2023. The pouches are made in the United States. Philip Morris' smoke-free product lines have <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/04/44949808/zyn-gum-makers-smoke-free-business-revenue-jumps-15-raises-annual-profit-outlook">grown in the United States </a>and overseas. The company has posted five straight double beat quarters with earnings per share and revenue both coming in ahead of estimates. The stock trades near an all-time high and analysts have been <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/PM/analyst-ratings">raising their price targets. </a>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0516"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="997" height="500" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16182550/Screenshot-420.png" alt="" class="wp-image-918547" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16182550/Screenshot-420.png 997w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16182550/Screenshot-420-300x150.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16182550/Screenshot-420-768x385.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 997px) 100vw, 997px" /></a></figure>



Stay tuned for next week&#8217;s report, and follow Benzinga Pro for all the latest headlines and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0516" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">top market-moving stories here.</a>



Read the latest Stock Whisper Index reports here:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/25/04/44883576/benzingas-stock-whisper-index-5-stocks-investors-secretly-monitor-but-dont-talk-about-yet-61" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">April 18</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/25/04/45029510/benzingas-stock-whisper-index-5-stocks-investors-secretly-monitor-but-dont-talk-about-yet-62" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">April 25</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/25/05/45183831/benzingas-stock-whisper-index-5-stocks-investors-secretly-monitor-but-dont-talk-about-yet-63" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">May 2</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/25/05/45335286/benzingas-stock-whisper-index-5-stocks-investors-secretly-monitor-but-dont-talk-about-yet-64">May 9</a></li>
</ul>



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</ul>

Exclusives

Trading Ideas

Benzinga's 'Stock Whisper' Index: 5 Stocks Investors Secretly Monitor But Don't Talk About Yet

The U.S. and China agreed to de-escalate their trade war by cutting tariffs by 115 percentage points, bringing U.S. duties on Chinese <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/05/45347089/wall-street-rips-higher-as-tariff-truce-halts-us-china-economic-escalation">goods down to 30%.</a>



The announcement sparked a broad-based equity rally, with the S&amp;P 500 climbing back to early March 2025 levels and erasing losses from President Donald Trump's &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/05/45355655/magnificent-seven-gain-700b-after-us-china-slash-tariffs-gold-crashes-whats-driving-markets-monday">Liberation Day&#8221; tariff shock.</a>



The improved trade outlook also prompted economists to cut recession odds and upgrade U.S. growth forecasts for the second half of the year.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">S&amp;P 500 Logs 5 Consecutive Winning Sessions</h3>



The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) closed 5% higher for the week, notching five straight sessions in the green.



Semiconductors kept powering higher. The iShares Semiconductor ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOXX#NYSE">SOXX</a>) rose nearly 10% on the week, logging its fourth straight week of gains and delivering its best monthly rally since 2020.



Yet, clean energy stocks – as tracked by the Invesco Solar ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TAN#NYSE">TAN</a>) – outshined even chipmakers. Solar names surged after Republicans released a better-than-expected tax proposal <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/top-stories/25/05/45381191/first-solar-eyes-best-2-day-rally-since-2013-after-gop-tax-plan-spares-key-clean-energy-credits">on renewable energy credits.</a> Shares of First Solar Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FSLR#NASDAQ">FSLR</a>) soared 27% for the week, leading the sector.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Trump&#8217;s Middle East Blitz Attracts $2 Trillion In Gulf Commitments</h3>



During his Middle East visit, President Trump secured around $2 trillion in trade and investment pledges from Gulf countries.



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45390422/trump-unveils-historic-and-transformative-600-billion-saudi-deal-predicts-markets-will-go-a-lot-higher">Saudi Arabia committed $600 billion</a> in deals involving Boeing Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BA#NYSE">BA</a>), Oracle Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NASDAQ">ORCL</a>), Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>), Uber Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NASDAQ">UBER</a>), Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>), GE Vernova (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GEV#NYSE">GEV</a>) and Johnson &amp; Johnson (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JNJ#NYSE">JNJ</a>).



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/05/45446924/trump-secures-12-trillion-qatar-deal-as-boeing-ge-land-record-orders">Qatar followed with a $1.2 trillion package</a> focused on energy and infrastructure, inking major contracts with GE Aerospace (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GE#NYSE">GE</a>) and Boeing.



The United Arab Emirates signed a $200 billion deal to import over one million AI chips from Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) and other initiatives with Exxon Mobil Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XOM#NASDAQ">XOM</a>), Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QCOM#NASDAQ">QCOM</a>) and Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>).



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">UNH In Free Fall, Consumer Inflation Concerns Hit 1980s Levels</h3>



Back on Wall Street, one corporate giant is facing deep losses in what's shaping up to be one of the worst crises in its history. UnitedHealth Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNH#NYSE">UNH</a>) shares nosedived 27% this week, marking the company&#8217;s worst weekly performance since the 2009 financial crisis and extending a five-week losing streak.



CEO Andrew Witty resigned Tuesday citing "personal reasons," while the company suspended 2025 guidance due <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45373368/unitedhealth-stock-plunges-names-new-ceo-suspends-2025-guidance">to surging medical costs</a>. A U.S. Department of Justice criminal probe into alleged fraud in its Medicare Advantage <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/health-care/25/05/45426769/unitedhealth-stock-plunges-over-8-in-after-hours-trading-as-doj-criminal-probe-adds-to-turmoil-after-ceo-shake-up">program worsened investor fears.</a>



On the macro front, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45374267/inflation-eases-in-april-as-trumps-tariffs-dont-push-prices-higher">April inflation data</a> signaled softening price pressures, but retail sales dropped, reflecting consumer <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45435725/tariffs-slow-retail-spending-as-producer-prices-post-sharpest-drop-since-2020">caution amid trade uncertainty</a>. Inflation expectations are also heating up again.



The <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45470155/consumer-sentiment-crashes-to-5-year-lows-as-inflation-fears-reach-1981-levels">University of Michigan's survey</a> showed the weakest sentiment since 2020 as the one-year consumer inflation outlook hit levels last seen in 1981.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Chart Of The Week: Year-Ahead Consumer Inflation Expectations Have Never Been This High Since Early &#8217;80s</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="529" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16155140/image-213-1024x529.png" alt="" class="wp-image-918486" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16155140/image-213-1024x529.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16155140/image-213-300x155.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16155140/image-213-768x397.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16155140/image-213-1536x793.png 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16155140/image-213-2048x1058.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45466937/us-targets-european-digital-rules-in-free-speech-campaign-defending-american-big-tech">US Slams Europe&#8217;s Digital Laws, Calls Them A Danger To Free Expression And American Big Tech </a></li>
</ul>



Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

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US-China Trade Truce, Trump's Middle East Deals Spark Wall Street Rally: This Week In Markets

Viral TikTok videos are using doctored clips from "Shark Tank" to falsely portray billionaire investor Mark Cuban endorsing products sold through TikTok Shop — and the billionaire is not amused.



What Happened: A new investigation by news rating group NewsGuard found that several TikTok accounts have spliced together footage from different "Shark Tank" episodes to make it appear as if Cuban endorsed products like Neuro Gum and BoomBoom nasal inhalers.



In one viral example, a video edited Cuban's $30 million offer to dating app Coffee Meets Bagel into a clip promoting Neuro Gum.



The manipulated video garnered over 9.6 million views, said the report.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44914220/mark-cuban-once-revealed-a-childhood-habit-that-his-automobile-upholsterer-father-was-happy-about-i-dont-understand-what-youre-doing-but-im-glad-youre-doing-it">Mark Cuban Once Revealed A Childhood Habit That His Automobile Upholsterer Father Was Happy About: &#8216;I Don&#8217;t Understand What You&#8217;re Doing, But I&#8217;m Glad You&#8217;re Doing It&#8217;</a>



Another TikTok falsely depicted Cuban endorsing BoomBoom in a conversation with Kevin Hart by replacing his real comment about Spikeball with the altered audio, &#8220;BoomBoom.&#8221;



"These faked videos, which racked up millions of views, purport to show investor Mark Cuban endorsing or investing in the products," NewsGuard reported.



Cuban told the outlet in response, "It's messed up. I spend too much time reporting this stuff to the [Federal Trade Commission]. I hope they get busted."



TikTok confirmed to the publication that it removed the flagged content for violating its policies, stating that it does not allow misleading use of public figures, including fake endorsements.



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.



<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">TikTok accounts are deceptively repurposing footage from "Shark Tank" — including fake Mark Cuban endorsements — to create misleading promotions of TikTok Shop products, in an apparent effort to boost sales and earn commissions. Read it in Reality Check: <a href="https://t.co/4HV02w3RFG">https://t.co/4HV02w3RFG</a>&mdash; NewsGuard (@NewsGuardRating) <a href="https://twitter.com/NewsGuardRating/status/1923438745514024976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Why It&#8217;s Important: In a similar incident, back in 2022, Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) filed legal actions in Italy, Spain and the U.S. as part of a global <a href="https://benzinga.com/news/22/10/29356774/amazon-takes-legal-action-against-fake-review-brokers">crackdown on fake review brokers</a>, targeting over 11,000 websites and social media groups involved in posting fake reviews for money or free products.



Meanwhile, on Friday, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/25/05/45472538/mark-cuban-bids-farewell-to-shark-tank-how-to-watch-finale-and-whats-next-for-hit-show">Cuban bid farewell</a> to the hit reality investing show &#8220;Shark Tank&#8221; as Season 16 wraps up. The Shark currently has a net worth of $8.20 billion, ranking him 391st on Bloomberg's Billionaire <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/">Index</a>.



Reports indicate that Cuban had invested over <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/11/35988212/mark-cuban-to-exit-shark-tank-reflects-on-his-worst-deal-and-surprise-success-shared-with-benzinga">$20 million across at least 85 companies</a> during his time on the show. Among his most successful deals were investments in brands like Dude Wipes, BeatBox Beverages, Tower Paddle Boards and Nuts ‘N More.



However, Cuban also <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/25/03/44367926/mark-cuban-kevin-oleary-rejected-poppi-on-shark-tank-pepsi-just-paid-1-9-billion-to-acquire-company">passed on some opportunities</a> that later soared in value, most notably Mother Beverage, which rebranded as Poppi and was later acquired by PepsiCo for $1.9 billion.



Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;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 class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/education/25/04/44778714/mark-cuban-wants-employees-who-complement-him-these-are-the-two-skills-he-looks-for" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mark Cuban Wants Employees Who ‘Complement' Him: These Are The Two Skills He Looks For</a></li>
</ul>



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



Photo Courtesy: Kathy Hutchins On Shutterstock.com

Media

Mark Cuban Slams Viral TikTok Scammers For Faking Shark Tank Endorsements To Sell Products: 'It's Messed Up...I Hope They Get Busted'

The U.S. Department of Justice is reportedly considering a non-prosecution agreement that would allow Boeing Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BA#NYSE">BA</a>) to avoid criminal <a href="https://benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/03/44488310/boeing-faces-the-deadliest-corporate-crime-trial-as-judge-sets-june-date-in-737-max-fraud-case">charges tied to two fatal</a> 737 Max crashes, prompting outrage from victims' relatives.



What Happened: On Friday, prosecutors and attorneys representing families of the 346 people killed in the 2018 and 2019 crashes met to discuss resolving the case without bringing Boeing to trial, <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/5ebad172-5d02-4693-a1e7-189cc5d4a6c8">reported</a> the Financial Times, citing sources familiar with the matter.



Under the proposed deal, Boeing would pay roughly $444.5 million to victims' families in exchange for the DOJ declining to prosecute.



Boeing did not immediately respond to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga&#8217;s</a> request for comment. 



Erin Applebaum, a lawyer representing the families, decried the proposal. "This isn't justice. It's a backroom deal dressed up as a legal proceeding," she said. "While DoJ claims no final decision has been made, their scripted presentation made it clear that the outcome has already been decided."



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/05/45481170/as-tesla-stock-witnesses-nearly-45-surge-in-one-month-elon-musk-asks-minnesota-governor-tim-walz-hows-your-day-bro">Elon Musk Takes A Swipe At Minnesota Governor Tim Walz As TSLA Stock Surges 45% In One Month: &#8216;How&#8217;s Your Day, Bro?&#8217;</a>



A trial date of June 23 remains on the calendar, but Boeing has made plain it will not plead guilty. No final decision has been made, said one person close to the negotiations.



Why It's Important: Boeing agreed last July to plead guilty to a single count of fraudulently misleading regulators about the Max's flight-control software, but a federal judge rejected that plea deal over concerns about corporate monitorship provisions.



A non-prosecution agreement would mark the second time Boeing escaped full criminal liability in this matter, the report said. In 2021, the DOJ first deferred prosecution after Boeing paid $2.5 billion.



This latest development came after President Donald Trump unveiled a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/03/44488310/boeing-faces-the-deadliest-corporate-crime-trial-as-judge-sets-june-date-in-737-max-fraud-case">$1.2 trillion economic agreement</a> with Qatar, featuring major deals in aviation, defense, energy and technology. A key highlight was Qatar Airways&#8217; record $96 billion order with Boeing and GE Aerospace.



China has also reportedly resumed <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45368534/china-greenlights-boeing-jet-arrivals-again-as-90-day-tariff-pause-with-us-brings-relief">accepting Boeing aircraft deliveries</a> after a month-long pause as both Washington and Beijing work to ease tensions.



Price Action: Boeing shares slipped 0.20% during Friday's regular trading session, closing at $205.82, and fell another 1.72% after hours to $202.28. Despite the recent dip, the stock has climbed 11.28% over the past year, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Boeing currently holds a 12.20% growth score on Benzinga's Edge Rankings. Curious how it stacks up against other aviation giants? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">Click here for the full comparison</a>.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/17023430/Screenshot-2025-05-17-at-12.04.25%E2%80%AFPM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-918647"/></a></figure>



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/05/45463905/tesla-futurist-brian-wang-doubles-down-on-1000-price-target-bets-big-on-ai-and-robotaxis-few-technical-resistance-levels-then-its-all-time-highs" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tesla Futurist Brian Wang Doubles Down On $1,000 Price Target, Bets Big On AI And Robotaxis: ‘Few Technical Resistance Levels…Then It's All-Time Highs'</a></li>
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.



Photo by BlueBarronPhoto via Shutterstock

Legal

General

Boeing May Reportedly Once Again Dodge Prosecution Over 737 Max Crashes — Victims' Families Slam DOJ's Potential Agreement As 'Backroom Deal Dressed Up As A Legal Proceeding'

A new federal lawsuit alleged that Tesla Inc.CEO Elon Musk's America PAC failed to compensate voters in swing states who were promised $100 for signing and referring others to sign a political petition.



What Happened: Last week, three voters from key swing states filed a proposed national class action lawsuit against Musk and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/03/44276820/elon-musk-reportedly-pledges-100-million-to-trump-linked-political-groups-amid-billion-dollar-losses-in-his-net-worth">his America PAC</a>, accusing them of breaching a promise to pay petition signers in the run-up to the 2024 presidential election, <a href="https://fortune.com/2025/05/16/elon-musk-america-pac-lawsuit-petition-signature-payments-2024-presidential-election/">reported</a> Fortune.



In October 2024, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41199734/elon-musk-founded-pac-offers-47-for-every-successful-referral-to-petition-show-support-for-free-spee">the PAC offered $47</a>—and later $100—to registered voters in seven states who signed a petition supporting the First and Second Amendments. Participants were also offered additional compensation for referring others.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/05/45481170/as-tesla-stock-witnesses-nearly-45-surge-in-one-month-elon-musk-asks-minnesota-governor-tim-walz-hows-your-day-bro">Elon Musk Takes A Swipe At Minnesota Governor Tim Walz As TSLA Stock Surges 45% In One Month: &#8216;How&#8217;s Your Day, Bro?&#8217;</a>



"This case is about a broken promise," said attorney Shannon Liss-Riordan of Lichten &amp; Liss-Riordan, the firm representing the plaintiffs. "Our clients relied on that promise because they believed in Elon, but unfortunately, that promise was not kept."



The lawsuit, filed in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, claims that over 100 people may be owed a collective $5 million or more. One prior lawsuit by a Pennsylvania man alleged America PAC failed to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/04/44885879/elon-musks-100-per-signature-offer-sparks-5-million-lawsuit-canvasser-says-he-relied-on-these-payments-to-pay-his-bills-but-they-never-came">pay him $20,000 in referral bonuses</a>.



Why It's Important: America PAC, which reportedly raised over $200 million for Donald Trump's campaign, has previously denied wrongdoing, the report added.



Spokesperson Andrew Romeo in April <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/01/politics/elon-musk-lawsuit-2024-voter-mobilization-efforts?cid=ios_app">told</a> CNN, "America PAC is committed to paying for every legitimate petition signature… evidenced by the fact that we have paid tens of millions of dollars to canvassers for their hard work in support of our mission."



Tesla did not immediately respond to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga's</a> request for comments.



Read Next:



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/05/45463905/tesla-futurist-brian-wang-doubles-down-on-1000-price-target-bets-big-on-ai-and-robotaxis-few-technical-resistance-levels-then-its-all-time-highs" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tesla Futurist Brian Wang Doubles Down On $1,000 Price Target, Bets Big On AI And Robotaxis: ‘Few Technical Resistance Levels…Then It's All-Time Highs'</a></li>
</ul>



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



Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock

Elon Musk Sued For Allegedly Failing To Pay Swing State Voters $100 Each For Signing A Petition: 'This Case Is About A Broken Promise'

A new House Republican-backed provision in Donald Trump-backed <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/health-care/25/05/45345409/trumps-big-beautiful-bill-banks-on-huge-medicaid-cuts-as-its-cost-saving-centerpiece-see-who-risks-losing-coverage-under-the-gop-proposal">"big, beautiful" bill</a> reportedly aims to block state and local governments from regulating artificial intelligence for the next decade — and it's already sparking fierce backlash.



What Happened: Tucked into a sweeping GOP tax package, the clause states that "no state or political subdivision may enforce any law or regulation regulating artificial intelligence models, artificial intelligence systems, or automated decision systems," <a href="https://fortune.com/2025/05/16/trump-tax-bill-could-ai-regulation-states-republicans-gop-congress/">reported</a> Fortune.



Supporters argue it's about avoiding regulatory chaos. "AI doesn't understand state borders," said Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio). "You can't have a patchwork of 50 states."



Previously, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman also appeared to echo this sentiment. "One federal framework, that is light touch, that we can understand and that lets us move with the speed that this moment calls for seems important and fine," he said <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/05/45312650/sam-altman-tells-congress-us-must-pursue-sensible-regulation-avoid-silly-mistake-to-stay-ahead-of-china-in-ai-race-its-hard-to-say-how-far-ahead-we-are">during a Senate hearing last week</a>.



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/news/25/04/45090231/elon-musk-says-will-come-as-a-surprise-to-most-as-chinas-economy-surpasses-us-and-eu-amid-rising-tariffs-and" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Says Will Come As A ‘Surprise To Most&#8217; As China&#8217;s Economy Surpasses US And EU Amid Rising Tariffs And Growing Recession Fears</a>



However, critics warn the bill would halt important local protections. California state Sen. Scott Wiener called the proposal "truly gross," writing on social media, "Congress is incapable of meaningful AI regulation… while also banning states from acting."



A bipartisan group of state attorneys general also voiced concern. "Instead of stepping up with real solutions, Congress wants to tie our hands," said South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, a Republican, the report noted.



Why It's Important: On Friday, House Republicans failed to advance Trump&#8217;s massive tax and spending bill, revealing internal disagreements, <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cx2jxn8m88ro">reported</a> BBC.



Despite Trump's plea on social media for lawmakers to "stop talking and get it done," some Republicans opposed the bill, arguing it didn't go far enough in reducing government spending.



Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) also previously slammed the budget reconciliation bill, calling it a "death sentence" for millions of Americans.



Read Next:



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<li><a href="https://benzinga.com/25/04/45071155/mild-recession-is-best-case-outcome-jpmorgan-ceo-jamie-dimon" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon Warns Recession Is Best-Case Outcome Of Trump Trade War</a></li>
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.



Image via Shutterstock

Government

Donald Trump-Backed GOP Bill Seeks To Ban States From Regulating AI For 10 Years — Critics Calls It 'Federal Overreach' That Could Backfire

President Donald Trump has offered to travel to China to meet with President Xi Jinping.



What Happened: In an interview with Fox News aired on Friday, Trump was asked if he wanted to speak with Xi on a foreign trip. In response, he said, "I would certainly," adding that the relationship between the two countries is "important," <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-05-16/trump-says-he-s-willing-to-travel-to-china-for-xi-meeting">reported</a> Bloomberg.



Earlier this week, the President had also hinted that the two leaders could speak by phone following a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/05/45367206/sp-500-rallies-over-3-on-us-china-90-day-tariff-truce-but-experts-warn-it-doesnt-guarantee-a-complete-resolution-of-the-trade-war">90-day trade truce agreement</a>, which slashed U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods from 145% to 30%. China has also lowered its own duties on American imports to 10%.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/05/45347089/wall-street-rips-higher-as-tariff-truce-halts-us-china-economic-escalation">Wall Street Rips Higher As Tariff Truce Halts US–China Economic Escalation</a>



Why It&#8217;s Important: Despite his latest outreach attempt, Trump made it clear that his trip to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE was aimed at <a href="http://benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45476624/us-china-trade-truce-trumps-middle-east-deals-spark-wall-street-rally-this-week-in-markets">preventing those nations</a> from aligning with Beijing, the report noted.



"They were going to China, and that was going to be their parent, and that's not happening," Trump said, adding, "They're very important to keep in our fold."



During his trip to the Middle East, Trump was able to secure around <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45476624/us-china-trade-truce-trumps-middle-east-deals-spark-wall-street-rally-this-week-in-markets">$2 trillion in trade and investment</a> commitments.



The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) ended the week up 2.16%, while semiconductor stocks continued their upward momentum, with the iShares Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOXX#NASDAQ">SOXX</a>) climbing 3.06% in the last five days, according to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>.



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Image Via Shutterstock

Trump Says He's Willing To Visit China To Meet Xi Jinping, Calls US-China Relationship 'Important' After Striking Temporary Trade Truce

Before Mark Cuban became a billionaire, a TV fixture, and a guy who <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/04/44839817/billionaire-mark-cuban-says-pharma-is-the-easiest-business-ive-ever-disrupted-in-a-500-billion-industry-1-is-a-whole-lot-of-money">casually disrupts Big Pharma</a> for fun, he was just another confident tech founder trying to make it in the ‘80s. He had a million-dollar company, a little swagger, and—at least for one night in Las Vegas—a front-row seat to what happens when <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/05/45332405/bill-gates-predicts-3-day-workweeks-says-its-probably-ok-if-machines-can-make-the-food-and-stuff-because-theres-more-to-life-than-work">Bill Gates walks into a bar</a>.



It all came up <a href="https://youtu.be/L_8wm30tLyc?si=KP1btYratigTdZB8">during a 2022 episode of the "Full Send Podcast"</a>, after the hosts asked Cuban about competition and missed opportunities. That's when he lit up with:



"I'll tell you a story. I'll tell you a story about in Vegas back in the day about Bill Gates."



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This wasn't just any Vegas story—it was COMDEX, one of the biggest tech trade shows in the world at the time. According to Cuban, the crowd was massive. "125,000 people," he said. "I started my company, I was like 26, 27… and I just thought I was a badass."



He was feeling good, hanging with a group of women, ordering shots, and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/01/43190697/mark-cubans-black-amex-card-got-declined-buying-a-140000-bottle-of-champagne-to-celebrate-teams-nba-win-can-i-please-spend-some-money">assuming the night was going his way</a>.



"This was right when <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/shows/history/history-of-microsoft-1986">Microsoft had gone public</a>," he said. "So one day, no one knows who Bill Gates is. The next day, he's the king of tech."



That's when the girls told him they needed to run to the bathroom—and never returned.



"I'm like, what the f&#x2A;&#x2A;&#x2A;?" Cuban said, still laughing about it decades later.



His buddy leaned over and broke the news: "Yo, do you know who Bill Gates is?"



Trending: The team behind $6B+ in licensing deals is now building the next billion-dollar IP empire — <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/elf-labs-ym?v=123">invest early at $2.25/share.</a>



Turns out Gates had just hit a net worth of around $350 million. Cuban? "I was maybe worth a million dollars." Which made him… invisible.



"Bill Gates took my girls!" he admitted, laughing. But the sting was real.



The host cut in: "Did that fire you up? That should've motivated you, right?"



"It did motivate me," Cuban shot back. "Right? To find—to go on to the next…"



Years later, Cuban finally got a chance to one-up the tech legend. After selling Broadcast.com, he was invited to speak at a conference. The organizers mentioned Gates would be speaking first.



"I'm like, the only reason I'm doing this is because Bill Gates is talking right before me," he said.



See Also: Invest where it hurts — and help millions heal:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/a-cure-for-osteoarthritis-powered-by-everyday-investors-cytonics-is-looking-to-beat-big-pharma-and-disrupt-a-390-billion-market"> Invest in Cytonics and help disrupt a $390B Big Pharma stronghold</a>.



So when it was his turn, he walked out on stage and delivered the zinger he'd probably been waiting years to say:



"I'm excited to tell you I sold my company… and finally, after all these years, Bill Gates is my opening act."



Cuban says Gates "got so pissed." And the kicker?



"I've never talked to him since," Cuban said. "Not to this day."



Not out of spite. "Not that I've had any reason to talk to him," he added. But that night in Vegas? Still a core memory.



He may have lost the girls, but Cuban got the punchline. And maybe a little satisfaction knowing that even tech royalty doesn't always get the last word.



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Mark Cuban Says 'Back In The Day' Bill Gates Stole 'His Girls' In Las Vegas — He Was Worth $1 Million, But Gates Was The Mega Rich 'King of Tech'

A push by Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO Elon Musk into politics may have hurt the electric vehicle company's brand value and caused some existing Tesla owners <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44365545/senator-ditches-tesla-vehicle-in-protest-against-damage-elon-musk-and-donald-trump-are-doing-to-country-heres-what-he-bought-instead" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to sell</a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44365545/senator-ditches-tesla-vehicle-in-protest-against-damage-elon-musk-and-donald-trump-are-doing-to-country-heres-what-he-bought-instead"> their vehicles.</a>



A Danish construction company is the latest Tesla owner to decide they no longer want to own vehicles associated with Musk.



What Happened: An entire corporate fleet of Tesla vehicles owned by Danish construction company Tscherning has been returned with Musk&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/interview/25/03/44539183/exclusive-tesla-protest-organizer-says-elon-musk-seems-to-have-purchased-the-american-government">push into politics </a>cited as the reason why.



"At Tscherning, we not only decide how we drive – but also who we drive with. That's why we've chosen to hand over the keys to our Tesla company cars – not because Tesla has become a bad car, but in light of Elon Musk's political commitment and the opinions he has publicly expressed (and which are increasingly hard to overlook), we as a company have chosen to say ‘thank you for the ride,'" Tscherning said, as reported by <a href="https://electrek.co/2025/05/15/company-returns-entire-tesla-vehicle-fleet-because-of-elon-musk/">Electrek</a>.



The move comes after the construction company electrified its corporate fleet with Tesla vehicles. The company will buy "European alternatives" after returning the Tesla vehicles according to the report.



Tscherning said it didn't want to be "associated with the values and political direction that currently accompany the Tesla brand."



Are you buying when the CEOs of the Magnificent 7 are selling?



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Why It's Important: Tesla has seen lower sales of its vehicles and Europe is one of the areas being hit the hardest.



The sales decline could be due to several factors, including the Model Y changeover, factory downtime, less demand for electric vehicles and consumers not wanting to be associated with Tesla vehicles anymore.



Demand for new Tesla vehicles has dropped and the sale prices of used Tesla vehicles have also fallen.



Corporate sales could be one of the latest areas to be hit by the Tesla brand damage. European pharmacy chain Rossman sold their corporate fleet of Tesla vehicles last year, with Musk also cited as the reason.



Sales of Tesla <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/03/44128646/tesla-sales-drop-in-europe-in-february-some-countries-down-over-40-is-musks-political-push-hurting-ev-company">vehicles in Denmark</a> fell 48.1% in January, 53.1% in February and 65.6% in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/04/44601458/teslas-european-sales-decline-for-3rd-consecutive-month-amid-china-competition-ceo-elon-musks-political-controversies">March </a>on a year-over-year basis.



TSLA Price Action: Tesla stock was up 2% to $349.98 on Friday. Tesla stock is down 7.7% year-to-date in 2025 with shares up around 100% over the last year.



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Photo: Shutterstock

Global

Why A Danish Company Is Telling Elon Musk 'Thanks For The Ride' — And Returning Its Tesla Fleet

President Donald Trump has doubled down on his aggressive tariff stance, taking aim at toy giant Mattel Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MAT#NASDAQ">MAT</a>) as part of his ongoing trade dispute with China.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Trump&#8217;s Tariff Threat</h2>



In <a href="https://x.com/Acyn/status/1920505479543075300">remarks</a> from the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump seemed to mistake the company for a country, saying, "Mattel, I don't know, I'm not so sure, they also said, they're the only country I've heard they said, &#8216;Well, we're going to go counter, we're going to try going someplace else,&#8217; that's okay.&#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">Trump floats the idea of a 100% on toys from Mattel which refers to as a country <a href="https://t.co/LeHlHBckEI">pic.twitter.com/LeHlHBckEI</a>&mdash; Acyn (@Acyn) <a href="https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1920505479543075300?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 8, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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He continued, "Let him go and we'll put a 100% tariff on his toys, and he won't sell one toy in the United States, and that's their biggest market."



Mattel recently announced plans to diversify its supply chain to reduce its reliance on Chinese manufacturing, a response to Trump's steep import tariffs.&nbsp;



CEO Ynon Kreiz told <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/06/mattel-ceo-toy-manufacturing-trump-tariffs.html?">CNBC</a> that the company is focused on global diversification, aiming to ensure that no single country will <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/05/45264015/trumps-tariffs-hit-mattels-barbies-will-americans-pay-a-couple-of-bucks-more-as-president-predicts">handle more than 25%</a> of its sourcing by the end of 2025, including China. Kreiz dismissed the idea of moving production back to the U.S., saying, "We don't see that happening."



The company&#8217;s shift comes as Trump pushes for more U.S.-based manufacturing, despite the higher costs this approach would impose on companies and consumers.&nbsp;



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Trump recently <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/25/05/45144516/trump-a-grinch-or-santa-for-christmas-children-will-have-two-dolls-instead-of-30-dolls">downplayed concerns</a> about the impact of tariffs on toy prices, saying children might just end up with "two dolls instead of 30" and that the remaining toys might "cost a couple of bucks more."



According to a recent New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/29/business/trump-tariffs-christmas-china.html">report</a>, around 80% of all toys and 90% of all Christmas decorations sold in the U.S. are produced in China. With tariffs of up to 145% currently in place, many companies have paused new orders, further threatening the availability of popular holiday items.



Industry experts have warned that these tariffs could result in a significant toy shortage this Christmas. Toy Association's CEO Greg Ahearn told the Times that the situation is a "frozen supply chain" and called for a 24-month reprieve on tariffs to give manufacturers time to adjust their sourcing strategies.



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Mattel, the maker of iconic brands like Barbie, Hot Wheels, and Fisher-Price, has been gradually reducing its reliance on China for nearly a decade. CEO Kreiz told CNBC that by the end of 2025, the company aims to have no single country handle more than a quarter of its production. However, this global diversification strategy has not included a significant move toward U.S. manufacturing.



Trump's latest comments suggest the White House is prepared to penalize companies that try to sidestep his trade policies. "I wouldn't want to have him as an executive too long," Trump said, seemingly referencing Kreiz's strategy to diversify rather than relocate production to the U.S.



With the holiday season fast approaching, the question remains whether parents will be willing to pay higher prices for fewer toys as Trump's trade policies continue to ripple through the retail sector.



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'He Won't Sell One Toy In The United States,' Says Donald Trump Suggesting A 100% Tariff On Mattel Which He Seemed To Mistake For A Country

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) treasury companies like Michael Saylor&#8216;s Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>) (formerly MicroStrategy) were in focus as Brett Winton, the chief futurist at ARK Investment Management LLC, highlighted that trouble could be brewing for such companies in the long run.



What Happened: As companies like MSTR have been issuing equity and debt to raise funds for Bitcoin purchases, Winton underscored that funding purchases with debt &#8220;seems like a recipe for disaster on the back end of this cycle.&#8221;



According to him, if the treasury companies keep doing so, &#8220;a higher debt mix&#8221; will &#8220;be the seed that grows to destroy the business-less business model.&#8221;



He explains this by highlighting the presence of an arbitrage opportunity till the time the stock prices for companies like MSTR are trading at a premium to the net asset value (NAV).



As of its May 12 SEC filing, MSTR held 568,840 Bitcoins at an aggregate purchase price of $39.41 billion, whereas its market capitalization stood at a staggering $108.55 billion.



Thus, Winton implied that BTC treasury companies could keep issuing equity until the arbitrage opportunity closes. &#8220;Competitors are now launching/raising will accelerate that process,&#8221; he said in his X post.



However, as the equity to NAV gap closes, the companies will shift to debt for funding their BTC purchases, thus concocting the &#8220;recipe for disaster,&#8221; as underscored by Winton.



<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">though so-called bitcoin treasury companies don&#39;t make sense, but so long as they are trading at a NAV premium to the underlying holdings they should continue to sell equity and buy bitcoin until they arbitrage out the opportunity. That &quot;competitors&quot; are now launching/raising…&mdash; Brett Winton (@wintonARK) <a href="https://twitter.com/wintonARK/status/1923310593592926619?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 16, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



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Why It Matters: While MSTR is the largest BTC treasury company that has issues both equity and debt to purchase Bitcoins, Ryan Cohen&#8216;s GameStop Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GME#NYSE">GME</a>) has recently announced its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/03/44511612/gamestop-follows-mstrs-footsteps-why-will-investors-buy-convertible-notes-with-no-interest">plans to join MSTR&#8217;s ranks</a>.



MARA Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>), Cantor Equity Partners Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CEP#NASDAQ">CEP</a>), Riot Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIOT#NASDAQ">RIOT</a>), and Galaxy Digital Holdings Ltd. (TSE: GLXY) follow MSTR in having the highest number of Bitcoins as a part of their assets.



Meanwhile, other experts think that Bitcoin prices are poised to rise. Citing Tom Lee, the head of research at Fundstrat, the Moon Show highlighted on X Friday the potential for Bitcoin&#8217;s network value to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/05/45463966/tom-lee-predicts-bitcoin-will-hit-1-5-million-in-10-years-calls-it-a-swiss-army-knife-of-money">equal that of gold</a>. 



Lee argued that Bitcoin&#8217;s versatility, acting as a risk-on asset in bull markets, combined with growing adoption, fuels network value and price appreciation.



Price Action: Shares of MSTR fell 4.73% on Thursday and rose 1.03% in premarket on Friday. The stock was up 32.34% on a year-to-date basis, and 175.72% higher over a year.



Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings shows that MSTR had a stronger price trend over the short, medium, and long term. Its momentum ranking was solid at the 97.50th percentile, while the value ranking was very poor. You can check the details of other metrics <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">over here</a>. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="148" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16075705/EDGE-MSTR-1024x148.png" alt="" class="wp-image-917803" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16075705/EDGE-MSTR-1024x148.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16075705/EDGE-MSTR-300x43.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16075705/EDGE-MSTR-768x111.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/16075705/EDGE-MSTR.png 1224w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>



The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which track the S&amp;P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, were higher in premarket on Friday. The SPY was up 0.29% to $592.20, while the QQQ advanced 0.34% to $521.01, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.



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Photo Courtesy: creativeneko on Shutterstock

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Ark Invest Expert Takes Swipe At MSTR, MARA, Says 'Bitcoin Treasury Companies Don't Make Sense:' 'Funding Purchases With Debt...Seems Like A Recipe For Disaster'

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