Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) delivered a blockbuster quarter that beat expectations across the board, with cloud and AI momentum now so strong that Goldman Sachs sees the stock marching near all-time highs <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/expert-ideas">at $480 per share. </a>



In a note shared Thursday, Goldman Sachs analyst Kash Rangan said Microsoft's fiscal third-quarter results reinforced confidence in the company's long-term AI leadership, as Azure growth reaccelerated and new data pointed to durable enterprise demand for cloud infrastructure and AI tools.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">What Drove The Beat?</h3>



For the quarter ending March 31, Microsoft reported earnings per share of $3.46, exceeding estimates of $3.21, while revenue climbed to $70.07 billion, ahead of the $68.48 billion consensus. 



Azure and other cloud services revenue rose 35% year-over-year in constant currency, accelerating from 31% in the prior quarter and topping Goldman's forecast of 32%.



Crucially, artificial intelligence continues to drive Azure's growth. AI-related services contributed 16 percentage points of that 35% increase, up from 13 points last quarter. Non-AI workloads also posted their first acceleration since early 2024, growing 19%, a sign that demand is broadening beyond early AI adopters.



"We reiterate our Buy rating while raising our PT to $480 (vs. $450 prior) following F3Q25 outperformance across all key metrics," Rangan said. 



He added that Microsoft is increasingly well-positioned to capture a share of the AI market across both infrastructure and application layers.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">CapEx: Still High, But Under Control</h3>



Microsoft's capital expenditures came in at $21.4 billion, marking the first sequential decline in CapEx since the first fiscal quarter of 2023, which helped ease concerns that the company was overspending to maintain its AI advantage.



Despite the pullback, Goldman says Microsoft's capital expenditures (CapEx) are still likely to grow faster than cloud revenue in the short term, reflecting longer-term investments required to meet rising demand.



Rangan held his fiscal year 2026 CapEx growth forecast at 21% year-over-year and signaled that capital intensity may begin moderating after years of heavy investment.



This, Rangan said, should be a "relief for the tech food chain," as it suggests peak CapEx is not yet behind the company but may soon be reached.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Copilot Gains Traction</h3>



Another standout: Microsoft's generative AI product Copilot continues to gain adoption, with user numbers up 3x year-over-year and over 230,000 organizations engaging with Copilot Studio. 



This supports Goldman's thesis that Copilot could evolve into the defining enterprise application of the AI era.



Record customer seat purchases further strengthen the case that Copilot is not just a flashy experiment but a sticky, revenue-generating platform that could replicate the kind of success seen in Microsoft 365.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Q4 Guidance And AI Outlook</h3>



Looking ahead, Microsoft guided fourth-quarter cloud margins to about 67%, with intelligent cloud revenue expected between $28.75 billion and $29.05 billion. 



Productivity segment sales are forecast at $32.05 billion to $32.35 billion, while more personal computing should bring in $12.35 billion to $12.85 billion.



Goldman says that despite macroeconomic uncertainty and potential tariff risks, the company is set up to post free cash flow growth of 3% and earnings-per-share growth of 17% in fiscal year 2026, with Azure maintaining a 30% growth rate.



The firm expects earnings to reaccelerate into the high double digits as Microsoft exits its capital-intensive phase and enters the high-margin inference stage of AI deployment.



"We continue to believe that as Gen-AI moves from the infrastructure layer to the platform/application layers, Microsoft is well positioned to capitalize on this shift," Rangan said.



Shares of Microsoft were up as much as 8.4% in premarket trading Thursday. 



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MSFT

Microsoft's Blockbuster Quarter Cements Goldman's Bullish AI, Cloud Thesis

Eli Lilly and Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>) stock is trading lower after the company released first-quarter earnings and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/25/04/45112166/eli-lilly-stock-has-the-technicals-will-q1-earnings-deliver-fundamentals" rel="noreferrer noopener">lowered 2025 guidance</a>.



The U.S. pharma giant reported first-quarter revenue of $12.73 billion, up 45% year over year, almost in line with the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus of $12.67 billion</a>, driven by a 53% increase in volume, partially offset by a 6% decrease due to lower realized prices and a 2% unfavorable impact of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/05/n45129353/lilly-reports-first-quarter-2025-financial-results-and-highlights-pipeline-momentum" rel="noreferrer noopener">foreign exchange rates</a>.



Key Products revenue grew by&nbsp;$4.09 billion&nbsp;to&nbsp;$7.52 billion&nbsp;in Q1 2025, led by Mounjaro and Zepbound.



Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/25/04/44934811/eli-lilly-positioned-to-dominate-obesity-market-with-oral-option-analyst-initiates-with-confidence" rel="noreferrer noopener">Eli Lilly Positioned To Dominate Obesity Market With Oral Option, Analyst Initiates With Confidence</a>



Revenue in the&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp;increased 49% to&nbsp;$8.49 billion, driven by a 57% increase in volume, partially offset by a 7% decrease due to lower realized prices. Zepbound and Mounjaro drove the increase in&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp;volume.



Revenue outside the&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp;increased 38% to&nbsp;$4.24 billion, driven by a 46% increase in volume.



The volume increase outside the&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp;was driven primarily by Mounjaro and, to a lesser extent, Jardiance.



The company reported an adjusted EPS of $3.34, compared to $2.58 from a year ago, beating the consensus of $3.02.



Mounjaro sales&nbsp;jumped 113% to $3.84 billion. U.S.&nbsp;revenue was&nbsp;$2.66 billion, an increase of 75%, reflecting continued strong demand, partially offset by lower realized prices.



Revenue outside the&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp;increased to&nbsp;$1.19 billion&nbsp;compared with&nbsp;$286.2 million&nbsp;in Q1 2024, primarily driven by volume growth, including entry into new markets, partially offset by lower realized prices.



Sales of Verzenio (a breast cancer drug)&nbsp;increased 10% to&nbsp;$1.16 billion. U.S.&nbsp;revenue was&nbsp;$657.6 million, a 3% increase driven by higher realized prices. Increased demand was more than offset by wholesaler buying patterns and competitive dynamics.



Revenue outside the&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp;was&nbsp;$501.3 million, an increase of 22%, primarily driven by volume growth, partially offset by the unfavorable impact of foreign exchange rates.



Zepbound sales reached $2.31 billion, surging from $517.4 million a year ago, driven by demand growth despite pricing pressures.



Guidance: Eli Lilly reaffirms fiscal year 2025 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/25/02/43525518/eli-lilly-q4-earnings-strong-demand-for-mounjaro-but-prices-dip-forecasts-over-30-jump-in-2025-sales-on-newer-medicines" rel="noreferrer noopener">sales of $58 billion—$61 billion</a> versus a consensus of $59.52 billion and $45.04 billion in 2024.



Eli Lilly lowers the 2025 adjusted EPS outlook from $22.50-$24.00 to $20.78-$22.28 compared to the consensus of $21.93 to reflect the impact of the Q1 2025 acquired IPR&amp;D.



In Q1 2025, the company recognized acquired in-process research and development (IPR&amp;D) charges of $1.57 billion compared with $110.5 million in Q1 2024, primarily related to acquiring Scorpion Therapeutics, Inc.'s STX-478 program.



In January, Eli Lilly agreed to acquire Scorpion Therapeutics' PI3Kα inhibitor <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42949261/eli-lilly-scoops-up-scorpion-therapeutics-early-stage-cancer-program-for-25-billion" rel="noreferrer noopener">program STX-478</a>.



STX-478 is a once-daily oral, mutant-selective PI3Kα inhibitor currently being evaluated in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial for breast cancer and other advanced solid tumors.&nbsp;



Under the terms of the agreement, Lilly will acquire Scorpion, and Scorpion shareholders could receive up to&nbsp;$2.5 billion&nbsp;in cash. Up to $1 billion will be paid upfront, with an additional $1.5 billion contingent on meeting specific performance milestones.



Eli Lilly added that the guidance includes the existing tariff and trade environment and does not reflect any policy shifts, including pharmaceutical sector tariffs, that could impact business.



In an interview with CNBC, Eli Lilly CEO Dave Ricks <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/01/eli-lilly-lly-earnings-q1-2025.html" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a>, "I think that actually the threat of tariffs is already bringing back critical supply chains into important industries, chips and pharma."



"So do we need to enact [tariffs?] I'm not so sure," Ricks said.



Price Action: At last check on Thursday, LLY stock was down 6.91% to 837.26.



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Mounjaro Maker Eli Lilly Clocks 45% Jump In Q1 Revenue, Cuts 2025 Profit Outlook But Not Due To Tariffs

Editor&#8217;s Note: Today, we&#8217;re hearing from Tom Gentile, one of America&#8217;s most successful pattern traders, with 30 years of trading and teaching experience under his belt. You may recognize him from Money Morning, CNBC, or the numerous options books he has authored. Most importantly, Tom has spent the last two decades building some of the most sophisticated pattern-tracking software in the markets, with the help of actual rocket scientists from NASA and Raytheon. Below, he reveals three &#8220;tariff-proof&#8221; stocks his system has identified. 



The tariff threats might be paused for now—but the uncertainty isn't going anywhere. It's not a matter of if they flare back up, it's when.



Sure, we&#8217;ve seen a few rallies since the tariffs were first announced in early April, and the DOW tanked by 4,000 points. But let's be honest: those rallies were more like dead cat bounces. The underlying issues—higher tariffs on Chinese imports and retaliation overseas—haven't gone anywhere. And they're still weighing heavy on the markets.



The simple truth? The tariff war isn't over. Not even close. And it's created an environment where what used to be &#8220;safe&#8221; plays just aren't so safe anymore.



Here's the good news: There's still a path to profits—even in the choppiest markets—if you know where to look.



So, I've been busy running my scans, checking my seasonal patterns and analyzing the stocks and sectors that actually benefit from tariffs. That's right: some companies are positioned to thrive in this environment.



And today, I want to show you the top three stocks I consider to be &#8220;tariff-proof&#8221; and why they&#8217;re primed to soar this spring.



Let&#8217;s dig in.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">U.S. Steel</h2>



U.S. Steel (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/X#NYSE">X</a>) is still one of the clearest beneficiaries when it comes to tariff dynamics.



Why? Because X is heavily invested in domestic production and because foreign competitors face higher barriers, they've gained serious pricing power. And with tariffs once again dominating the headlines, U.S. Steel is right back in the spotlight.



Now, has the stock seen its share of volatility this year? Absolutely.



Shares pulled back sharply in early April, along with the broader market selloff. But even with the turbulence, X has stabilized faster than many other industrial names—and it&#8217;s showing signs of strength as infrastructure spending ramps up.



So, as long as the tariff battle continues—and as long as domestic steel demand stays firm—U.S. Steel is positioned to outperform. It's one of the few companies that stands to benefit as Washington puts more pressure on imports.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Marathon Petroleum</h2>



Marathon Petroleum (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MPC#NYSE">MPC</a>) remains one of the quiet winners as trade tensions reshape the energy market. Domestic refining stands to gain when tariffs hit Canadian oil—and Marathon is built to thrive on U.S. supply.



With a massive nationwide network and deep investment in American energy, MPC is positioned right where the demand shift is heading.



And they&#8217;ve proven they can capitalize.



Since the start of the year, Marathon has not only weathered market volatility—it's gained serious momentum. Shares are up double digits since January, and the company's latest earnings report showed revenue topping $36.2 billion—a clear sign that demand is holding firm.



Bottom line?



As the push toward U.S. energy independence grows and foreign oil faces even more hurdles, Marathon is built to keep winning.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Archer Daniels Midland</h2>



Archer Daniels Midland (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ADM#NYSE">ADM</a>) is still my favorite of the group—and for good reason.



What sets ADM apart is its seasonal strength. Between March and May, this stock has moved higher nine out of the last ten years. That's 90% accuracy over the last decade—a consistency you don't find very often.



When I ran these three stocks through my Money Calendar software, ADM was the clear standout.



It's delivered an average 6% move higher during this window, and just last year, it popped nearly 13% between March and May. That's the kind of reliability I want in my corner.



And here's the best part: ADM doesn't care about tariffs.



Its seasonal pattern—and its position as a global agriculture powerhouse—gives it pattern-driven potential, strong fundamentals and technical momentum all at once.



In a choppy market, that&#8217;s the triple threat you want working for you.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Get Ahead of Tomorrow's Biggest Earnings Moves</h2>



When earnings reports are released tomorrow, the ripple effects could shake the entire market. Our Earnings Command Center gives you real-time alerts, key data, and actionable insights—before the news breaks. Get Your Earnings Edge <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge">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.



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3 Stocks To Turn Tariffs Into Opportunities

Crude oil's decline shows no signs of ending, with prices sinking more than 2% below $57 per barrel on Thursday morning as markets brace for a potential OPEC+ supply hike and rising signs of economic <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s">stress across major economies.</a>



West Texas Intermediate crude futures – as closely represented by the United States Oil Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/USO#NYSE">USO</a>) – are now on track to log four straight days of declines and reach April lows, when front-month contracts broke below $55, marking the cheapest level in over four years.



Since peaking in March 2022, oil prices have plunged 55%, with a 21% drop year-to-date and a 30% decline over the past 12 months, indicating a persistent bear market struggling to find a floor.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">OPEC+ May Raise Supply Despite Falling Prices</h3>



Fresh pressure on prices came from reports that Saudi Arabia has told allies and industry participants it is prepared to endure a longer stretch of low prices without further supply cuts. 



This strengthened speculation that OPEC+ could unveil a new production increase at its May 5 meeting.



David Goldman, head of trading at Novion Global, said reports about Riyadh&#8217;s stance triggered Thursday's sharp sell-off. 



"Oil prices fell as much as 4% after reports that Saudi Arabia can endure a sustained period of depressed prices," he said, noting that the market fears a longer period of surplus supply from the Saudi-led alliance.



Goldman Sachs analyst Daan Struyven expects OPEC+ to raise production modestly by 100,000 barrels per day in June and July, keeping output steady afterward. Yet, the risks are tilted toward a more aggressive ramp-up. "Kazakhstan&#8217;s focus on national interests increases risks of a larger OPEC+ production hike in June," Struyven said.



&#8220;While the 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs provided a stay of execution, the chances of recession remains unusually high,&#8221; he added. 



Adding to bearish sentiment was the latest GDP report, which showed the U.S. economy contracted in the first quarter for the first time in three years.



Goldman Sachs' economics team now sees a 45% probability of a U.S. recession in the next 12 months, citing persistently high policy uncertainty, weak real income growth and cautious consumer spending. 



They believe oil prices could fall even more during a recession than during a typical growth slowdown.



&#8220;Oil prices are likely to decline more in the next recession relative to the slowdown in global growth and in oil demand because OPEC supply is likely to fall less than the median-peak-to-trough decline of 2.7mb/d in for the last three recessions,&#8221; Struyven said.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">&#8216;The Cure For Low Oil Prices Is Low Oil Prices&#8217;</h3>



David Morrison, senior market analyst at Trade Nation, said the bearish backdrop is reinforced by structural demand weakness in China and new geopolitical risks. 



"The global demand growth outlook was weak even before President Trump began his trade war," he said. "Now it has to deal with Trump's tariffs which have effectively ended trade between the U.S. and China."



&#8220;OPEC+ is in no mood to step in to support the&nbsp;oil&nbsp;price. Quite the contrary, as the group is anxious to unwind the production cuts which did so much to support the&nbsp;oil&nbsp;price over the past couple of year,&#8221; he added.



Still, he indicated that markets rarely move in straight lines. Sharp bottoms, like sharp tops, often signal a turning point, though it&#8217;s too early to say whether crude has reached that stage. 



Amid mixed signals and rising uncertainty, Morrison suggested that oil remains tough to trade, but reiterated a familiar market truism: "The cure for low oil prices is low oil prices."



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</ul>



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Macro Economic Events

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Economics

Oil Sinks Below $57 On OPEC+ Supply Speculation, Bear Market Deepens

Fast-food chain&nbsp;McDonald's Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MCD#NYSE">MCD</a>) stock is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/premarket" rel="noreferrer noopener">trading lower in premarket</a> on Thursday after the company released its first-quarter FY25 earnings.



The company reported <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/05/n45129649/mcdonalds-reports-first-quarter-2025-results" rel="noreferrer noopener">first-quarter revenue decline</a> of 3.4% year-on-year to $5.96 billion, missing the analyst consensus estimate of $6.09 billion. Adjusted EPS of $2.67 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">beat the consensus</a> estimate of $2.66.



Global comparable sales decreased by 1%, while U.S. comparable sales slipped by 3.6%. Comparable sales for the International Operated Markets segment declined by 1%, and the International Developmental Licensed Markets segment improved by 3.5%.



Systemwide sales decreased&nbsp;1% (increased 1% in constant currencies).



Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/downgrades/25/04/45117074/starbucks-faces-brand-margin-headwinds-as-analysts-react-to-disappointing-q2" rel="noreferrer noopener">Starbucks Faces Brand, Margin Headwinds As Analysts React To Disappointing Q2</a>



"Consumers today are grappling with uncertainty, but they can always count on McDonald's for both exciting new menu items and delicious favorites for exceptional value, from a brand they love," said



The company's systemwide sales and revenue have continued to be negatively impacted by the war in the Middle East, primarily in the International Developmental Licensed Markets, where the majority of restaurants are under a developmental license or affiliate arrangement.



McDonald's is monitoring the evolving situation, which it expects to continue to have a negative impact on Systemwide sales and revenue until the war concludes and the macroeconomic conditions recover.&nbsp;



Sales by company-owned and operated restaurants fell 9% to $2.13 billion, while sales from franchised restaurants dropped 2% at $3.66 billion.



Systemwide sales through McDonald's loyalty programs exceeded $31 billion over the past twelve months, including $8 billion in the first quarter alone.



Total operating costs and expenses decreased 4% to $3.3 billion. Operating income for the quarter declined 3% to $2.64 billion, with an operating margin of 44.5% compared to 44.3% last year.



Price Action: MCD shares traded lower by 1.47% at $314.96 in premarket at last check Thursday.



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Photo by sombat muycheen via Shutterstock

Middle-East Tensions And Consumer Uncertainty Bites McDonald's Q1 Revenue, Stock Slides

General Motors Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>) shares are trading higher premarket on Thursday. The company disclosed <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/secfilings/25/05/45129284/general-motors-co-general-corporate-statement-form8" rel="noreferrer noopener">updated guidance for 2025</a>.



The automobile giant revised its guidance to include an estimated tariff-related impact of $4.0 billion to $5.0 billion based on the current <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/guidance" rel="noreferrer noopener">regulatory and policy environment</a>.



The company lowered its adjusted EPS guidance from $11.00-$12.00 to $8.25-$10.00, compared to the $10.15 estimate.



Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/04/45065511/general-motors-recalls-877000-trucks-and-suvs-due-to-faulty-engine" rel="noreferrer noopener">General Motors Recalls Nearly 900K Trucks, SUVs Over Engine Malfunction</a>



General Motors anticipates capital spending of $10 billion to $11 billion in FY25 and slashes its adjusted automotive free cash flow outlook to $7.5 billion &#8211; $10.0 billion (from $11.0 billion &#8211; $13.0 billion earlier).



Recently, President Donald Trump disclosed that it would provide some relief to U.S. manufacturers by reportedly easing some duties imposed on foreign parts<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45059191/donald-trump-will-reduce-impact-on-us-auto-industry-by-alleviating-some-auto-tarrifs-report" rel="noreferrer noopener"> in domestically manufactured vehicles</a>.



Last week, the company reported first-quarter adjusted EPS of $2.78, beating the analyst consensus estimate of $2.7,3 and sales of $44.02 billion, beating the analyst <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/04/45065788/general-motors-margins-weaken-amid-tariff-uncertainty-ceo-barra-delays-conference-call-on-guidance-uncertainty" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus estimate of $43.15 billion</a>.



General Motors exited the quarter with cash and equivalents worth $12.021 billion and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">inventories worth $15.257 billion</a>.



Investors can gain exposure to the stock via First Trust Nasdaq Transportation ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FTXR#NASDAQ">FTXR</a>) and Amplify ETF Trust Amplify AI Powered Equity ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AIEQ#NYSE">AIEQ</a>).



Price Action: GM shares are up 3.21% at $46.69 premarket at the last check Thursday.



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</ul>



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FTXR

This Is How Much It Will Cost General Motors From Trump's Tariff Policy

U.S. stock futures climbed early Thursday, buoyed by strong earnings reports from two of the "Magnificent 7" companies after Wednesday's market close.



While markets were rattled by the Commerce Department's report of a 0.3% GDP contraction, major indexes rebounded and ended the previous session in positive territory.



Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) and Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) both topped earnings and revenue expectations, rising 6.63% and 7.40% in pre-market trading, respectively. 



Meanwhile, Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) slipped 0.54% in pre-market trading amid unverified rumors that the board was searching for a replacement for CEO Elon Musk — claims the company <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/05/45126370/elon-musk-will-remain-tesla-ceo-for-at-least-5-years-says-dan-ives-as-company-calls-replacement-rumors-absolutely-false">has since dismissed as false. </a>



On Thursday, investors will be closely watching the earnings of Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), Mastercard Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MA#NYSE">MA</a>), and Airbnb Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ABNB#NASDAQ">ABNB</a>), with high expectations following a series of strong performances over the past couple of days.



See Also: <a href="https://www.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" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump's AI And Crypto Czar David Sacks Says Elon Musk Going To ‘Stay Involved' In DOGE, Calls Entrepreneur Rationing His Time Sensible</a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/go/plus500-futures" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/go/plus500-futures" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a>



U.S. 10-Year Treasuries are at 4.15%, while the 2-Year Treasuries are at 3.60%. 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 95% likelihood of interest rates remaining unchanged during the FOMC meeting that is scheduled to take place the first week of May, which marks an increase from 92.4% on Wednesday.



<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">0.83%</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">1.30%</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Nasdaq 100</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">1.78%</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Russell 2000</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">0.46%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



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 0.04% 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 down 0.013%, 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:



Wednesday was a mixed bag for S&amp;P 500 sectors, with healthcare, industrials, and consumer staples posting good gains, while the energy segment dropped 2.70% on dropping crude oil prices and growing concerns of a recession following the latest GDP figures.



The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.35% during the day, while the Nasdaq Composite Index was down marginally, by 0.086%.



The markets were rattled by disappointing economic data during the session, particularly the GDP figures at -0.3%, down from 2.4% last year, and against a consensus estimate of 0.4%. Besides this, the Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE) index came in at 2.3%, ahead of estimates at 2.2%, thwarting any possibility of a rate cut in May.



As of Tuesday, the Nasdaq 100 index was down 11.93% from its previous high of 22,222.61 points. The S&amp;P 500 index was 9.40% lower, as compared to the last record high of 6,147.43 points. On the other hand, Dow Jones was down 9.77% from its 52-week high of 45,073.63 points.



The Dow Jones index jumped 141 points or 0.35% to 40,669.36, whereas the S&amp;P 500 index surged 0.15% to 5,569.06. Nasdaq Composite ended 0.086% lower at 17,446.34, and the small-cap gauge, Russell 2000, was down 0.63%, trading at 1,964.12.



<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">-0.086%</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">17,446.34</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">0.15%</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">5,569.06</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Dow Jones</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">0.35%</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">40,669.36</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Russell 2000</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">-0.63%</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">1,964.12</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Insights From Analysts:



Ryan Detrick, a Chartered Market Technician, posted on X that markets shouldn&#8217;t be overly worried about the first-quarter GDP contraction, attributing the decline to companies front-loading imports to get ahead of upcoming tariffs.



<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">Q1 GDP negative got the headlines this AM, but much of that was due to inventories and companies buying ahead of tariffs. Final Demand slowed, but was still fairly solid. Bottom line? Economy slowed ahead of tariffs, but isn&#39;t in a recession. <a href="https://twitter.com/sonusvarghese?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sonusvarghese</a> breaks it down. <a href="https://t.co/1mXl3edFGk">https://t.co/1mXl3edFGk</a>&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1917678441484411033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Detrick notes that final demand has slowed, but is still &#8220;fairly solid.&#8221; The &#8220;Bottom Line,&#8221; he says, is that the economy slowed ahead of the tariffs, but this isn&#8217;t a recession.



Upcoming Economic Data:



Here&#8217;s what investors will be watching on Thursday:



<ul>
<li>The Initial Jobless Claims Report is set to be released by 8:30 AM ET. </li>



<li>The S&amp;P Final U.S. Manufacturing PMI for April will be released at 9:45 AM ET. </li>



<li>ISM Manufacturing and Construction Spending for April and March, respectively, will be released by 10:00 AM ET. </li>



<li>April Auto Sales figures will be announced during the day, with no time specified.</li>
</ul>



Stocks In Focus:



<ul>
<li>Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) will be announcing its second quarter results after markets close. The stock is down 1.10% pre-market, with analysts expecting the company to post $1.62 per share in earnings, from $94.6 billion in revenue. </li>



<li>Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) is up 4.01% pre-market, as the company is expected to release its first quarter results on Thursday, after markets close. Analysts expect earnings at $1.36 per share, from $155.1 billion in revenue. </li>



<li>Eli Lilly And Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>) is up 1.95% pre-market as investors wait in anticipation of the company&#8217;s first quarter results in the morning. Consensus estimates expect $3.46 per share in earnings, on $12.7 billion in revenue. </li>



<li>Mastercard Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MA#NYSE">MA</a>) will be releasing its first quarter results in a couple of hours, before markets open. The stock is up 0.31% pre-market, and analysts expect the company to post $3.56 per share in earnings, from $7.1 billion in revenue. </li>



<li>McDonald&#8217;s Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MCD#NYSE">MCD</a>) will be announcing its first quarter results before markets open, with analysts expecting $2.67 per share in earnings, on $6.12 billion in revenue. The stock is down 1.51% pre-market.</li>
</ul>



Commodities, Gold, And Global Equity Markets:



Crude oil futures continue to touch new lows, with the commodity down 2.31% in the early New York session, trading at $56.91 per barrel, amid growing recession fears.



Gold Spot US Dollar is down yet again, by 2.56%, hovering around 3,223.74 per ounce, down from its record high of $3,500.33 per ounce last week. The U.S. Dollar Index is up 0.39%, trading at the 99.8543 level.



Asian markets are mixed on Thursday, with Japan&#8217;s Nikkei, India&#8217;s Nifty 50, and the Hang Seng Index ending the day in the green, while South Korea&#8217;s KOSPI and China&#8217;s Shanghai index are down for the day. Australia&#8217;s ASX 200 is up, along with New Zealand&#8217;s NZX 50.



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45127052/el-erians-monthly-asset-performance-table-highlights-oils-20-loss-bitcoin-and-golds-gain" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin, Gold Shine In April While Stocks, Oil Suffer— Mohamed El-Erian Flags Diverging Market Trends</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Markets

AAPL

ABNB

AMZN

KLAC

QCOM

SBUX

TSLA

US Stock Futures Rise As Meta, Microsoft Earnings Fuel Optimism: GDP Slump Linked To Tariff Anticipation, Not Recession, Says Analyst

The U.S. and Ukraine have officially signed an agreement granting the U.S. access to Ukraine's mineral resources. Two parties inked the deal two months after a heated meeting at the White House between two presidents, Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky, abruptly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/02/44053592/white-house-meeting-turns-tense-as-trump-warns-zelenskyy-youre-gambling-with-world-war-iii" rel="noreferrer noopener">ended the negotiations</a>.



"Thanks to President Trump's tireless efforts to secure a lasting peace, I am glad to announce the signing of today's historic economic partnership agreement between the United States and Ukraine establishing the United States-Ukraine Reconstruction Investment Fund," said U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1917700867353923761" rel="noreferrer noopener">per</a> The Kobeissi Letter.



"Together with the United States, we are creating the Fund that will attract global investment into our country," Ukrainian First Vice Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/Svyrydenko_Y" rel="noreferrer noopener">wrote</a> on X.



Under the agreement, the U.S. will have priority access to new investment projects involving Ukrainian critical minerals. Kyiv and Washington will establish an investment fund, through which profits will be funneled, aiming to support Ukraine's recovery and offset future U.S. military assistance.



Trump initially demanded $500 billion worth of mineral wealth as repayment for U.S. military aid, but Ukraine pushed back, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43968607/trump-negotiates-a-very-big-deal-for-ukraines-mineral-wealth" rel="noreferrer noopener">seeking security guarantees</a> in return. Reuters <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/kyiv-is-ready-sign-resources-deal-with-us-ukraine-government-source-says-2025-04-30/" rel="noreferrer noopener">confirmed</a> that the signed deal does not require Ukraine to repay past military aid and doesn't contain any concrete U.S. security guarantees.



Ukraine holds substantial reserves of rare earth elements essential for the technology, defense, and clean energy industries. It is the sixth-largest global producer of Titanium, although production has been on a decline since 2012.



Still, nearly half of mineral deposits are concentrated in Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Kirovohrad, Poltava, and Kharkiv—territories that are partly under Russian control, complicating extraction efforts.



Marko Papic, Chief Strategist at BCA Research, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/02/44057033/this-is-something-that-president-trump-does-over-and-over-again-geopolitical-strategist-says-about-failed-rare-minerals-deal-with-ukraine-president-zelenskyy" rel="noreferrer noopener">warned</a> that resource extraction is just one part of the equation.



"Even if you somehow manage to get the rare earths out, the question would be—where do you refine them? The fact is that most of them would have to go to China. That's the critical bottleneck in this whole situation."



This deal is a good example of Trump's transactional approach to foreign policy and leveraging economic incentives to build domestic support.



"This is something President Trump does over and over again," Papic noted. "The theater surrounding his deals, the back-and-forth, is designed to build domestic consensus, particularly among his voters."



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/04/45124644/trump-blames-gdp-contraction-on-biden-overhang-nothing-to-do-with-the-tariffs" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump Blames GDP Contraction On Biden ‘Overhang': ‘Nothing To Do With The Tariffs'</a></li>
</ul>



Photo by Dmytro Larin via Shutterstock

Government

Politics

Media

REMX

SLVP

US And Ukraine Sign Mineral Resource Deal

NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) CEO Jensen Huang has urged American policymakers on Thursday to fully embrace artificial intelligence as a long-term strategic priority that demands national investment in workforce development.



What Happened: Huang, speaking at Hill &amp; Valley Forum in Washington, DC, said, "To lead, the U.S. must embrace the technology, invest in reskilling, and equip every worker to build with it."



Huang stressed the importance of understanding competitive advantages in the AI race, noting that &#8220;50% of the world&#8217;s AI researchers are Chinese&#8221; — a factor he says must &#8220;play into how we think about the game.&#8221; 



Huang compared today&#8217;s AI revolution to previous industrial transformations, arguing that the United States succeeded historically because it &#8220;applied steel, applied energy faster than any country,&#8221; rather than worrying about labor displacement.



&#8220;This is an infinite game,&#8221; Huang said. 



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">AI is an infinite game. To lead, the U.S. must embrace the technology, invest in reskilling, and equip every worker to build with it. NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang explains to policymakers in Washington, DC: <a href="https://t.co/d0xJPu9GdN">pic.twitter.com/d0xJPu9GdN</a>&mdash; NVIDIA Newsroom (@nvidianewsroom) <a href="https://twitter.com/nvidianewsroom/status/1917727997861261695?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



 See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/05/45126308/eli-lilly-gears-up-for-q1-print-here-are-the-recent-forecast-changes-from-wall-streets-most-accurate-analysts">Eli Lilly Gears Up For Q1 Print; Here Are The Recent Forecast Changes From Wall Street&#8217;s Most Accurate Analysts</a> Why It Matters: Huang&#8217;s comments come amid escalating U.S.-China tensions over AI chip exports. Recently, Nvidia faced new export restrictions <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/04/44858727/jensen-huang-in-china-for-talks-as-us-tightens-nvidia-chip-restrictions-report">affecting its H20 processor</a> sales to China, which the company estimates will reduce earnings by $5.5 billion.



During his <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/03/44390580/nvidia-just-unveiled-a-humanoid-ai-brain-which-allows-robots-to-think-slow-jensen-huang-says-this-could-very-well-likely-be-the-largest-industry-of-all">recent GTC 2025 keynote</a>, Huang unveiled Groot N1, a foundation model for humanoid robots, addressing what he describes as a looming global labor shortage. &#8220;By the end of this decade, the world is going to be at least 50 million workers short,&#8221; he said, suggesting robots could fill these gaps.



Despite supply constraints for Nvidia&#8217;s in-demand Blackwell chips, Huang remains optimistic, telling Fox Business Network that &#8220;demand is just incredible&#8221; as the company works to scale production. He predicts AI will eventually handle &#8220;20, 30, 40% of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/11/42145635/nvidia-ceo-jensen-huang-calls-ai-a-miracle-say-it-cant-do-100-of-our-jobs?utm_source=chatgpt.com">100% of the jobs</a> in the world,&#8221; emphasizing the importance of workforce adaptation. Read More: 



<ul>
<li><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 Thrive In A Recession, Satya Nadella Explains</a></li>
</ul>



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

Fintech

Entrepreneurship

NVDA

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Sounds Alarm As 50% Of AI Researchers Are Chinese, Urges America To Reskill Amid 'Infinite Game'

Editor&#8217;s Note: This story has been updated to include updates from Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Chair Robyn Denholm.



Tesla Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) board reportedly began searching for a successor to Elon Musk after the company faced significant financial setbacks.



What Happened: About a month ago, the board reached out to executive search firms to formalize a process for selecting a new CEO, <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/tesla-musk-ceo-search-board-0ce61af9?mod=e2tw">reported</a> the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the discussion.



Musk, who has led Tesla for nearly two decades, was reportedly spending considerable time in Washington, D.C., assisting with the Department of Government Efficiency under President Donald Trump.



Musk did not push back, the report said, and the board told him he needed to devote more time to Tesla and publicly commit to doing so.



Following the publication of the report, Tesla's official X handle took to social media and said that the assertion that the board reached out to recruitment firms is "false."



"The CEO of Tesla is Elon Musk and the Board is highly confident in his ability to continue executing on the exciting growth plan ahead," stated Tesla chairwoman Robyn Denholm.



<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">Earlier today, there was a media report erroneously claiming that the Tesla Board had contacted recruitment firms to initiate a CEO search at the company. This is absolutely false (and this was communicated to the media before the report was published). The CEO of Tesla is…&mdash; Tesla (@Tesla) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tesla/status/1917812113315074055?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Musk also took to X and shared Tesla's post and adding, &#8220;It is an EXTREMELY BAD BREACH OF ETHICS that the @WSJ would publish a DELIBERATELY FALSE ARTICLE and fail to include an unequivocal denial beforehand by the Tesla board of directors!&#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 is an EXTREMELY BAD BREACH OF ETHICS that the <a href="https://twitter.com/WSJ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WSJ</a> would publish a DELIBERATELY FALSE ARTICLE and fail to include an unequivocal denial beforehand by the Tesla board of directors! <a href="https://t.co/9xdypLGg3c">https://t.co/9xdypLGg3c</a>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1917815854647107990?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



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



See Also: <a href="https://www.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">Trump&#8217;s AI And Crypto Czar David Sacks Says Elon Musk Going To &#8216;Stay Involved&#8217; In DOGE, Calls Entrepreneur Rationing His Time Sensible</a>



Why It&#8217;s Important: Tesla reported <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">first-quarter revenue</a> of $19.34 billion, marking a 9% decline compared to the previous year. This figure fell short of the Street&#8217;s consensus estimate of $21.35 billion.



During the earnings call, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44945402/wedbushs-dan-ives-raises-teslas-price-target-to-350-as-musk-promises-to-significantly-reduce-doge-time">Musk announced</a>, "Starting probably next month, in May, my time allocation to DOGE will drop significantly."



On Wednesday, Alexandra Merz, who is <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37474203/elon-musk-thanks-tesla-shareholders-after-they-write-to-delaware-court-against-voiding-his-56b-pay-p">one of Tesla&#8217;s shareholders</a>, took to X, formerly Twitter, and said, Tesla filed an amendment to its annual 10-K, providing details about board and executive compensation, rather than the anticipated proxy statement with shareholder meeting dates and agendas.



This suggests a potential delay in the meeting.



<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">So, instead of the proxy with dates and details of the shareholder meeting, we got the amendment to the annual 10k filing, now giving us the details on Board and executives and their remuneration. Two take-aways: 1. Shareholder Meeting delayed, something big might be coming. 2.… <a href="https://t.co/ZwCVBO0U03">https://t.co/ZwCVBO0U03</a>&mdash; Ale&#120143;andra Merz &#x1f1fa;&#x1f1f2; (@TeslaBoomerMama) <a href="https://twitter.com/TeslaBoomerMama/status/1917746277900583287?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 1, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



In the filing, Tesla stated, &#8220;The Board of Directors has not yet established the date of the 2025 annual meeting of shareholders. When the date is established, the Company will announce it in its filings made with the SEC.&#8221;



Price Action: During Wednesday's regular session, Tesla shares fell by 3.38%, but showed a slight rebound in after-hours trading, rising by 0.13%. Year-to-date, the stock is still down 25.61%, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>.



As per Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings, Tesla currently holds a growth score of 45.33%. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">Click here to see how it stacks up against other companies</a> in the sector.



Photo Courtesy: Frederic Legrand &#8211; COMEO On Shutterstock.com



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/04/44941657/elon-musk-equates-car-ownership-in-future-to-riding-a-horse-while-using-a-flip-phone-pierre-ferragu-says-teslas-iphone-moment-hinges-on-full-autonomy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Equates Car Ownership In Future To Riding A Horse While Using A Flip Phone — Pierre Ferragu Says Tesla's ‘iPhone Moment' Hinges On Full Autonomy</a></li>
</ul>



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

Elon Musk And Tesla Chair Deny Report Of Board Exploring CEO Replacement (UPDATED)

Leading cryptocurrencies were muted on Wednesday even as negative GDP growth stoked recession concerns.



<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 8:45 p.m. ET)</td></tr><tr><td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td><td>-0.26%</td><td>$94,289.48</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>-0.62%</td><td>$1,796.30</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>-1.73%</td><td>$0.1728</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



What Happened: Bitcoin tumbled below $92,000 in the early trading hours on first-quarter GDP contraction but eventually recovered to the mid-$94,000s by evening.



Ethereum followed a similar pattern, reversing early losses with the evening push.



Bitcoin was set to end April with gains of over 14%, a marked reversal from the 14% decline in the same period last year. Ethereum, on the other hand, dipped 1.22% in April.



About $343 million was liquidated from the cryptocurrency market in the last 24 hours, with long liquidations accounting for over $211 million



Bitcoin&#8217;s Open Interest fell 0.69% in the last 24 hours, although April saw a healthy 18% jump in money invested in its derivatives. Meanwhile, more than 50% of Binance traders with open BTC positions were bearish on the asset.



The market sentiment flipped from "Greed" to "Neutral," 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 8:45 p.m. ET)</td></tr><tr><td>Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL)</td><td>+13.19%</td><td>$1.55</td></tr><tr><td>Curve DAO Token (CRV)</td><td>+10.80%</td><td>$0.7273</td></tr><tr><td>Fartcoin (FARTCOIN)</td><td>+8.72%</td><td>$1.23</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $2.95 trillion, following a modest drop of 0.27% in the last 24 hours.



Major stock averages ended in the green on Wednesday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 141.74 points, or 0.35%, to end at 40,669.36. The S&amp;P 500 added 0.15% to close at 5,569.06. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite was the outlier, closing 0.09% lower at 17,446.34.



Wall Street saw volatility on Wednesday after <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">first-quarter GDP</a> contracted by 0.3%, fueling fears of a recession. Moreover, private employers added 62,000 jobs in April, the lowest since July 2024 and well below predictions of 108,000



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



Analyst Notes: Blockchain analytics firm CryptoQuant highlighted the new all-time high in Bitcoin's realized capitalization, at over $880 billion.



"Historically, large accumulations of realized capitalization have been mostly followed by considerable price increases in Bitcoin," CryptoQuant stated. It added that the price could see an "explosion" if the accumulations continue.



Realized capitalization measures the total acquisition cost of all coins in circulation, as opposed to the market capitalization, which uses the current price.



<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">New All-Time Highs in Bitcoin&#39;s Realized Capitalization "Historically, large accumulations of Realized Capitalization have been mostly followed by considerable price increases in Bitcoin." – By <a href="https://twitter.com/oro_crypto?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@oro_crypto</a> <a href="https://t.co/h1sVVasdwU">pic.twitter.com/h1sVVasdwU</a>&mdash; CryptoQuant.com (@cryptoquant_com) <a href="https://twitter.com/cryptoquant_com/status/1917498394354110678?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Cryptocurrency analyst and trader Ali Martinez identified $95,870 as a significant level for Bitcoin, with a breach potentially sparking a run to new all-time highs.



"If Bitcoin breaks and holds above $95,870, the next key target, based on the MVRV Pricing Bands, is $114,230," Martinez projected.



MVRV, a shorthand for Market Value to Realized Value, is a ratio used to assess the value of a cryptocurrency by comparing its current market value to its realized value.



<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">If <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> breaks and holds above $95,870, the next key target, based on the MVRV Pricing Bands, is $114,230. <a href="https://t.co/iKPJvVaUtA">pic.twitter.com/iKPJvVaUtA</a>&mdash; Ali (@ali_charts) <a href="https://twitter.com/ali_charts/status/1917640846624563245?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Photo Courtesy: Wirestock Creators On Shutterstock.com



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Cryptocurrency

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Bitcoin, Ethereum Muted, Dogecoin Dips After Q1 GDP Contraction: Analyst Foresees BTC's Rally To $114,000 If It Breaks This Ceiling

President Donald Trump deflects blame for the U.S. economy's 0.3% contraction in the first quarter onto his predecessor, despite clear evidence indicating otherwise.



What Happened: On Wednesday, Trump posted on Truth Social, blaming former President Joe Biden for the country&#8217;s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contracting by 0.3% during the first quarter. This marks the first GDP contraction for the country in three years.



Trump, who assumed office on Jan. 20, 2025, claimed in the post that &#8220;This is Biden's stock market, not Trump's,&#8221; and insisted the contraction &#8220;has nothing to do with the tariffs.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="602" height="295" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30223919/Screenshot-2025-05-01-at-11.38.55.png" alt="" class="wp-image-896078" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30223919/Screenshot-2025-05-01-at-11.38.55.png 602w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/30223919/Screenshot-2025-05-01-at-11.38.55-300x147.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 602px) 100vw, 602px" /></figure>



Screenshot from Donald Trump&#8217;s Truth Social Account



He further predicts a boom once tariffs take effect, saying they would drive companies to relocate to the U.S. in record numbers, but argued the economy must first shake off the Biden-era &#8220;overhang.&#8221;



That claim, however, contradicts <a href="https://www.bea.gov/sites/default/files/2025-04/hist1q25-adv.pdf">data</a> from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, which attributes the first-quarter GDP decline largely to a 41.3% surge in imports. This occurred even as consumer spending slowed to 1.8% growth, down from 4% in the fourth quarter of 2024.



This clearly points towards a pre-tariff import surge, with Robin Brooks of the Brookings Institution saying that the ballooning imports and swelling inventories <a href="https://benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/04/45100047/recession-odds-spike-wall-street-tumbles-as-q1-gdp-surprisingly-contracts-be-patient-trump-responds">reflect a widespread effort</a> to front-run the tariffs.



See More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45123271/us-ukraine-sign-minerals-deal-scott-bessent-says-agreement-is-a-clear-sign-to-russia-that-trump-administration-wants-a-free-and-prosperous-kyiv">US, Ukraine Sign Minerals Deal: Scott Bessent Says Agreement Is A Clear Sign To Russia That Trump Administration Wants A &#8216;Free And Prosperous&#8217; Kyiv</a>



Why It Matters: Several products and commodities have <a href="https://benzinga.com/news/25/04/44656363/stock-up-now-says-mark-cuban-he-warns-that-even-american-made-goods-will-see-price-hikes-soon">seen imports surge</a> in recent weeks, such as in the case of copper last month, with Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GS#NYSE">GS</a>) seeing massive stockpiling ahead of the tariffs. 



Others, such as investor Mark Cuban, have repeatedly <a href="https://benzinga.com/25/03/44271394/goldman-sees-copper-imports-frontrunning-tariffs-as-fcx-positions-to-benefit">urged Americans to stock up</a> on essentials, warning that even the prices of American-made goods will soon begin to rise.



Photo courtesy: Rawpixel.com / Shutterstock.com



Read More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/04/45121496/nearly-4-million-factory-jobs-are-coming-but-gen-z-would-rather-work-in-the-trades-than-the-assembly-line">Nearly 4 Million Factory Jobs Are Coming — But Gen Z Would Rather Work In The Trades Than The Assembly Line</a>

Trump Blames GDP Contraction On Biden 'Overhang': 'Nothing To Do With The Tariffs'

Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) reported first-quarter financial results after the market close on Wednesday. Here&#8217;s a look at the key details <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/04/n45116472/meta-reports-first-quarter-2025-results">from the quarter</a>.



Q1 Earnings: Meta reported first-quarter revenue of $42.31 billion, beating&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">analyst estimates</a>&nbsp;of $41.39 billion. The company reported first-quarter earnings of $6.43 per share, easily beating analyst estimates of $5.21 per share.



According to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>, Meta exceeded analyst estimates on the top and bottom lines in nine straight quarters.



Total revenue in the first three months of the year was up 16% on a year-over-year basis. Family daily active people climbed 6% year-over-year to 3.43 billion. Ad impressions jumped 5% year-over-year and average price per ad increased by 10% year-over-year.



Operating margins totaled 41%, up from 38% in the prior year&#8217;s quarter. Costs and expenses came in at $24.76 billion, up 9% year-over-year. Capital expenditures, including principal payments on finance leases, came in at $13.69 billion. The company ended the quarter with $70.23 billion in cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities. Meta noted its headcount was up 11% year-over-year to 76,834 as of March 31.



&#8220;We&#8217;ve had a strong start to an important year, our community continues to grow and our business is performing very well. We&#8217;re making good progress on AI glasses and Meta AI, which now has almost 1 billion monthly actives,&#8221; said Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said.



Check This Out: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/04/45112477/exclusive-if-meta-is-forced-to-divest-instagram-whatsapp-or-facebook-43-pick-this-standout">EXCLUSIVE &#8211; If Meta Is Forced To Divest Instagram, WhatsApp, Or Facebook, 43% Pick This Standout</a>



Outlook:&nbsp;Meta expects second-quarter revenue to be in the range of $42.5 billion to $45.5 billion versus&nbsp;<a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>&nbsp;estimates of $44.06 billion.



Meta expects full-year 2025 expenses to be in the range of $113 billion to $118 billion, down from prior guidance of $114 billion to $119 billion. The company anticipates full-year capital expenditures of $64 billion to $72 billion. That&#8217;s up from prior guidance of $60 to $65 billion.



&#8220;This updated&nbsp;outlook&nbsp;reflects additional data center investments to support our artificial intelligence efforts as well as an increase in the expected cost of infrastructure hardware,&#8221; the company said in the earnings release.



&#8220;In addition, we continue to monitor an active regulatory landscape, including legal and regulatory headwinds in the EU and the U.S. that could significantly impact our business and our financial results.&#8221;



Meta executives will further discuss the quarter on a conference call with investors and analysts at 5 p.m. ET.



Price Action: <a href="http://benzinga.com/quote/meta" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Meta Platforms shares</a> were up 4.22% after hours, trading at $572.78 at the time of publication Wednesday, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>.



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Photo: <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/g/tadaimages">Tada Images</a>/Shutterstock.

Meta Q1 Earnings: EPS Beat, Revenue Up 16%, AI Approaches 1 Billion Monthly Actives, Capital Expenditures Forecast Raised

NVIDIA Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) shares are rising in extended trading Wednesday following strong earnings from Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/04/45117948/meta-q1-earnings-eps-beat-revenue-up-16-ai-approaches-1-billion-monthly-actives-capital-expenditures-forecast-raised">Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>)</a>.



What Happened: Microsoft beat analyst estimates for the third quarter on the top and bottom lines, driven by strong <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45117886/microsoft-q3-earnings-highlights-revenue-beat-eps-beat-cloud-revenue-up-20">Azure and cloud services growth</a>. 



Total Microsoft cloud revenue came in at $42.4 billion, up 20% year-over-year. Azure and other cloud services revenue increased 33% year-over-year, suggesting that the company&#8217;s heavy AI investments are paying off. 



&#8220;Cloud and AI are the essential inputs for every business to expand output, reduce costs, and accelerate growth,&#8221; said Satya Nadella, chairman and CEO of Microsoft.



Meta also reported <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/04/45117948/meta-q1-earnings-eps-beat-revenue-up-16-ai-approaches-1-billion-monthly-actives-capital-expenditures-forecast-raised">strong quarterly results</a> after the bell and raised its full-year capital expenditures outlook to a range of $64 billion to $72 billion, up from prior guidance of $60 to $65 billion. The company attributed the higher forecast to increased AI investments, reassuring investors that the AI trade is still alive. 



Nvidia is leading a pack of AI-related names higher after the bell as investor sentiment surrounding AI names appears to have gotten a boost from the mega-cap reports. Both Microsoft and Meta are significant players in AI and cloud computing, which appears to have reinforced confidence in the sector. 



Nvidia scheduled its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings">first-quarter financial results</a> after the close on Wednesday. The company is now set to report earnings after the market close on May 28. 



Analysts are anticipating earnings of 88 cents per share on revenue of $43.07 billion, according to estimates from <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>.



NVDA Price Action: <a href="http://benzinga.com/quote/nvda">Nvidia shares</a> were up 4.52% after-hours, trading at $113.75 at the time of publication on Wednesday, per <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a> data.



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Photo: Hepha1st0s/Shutterstock.

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