The Trump administration may stop all shipments of military aid to Ukraine following a tense exchange between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Vladymyr Zelenskyy that took place in the <a 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">Oval Office Friday. </a>



The Details: According to a report from the Washington Post, a senior administration official said the decision would end shipments of billions of dollars of equipment including radars, vehicles, ammunition and missiles to Ukraine.&nbsp;



The latest development follows the tense meeting between President Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Zelenskyy originally intended to finalize a U.S.-Ukraine agreement on critical mineral supplies and discuss diplomacy. 



Read Next:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/25/02/43977811/mortgage-rates-drop-to-lowest-levels-since-december-but-housing-market-remains-largely-stuck"> Mortgage Rates Drop To Lowest Levels Since December, But Housing Market Remains &#8216;Largely Stuck&#8217;&nbsp;</a>



The situation quickly escalated when Vance accused Zelenskyy of being disrespectful. Trump, raising his voice, warned Zelenskyy that he was "gambling with World War III," as CNBC reported.



The confrontation highlights a growing divide in how global leaders view the Russia-Ukraine war. Trump and Vance advocate for alternative diplomatic solutions while Zelenskyy pushes for continued backing against Russian forces. 



Several European officials supported Zelensky after the tense White House meeting and cancelled a Friday press conference. 



The leaders of Poland, Spain and Lithuania posted messages of solidarity with Ukraine on social media.&nbsp;



Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X: "Dear Zelensky, dear Ukrainian friends, you are not alone."



Friedrich Merz said that Germany stands with Ukraine "in good and in testing times. We must never confuse aggressor and victim in this terrible war."&nbsp;



Stocks To Watch: Shares of major defense contractors, like RTX Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RTX#NYSE">RTX</a>) and Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMT#NYSE">LMT</a>) should be monitored for possible reactions as the situation unfolds.&nbsp;



Investors can also monitor the broader defense sector through ETFs including the iShares U.S. Aerospace &amp; Defense ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ITA#NYSE">ITA</a>) and the Invesco Aerospace &amp; Defense ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PPA#NYSE">PPA</a>).&nbsp;



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/25/02/44007082/q4-gdp-holds-at-2-3-after-minor-revision-in-second-estimate">Q4 GDP Holds At 2.3% After Minor Revision In Second Estimate&nbsp;</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Government

News

Sector ETFs

Politics

ETFs

Trump May Stop All Military Aid To Ukraine After Tense Exchange With Zelenskyy: Report

Risk assets tumbled as a wave of bearish sentiment gripped markets, with escalating trade tensions, disappointing earnings and signs of economic fragility weighing on investor confidence.



President Donald Trump confirmed <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/02/43926015/trump-confirms-tariffs-on-canada-mexico-will-take-effect-as-planned">a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada</a>, effective March 4, while also targeting European Union's goods including automobiles and imposing an additional 10% tariff on Chinese imports.&nbsp;



The sweeping trade measures rattled markets, triggering broad-based sell-offs, with cryptocurrencies bearing the brunt of risk aversion.&nbsp;



Though seeing a small uptick after it plunged below $80,000 in early Friday trading, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) is still entering a bear market after dropping more <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43987636/bitcoin-tumbles-below-85000-amid-president-trumps-eu-tariff-threats">than 20% from its peak.</a> Sentiment in the digital asset space worsened following a massive security breach at Bybit, where hackers stole $1.5 billion worth of Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) in one of the largest <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43942256/making-ethereum-private-again-a-1-5-billion-wake-up-call">crypto heists in history.</a>



The high-flying artificial intelligence sector took a hit as investors <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/44034855/this-is-as-good-as-it-gets-for-nvidia-says-this-analyst-as-he-predicts-a-slowdown-for-the-chipmaker">reassessed its lofty valuations</a>. NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) suffered steep losses after delivering earnings that, while stronger-than-expected, failed to astonish investors accustomed to impressive beats. The stock's sharp retreat dragged down peers Advanced Micro Devices Inc., Broadcom Inc., Qualcomm Inc. and Intel Corp., all of which saw declines.



Fresh cracks in economic data emerged, adding to investor anxiety. While the fourth-quarter <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/25/02/44007082/q4-gdp-holds-at-2-3-after-minor-revision-in-second-estimate">gross domestic product remained unchanged</a> at an annualized 2.3% growth rate, inflation metrics for the same quarter were revised higher.



In January, personal spending contracted by 0.2% on the month, marking the first negative reading since March 2023. The Personal Consumption Expenditure price index — Fed's favorite inflation gauge — came in at 2.5% as expected, remaining above the 2% target.&nbsp;



Housing data also disappointed, with pending home sales plunging 4.6% in January to their lowest level on record. Elevated mortgage rates continued to strain affordability, further cooling demand <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/02/44015237/pending-home-sales-crash-to-record-low-jobless-claims-soar-wall-street-reacts">in the housing market</a>.



The labor market showed signs of softening, as weekly jobless claims jumped by 22,000 to 242,000, marking the highest level in over two months.



GM Boosts Dividends



General Motors Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>) rewarded shareholders with a dividend hike and a fresh buyback plan. The automaker raised its quarterly dividend by three cents to 15 cents per share, effective with its next payout in April. GM also authorized a new $6 billion share repurchase program, including a $2 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/02/43976235/why-general-motors-stock-is-gaining-today">billion accelerated buyback initiative</a>.



Read Next: •<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/25/02/44055933/investor-bearishness-surges-yet-historical-data-suggests-potential-market-gains-ahead"> Investor Bearishness Surges, Yet Historical Data Suggests Potential Market Gains Ahead</a>



Photo: Shutterstock

Cryptocurrency

Federal Reserve

Tech

Trading Ideas

$BTC

$ETH

NVDA

Tariffs Shock Hit Stocks, Cryptos, While Nvidia Fails To Come To The Rescue: This Week In Markets

Many of the top-performing stocks and assets in recent years have stumbled at the start of 2025, with Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) dropping to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43987636/bitcoin-tumbles-below-85000-amid-president-trumps-eu-tariff-threats">a three-month low.</a>



Here's a look at the year-to-date performance of top 2024 assets and what's outperforming them.



What Happened: Bitcoin was a top performer in 2024, rising over 100% and hitting multiple all-time highs throughout the year, including shortly after Donald Trump won the 2024 presidency.



While Bitcoin rebounded in January, the leading cryptocurrency has since reversed course, down 10.4% year-to-date in 2025. Once seen as a hedge against interest rates, inflation, and macroeconomic concerns, Bitcoin is now declining alongside other traditionally perceived safe-haven assets.



Magnificent Seven stocks, which were also top performers in recent years, have also been underperformers in 2025, compared to the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>). Here are the year-to-date returns.



<ul>
<li>Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>): -2.4%</li>



<li>Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>): -5.3%</li>



<li>Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>)(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>): -10.4%</li>



<li>Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>): +9.9%</li>



<li>Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>): -6.4%</li>



<li>NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>): -12.8%</li>



<li>Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>): -24.5%</li>
</ul>



Compare that to the SPY, which is trading nearly even with its starting year price with a current share price of $585.03. At the time of writing, the ETF is up 39 cents on the year, or 0.07%.



Technology stocks have also outperformed in recent years, helping boost the investment returns of the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>). The ETF, which is heavily weighted in tech stocks, is down 2.0% year-to-date in 2025.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/technicals/25/02/44043021/tesla-the-only-magnificent-seven-stock-in-freefall-can-it-reverse-course">Tesla: The Only Magnificent Seven Stock In Freefall &#8211; Can It Reverse Course?</a>



The Outperformers: While Bitcoin, tech and the Magnificent Seven stocks are down year-to-date in 2025, there are several places that are outperforming the broad market.



One of the top places is the Dow Jones Industrial Average, tracked by the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>). The ETF is up 2.1% year-to-date in 2025, outperforming the SPY and QQQ. This often happens during periods of economic uncertainty or when industrial and manufacturing investments are stronger than technology investments.



Of the 30 Dow Jones Industrial Average stocks, 19 are positive year-to-date in 2025—a sharp contrast to the Magnificent Seven, where only one of seven stocks is in the green this year.



Among the Dow Jones Industrial Average stocks, these are the top gainers year-to-date that are each up by double digits:



<ul>
<li>Amgen Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMGN#NASDAQ">AMGN</a>): +17.5%</li>



<li>International Business Machines (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>): +16.4%</li>



<li>3M Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MMM#NYSE">MMM</a>): +14.2%</li>



<li>Coca-Cola (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KO#NYSE">KO</a>): +13.7%</li>



<li>Johnson &amp; Johnson (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JNJ#NYSE">JNJ</a>): +12.8%</li>



<li>Visa Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/V#NYSE">V</a>): +10.9%</li>
</ul>



Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>, NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>) shares are up 12.3% year-to-date in 2025, despite struggles from its top portfolio holding, Apple. The Warren Buffett-led conglomerate has a history of outperforming the S&amp;P 500, and 2025 could be another strong year.



Perhaps among the bigger surprises for outperformers in 2025 are Chinese stocks. Using <a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent022825&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">the Benzinga Pro </a>screener tool and looking for the top performing stocks year-to-date with market capitalizations of $1 billion or more revealed Xpeng Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XPEV#NYSE">XPEV</a>) and Alibaba Group Holdings (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) among the top performers up 82% and 57% respectively.



Chinese ETFs are also performing well in 2025, here are the returns of some of the largest:



<ul>
<li>KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KWEB#NYSE">KWEB</a>): +17.4%</li>



<li>iShares China Larce-Cap ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FXI#NYSE">FXI</a>): +17.2%</li>



<li>iShares MSCI China ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MCHI#NASDAQ">MCHI</a>): +15.9%</li>
</ul>



The strong returns of several Chinese stocks and the ETFs come as the country faces<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/02/44010093/trumps-plan-for-canada-mexico-china-tariffs-to-start-march-4-could-shake-stock-market"> proposed additional tariffs</a> from President Donald Trump.



With only two months of 2025 behind us, the landscape could change significantly in the next 10 months.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/25/01/43403758/exclusive-this-magnificent-7-stock-will-feel-the-pinch-of-feds-rate-decision-poll-shows">EXCLUSIVE: This &#8216;Magnificent 7&#8217; Stock Will Feel The Pinch Of Fed&#8217;s Rate Decision, Poll Shows</a></li>
</ul>



Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

AAPL

AMGN

AMZN

BABA

GOOG

GOOGL

KWEB

MCHI

MSFT

TSLA

XPEV

Bitcoin, Magnificent 7 Lose Safe-Haven Status In 2025 As China ETFs, Dow Stocks Outperform

Ukraine&#8217;s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance on Friday but left the White House without signing an <a 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">agreement for rare minerals</a>.



The meeting, originally set to finalize the deal over critical minerals as a form of repayment for military aid, escalated into a heated exchange as Trump accused the Ukrainian leader of<a 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"> "gambling with World War III."</a>



"You're either going to make a deal or we're out," Trump noted. "And if we're out, you'll fight it out and I don't think it's going to be pretty."



Trump&#8217;s administration moved to sign the proposal earlier this month, but <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/commodities/25/02/43788546/ukraine-officials-stall-trumps-colonial-rare-earths-bid-prefer-mutually-beneficial-deal">Ukrainian officials stalled</a>. They called the bid exploitative and rushed and stated that Kyiv could not accept it in that form.



After weeks of negotiation, the two parties found common ground, dropping Trump&#8217;s original $500 billion proposal but <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43968607/trump-negotiates-a-very-big-deal-for-ukraines-mineral-wealth">not including security guarantees</a> — one of Kyiv&#8217;s key demands, which Trump wanted to address "later on." According to the Kiel Institute for the World Economy, the U.S. donated $118 billion during the three-year conflict.



Rare earth minerals are used in numerous modern technologies, from electric vehicles to defense systems. Per EU classifications, Ukraine holds deposits of 22 out of 34 of those minerals. Still, in a war-ridden country, getting to those minerals might be an issue.



According <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/2/28/mapping-ukraines-rare-earth-and-critical-minerals">to</a> Al Jazeera, most of those deposits are in Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporzhizhia, Dnipropetrovsk, Korovohrad, Poltava and Kharkiv, with the Russian Federation controlling about 40% of them.



Besides the war factor, BCA Research Chief Strategist Marko Papic noted yet another issue.



"Even if you somehow manage to get the rare earths out, the question would be — where do you refine them? And the fact is that most of them would have to go to China. I mean, that&#8217;s the critical bottleneck in this whole situation," he <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/marko-papic-geopolitics_does-the-rare-earth-deal-matter-im-out-activity-7301045940683997184-YB4b?">said</a> on LinkedIn.



Furthermore, Papic sees the entire situation as Trump&#8217;s way of garnering domestic support.



"I think it&#8217;s the way to effectively build domestic political consensus for continued support of Ukraine. Many of his voters, many of his supporters, many conservatives in the U.S., specifically Republican voters, are increasingly becoming skeptical of continued support for Ukraine. Polling shows that the vast majority believe that Ukraine&#8217;s aid has already been too much. Therefore, this is the way for President Trump to do something domestically," he noted, pointing at the parallels with the USMCA agreement from 2020.



"This is something that President Trump does over and over again. The theater surrounding many of his deals, the back and forth, calling countries bad names, saying they should be states of the United States &#8230; that&#8217;s in many ways designed to build domestic consensus, particularly among his voters," Papic concluded



Read Next: • <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/02/44052145/taiwan-semi-faces-geopolitical-strain-due-to-us-scrutiny-on-huaweis-chip-access">Taiwan Semi Faces Geopolitical Strain Due To US Scrutiny On Huawei&#8217;s Chip Access</a>

Commodities

Global

Markets

'This Is Something That President Trump Does Over And Over Again,' Geopolitical Strategist Says About Failed Rare Minerals Deal With Ukraine President Zelenskyy

As financial markets <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/broad-u-s-equity-etfs/25/02/43955914/market-could-enter-a-real-correction-expert-warns">cooled off in February</a>, investor sentiment spiked downwards near a historic low. However, past bearishness has often amplified returns in the future.



What Happened: The AAII Investor Sentiment Survey found investors particularly <a href="https://www.aaii.com/sentimentsurvey">bearish</a> in the week ending Feb. 26.



Of the investors surveyed, 19.4% had a bullish outlook on the economy, 20% were neutral and 60.6% were bearish. This marks the highest level of bearish sentiment this year, well above the historical average of 31%, and only briefly exceeded in September 2022.



Poor sentiment is likely tied to sticky inflation, possible tariffs from the Trump Administration and a pullback in the artificial intelligence industry.



Why it Matters: According to LPL Financial, markets frequently <a href="https://www.lpl.com/research/blog/investor-sentiment-hits-extremely-bearish-levels.html">overperform</a> following periods of extreme bearishness.



&#8220;&#8230;historically, when the bull-bear spread has been at comparable levels of more than two standard deviations below the average (which has occurred only 4.1% of the time going back to July 1987), S&amp;P 500 returns have been above average,&#8221; a report from LPL&#8217;s George Smith said.



Following &#8220;extremely bearish&#8221; sentiment spreads, the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) has historically returned over 10% within a year, higher than the average return during bullish markets.



LPL Financial also noted the Bank of America Global Fund Manager Survey, which painted a rosier picture of sentiment on Wall Street. Survey respondents are cautiously optimistic, with 82% believing a global recession is unlikely in the next year.



Year-to-date, the S&amp;P 500 is roughly even, following a strong year for the index in 2024. The tech-focused NASDAQ (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) has fared worse, shedding 1.78% of its value in 2025.



Also Read:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/44049626/key-inflation-measure-falls-in-january-should-catch-the-feds-attention-expert-says">Key Inflation Measure Falls In January: &#8216;Should Catch The Fed&#8217;s Attention,&#8217; Economist Says</a></li>
</ul>



Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

Econ #s

Economics

Investor Bearishness Surges, Yet Historical Data Suggests Potential Market Gains Ahead

President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance engaged in a tense exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a White House meeting, where discussions on <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/ukraine">military aid and diplomacy</a> took a confrontational turn. 



The gathering, originally set to finalize a U.S.-Ukraine agreement on critical mineral supplies, quickly escalated when Vance accused Zelenskyy of being disrespectful. Trump, raising his voice, warned Zelenskyy that he was &#8220;gambling with World War III,&#8221; as CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/28/trump-vance-and-zelenskyy-clash-at-white-house-ukraine-meeting.html">reports</a>.



What Happened: Zelenskyy's visit to Washington, D.C., was expected to reinforce Ukraine's partnership with the U.S. in its ongoing defense efforts against Russian aggression. However, the dialogue shifted when Trump and Vance questioned Ukraine's diplomatic strategies, with Vance suggesting that prior U.S. policies had only fueled further conflict. 



Zelenskyy countered by emphasizing Russia's repeated breaches of ceasefire agreements, leading to a heated back-and-forth over what path forward would bring about peace.



Trump pushed back against Zelenskyy's warnings about future global instability, telling him, &#8220;You're in no position to dictate what we're gonna feel.&#8221; 



The dramatic moment underscored the friction in U.S. foreign policy discussions under the Trump administration, particularly regarding military aid and negotiations with Russia.



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/44034579/trump-plans-big-deals-to-offset-chinas-belt-and-road-initiative-the-us-wants-to-reverse-all-of-that-says-rubio">Trump Plans &#8216;Big Deals&#8217; To Offset China&#8217;s Belt And Road Initiative: US Wants To &#8216;Reverse All Of That&#8217;, Says Rubio</a>



Why It Matters: The confrontation highlights a growing divide in how U.S. leaders approach support for Ukraine, with Trump and Vance advocating for alternative diplomatic solutions while Zelenskyy pushes for continued backing against Russian forces. 



The debate over military assistance and diplomatic engagement remains at the forefront of international security concerns, shaping NATO strategies and influencing global defense spending.



Amid these developments, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's recent visit to Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NYSE">PLTR</a>) in Washington, D.C., reflects a broader push for AI-driven defense initiatives in response to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict. Starmer, alongside Trump, announced significant increases in military budgets, reinforcing the strategic alignment between the U.S. and the U.K. on <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/44032909/palantir-ceo-alex-karp-meets-keir-starmer-as-uk-pm-and-trump-push-for-increased-defense-spending-amid-ukraine-war">defense technology investments</a>.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/44049626/key-inflation-measure-falls-in-january-should-catch-the-feds-attention-expert-says">Key Inflation Measure Falls In January: &#8216;Should Catch The Fed&#8217;s Attention,&#8217; Economist Says</a></li>
</ul>



Image created using Shutterstock photos.

Eurozone

PLTR

White House Meeting Turns Tense As Trump Warns Zelenskyy: 'You're Gambling With World War III'

Stocks recovered on Friday, with all three major indexes in the green, as the tech sector bounced back from Thursday's losses with NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) up 1.37% and Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/technicals/25/02/44043021/tesla-the-only-magnificent-seven-stock-in-freefall-can-it-reverse-course">rising 2.71%.&nbsp;</a>



PCE data released before<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/25/02/44041803/federal-reserves-preferred-inflation-gauge-marks-first-slowdown-in-4-months"> the opening bell</a> also provided some relief to investors as the price index marked its first decline in four months. Data from the CME FedWatch Tool shows the data reinforced bets for approximately two quarter-point cuts to the Fed funds rate in 2025. 



Read More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/25/02/44041803/federal-reserves-preferred-inflation-gauge-marks-first-slowdown-in-4-months">Federal Reserve&#8217;s Preferred Inflation Gauge Marks First Slowdown In 4 Months (UPDATED)</a>



The yield on the 10-year U.S. Treasury note was down to 4.25% on Friday, after falling more than 15bps this week to its lowest level in over two months. Personal spending unexpectedly slipped in January while income soared, and tariff concerns continued to weigh against prospective future growth. 



The iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TLT#NASDAQ">TLT</a>) rose 0.31%.&nbsp;



Cryptocurrencies continued to sell off Friday as a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/44048486/bitcoins-24-correction-mostly-technical-say-experts">sharp decline</a> in investor sentiment gripped the market after Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) fell below $79,000 late Thursday, down 24% from its January peak of $109,590.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Price&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>Market Cap</td><td>24-Hour Trend</td><td>7-Day Trend</td></tr><tr><td>XRP (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>)</td><td>&nbsp;$2.14</td><td>$124.3 billion</td><td>-2.6%&nbsp;</td><td>-17.9%&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>Bitcoin&nbsp;(CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td><td>&nbsp;$83,826.89</td><td>$1.7 trillion</td><td>-2.1%&nbsp;</td><td>-14.1%&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>Ethereum&nbsp;(CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>)</td><td>&nbsp;$2,216.48</td><td>$267.4 billion</td><td>-4.7%</td><td>-18.2%&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Friday&#8217;s Performance In Major U.S. Indices, ETFs</h1>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Major Indices</td><td>Price</td><td>1 day % chg.</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>18,635.47</td><td>0.48%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>5,887.77</td><td>0.45%</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>43,455.42</td><td>0.50%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>2,152.96</td><td>0.62%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



According to Benzinga Pro data:



<ul>
<li>The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) was up 0.49% to $587.94. &nbsp;</li>



<li>The SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>) climbed 0.58% to $434.87. </li>



<li>The tech-heavy Invesco QQQ Trust Series (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) was up 0.65% to $503.50.</li>



<li>The iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) rose 0.61% to $213.70.&nbsp;</li>



<li>The Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLY#NYSE">XLY</a>) was up 0.9% to $214.35.</li>



<li>The Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLE#NYSE">XLE</a>) rose 0.5% to $90.06.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
</ul>



Friday's Stock Movers:&nbsp;



Shares of vaccine-maker Novavax, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVAX#NASDAQ">NVAX</a>) climbed on heavy volume Friday after the company reported smaller fourth-quarter losses and announced a shift in corporate strategy away from its COVID-19 vaccine. 



Stocks reacting to company earnings reports included:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li>Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RKLB#NASDAQ">RKLB</a>)&nbsp;</li>



<li>SoundHound AI, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOUN#NASDAQ">SOUN</a>)&nbsp;</li>



<li>Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DELL#NYSE">DELL</a>)&nbsp;</li>



<li>Duolingo, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DUOL#NYSE">DUOL</a>)&nbsp;</li>



<li>Sunrun Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RUN#NASDAQ">RUN</a>)&nbsp;</li>



<li>Archer Aviation Inc. &nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ACHR#NYSE">ACHR</a>)&nbsp;</li>



<li>Talen Energy Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TLN#NASDAQ">TLN</a>)&nbsp;</li>



<li>Clover Health Investments, Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CLOV#NASDAQ">CLOV</a>)&nbsp;</li>



<li>Edison International (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EIX#NYSE">EIX</a>)&nbsp;</li>
</ul>



Companies reporting earnings on Monday include: 



<ul>
<li>Plug Power, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLUG#NASDAQ">PLUG</a>) </li>



<li>B. Riley Financial, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RILY#NASDAQ">RILY</a>)</li>



<li>Hut 8 Corp.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HUT#NASDAQ">HUT</a>)</li>



<li>Okta, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OKTA#NASDAQ">OKTA</a>)</li>



<li>GitLab Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GTLB#NASDAQ">GTLB</a>)</li>



<li>NuScale Power Corp.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMR#NYSE">SMR</a>) </li>



<li>AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ASTS#NASDAQ">ASTS</a>) </li>



<li>Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EBS#NYSE">EBS</a>) </li>



<li>Sunnova Energy International Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NOVA#NYSE">NOVA</a>)</li>
</ul>



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/02/44015237/pending-home-sales-crash-to-record-low-jobless-claims-soar-wall-street-reacts">Pending Home Sales Crash To Record Low, Jobless Claims Soar: Wall Street Reacts</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Equities

Large Cap

Market Summary

Bonds

Movers

General

$XRP

ACHR

ASTS

CLOV

DELL

DUOL

GTLB

NOVA

NVAX

OKTA

PLUG

RILY

RKLB

SOUN

Nvidia, Tesla Lead Tech Stock Rebound: What's Driving Markets Friday?

The Federal Reserve's preferred gauge of inflation marked its first decline in four months Friday. Markets and economists are reacting to<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/25/02/44041803/federal-reserves-preferred-inflation-gauge-marks-first-slowdown-in-4-months"> the latest PCE data.&nbsp;</a>



Expert Ideas: January's PCE price index and core PCE price index both rose 0.3% on the month, inline with expectations. The index excludes food and energy.



Bill Adams, chief economist for Comerica Bank, noted that core PCE inflation was the slowest since early 2021. Spending on durable goods fell sharply and spending on nondurables was also weaker. 



Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/25/02/44007082/q4-gdp-holds-at-2-3-after-minor-revision-in-second-estimate">Q4 GDP Holds At 2.3% After Minor Revision In Second Estimate&nbsp;</a>



Personal incomes also rose a stronger-than-expected 0.9% in January and, combined with less spending, drove the personal savings rate higher as well.&nbsp;



"January's strong income growth suggests fundamentals will support a recovery of consumer spending and economic growth in the remainder of 2025," Adams said.&nbsp;



Joseph Brusuelas, chief economist for RSM, provided some insight into the growth in personal incomes in a social media post. He pointed to "turn of the year factors," including social security cost of living adjustments and dividends, as contributing to the rise.&nbsp;



<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">By request: a look at the January income data especially on government transfers, dividend and interest payments. Turn of the year factors at play here as they almost always are in January of any given year. <a href="https://t.co/0G72JrYlk5">pic.twitter.com/0G72JrYlk5</a>&mdash; Joseph Brusuelas (@joebrusuelas) <a href="https://twitter.com/joebrusuelas/status/1895477040197042379?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Jeffrey Roach, chief economist for LPL Financial, highlighted a rise in the odds of a Fed cut in June as inflation decelerated in January.&nbsp;



"Softer consumer spending and slower income growth should catch the Fed's attention," Roach said.&nbsp;



Markets React: The decline in January's PCE price index also provided relief to the market. All three major indexes traded in the green on Friday. 



The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>), tracking the S&amp;P 500, was up 0.38% at $587.26 and the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), tracking the Nasdaq 100 index, was up 0.39% at $502.24 at the time of publication.&nbsp;&nbsp;



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/02/44015237/pending-home-sales-crash-to-record-low-jobless-claims-soar-wall-street-reacts">Pending Home Sales Crash To Record Low, Jobless Claims Soar: Wall Street Reacts</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Key Inflation Measure Falls In January: 'Should Catch The Fed's Attention,' Economist Says

A sharp decline in cryptocurrency sentiment, dubbed a &#8220;mega nuke&#8221; by analysts, has gripped the market as Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) fell below $79,000 on Thursday evening, down 24% from its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/bitcoin-price-prediction">January peak of $109,590</a>.



Major altcoins including BNB (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/bnb/usd">BNB</a>), Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>), and Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>) all fell down between 12 and 15%.



What Happened: Speaking with Benzinga, experts attribute this plunge to a mix of technical corrections, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43923960/citadel-securities-moves-into-crypto-market-making-following-trumps-crypto-friendly-regulation-push">regulatory uncertainty</a> under the Donald Trump administration, and a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/44038042/bybits-mega-ethereum-hack-sparks-hard-fork-divide-a-choice-between-preventing-kim-jong-uns-nuclear-ambitions-and-blockchain-immutability">$1.5 billion Bybit hack</a>, with industry voices offering varied perspectives on the downturn's drivers and potential recovery.



Bitfinex analysts pinpointed multiple triggers for the sentiment crash. 



"The combination of a sharp Bitcoin price drop, regulatory uncertainty, security breaches and declining altcoin valuations has led to extreme fear in the crypto market," they stated, noting Bitcoin's drop to $82,925 yesterday and a 40% slide in altcoin market cap from $1 trillion since December.



They also highlighted the Bybit breach's role in amplifying volatility and social media negativity, key factors in their fear index.



The B2BINPAY analytics team framed the correction as technically driven rather than fundamentally flawed. 



"There is actually no real fundamental reason behind the panic over BTC positions," they said, pointing to a 6% drop today following a 10% plunge on Wednesday—the first significant pullback since Bitcoin's all-time high six weeks ago. 



They warned that a failure to rebound from the $71,880 support level could signal further declines, though they see altcoins like (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>) recovering faster.



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/44026032/exclusive-bitcoin-etfs-with-staking-could-transform-institutional-adoption-says-bitlayer-co-founder">EXCLUSIVE: Bitcoin ETFs With Staking Could Transform Institutional Adoption, Says Bitlayer Co-Founder</a>



Why It Matters: Peter Chung of Presto Labs tied the downturn to institutional moves and macroeconomic pressures.



"The $1B outflow from Bitcoin ETFs highlights a targeted unwind in BTC exposure, likely driven by profit-taking and risk reallocation after a volatile February," he observed. 



He suggested that while Federal Reserve caution post-rate cuts weighs on risk assets, global money supply growth could provide a counterbalance if it reaches crypto markets, though near-term support hinges on Bitcoin reclaiming $90,000.



Tracy Jin of MEXC viewed the correction as a healthy release of risk. 



"The recent market has concentratedly released risks and negative factors, which is beneficial for the subsequent market trend," she said, advising medium- to long-term investors to buy the dip while monitoring macro policy shifts. 



Alex Kuptsikevich of FxPro noted the market's oversold state, with Bitcoin's 8.6% daily loss testing short-term buyers' resolve, though he cautioned a drop to $70,000 could erase recent gains tied to Trump's election.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/44025748/web3-hasnt-pierced-bubble-after-10-years-says-aztec-founder-zachary-williamson">Web3 Hasn&#8217;t Pierced Bubble After 10 Years, Says Aztec Founder Zachary Williamson</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

$BNB

$DOGE

$SOL

Bitcoin's 24% Correction 'Mostly Technical' Say Experts

Strategy (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>) executive chairman Michael Saylor jokedly advocated for a high-risk strategy to keep Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) investments in light of the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/44041389/bitcoin-will-still-hit-500000-before-trump-leaves-office-standard-chartered-analyst-maintains">recent market downturn</a>.



What Happened: In an <a href="https://x.com/saylor/status/1895325810942411234">X</a> post on Friday, Saylor wrote "Sell a kidney if you must but keep the Bitcoin." 



His statement comes on the heels of Bitcoin dropping 18.2% in the past seven days.



Saylor recently also <a href="https://x.com/saylor/status/1894386938381271163">joked</a> about taking a second job to buy more BTC, while in February, he <a href="https://x.com/saylor/status/1886046076316041641">stated</a>: &#8220;Never sell your Bitcoin—buying strengthens the network, selling weakens it.&#8221;



In a post on X on Feb. 17, Saylor outlined his "21 Rules of Bitcoin," stating: "Those who understand buy Bitcoin, those who don't criticize it."



<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">21 Rules of ₿itcoin 1. Those who understand buy Bitcoin. 2. Those who don't, criticize Bitcoin. 3. Everyone is against Bitcoin before they are for it. 4. You will never be done learning about Bitcoin. 5. Bitcoin is powered by chaos. 6. Bitcoin is the only game in the casino…&mdash; Michael Saylor&#x26a1;&#xFE0F; (@saylor) <a href="https://twitter.com/saylor/status/1891492169409593715?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 17, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Also Read: <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/44033154/jamie-dimon-was-a-believer-in-smart-contract-cryptos-long-before-jpmorgan-started-piling-on-ethereum-etfs-heres-what-he-said">Jamie Dimon Was A Believer In Smart Contract Cryptos Long Before JPMorgan Hit The Buy Button On Ethereum ETFs: Here&#8217;s What The CEO Said</a>



Why It Matters: Macro analyst, Jim Bianco reminded readers on <a href="https://x.com/biancoresearch/status/1895373637219471494">X</a> on Friday that Strategy is down 28% since Michael Saylor appeared on the cover of Forbes one month ago. 



MSTR's long-term trajectory remains tied to Bitcoin but concerns over potential rate hikes could be impacting high-growth and speculative stocks.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/44016927/bitcoin-drops-below-85000-what-does-technical-analysis-say">Bitcoin Drops Below $85,000: What Does Technical Analysis Say?</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

MSTR

Michael Saylor Says 'Sell A Kidney, But Keep The Bitcoin', But MSTR Is Down 28% Since He Appeared On The Cover Of Forbes

Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) is having a rough ride in 2025, and the numbers don't lie. Among <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/magnificent-seven">the Magnificent Seven</a>, Tesla is the worst-performing stock year to date, down a staggering 25.66%. 



No other MAG 7 stock comes close to that level of decline—Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) and Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) are all down single digits, while Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) and Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) have also suffered, but nowhere near Tesla's slump.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Lone Laggard Among Magnificent Seven Stocks</h2>



The electric vehicle giant is the only stock in the elite group that has dropped over 30% in just the past month. Even over the last five days, Tesla is down over 20%, while the rest of the magnificent seven stocks have seen far milder declines. 



Meanwhile, Nvidia, the AI darling, remains the best performer over the past year, up 55%, compared to Tesla's 40% gain.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/44005093/tesla-stock-has-fallen-nearly-40-from-december-peak-wiping-almost-137-billion-from-elon-musks-wealth">Tesla Stock Has Fallen Nearly 40% From December Peak, Wiping Almost $137 Billion From Elon Musk&#8217;s Wealth</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tesla &#8211; A Valuation Outlier</h2>



Tesla's forward P/E ratio of 95.24 (per <a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent022825&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">Benzinga Pro</a> data) is sky-high compared to the rest of the MAG 7, with the second-highest being Apple at 32.26. Nvidia, the poster child of premium valuations, still trades at a much lower 28.09 forward P/E. 



Tesla's trailing P/E is even more extreme at 138.21, suggesting investors are still pricing in significant future growth despite the stock's pullback.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Revenue Growth &amp; Market Cap Woes</h2>



Tesla's forward revenue growth of 11.44% is solid but lags behind Nvidia's explosive 59.26% and Meta's 16.69%, per Seeking Alpha <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/TSLA/growth">data</a>. 



While Tesla still commands a massive market cap of $894.84 billion, it's a far cry from its trillion-dollar days, trailing well behind Apple, Nvidia, and Microsoft, each sitting above $2.9 trillion.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">TSLA Stock Flashes Bearish Signals</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent022825&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="629" height="490" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/28085124/Screenshot-2025-02-28-at-7.21.03-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-803739" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/28085124/Screenshot-2025-02-28-at-7.21.03-PM.png 629w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/28085124/Screenshot-2025-02-28-at-7.21.03-PM-300x234.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 629px) 100vw, 629px" /></a></figure>



<a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent022825&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chart created using Benzinga Pro</a>



TSLA stock, at $279.70, is trading below its five-day, 20-day and 50-day exponential moving averages, signaling strong bearish momentum and persistent selling pressure. The eight-day simple moving average (SMA) sits at $317.32, while the 20-day SMA is at $345.74—both indicating further downside risk.



Additionally, TSLA stock's 50-day SMA of $389.01 reinforces the bearish sentiment. However, the one silver lining is the 200-day SMA at $278.70, which is right below the current price, offering a potential long-term support level.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Road Ahead</h2>



Tesla&#8217;s fundamentals show a company still growing, but at a time when the AI boom is dominating market narratives, EV demand concerns and margin pressures seem to be weighing on sentiment. 



With key technical indicators suggesting continued weakness, the question now: is Tesla's recent freefall an overreaction or a sign of deeper trouble? 



Investors will decide—but for now, it's the only MAG 7 stock firmly in the red for 2025.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/44037023/tesla-cybertruck-inventory-swells-despite-discounts-falling-short-of-elon-musks-vision">Tesla Cybertruck Inventory Swells Despite Discounts, Falling Short of Elon Musk&#8217;s Vision</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Technicals

Tesla: The Only Magnificent Seven Stock In Freefall - Can It Reverse Course?

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional details.



The Federal Reserve's key inflation measure came in in-line with expectations on Friday, with headline PCE inflation marking its first <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/44033215/nasdaq-tumbles-over-500-points-as-nvidia-plunges-post-q4-results-investor-sentiment-declines-further-greed-index-remains-in-extreme-fear-zone">slowdown in four months.</a>



The Details: The Personal Consumption Expenditures price index grew by 2.5% in January 2025 on a year-over-year basis, decelerating from 2.6% in December, according to government data. The figure was in line with economists&#8217; forecasts.&nbsp;



Core PCE, excluding food and energy, increased 2.6% from the same period last year.&nbsp;



Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/25/02/44007082/q4-gdp-holds-at-2-3-after-minor-revision-in-second-estimate">Q4 GDP Holds At 2.3% After Minor Revision In Second Estimate&nbsp;</a>



On a monthly basis, the PCE index advanced 0.3%, accelerating from December&#8217;s 0.2% and in-line with forecasts.&nbsp;



On a monthly basis, core PCE rose 0.3%, slightly above the 0.2% gain recorded in the previous month, and also matching forecasts.&nbsp;



Food prices rose 0.3% in January, higher than 0.2% in December while cost of energy eased to 1.3% down from 2.4%.&nbsp;



Personal Income Soars:&nbsp;U.S. personal income marked the sharpest increase in one year, up 0.9% from December, well above market expectations of a 0.3% increase. The personal savings rate also jumped higher, rising to 4.6%.



The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis said the increase in compensation was led by private wages and salaries, which rose a total of $38 billion, with wages and salaries in goods-producing industries increasing $1.9 billion.



The data also pointed to increases in social security benefits resulting from the January cost-of-living adjustment and increases in personal dividend income, based on data from publicly traded companies.



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



Futures on U.S. equity indices are moving higher in Friday's premarket session. Contracts on the Dow Jones were 0.42% higher at 8:44 a.m. ET.&nbsp;&nbsp;



S&amp;P 500 futures were 0.12% higher, after the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) closed 1.6% lower on Thursday.



The benchmark 10-year yield rose slightly to 4.26%. Gold, as tracked by the SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GLD#NYSE">GLD</a>), fell 0.53% to $263.53.&nbsp;



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/02/44015237/pending-home-sales-crash-to-record-low-jobless-claims-soar-wall-street-reacts">Pending Home Sales Crash To Record Low, Jobless Claims Soar: Wall Street Reacts</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Futures

Federal Reserve's Preferred Inflation Gauge Marks First Slowdown In 4 Months (UPDATED)

On Friday, FuboTV&nbsp;Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FUBO#NYSE">FUBO</a>)&nbsp;reported&nbsp;earnings for the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/02/b44039438/fubo-closed-2024-with-record-1-59b-revenue-1-676m-paid-subscribers-in-north-america" rel="noreferrer noopener">fourth quarter&nbsp;of 2024</a>. Revenue of the sports-first live TV streaming platform grew 8.1%&nbsp;year over year&nbsp;to $443.277 million, marginally missing the&nbsp;analyst&nbsp;consensus estimate of $445.798 million.



Adjusted EPS loss of 2 cents beat the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">analyst&nbsp;consensus estimate of 18 cents loss</a>.



Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/44011152/payoneer-q4-17-revenue-growth-22-5-billion-in-transactions-b2b-payments-up-37-revenue-target-surges" rel="noreferrer noopener">Payoneer Q4: 17% Revenue Growth, $22.5 Billion In Transactions, B2B Payments Up 37%, Revenue Target Surges</a>



The company&#8217;s adjusted EBITDA margin&nbsp;loss stood&nbsp;at (2.0)% versus (12.2)% Y/Y.&nbsp;



North America Streaming: Revenue grew 8% Y/Y to $433.8 million, as paid subscribers grew 6.2% Y/Y to 1.64 million. Average revenue per user (ARPU) rose 1.4% Y/Y to $87.90.



Rest of the World Streaming: Revenue was $9.4 million, a 12.1%&nbsp;Y/Y jump, with a paid subscriber decline of 10.9% Y/Y&nbsp;to 362,000. ARPU grew&nbsp;by 24.8% Y/Y&nbsp;to $8.50.



As of December 31, 2024, FuboTV held $167.6 million in cash and equivalents. Free Cash Flow in the fourth quarter was $16.3 million, an improvement of $22.1 million from a year ago.



Co-founder and CEO David Gandler highlighted the launch of standalone sports and entertainment skinny bundles, expanded availability of Multiview products to Roku devices, and launch of innovative and interactive connected TV ad formats for brand marketers as key accomplishments of 2024. He also emphasized a business combination agreement with The Walt Disney Company&#8217;s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIS#NYSE">DIS</a>) Hulu + Live TV and plans to launch a new Sports &amp; Broadcasting service.



Outlook:&nbsp;FuboTV expects first-quarter North American revenue of $400 million–$410 million and ROW revenue of $7.5 million-$8.5 million versus consensus of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/guidance" rel="noreferrer noopener">$440.24 billion consensus estimate</a>.



Fubo expects 1.430 million to 1.460 million total subscribers by Q1, representing a 4% YoY decline at the midpoint. This outlook reflects the potential subscriber impact of the company&#8217;s recent non-renewal with TelevisaUnivision. It projects ROW 330,000 to 340,000 subscribers, representing a 16% YoY decline at the midpoint.



FuboTV&nbsp;stock surged 73% in the last 12 months as it topped the revenue and EPS consensus of at least seven out of the preceding eight quarters.



Price Action: FUBO stock traded lower by 10.80% at $3.14 premarket at last check on Friday.



Also Read:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/44008324/echostar-q4-3-97-billion-revenue-narrows-pay-tv-subscriber-losses-focuses-on-high-quality-users-wireless-growth" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EchoStar Q4: $3.97 Billion Revenue, Narrows Pay-TV Subscriber Losses, Focuses On High-Quality Users, Wireless Growth</a></li>
</ul>



Photo via Shutterstock

Earnings

Guidance

FUBO

FuboTV Projects Subscriber Fall In Q1 After Q4 Topline Growth, Stock Tumbles

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) continues to tumble, falling as low as $78,433 in early Friday morning hours amid a record streak of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-spot-bitcoin-etfs">spot Bitcoin ETF</a> outflows.



What Happened: According to <a href="https://sosovalue.com/assets/etf/us-btc-spot">data</a> from SoSoValue, U.S. spot Bitcoin ETFs have seen $3.2 billion in net outflows over an eight-day period, matching the longest negative streak since their debut. 



This trend has resulted in a monthly net outflow of $3.65 billion for February, with only four days of net inflows recorded this month. 



The largest single-day outflow occurred on Tuesday, with a record $1.14 billion leaving these funds. 



BlackRock&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBIT#NASDAQ">IBIT</a>), the largest Bitcoin ETF by net assets, experienced its most significant outflow of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/44003905/bitcoin-steadies-around-86500-as-spot-etf-see-another-750-million-outflows-on-wednesday">$418 million on Wednesday</a>.



Thursday&#8217;s outflows moderated to $275.8 million, though potential easing of selling pressure was not reflected in the price of Bitcoin, which is trading around $80,345, down 6.9% at the time of writing. 



The entire crypto market capitalization has contracted by 8.7% to $2.76 trillion in the past day amid broader market concerns following President Trump&#8217;s aggressive tariff policies.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Price&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>Gains +/-</td></tr><tr><td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td><td> $80,345</td><td>-6.9%</td></tr><tr><td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>)</td><td> $2,131</td><td>-9.3%</td></tr><tr><td>XRP (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>)</td><td> $2.03</td><td>-8.8%</td></tr><tr><td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)</td><td> $0.1864</td><td>-10.8%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



What Experts Are Saying: Augustine Fan, Head of Insights at SignalPlus, <a href="https://www.theblock.co/post/343924/bitcoin-dips-below-80000-and-eth-tests-2100-amid-trump-tariff-concerns?utm_source=rss&amp;utm_medium=rss">told</a> The Block that &#8220;renewed tariff concerns, slowing economy and overstretched positioning&#8221; are catalysts driving the decline. 



President Trump&#8217;s announcement of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/trumps-tarrifs-impact-on-us-dollar-and-currency-trading">new tariffs</a> on imports from Canada, Mexico and China has exacerbated investor concerns, leading to a sell-off in both equities and cryptocurrencies.



The market downturn has pushed the Crypto Fear &amp; Greed Index to &#8220;extreme fear&#8221; levels, with a score of 10, the lowest since the 2022 collapse of Terra-Luna and Three Arrows Capital. 



This pessimism persists despite the Trump administration&#8217;s efforts to implement <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/43177482/trump-signs-executive-order-on-crypto-bitcoin-reserve-to-be-evaluated">pro-crypto policies</a> and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43836911/trump-reiterates-resolve-to-make-us-the-crypto-capital-critic-labels-idea-of-bitcoin-reserve-legislation-absurd">regulatory reforms</a>.



Analysts are divided on whether Bitcoin has reached a bottom. 



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/02/44031605/bitcoin-ethereum-lose-dogecoin-gains-amid-trumps-tariff-war-moves-has-btc-hit-a-bottom-yet">CryptoQuant suggests oversold conditions</a> based on the NVT Golden Cross indicator, while others warn of potential further declines. 



The coming days will be crucial in determining whether the market can stabilize and potentially recover from this significant correction.



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/education/25/02/44029165/if-you-invested-1000-in-bitcoin-when-changpeng-cz-zhao-predicted-btc-would-crash-from-101k-to-85k-heres-how-much-youd-have-today">If You Invested $1,000 In Bitcoin When Changpeng &#8216;CZ&#8217; Zhao Predicted BTC Would Crash From $101K to $85K, Here&#8217;s How Much You&#8217;d Have Today</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

IBIT

Bitcoin Plummets Below $80,000, Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin Get Hammered As Crypto Crash Continues

Shares of Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) have fallen 13.13% in 2025, wiping approximately $375 billion in investor wealth despite strong fourth quarter earnings. While some analysts say that this could be because of the company&#8217;s outlook on &#8220;gross margins,&#8221; others believe that these concerns are &#8220;misplaced&#8221;.



What Happened: The chipmaker led by Jensen Huang dropped 8.48% to $120.15 apiece on Thursday following the fourth quarter earnings on Wednesday in after-hours. While the technology giant beat estimates on all fronts, its Blackwell AI chips recorded a staggering $11 billion in first-quarter sales alone—the fastest in the company's history.



However, the market reaction wasn&#8217;t upbeat because of a &#8220;sequential dip in its gross profit margins, heightened competition, persisting customer concentration, and stratospheric expectations,&#8221; said Subho Moulik, the founder and CEO of fintech platform Appreciate. 



&#8220;Nvidia earnings were excellent and the concern about margins is misplaced,&#8221; said Nigam Arora and Dr Natasha Arora from The Arora Report in their note.



Calling it a &#8220;winner&#8217;s curse,&#8221; Moulik said that Nvidia's near-flawless track record has set exceptionally &#8220;high investor expectations&#8221;. With rapidly evolving AI sector and looming macroeconomic uncertainties, &#8220;the margin for error is razor-thin,&#8221; he added.



In 2025, the stock has underperformed the market and pulled the tech-heavy Nasdaq down with it.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Stock / ETF / Index</td><td>YTD Performance</td><td>Six Month Performance</td><td>One Year Performance</td></tr><tr><td>Nvidia Corp.</td><td>-13.13%</td><td>11.25%</td><td>54.71%</td></tr><tr><td>Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>)</td><td>-1.95%</td><td>8.33%</td><td>14.93%</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100 Index</td><td>-2.02%</td><td>8.40%</td><td>14.97%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



&#8220;From an investment perspective, it remains a buy on dip, particularly with its next-gen Blackwell chips posting amazing numbers and protect Nvidia's medium-term runway,&#8221; said Moulik.



According to Arora Report, &#8220;The real issue facing NVDA as a stock is that it is in the formidable stage,&#8221; which according to the note is the fifth stage of a long trade. The <a href="https://thearorareport.com/ppp-long-trade-ppp">note explained</a> that a stock witnesses a &#8220;crowded trade,&#8221; when it enters the fifth stage after logging in the highest alpha in the fourth stage of a long trade.



See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/02/43998226/jensen-huangs-nvidia-fuels-ai-factory-boom-revenue-growth-in-data-center-business-dominates-peers-with-a-staggering-3460-growth-over-5-years"> Jensen Huang&#8217;s Nvidia Fuels &#8216;AI Factory&#8217; Boom: Revenue Growth In Data Center Business Dominates Peers With A Staggering 3460% Growth Over 5 Years</a>



Why It Matters: The fourth quarter gross margins fell 71%, barely meeting estimates but down from 73.5% last quarter. But analysts believe that the fall in margins was expected because of the Blackwell production ramp up. The adjusted gross margins aren't going to improve soon, with the management expecting it to remain in the low 70s, said Moulik. 



Additionally, DeepSeek has challenged U.S. AI exceptionalism, potentially reshaping the chip market as its model prompts more players to replicate it, casting doubt on future AI chip volume and value growth, added Moulik.



Price Action: Shares of Nvidia were 0.93% higher in premarket on Friday, whereas QQQ advanced 0.36%.



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/NVDA/analyst-ratings">Benzinga tracks 41 analysts</a> with an average price target of $176.13 for the stock, reflecting a &#8220;buy&#8221; rating. Estimates range widely from $120 to $220. Recent ratings from DA Davidson, Cantor Fitzgerald, and Benchmark average $175, suggesting a potential 44.15% upside.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="386" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/28064607/NVDA-new-new-ANR-1024x386.png" alt="" class="wp-image-803459" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/28064607/NVDA-new-new-ANR-1024x386.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/28064607/NVDA-new-new-ANR-300x113.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/28064607/NVDA-new-new-ANR-768x290.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/28064607/NVDA-new-new-ANR.png 1060w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/44035798/dell-technologies-projects-15-billion-ai-server-revenue-for-fy26-raises-dividend-18-amid-a-mixed-quarter">Dell Technologies Projects $15 Billion AI Server Revenue For FY26, Raises Dividend By 18% Amid A Mixed Quarter</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Analyst Ratings

Nvidia Wipes $375 Billion Of Investor Wealth In 2025: 'Margin Of Error Razor Thin,' Says Analyst Reiterating 'Buy On Dips' Call

U.S. stock futures rose on Friday following Thursday&#8217;s sell-off. Futures of all benchmark indices advanced in premarket trading, except the small-cap gauge Russell 2000.



Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) fell over 8% on Thursday, dragging the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 down despite the strong quarter as its gross margins fell sequentially, caused by the ramp-up in the production of its Blackwell chips.



Meanwhile, President Donald Trump escalated tariff threats against Mexico and Canada, saying that it will go into effect as scheduled on March 4, in a social media post. He further threatened additional tariffs on China, following his pledge to impose 25% tariffs on the EU.



Investors await Friday&#8217;s personal consumption expenditure inflation data amid uncertainty over interest rate cuts as it is the Federal Reserve&#8217;s preferred inflation gauge.



The 10-year Treasury yield stood at 4.25%, while the two-year yield was at 4.05%. According <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">to</a> the CME Group's FedWatch tool, there is a 94.5% chance that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged for the March meeting.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Futures</td><td>Change (+/-)</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>0.27%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>0.30%</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>0.27%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-0.06%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which track the S&amp;P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, rose in premarket on Friday. SPY was up 0.35% to $587.09, and QQQ advanced 0.28% to $501.67, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.



Cues From The Last Session



Most sectors in the S&amp;P 500 ended lower Thursday, with technology and communication services leading the decline. However, financial and energy stocks bucked the trend.



The Nasdaq Composite dropped over 500 points, dragged down by Nvidia&#8217;s 8% plunge after its Q4 earnings.



Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DELL#NYSE">DELL</a>) declined after missing revenue estimates, whereas, SoundHound AI Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOUN#NASDAQ">SOUN</a>) rose in after-hours after beating analyst expectations. Rocket Lab USA Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RKLB#NASDAQ">RKLB</a>) shares dropped after a weak first-quarter guidance.



Economic data showed a slight upward revision to fourth quarter GDP according to its second reading released on Thursday. Also, initial jobless claims rose by 22,000 from the previous week to 242,000, the most in over two months and above market expectations of 221,000.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Index</td><td>Performance (+/-)</td><td>Value</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq Composite</td><td>-2.78%</td><td>18,544.42</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>-1.59%</td><td>5,861.57</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>-0.45%</td><td>43,239.50 </td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-1.59%</td><td>2,139.66</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Insights From Analysts



Ryan Detrick, the chief market strategist at Carson Research highlighted that the first quarter of a post-election year tends to be &#8220;quite weak&#8221;. &#8220;This choppy start to 2025 isn&#8217;t abnormal. Don&#8217;t panic,&#8221; he added.



<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">As we&#39;ve noted many times, the first quarter of a post-election year tends to be quite weak. This choppy start to 2025 isn&#39;t abnormal. Don&#39;t panic. <a href="https://t.co/5tQjYeqd6G">pic.twitter.com/5tQjYeqd6G</a>&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1895314476557312425?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



He also continued reiterating his February seasonality stance via his X posts. He highlighted that junk corporate bonds, also called high-yield bonds, were up the past five days as the S&amp;P 500 was down over 4%.



&#8220;If the end was near like they keep telling us this wouldn&#8217;t be the case. Remain calm, this is simply seasonal late February shenanigans,&#8221; he said.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The S&amp;P 500 is down 4% the past five days. High yield bonds are UP the past five days. If the end was near like they keep telling us this wouldn&#39;t be the case. Remain calm, this is simply seasonal late February shenanigans. <a href="https://t.co/FF2TtFJGz5">pic.twitter.com/FF2TtFJGz5</a>&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1895318792634606066?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Furthermore, he dismissed the validity of price-to-earnings ratio, saying that there was no &#8220;correlation between P/E multiples and what stocks will do a year later.&#8221;



George Smith, portfolio strategist at LPL Financial highlighted his take on investor sentiment by analyzing survey data from the American Association of Individual Investors and Bank of America Global Fund Manager Survey.



AAII&#8217;s latest sentiment survey reveals significantly bearish sentiment among individual investors for the fourth consecutive week, with the bull-bear spread at a 10-year high. This extreme bearishness, viewed through a contrarian lens, could be a positive signal for stocks, said Smith.



However, the BofA Global Fund Manager Survey presents a more mixed picture, with professional investors cautiously optimistic about the economy but concerned about overvalued U.S. equities. Overall, these surveys suggest a relatively neutral market outlook, aligning with LPL Research&#8217;s neutral stance on equities due to a balance of positive and negative factors, explained Smith.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-trade-futures">How to Trade Futures </a>



Upcoming Economic Data



Here&#8217;s what investors will keep on Friday:



<ul>
<li>January's personal income, spending, core and headline PCE index, advanced U.S. trade balance in goods, retail and wholesale inventories will be out by 8:30 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin will speak at 8:30 a.m., ET as well.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>February's Chicago business barometer data will be released at 9:45 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee will speak at 10:15 p.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



Stocks In Focus:



<ul>
<li>Owens &amp; Minor Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OMI#NYSE">OMI</a>) rose 0.78% in the premarket on Friday ahead of its earnings, which will be released before the opening bell. Analysts expect it to report earnings of 52 cents per share on the revenue of $2.69 billion.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Chart Industries Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GTLS#NYSE">GTLS</a>) declined 0.14% as Wall Street expects it to report quarterly earnings of $3.15 per share on revenue of $1.17 billion before the opening bell.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Integral Ad Science Holding Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IAS#NASDAQ">IAS</a>) fell 1.55% ahead of its earnings, which will be released before the opening bell. Analysts expect it to report earnings of 25 cents per share on the revenue of $148.83 million.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>HP Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HPQ#NYSE">HPQ</a>) was 3.41% lower despite meeting EPS and revenue estimates as it guided for lower than expected second-quarter adjusted EPS between 75 to 85 cents.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Dell Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DELL#NYSE">DELL</a>) dropped 2.06% as it missed the revenue expectations amid a mixed quarter.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>SoundHound AI Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOUN#NASDAQ">SOUN</a>) jumped 5.86% after posting a strong quarter and issuing a positive guidance for the next fiscal year.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Rocket Lab USA Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RKLB#NASDAQ">RKLB</a>) slumped 10.99% as it reported a weaker than expected first quarter guidance.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Rapid Micro Biosystems Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RPID#NASDAQ">RPID</a>) climbed 40.48% as it signed a 5-year global distribution deal with MilliporeSigma.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Virpax Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VRPX#NASDAQ">VRPX</a>) surged 39.04% as it reported positive human study results for its Molecular Envelope Technology, a key component in its Envelta and NobrXiol products, with no moderate to severe adverse events.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Powell Max Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PMAX#NASDAQ">PMAX</a>) zoomed 77.05% as it announced that it will acquire Miracle Media Production from Vision Access Enterprises and M Digital Partners Company. The acquisition is expected to enhance Powell Max&#8217;s services and create synergies.</li>
</ul>



Commodities, Gold And Global Equity Markets:



Crude oil futures were trading lower in the early New York session by 1.11% to hover around $69.57 per barrel.



The gold spot index was down by 0.53% to $2,861.73 per ounce. Its last record high was at $2,956.37. The Dollar Index was up 0.12% at the 107.373 level.



Asian markets fell on Friday, including Japan's Nikkei 225, China's CSI 300, Australia's ASX 200, India's S&amp;P BSE Sensex, South Korea's Kospi, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index. European markets were also mostly lower in trade.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/44035798/dell-technologies-projects-15-billion-ai-server-revenue-for-fy26-raises-dividend-18-amid-a-mixed-quarter">Dell Technologies Projects $15 Billion AI Server Revenue For FY26, Raises Dividend By 18% Amid A Mixed Quarter</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Treasuries

Pre-Market Outlook

GTLS

PMAX

RPID

VRPX

US Stocks Likely To Open Higher Following A Sell-Off, 'This Choppy Start To 2025 Isn't Abnormal. Don't Panic,' Says Expert Highlighting Seasonal Weakness In The First Quarter After Elections

Tesla Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) Cybertruck vehicles are reportedly piling outside the company&#8217;s gigafactory in Texas and collecting dust, forcing the company to resort to aggressive discounting.



What Happened: According to a report <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterlyon/2025/02/27/thousands-of-tesla-cybertrucks-gather-dust-even-with-6000-discount/">by</a> Forbes, the company&#8217;s inventory for the trucks is piling up owing to lower-than-expected sales.



Tesla&#8217;s inventory in the U.S. still has model year 2024 vehicles in addition to model year 2025 ones. The company is now offering discounts up to $6000 on model year 2024 foundation series Cybertrucks and $4000 on non-foundation series Cybertrucks in its inventory.



The Cybertruck is one of Tesla&#8217;s more premium offerings. The vehicle starts at $79,990 for the base all-wheel drive variant and at $99,990 for the more premium Cyberbeast variant.



According to data from automotive research firm Kelley Blue Book, the Cybertruck was Tesla&#8217;s third best-selling vehicle in the U.S. in 2024, after its mass-market offerings Model 3 and Model Y. The company sold&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42967593/cybertruck-sales-rise-in-2024-weighed-down-on-tesla-model-s-deliveries-in-us-shows-data" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">38,965 units in the 12 months through the end of December</a>, significantly higher than the number of Model S or Model X sold in the country but less than the expected delivery volume for the vehicle. 



Tesla CEO Elon Musk previously said that the company is eyeing a production rate of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42262279/a-year-after-teslas-first-cybertruck-deliveries-the-truck-has-a-long-way-to-go-to-meet-musks-goals">250,000 Cybertrucks a year</a> in 2025. The number seems unlikely given the weak demand.



Analyst Take: Researcher&nbsp;Troy Teslike, who tracks Tesla&#8217;s production and delivery numbers,&nbsp;expects the EV giant to sell just 21,000 Cybertrucks in 2025, lower than the sales of the stainless steel truck in 2024.



"The order backlog is gone. Tesla ended 2024 with 10,600 unsold Cybertrucks because of too much production and low demand," the researcher said earlier this month while also dismissing the possibility of a cheaper Cybertruck variant launch this year.



"A cheaper Cybertruck this year is unlikely because the Cybertruck is not profitable. A cheaper version would make things worse," he said.



Tesla started delivering the Cybertruck in the U.S. four years after unveiling it in November 2023. The company sold only its limited edition foundation series initially, priced nearly $20,000 more than the non-foundation series of the truck. The non-foundation series Cybertucks started to be sold only in the fourth quarter of 2024.



Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link.</a>



Read Next:



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/44000938/stellantis-executive-chairman-speaks-out-against-tariffs-on-vehicles-made-in-mexico-canada-real-opportunity-is-4m-cars-that-are-sold-in-america-that-dont-have-any-us-content" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Stellantis Executive Chairman Speaks Out Against Tariffs On Vehicles Made In Mexico, Canada: ‘Real Opportunity Is… 4M Cars That Are Sold In America That Don&#8217;t Have Any US Content&#8217;</a></li>
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Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Tesla Cybertruck Inventory Swells Despite Discounts, Falling Short of Elon Musk's Vision

In Friday&#8217;s pre-market trading, Strategy (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>) saw a 3.18% dip in its stock, following a 7% decrease in Bitcoin&#8216;s (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) value over the past day, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43936143/mstr-stock-falls-over-5-in-tuesday-pre-market-whats-going-on">Benzinga Pro</a>.



What Happened: The shares of Strategy, which recently&nbsp;added nearly $2 billion worth&nbsp;of Bitcoin to its portfolio, fell during today&#8217;s pre-market session after Bitcoin declined 7% over the past 24 hours and nearly 20% over the past seven days. The cryptocurrency slipped below $80,000, marking nearly a 25% fall from its all-time high. 



Despite the company&#8217;s aggressive Bitcoin accumulation strategy significantly boosting its stock market capitalization, critics question the long-term viability of this approach. Peter Schiff, a prominent economist and market commentator, criticized the company&#8217;s debt-fueled bitcoin purchases, pointing out the company&#8217;s declining share price and the shrinking Net Asset Value premium.



SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/02/44006332/nvidia-faces-new-ai-chip-challenge-as-huawei-gains-ground-in-china-despite-us-sanctions">Nvidia Faces New AI Chip Challenge As Huawei Gains Ground In China Despite US Sanctions</a>



Why It Matters: Bitcoin&#8217;s recent decline has sparked debates among traders about the end of the bull market. Crypto chart analyst Ali Martinez noted that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/44016927/bitcoin-drops-below-85000-what-does-technical-analysis-say">Bitcoin has entered</a> oversold conditions for the first time since August 2024, a period followed by a 33% rebound. This sparks concern for Strategy, which has a Bitcoin holding worth nearly $ 43 billion, making it a major corporate holder of the cryptocurrency.



Strategy stock plunged nearly 50% from its all-time high of $473.83 on Nov. 21. On Monday, Barclays lowered their target price on MSTR from $515.00 to $421.00 and set an &#8220;overweight&#8221; rating on the stock.



Last week, Strategy's co-founder Michael Saylor met with the SEC's Crypto Task Force to discuss potential regulatory reforms while protecting crypto holders&#8217;&nbsp;rights. He also presented his&nbsp;strategic Bitcoin reserve plan to&nbsp;the SEC, aiming to generate&nbsp;between $16 billion to $81&nbsp;trillion in wealth for the&nbsp;U.S. Treasury. 



<ul>
<li>READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/02/44031605/bitcoin-ethereum-lose-dogecoin-gains-amid-trumps-tariff-war-moves-has-btc-hit-a-bottom-yet">Bitcoin, Ethereum Lose, Dogecoin Gains Amid Trump&#8217;s Tariff War Moves: Has BTC Hit A Bottom Yet?</a></li>
</ul>



Image via Shutterstock



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

MSTR Stock Falls Over 3% In Friday Pre-Market: What's Going On?

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed further decline in the overall market sentiment, while the index remained in the &#8220;Extreme Fear&#8221; zone on Thursday.



U.S. stocks settled lower on Thursday, with the Nasdaq Composite dipping more than 500 points during the session.



Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) shares plunged more than 8% on Thursday after the company released fourth-quarter results.



On the economic data front, the second estimate released Thursday by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis revised fourth quarter 2024 real GDP up by less than 0.1 percentage point, due mainly to higher-than-expected increases in government spending and exports.



Thursday&#8217;s data also showed initial jobless claims rose by 22,000 from the previous week to 242,000, the most in over two months and above market expectations of 221,000, indicating further softening of the job market.



Most sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed on a negative note, with information technology, communication services and information technology stocks recording the biggest losses on Tuesday. However, financial and energy stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session higher.



The Dow Jones closed lower by around 194 points to 43,239.50 on Thursday. The S&amp;P 500 fell 1.59% to 5,861.57, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 2.78% at 18,544.42 during Thursday's session.



Investors are awaiting earnings results from Global Partners LP (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GLP#NYSE">GLP</a>), Owens &amp; Minor Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OMI#NYSE">OMI</a>) and Chart Industries Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GTLS#NYSE">GTLS</a>) today.



What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?



At a current reading of 18.4, the index remained in the &#8220;Extreme Fear&#8221; zone on Thursday, versus a prior reading of 21.3.



The Fear &amp; Greed Index is a measure of the current market sentiment. It is based on the premise that higher fear exerts pressure on stock prices, while higher greed has the opposite effect. The index is calculated based on seven equal-weighted indicators. The index ranges from 0 to 100, where 0 represents maximum fear and 100 signals maximum greediness.



Read Next: 



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/44018351/top-3-utilities-stocks-you-may-want-to-dump-in-february">Top 3 Utilities Stocks You May Want To Dump In February</a></li>
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Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Nasdaq Tumbles Over 500 Points As Nvidia Plunges Post Q4 Results: Investor Sentiment Declines Further, Greed Index Remains In 'Extreme Fear' Zone

OpenAI has launched GPT-4.5, its largest and most advanced chat model to date, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43970279/alibaba-and-deepseek-intensify-ai-showdown-challenging-openai-and-nvidias-market-dominance">amid growing competition from rivals</a> like xAI&#8216;s Grok 3 and DeepSeek.



What Happened: The company is rolling out the model first to ChatGPT Pro subscribers paying $200 monthly, with plans to extend access to Plus, Team, Enterprise, and Edu users over the coming weeks. This staggered approach reflects OpenAI&#8217;s strategy to manage ongoing GPU shortages and high demand.



The model was trained on Microsoft Corp.&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) Azure AI supercomputers and represents a significant shift toward scaling unsupervised learning.



<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">Today we're releasing a research preview of GPT-4.5—our largest and best model for chat yet. Rolling out now to all ChatGPT Pro users, followed by Plus and Team users next week, then Enterprise and Edu users the following week. <a href="https://t.co/br5win5OEB">pic.twitter.com/br5win5OEB</a>&mdash; OpenAI (@OpenAI) <a href="https://twitter.com/OpenAI/status/1895219591070261266?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



&#8220;GPT-4.5 is ready!&#8221; OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced on X. &#8220;It is the first model that feels like talking to a thoughtful person to me. I have had several moments where I&#8217;ve sat back in my chair and been astonished at getting actually good advice from an AI.&#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">GPT-4.5 is ready! good news: it is the first model that feels like talking to a thoughtful person to me. i have had several moments where i&#39;ve sat back in my chair and been astonished at getting actually good advice from an AI. bad news: it is a giant, expensive model. we…&mdash; Sam Altman (@sama) <a href="https://twitter.com/sama/status/1895203654103351462?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 27, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Altman acknowledged supply constraints affecting the rollout: &#8220;We really wanted to launch it to plus and pro at the same time, but we&#8217;ve been growing a lot and are out of GPUs. We will add tens of thousands of GPUs next week and roll it out to the plus tier then.&#8221;



According to OpenAI&#8217;s blog <a href="https://openai.com/index/introducing-gpt-4-5/">post</a>, GPT-4.5 represents a significant advancement in scaling unsupervised learning, resulting in a broader knowledge base, improved intent understanding, and enhanced emotional intelligence. The model shows reduced hallucination rates compared to previous versions, with SimpleQA accuracy reaching 62.5% versus GPT-4&#8217;s 38.2%.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/25/02/43997193/jeff-bezos-washington-post-overhaul-draws-oligarch-remark-from-bernie-sanders-elon-musk-calls-amazon-founder-a-bravo">Jeff Bezos&#8217; Washington Post Overhaul Draws &#8216;Oligarch&#8217; Remark From Bernie Sanders — Elon Musk Says &#8216;Bravo&#8217; To Amazon Founder</a>



Why It Matters: Human testers preferred GPT-4.5 over GPT-4o in multiple categories, with the model winning 63.2% of professional queries and 56.8% of creative intelligence queries.



Unlike OpenAI&#8217;s reasoning-focused models like o1 and o3-mini, GPT-4.5 doesn&#8217;t incorporate &#8220;thinking before responding&#8221; capabilities. Instead, it focuses on text-based interactions without multimodal features like Voice Mode, video, and screensharing.



&#8220;This isn&#8217;t a reasoning model and won&#8217;t crush benchmarks,&#8221; Altman noted. &#8220;It&#8217;s a different kind of intelligence and there&#8217;s a magic to it I haven&#8217;t felt before.&#8221;



The model is available to developers through OpenAI&#8217;s API suite, though the company warned its compute-intensive nature makes it more expensive than GPT-4o.



Read Next: 



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/44031320/mark-zuckerbergs-meta-wants-to-do-an-ai-app-but-sam-altman-wants-to-pull-a-reverse-uno-card-maybe-well-do-a-social-app">Mark Zuckerberg&#8217;s Meta Wants To Do An AI App But Sam Altman Wants To Pull A &#8216;Reverse Uno&#8217; Card: &#8216;Maybe We&#8217;ll Do A Social App&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Image Via Shutterstock



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

Sam Altman Calls It 'Magic' As OpenAI Rolls Out GPT-4.5: 'Feels Like Talking To A Thoughtful Person To Me'

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