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HSBC Holdings

Established in 1865 in Hong Kong, London-based HSBC is one of the largest banks in the world, with assets of USD 3 trillion and 40 million customers worldwide. It operates across 64 countries with around 220,000 full-time staff. Key regions include Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, and North America. The United Kingdom and Hong Kong are the two largest markets for the bank. The bank offers retail, commercial and institutional banking, global banking and markets, wealth management, and private banking.

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한국은 불법 ‘무차입 공매도(naked shorting)&#39; 관행을 제재하고자 목요일 공매도 금지 명령을 연장했다. 사건의 전말 (What Happened): 포춘(Fortune)에 따르면 한국은 공매도 금지 조치를 2025년 1분기까지 연장할 것이라고 발표했다.

한국은 불법 공매도 금지 명령 연장, 처벌 강화?

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보도에 따르면 모건 스탠리(NYSE:MS)는 아시아 태평양 지역에서 인력 감원을 계획하고 있으며, 홍콩과 중국을 중심으로 약 50개의 일자리를 감축하기로 했다. 이러한 감축은 일본을 제외한 이 지역 은행 직원들 중 약 13%에 해당한다.

모건 스탠리, 아시아-태평양 지역에서 감원 예정 - 보도

HSBC Holdings PLC

Twenty-nine National Basketball Association teams will attempt to ruin the back-to-back championship ambitions of the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/sports-betting/24/06/39382135/portnoy-wins-big-with-boston-celtics-nba-championship-rapper-drake-loses-500k-and-could-lo">reigning champ Boston Celtics.</a>
After free agency, several teams saw their betting odds improve, including one NBA team that is publicly traded.
What Happened: While many struggling NBA teams looked to turn their fortunes around with the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/sports-betting/24/06/39513625/2024-nba-draft-no-clear-no-1-favorite-bronny-james-shakes-up-odds-people-are-always-intrig">2024 NBA Draft</a>, several key NBA championship contenders took to free agency to land new signings or utilized trades to send draft picks for assets that could help them win now.
The Celtics are heavy favorites to win back-to-back NBA championships. Here's a look at the current odds from DraftKings Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DKNG#NASDAQ">DKNG</a>) and the betting odds prior to the NBA Draft and start of free agency:
Boston Celtics: +295 (+290)
Philadelphia 76ers: +800 (+1,300)
Oklahoma City Thunder: +850 (+850)
Denver Nuggets: +850 (+800)
New York Knicks: +950 (+1,000)
Minnesota Timberwolves: +1,000 (+1,000)
Dallas Mavericks: +1,000 (+1,100)
Milwaukee Bucks: +1,100 (+1,000)
Los Angeles Lakers: +3,000 (+3,000)
Phoenix Suns: +3,500 (+3,000)
The Celtics are currently the best preseason favorite to win an NBA championship since the 2017-2018 season, when the Golden State Warriors were listed at -180. The Warriors won a title that season, and nine of the last 16 preseason favorites have won the NBA title, as <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/40375142/celtics-enter-offseason-clear-cut-favorite-repeat">ESPN</a> reported.
To challenge the Celtics, several teams made big moves. The 76ers added Paul George in free agency to give the team a "Big 3" of George, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.&nbsp; The Thunder added Isaiah Hartenstein in free agency and acquired Alex Caruso via trade. The Mavericks added Klay Thompson in free agency.
One of the biggest offseason transactions was the Knicks trading multiple draft picks to get Mikal Bridges from the Brooklyn Nets. Bridges averaged 19.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 82 games last season, tying his career highs for average rebounds and assists per game.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/broad-u-s-equity-etfs/24/06/39436993/sportonomics-why-investing-in-american-sports-franchises-has-doubled-the-returns-of-th">Sportonomics: Why Investing in American Sports Franchises Has Doubled The Returns Of The Market</a>
Why It's Important: The Knicks are now one of the favorites to win the NBA championship, which comes a season after finishing second in the Eastern Conference.
Along with bettors backing the Knicks, investors can also support the team, as the Knicks are owned by the publicly traded Madison Square Garden Sports (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSGS#NYSE">MSGS</a>).
The Knicks are one of the most valuable NBA teams, ranked second at $6.6 billion by <a href="https://www.forbes.com/lists/nba-valuations/">Forbes</a>, and have a large fan base.
When it comes to postseason success, the team has struggled, last winning an NBA title in 1973 and last reaching the NBA Finals in 1999.
The Knicks have made the playoff in three of the last four seasons, ending a seven-season drought in 2021, but have not advanced past the second round since 2000.
With Bridges on the team, bettors and Knicks fans have high hopes for the upcoming season. A championship could boost the overall valuation of the team and likely its stock.
Shares of the publicly traded Atlanta Braves Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BATRA#NASDAQ">BATRA</a>), for example, now trade higher than they did when the MLB team <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/21/11/23856231/atlanta-braves-win-their-first-world-series-title-since-1995-what-investors-should-know">won their last championship in 2021</a> and ended a 26-year title drought.
Along with the Knicks being a strong betting choice for the NBA championship, the NHL's New York Rangers are ranked fifth in betting odds to win the next Stanley Cup at +1,300, compared to the leading Edmonton Oilers at +850.The Rangers are also owned by Madison Square Garden Sports.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/sports/24/06/39420329/could-red-bull-join-the-nba-austrian-company-circles-sin-city-team-new-report-says">Could Red Bull Join The NBA? Austrian Company Circles Sin City Team, New Report Says</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

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NBA Betting Odds Change Dramatically After Free Agency — Here's The Publicly Traded Sports Team For Investors To Watch

In a recent shareholder Q&amp;A, Nintendo ADR&#8216;s (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NTDOY#OTC">NTDOY</a>) President Shuntaro Furukawa addressed the issue of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in video game development, a hot topic that has stirred significant debate within the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming">industry.</a>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">The Mixed Blessing Of AI</h3>
<a href="https://www.ign.com/articles/nintendo-says-generative-ai-can-be-used-in-creative-ways-but-highlights-ip-issues">According</a> to IGN, Furukawa acknowledged the potential benefits of generative AI, noting it could be used "in creative ways." However, he also highlighted the risks, particularly regarding intellectual property rights.
See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/05/39013083/sony-executive-ai-enhances-personal-connections-in-video-games-for-gen-z-gen-alpha"> Sony Executive: AI Enhances Personal Connections In Video Games For Gen Z, Gen Alpha</a><a href=""></a>
&#8220;Generative AI, which is becoming a big topic recently, can be used in creative ways, but we recognize that it may also raise issues with intellectual property rights,&#8221; he said. 
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Nintendo's Stance On Technological Advancements</h3>
As Nintendo prepares to unveil its next-generation console, Furukawa stressed the company&#8217;s commitment to leveraging technological advancements while maintaining its unique creative identity. 
&#8220;We have decades of know-how in creating the best gaming experiences for our players. While we are open to utilizing technological developments, we will work to continue delivering value that is unique to Nintendo and cannot be created by technology alone,&#8221; he said.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Industry Perspectives On AI</h3>
Nintendo&#8217;s cautious yet open stance contrasts with the approaches of its competitors. Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) is reportedly developing an AI chatbot for Xbox to automate support tasks, including game refunds and subscription issues.
Meanwhile, Sony Group Corp.&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SONY#NASDAQ">SONY</a>) PlayStation Productions&#8217; head Asad Qizilbash highlighted AI&#8217;s potential to enhance player experiences through personalized interactions.
&#8220;For instance, non-player characters in games could interact with players based on their actions, making it feel more personal," Qizilbash said. "This is important for the younger Gen Z and Gen Alpha audiences, who are the first generations that grew up digitally and are looking for personalization across everything, as well as looking for experiences to have more meaning.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/03/37798791/survey-reveals-87-of-game-developers-embrace-open-source-amid-ai-concerns-layoff-fears">Survey Reveals 87% Of Game Developers Embrace Open-Source Amid AI Concerns, Layoff Fears</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/24/05/38952304/microsofts-ai-to-power-minecraft-and-other-xbox-pc-games">Microsoft&#8217;s AI To Power Minecraft And Other Xbox, PC Games</a></li>
</ul>
Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/es/@claudiolcastro?utm_content=creditCopyText&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=unsplash">Cláudio Luiz Castro</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/es/fotos/figura-de-super-mario-sobre-superficie-marron-_R95VMWyn7A?utm_content=creditCopyText&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_source=unsplash">Unsplash</a>

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Nintendo's President Says AI Can Be 'Creative,' But Raises Intellectual Property Concerns

Benzinga examined the prospects for<a href="http://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas"> many investors&#8217; favorite stocks</a> over the last week — here&#8217;s a look at some of our top stories.
U.S. stocks hit all-time highs during the shortened Independence Day trading week, buoyed by economic data that raised hopes the Federal Reserve might start cutting interest rates. The Nasdaq Composite surged 3.5%, the S&amp;P 500 rose nearly 2%, and the Dow lagged slightly with a 0.7% increase. 
Despite a stronger-than-expected job market report for June, revisions for prior months and a slight rise in the unemployment rate suggested a cooling economy. Additional signs of an economic slowdown emerged from the Institute for Supply Management Services PMI, which fell to its lowest <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39652289/stocks-rally-to-record-highs-as-investors-eye-interest-rate-cuts-labor-market-cools-tesla-">level since May 2020.</a>
Benzinga provides daily reports on the stocks most popular with investors. Here are a few of this past week&#8217;s most bullish and bearish posts that are worth another look.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">The Bulls</h3>
&#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39581531/trump-winning-the-election-would-be-major-catalyst-for-crypto-to-surge-says-investment-exp">Trump Winning The Election Would Be &#8216;Major Catalyst&#8217; For Crypto To Surge, Says Investment Expert</a>,&#8221; by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/murtuza-merchant">Murtuza Merchant</a>, explains how Donald Trump&#8216;s potential election victory could boost the cryptocurrency market, including Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>), according to an investment expert.
&#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/24/07/39582335/momentum-investor-praises-palantir-as-ai-halo-play-highlights-datadog-as-software-bottom">Momentum Investor Praises Palantir As AI Halo Play, Highlights Datadog As Stoware &#8216;Bottoming Process&#8217; Sets In</a>,&#8221; by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/adam-eckert">Adam Eckert</a>, discusses a momentum investor&#8217;s positive outlook on Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NYSE">PLTR</a>) due to its strong position in AI, while also noting Datadog Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DDOG#NASDAQ">DDOG</a>) as a promising investment at its current lows. 
&#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39647203/dogecoin-dumps-as-whales-move-400-million-coins-trader-predicts-next-will-be-a-huge-reboun">Dogecoin Dumps As Whales Move 400 Million Coins, Trader Predicts &#8216;Next Will Be A Huge Rebound,&#8217;</a>&#8221; by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/khyathi-dalal">Khyathi Dalal</a>, reports on significant whale activity amid Dogecoin&#8216;s (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>) price drop, but one trader predicts a major rebound as large holders have moved 400 million DOGE.
For additional bullish calls of the past week, check out the following:
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/top-stories/24/07/39607932/exclusive-tesla-shorts-were-profitable-this-year-until-shareholders-approved-musks-pay-package-exper">EXCLUSIVE: Tesla Shorts Were Profitable This Year Until Shareholders Approved Musk&#8217;s Pay Package, Expert Says</a>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39604334/sofis-transaction-revenue-skyrockets-analyst-foresees-major-growth-higher-valuation">SoFi&#8217;s Transaction Revenue Skyrockets: Analyst Foresees Major Growth, Higher Valuation</a>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39587744/nvidia-and-jensen-huang-fueling-tech-sector-boom-says-wedbush-analyst-dan-ives-for-every-1-spent-on">Nvidia And Jensen Huang Fueling Tech Sector Boom, Says Wedbush Analyst Dan Ives: &#8216;For Every $1 Spent On…&#8217;</a>
The Bears
&#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39569902/tesla-fsd-training-hits-a-snag-elon-musk-says-new-version-rollout-delayed-due-to-driving-smoothness">Tesla FSD Training Hits a Snag, Elon Musk Says New Version Rollout Delayed Due to Driving Smoothness</a>,&#8221; by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/anan-ashraf">Anan Ashraf</a>, reports that Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO Elon Musk announced delays in the rollout of Full Self-Driving (FSD) version 12 due to issues with driving smoothness, pushing back the deployment timeline despite significant advancements​.
&#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/07/39572952/gamestop-shares-take-a-hit-after-roaring-kitty-discloses-6-6-stake-in-chewy-and-faces-a-manipula">GameStop Shares Take a Hit After &#8216;Roaring Kitty&#8217; Discloses 6.6% Stake In Chewy And Faces A Manipulation Probe</a>,&#8221; by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/pooja-rajkumari">Pooja Rajkumari</a>, discusses how GameStop Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GME#NYSE">GME</a>) shares fell following Keith Gill&#8216;s 6.6% investment in Chewy Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CHWY#NYSE">CHWY</a>) and subsequent manipulation allegations​.
&#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/07/39654001/nvidia-gets-rare-downgrade-over-concerns-that-demand-is-normalizing-in-line-with-ex">Nvidia Gets Rare Downgrade Over Concerns That Demand Is Normalizing &#8216;In Line With Expectations,&#8217;</a>&#8221; by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/rounak-jain">Rounak Jain</a>, notes Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) faced a rare downgrade due to concerns about normalizing demand, despite its strong position in AI and data centers. 
For more bearish takes, be sure to see these posts:
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/bonds/24/07/39600702/fed-chair-powell-warns-of-unsustainable-us-debt-path-downplays-risks-of-possible-trump-attacks-on-c">Fed Chair Powell Warns Of &#8216;Unsustainable&#8217; US Debt Path, Downplays Risks Of Possible Trump Attacks On Central Bank Independence</a>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/07/39637474/ai-has-the-hallmarks-of-an-inflating-bubble-warns-veteran-wall-street-investor">AI Has &#8216;The Hallmarks Of An Inflating Bubble,&#8217; Warns Veteran Wall Street Investor</a>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/07/39625439/boeing-faces-high-stakes-decision-accept-plea-deal-or-risk-trial-over-737-max-safety-violations">Boeing Faces High-Stakes Decision: Accept Plea Deal Or Risk Trial Over 737 MAX Safety Violations</a>
Keep up with all the latest breaking news and trading ideas by following<a href="https://twitter.com/Benzinga"> Benzinga</a><a href="http://twitter.com/Benzinga"> on Twitter</a>.
This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Image created using artificial intelligence vid Midjourney.

Coverage of Bitcoin, Etherum, Ripple and all the latest digital currencies.

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Benzinga Bulls And Bears: Tesla, Nvidia, Palantir And Trader Predicts 'Huge Rebound' For Dogecoin

A landslide victory by the Labour Party in the U.K. has put the left-center group back in control of the government for the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39640147/keir-starmer-to-become-uk-prime-minister-as-labour-wins-big-over-rishi-sunaks-conservatives-mohamed">first time in 14 years</a>.
Keir Starmer, the party's leader — and as of Friday, the U.K.'s new prime minister — is a voice of moderation within the traditionally leftist party.
Starmer, 61, is viewed by some as a much-needed step toward the center of the political spectrum, necessary to win back the hearts of the U.K. electorate. For others, and especially to the party's most left-leaning figures, Starmer's concessions are pulling the party too far from the banners of social justice it has traditionally represented.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/specialty-etfs/24/07/39649841/united-kingdom-stocks-etfs-to-watch-after-keir-starmer-labour-party-win">British stocks and ETFs experienced a slight uptick</a> after the results of the election were announced.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Who Is Keir Starmer And How Did He Rise To Power?</h3>
Starmer's early years crystallized the leader as a poster child for Labour values.
The son of a nurse who worked for the NHS, the U.K.'s public health service, and a toolmaker, Starmer was the first in his family to reach a college title, graduating from the University of Oxford with a law degree.
Throughout his political career, Starmer has repeatedly made mention of his working class background as a way to legitimize his quest for social justice.
During his formative years, which coincided with the final years of the Cold War, he displayed clear tendencies toward the far left, serving as editor for Socialist Alternatives, a Trotskyist radical magazine in the U.K.
Starmer became a lawyer in 1987 and began a career "defending ordinary people against the powerful," as the official Labour Party site states in his biography.
This meant representing labor unions against corporations and working on high-profile human rights cases, which included defending convicts sentenced for death penalty.
In 2008, he was appointed director of public prosecutions by the Crown, launching his public servant career. This position is the third most senior public prosecutor position in England and Wales, behind only the attorney general and solicitor general.
During seven years in this position he enjoyed public exposure, becoming the main prosecutor in high-profile cases which included the trials of several MPs found guilty in a parliamentary expenses scandal.&nbsp;
He was knighted for his contributions to law and order in 2014.
Also Read:&nbsp;
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/39585183">Tesla, Other US Automakers Lose Ground In UK To Chinese And Domestic Players</a></li>
</ul>
His political career is short-lived, compared to other MPs. He was appointed as a candidate for Parliament in late 2014, less than 10 years ago. In 2015 he became a member of the House of Commons for Labour. 
He was named Shadow Brexit Minister, a position within the opposition that centralized his party's opinions on Brexit, one of the most cataclysmic events in recent U.K. history.
Jump to 2020, and Starmer had risen to opposition leader within the Labour Party, after previous leader Jeremy Corbyn lost by a landslide against Conservative Boris Johnson in the 2019 elections.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">What Does Keir Starmer Stand For?</h3>
At 61 years old, Starmer seems to have pulled away from his Marxist background for more moderate centrist position that seeks to bring back credibility to the Labour Party.
His calm, managerial and unassuming public personality has been deemed "boring," yet it might be exactly the face that the U.K. government needs today to counteract a credibility crisis that has taken it to the lowest approval levels in decades. Only 27% of the population said they trusted the government in March, as per the Office for National Statistics.
"A vote for Labour is a vote for stability — economic and political," Starmer said during his most recent campaign.
Over the five years that went by since Labour's dramatic loss to the Conservatives in 2019, Starmer has worked to weed out the far-left elements of his party. A symbolic step in this direction occurred in 2020 when former leader Corbyn was ousted following his reaction to claims of antisemitism within the party.
Corbyn won a seat in the Parliament as an independent in this year's election. But his expulsion from the party also meant a break with some of his most leftist policies.
Starmer's concessions toward a more moderate stance — which arguably got him elected — include dialing back on Labour's most extreme proposals, like increasing the income tax or dropping university tuition fees, as The Guardian has <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/may/03/labour-tuition-fees-keir-starmer-political-party-british-democratic-history">reported</a>. Several plans to nationalize public services have also been taken out of the Labour conversation.
Starmer's main quest is one of consensus and order. He said during his campaign he won't commit to promises that he can't fulfill, putting the focus on fixing the country's housing crisis and its decaying public health system. This is a challenging task, as the new MP has vowed not to increase taxes for the general population or deepen public debt.
UK-US Relations Under Starmer: Politically, Starmer's government is more aligned with U.S. Democrats. This means that the future of international relations across the Atlantic depends widely <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39618327/economics-will-define-2024-election-comparing-trump-and-biden-presidencies">on the results of November's election in the U.S.</a>
If Joe Biden — <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39611479/odds-of-kamala-harris-replacing-joe-biden-as-democratic-presidential-candidate-raised-by-c">or another Democratic candidate</a> — were to win, that would likely bring about a brighter future for U.K.-U.S. relations than if Donald Trump is elected president.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/39585183">One To The Right, One To The Left: France&#8217;s National Rally Set For Record Win As The UK&#8217;s Labour Party Regains Support</a></li>
</ul>
Picture: Official portrait of Keir Starmer, taken in June 2017, via Wikimedia Commons.

Politics

Who Is The UK's New Prime Minister Keir Starmer And What Does He Stand For?

In defiance of the market&#8217;s downturn, a memecoin built on the Solana blockchain, Billy (CRYPTO: BILLY), has experienced a significant surge, with its value increasing by nearly 147% in the last week.
What Happened: The value of Billy, a memecoin with a dog theme, has surged by nearly 147% in the last week, reaching $0.182. This surge in value comes after several cryptocurrency exchanges, including Bittrue, Bitget, MEXC, and Gate.io, added support for the coin, <a href="https://dailyhodl.com/2024/07/05/solana-based-memecoin-defies-market-downturn-jumps-over-30-in-24-hours-amid-listing-on-multiple-exchanges/">reported</a> The Daily Hodl.
Billy, which was launched in June, features a puppy image and has outperformed other popular meme coins during the current market consolidation phase, which has led to significant declines across the board, the report noted. 
Despite the market&#8217;s downturn, Billy&#8217;s market cap is currently at $181.8 million, with a 24-hour trading volume of $55.3 million, according to data from CoinMarketCap.
Why It Matters: Despite their often whimsical nature, meme coins have been gaining traction and demonstrating significant market resilience.
Other dog-theme assets such as Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/shib/usd">SHIB</a>) and Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>) are trading at $0.00001538 and $0.1081 respectively as of the time of writing this article.
Other top-tier cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) have come under selling pressure over the past week &#8211; while Bitcoin has fallen over 7%, Ethereum declined by over 11%.
Read More:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39653852/elon-musk-pegs-fifth-starship-launch-for-first-week-of-august-spacex-expected-to-attempt-a-booster-l" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Pegs Fifth Starship Launch For First Week Of August: SpaceX Expected To Attempt A Booster Landing This Time</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: @billydogsolana
 This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/anan-ashraf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Anan Ashraf.</a>

$SHIB

While Bitcoin, Ethereum, Shiba Inu Witness A Meltdown, This Solana-Based Memecoin Has Surged 147% In Last Week

EV maker Rivian Automotive (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIVN#NASDAQ">RIVN</a>) has scrapped its return policy that allowed customers to return their <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/07/39595729/why-rivian-automotive-shares-are-gaining-tuesday">new vehicle </a>in 7 days if it does not meet their needs.
What Happened: Rivian previously allowed new customers to return their new vehicles within 7 days or 1000 miles if it doesn&#8217;t meet their needs. The webpage referring to the policy has now been taken down.
A Rivian spokesperson told <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga</a> in a statement that the company launched the 7-day return policy to reassure customers who were unfamiliar with the brand and its products. However, since then, the company has scaled its network of Service Centers and demo drive fleet across the United States and Canada so that customers can test drive before purchase, they said.
The company now says on its website that Rivian vehicles do not have a return policy. The company instead urges customers to schedule demo drives and test the vehicle before making the purchase. 
&#8220;We encourage our customers to get behind the wheel by&nbsp;scheduling a demo drive. You'll also have the opportunity to do a vehicle walk-around with a delivery specialist prior to accepting delivery, and are covered by Rivian's industry-leading warranties,&#8221; the company support page now reads.
Why It Matters: Rivian currently has two vehicles in production, the R1T truck and the R1S SUV, both priced at around $70,000. The company has been accumulating losses for every vehicle it delivered until the first quarter of 2024 when it made a loss of nearly $39,000 for each of the 13,588 vehicles it sold.
Rivian is looking to turn its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/07/39594501/from-volkswagen-partnership-to-trimming-costs-and-introducing-cheaper-evs-rivian-st">first-ever quarterly gross profit</a> in the fourth quarter of 2024 and has been making moves aimed at cutting costs. The possible cancellation of the return policy might also be aimed at that end.
Last month, Rivian announced its intent to form a joint venture with Volkswagen aimed at creating software-defined vehicle platforms to be used in both players&#8217; future electric vehicles starting in the second half of the decade.
As part of the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/06/39559280/rivian-volkswagen-partnership-a-game-changer-says-one-analyst-a-mystery-says-another">terms of the deal</a>, Volkswagen will initially invest $1 billion in Rivian and then up to $4 billion until 2026. Both companies shall hold a 50% stake in the JV which is expected to be formed by the fourth quarter of 2024.&nbsp;
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 More:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39653934/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-considers-building-replica-of-tars-from-interstellar-in-addition-to-optimus-woul">Tesla CEO Elon Musk Considers Building Replica Of TARS From Interstellar In Addition To Optimus: &#8216;Would Be So Cute&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Rivian

Tech

RIVN

Rivian Cancels 7-Day Vehicle Return Policy, Urges Customers To Do Test Drives And Walk-Arounds Instead

American basketball player Trae Young has seemingly taken delivery of a Tesla Inc <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39646347/tesla-hints-cybertruck-was-most-sold-ev-truck-in-us-in-q2-but-elon-musks-company-has-not-released-da">Cybertruck</a> and wrapped it in a blue resemblant of snow and winters. 
What Happened: Young shared pictures of his blue-wrapped Cybertruck on X and Instagram on Friday. The pictures were captioned &#8216;Sometimes you gotta pop out….,&#8217; from rapper Kendrick Lamar&#8216;s popular song &#8216;Not Like Us.&#8217; 
Young also nicknamed his truck the &#8216;SnowMobile&#8217; after Batman&#8217;s bat-themed Batmobile. 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">"Sometimes you gotta pop out…."&#x1f499;&#x2744;&#xFE0F;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SnowMobile?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SnowMobile</a> <a href="https://t.co/bhA4OGJhqc">pic.twitter.com/bhA4OGJhqc</a>
&mdash; Trae Young (@TheTraeYoung) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheTraeYoung/status/1809333469161697705?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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The Cybertruck&#8217;s stainless steel body allows no exterior paint. However, customers can wrap the truck, either with wraps available at Tesla&#8217;s online shop, or more individualistic wraps from third-party customizers.
Rapper Lil Baby showcased his <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39613831/elon-musk-thinks-cybertruck-wrap-resembling-marvel-superhero-deadpool-looks-cool">red-wrapped Cybertruck</a> on Instagram over the week, resembling Marvel superhero Deadpool with intermittent black in its body and wheels.
The rapper, however, was seemingly going for a big, angular red apple. Footballer Isaiah Simmons also recently took delivery of a Cybertruck and wrapped it in matte white with white wheel caps which Tesla CEO Elon Musk commended as &#8216;Nice.&#8217;
Why It Matters: Tesla started delivering the Cybertruck in November. Since then, several celebrities and popular names have taken delivery of it including&nbsp;Justin Bieber,&nbsp;Jay-Z&nbsp;and&nbsp;Beyonce,&nbsp;Serena Williams, and&nbsp;Lady Gaga.
The celebrity status of the Cybertruck is likely due to the vehicle&#8217;s unconventional design, high price point, and the few units available on the road. The vehicle pricing starts at $79,990 for the all-wheel drive version and $99,990 for the more premium Cyberbeast version.
A lower-priced rear-wheel drive version of the truck will be <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38130429/new-cybertruck-orders-will-only-be-delivered-in-2025-says-tesla-website" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">available in 2025</a>, as per the company website, starting at $60,990.
Tesla is currently scaling the production of the Cybertruck and aims to make 250,000 annually by 2025. For now, the company has touched a weekly production rate of 1,300 Cybertrucks, Musk said at Tesla's annual shareholder meeting earlier this month. The EV maker is looking to increase it further this year to touch 2,500 units by year-end,<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39330272/tesla-ramping-up-cybertruck-production-to-touch-2-500-units-per-week-non-foundation-series-to-start" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;he added</a>.
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 More:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39653852/elon-musk-pegs-fifth-starship-launch-for-first-week-of-august-spacex-expected-to-attempt-a-booster-l" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Pegs Fifth Starship Launch For First Week Of August: SpaceX Expected To Attempt A Booster Landing This Time</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Basketball Player Trae Young Now Drives A Blue Wrapped Cybertruck Nicknamed 'SnowMobile'

Former President Donald Trump has publicly disavowed any connection to the contentious "Project 2025," despite the project&#8217;s ties to his <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39641760/biden-vs-trump-incumbent-trails-by-widest-margin-in-this-election-cycle-but-more-than-half-unenthusi">potential second-term administration</a>.
What Happened: According to a Reuters report on Saturday, Trump has renounced any association with Project 2025, an initiative led by the Heritage Foundation, a prominent conservative think tank.
The project has faced criticism from Democrats, who claim it outlines an extreme policy agenda for a potential second Trump term.
Several individuals involved in Project 2025 have previously worked in the Trump administration and are expected to return should he win the November election.
However, Trump refuted any connection to the project on his Truth Social platform, stating, &#8220;I know nothing about Project 2025. I have no idea who is behind it.&#8221;
"I disagree with some of the things they're saying and some of the things they're saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal," he said while wishing them "luck."
Trump&#8217;s distancing from the project comes three days after Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts&#8217; comments about a second American Revolution on Steve Bannon&#8217;s &#8220;War Room&#8221; podcast. These remarks were widely criticized as a veiled threat of violence.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39653837/biden-asserts-he-is-not-pulling-out-of-presidential-race-says-only-lord-almighty-could-force-him">Biden Asserts He Is Not Pulling Out Of Presidential Race, Says Only &#8216;Lord Almighty&#8217; Could Force Him</a>
Political science professor James Wallner suggests that Trump&#8217;s move could be an attempt to moderate his message in the final months of the race, especially as opponent Joe Biden&#8217;s campaign <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/07/39652860/biden-should-step-aside-say-business-leaders-including-walmart-heir">appears to be faltering</a>.
The Biden campaign has been linking Trump&#8217;s campaign to Project 2025, with campaign spokesperson Ammar Moussa stating, "Project 2025 is the extreme policy and personnel playbook for Trump's second term that should scare the hell out of the American people."
Why It Matters: Trump&#8217;s disassociation from Project 2025 comes at a time when his opponent is facing criticism over his recent <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39653890/biden-dismisses-health-concerns-defends-poor-debate-performance-amid-calls-to-withdraw-from-2024-rac">poor debate performance</a>. Biden, however, has dismissed health concerns and defended his performance, attributing it to exhaustion and cold, rather than a serious health condition.
Furthermore, Trump has recently made <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39638541/trumps-unfounded-claims-kamala-harris-stir-controversy-shes-so-bad-shes-so-pathetic">unfounded allegations</a> about Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, causing controversy.
Despite this, a new poll shows Biden still <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39628794/biden-vs-trump-new-poll-shows-president-still-very-much-in-race-despite-debate-fiasco-but-final-outc">very much in the race</a>, with both candidates receiving 40% support each.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/specialty-etfs/24/07/39618512/nancy-pelosi-loads-up-on-more-nvidia-shares-sells-tesla-she-always-reports-right-before-a-hol?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nancy Pelosi Loads Up On More Nvidia Shares, Sells Tesla: &#8216;She Always Reports Right Before A Holiday&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Trump Distances Himself From 'Project 2025' Amid Rising Controversy: 'I Know Nothing'

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) bull Gary Black on Friday raised his price target on the EV giant&#8217;s shares from $200 to $270 in addition to revising his estimates for the company&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/07/39595720/tesla-deliveries-fall-for-second-straight-quarter-but-stock-takes-off-as-q2-numbers-exceed-expec">full-year vehicle delivery volume</a> and earnings per share.
What Happened: The Future Fund Managing Partner increased his adjusted EPS (earnings per share) estimate for 2024 to $2.4 from $2.2 while adding that Tesla will likely deliver 1,707,000 vehicles for the whole year, down from the 1,808,581 units delivered in 2023.
Despite the increase, Black&#8217;s estimates are still behind Wall Street estimates of an adjusted EPS of $2.46 and deliveries of 1,804,000 units for the year. 
For 2030, however, Black is more optimistic. The analyst now estimates an adjusted EPS of $15 for Tesla in 2030, up from his previous $14.5 estimate, and much higher than Wall Street estimate of $12. 
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">We have increased our <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24TSLA&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$TSLA</a> PT to $270 from $200. Attached is our updated forecast of <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24TSLA&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$TSLA</a> delivs, margins, and earnings vs WS ests. We've increased our <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24TSLA&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$TSLA</a> 2024 Adj EPS to $2.40 (from $2.20). Our 2024 volume forecast is now 1,707 (-6% vs 2023). We are slightly below WS… <a href="https://t.co/xZ8rzeaUGf">pic.twitter.com/xZ8rzeaUGf</a>
&mdash; Gary Black (@garyblack00) <a href="https://twitter.com/garyblack00/status/1809363723678556553?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The long-term estimate revision is based on several upsides Black sees for Tesla including an increase in global EV adoption rate by 2030, an increase in take rate for Tesla&#8217;s full self-driving driver assistance technology, and also a hike in gross profits from the company&#8217;s energy storage segment.
Black, however, assumed no incremental value for either Tesla&#8217;s upcoming robotaxi or its humanoid robot Optimus in a move that he acknowledged as &#8220;ultra-conservative.&#8221;
Why It Matters: Black&#8217;s revision comes at a time when Tesla&#8217;s stock is on the rise. The company's second-quarter delivery numbers beat estimates,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/24/07/39605521/stock-of-the-day-teslas-q2-deliveries-spark-rally-will-resistance-halt-the-climb" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">igniting a stock rally</a> and reversing losses so far this year. 
Talking about the recent rally, former Ford Motor Co. CEO Mark Fields said in an appearance on CNBC, &#8220;I think what&#8217;s ironic is that Musk has been- Musk wants Tesla to be a robotics and AI company, but their stock turnaround was driven by the autos.&#8221;
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">"Deliveries beat expectations and their energy storage business was better than expected," says former Ford CEO <a href="https://twitter.com/mfields?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@mfields</a> on the recent Tesla stock rally. "Elon Musk wants Tesla to be a robotics and AI company, but their stock turnaround was driven by the autos." <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24TSLA&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$TSLA</a> <a href="https://t.co/WQvFauJe3K">pic.twitter.com/WQvFauJe3K</a>
&mdash; Last Call (@LastCallCNBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/LastCallCNBC/status/1809370181585588639?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Fields is referring to Tesla CEO Elon Musk&#8216;s attempts to turn Tesla into an AI, robotics, and sustainable energy company in addition to an automaker with an increased push toward diverse fields such as robotics, energy storage, and autonomous driving.
Price Action: Tesla shares closed up 2.1% at $251.52 on Friday. The stock is up 1.25% year-to-date, according to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>. 
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 More:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39653852/elon-musk-pegs-fifth-starship-launch-for-first-week-of-august-spacex-expected-to-attempt-a-booster-l">Elon Musk Pegs Fifth Starship Launch For First Week Of August: SpaceX Expected To Attempt A Booster Landing This Time</a></li>
</ul>
Photos courtesy: Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Upgrades

Price Target

Analyst Ratings

Gary Black Raises Tesla Price Target As Ex-Ford CEO Notes Irony of Auto-Driven Stock Rally Amid Elon Musk's AI And Robotics Focus

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) has approved the marketplace app of Epic Games, the creator of &#8220;Fortnite,&#8221; for iPhones and iPads in Europe. This move comes amid a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39646883/fortnite-maker-epic-games-accuses-apple-of-blocking-its-game-store-launch">continuing conflict</a> between the two tech behemoths.
What Happened: Apple&#8217;s approval follows accusations from Epic Games that Apple was hindering its attempts to launch a games store on Apple devices. 
The tech giant stated that the dispute is centered around&nbsp;the Epic Sweden AB Marketplace&nbsp;and is not related to Epic&#8217;s Fortnite app, which Apple has already approved, reported Reuters.
Epic Games had earlier alleged that Apple had <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39646883/fortnite-maker-epic-games-accuses-apple-of-blocking-its-game-store-launch">twice rejected its application&nbsp;to launch</a> the Epic Games&nbsp;Store due to similarities in&nbsp;the design of certain buttons&nbsp;and labels with those used by Apple&#8217;s App Store.&nbsp;
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
&#8220;Apple&#8217;s rejection is arbitrary, obstructive,&nbsp;and in violation of the&nbsp;DMA (Digital Markets Act), and&nbsp;we&#8217;ve shared our concerns with&nbsp;the European Commission,&#8221; Epic said in a series of posts on X.
Why It Matters: The European Commission, which began an investigation into Apple&#8217;s app validation processes and alternative app store sideloading last month, has yet to comment on the issue. 
The feud between Apple and Epic Games began in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/12/36210791/how-did-epic-games-showdown-with-google-differ-from-apple-ceo-tim-sweeney-says-it-was-like-ice-and">2020 when Epic claimed that&nbsp;Apple&#8217;s practice</a> of charging up&nbsp;to 30% commissions on in-app&nbsp;payments on its iOS devices violated U.S. antitrust laws.
Earlier this year, Apple proposed changes to its App Store policies to comply with specific directives of the DMA, which came into effect in March. These changes permitted alternative app stores on iPhones and allowed users to opt out of using the in-app payment system.
However, Apple introduced a &#8220;core technology fee,&#8221; which many developers <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/01/36805331/apples-alternative-app-store-model-in-the-eu-could-potentially-cost-meta-others-millions-of-dollars">have criticized as exploitative</a>.
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:&nbsp;
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39564817/apple-rejects-metas-ai-integration-proposal-ex-employee-accuses-iphone-maker-of-chemical-exposure-an?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple Rejects Meta&#8217;s AI Integration Proposal, Ex-Employee Accuses iPhone-Maker Of Chemical Exposure And More: This Week In Appleverse</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

AAPL

Apple Approves Epic Games' Marketplace App In Europe Amid Ongoing Feud

Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) has received a rare downgrade from New Street Research, with the analyst citing concerns about the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39412234/nvidias-rise-resembles-dot-com-boom-era-but-former-cisco-ceo-says-things-are-different-this-time">stock&#8217;s overvaluation</a>.
What Happened: New Street Research analyst Pierre Ferragu downgraded Nvidia&#8217;s stock from buy to neutral, citing that the stock is "getting fully valued" after a remarkable 161% surge this year to date. The stock had previously seen a gain of almost 240% in 2023.
Ferragu expressed doubt about any additional upside, stating that it would only materialize in a bull case, which is not yet certain. He also warned of a potential risk of derating if the current outlook remains unchanged.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Despite the AI frenzy, Ferragu notes that there is a normalization when it comes to demand for Nvidia's AI-oriented graphics processing units, or GPUs.
"When you listen to clients of Nvidia, we see demand is completely in line with expectations," said Ferragu in an interview with CNBC.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/07/39646688/tech-bull-shares-top-stock-picks-for-second-half-of-2024-after-ai-fueled-rally-do-y">Tech Bull Shares Top Stock Picks For Second Half Of 2024 After AI-Fueled Rally: Do You Own These Stocks?</a>
Despite the downgrade, Nvidia remains the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/07/39640232/jim-cramer-shuns-this-stock-but-it-has-left-nvidia-super-micro-biting-the-dust-on-one-year-returns">second-best performer</a> among S&amp;P 500 components this year, trailing Super Micro Computer Inc., another AI investor favorite. The company&#8217;s market capitalization has increased by almost $1.9 trillion, briefly making it the world&#8217;s largest company.
Why It Matters: The recent surge in the U.S. stock market, largely driven by the promise of artificial intelligence, has drawn comparisons to the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s.
This has raised concerns about <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/07/39589689/ai-boom-spurs-nvidia-led-us-stock-market-rally-experts-draw-parallels-with-dotcom-bubble-no-one-">another overvaluation scenario</a>, as the market is currently dominated by a small group of tech giants, with Nvidia among the top performers.
Despite the downgrade, New Street Research is positive on both Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSMC#NYSE">TSMC</a>), citing their growth trends and valuations.
AMD and TSMC are &#8220;the best names to own in the group, offering strong upside in both in our base and high scenarios,&#8221; New Street said in a note, adding that among other stocks with AI exposure, Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>), Arista Networks Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ANET#NYSE">ANET</a>), and Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>) all &#8220;remain attractively valued.&#8221;
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has been offloading the company's stock, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/07/39611550/nvidia-ceo-jensen-huang-sells-over-29m-worth-of-shares-as-companys-stock-shoots-up-155-in-2024-a">selling over $29 million worth of shares</a> amid the 161% surge in 2024.
This rise has led to Nvidia&#8217;s market value exceeding $3 trillion, underscoring the company&#8217;s dominant position in the tech industry.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">"For the first time, we think Nvidia might not exceed expectations," says Newstreet Research's <a href="https://twitter.com/p_ferragu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@p_ferragu</a> on his decision to downgrade Nvidia to neutral. "When you listen to clients of Nvidia, we see demand is completely in line with expectations." <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24NVDA&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$NVDA</a> <a href="https://t.co/r7NqJ4rW5a">pic.twitter.com/r7NqJ4rW5a</a>
&mdash; Last Call (@LastCallCNBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/LastCallCNBC/status/1809369947484594317?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39644569/key-nvidia-supplier-sk-hynix-to-get-further-boost-from-ai-demand-even-after-90-stock-surge-goldman-s">Key Nvidia Supplier SK Hynix To Get Further Boost From AI Demand Even After 90% Stock Surge, Goldman Sachs And Citi Predict</a>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Downgrades

ANET

AVGO

TSMC

Nvidia Gets Rare Downgrade Over Concerns That Demand Is Normalizing 'In Line With Expectations:' Stock 'Getting Fully Valued'

Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO Elon Musk on Friday teased making a robot resembling TARS from the Christopher Nolan movie Interstellar, in addition to its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39327644/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-eyes-25-trillion-market-cap-with-optimus-bot-admits-to-being-pathologically-opti">humanoid robot Optimus.</a>
What Happened: &#8220;Maybe Tesla should built it. Would be so cute,&#8221; Musk wrote on X. The CEO was responding to a video of a functional, walking TARS replica. 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Maybe Tesla should built it. Would be so cute.
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1809380365464723964?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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Musk is currently attempting to make Tesla a robotics, AI, and sustainable energy company in addition to an automaker with an increased push toward diverse fields such as robotics, energy storage, and autonomous driving. The company is already developing a humanoid robot by the name of Optimus.
Optimus, however, is very different from TARS. While the fictional robot has a cuboidal structure with moving cuboidal parts, Optimus resembles a human with moving hands capable of performing tasks around a factory. 
Two Optimus bots are currently employed in Tesla's Fremont factory, taking cells off the end of the production line and placing them in containers, Musk confirmed in early June. 
Why It Matters: During Tesla's annual shareholder meeting in June, Musk said that there will be at least <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39246781/elon-musk-thinks-humanoid-robots-will-one-day-exceed-human-population-from-nvidias-project-gr00t-to" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">one humanoid robot</a> for every person in the world in the future, implying a total humanoid robot population of at least 10 billion or more, of which the EV company will have a significant share.
&#8220;While autonomous vehicle is a $5-$7 trillion market cap situation, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39327644/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-eyes-25-trillion-market-cap-with-optimus-bot-admits-to-being-pathologically-opti">Optimus is a $25 trillion market cap situation</a>,&#8221; Musk, who is known to over-hype his company&#8217;s products, then said. The CEO himself admitted that he is &#8220;pathologically optimistic&#8221; but delivers in the end.
Following a major hardware revision by the end of this year or early next year, Tesla expects to commence limited production of the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39307242/tesla-says-optimus-bots-are-now-performing-autonomous-tasks-at-its-factory-3-years-after-introductio">Optimus to work in its factories</a> and test its capabilities, the CEO added.
Tesla also plans to unveil its dedicated robotaxi product on Aug. 8. The CEO, in April, said that dedicating to autonomous driving is a &#8220;blindly obvious move&#8221; for Tesla.
&#8220;Even if I got kidnapped by aliens tomorrow, Tesla&nbsp;will&nbsp;solve autonomy, maybe a little slower, but it would solve autonomy for vehicles at least,&#8221;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38397845/tesla-will-solve-autonomy-even-if-i-got-kidnapped-by-aliens-tomorrow-says-elon-musk-as-he-reveals-ta" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Musk said</a>&nbsp;at the company's first-quarter earnings call. &#8220;If somebody doesn&#8217;t believe Tesla is going to solve autonomy, I think they should not be an investor in the company.&#8221;
Check out more of Benzinga'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 More:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39646347/tesla-hints-cybertruck-was-most-sold-ev-truck-in-us-in-q2-but-elon-musks-company-has-not-released-da">Tesla Hints Cybertruck Was Most Sold EV Truck In US In Q2, But Elon Musk&#8217;s Company Has Not Released Data To Back It Up</a></li>
</ul>
Image made via photos on Shutterstock

Tesla CEO Elon Musk Considers Building Replica Of TARS From Interstellar In Addition To Optimus: 'Would Be So Cute'

Amid growing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39625294/2024-election-betting-odds-react-to-biden-debate-disaster-trump-odds-hit-all-time-high-kam">calls for his withdrawal</a> from the 2024 presidential race, President Joe Biden has defended his recent poor debate performance, attributing it to exhaustion and cold, rather than a serious health condition.
What Happened: In his first interview since the debate, Biden <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/exhausted-bad-episode-biden-doubles-debate-explanations-abc/story?id=111695168">told</a> ABC News&#8217; George Stephanopoulos on Friday, that he felt terrible before the event.
&#8220;It was a bad episode. No indication of any serious condition. I was exhausted.&#8221;
Stephanopoulos questioned the timing, noting&nbsp;that Biden had spent six&nbsp;days at Camp David preparing&nbsp;for the debate. Biden revealed that&nbsp;he thought he had COVID-19.&nbsp;
&#8220;Because&nbsp;I was sick, I was&nbsp;feeling terrible. A matter of&nbsp;fact, the doc was with&nbsp;me — I asked if&nbsp;they did a COVID test&nbsp;because I was trying to&nbsp;figure out what's wrong,&#8221; Biden said. However, the test came back negative.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39638437/edward-snowden-reminds-americans-about-origins-of-the-fourth-of-july-holiday-shooting-at-the-governm?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Edward Snowden Reminds Americans About Origins Of The Fourth Of July Holiday: &#8216;Shooting At The Government&#8217;</a>
The president also refuted claims that he had&nbsp;listened back to the debate and accused former President Donald Trump of lying 28 times during the event. 
Why It Matters: During the debate, Biden&#8217;s&nbsp;soft and raspy voice and&nbsp;his struggle to complete sentences raised concerns about his health. The White House initially attributed his performance to a cold, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39610890/biden-blames-jet-lag-for-subpar-debate-performance-i-decided-to-travel-around-the-world-a-couple-tim">later blaming it on recent foreign travel</a>.
Biden&#8217;s poor performance in the debate has led to increased speculation about his 2024 re-election bid. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39563725/biden-widely-criticized-over-debate-performance-but-poll-also-points-to-concerning-signs-for-trump">A recent poll</a> revealed a decline in voters' confidence in Biden‘s mental and physical fitness. Despite this, Biden remains committed to the presidential race, even as calls <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/07/39653056/trump-vs-biden-former-president-retakes-lead-in-2024-election-poll-after-debate-more-voters-see-">for him to step down have grown.</a>
His performance has been attributed to a series of missteps by his top advisors, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39566647/joe-bidens-disastrous-debate-performance-blamed-on-bad-preparation-what-a-bad-decision-to-send-him-o">including a lack of rest and poor preparation</a>. Biden himself has previously attributed his lackluster performance to jet lag from his recent overseas trips.
&#8220;I didn&#8217;t have my best night, but the fact is that you know, I wasn&#8217;t very smart. I decided to travel around the world a couple times, going through around 100 time zones … before … the debate,&#8221; he said last week.
Read Next:&nbsp;
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39611479/odds-of-kamala-harris-replacing-joe-biden-as-democratic-presidential-candidate-raised-by-c?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Odds Of Kamala Harris Replacing Joe Biden As Democratic Presidential Candidate Raised By Crypto Bettors, Memecoin Themed On Her Surges 126%</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Biden Dismisses Health Concerns, Defends Poor Debate Performance Amid Calls To Withdraw From 2024 Race: 'It Was A Bad Episode. No Indication Of Any Serious Condition. I Was Exhausted'

President Joe Biden took to X, formerly Twitter, on Friday to congratulate Keir Starmer on becoming the new <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39640147/keir-starmer-to-become-uk-prime-minister-as-labour-wins-big-over-rishi-sunaks-conservatives-mohamed">U.K. Prime Minister</a>.
What Happened: &#8220;Congratulations to Prime Minister Keir Starmer on becoming Prime Minister of the United Kingdom,&#8221; Biden wrote in a post on X. &#8220;I look forward to our shared work in support of freedom and democracy around the world, and to further strengthening the special relationship between our two countries.&#8221;
This is the first reaction from Biden on X to the U.K.&#8217;s newly elected prime minister.
<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">Congratulations to Prime Minister Keir Starmer on becoming Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. I look forward to our shared work in support of freedom and democracy around the world, and to further strengthening the special relationship between our two countries.
&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1809278569480126549?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
According to a statement from the White House, Biden also spoke with Starmer on Friday and the two leaders reiterated their continued support for Ukraine against Russia. They also affirmed their commitment to working with the leaders of Northern Ireland to create and sustain economic growth and opportunities.
Why It Matters: Keir Starmer-led Labour Party bagged a historic win in the 2024 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/eurozone/24/05/39048040/uk-election-how-it-works-and-which-markets-could-be-affected">U.K. General Elections</a> over the outgoing Prime Minister&nbsp;Rishi Sunak-led Conservative Party.
The electorate not only handed the party a resounding win after more than ten years of Conservative governance but also the monumental task of revitalizing a stagnant economy and a disillusioned nation.
&#8220;We said we would turn the page, and we have. Today we start the next chapter. begin the work of change, the mission of national renewal, and start to rebuild our country,&#8221; Starmer said in his victory speech to supporters in London. Starmer also promised to put &#8220;country first, party second&#8221; in his victory speech.
Starmer will attend the NATO Summit in Washington D.C. next week. Biden and Starmer will meet in person then. 
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</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photos courtesy: Shutterstock and Flickr

Biden Congratulates Keir Starmer On Becoming UK Prime Minister: 'Look Forward To Our Shared Work...'

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said on Friday that the fifth flight of its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39455125/spacex-gambled-with-starships-reentry-method-says-senior-exec-there-was-still-a-chance-that-this-wou">ambitious Starship launch vehicle </a>will be in the next 4 weeks. For the next test, the company is expected to attempt landing Starship&#8217;s booster back at Starbase instead of splashing it down in the Gulf of Mexico like last time.
What Happened: &#8220;Flight 5 in 4 weeks,&#8221; Musk said on X, formerly Twitter, pegging the next Starship launch around for around Aug. 2.
<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">Flight 5 in 4 weeks <a href="https://t.co/K7pfdujrqx">https://t.co/K7pfdujrqx</a>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1809381756199661879?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
SpaceX <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39226248/elon-musk-outlines-future-starship-goals-after-successful-fourth-flight-test">last launched Starship</a> in the first half of June. During the test, the two stages of the vehicle &#8211; the Starship spacecraft and the Super Heavy booster &#8211; separated and the booster subsequently had a soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.
The spacecraft ignited its engines and went into space, made a controlled re-entry to Earth, and had a soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean. The entire flight lasted one hour and six minutes from launch. The key object of the flight was to re-enter Earth and the mission achieved it while withstanding damage to the vehicle.
The flights before accomplished less. While the spacecraft failed to reach space in the first flight, it reached space and exploded in the second test flight. During the third flight test, the spacecraft broke apart when re-entering Earth's atmosphere from space.
The goal for the next test flight, however, is to catch the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39543299/spacex-preparing-to-catch-starship-booster-at-starbase-during-next-test-flight-instead-of-splashing">booster back at Starbase</a> using the launch tower's mechanical arms, marking a significant demonstration of Starship&#8217;s reusability.
Why It Matters: SpaceX is currently looking to ensure full reusability for its Starship rocket. Reuse of rockets, the company believes, is integral to bringing down the costs of spaceflight as the most cost is taken up in building the launch vehicle.
Starship is touted as the world's most powerful launch vehicle, standing 121 meters tall and weighing approximately 5,000 tonnes. SpaceX is expected to have at least six test flights of the Starship this year, as per CEO&nbsp;Elon Musk‘s latest estimate from March.&nbsp;
NASA is currently relying on the success of Starship to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/12/36296253/51-years-since-apollo-17-elon-musk-urges-humanity-to-surpass-moon-visit-as-civilizational-high-water" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">land humans back on the moon</a>&nbsp;as part of its Artemis program. The last crewed lunar mission occurred in 1972 with Apollo 17. Since then, no crew has traveled beyond low-Earth orbit.
Check out more of Benzinga'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 More:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39639542/palantir-chair-peter-thiel-praises-elon-musks-risk-taking-ability-regrets-not-investing-in-tesla-the">Palantir Chair Peter Thiel Praises Elon Musk&#8217;s Risk-Taking Ability, Regrets Not Investing In Tesla: &#8216;There&#8217;s Something About Risk He Knows That We Don&#8217;t&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Photo via Shutterstock

SPACE

Elon Musk Pegs Fifth Starship Launch For First Week Of August: SpaceX Expected To Attempt A Booster Landing This Time

President Joe Biden reaffirmed his determination to continue his presidential bid, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39627704/kamala-harris-reportedly-emerges-as-top-choice-to-replace-the-president-in-2024-election-biden-says">despite mounting concerns</a> within his party about his ability to secure another term.
What Happened: During the <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-dismisses-concerns-mental-fitness-hed-drop-lord/story?id=111695174">interview</a> with ABC News, Biden, 81, described his debate against former President Donald Trump as a &#8220;bad episode.&#8221; He admitted to being &#8220;exhausted&#8221; and unprepared for the debate.
When asked if he was being realistic in his belief that he could beat Trump, Biden responded, &#8220;I don&#8217;t think anyone is more qualified.&#8221; He dismissed the widening polls between the two candidates as inaccurate.
Despite growing concerns from elected Democrats, Biden remained firm in his belief that he was the candidate to beat Trump in the November election.
He was also questioned about whether he would drop out if fellow Democrats in Congress said he was hurting their re-election chances in November. Biden responded, &#8220;If the Lord Almighty comes out and tells me that I might do that.&#8221;
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/01/36795199/trumps-mental-health-in-decline-amid-mounting-legal-woes-says-george-conway-he-knows-deep-down-that?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump&#8217;s Mental Health In Decline Amid Mounting Legal Woes: George Conway</a>
When asked about his health, Biden said he was feeling terrible on the night of the debate and had a bad cold. He insisted that he was not frail and that he had a cognitive test every single day.
Earlier on Friday, Biden told a crowd in a fiery speech in Madison that some Democrats were <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39613299/democrats-want-biden-to-quit-push-this-candidate-as-better-fit-to-rival-trump-in-2024-presidential-r">trying to push him out of the race</a> in the wake of the debate with Trump. However, he said during the interview that senior Democrats would not ask him to step aside.
Why It Matters: Biden&#8217;s determination to continue his presidential bid comes amid a growing push from within his party for him to step down. The latest Morning Consult poll, conducted after the first presidential debate, saw <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/07/39653056/trump-vs-biden-former-president-retakes-lead-in-2024-election-poll-after-debate-more-voters-see-">Trump retake his lead</a>.
Former Obama administration official, Van Jones, has indicated that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39638455/obama-era-official-says-democrats-discussing-how-to-replace-biden-full-scale-panic-behind-the-scenes">Democrats are privately considering the replacement of President Biden</a>. Jones disclosed that the internal discussion among Democrats is focused on "how" to replace Biden, not "whether". He added that the Democrats defending Biden publicly are having "completely different" discussions behind closed doors.
Despite the growing calls for his withdrawal, Biden <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39640413/im-not-going-anywhere-biden-rebuffs-calls-for-withdrawal-from-presidential-election-during-fourth-of">reiterated his commitment to stay in the race</a> during the Fourth of July celebrations. As he mingled with guests, a voice called out for him to "Keep up the fight."
Read Next:
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/23/09/34563432/mike-pence-recalls-joe-bidens-job-advice-im-very-proud-of-the-relationship-i-had-with-president-trum?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mike Pence Recalls Joe Biden&#8217;s VP Advice: &#8216;Very Proud Of Relationship With Trump&#8217;</a>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Biden Asserts He Is Not Pulling Out Of Presidential Race, Says Only 'Lord Almighty' Could Force Him

CJET

Trading Halt: Halted at 7:50:00 p.m. ET - Trading Halt: Halt News Pending

WEX (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WEX#NYSE">WEX</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 15 years by 30.84% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 43.72%. Currently, WEX has a market capitalization of $7.44 billion. 
Buying $100 In WEX: If an investor had bought $100 of WEX stock 15 years ago, it would be worth $23,055.84 today based on a price of $177.53 for WEX at the time of writing.
<h3>WEX's Performance Over Last 15 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1720215026_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

If You Invested $100 In This Stock 15 Years Ago, You Would Have $23,000 Today

Blackstone (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BX#NYSE">BX</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 10 years by 3.57% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 14.51%. Currently, Blackstone has a market capitalization of $92.14 billion. 
Buying $100 In BX: If an investor had bought $100 of BX stock 10 years ago, it would be worth $380.79 today based on a price of $122.60 for BX at the time of writing.
<h3>Blackstone's Performance Over Last 10 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1720215021_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Here's How Much You Would Have Made Owning Blackstone Stock In The Last 10 Years

Calls for President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39540588/joe-bidens-debate-performance-triggers-democratic-panic-biden-sounds-hoarse-looks-tired-and-is-babbl">to step down</a> ahead of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/2024-electionhttps://www.benzinga.com/topic/2024-election">the 2024 election</a> and make way for another candidate, such as Vice President Kamala Harris, have grown. Yet, Biden remains vocally committed to the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39628794/biden-vs-trump-new-poll-shows-president-still-very-much-in-race-despite-debate-fiasco-but-final-outc">presidential race as of Friday</a>.
Meanwhile, the latest Morning Consult poll, conducted after the first presidential debate, saw Ex-President and presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump retake his lead.
What Happened: The new <a href="https://pro.morningconsult.com/trackers/2024-presidential-election-polling">poll </a>of nationally registered voters shows the following results, with the results from <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/06/39538536/trump-vs-biden-2024-presidential-candidates-tied-ahead-of-first-debate-abortion-hits-high-for-be">the June 25 poll</a> in parentheses:
<ul>
<li>Joe Biden: 43% (44%)</li>
<li>Donald Trump: 44% (44%)</li>
<li>Someone Else: 8% (8%)</li>
<li>Don't Know: 5% (4%)</li>
</ul>
Of the Democratic voters polled, 87% have Biden as their top pick. That&#8217;s in line with the previous poll. Eighty-nine percent of Republican voters polled have Trump as their top pick, which is in line with the previous poll.
Independent voters, who could decide the election, selected their 2024 pick as follows, with the June 25 results in parentheses:
<ul>
<li>Joe Biden: 33% (34%)</li>
<li>Donald Trump: 37% (37%)</li>
<li>Someone Else: 18% (18%)</li>
<li>Don't Know: 12% (11%)</li>
</ul>
Read Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/06/39558557/kamala-harris-defends-bidens-slow-start-at-debate-with-strong-finish-clinton-newsom-obama-race-t"> Kamala Harris Defends Biden&#8217;s &#8216;Slow Start&#8217; At Debate With &#8216;Strong Finish&#8217;: Clinton, Newsom, Obama Race To Support President</a>
Why It's Important: After <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/07/39620336/biden-contemplates-future-in-2024-race-after-poor-debate-showing-report">the recent debate performance</a>, Biden could lose support in election polls and the next Morning Consult poll could show a much different result.
While Biden only trails by one percentage point in the latest Morning Consult poll, his campaign won't like several findings.
<ul>
<li>68% of voters say Biden is too old for the presidency, compared to 64% before the debate. </li>
<li>Among Democratic voters, 50% said Biden was too old, up seven percentage points from before the debate.</li>
<li>The poll found that only 35% of voters consider Biden to be in good health, compared to 41% before the presidential debate.</li>
<li>63% of Democratic voters see Biden in good health, compared to 75% before the debate.</li>
<li>When asked if Biden is mentally fit, 37% of voters said yes, compared to 43% before the debate. </li>
<li>Among Democratic voters, 68% said Biden is mentally fit, down from 77% before the debate.</li>
</ul>
Biden being mentally fit hit the lowest score for all voters and Democrats since polling began in 2020.
For a ninth consecutive week, Biden's net favorability rating has been ahead of Trump's, marking Biden's longest streak since April 2023.
However, voters were 31 points more likely of having heard, read or seen something negative than positive about Biden after the debate. This marked Biden's worst buzz rating since tracking for the 2024 election began in November 2022.
Read Next: 
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Trump Vs. Biden: Former President Retakes Lead In 2024 Election Poll After Debate, More Voters See Incumbent As 'Too Old'

<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
Rivian (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/rivn-stock-quote/">RIVN</a>) has been quite a disappointing investment in 2024. Shares of the pure-play electric vehicle (EV) company have shed about 50% year-to-date (YTD).



This has been attributed to steep competition and price wars, plus a high interest rate that makes it more expensive for consumers to take out vehicle loans. During March, <a href="https://www.fool.com/investing/2024/05/20/some-bad-news-for-rivian-investors/">registrations</a> for Rivian&rsquo;s R1T pickup truck fell by 65% year-over-year (YOY) to 548. That compares to Tesla&rsquo;s (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/tsla-stock-quote/">TSLA</a>) Cybertruck at 1,158 registrations and Ford&rsquo;s (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/f-stock-quote/">F</a>) F-150 Lightning at 2,893 registrations.



&ldquo;In its fourth month, the Cybertruck had over a thousand registrations and outsold the R1T by more than two to one. And frankly, I&rsquo;m a little bit surprised. The Cybertruck is very, very unique, and it&rsquo;s interesting that it&rsquo;s been able to do that type of volume so quickly,&rdquo; said S&amp;P Global Mobility&rsquo;s Tom Libby.



At the same time, Rivian has major backing in the form of Amazon (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/amzn-stock-quote/">AMZN</a>), who is also the company&rsquo;s <a href="https://whalewisdom.com/stock/rivn">largest shareholder</a> with its 158.38 million share stake. The e-commerce giant has <a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/transportation/everything-you-need-to-know-about-amazons-electric-delivery-vans-from-rivian">pledged</a> to have 100,000 Rivian electric delivery vans (EDVs) on the road by 2030 and ended its <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2023/11/07/rivian-and-amazon-are-no-longer-exclusive/?guccounter=1&amp;guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&amp;guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAIb7DJqqKWVUdZIrQK_S6JBEcm3nH8mxQQqJZ84jbNiRvc9WnM1isAOhZq0THXHxd6LirBcTTUtBSzbjrDFvy_7k_C4G_crft3BeJD3Ia4f0LV_OqBE5q0iVtxd8BpQLs5svf3QDFlGznTRyyTs-C50sDy352853-LnSJA1s6MNS">exclusivity clause</a> with Rivian last November. That means that Rivian can sell its EDV to other companies.



<h2>The 5 Biggest Buyers of RIVN Stock</h2>



Amazon is Rivian&rsquo;s largest shareholder, although its stake remained unchanged during Q1. Among all 13F filers, net exposure to RIVN fell by 6.6% to 603.85 million shares. Total 13F filers who own RIVN stock fell by 5.41% to 647. These aren&rsquo;t exactly encouraging signals.



However, Rivian did have its fair share of buyers. Let&rsquo;s take a look at its top Q1 buyers:



<ol><li>Baillie Gifford added 22.19 million shares, bringing its stake to 25.30 million shares.</li>



<li>FMR added 6.49 million shares, bringing its stake to 42.34 million shares. </li>



<li>Mirae Asset Global Investments added 5.93 million shares, bringing its stake to 6.32 million shares.</li>



<li>UBS Asset Management Americas (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ubs-stock-quote/">UBS</a>) added 3.81 million shares, bringing its stake to 15.76 million shares.</li>



<li>HSBC (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/hsbc-stock-quote/">HSBC</a>) added 2.23 million shares, bringing its stake to 2.96 million shares.</li>
</ol>On the date of publication, Eddie Pan held a LONG position in AMZN. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the&nbsp;InvestorPlace.com <a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/">Publishing Guidelines</a>.
<div>Eddie Pan specializes in institutional investments and insider activity. He writes for InvestorPlace&rsquo;s Today&rsquo;s Market team, which centers on the latest news involving popular stocks.</div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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	The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/05/the-5-biggest-buyers-of-rivian-rivn-stock-2/">The 5 Biggest Buyers of Rivian (RIVN) Stock</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

The 5 Biggest Buyers of Rivian (RIVN) Stock

68 All Star And Graham Value Stocks: 53 Fit To Buy In May

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Despite taking a backseat to artificial intelligence (AI), metaverse stocks to buy are still tantalizing options for investors. These companies present intriguing investment opportunities despite the polarizing debate surrounding the underlying technology. However, based on the lofty growth projections, it&rsquo;s tough to pass up on them.



Metaverse market forecasts are all over the place but the consensus points to upwards of 25% growth through 2031. These projections make it one of the fastest-growing industries, and those involved in the space are set to rake in millions. Moreover, HSBC (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/hsbc-stock-quote/">HSBC</a>) <a href="https://www.cointrust.com/market-news/hsbc-targets-metaverse-investments-with-new-fund-for-wealthy-clients">recently launched a fund</a> to capitalize on metaverse opportunities, targeting high-ticket clients in Hong Kong and Singapore.



<h2>Roblox (RBLX)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/rblx1600-1-300x169.jpg" alt="Roblox sign logo at headquarters. RBLX stock"><div>Source: Michael Vi / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Roblox&nbsp;(NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/rblx-stock-quote/" target="_blank">RBLX</a>)&nbsp;is one of the &ldquo;OG&rdquo; metaverse plays, enabling its massive user base to create and engage in virtual worlds. Despite strong improvements in core metrics post-pandemic, its shareholders continue to lose money. It&rsquo;s down more than 60% in the past three years <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/RBLX/momentum/performance">and roughly 28% year-to-date (YTD)</a>.&nbsp;



Most recently, its stock nosedived following lackluster second-quarter (Q2) guidance and a reduced forecast for FY 2024 bookings. Issues with the performance of its application and content delivery hiccups impacted booking growth. However, its management has presented plans to tackle these problems. Moreover, first-quarter (Q1) results came in strong despite operating in an unconducive market environment. <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/news/4103607-roblox-gaap-eps-of-043-beats-by-010-bookings-of-92376m-misses-by-534m">Sales were up 22% year-over-year (YOY) </a>to $801.3 million, while average daily active users (DAUs) were at 77.7 million, up 17% YOY.



Furthermore, the firm is looking to significantly upgrade its platform and tools for creators. Some of these additions include the powerful Immersion Mode for a better virtual reality experience, advanced haptic controls and major avatar and marketplace improvements.



<h2>Immersion (IMMR)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/immr-stock-1-300x169.jpg" alt="IMMR stock: two people using virtual reality (VR) headsets"><div>Source: Shutterstock</div></div>Immersion&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/immr-stock-quote/">IMMR</a>) develops advanced haptic technologies, offering tactile feedback in virtual environments such as the metaverse. The stock has plenty of momentum, with over a 50% total return in the past six months. A lot of the buzz surrounding the stock is linked to the appointment of its new CEO, Eric Singer.&nbsp;



Singer&rsquo;s background as an activist, and with a healthy track record of enhancing shareholder wealth, have been major catalysts for the stock. Share buybacks and dividend increases have been a key focus for Singer over the years, making IMMR stock one of the hottest to own at this time.&nbsp;



Last year was a massive year for its shareholders, <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/pr/19648600-immersion-corporation-reports-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2023-results?hasComeFromMpArticle=false">with it returning $15.7 million</a> in shareholder rewards. According to Singer, the efforts to strategically allocate capital, renew licensing deals and enforce intellectual properties led to an excellent 2023.&nbsp;



Moreover, the fruits of his labor were on full display in Q1, when the firm delivered a staggering $43.9 million in sales, 520% higher on a YOY basis. Additionally, it ended the quarter with zero debt and <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/IMMR/balance-sheet">upwards of $179 million in its cash till</a>.



<h2>Meta Platforms (META)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/meta1600-1-300x169.png" alt="In this photo illustration the Meta logo seen displayed on a smartphone and in the background the Facebook logo"><div>Source: rafapress / Shutterstock.com</div></div>No metaverse stocks to buy list is complete without Meta Platforms&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/meta-stock-quote/">META</a>), arguably the biggest catalyst for propelling the technology to the next frontier.&nbsp;However, in a year or so, it shifted its focus towards belt-tightening measures and building its competitive edge in AI. The strategic shift led to a 69% YOY increase in <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/META/income-statement">net income last year to a whopping $39 billion</a>.&nbsp;



It has kept up the pace so far in 2024, with a better than 17% increase in net income on a trailing 12-month (TTM) basis compared to last year. Net income more than doubled in Q1, but relatively weak guidance for the second quarter (Q2) sent shares tumbling by 15%. &nbsp;Moreover, it lost $3.83 billion in Q1, taking its total losses <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/24/metas-reality-labs-posts-3point85-billion-loss-in-first-quarter.html#:~:text=Reality%20Labs%20has%20now%20lost,%E2%88%92%243.99B">to over $45 billion</a> since the end of 2020.



Hence, Meta is still losing a lot on its metaverse endeavors but it&rsquo;s unlikely to hold back. Last year it made a truckload of cash and will continue pumping that money into its CEO&rsquo;s metaverse dream. Given Mark Zuckerberg&rsquo;s view of the metaverse as the internet&rsquo;s next chapter, it&rsquo;s unlikely that Meta will pull back anytime soon.



On the date of publication, Muslim Farooque did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.&nbsp;The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com&nbsp;<a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/" target="_blank">Publishing Guidelines</a>
<div>Muslim Farooque is a keen investor and an optimist at heart. A life-long gamer and tech enthusiast, he has a particular affinity for analyzing technology stocks. Muslim holds a bachelor&rsquo;s of science degree in applied accounting from Oxford Brookes University.</div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/05/3-metaverse-stocks-to-buy-now-may-2024/">3 Metaverse Stocks to Buy Now: May 2024</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

3 Metaverse Stocks to Buy Now: May 2024

<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
Despite the shared spotlight with advances in artificial intelligence, metaverse stocks to buy still attract big-time investment opportunities.



The metaverse continues to be a symbol of cutting-edge technology and an ideal market for investment. While tech giants work on building this digital world, it&rsquo;s a great time to bet on metaverse stocks. 



Considering that the development of this idea will take at least a decade, those who enter early could see a significant bump in the expansion of this concept, as it becomes more popular.



Furthermore, forecasts <a href="https://www.precedenceresearch.com/metaverse-market">suggest</a> a stellar growth rate of more than 30 percent per year up to 2033. This puts the metaverse among the most rapidly developing industries, which is why giants like HSBC&nbsp;(NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/hsbc-stock-quote/">HSBC</a>) have <a href="https://www.cointrust.com/market-news/hsbc-targets-metaverse-investments-with-new-fund-for-wealthy-clients">launched a special fund</a>&nbsp;to invest in this future landscape.



Therefore, these three metaverse stocks are an excellent investment opportunity for anyone interested in investing in the next big thing.



<h2>Meta Platforms (META)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/meta1600-1-300x169.png" alt="In this photo illustration the Meta logo seen displayed on a smartphone and in the background the Facebook logo"><div>Source: rafapress / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/meta-stock-quote/">META</a>) consistently emerges as a top choice when exploring metaverse stocks to buy. Ranked as the <a href="https://companiesmarketcap.com/">seventh-largest global company</a>, Meta actively drives technological progress. This prominent position, along with its stock price soaring <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/META/momentum/performance">82% over the past year</a>, emphasizes Meta&rsquo;s crucial role in determining the future of the metaverse.



Meta has <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/24/metas-reality-labs-posts-3point85-billion-loss-in-first-quarter.html">lost more than $45 billion</a>&nbsp;in Reality Labs since the end of 2020. Yet, it remains a lucrative niche for investment under the leadership of Mark Zuckerberg, although at a slower pace now. 



Additionally, the company plans to shift from the Workplace app to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/meta-shut-workplace-app-focus-ai-metaverse-2024-05-14/">metaverse technology</a>&nbsp;to create more innovations like the Oculus AR and VR goggles and <a href="https://www.ray-ban.com/usa/ray-ban-meta-smart-glasses">Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses</a>. This dedication could potentially result in further advancements.



Lastly, Meta is in a robust financial position. It generated a whopping <a href="https://s21.q4cdn.com/399680738/files/doc_financials/2024/q1/Meta-03-31-2024-Exhibit-99-1_FINAL.pdf">$12.53 billion in free cash flow</a>&nbsp;in the first quarter, which proves that it makes good money. Revenue skyrocketed by 27% year-over-year to $36.46 billion, and net income more than doubled in the same period. Thus, Meta has the financial muscle to fund the metaverse vision.



<h2>Immersion (IMMR)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/immr-stock-1-300x169.jpg" alt="IMMR stock: two people using virtual reality (VR) headsets"><div>Source: Shutterstock</div></div>Immersion&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/immr-stock-quote/">IMMR</a>) is changing how people experience virtual reality with its haptic solutions, providing feedback that improves user metaverse experiences.



Subsequently, Immersion strengthened its market position by substantial license arrangements in 2024. A <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240214965623/en/">February agreement</a>&nbsp;with Meta Platforms allowed the use of Immersion&rsquo;s patents for a broad range of products, underlining the increasing importance of haptics in VR. 



Moreover, in March, the <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240304040390/en/">company renewed its agreement</a>&nbsp;with Nintendo&nbsp;(OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ntdoy-stock-quote/">NTDOY</a>), thus ensuring that its technology is relevant in the gaming industry.



Furthermore, Immersion <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/pr/19648600-immersion-corporation-reports-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2023-results?hasComeFromMpArticle=false">returned $15.7 million to shareholders</a>&nbsp;in 2023. The company&rsquo;s CEO, Eric Singer, credited this accomplishment to prudent financial allocation, renewable licensing and hard work in intellectual property protection.



These strategic measures led to an excellent Q1 for Immersion. Its revenues surged to <a href="https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1058811/000121390024040912/immr-20240331.htm">$43.8 million</a>, a 520% upswing YOY, beating analysts&rsquo; expectations by 18.91 million. Net income rose to $18.7 million, compared to $8.3 million a year ago. Additionally, Immersion&rsquo;s debt-free status and solid cash reserves position it well to seize enticing growth opportunities.



<h2>Roblox (RBLX)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/rblx1600-300x169.png" alt="A smartphone displaying a web page for Roblox Corp (RBLX)."><div>Source: Koshiro K / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Similar to most social media platforms, Roblox&nbsp;(NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/rblx-stock-quote/">RBLX</a>) is eager to keep its young audience engaged, given that it has been in the metaverse business for quite some time now. To further this ambition, Roblox is <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/news/4097368-roblox-opens-up-new-ad-format-as-it-looks-to-build-its-ads-business">opening up video ads</a>&nbsp;on virtual billboards of such brands as e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/elf-stock-quote/">ELF</a>), Walmart (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/wmt-stock-quote/">WMT</a>) and Warner Bros.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/wbd-stock-quote/">WBD</a>). These ads would monetize Roblox&rsquo;s user base and significantly pump revenue streams.



While Roblox&rsquo;s stock dropped after the Q2 guidance, the company reported strong Q1 numbers. Its <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/news/4103607-roblox-gaap-eps-of-043-beats-by-010-bookings-of-92376m-misses-by-534m">revenues were up 22%</a>&nbsp;YOY, totaling $801.3 million, and average daily active users increased by 17%, reaching an astonishing 77.7 million.



Looking ahead, Roblox has big plans for its platform and developer support. This includes the Immersion Mode, superior haptic controls, <a href="https://devforum.roblox.com/t/creator-roadmap-spring-2024-edition/2946605">enhanced avatars and an upgraded marketplace</a>. These improvements are intended to escalate user engagement, thus positioning Roblox to capture additional market share as the metaverse expands.



On the date of publication, Nabeel Bukhari did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com&nbsp;<a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/" target="_blank">Publishing Guidelines.</a>
<div>Nabeel Bukhari is a seasoned research analyst and keen investor. His expert insights help readers to skillfully tackle the complexities of the financial sector, with a particular focus on electric vehicles (EVs) and technology stocks. Nabeel holds a Bachelor of Laws degree from Bahria University.</div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/06/the-metaverse-awaits-3-stocks-you-cant-afford-to-miss-this-month/">The Metaverse Awaits: 3 Stocks You Can&#8217;t Afford to Miss This Month</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

The Metaverse Awaits: 3 Stocks You Can't Afford to Miss This Month

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<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
Consumer stocks with strong sales are emerging as stable Wall Street pillars in today&rsquo;s uncertain economic climate. Despite persistent inflation and shifting consumer shopping habits, the retail sector is expected to exhibit resilience throughout the rest of 2024. The National Retail Federation forecasts <a href="https://nrf.com/media-center/press-releases/nrf-forecasts-retail-sales-reach-least-523-trillion-2024">retail sales to grow between 2.5% and 3.5%</a> this year, reaching an estimated range of $5.23 trillion to $5.28 trillion.



Year-to-date (YTD), the benchmark S&amp;P 500 index has surged over 15%. In contrast, the Consumer Staples Select Sector SPDR Fund ETF (NYSEARCA:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/xlp-stock-quote/">XLP</a>) gained only around 6%. This performance gap indicates growth opportunities in consumer stocks, particularly when compared to the tech-driven rally of the &lsquo;Magnificent Seven.&rsquo;



Nevertheless, challenges persist with sticky inflation levels influencing consumer behavior. The Federal Reserve&rsquo;s cautious stance on interest rates adds to the complexity. Despite these factors, three top consumer stocks with strong sales continue to thrive amid market volatility.



<h2>Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/adm-stock-1-300x169.jpg" alt="Archer-Daniels-Midland (ADM) logo on sign at office campus"><div>Source: Katherine Welles / Shutterstock.com</div></div>The first name in our lineup of consumer stocks with strong sales is Archer-Daniels-Midland (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/adm-stock-quote/">ADM</a>). The global commodity giant is one of the largest agricultural processors and food ingredient providers. Its extensive global network and strong market position give it a competitive edge in sourcing, processing and distributing agricultural products. Meanwhile, ADM has a remarkable track record, paying uninterrupted dividends since 1931 and increasing its annual dividend for over 40 consecutive years.



Many on Wall Street concur that ADM is well-positioned to benefit from long-term trends. With the world&rsquo;s population growing, the demand for food and agricultural products is expected to increase. According to research by HSBC (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/hsbc-stock-quote/">HSBC</a>), global food consumption levels could increase by more than 50%, possibly by 70%, by 2050.



However, ADM has faced headwinds recently due to declining commodity prices. Total revenues dropped 9% year-over-year (YOY) to $21.8 billion in the <a href="https://investors.adm.com/news/news-details/2024/ADM-Reports-First-Quarter-2024-Results-Affirms-Full-Year-EPS-Guidance/">first quarter of 2024</a>. Profits also hit, with adjusted EPS falling 30% to $1.46 due to lower pricing and execution margins.



In addition, <a href="https://investors.adm.com/news/news-details/2024/ADM-Provides-Update-on-Audit-Committee-Led-Investigation/default.aspx">an accounting scandal</a> and investigations by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have impacted the stock price. However, ADM has been responding with enhanced controls and transparent financial practices.



Despite a 14% YTD decline, ADM stock currently offers a 3.3% dividend yield. The stock also appears undervalued when trading at <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/ADM?qsearchterm=adm">11.5 times forward earnings</a> and 0.4 times sales. Moreover, analysts&rsquo;&nbsp;<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/markets/stocks/ADM">12-month median target</a> of $63.20 suggests a potential 4% upside from current levels.



<h2>Dollar General (DG)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/dg-stock-300x169.jpg" alt="The front of a Dollar General (DG Stock) store on a sunny day."><div>Source: Jonathan Weiss / Shutterstock.com</div></div>Next up on our list of consumer stocks with strong sales is Dollar General (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/dg-stock-quote/">DG</a>). The company is well-known for offering household essentials to budget-conscious consumers.



In the <a href="https://investor.dollargeneral.com/websites/dollargeneral/English/2120/us-press-release.html?airportNewsID=ae62e248-c8d7-420c-8196-ae3e9e78aac0">first quarter of 2024</a>, Dollar General defied economic uncertainties with a robust 6.1% YOY increase in net sales, totaling $9.9 billion. This growth stemmed from new store openings and a 2.4% rise in same-store sales. The consumables category thrived with a 4% boost in customer traffic despite a slight dip in the average transaction value. However, diluted EPS plummeted 29.5% to $1.65, influenced by inflation, high interest rates and rising shrinkage &mdash; inventory lost primarily through theft, defects or damage.



Dollar General has <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/article/4696532-dollar-general-corporation-dg-q1-2024-earnings-call-transcript">implemented measures</a> to trim inventory, remove high-shrink products and restrict self-checkout options to tackle these challenges. These measures are expected to decrease shrinkage by late 2024, with more substantial improvements in 2025. The company also benefits from the growing demand for value-oriented branded and private-label products priced at or below $1.



Despite a nearly 5% decline since January, DG stock maintains a 1.8% dividend yield. Dollar General shares are currently trading at <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/06/7-undervalued-stocks-on-the-cusp-of-a-triple-digit-recovery/">relatively affordable valuations</a>, with a <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/DG?qsearchterm=dg">forward price-to-earnings</a> (P/E) ratio of 18.1x and a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 0.7x. In addition, Wall Street&rsquo;s&nbsp;<a href="https://edition.cnn.com/markets/stocks/DG">12-month median forecast</a> of $149.25 signals a 15% upside potential.



<h2>Mondelez International (MDLZ)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/mdlz1600-300x169.jpg" alt="The Mondelez website magnified by a magnifying glass"><div>Source: Shutterstock</div></div>Global food and beverage company Mondelez International (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/mdlz-stock-quote/">MDLZ</a>) concludes today&rsquo;s discussion on consumer stocks with strong sales. Known for brands like Oreo and Cadbury, its loyal customer base ensures steady sales amid economic uncertainties. Holding top positions in global biscuits and second in chocolate, Mondelez also has a geographically diversified business. 



For the <a href="https://www.mondelezinternational.com/news/2024_q1_earnings/">first quarter of</a> 2024, Mondelez reported a 1.4% YOY revenue increase to $9.3 billion. Adjusted EPS was 95 cents, up 16.3% on a constant currency basis. Notably, cash flow from operating activities also saw a significant boost. Free cash flow reached $1.0 billion, an increase of $0.1 billion from the previous year.



Mondelez remains proactive in innovation, investing in initiatives like the <a href="https://ir.mondelezinternational.com/news-releases/news-release-details/mondelez-international-invest-more-5-million-usd-biscuit-and">$5 million Biscuit and Baked Snacks Lab</a> to drive product development. Collaborations, such as expanding the Biscoff&reg; brand in India and creating co-branded chocolate innovations, underscore management&rsquo;s commitment to growth and market leadership.



Despite a 9% decline in MDLZ stock in 2024, investors now benefit from a 2.6% dividend yield. Meanwhile, Mondelez shares are trading at 18.7 times forward earnings and 2.5 times sales. Finally, analysts are optimistic, setting a median <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/markets/stocks/zbra">12-month price target</a> of $80.00 with a potential 20% upside.



On the date of publication, Tezcan Gecgil did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com <a href="http://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/">Publishing Guidelines</a>.



On the date of publication, the responsible editor did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.
<div>Tezcan Gecgil, PhD, began contributing to InvestorPlace in 2018. She brings over 20 years of experience in the U.S. and U.K. and has also completed all 3 levels of the Chartered Market Technician (CMT) examination. Publicly, she has contributed to <a href="https://www.investing.com/">investing.com</a> and the U.K. website of <a href="https://www.fool.com/">The Motley Fool.</a></div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/07/economic-anxiety-3-consumer-stocks-still-posting-record-sales/">Economic Anxiety? 3 Consumer Stocks Still Posting Record Sales</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

Economic Anxiety? 3 Consumer Stocks Still Posting Record Sales

AFRM

AMZN

ANZGF

ANZGY

CAIXY

CIXPF

GBDC

GRNT

HTGC

IMMR

ITUB

MDLZ

OBDC

RBLX

TRMD

VALE

Screenshot 2024-03-15 at 9.25.16 PM

DLMI

HOOD

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Press Releases

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Bank of America

Banco Bradesco Sa American Depositary Shares

Bank Bradesco

Banco Bradesco Sa American Depositary Shares (each representing one Common Share)

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria S.A. Common Stock

BBVA

Barclays

Banco Santander Brasil SA American Depositary Shares, each representing one unit

Banco Santander

Citigroup

First Citizens BancShares, Inc. - Class A Common Stock

First Citizens BancShares

Fifth Third Bancorp

HDFC Bank

ICICI Bank

ING Groep

Itau Unibanco Banco Holding SA American Depositary Shares (Each repstg 500 Preferred shares)

Itau Unibanco Holding

JPMorgan Chase

KB Financial Group

Lloyds Banking Group Plc American Depositary Shares

Lloyds Banking Group

Mizuho Financial Group, Inc. Sponosred ADR (Japan)

Mizuho Financial Gr

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. Common Stock

Mitsubishi UFJ Finl Gr

Nu Holdings

NatWest Group plc American Depositary Shares, (each representing two (2) Ordinary Shares)

NatWest Group

PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (The) Common Stock

PNC Finl Servs Gr

Banco Santander, S.A. Sponsored ADR (Spain)

Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc Unsponsored American Depositary Shares (Japan)

Sumitomo Mitsui Finl Gr

U.S. Bancorp

Wells Fargo

Goldman Sachs

Exane BNP Paribas

한국은 불법 ‘무차입 공매도(<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/23/12/36385316/naked-short-selling-crackdown-hsbc-and-bnp-paribas-hit-with-fines-in-south-korea" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-google-interstitial="false">naked shorting</a>)&#8217; 관행을 제재하고자 목요일 공매도 금지 명령을 연장했다.
사건의 전말 (What Happened): <a href="https://fortune.com/asia/2024/06/13/illegal-short-selling-trades-life-in-prison-south-korea/">포춘</a>(Fortune)에 따르면 한국은 공매도 금지 조치를 2025년 1분기까지 연장할 것이라고 발표했다.
"공매도 금지 조치를 2025년 3월 30일까지 연장해 무차입 공매도를 예방하고 증권시장의 공정한 가격을 저해하는 관행에 대한 우려를 해소하기 위한 전자 시스템을 구축하겠다"고 금융위원회(FSC)가 <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-korea-extend-short-selling-ban-now-2024-06-13/#:~:text=%22The%20ban%20on%20short%2Dselling,stock%20market%20closed%20on%20Thursday.">밝혔다</a>.
이번 결정은 HSBC 홀딩스(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HSBC#NYSE">HSBC</a>)와 BNP 파리바 ADR(OTCQX:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BNPQY#OTCQX">BNPQY</a>) 등 유명 기업들이 무차입 공매도 단속으로 한국으로부터 벌금을 부과받은 후에 나온 것이다.
한국 정부는 목요일 성명을 통해 불법 공매 행위에 대해 무기징역과 더 무거운 벌금을 부과하겠다고 밝혔다. 포춘에 따르면 벌금은 불법 공매도로 얻은 이익의 6배에 달할 수 있다고 한다.
왜 중요한가 (Why it Matters): 기관투자자들이 가장 흔히 사용하는 공매도는 기업의 주가가 하락할 것이라는 점에 베팅하는 방식이다. 무차입 공매도는 먼저 증권을 빌리거나 빌릴 수 있는지 확인하지 않고 증권을 판매하는 금융 관행이다.
미국에서 공매도는 불법이 아니지만, 무차입 공매도는 극단적인 경우 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/what-is-naked-short-selling" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-google-interstitial="false">벌금</a>이나 형사 고발을 당할 수 있다.
공매도는 2021년 게임스탑(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GME#NYSE">GME</a>)의 공매도 이후 미국에서 주목을 받았다. 최고조에 게임스탑의 공매도는 100%가 넘었다. 레딧 커뮤니티 r/Wallstreetbets의 투자자들은 AMC 엔터테인먼트 홀딩스(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMC#NYSE">AMC</a>)와 코스 코퍼레이션(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KOSS#NASDAQ">KOSS</a>)를 포함하여 공매도가 높은 다른 주식을 표적으로 삼았다.
한국의 이번 결정은 투자자들, 특히 소매업계의 기관 공매도 관행에 대한 지속적인 비판 속에 나온 것이다.
게임스탑은 2024년 투자자 &#8216;로어링 키티(Roaring Kitty)&#8217;가 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/education/24/05/38793704/who-is-roaring-kitty-why-does-his-return-to-social-media-matter-for-gamestop-stock">소셜 미디어</a>로 돌아와 이 회사에서의 큰 투자 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/06/39128926/roaring-kitty-reveals-massive-gme-position-on-reddit-including-65m-call-options-is-he-bringing-c">포지션</a>을 밝힌 후 다시 주목을 받았다.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest/most-shorted">벤징가(Benzinga)</a>에 따르면 콜스 코퍼레이션(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KSS#NYSE">KSS</a>), 비욘드 미트(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BYND#NASDAQ">BYND</a>) 및 스피릿 항공(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SAVE#NYSE">SAVE</a>)은 2024년에 가장 공매도가 높은 미국 기업 중 하나이다.

보도에 따르면 모건 스탠리(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MS#NYSE">MS</a>)는 아시아 태평양 지역에서 인력 감원을 계획하고 있으며, 홍콩과 중국을 중심으로 약 50개의 일자리를 감축하기로 했다.
이러한 감축은 일본을 제외한 이 지역 은행 직원들 중 약 13%에 해당한다.
홍콩과 중국 본토에서는 40명 이상의 직원이 감축 조치에 영향을 받을 것으로 예상되며 이러한 감축의 최종 규모와 타이밍은 <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-17/morgan-stanley-plans-biggest-round-of-china-job-cuts-in-years?srnd=homepage-americas&amp;sref=TBDibEcD" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">블룸버그</a> 보도에 따르면 다양할 수 있다고 한다.
이 보도는 이 결정이 아시아 특히 중국에서 매출이 감소하여 내려졌음을 덧붙였으며, 중국 경제는 부동산 위기와 성장 불확실성과 같은 도전에 직면하고 있다고 설명했다.
글로벌 실적이 예상치를 상회했더라도 모건 스탠리는 아시아에서의 순매출이 12% 감소한 17.4억 달러를 기록했다. 1분기 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38272690/why-morgan-stanley-shares-are-surging-today" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">매출</a>은 151억 달러를, 순이익은 34억 달러를 기록했다.
이번 감원 조치는 딜이 감소하고 있는 가운데 금융기관들이 비용을 최소화하려는 더 큰 업계 트렌드를 반영하는 것이다.
이번 감축은 미중 관계 악화와 중국 기업의 주식 상장 환경이 분명해지고 있는 것을 보여준다.
이 보고서에 따르면 HSBC 홀딩스 (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HSBC#NYSE">HSBC</a>), UBS 그룹 AG (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBS#NYSE">UBS</a>), 뱅크 오브 아메리카(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BAC#NYSE">BAC</a>)와 같은 기타 금융기관도 올 초에도 아시아에서 감원 조치를 시행했다.
주가 움직임: 화요일 MS 주가는 89.14달러에 2.47% 상승했다.
면책 조항: AI 도구를 활용하여 본 콘텐츠 일부가 작성되었으며 Benzinga 편집자의 검토와 승인을 받았습니다.
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