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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Read Next:



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



Photo: Tada Images/Shutterstock.



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

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AAPL

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

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



Here are the key highlights.



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



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



By operating segment, here were the net sales:



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/04/45067585/amazon-stock-tumbles-as-white-house-calls-tariff-visibility-plans-a-hostile-act">Amazon Stock Tumbles As White House Calls Tariff Visibility Plans A &#8216;Hostile&#8217; Act</a></li>
</ul>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<iframe loading="lazy" title="&#x1f534; WATCH LIVE: Amazon.com Q1 2025 Earnings Call &#x7C; $AMZN" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tad_DWtWpoU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
</div></figure>



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AMZN

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Here are the trade details, positioned for upside:



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Photo: Shutterstock

Opinion

Trade Profitably On Cooling Energy Earnings

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45139383/us-manufacturing-activity-contracts-in-april-as-tariffs-push-input-prices-toward-3-year-highs">US Manufacturing Activity Contracts In April As Tariffs Push Input Prices Toward 3-Year Highs</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



The analyst said the right items delivered the upside.



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Read Next: 



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



Photo: Shutterstock

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MSFT

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

E-commerce leader Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) could shed some light on how growing anxiety over tariffs is affecting consumption trends and the broader economic environment, when it reports first-quarter financial results after <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings">market close Thursday.</a>



Here are the analyst earnings estimates, what experts are saying ahead of the report and key items to watch.



Earnings Estimates: Analysts estimate the e-commerce behemoth will report first-quarter revenue of $155.01 billion, up from $143.31 billion in the year-earlier period, according to data <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0430">from Benzinga Pro. </a>



The company has beaten analyst estimates for revenue in two straight quarters and eight of the last 10 quarters overall.



Analysts expect Amazon to report first-quarter earnings per share of $1.36, up from 98 cents per share a year earlier. The company has beaten analyst estimates for earnings per share in nine straight quarters.



Previous <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43545590/amazoncom-q4-earnings-highlights-revenue-beat-eps-beat-most-successful-holiday-shopping-season-in-company-history">guidance from the company </a>calls for first-quarter net sales to be in a range of $151 billion to $155.5 billion.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45012329/amazon-sellers-hike-prices-on-essentials-as-trumps-china-tariffs-squeeze-margins">Amazon Sellers Hike Prices On Essentials As Trump China Tariffs Squeeze Margins</a>



What Experts Are Saying: Freedom Capital Markets Chief Global Strategist Jay Woods said AI monetization and consumer spending habits are set to be key aspects in Amazon's earnings report.



"Investors are also focused on their e-commerce and consumer trends to get a better gauge to see if new spending habits are impacting the bottom line as expectations of tariffs grow," Woods said in a weekly <a href="https://jaywoods.substack.com/">newsletter</a>.



With Amazon shares down by more than 20% from its late-January highs, WestPark Capital analyst Curtis Shauger <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44591414/amazon-stocks-recent-pullback-offers-unique-opportunity-analyst">highlighted a buying opportunit</a>y for the stock.



Shauger initiated Amazon with a Buy rating and $280 price target. The analyst highlighted the company's e-commerce dominance and Amazon Web Services being a top player in the infrastructure-as-a-service market.



The analyst estimates that AWS is about twice the size of Microsoft's Azure and around three times the size of Alphabet's Google Cloud Platform.



Oppenheimer analyst Jason Helfstein <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45050326/oppenheimers-helfstein-cuts-amazon-price-target-to-220-on-tariff-concerns">recently maintained an </a>Outperform rating on Amazon while lowering the price target from $260 to $220.



The analyst lowered Amazon estimates due to the overall economic uncertainty fueled by the Trump administration&#8217;s tariffs. Helfstein said sellers may have to pass the higher tariff costs onto consumers in the future.



Key Items to Watch: Tariffs will be the biggest topic on the minds of investors and analysts. The question will be how much color Amazon will provide, given a report the company was preparing to show the impact of tariffs directly to consumers did not go over well with <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/04/45067585/amazon-stock-tumbles-as-white-house-calls-tariff-visibility-plans-a-hostile-act">the White House.</a>



Amazon could be cautious in its language about tariffs, given the company's founder Jeff Bezos reportedly received a phone call from President Donald Trump earlier this week.



Outside of tariffs, AI and cloud will likely be the next biggest topics, with the company&#8217;s AWS segment and any commentary on new contracts and company demand potential positives. 



The geographical split of revenue growth could be a key item to watch. In the fourth quarter, North American net sales were up 10% year-over-year, outperforming the 8% year-over-year growth of the International segment.



AWS led all three segments with 19% year-over-year growth.



The latest quarterly result won't have several of the catalysts that were part of the fourth-quarter result including Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but could see results from "Thursday Night Football" and NFL coverage, which was highlighted in the last report.



Amazon streamed an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/sports/25/01/43013529/amazon-scores-record-with-steelers-ravens-nfl-playoffs-stream-how-game-stacks-up-with-other-media-streamers">NFL playoff game</a> in January, which set a new Amazon NFL streaming record. Analysts and investors will be looking for more commentary on Prime Video subscribers, advertising revenue and more.



Another item to watch could be any update on Amazon's new Trainium 2 AI chip. The chip was mentioned in the last earnings report, but there has not been many updates since that time.



AMZN Price Action: Amazon stock was down 1.6% to $184.42 on Wednesday versus a 52-week trading range of $151.61 to $242.52. Amazon stock is down 16.3% year-to-date in 2025 and shares are up around 5% over the last year.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/25/03/44113335/amazon-vs-walmart-48-see-one-leader-in-2025-others-expect-a-tie">Amazon Vs. Walmart: 48% See One Leader In 2025, Others Expect A Tie</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Amazon.com Q1 Earnings Preview: All Eyes On E-Commerce Trends, AI As Tariff Anxiety Grows

Tech giant Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) could show better-than-feared results for China and the iPhone when the company reports second-quarter financial results after the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings">market close Thursday.</a>



Here are analyst earnings estimates, a look at what analysts are saying ahead of the report and key items to watch.



Earnings Estimates: Analysts expect Apple to report second-quarter revenue of $94.42 billion, up from $90.75 billion in last year's second quarter, according to data<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0430"> from Benzinga Pro.</a>



The company has beaten analyst estimates for revenue in eight straight quarters and nine of the last 10 quarters overall.



Analysts expect Apple to report second-quarter earnings per share of $1.62, up from $1.53 in last year's second quarter.



The company has beaten analyst estimates for earnings per share in eight straight quarters and in nine of the last 10 quarters overall.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45084812/readers-correctly-predicted-tesla-earnings-heres-their-view-on-apple-stock">Readers Correctly Predicted Tesla Earnings – Here&#8217;s Their View On Apple Stock</a>



What Experts Are Saying: Progress on global production of items like the iPhone could be a key focus for investors in the second quarter results, said Jay Woods, Freedom Capital Markets chief global strategist.



"AAPL shares are 19% below all-time highs and facing pressure in the Chinese markets. The company has announced plans to shift production to India," Woods said in a weekly <a href="https://jaywoods.substack.com/">newsletter</a>.



He added that quarterly results could show a bump in iPhone sales with people "rushing out to beat expected tariff increases.&#8221; And that "iPhone sales will also be scrutinized closely."



Woods said Apple could provide a "tease" of what's to come next, but that will likely be reserved for their upcoming events.



Apple and the tech sector face a "black cloud overhang" due to tariffs, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said in a recent investor note.



He expects minimal guidance from Apple, given the overhang and predicts that Apple could see lower demand if China tariffs stay in place.



"We remain bullish on the long-term opportunity for Apple's flagship ecosystem and focus on its 1.5 billion iPhone and 2.4 billion iOS installed base and massive Services business for downside protection in this market backdrop for tech investors," Ives said.



He advised Apple investors to look past the next quarter and assume tariff negotiations will take a positive turn in the future to "stop this tariff tornado from hitting iPhone prices."



Rosenblatt analyst Barton Crockett <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/04/44632659/trump-tariffs-could-blow-up-apple-analyst-estimates-39-5-billion-impact">recently said that</a> Trump's tariffs could "blow up Apple." The analyst maintained a Buy rating on Apple with a $263 price target.



Crockett estimates that Apple could face $39.5 billion in tariff costs.



&#8220;We believe that close to 100% of iPhones sold in the U.S. are made in China, 90% of Macs, 80% of iPads, 90% of Apple Watches and 35% of Airpods.&#8221;



Without Apple raising prices, the analyst estimates that operating profits and earnings per share could be down by around 32% annually. Raising prices could offset demand, Crockett warned.



Tigress Financial analyst Ivan Feinseth said Apple's Services growth and the integration of Apple Intelligence<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/04/44961882/iphone-resecue-apple-tariff-worries"> are future catalysts </a>that investors should focus on.



The analyst said these two items and Apple&#8217;s growing customer base will &#8220;continue to drive ongoing revenue and cash flow growth.&#8221;



&#8220;AAPL&#8217;s ongoing integration of Apple Intelligence will increasingly enhance the cadence of new product introductions and drive Services growth and further growth of its ecosystem,&#8221; Feinseth said.



Feinseth noted that Apple&#8217;s installed base of active devices hit an all-time high in the most recently reported quarter and reiterated a Strong Buy rating on Apple, raising the price target from $295 to $300.



JPMorgan analyst Samik Chatterjee <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/04/45046046/apple-q2-will-be-better-than-feared-analyst-says-iphone-company-has-proven-track-record">recently said Apple's</a> second quarter results will be "better-than-feared."



The analyst, who maintained an Overweight rating and a $245 price target, said fears of demand disruption and cost headwinds from tariffs could weigh on Apple stock, while maintaining a bullish outlook on revenue and momentum.



&#8220;We are positive on AAPL shares with a near-term view into a positive set up into earnings with the likelihood of better-than-feared outcomes in relation to both revenues and gross margins,&#8221; Chatterjee said.



The analyst expects a &#8220;modest pull-forward&#8221; in demand thanks to consumer upgrades and channel inventory fill.



Key Items to Watch: Tariffs and iPhones will be the two most closely watched items in Apple's results and management commentary.



In the first-quarter iPhone sales declined to $69.14 billion from the previous first quarter total of $69.7 billion. That weakness was offset by year-over-year growth for other segments like Mac, iPad, Wearables and Services.



So, while all eyes will be on the iPhone, investors and analysts will also look at the other lines to see whether the strength there is offsetting or is complementary to the iPhone segment.



Guidance will be another key topic, as Apple does not provide forward guidance after the first quarter. Many companies have stopped reporting guidance or have been more cautious in their guidance, given the tariff concerns and the macroeconomic environment.



Apple will host the Worldwide Developers Conference beginning on June 9. The company could provide a tease of what items or parts of this it is most excited about. 



AAPL Price Action: Apple stock trades at $211.32 on Wednesday versus a 52-week trading range of $169.11 to $260.10. Apple stock is down 13.3% year-to-date in 2025 and up 24% over the last year.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/04/44850406/apples-foldable-iphone-rumors-gain-steam-as-stock-slides-could-a-2000-device-spark-a-comeback">Apple&#8217;s Foldable iPhone Rumors Gain Steam As Stock Slides: Could A $2,000 Device Spark A Comeback?</a></li>
</ul>

Apple Q2 Earnings Preview: Analysts Remain Bullish But Warn Of 'Tariff Tornado' Hitting iPhone

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) has broken through $96,000 in Thursday trading and could be headed even higher, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/bitcoin-price-prediction">according to technical analysis</a>.



What Happened: In his monthly market analysis <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY0Mp_PU430">podcast</a> published on April 30, technical analyst Kevin highlighted that Bitcoi is nearing a potential breakout from its current consolidation at the golden pocket resistance zone. 



This price between $94,410 and $95,581 is historically significant, and Kevin suggests a resolution is likely imminent, particularly with the help of favorable macroeconomic conditions.



He points to improving inflation data, a potential shift in Federal Reserve policy, and growing Bitcoin dominance as bullish signals.



Kevin also noted that Bitcoin dominance has risen for five consecutive months, a rare occurrence only seen once before in 2019. 



If the Fed pivots on monetary policy, he believes it could trigger a rotation back into altcoins, breaking that streak.



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/04/45112881/sell-bitcoin-ethereum-xrp-in-may-and-go-away-dont-be-so-sure-in-2025-expert-says">Sell Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP In May And Go Away? Don&#8217;t Be So Sure In 2025, Expert Says</a>



Why It Matters: The May 8 Fed meeting is widely seen as a pivotal moment. 



Traders are watching closely for indications of rate cuts or changes in quantitative tightening, both of which could inject new momentum into crypto markets.



Kevin highlights that core PCE inflation has now dropped to its lowest since August 2021, validating his long-standing thesis that inflation would continue to cool. Despite a weaker GDP headline, the Atlanta Fed's Q2 estimate is +2.4%, suggesting the economic backdrop may support risk assets like Bitcoin.



Meanwhile, altcoins are also flashing bullish signals. 



Kevin notes that the Total3 altcoin market cap excluding BTC and ETH chart has formed a bullish engulfing monthly candle and held multiple key Fibonacci levels. 



A breakout above $872 billion could spark a fresh leg higher for the broader crypto market.



What's Next: Market expectations for Fed policy have shifted dramatically, with the FedWatch tool now showing a 62% chance of a rate cut in June, followed by additional cuts in July and September.



While maintaining a bullish medium-term outlook, Kevin cautions traders about potential short-term volatility: &#8220;Until we break through this golden pocket durably and show follow through, you have to be a little cautious at this level." If Bitcoin fails to break out immediately, $88,000–$90,000 is the key support zone to watch before any move higher.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/04/45076518/bitcoin-is-a-commodity-like-gold-says-commerce-secretary-lutnick">Bitcoin Is A Commodity Like Gold, Says Commerce Secretary Lutnick</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Cryptocurrency

$BTC

Bitcoin Breaks $96,000 Ahead Of 'Pivotal Week'

Editor&#8217;s Note: The article has been udpated to correct the Stock Movers list.



Wall Street pushed higher in midday trading, with the S&amp;P 500 on track for its eighth consecutive gain — its longest winning streak since November 2023. The index rose about 1% to 5,560, fully recovering the losses sustained after former President Donald Trump announced <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/tariffs">trade tariffs on April 2.</a>



Technology stocks led the rally, with the Nasdaq 100 climbing 1.5%. Strong and resilient corporate earnings continue to fuel investor appetite for risk, helping markets shrug off recent tariff concerns.



President Trump reassured investors, stating that progress on trade negotiations is going "very well" and that the timeline for the tax bill remains on schedule.



On the economic front, data continued to paint a weaker picture. After Wednesday's disappointing first-quarter GDP report, the ISM manufacturing PMI showed factory activity contracted for the second straight month in April. Meanwhile, price pressures surged at the fastest pace since June 2022, reflecting <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/05/45139383/us-manufacturing-activity-contracts-in-april-as-tariffs-push-input-prices-toward-3-year-highs">inflationary effects from tariffs.</a>



Microsoft Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NYSE">MSFT</a>) was a standout gainer, soaring 8.60% after delivering a blowout quarter that beat expectations across the board, reinforcing its leadership in cloud and AI. The stock reached its highest level since late January.



Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) also topped estimates, with shares climbing more than 4%.



Sector-wise, technology outperformed, while health care lagged. Eli Lilly And Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>) plunged over 9% after the pharmaceutical giant cut its 2025 guidance.



Crude oil erased early losses, rebounding to $58 per barrel after briefly dipping below $57. Gold slipped 2.2% to a two-week low.



The U.S. dollar strengthened to its highest level in over two weeks, bolstered by manufacturing surveys showing rising input costs tied to tariffs.



Treasury yields climbed for a second straight session, with the 10-year yield rising to 4.21%.



Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) surged past the $97,000 mark, hitting its highest level in over two months.



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



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Major Indices</td><td>Price</td><td>% chg.</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>19,853.70</td><td>+ 1.5%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>5,614.89</td><td>+ 0.9%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>1,971.76</td><td>+ 0.4%</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>40,802.25</td><td>+ 0.3%</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated by 12:55 p.m. ET</figcaption></figure>



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



<ul>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) rose 1% to $560.02.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>) rose 0.5% to $408.25.</li>



<li>The tech-heavy&nbsp;Invesco QQQ Trust Series&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>)&nbsp;rose 1.6% to $483.23.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) inched 0.5% higher to $195.71.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;Technology&nbsp;Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLK#NYSE">XLK</a>) outperformed, up 2.6%; the&nbsp;Health Care&nbsp;Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLV#NYSE">XLV</a>) lagged, down 2.3%.</li>
</ul>



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday&#8217;s Stock Movers</h1>



Stocks reacting to earnings reports included: Microsoft Corporation: up 8.30% Meta Platforms, Inc.: up 4.29% Eli Lilly And Co&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>): &#8211; 9.88% Mastercard Incorporated&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MA#NYSE">MA</a>): -0.20% McDonald's Corporation&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MCD#NYSE">MCD</a>): -1.24% Linde plc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LIN#NASDAQ">LIN</a>): -1.14% Qualcomm Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QCOM#NASDAQ">QCOM</a>): -8.28% KKR &amp; Co. Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KKR#NYSE">KKR</a>): up 1.19% The Southern Company&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SO#NYSE">SO</a>): up 0.22% Intercontinental Exchange, Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ICE#NYSE">ICE</a>): up 1.83% KLA Corporation&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KLAC#NASDAQ">KLAC</a>): -2.43% CVS Health Corporation&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVS#NYSE">CVS</a>): up 6.23% Equinix, Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EQIX#NASDAQ">EQIX</a>): -0.16% Parker-Hannifin Corporation&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PH#NYSE">PH</a>): up 0.70% Air Products and Chemicals, Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APD#NYSE">APD</a>): -0.09% Howmet Aerospace Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HWM#NYSE">HWM</a>): up 7.44% Carrier Global Corporation&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CARR#NYSE">CARR</a>): up 11% Aflac Incorporated&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AFL#NYSE">AFL</a>): -4% Public Storage&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PSA#NYSE">PSA</a>): -0.18% The Allstate Corporation&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ALL#NYSE">ALL</a>): -1.27% MetLife, Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MET#NYSE">MET</a>): up 0.47% W.W. Grainger, Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GWW#NYSE">GWW</a>): Up 2.14% Becton, Dickinson and Company&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BDX#NYSE">BDX</a>): -15.73% Quanta Services, Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PWR#NYSE">PWR</a>): up 10.10% Exelon Corporation&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EXC#NASDAQ">EXC</a>): -0.33% Dominion Energy, Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/D#NYSE">D</a>): up 0.91%



Stocks slated to report earnings after the bell include Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMGN#NASDAQ">AMGN</a>), Arthur J. Gallagher &amp; Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AJG#NYSE">AJG</a>), Airbnb Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ABNB#NASDAQ">ABNB</a>), Atlassian Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TEAM#NASDAQ">TEAM</a>), Motorola Solutions Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSI#NYSE">MSI</a>), EOG Resources Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EOG#NYSE">EOG</a>), American International Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AIG#NYSE">AIG</a>), Consolidated Edison Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ED#NYSE">ED</a>), Ingersoll Rand Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IR#NYSE">IR</a>), DexCom Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DXCM#NASDAQ">DXCM</a>), Monolithic Power Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MPWR#NASDAQ">MPWR</a>), Ameren Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AEE#NYSE">AEE</a>), GoDaddy Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GDDY#NYSE">GDDY</a>), Mettler-Toledo International Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MTD#NYSE">MTD</a>), MicroStrategy Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), Eversource Energy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ES#NYSE">ES</a>), Hologic Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HOLX#NASDAQ">HOLX</a>), Mohawk Industries Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MHK#NYSE">MHK</a>), Camden Property Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CPT#NYSE">CPT</a>) and Live Nation Entertainment Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LYV#NYSE">LYV</a>).



Read Now: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45117801/apple-q2-earnings-preview-analysts-remain-bullish-with-caution-of-tariff-tornado-hitting-iphone">Apple Q2 Earnings Preview: Analysts Remain Bullish But Warn Of &#8216;Tariff Tornado&#8217; Hitting iPhone</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Large Cap

Sector ETFs

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

ABNB

AMGN

CARR

DXCM

EQIX

GDDY

HOLX

KLAC

MPWR

MSTR

QCOM

TEAM

Wall Street Eyes 8th Positive Day As S&P 500 Recoups Tariff-Led Losses, Bitcoin Rallies To $97,000: What's Driving Markets Thursday? (CORRECTED)

The U.S. manufacturing sector shrank for the second straight month in April, driven by weakening demand and rising price pressures linked to tariffs, according to the latest data from the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s">Institute for Supply Management (ISM).</a>



The ISM Manufacturing Purchasing Managers&#8217; Index (PMI) fell from 49% in March to 48.7%, its third consecutive monthly decline. While surpassing the economist consensus of 48%, the outcome remains below the neutral 50% threshold, indicating another month of contraction.



&#8220;Demand and output weakened while input strengthened further, conditions that are not considered positive for economic growth,&#8221; Timothy R. Fiore, chair of the ISM Manufacturing Business Survey Committee, stated. 



He added that destaffing continued as firms grappled with uncertainty and rising costs.



Fiore cited growing backlogs and supplier delivery delays, noting that "prices growth accelerated slightly due to tariffs," which may have pushed firms to frontload purchases and accumulate inventories.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Manufacturing Price Pressures Hit 34-Month High</h3>



The New Orders Index rose modestly to 47.2%, up 2 points from March's 45.2%, but remained in contraction territory for the third straight month.



Production deteriorated sharply, with the Production Index plunging to 44% from 48.3% in March—a drop of 4.3 points and a clear sign of weakening factory activity.



The Backlog of Orders Index was 43.7%, down 0.8 percentage point from the previous reading of 44.5%.



The Employment Index registered 46.5%, up 1.8 percentage points from March's 44.7%, remaining in contraction zone.



&#8220;The Supplier Deliveries Index indicated a continued slowing of deliveries, registering 55.2%, 1.7 percentage points higher than the 53.5% recorded in March,&#8221; said Fiore. 



Notably, the Prices Index rose to 69.8% in April, the highest since June 2022 and up slightly from March's 69.4%. This elevated reading underscores the resurgence of inflationary forces within the supply chain, largely tied to renewed trade barriers and tariffs.



Export activity weakened significantly, with the New Export Orders Index falling to 43.1%, a steep drop from March's 49.6%. Imports also dipped into contraction territory, registering 47.1%, down from 50.1%.



Inventory levels expanded for the second consecutive month, with the Inventories Index at 50.8%. Fiore warned that "inventory growth is not a positive sign when demand is moving in the opposite direction." 



&#8220;The recent expansion is considered a temporary move to avoid tariffs, and levels will decline when such trade issues are resolved,&#8221; Fiore added.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Market Reaction: Dollar Rallies, Yields Rise</h3>



Markets reacted swiftly to the report, particularly in currency and bond markets. 



The U.S. dollar strengthened, with the Invesco DB USD Index Bullish Fund ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UUP#NYSE">UUP</a>) rising 0.5% and regaining the 100 mark, reaching two-week highs. 



The 10-year Treasury yield climbed 4 basis points to 4.19%, as traders priced in the likelihood that the Federal Reserve may delay rate cuts due to persistent price pressures.



Stock markets were relatively unfazed. 



The S&amp;P 500, as tracked by the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>), rose 0.4% to 5,615 by 10:15 a.m. ET. Gains were mirrored across the Dow Jones and Nasdaq 100, while the small-cap Russell 2000 outperformed with a 0.9% advance.



Read now: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/04/45124966/us-trade-deficit-explodes-to-record-162-billion-in-march-as-import-frenzy-precedes-trumps-tariff-bar">US Trade Deficit Explodes To Record $162 Billion In March As Import Frenzy Precedes Trump&#8217;s Tariff Barrage</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

US Manufacturing Activity Contracts In April As Tariffs Push Input Prices Toward 3-Year Highs

Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) will be reporting its second-quarter earnings on Thursday. Wall Street expects $1.63 in EPS and $94.53 billion in revenues as the company reports<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings?tickers=AAPL" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> after market hours</a>.



The stock is up 25.52% over the past year, down 12.86% YTD.



Let&#8217;s look at what the charts indicate for Apple stock and how the stock currently maps against Wall Street estimates.



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



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Apple Stock Stuck In A Stagnant Trend Ahead Of Q2 Earnings</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0501"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="627" height="489" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01073826/Screenshot-2025-05-01-at-4.47.56-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-896651" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01073826/Screenshot-2025-05-01-at-4.47.56-PM.png 627w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/01073826/Screenshot-2025-05-01-at-4.47.56-PM-300x234.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" /></a></figure>



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0501">Chart created using Benzinga Pro</a>



Apple stock is currently navigating a relatively stagnant trend, but underlying buying pressure may be laying the groundwork for a bullish breakout. Apple stock, at $212.50, is trading above its eight-day and 20-day simple moving averages &#8211; $208.54 and $199.51, respectively &#8211; indicating short-term bullish momentum. This suggests that traders are stepping in to support the stock at current levels, a constructive sign for potential upside.



However, Apple stock still faces resistance on longer timeframes, as it trades below its 50-day and 200-day simple moving averages of $216.38 and $227.23. These levels suggest that the broader trend remains bearish for now. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) reading of a negative 0.71 further supports this cautious stance, though the Relative Strength Index (RSI) at 54.2 reflects moderate bullish sentiment without being overbought. 



Overall, while Apple stock isn't yet in full bullish territory, continued buying pressure and a break above the 50-day moving average could mark a trend reversal worth watching.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Tariffs, AI Delays Could Mute Super Cycle Talk</h2>



Heading into earnings, expectations are being tempered by macro uncertainties. According to Hightower Advisors&#8217; Chief Investment Strategist Stephanie Link, first-quarter numbers may have seen a pull-in ahead of tariffs, but Apple may refrain from providing forward guidance. 



She points to tariffs and AI delays as reasons why she finds the scenario of a &#8220;super cycle unlikely.&#8221; Though services &#8211; expected to grow double digits &#8211; will likely be a bright spot. Still, with Apple trading at 28x earnings and showing only single-digit revenue growth, valuation could be a headwind.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Apple Analysts See About 4% Upside</h2>



Ratings &amp; Consensus Estimates:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/AAPL/analyst-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> The consensus analyst rating</a> for Apple stock is currently a Buy, with a price target of $233.40. The three most recent analyst ratings for Apple stock, from Rosenblatt, Loop Capital and Barclays, imply a 3.70% upside based on their average price target of $217.



AAPL Stock Price Action: Apple stock was down 0.2% at $212.06 at the time of publication Thursday.



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Photo Courtesy: Tada Images on Shutterstock.com

Technicals

Previews

Apple Gears Up For Q2 Earnings With Bearish Technicals: 'Super Cycle Unlikely' Says Strategist

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Photo: Shutterstock

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

Editor's note: This article has been updated for accuracy regarding Marathon Petroleum's year-to-date performance.



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Let&#8217;s dig in.



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



While Marathon has faced some headwinds this year and is down over 2% since January, the company's underlying fundamentals remain solid. Its latest earnings report showed revenue topping $36.2 billion—a clear sign that demand is holding firm, even as the stock has lagged.



Bottom line?



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Photo: Shutterstock

3 Stocks To Turn Tariffs Into Opportunities (CORRECTED)

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Photo by M7kk via Shutterstock

Biotech

Guidance

Health Care

General

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

Commodities

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Photo by sombat muycheen via Shutterstock

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

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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Photo courtesy Jonathan Weiss via Shutterstock

AIEQ

FTXR

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

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



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



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



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



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



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/45031652/trumps-ai-and-crypto-czar-david-sacks-says-musk-isnt-out-of-doge-just-rationing-his-time-at-the-department-as-tesla-stock-surges-24-in-the-past-five-days" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump's AI And Crypto Czar David Sacks Says Elon Musk Going To ‘Stay Involved' In DOGE, Calls Entrepreneur Rationing His Time Sensible</a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/go/plus500-futures" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/go/plus500-futures" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a>



U.S. 10-Year Treasuries are at 4.15%, while the 2-Year Treasuries are at 3.60%. The CME Group's FedWatch&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">tool</a>&nbsp;shows the markets pricing a 95% likelihood of interest rates remaining unchanged during the FOMC meeting that is scheduled to take place the first week of May, which marks an increase from 92.4% on Wednesday.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Futures</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Change (+/-)</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Dow Jones</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">0.83%</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">S&amp;P 500</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">1.30%</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Nasdaq 100</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">1.78%</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Russell 2000</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">0.46%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 Trust ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) was up 0.04% on Monday, while the&nbsp;Invesco QQQ Trust&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which tracks the Nasdaq-100 Index, was down 0.013%, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;138z7gr&#x2A;_gcl_au&#x2A;MjA5Njc0MjY1My4xNzQwODM2NTUw&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;R1MxLjEuMTc0NDY0ODA3Mi4yLjAuMTc0NDY0ODA3NS4wLjAuMA..&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTc0NTgyOTMzMy4xLjEuMTc0NTgyOTYyMy4wLjAuMA..">Benzinga Pro</a>&nbsp;data.



Cues From Last Session:



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



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



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



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



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



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Index</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Performance (+/-)</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Value</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Nasdaq Composite</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">-0.086%</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">17,446.34</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">S&amp;P 500</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">0.15%</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">5,569.06</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Dow Jones</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">0.35%</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">40,669.36</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Russell 2000</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">-0.63%</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">1,964.12</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Insights From Analysts:



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



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Q1 GDP negative got the headlines this AM, but much of that was due to inventories and companies buying ahead of tariffs. Final Demand slowed, but was still fairly solid. Bottom line? Economy slowed ahead of tariffs, but isn&#39;t in a recession. <a href="https://twitter.com/sonusvarghese?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sonusvarghese</a> breaks it down. <a href="https://t.co/1mXl3edFGk">https://t.co/1mXl3edFGk</a>&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1917678441484411033?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



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



Upcoming Economic Data:



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



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



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



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



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



Stocks In Focus:



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



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



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



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



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



Commodities, Gold, And Global Equity Markets:



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



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



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



Read Next:&nbsp;



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



Photo: Shutterstock

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



Read Next:



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



Photo by Dmytro Larin via Shutterstock

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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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



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

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