U.S. stock futures declined on Friday after ending marginally higher on Thursday. Futures of major benchmark indices were lower.



After President Donald Trump imposed <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46334793/trump-sends-lula-a-letter-imposing-50-tariffs-calls-bolsonaro-trial-a-witch-hunt-brazils-president-hits-back-will-not-accept-any-form-of-tutelage">50% tariffs on Brazil</a>, the country&#8217;s President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, issued a warning Thursday about <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46359200/brazil-hits-back-at-trumps-tariff-letter-lula-says-if-hes-going-to-charge-us-50-wee-going-to-charge-him-50">potential retaliatory tariffs </a>if the U.S. proceeds with its planned 50% tax on Brazilian imports from Aug. 1.



The 10-year Treasury bond yielded 4.38% and the two-year bond was at 3.88%. The CME Group's FedWatch <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">tool&#8217;s</a> projections show markets pricing a 93.3% likelihood of the Federal Reserve keeping the current interest rates unchanged in its July meeting. 



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Futures</td><td>Change (+/-)</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>-0.62%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>-0.57%</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>-0.50%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-0.99%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which track the S&amp;P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, were lower in premarket on Friday. The SPY was down 0.54% at $622.44, while the QQQ declined 0.47% to $552.86, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.



Cues From Last Session:



On Thursday, most sectors within the S&amp;P 500 finished higher, with consumer discretionary, utilities, and energy stocks leading the gains.



Conversely, communication services and information technology sectors bucked the trend, ending the session lower. U.S. stocks settled higher overall, with the S&amp;P 500 hitting an all-time high during the day.



A significant boost came from Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DAL#NYSE">DAL</a>), which surged approximately 12% after reporting second-quarter results that exceeded both earnings and revenue forecasts, signaling a robust demand outlook and igniting a widespread rally across the airline sector.



On the economic front, the U.S. labor market continued to demonstrate resilience, as initial jobless claims decreased to 237,000 last week, surpassing expectations. However, continuing claims increased to 1.965 million, reaching their highest level since 2021.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Index</td><td>Performance (+/-)</td><td>Value</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq Composite</td><td>0.094%</td><td>20,630.66</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>0.27%</td><td>6,280.46</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>0.43%</td><td>44,650.64</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>0.48%</td><td>2,263.41</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Insights From Analysts:



As the trade-related tussle evolves with the U.S. trading partners, Louis Navellier of Navellier &amp; Associates said that &#8220;There is no doubt that the tariffs the Trump Administration is imposing are controversial, but the countries that cooperate with the U.S., like Australia and Britain, are only being hit with 10% baseline tariffs, which should be largely offset by appreciation in the U.S. dollar in the upcoming months.&#8221;



Highlighting that the tariff revenue to the U.S. Treasury soared to $24.2 billion in May and is now expected to soar to $60 billion or higher per month in the upcoming months, he added, &#8220;I remain in the camp that when all the dust settles, there will be freer trade with fewer tariffs, since many countries cannot fight with the U.S.&#8221;



&#8220;Markets appear to have become desensitized to tariff news,&#8221; said Michelle Gibley, director of international research at the Schwab Center for Financial Research. &#8220;There may be some thought that the rates announced won&#8217;t be the final tariffs—some of the figures seem random and part of a negotiation.&#8221;



Meanwhile, Ed Yardeni of Yardeni Research highlighted that the Warren Buffett Indicator <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46360976/warren-buffett-indicator-soars-to-208-surpassing-dot-com-2008-levels">hit an alarming valuation</a>, indicating a potentially overvalued market, but the U.S. economy has demonstrated remarkable resilience.



He pointed out a fascinating paradox: "The economy won't let us down. Despite numerous crises, real GDP has remained recession-resistant since the Covid lockdown during the first half of 2020."



He emphasizes nearly six years without a recession, despite significant global challenges such as the pandemic, the conflict in Ukraine, stricter monetary policies, the Middle East war, and the economic disruption caused by Donald Trump&#8217;s tariffs.



Indeed, Yardeni argues, "it really has been the Roaring 2020s so far. Real GDP is at a record high and so is the stock market."



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



Upcoming Economic Data



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



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Monthly U.S. federal budget data will be released at 2:00 p.m. ET.</li>
</ul>



Stocks In Focus:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>) was up 3.35%, Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>) rose 2.38%, Riot Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIOT#NASDAQ">RIOT</a>) advanced 2.94%, MARA Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>) was 4.20% higher, along with all the other Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) exposed stocks as the cryptocurrency hit a fresh high of $118,403.89 on Thursday.</li>



<li>Several drone-related stocks were also higher after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued new orders to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46356963/drone-stocks-fly-as-defense-secretary-fast-tracks-drone-production-deployment">fast-track drone manufacturing</a> and deployment. This includes Red Cat Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RCAT#NASDAQ">RCAT</a>), which soared 16.08%, AeroVironment Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVAV#NASDAQ">AVAV</a>), which advanced 4.11%, Ageagle Aerial Systems Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UAVS#NYSE">UAVS</a>), which was up 9.68%, and Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ONDS#NASDAQ">ONDS</a>) higher by 5.47%.</li>



<li>Levi Strauss &amp; Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LEVI#NYSE">LEVI</a>) jumped 7.25% after reporting stronger-than-expected second-quarter financial results and raising its full-year guidance.</li>



<li>PriceSmart Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PSMT#NASDAQ">PSMT</a>) climbed 7.10% higher after reporting better-than-expected third-quarter financial results.</li>



<li>Frequency Electronics Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FEIM#NASDAQ">FEIM</a>) tumbled 2.12% after reporting earnings of 34 cents per share for the fourth quarter, up from 28 cents per share in the year-ago period. The company&#8217;s sales rose to $19.986 million from $15.576 million.</li>



<li>E2open Parent Holdings Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ETWO#NYSE">ETWO</a>) was up 0.31% after posting better-than-expected earnings for its first quarter and affirming its fiscal year 2026 sales guidance.</li>



<li>WD-40 Co. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WDFC#NASDAQ">WDFC</a>) was 0.093% higher after posting better-than-expected earnings for its third quarter, while sales missed estimates. The company raised its EPS guidance, but narrowed its sales forecast.</li>
</ul>



Commodities, Gold, And Global Equity Markets:



Crude oil futures were trading higher in the early New York session by 0.03% to hover around $66.59 per barrel.



Gold Spot US Dollar rose 0.29% to hover around $3,333.71 per ounce. Its last record high stood at $3,500.33 per ounce. The U.S. Dollar Index spot was higher by 0.14% at the 97.7890 level.



Asian markets ended mostly lower on Friday, except China&#8217;s CSI 300 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng indices. India's S&amp;P BSE Sensex, Japan's Nikkei 225, South Korea's Kospi, and Australia's ASX 200 indices fell. European markets were lower in early trade.



Read Next:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46360976/warren-buffett-indicator-soars-to-208-surpassing-dot-com-2008-levels">Warren Buffett Indicator Soars To 208%, Surpassing Dot-Com, 2008 Levels</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: godongphoto / Shutterstock.com

Equities

$BTC

AVAV

COIN

ETWO

FEIM

LEVI

MARA

MSTR

ONDS

PSMT

RCAT

RIOT

UAVS

WDFC

US Stocks Expected To Open Lower, But Bitcoin-Exposed Stocks Soar In Premarket After BTC Breaches $118K Mark

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) has surged to a new all-time high of $118,909 on Coinbase on Friday morning propelled by steady institutional buying, but analysts warn the rally could face pressure from geopolitical and inflation-driven uncertainties in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/bitcoin-price-prediction">the weeks ahead</a>.



What Happened: The world's largest cryptocurrency jumped 6.3% in the last 24 hours, breaking out of the sideways trading pattern that has persisted for much of the past two months.



Stephen Wundke, Director of Strategy and Revenue at Algoz, pointed to the continued inflows into U.S.-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs, amounting to $15 billion in net buying over the past two months, as a critical driver of upward momentum. 



"Institutions have kept buying BTC ETFs," Wundke told Benzinga. "Traders who lack exposure are now trying to recover positions, forcing prices higher."



He added that dovish inflation signals globally and renewed corporate interest in adding Bitcoin to treasury holdings are fostering favorable conditions for further upside. 



"History shows us when BTC breaks new highs and holds, there's been a circa 20% uplift in the next 60 days," he noted, predicting a short-term target of $125,000—provided inflation data from the U.S. remains benign.



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/07/46351536/you-can-stake-ethereum-solana-on-robinhood-but-is-it-worth-the-25-cut">You Can Stake Ethereum, Solana On Robinhood—But Is It Worth The 25% Cut?</a>



Ajay Dhingra, Head of Research and Partnerships at Unizen, was more cautious. "Bitcoin's new all-time high comes during a rare moment of calm in global politics and trade," he said. 



However, Dhingra warned that upcoming macro data releases—particularly GDP and inflation figures—may reflect the impact of Middle East tensions and impending tariffs, potentially reigniting market volatility. 



"This rally may not hold if that calm gives way to fresh volatility," he added.



The broader crypto market followed Bitcoin's lead. 



Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) rose over 8% to top $3,000, while XRP (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>) gained 8% as well to surpass $2.60.



Market sentiment also received a lift from optimism around likely ETF approvals for altcoins like Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>) and Ripple, both of which broke key trendlines in recent trading sessions.



What&#8217;s Next: While enthusiasm is growing, experts caution that the sustainability of this rally hinges on upcoming macroeconomic events, particularly the U.S. inflation report due July 15 and the Bitcoin options expiry on July 25, two potential catalysts that could sway short-term market direction.



Read Next: 



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/07/46345201/bitcoins-rally-to-112000-yes-its-different-this-time">Bitcoin&#8217;s Rally To $112,000: Yes, It&#8217;s Different This Time</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Cryptocurrency

News

$ETH

$SOL

$XRP

Bitcoin Sets All-Time High At $118,909, Ethereum, XRP Surge 8% Each

JP Morgan&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JPM#NYSE">JPM</a>) CEO&nbsp;Jamie Dimon&nbsp;has raised a red flag about the potential underestimation of the risk of higher U.S. interest rates by the financial markets.



What Happened: Dimon expressed his concerns at an event hosted by Ireland&#8217;s foreign ministry in Dublin on Thursday. He stated that the financial markets may not be fully considering the possibility of a rise in U.S. interest rates, which he described as a &#8220;cause for concern,&#8221;&nbsp;reported&nbsp;Reuters.



Dimon&#8217;s apprehension is based on several factors, including the impact of tariffs, the U.S. government&#8217;s immigration policies and the country&#8217;s budget deficit. He also highlighted the potential inflationary effects of the global trade restructuring and demographic changes.



Despite the&nbsp;recent decision of the Federal Reserve to maintain&nbsp;the current interest rates, Dimon believes that the likelihood of a further increase is higher than what the market is currently pricing in. He noted that the market is pricing in a 20% chance of a rate hike, while he would put it at 40-50%.



Dimon also pointed out the challenges in reading&nbsp;&#8216;real-time data&#8217; on the U.S.&nbsp;economy, stating that it is &#8220;totally impossible to read.&#8221; He further criticized the market for being complacent in the face of President Donald Trump&#8216;s tariff policies and global trade uncertainty.



See Also: <a href="https://benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/07/46352378/bitcoin-breaks-above-113000-but-there-is-a-catch" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin Breaks Above $113,000&#8230;But There Is A Catch</a>



Why It Matters: The Federal Reserve&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46336115/as-trump-calls-for-3-percentage-point-rate-cut-too-late-jerome-powell-to-resign-june-fed-minutes-show-uncertainty-reigns-supreme">June meeting </a>was marked by &#8220;uncertainty&#8221; amid tariff turmoil and Trump&#8217;s call for a 3 percentage point rate cut. Furthermore, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell indicated that Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46213909/jerome-powell-says-trumps-tariffs-deterred-fed-from-easing-monetary-policy-july-decision-to-depend-on-data-wouldnt-take-any-meeting-off-the-table">tariff strategy </a>deterred the central bank from easing monetary policy.



At the same time, money market funds hit a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46337134/bill-ackman-cheers-money-market-funds-hitting-record-7-4-trillion-as-jerome-powell-snubs-trumps-rate-cut-demands">record $7.4 trillion</a>, hinting that any rate cuts could direct these funds into the equity markets, as noted by billionaire Bill Ackman. This context underscores Dimon&#8217;s concerns about the underestimated risk of higher interest rates and potential economic instability.



Meanwhile, polymarket bettors now see a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/07/46314139/polymarket-bettors-see-50-chance-of-fed-september-rate-cuts-as-trump-turns-up-heat-on-powell">50% chance</a> that the Federal Reserve will make its first interest rate cut of 2025 at the September meeting, while there was a 44% chance that rates would stay at the current 4.25%–4.50% range.



Read Next: 



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46360429/mike-pence-says-trumps-tariff-escalations-with-us-allies-are-like-dismissing-your-front-line-in-a-f" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mike Pence Says Trump&#8217;s Tariff Escalations With US Allies Are Like &#8216;Dismissing Your Front Line In A Football Game</a></li>
</ul>



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



Image via Shutterstock

Markets

Jamie Dimon Warns Market May Be Underestimating Rate Hike Risks, Flags Investor Complacency Amid Trump Tariffs: 'Cause Of Concern'

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly authorized a pause on weapons shipments to Ukraine without informing the White House. The decision triggered internal confusion and required explanations to Congress and Ukrainian officials.



What Happened: President Donald Trump distanced himself from the move during a on Tuesday Cabinet meeting. When asked if he approved the pause, Trump said the U.S. would continue sending defensive weapons to Ukraine. Pressed on who authorized the halt, Trump replied, &#8220;I don&#8217;t know, why don&#8217;t you tell me?&#8221;



The episode highlights policy-making challenges within the Trump administration, particularly at the Defense Department under Hegseth, CNN <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/08/politics/hegseth-did-not-inform-white-house-ukraine-weapons-pause">reported</a>, citing sources. This marked the second time this year Hegseth halted Ukraine weapons flows without advance notice to senior national security officials.



The first pause occurred in February and was quickly reversed, according to CNN. Similarly, Trump announced Monday night that weapons shipments would resume despite Hegseth&#8217;s earlier authorization of the halt.



The weapons package had been allocated by the previous administration and was en route when stopped. In a Friday call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Trump downplayed his role in the decision, according to the report.



Trump appears less inclined to give Russia a &#8220;win&#8221; by halting military aid as he has soured on Russian President Vladimir Putin. 



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46359200/brazil-hits-back-at-trumps-tariff-letter-lula-says-if-hes-going-to-charge-us-50-wee-going-to-charge-him-50">Brazil Hits Back At Trump&#8217;s Tariff Letter, Lula Says If &#8216;He&#8217;s Going To Charge Us 50, We&#8217;e Going To Charge Him 50&#8217;</a>



&#8220;We get a lot of bulls&#x2A;&#x2A;t thrown at us by Putin,&#8221; Trump said Tuesday. &#8220;You want to know the truth? It&#8217;s very nice all the time, but it turns out to be meaningless.&#8221;



Why It Matters: The Pentagon suspended shipments after Trump requested an assessment of U.S. weapons stockpiles during their NATO summit trip. With Iran and Israel exchanging attacks, Trump wanted to ensure adequate munitions for regional U.S. troops.



Meanwhile, Hegseth has separately moved to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/07/46356963/drone-stocks-fly-as-defense-secretary-fast-tracks-drone-production-deployment">accelerate drone technology deployment</a>, signing memos to rescind restrictive policies on drone production. The move boosted drone stocks, including Red Cat Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RCAT#NASDAQ">RCAT</a>), AeroVironment Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVAV#NASDAQ">AVAV</a>), and Kratos Defense &amp; Security Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KTOS#NASDAQ">KTOS</a>) in after-hours trading.



The controversy comes as Hegseth has taken a hawkish stance on China, warning at Singapore&#8217;s Shangri-La Dialogue that Beijing&#8217;s potential military move against Taiwan represents an &#8220;imminent&#8221; threat. He urged Indo-Pacific nations to increase defense spending and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/05/45710652/hegseth-urges-asia-to-arm-up-as-china-eyes-taiwan">reduce dependence on U.S. protection</a>.



Read Next: 



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46360686/trump-to-make-a-major-statement-on-russia-on-monday-amid-escalating-ukraine-conflict-im-disappointed">Trump To Make A &#8216;Major Statement&#8217; On Russia On Monday Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict: &#8216;I&#8217;m Disappointed&#8230;&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



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



Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock/Joshua Sukoff

Politics

KTOS

Trump Says 'I Don't Know' Who Paused Ukraine Weapon Shipments—Hegseth Did Not Inform The White House: Report

Leading cryptocurrencies scripted another strong rally Thursday, despite President Donald Trump&#8217;s tariff moves casting a pall over the market.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><thead><tr><th>Cryptocurrency</th><th>Gains +/-</th><th>Price (Recorded at 9:10 p.m. ET)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td><td>+4.09%</td><td>$115,629.51</td></tr><tr><td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>+6.22%</td><td>$2,931.12</td></tr><tr><td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>+7.76%</td><td>$0.1922</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



What Happened: Bitcoin blasted to a new record high above $116,000 in the evening, as trading volume for the apex cryptocurrency spiked 62% to a whopping $96 billion in the last 24 hours.



Ethereum was closing in on $3,000, hitting levels last seen in early February.



The second-largest cryptocurrency's market share jumped to 9.8%, while Bitcoin's dominance slipped below 64%.



Over $1 billion was liquidated from the market in the last 24 hours, with $969 million in downside bets erased.



Bitcoin's open interest increased by 2.86% in the last 24 hours to an all-time high of $81.35 billion. Notably, the long/short ratio was below 1, indicating a higher number of short bets compared to long bets.



The "Greed" sentiment strengthened in the market, according to the Crypto Fear &amp; Greed Index.



Top Gainers (24 Hours)



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><thead><tr><th>Cryptocurrency</th><th>Gains +/-</th><th>Price (Recorded at 9:10 p.m. ET)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Pudgy Penguins (PENGU)</td><td>+22.70%</td><td>$0.01919</td></tr><tr><td>Sei (SEI)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>+19.84%</td><td>$0.3134</td></tr><tr><td>Worldcoin (WLD)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>+19.60%</td><td>$1.08 </td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $3.60 trillion, following a 4.03% jump in the last 24 hours.



Stocks also notched record highs on Thursday. The S&amp;P 500 rallied 0.27% to end at 6,280.46. The tech-focused Nasdaq Composite rose 0.09% to close at 20,630.67. &nbsp;The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 192.34 points, or 0.43%, to end at 44,458.30.



Meanwhile, stock futures bled overnight after Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114831716625825473">announced </a>35% tariffs on all goods imported from Canada starting Aug. 1



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



Analyst Notes: Blockchain analytics firm Santiment said that despite Bitcoin's record highs, traders are not keen to shift coins back onto exchanges for profit-taking.



On the contrary, the last four months have seen a net drop of 21% in BTC on exchanges.



"The trend of coins staying off exchanges is a sign that the threat of sudden market plummets is more limited, and long-term investors are increasingly content to keep their coins safe in personal storage for the long run," Santiment added.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">&#x1f4c8; Bitcoin has made yet another historic all-time high, surging to a market value of $113,923 30 minutes ago. Despite <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a>&#39;s +13.6% price rise since its June 22nd local bottom, traders are not showing eagerness to move coins back on to exchanges (to potentially sell). &#x1f92f; In… <a href="https://t.co/FsOLjUF7Kj">pic.twitter.com/FsOLjUF7Kj</a>&mdash; Santiment (@santimentfeed) <a href="https://twitter.com/santimentfeed/status/1943379116541063204?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Widely followed cryptocurrency analyst and trader Ali Martinez stated this might be the "last chance" to catch Ethereum's breakout.



"Right now, ETH is sitting in the middle of a parallel channel. If momentum builds, it has a good chance of rising to $4,000," Martinez projected.



<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">This is your last chance to catch the Ethereum <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24ETH&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$ETH</a> breakout! <a href="https://t.co/EvpzDHQBFM">pic.twitter.com/EvpzDHQBFM</a>&mdash; Ali (@ali_charts) <a href="https://twitter.com/ali_charts/status/1943446636983640561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Photo Courtesy: PeopleImages.com &#8211; Yuri A on Shutterstock.com



Read Next:&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/07/46353081/bitcoin-can-easily-crash-buy-silver-instead-peter-schiff-says-silver-should-rise-much-more-downside-seems-limited">&#8216;Bitcoin Can Easily Crash,&#8217; Buy Silver Instead, Peter Schiff Says &#8211; &#8216;Silver Should Rise Much More, Downside Seems Limited&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>

$DOGE

Bitcoin Breaks $116,000, Ethereum, Dogecoin Soar As Crypto Investors Shrug Off Tariff Concerns: Analyst Says This Is Your 'Last Chance' To Catch ETH's Breakout

Brazil&#8217;s President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, issued a warning Thursday about potential retaliatory tariffs if the U.S. proceeds with its planned 50% tax on Brazilian imports from Aug. 1.



What Happened: Lula stated via his official X handle that Brazil would take the necessary measures to &#8220;protect its people and its companies.&#8221;



&#8220;The Brazilian people must be respected. Brazilian justice must be respected.&#8221; Lula said, &#8220;We are a great, sovereign country with a historic tradition of diplomacy with all nations.&#8221;



&#8220;And don&#8217;t have any doubt that first we will try to negotiate, but if there is no negotiation, the law of reciprocity will be put into practice,&#8221; the Brazilian president stated in an interview with local media. &#8220;If he&#8217;s [Trump] going to charge us 50, we&#8217;re going to charge him 50.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">O povo brasileiro precisa ser respeitado. A justiça brasileira precisa ser respeitada. Somos um país grande, soberano, e de tradições diplomáticas históricas com todos os países. O Brasil vai adotar as medidas necessárias para proteger seu povo e suas empresas.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EntrevistaRecord?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EntrevistaRecord</a> <a href="https://t.co/pdMuVP1rPM">pic.twitter.com/pdMuVP1rPM</a>&mdash; Lula (@LulaOficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/LulaOficial/status/1943377623247114667?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46338641/ray-dalio-says-trumps-tariffs-are-theoretical-warns-they-may-not-bring-manufacturing-back-to-us">Ray Dalio Says Trump&#8217;s Tariffs Are &#8216;Theoretical,&#8217; Warns They May Not Bring Manufacturing Back To US</a>



Meanwhile, Brazil&#8217;s Finance Minister,&nbsp;Fernando Haddad, is trying to defuse the growing tensions. He expressed confidence that any dispute &#8220;can&nbsp;and must be overcome through&nbsp;diplomacy,&#8221; Reuters reported.



Why It Matters: This development follows a flare-up in tensions between the U.S. and Brazil after President Donald Trump sent a letter to Lula, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46334793/trump-sends-lula-a-letter-imposing-50-tariffs-calls-bolsonaro-trial-a-witch-hunt-brazils-president-hits-back-will-not-accept-any-form-of-tutelage">threatening to impose</a> 50% tariffs on Brazilian imports. 



Trump accused Brazil of &#8220;insidious attacks on free elections&#8221; and dubbed the trial of former President&nbsp;Jair Bolsonaro a &#8220;witch hunt.&#8221;



The proposed tariffs have begun to impact the Brazilian economy, with shares of Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer S.A. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ERJ#NYSE">ERJ</a>) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/travel/25/07/46357953/trumps-50-tariffs-send-this-jet-maker-into-a-tailspin">plunging in Thursday&#8217;s regular trading</a>. As the world&#8217;s third-largest aircraft maker, Embraer heavily relies on the U.S. market, making it particularly vulnerable to these proposed trade measures.



Price Action: Shares of iShares MSCI Brazil ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EWZ#NYSE">EWZ</a>) closed 1.56% lower at $27.72 on Thursday, while Embraer slid 4.65%.



The Embraer stock demonstrated a very high momentum score as of this writing. Use <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings</a>. to see how it compares to Boeing Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BA#NYSE">BA</a>).



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="445" height="190" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10220508/image-130.png" alt="" class="wp-image-980972" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10220508/image-130.png 445w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10220508/image-130-300x128.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 445px) 100vw, 445px" /></a></figure>



Photo Courtesy: Marcus Mendes on Shutterstock.com



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/07/46350703/airline-stocks-surge-trump-tariffs-hit-brazil">Airline Stocks Take Off, Trump Hits Brazilian ETF: What&#8217;s Moving Markets Thursday?</a></li>
</ul>

Brazil Hits Back At Trump's Tariff Letter, Lula Says If 'He's Going To Charge Us 50, We'e Going To Charge Him 50'

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) has announced November 6 as the date for the company's annual shareholder meeting amid mounting pressure from investors who are concerned about Elon Musk's political ambitions and mounting tensions with President Donald Trump.



Check out the current price of <a href="https://benzinga.com/quote/tsla">TSLA stock here</a>.



What Happened: "The board of directors of Tesla has designated November 6, 2025 as the date of Tesla's 2025 annual meeting of shareholders," a filing by the EV giant with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission or SEC showed on Thursday.



The company will also present its proxy statement during the meeting, the filing shows.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="438" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10233351/sec-filing-TSLA--1024x438.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-981049" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10233351/sec-filing-TSLA--1024x438.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10233351/sec-filing-TSLA--300x128.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10233351/sec-filing-TSLA--768x328.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10233351/sec-filing-TSLA--1536x657.jpg 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10233351/sec-filing-TSLA--2048x875.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Source: SEC



Amid the news hitting the wires, Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives weighed in on the matter in a post on social media platform X on Thursday. "Now the Musk new pay package will be the focus," Ives said in the post.



The pay package in question reportedly stands at over $56 billion, which was awarded to Musk following Tesla&#8217;s growth, a Reuters report from March suggests. The Tesla board approved Musk&#8217;s pay package, which could be among the highest CEO payouts ever, on two separate occasions.



Musk&#8217;s pay package was awarded to the CEO in 2018. However, a member of the Tesla board had filed a lawsuit objecting to the compensation for Musk. A court ruling in Delaware, Texas, rejected the pay package last year. Musk has since appealed to restore it. 



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Now the Musk new pay package will be the focus &#x1f3af;&#x1f447; <a href="https://t.co/he1Vt9xOGP">https://t.co/he1Vt9xOGP</a>&mdash; Dan Ives (@DivesTech) <a href="https://twitter.com/DivesTech/status/1943271235946758262?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Why It Matters: The date for the investors' meeting comes in after the Tesla BoD faced pressure from shareholders, with a group of 27 investors recently writing a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46335587/tesla-investors-call-for-shareholder-meeting-amid-elon-musk-trump-feud-declining-sales-report">letter to the board</a>, urging it to set up a date for the annual shareholder meeting.



Tesla has also been under fire from analysts, with Gerber Kawasaki's co-founder Ross Gerber slamming Musk, claiming that the CEO has "<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46337215/tesla-is-basically-hijacked-by-elon-musk-says-ross-gerber-calling-it-completely-ridiculous-america-party-is-the-worst-news-for-tsla">hijacked the company</a>" and that his America Party will be "an abject failure."



Ives, who has maintained Bullish views on the company, also called on the Tesla board to set up a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/analyst-color/25/07/46305934/musk-tells-tesla-analyst-dan-ives-to-shut-up-but-hes-not-backing-down-this-is-the-time-for-a-plan">25% voting control for Musk</a> and maintain oversight of his involvement in politics.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="200" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10233459/TSLA-JUL-11-2025-1024x200.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-981051" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10233459/TSLA-JUL-11-2025-1024x200.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10233459/TSLA-JUL-11-2025-300x59.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10233459/TSLA-JUL-11-2025-768x150.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10233459/TSLA-JUL-11-2025-1536x300.jpg 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10233459/TSLA-JUL-11-2025.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>



Tesla offers poor Momentum and Value, while scoring well on the Growth metric and offering satisfactory Quality. For more such insights, sign up for<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound"> Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings</a> today!



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



Read Next:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46335539/elon-musk-asked-dan-ives-to-shut-up-and-the-tesla-bull-says-thats-cool-heres-why">Elon Musk Asked Dan Ives To &#8216;Shut Up&#8217; And The Tesla Bull Says &#8216;That&#8217;s Cool&#8217;: Here&#8217;s Why</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Tech

TSLA

Tesla's Annual Shareholder Meeting Set For November 6th, Dan Ives Says Elon Musk's $56 Billion Pay Package 'Will Be The Focus'

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



U.S. stocks settled higher on Thursday, with the S&amp;P 500 closing at an all-time high level during the session. A day earlier, President Donald Trump announced sweeping 50% tariffs on imports from Brazil and confirmed the 50% tariff on copper, effective Aug. 1.



Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DAL#NYSE">DAL</a>) surged around 12% on Thursday after posting second-quarter results that topped both earnings and revenue expectations, while indicating a strong demand outlook, sparking a broad rally across the airline sector.



On the economic data front, the U.S. labor market continued to show resilience as initial jobless claims dropped to 237,000 last week, beating forecasts. However, continuing claims rose to 1.965 million, the highest level since 2021.



Most sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed on a positive note, with consumer discretionary, utilities and energy stocks recording the biggest gains on Thursday. However, communication services and information technology stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session lower.



The Dow Jones closed higher by 192 points to 44,650.64 on Thursday. The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.27% to 6,280.46, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.09% to 20,630.66 during Thursday's session.



What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?



At a current reading of 76.5, the index remained in the &#8220;Extreme Greed&#8221; zone on Thursday, versus a prior reading of 75.2.



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



Read Next: 



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/dividends/25/07/46341009/how-to-earn-500-a-month-from-jpmorgan-stock-ahead-of-q2-earnings">How To Earn $500 A Month From JPMorgan Stock Ahead Of Q2 Earnings</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Pre-Market Outlook

S&P 500 Settles At Record High As Delta Air Lines Stock Surges: Fear & Greed Index Remains In 'Extreme Greed' Zone

Greece's 2010 collapse was so severe it leased islands, gutted public jobs and pensions, while some abroad even joked about selling the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/eurozone">Acropolis to appease creditors.</a>



Fast forward 15 years, and the picture couldn't be more different.



The Athens Stock Exchange has soared nearly 34% year-to-date, making Greece the world's best-performing equity market thus far in 2025. 



Meanwhile, the Global X MSCI Greece ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GREK#NYSE">GREK</a>), the main U.S.-listed vehicle for investing in Greek stocks, has jumped a staggering 57% year-to-date, beating the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) and Vanguard S&amp;P 500 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VOO#NYSE">VOO</a>) by about a 50-percentage-point margin.



Once the poster child of Europe's debt crisis, Greece is now delivering the world's hottest stock market rally.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="525" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10145706/image-123-1024x525.png" alt="" class="wp-image-980651" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10145706/image-123-1024x525.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10145706/image-123-300x154.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10145706/image-123-768x394.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10145706/image-123-1536x788.png 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10145706/image-123-2048x1051.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Why Is Greek Stock Market Rallying In 2025?</h2>



Fiscal discipline, tax overhauls, and improved public administration have laid the groundwork for this resurgence. Major structural reforms, supported by funding from the European Union's Next Generation EU plan, are also paying off.



The Greek economy is expected to grow 3.2% this year, according to the European Commission — more than double the eurozone average.



The real engine of the Greek stock market&#8217;s rally in 2025 has been the financial sector.



Greek banks, once considered radioactive by global investors, are now leading the charge. Alpha Bank S.A. is up 73% year-to-date, Piraeus Financial Holdings is up 72% and Optima Bank has soared 80%.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Is There Still Room To Run?</h2>



Despite the blistering rally in 2025, Greek stocks remain far from overheated. In fact, the Athens Stock Exchange is still trading 62% below its 2007 all-time high, leaving plenty of headroom for further gains.



That valuation gap hasn't gone unnoticed by major Wall Street firms, which continue to back the Greek rebound. Goldman Sachs and Bank of America both argue that, despite a surge of 50% or more in bank stocks, the sector remains fundamentally undervalued.



According to Goldman Sachs analyst Mikhail Butkov, Greek banks are expected to deliver return on tangible equity (RoTE) of around 14% from 2025 to 2029. He also expects dividend payout ratios to rise to at least 50%, bad loan ratios (non-performing exposures, or NPEs) to fall to 3% next year and 2% by 2029, and capital levels (CET1 ratios) to remain healthy at 16%-17%.



Even with the European Central Bank signaling lower interest rates, Goldman believes Greek banks can still beat expectations. 



"We believe this will be offset by stronger-than-expected lending growth, higher contribution from securities income and better spreads," Butkov said.



Bank of America thinks the rally isn't over yet.



Bank of America equity analyst Ilija Novosselsky wrote last week that Greek banks "still look cheap despite the rally&#8221; and listed several reasons why the upside may continue: net interest income (NII) is turning higher, fee income is growing at an 8.5% compound annual rate, earnings are boosted by mergers and acquisitions, risk costs (CoR) are falling and dividend payouts could reach 70%.



Novosselsky reiterated Buy ratings on Eurobank, Alpha Bank and Piraeus, naming Eurobank his top pick with 42% upside potential. 



Fifteen years after the debt meltdown, Greece has finally shifted from fiscal tragedy to market opportunity.



Read Next:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/analyst-color/25/07/46348036/trump-trade-regional-bank-stocks-2025">This Trump Trade Boomed After Election—Now It May Be Making A Comeback</a><span class="author" style="box-sizing: border-box; border: 0px solid rgb(229, 231, 235); --tw-scale-x: 1; --tw-scale-y: 1; --tw-pan-x: ; --tw-pan-y: ; --tw-pinch-zoom: ; --tw-scroll-snap-strictness: proximity; --tw-gradient-from-position: ; --tw-gradient-via-position: ; --tw-gradient-to-position: ; --tw-ordinal: ; --tw-slashed-zero: ; --tw-numeric-figure: ; --tw-numeric-spacing: ; --tw-numeric-fraction: ; --tw-ring-inset: ; --tw-ring-offset-width: 0px; --tw-ring-offset-color: #fff; --tw-ring-color: rgb(59 130 246/0.5); --tw-ring-offset-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-ring-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow: 0 0 #0000; --tw-shadow-colored: 0 0 #0000; --tw-blur: ; --tw-brightness: ; --tw-contrast: ; --tw-grayscale: ; --tw-hue-rotate: ; --tw-invert: ; --tw-saturate: ; --tw-sepia: ; --tw-drop-shadow: ; --tw-backdrop-blur: ; --tw-backdrop-brightness: ; --tw-backdrop-contrast: ; --tw-backdrop-grayscale: ; --tw-backdrop-hue-rotate: ; --tw-backdrop-invert: ; --tw-backdrop-opacity: ; --tw-backdrop-saturate: ; --tw-backdrop-sepia: ; --tw-contain-size: ; --tw-contain-layout: ; --tw-contain-paint: ; --tw-contain-style: ;"></li>
</ul>



Photo: sasirin pamai/Shutterstock

Emerging Markets

Eurozone

Emerging Market ETFs

Econ #s

ETFs

GREK

The Market Everyone Gave Up On Is Crushing Nasdaq 100 In 2025

Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) has punched through the $113,000 mark, igniting fresh bullish momentum across the crypto market, but some experts caution the rally <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/bitcoin-price-prediction">may be short-lived.</a>



What Happened: Crypto trader Jelle compared the move to "a ball breaking above the surface," and suggests it's finally time for Bitcoin to soar.



<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">Like a ball being held underwater. We just broke above the surface &#8211; time to shoot higher.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> <a href="https://t.co/8t1PipBaTt">pic.twitter.com/8t1PipBaTt</a>&mdash; Jelle (@CryptoJelleNL) <a href="https://twitter.com/CryptoJelleNL/status/1943358523339084183?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 10, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



But not everyone is convinced the path higher will be smooth. 



CoinBureau co-founder Nic Puckrin told Benzinga that this breakout wasn't unexpected, given Bitcoin's recent low volatility and ongoing correlation with tech stocks like Nvidia, which just crossed a $4 trillion market cap.



Puckrin cautions that heavy resistance lies just ahead and warns that profit-taking around $115,000 could cool the momentum. 



He emphasized this move likely isn't the final run-up of the cycle, but rather a "pressure release," possibly followed by a correction and slower summer trading before the next major leg higher.



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/07/46348748/bitcoins-booming-coinbases-167-rally-says-told-you-so">Bitcoin&#8217;s Booming &#8211; Coinbase&#8217;s 167% Rally Says &#8216;Told You So&#8217;</a>



Why It Matters: According to CryptoQuant analyst Axel Adler Jr., long-term Bitcoin holders (LTHs) have a history of <a href="https://x.com/thecryptobasic/status/1942976175925600550">selling </a>when their unrealized profits reach 300%, often triggering short-term corrections. 



This behaviour was evident during the earlier selloffs near $73,000 and $106,000.



At the current cost basis, Adler estimates Bitcoin would need to hit $137,600 before reaching that 300% unrealized profit threshold again. Until then, some gradual selling may occur, but a major LTH exodus seems unlikely just yet.



Adler also pointed out that BTC typically hits a new all-time high within 50 days of the last one—as long as a 20%+ correction doesn&#8217;t occur—suggesting more upside could follow if momentum holds.



Glassnode reports that a majority of BTC wealth is now held by newer long-term investors. Short-term holder activity remains minimal, reinforcing a more structurally bullish backdrop.



Read Next:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/07/46345201/bitcoins-rally-to-112000-yes-its-different-this-time">Bitcoin&#8217;s Rally To $112,000: Yes, It&#8217;s Different This Time</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Bitcoin Breaks Above $113,000...But There Is A Catch

Seasonality suggests that the bullish price action we&#8217;ve seen lately is likely to continue into the last week of July.



That sets us up perfectly for a low-risk, high-reward option play.



The trade in question is a long call in fintech company SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOFI#NASDAQ">SOFI</a>). This is a very short-term trade leaning into the seasonality of July. Once August is upon us, the seasonality of this trade will taper sideways into negative price behavior.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How Chris Capre Is Trading This Week's Volatility — And Landing Triple-Digit Gains</h2>



Markets are bouncing on inflation data, Fed speculation, and rising geopolitical tension. While most traders are getting whipsawed, former hedge fund manager Chris Capre is capitalizing on the chaos. He's using a fast-moving strategy called Trading Waves — explicitly built for high-volatility conditions like this — and the results speak for themselves:



Chris recently locked in +87.5% on PANW, +66% on NVDA, and +115% on SOXL just by timing key breakouts and reversals. Now you can get inside the system yourself, free for 7 days, and see exactly how he's setting up for this week's opportunities. Get started right <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/7-day-free-trial-chris-capre-trading-waves/?utm_campaign=7daytrial&amp;utm_adType=sponsorad&amp;utm_ad=RDweb071025">HERE</a>.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Eye On Expiration Date</h2>



Please note the expiration of this quick trade. Option positioning is currently very bullish in the chains with more than 45,000 contracts positioned between the $20 and $22.50 strike price. SOFI&#8217;s relative resistance zone is around $22.5, while support sits near $18.50.



With that in mind, here&#8217;s the trade:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Buy to open SOFI 25 Jul (weekly) $19 calls currently priced at $1.55.</li>
</ul>



The breakeven price of the stock at expiration on this trade is calculated by adding the debit to the strike price = $19 + $1.55 =$20.55 plus commissions. The implied volatility move is showing a target around $22.50.&nbsp;



The three main possible ways to leave the trade include:



<ol class="wp-block-list">
<li>Hold the option until the July 25 expiration date. If the price of the stock is above $19.50, the trader will relinquish the stock and can sell it at the current market price (not my first choice).</li>



<li>Set an alert for $22. Sell the option at the time the stock is priced at $22, regardless of the time the price is triggered.</li>



<li>Set a risk threshold for this option cost. I normally use 50% but this is a personal decision. Once the option cost falls below $0.80, it is advisable to sell.</li>
</ol>



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

Trading Ideas

SOFI

This Week's Easy Option Play

A quiet day on Wall Street turned into a major win for airline investors Thursday, as Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DAL#NYSE">DAL</a>) surged 12% after posting second-quarter results that topped both earnings and revenue expectations, while indicating a strong demand outlook, sparking <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46341383/delta-air-lines-ceo-confident-in-stronger-2025-as-demand-holds-steady">a broad rally across the sector.</a>



Shares of American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAL#NASDAQ">AAL</a>) jumped 12.5% and United Airlines Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UAL#NASDAQ">UAL</a>) rallied 13.5%. The U.S. Global Jets ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JETS#NYSE">JETS</a>), which tracks airline stocks, soared 7.2% for its best day since the 90-day tariff pause in April.



Elsewhere, major large-cap averages were little moved. The Nasdaq 100 slipped 0.3% after hitting all-time highs on Wednesday. Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) eased 0.2%, following a 1.8% surge the day before that pushed its market cap to a record-breaking $4 trillion — the largest ever for any company.



Small-cap stocks continued to outperform, with the Russell 2000 touching levels last seen in February. 



A day earlier, President Donald Trump announced sweeping 50% tariffs on imports from Brazil and confirmed the 50% tariff on copper, effective Aug. 1.



iShares MSCI Brazil ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EWZ#NYSE">EWZ</a>) fell 1.6% Thursday, adding to a 1.7% decline on Wednesday. The combined 3.3% drop marked the worst two-day performance for Brazilian equities since early April.



Copper futures surged 2.2% to around $5.60 per pound in reaction, with strength spilling into other industrial metals. Silver rose 1.6%, while palladium gained 3.6%, reflecting expectations of tightening supply.



Crude oil prices declined over 2% as the market absorbed reports that OPEC+ is considering halting its planned production increases starting in October, highlighting concerns about a potential oversupply after the summer. 



In economic news, the U.S. labor market showed continued resilience as initial jobless claims dropped to 237,000 last week, beating forecasts. However, continuing claims rose to 1.965 million, the highest level since 2021.



Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) traded flat at $111,300 after touching a fresh record of $112,040 on Wednesday.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday&#8217;s Performance In Major US Indices, ETFs</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Major Indices</td><td>Price</td><td>%chg</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>2,266.68</td><td>0.7%</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>44,705.80</td><td>0.6%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>6,275.94</td><td>0.2%</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>22,790.40</td><td>-0.3%</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated by 12:18 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 class="wp-block-list">
<li>The&nbsp;Vanguard S&amp;P 500 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VOO#NYSE">VOO</a>) inched 0.2% higher to $574.78.</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 0.6% to $446.98.</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;slipped 0.3% to $554.72.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) soared 0.7% to $225.12.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;Health Care&nbsp;Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLV#NYSE">XLV</a>) outperformed, up 1%; the&nbsp;Technology&nbsp;Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLK#NYSE">XLK</a>) lagged, down 0.4%.</li>
</ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday&#8217;s Stock Movers</h2>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NCLH#NYSE">NCLH</a>) jumped more than 4% after NorthCoast Research raised its price target to $28 from $21, reiterating its &#8216;Buy&#8217; rating.</li>



<li>Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FCX#NYSE">FCX</a>) climbed 3.3% as copper prices extended gains, with futures rising above $5.60 per pound amid renewed supply concerns.</li>



<li>Nu Holdings Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NU#NYSE">NU</a>) dropped 5.1% after Trump announced a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports, sparking a broad selloff in Brazil-linked assets. Read now:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/07/46344520/defense-stocks-outperform-tech-trump-budget-boost"></a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/07/46344520/defense-stocks-outperform-tech-trump-budget-boost">Forget Tech—Trump Just Made Defense The Hottest Trade On Wall Street</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

JETS

NCLH

NVDA

Airline Stocks Take Off, Trump Hits Brazilian ETF: What's Moving Markets Thursday?

Early data from Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) Prime Day 2025 is in, and one major firm sees the mega-sale event driving traffic and grabbing market <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/large-cap/25/07/46247962/21-billion-in-4-days-amazon-prime-day-set-to-go-beast-mode-and-its-stock-might-join-the-party">share for the retailer. </a>



Early Data: Analysts from Telsey Advisory Group highlighted Google Trends data showing that Amazon's web traffic increased by more than 50% during the first 36 hours of Prime Day, compared to the previous two-week period. 



U.S. online retail sales from the first day of Prime Day climbed 10% year-over-year to reach $7.9 billion, according to Adobe Analytics.&nbsp;



Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46308025/get-ready-for-800-hours-of-blackouts-trumps-doe-warns?utm_source=articleShare">Get Ready For 800 Hours Of Blackouts, Trump&#8217;s DOE Warns</a>&nbsp;



Categories showing the strongest sequential growth included appliances, electronics, tools and home improvement, home and garden, furniture, apparel and toys.&nbsp;



Amazon has doubled the duration of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/large-cap/25/07/46299727/amazon-prime-day-vs-walmart-deals-days-vs-target-circle-week-summer-sales-showdown">its sales event </a>from 24 hours to 48 hours this year, and Telsey Group sees the longer promotional period driving increased traffic and sales for the retailer. 



According to data from Numerator, the average household spent $126.26 on Amazon—almost identical to the $126.54 average during the first 32 hours of Prime Day 2024.&nbsp;



The average order value was $57.12, compared to about $60.03 last year. Top-selling items were household essentials including Liquid I.V., Dawn Platinum Powerwash, Premier Protein Shakes and electronics including the Fire TV Stick.



If average spend continues on a similar trend for the duration of 2025's extended Prime Day, Amazon could see record-breaking sales over the four-day period.&nbsp;



Telsey analysts pointed to a projection from Adobe Analytics for total sales over the Prime Day event to approach $23.8 billion, which would be a 60%+ jump over last year's event. 



Telsey Advisory Group maintained Amazon stock with an Outperform rating and $235 price target.&nbsp;



AMZN Price Action: Amazon.com shares were down 0.23% at $222.03 at the time of publication Thursday, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to Benzinga Pro</a>.



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/health-care/25/07/46326465/unitedhealth-slammed-with-another-lawsuit-over-119-billion-stock-plunge?utm_source=articleShare">UnitedHealth Slammed With Another Lawsuit Over $119 Billion Stock Plunge</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Large Cap

Analyst Ratings

Movers

AMZN

Amazon Prime Day 1 Sales Roar To $7.9 Billion, Shoppers Slam Website With Traffic Up 50%+

Once seen as one of Wall Street's favorite bets on a Trump presidency, regional bank stocks have lagged in 2025—but renewed optimism around deregulation and cheap valuations could <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/expert-ideas">soon turn the tide.</a>



When Donald Trump won the presidential election for a second time in November 2024, regional bank stocks skyrocketed.



The SPDR Regional Banking ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KRE#NYSE">KRE</a>), which tracks 147 small- and mid-sized U.S. lenders, surged 13% on Nov. 6, 2024. That was its biggest one-day rally since the vaccine frenzy of November 2020, and excluding that anomaly, the strongest since October 2008.



The Russell 2000 index, which heavily weights regional banks, popped 6% that same day, outshining the S&amp;P 500's 2.5% and the Nasdaq 100's 2.7% moves. 



No other sector on Wall Street rallied as sharply as regional banks did following the 2024 election.



Investors were betting hard that a deregulatory Trump agenda would fuel profits, spark mergers and acquisitions and slash compliance costs for smaller banks.



After Trump was sworn in January, many expected a continuation of the rally, but that never came.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="525" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10111357/image-122-1024x525.png" alt="" class="wp-image-980297" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10111357/image-122-1024x525.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10111357/image-122-300x154.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10111357/image-122-768x394.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10111357/image-122-1536x788.png 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10111357/image-122-2048x1051.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Six Months In, This Trade Has Gone Nowhere—Yet</h2>



Six months into the new administration, the KRE ETF is barely unchanged for the year, while tech-heavy benchmarks continue to rise.



Some of the shine faded as investors realized that regulatory rollbacks would take time, and Federal Reserve rate cuts—key to boosting lending—never materialized.



While Wall Street has already rewarded large-cap financials—Investment Banking and Diversified Bank stocks have outperformed in 2025—regional banks have been left behind.



The iShares U.S. Broker-Dealers &amp; Securities Exchange ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IAI#NYSE">IAI</a>) is up 18% year-to-date, nearly three times the gain of regional banks.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">This Forgotten Trump Trade May Be Ready To Reignite, Says Wall Street Veteran</h2>



Ed Yardeni believes that's exactly why now might be the moment to look at regional banks again.



"The Regional Banks index can't boast that. But trading at a much lower P/E and with rosy earnings rebound prospects, Regional Banks may be the more interesting play," said the Wall Street veteran in a Thursday note.



Valuation is a big part of the bull case. 



Regional banks trade at a significant discount to large-cap banks, with a forward price-to-earnings ratio in the single digits. 



The Diversified Banks and Investment Banking &amp; Brokerage industries trade at the highest forward P/Es—13.3 and 15.9—while Regional Banks lag behind with the lowest at 11.1.



That's historically low, suggesting investors aren't yet pricing in a regulatory tailwind.



&#8220;The Regional Banks industry's forward revenues and operating earnings remain well off their 2023 highs, but earnings growth is expected to improve sharply from a 7.6% decline in 2024 to increases of 11.3% and 15.5% this year and next,&#8221; Yardeni said.



Mergers and acquisitions could also come back in vogue if Trump delivers on regulatory relief. During his first term, regional banks were among the most active dealmakers. 



A repeat could help mid-sized lenders scale up in a competitive landscape dominated by giants like JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JPM#NYSE">JPM</a>) and Bank of America Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BAC#NYSE">BAC</a>)



Read now: 



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/earnings/25/07/46330576/big-banks-q2-earnings-july-2025">Big Bank Stocks Soared In 2025—But This Earnings Season Could Shake Things Up</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Government

Mid Cap

Regulations

Sector ETFs

Small Cap

Federal Reserve

This Trump Trade Boomed After Election—Now It May Be Making A Comeback

While investors obsess over record highs in the S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq 100, one sector quietly crushed them both last quarter, and real money <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-aerospace-defense-stocks">is pouring in fast.</a>



In the first half of 2025, the iShares U.S. Aerospace &amp; Defense ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ITA#NYSE">ITA</a>) surged 25%, marking the fund's best half-year performance since inception. That's a 20 percentage point outperformance over the Vanguard S&amp;P 500 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VOO#NYSE">VOO</a>) and 17 points above the tech-heavy Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>).



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Defense Stocks Crushed Tech In Last Quarter's Rally</h3>



But the blowout mainly occurred in the second quarter. The ITA ETF surged 23.2% between April and June, its best quarter ever, outpacing the Nasdaq 100's sharpest rally since early 2023 by five percentage points.



Crucially, this isn't just momentum chasing. Investors have committed capital, with ITA notching 10 straight weeks of inflows through July 10—the longest stretch since early 2023.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Best Defense Stocks In 2025</h3>



Among ITA's top holdings, nine of the top 10 are firmly in the green for the year as of July 10, with only Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMT#NYSE">LMT</a>) trailing. Here&#8217;s a look at how the biggest names are performing:



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><thead><tr><th>Name</th><th>Weight in ITA ETF</th><th>Return YTD</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>General Electric Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GE#NYSE">GE</a>)</td><td>20.00%</td><td>+50.59%</td></tr><tr><td>RTX Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RTX#NYSE">RTX</a>)</td><td>14.70%</td><td>+27.61%</td></tr><tr><td>The Boeing Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BA#NYSE">BA</a>)</td><td>9.22%</td><td>+28.02%</td></tr><tr><td>General Dynamics Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GD#NYSE">GD</a>)</td><td>4.66%</td><td>+15.67%</td></tr><tr><td>TransDigm Group Incorporated (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TDG#NYSE">TDG</a>)</td><td>4.63%</td><td>+20.45%</td></tr><tr><td>Howmet Aerospace Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HWM#NYSE">HWM</a>)</td><td>4.55%</td><td>+66.11%</td></tr><tr><td>L3Harris Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LHX#NYSE">LHX</a>)</td><td>4.51%</td><td>+24.48%</td></tr><tr><td>Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NOC#NYSE">NOC</a>)</td><td>4.47%</td><td>+9.24%</td></tr><tr><td>Axon Enterprise Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AXON#NASDAQ">AXON</a>)</td><td>4.40%</td><td>+35.59%</td></tr><tr><td>Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMT#NYSE">LMT</a>)</td><td>4.39%</td><td>-3.34%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Why Is The Defense Sector Booming?



This rally in defense stocks isn&#8217;t just about earnings—it's about Washington policy, global geopolitical risks, and budget flows.



Following years of underinvestment, Trump's return to the White House has kicked off a rearmament cycle.



On July 4, Trump signed the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act", unlocking $156.2 billion in targeted defense funding—the Pentagon's biggest budget infusion in over a decade.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">What's Inside The New Defense Bill?</h3>



The funding, detailed in Title II of the act, includes:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>$29.2 billion for shipbuilding</li>



<li>$24.4 billion for integrated air and missile defense – the "Golden Dome" initiative</li>



<li>$25.4 billion for munitions and supply chain resilience</li>



<li>$16.0 billion for low-cost weapons scaling</li>



<li>$8.6 billion for air superiority projects</li>



<li>$10.8 billion for nuclear force upgrades</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Defense Stocks Wall Street Is Watching Now</h3>



In a note shared earlier this week, Goldman Sachs analyst Noah Poponak flagged four defense contractors as top beneficiaries of the Pentagon&#8217;s defense spending:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HII#NYSE">HII</a>): Backed by over $5 billion in industrial supply chain funding. Already awarded a $1.3 billion workforce grant.</li>



<li>L3Harris Technologies Inc.: Poised to win missile propulsion and satellite contracts tied to the Golden Dome program.</li>



<li>Kratos Defense &amp; Security Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KTOS#NASDAQ">KTOS</a>): Builds low-cost drones and propulsion systems, a core focus in the Pentagon's push for affordable mass-produced systems. Shares of KTOS have already rallied over 70% year-to-date, marking the best performance in the ITA ETF. </li>



<li>AeroVironment Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVAV#NASDAQ">AVAV</a>): Developer of Switchblade tactical drones, a likely beneficiary of $1.4 billion in small unmanned aerial systems funding.</li>
</ul>



Read now: 



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/emerging-markets/25/07/46306953/emerging-markets-etfs-inflows-iemg-vwo-2025">Wall Street Is On Fire—So Why Is This Wall Of Cash Moving Abroad?</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/emerging-markets/25/07/46306953/emerging-markets-etfs-inflows-iemg-vwo-2025"> </a>

Specialty ETFs

AXON

Forget Tech—Trump Just Made Defense The Hottest Trade On Wall Street

Tech's<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech"> Big Three </a>just hit a mind-bending milestone: Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) and Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) are now worth a combined $10.87 trillion &#8211; more than triple their $3.49 trillion combined value just five years ago.



Together, they now account for roughly one-quarter of the S&amp;P 500. The question echoing through Wall Street: Is this the top, or just a rest stop?



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46262055/greed-mode-on-why-tesla-nvidia-palantir-and-bitcoin-plays-could-rip">Greed Mode On: Why Tesla, Nvidia, Palantir And Bitcoin Plays Could Rip</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Three Giants, Three Very Different Growth Stories</h2>



Nvidia is the undeniable rocket. With revenue up over 70% year-over-year (as of the last reported <a href="https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/NVDA/income-statement">quarter</a>) and margins expanding alongside AI demand, it has grown into a profit machine almost overnight. A forward P/E around 38, per <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/register?utm_adType=bzprocontent&amp;utm_campaign=14daytrial&amp;utm_ad=0710">Benzinga Pro</a>, may sound steep until you see that earnings are expected to double again. It's pricey, but with growth like this, bulls still say it's justified.



Microsoft is the quiet killer. Its Azure cloud engine continues to hum, with double-digit top-line growth (13%+ as of the last reported quarter) and margins exceeding 40%. Its forward P/E sits around 33, which may look tame next to Nvidia. Microsoft's balance sheet is pristine, its capital return program generous, and it is embedding AI across its software empire without the volatility.



Then there's Apple. Still wildly profitable (operating profits around 30% consistently), still buying back shares like clockwork—but growth has stalled. iPhone sales are slowing, and while services revenue is strong, it&#8217;s not enough to reignite major earnings momentum. With a P/E over 27 and no breakout product in sight, Apple looks more like a luxury defensive play than a growth engine.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Peak Tech—Or Just Tech's Peak Trio?</h2>



Are we in bubble territory? Not necessarily. 



But these three stocks alone have added over $7 trillion in value since 2019, without a crash or correction in sight. Investors should ask: Is the next leg higher driven by real growth, or just momentum?



For now, the crown stays on—but it may be getting heavy.



Read Next: 



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46315651/nvidia-broadcom-avgo-stock-ai">Nvidia Is The Star―But Broadcom Is The AI Boom&#8217;s Best-Kept Secret</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Long Ideas

AAPL

MSFT

Nvidia, Microsoft, Apple Smash $10 Trillion—Is This Peak Tech?

Delta Air Lines, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DAL#NYSE">DAL</a>) shares rose in premarket trading Thursday after the Atlanta-based carrier posted stronger-than-expected <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/07/n46338489/delta-air-lines-announces-june-quarter-2025-financial-results" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">second-quarter results</a> and reinstated its full-year 2025 guidance.



Operating revenue for the quarter was $16.65 billion, flat from a year ago but above the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings">consensus estimate</a> of $16.18 billion. Adjusted operating revenue rose 1% year over year to $15.51 billion.



Delta credited its June-quarter revenue, a 1% year-over-year increase, to continued strength in high-margin segments. Premium cabin sales rose 5%, loyalty revenue climbed 8%, American Express (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AXP#NYSE">AXP</a>) remuneration increased 10% to $2 billion, while adjusted unit revenue declined 3% amid 4% capacity growth.



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/analyst-color/25/07/46204250/airline-stocks-face-flat-q2-but-1-thing-could-lift-them" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Airline Stocks Face Flat Q2—But 1 Thing Could Lift Them</a>



Adjusted earnings per share were $2.10, down 11% from the year-ago period but topping expectations of $2.05. The airline&#8217;s adjusted average fuel price fell to $2.26 per gallon, compared with $2.64 last year.



Passenger revenue surged 26% to $13.88 billion, while cargo revenue rose 7% to $212 million. Other revenue declined 2% to $2.57 billion.



Delta reported adjusted operating income of $2.05 billion, down from $2.27 billion a year earlier. Adjusted operating margin narrowed to 13.2% from 14.7%.



Adjusted operating cash flow totaled $1.84 billion, a 25% decline year over year, while free cash flow stood at $733 million.



As of the end of the June quarter, Delta reported adjusted net debt of $16.32 billion, down $1.7 billion from the end of 2024. Total liquidity was $6.4 billion, including $3.1 billion in undrawn revolver capacity.



The passenger load factor declined to 86% from 87% a year ago. Air traffic liability stood at $8.9 billion.



During the quarter, Delta announced new or expanded partnerships with WestJet, LATAM, IndiGo, and Virgin Atlantic, strengthening its global network and international connectivity.



&#8220;As we look to the second half of our centennial year, we remain focused on executing our strategic priorities and managing the levers within our control to deliver strong earnings and cash flow.&nbsp; Reflecting our confidence in the business, we are restoring financial&nbsp;guidance&nbsp;with an expectation for earnings per share of&nbsp;$5.25&nbsp;to&nbsp;$6.25&nbsp;and free cash flow of&nbsp;$3&nbsp;to&nbsp;$4 billion, consistent with our long-term free cash flow targets,&#8221; commented Ed Bastian, Delta&#8217;s chief executive officer.



Delta President Glen Hauenstein noted, &#8220;Through the quarter, demand trends stabilized at levels that are flat to last year and we continued to see resilience in our diverse, high-margin revenue streams.&#8221;



In June, DAL <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/06/n46013647/delta-air-lines-declares-quarterly-dividend" rel="noreferrer noopener">announced</a> a 25% increase to its quarterly dividend, raising it to $0.1875 per share. The payout is set for Aug. 21 to shareholders of record as of July 31.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">2025 Outlook</h2>



Delta reinstated its full-year 2025 guidance, projecting earnings per share of $5.25 to $6.25, compared to the consensus estimate of $5.42. The airline also expects free cash flow of $3 billion to $4 billion.



&#8220;For the September quarter, we expect total revenue to be flat to up 4% compared to the prior year, with unit revenue trends expected to improve through the second half of the year as we continue to adjust capacity and the industry further rationalizes supply,&#8221; commented Glen Hauenstein, Delta&#8217;s president.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Third-Quarter 2025 Outlook</h2>



Delta forecasts total revenue to rise 0% to 4% year over year, with an operating margin between 9% and 11%. Adjusted earnings per share are projected to range from $1.25 to $1.75, versus a consensus estimate of $1.34.



Delta expects the September quarter to deliver its strongest non-fuel unit cost performance of the year, with costs projected to remain flat or decline slightly compared to 2024.



Price Action: DAL shares were trading higher by 12.03% to $56.76 premarket at last check Thursday.



Read Next:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46336395/senate-confirms-trump-pick-bryan-bedford-as-faa-chief-even-as-chuck-schumer-warns-he-will-prioritize-profits-over-passenger-safety" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Senate Confirms Trump Pick Bryan Bedford As FAA Chief Even As Chuck Schumer Warns He Will Prioritize &#8216;Profits Over Passenger Safety&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Photo by Angel DiBilio via Shutterstock

Earnings

Guidance

Delta Air Lines CEO Confident In Stronger 2025 As Demand Holds Steady

Benzinga readers think Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO Elon Musk should focus on his companies instead of launching a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46210411/musk-third-party-odds-hit-47-can-the-tesla-chief-do-what-no-one-has-since-1853">new political party.</a>



What Happened: Musk is considering launching <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46265725/elon-musk-announces-formation-of-america-party-emerges-in-wake-of-donald-trumps-historic-spending-bill">the America Party, </a>which could provide a third-party option in races for House of Representatives and Senate seats in the 2026 midterms and could even provide a challenge in the 2028 presidential election to the two main parties.



Musk has become increasingly involved in politics in recent years, making large donations to support Donald Trump&#8216;s 2024 presidential campaign and securing a role in the White House&#8217;s Department of Government Efficiency earlier this year.



Benzinga recently asked readers if this should be Musk's focus going forward.



"Elon Musk is wading deeper into politics. Should he stay focused on Tesla and SpaceX — or keep speaking out?" Benzinga asked



The results were:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Stay focused on his companies: 74%</li>



<li>Do both – he can multitask: 21%</li>



<li>Keep speaking out: 5%</li>
</ul>



A large majority of readers polled said Musk should stay focused on his companies. Musk is the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX and is also involved with several other companies, including Neuralink and X. With the recent announcement that X CEO Linda Yaccarino <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/social-media/25/07/46329375/x-ceo-yaccarino-splits-with-elon-musk-after-two-years-says-best-is-yet-to-come-for-social-platform" target="_blank" rel="noopener">is stepping down,</a> Musk&#8217;s time commitment to the social media platform may increase.



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



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Stay in the know with our Insider Trades page — <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/sec/insider-trades/">see when leaders like Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, and Jensen Huang are offloading their own shares.</a></li>
</ul>



Why It's Important: Musk is the wealthiest person in the world and has a considerable influence as the most followed person on X. His push into politics could change the future of the current two-party system in America, but also could take time away from other key focuses for the billionaire.



Musk has been instrumental in transforming the electric vehicle, clean energy and space sectors for the better, and without his strong commitment to these ideals and the companies involved, technology could face a setback.



Wedbush analyst Dan Ives recently said Tesla's Board needs to "act now" and put rules in place for Musk to manage his time in politics <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46300946/musk-vs-trump-soap-opera-must-end-tesla-analyst-shares-3-key-steps">and at Tesla.</a>



&#8220;Tesla is heading into one of the most important stages of its growth cycle with the autonomous and robotics future now on the doorstep and cannot have Musk spending more and more time creating a political party which will require countless time, energy, and political capital,&#8221; Ives said, adding that this &#8220;soap opera must end.&#8221;



Ives said Tesla investors want Musk to remain as CEO for at least five more years and to focus on the company's autonomous and robotics future. The analyst called Nvidia and Tesla the best physical AI companies in the world, with autonomous vehicles worth around a $1 trillion potential in Tesla's valuation.



TSLA Price Action: Tesla stock closed at $295.88 on Wednesday versus a 52-week trading range of $182.00 to $488.54. Tesla stock is down 22% year-to-date in 2025 and could fall further if Musk spends more time away from the EV giant.



Read Next: 



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46285761/can-elon-musk-run-for-president-or-even-be-speaker-of-the-house">Can Elon Musk Run For President — Or Even Be Speaker Of The House?</a></li>
</ul>



The study was conducted by Benzinga from July 7, 2025, through July 8, 2025. It included the responses of a diverse population of adults 18 or older. Opting into the survey was completely voluntary, with no incentives offered to potential respondents. The study reflects results from 55 adults.



Photo: Shutterstock

Musk's Politics Or Tesla's Future? 74% Say The Choice Is Clear

U.S. stock futures declined on Thursday after ending higher on Wednesday. Futures of major benchmark indices were trading lower.



President Donald Trump imposed<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/macro-economic-events/25/07/46334793/trump-sends-lula-a-letter-imposing-50-tariffs-calls-bolsonaro-trial-a-witch-hunt-brazils-president-hits-back-will-not-accept-any-form-of-tutelage"> 50% tariffs on Brazil</a>, escalating the trade tensions between the two nations. This was followed by a slew of letters posted on his Truth Social account to Japan, South Korea, and other countries, with a deadline of making a deal by Aug. 1.



Trump also urged the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates by 3%, while <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46336115/as-trump-calls-for-3-percentage-point-rate-cut-too-late-jerome-powell-to-resign-june-fed-minutes-sh">June&#8217;s Fed minutes</a> were awash with words &#8220;uncertain&#8221; and &#8220;uncertainty,&#8221; over the tariffs.



The 10-year Treasury bond yielded 4.35% and the two-year bond was at 3.85%. The CME Group's FedWatch <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">tool&#8217;s</a> projections show markets pricing a 93.3% likelihood of the Federal Reserve keeping the current interest rates unchanged in its July meeting.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Futures</td><td>Change (+/-)</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>-0.23%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>-0.17%</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>-0.16%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-0.15%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which track the S&amp;P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, were lower in premarket on Thursday. The SPY was down 0.13% at $623.24, while the QQQ declined 0.086% to $555.77, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.



Cues From Last Session:



Information technology, utilities, and communication services stocks led the gains on Wednesday, driving U.S. stocks higher.



Investors largely overlooked fresh trade uncertainty, encouraged by the White House&#8217;s delay of new tariffs to Aug. 1st and renewed hopes for negotiations.



In contrast, energy and consumer staples stocks bucked the broader market trend, ending the session in the red.



Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) once again dominated headlines, reaching a staggering <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/market-summary/25/07/46328569/wall-street-today-tariffs-nvidia-4-trillion">$4 trillion market capitalization</a> and cementing its position as the world&#8217;s most valuable company. It plans to introduce a new AI chip specifically for the Chinese market as early as September.



On the economic data front, U.S. wholesale inventories saw a 0.3% month-over-month decline in May, falling to $905.5 billion, which was consistent with preliminary estimates and followed a 0.1% increase in the prior month.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td>Index</td><td>Performance (+/-)</td><td>Value</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq Composite</td><td>0.94%</td><td>20,611.34</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>0.61%</td><td>6,263.26</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>0.49%</td><td>44,458.30</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>1.07%</td><td>2,252.49</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Insights From Analysts:



The senior global market strategist at Wells Fargo, Scott Wren, highlighted that the resurfaced tariff negotiations after a 90-day pause have again started to impact global stock and bond markets.



He said that &#8220;Some potentially serious trade frictions were just around the corner, ready to rear their ugly heads and impact global stock and bond markets.&#8221;



Wren highlighted that the first 90-day pause of largely reciprocal tariffs with a number of important trading partners was due to expire today, July 9. But as the financial markets woke up and got ready to go on Monday morning, the headlines hit the newswires that the pause was being pushed back to Aug. 1, and letters were going out to various trading partners encouraging them to come to an agreement with the U.S. by this new date.



&#8220;The upcoming expiration of the 90-day tariff pause on Aug. 12 with China are just a big reminder that we are still in the early stages of hammering out what U.S. trade relationships with our largest global trade partners will be,&#8221; he said.



Granted, the magnitude of implementation has been uneven and inconsistent in recent months, Wren said that &#8220;U.S. consumers have yet to see the full effect of tariffs at this point.&#8221;



&#8220;Consumers are in many cases buying goods that were inventoried by sellers prior to the application of tariffs. Once those inventories are depleted and are replaced with goods that are subject to tariffs, we would expect to see goods inflation increase into the end of this year and in the early months of 2026,&#8221; he said.



Wren added that &#8220;Rising inflation is likely to increase market worries as market consensus calls for two rate cuts in 2025.&#8221;



Meanwhile, talking about inflation, Louis Navellier of Navellier &amp; Associates stated that &#8220;I am expecting favorable inflation reports and for retail sales to have picked up a bit from May's slow pace.&#8221;



&#8220;Economic activity appears to be picking up, so both business and consumer sentiment should be rising,&#8221; he added.



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



Upcoming Economic Data



Here&#8217;s what investors will keep an eye on Thursday:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Initial jobless claims data for the week ended July 5 will all be out by 8:30 a.m. ET.</li>



<li>St Louis Fed President Alberto Musalem will speak at 10:00 a.m., and San Francisco Fed President Mary Daly will speak at 2:30 p.m. ET.</li>
</ul>



Stocks In Focus:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) rose 0.71% in premarket on Thursday after scaling a record market capitalization of over $4 trillion on Wednesday.</li>



<li>WK Kellogg Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KLG#NYSE">KLG</a>) zoomed 52.86% on a report that Ferrero is nearing an agreement to buy the breakfast food company for about $3 billion.</li>



<li>Klotho Neurosciences Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KLTO#NASDAQ">KLTO</a>) surged 54.74% as the company was granted FDA Orphan Drug designation for KLTO-202 for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.</li>



<li>Creative Medical Technology Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CELZ#NASDAQ">CELZ</a>) tumbled 27% as it received a notice of allowance for a U.S. patent titled "Treatment Of Heart Failure And/Or Post Infarct Pathological Remodeling By Ex Vivo Reprogrammed Immune Cells."</li>



<li>Methode Electronics Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MEI#NYSE">MEI</a>) dropped 14.29% after the company reported a fourth-quarter adjusted EPS miss.</li>



<li>AZZ Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AZZ#NYSE">AZZ</a>) was 0.60% higher after posting better-than-expected earnings for its first quarter, while sales missed estimates. The company raised its FY2026 adjusted EPS guidance from $5.50-$6.10 to $5.75-$6.25.</li>



<li>Kraft Heinz Co. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KHC#NASDAQ">KHC</a>) was up 0.53% after it agreed to sell its infant and specialty food business in Italy to NewPrinces S.p.A.</li>



<li>Conagra Brands Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CAG#NYSE">CAG</a>) was up 0.79% as analysts expect it to report earnings of 58 cents per share on revenue of $2.83 billion before the opening bell.</li>



<li>Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DAL#NYSE">DAL</a>) was 0.24% lower as it is expected to report earnings before the market opens. Analysts estimate earnings of $2.05 per share on revenue of $15.45 billion.</li>



<li>Helen of Troy Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HELE#NASDAQ">HELE</a>) advanced 1.29% as analysts expect it to report earnings of 90 cents per share on revenue of $398.20 million before the opening bell.</li>
</ul>



Commodities, Gold, And Global Equity Markets:



Crude oil futures were trading lower in the early New York session by 0.53% to hover around $68.01 per barrel.



Gold Spot US Dollar rose 0.35% to hover around $3,325.28 per ounce. Its last record high stood at $3,500.33 per ounce. The U.S. Dollar Index spot was lower by 0.16% at the 97.3950 level.



Asian markets ended mostly higher on Thursday, except India's S&amp;P BSE Sensex and Japan's Nikkei 225 indices. Meanwhile, South Korea's Kospi, Hong Kong's Hang Seng, Australia's ASX 200, and China&#8217;s CSI 300 indices rose. European markets were higher in early trade.



Read Next:



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/politics/25/07/46336115/as-trump-calls-for-3-percentage-point-rate-cut-too-late-jerome-powell-to-resign-june-fed-minutes-sh">As Trump Calls For 3-Percentage Point Rate Cut, &#8216;Too Late&#8217; Jerome Powell To Resign, June Fed Minutes Show &#8216;Uncertainty&#8217; Reigns Supreme</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: godongphoto / Shutterstock.com

CELZ

HELE

KLTO

US Stocks Likely To Open Lower A Day After Nasdaq Hits Record High: Nvidia, Kellogg, Klotho In Focus

Analysts from LightShed Partners have suggested that&nbsp;Apple Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) should consider a change in leadership to prioritize product innovation, particularly in the rapidly growing field of artificial intelligence (AI).



What Happened: In a note on Wednesday, the LightShed analysts proposed that Apple might benefit from a new CEO, as reported by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/should-apple-replace-tim-cook-as-ceo-these-analysts-want-a-dramatic-change-d1e067dd">MarketWatch</a>. The suggestion comes in the wake of the impending departure of Apple&#8217;s Chief Operating Officer, Jeff Williams.



Check out the current price of <a href="https://benzinga.com/quote/aapl" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AAPL stock here</a>.



The analysts acknowledge Cook&#8217;s operational expertise but argue that Apple now needs a leader who is more focused on product development. The company &#8220;needs a product-focused CEO,&#8221;&nbsp;states analysts.



They also express doubts about Apple&#8217;s ability to achieve a &#8220;supercycle&#8221; of upgrades and note the company&#8217;s struggles&nbsp;to keep pace in the&nbsp;field of artificial intelligence.



They warned, &#8220;AI&nbsp;will reshape industries across the&nbsp;global economy, and Apple risks&nbsp;becoming one of its casualties.&#8221;



According to Piecyk and Galone, Apple&#8217;s recent attempts to enhance its Siri personal assistant have been disappointing. They also caution that Apple&#8217;s failure to keep up with the AI race could significantly impact the company&#8217;s long-term growth potential.



SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.com/crypto/cryptocurrency/25/07/46309766/most-crypto-apps-assume-youre-online-this-one-works-where-the-internet-doesnt" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Blockchain Beyond The Smartphone: How This One Reaches The Unconnected &#8211; Benzinga</a>



Why It Matters: This call for a change in Apple&#8217;s leadership follows a series of significant developments within the company. Just a day before the analysts&#8217; note, Apple announced the upcoming retirement of its COO,&nbsp;Jeff Williams, who was once&nbsp;tipped as a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46311533/jeff-williams-once-tipped-as-tim-cooks-successor-to-retire-from-apple">potential successor</a>&nbsp;to Tim Cook. 



This news came amid criticism from the White House trade advisor,&nbsp;Peter Navarro, who <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46313502/peter-navarro-slams-apple-ceo-tim-cook-over-slow-production-shift-out-of-china-despite-buying-time-since-trumps-first-term-longest-running-soap-opera-in-silicon-valley">expressed dissatisfaction</a> with Cook&#8217;s&nbsp;reluctance to move Apple&#8217;s production&nbsp;out of China.



These events have sparked discussions about Apple&#8217;s future, with some industry experts, like&nbsp;Dan Ives, urging the company to make strategic moves, such as acquiring&nbsp;Perplexity AI for <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/07/46216283/dan-ives-urges-apple-to-make-a-move-saying-that-perplexity-acquisition-is-a-no-brainer-its-a-matter-of-when-and-not-if">its search engine</a>. Amid these debates, the suggestion for a new CEO adds another layer to the ongoing discussions about Apple&#8217;s direction and leadership.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="768" height="153" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10041352/image-109.png" alt="" class="wp-image-979608" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10041352/image-109.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/10041352/image-109-300x60.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /></figure>



Apple offers poor Momentum and Value, while scoring well on the Quality metric as per <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-2#:~:text=Turn%20Market%20Chaos,when%20markets%20rebound">Benzinga's Proprietary Edge Rankings.&nbsp;</a>



<ul class="wp-block-list">
<li>READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/tech/25/07/46336365/apples-data-center-chief-joins-openai-as-sam-altman-jony-ive-team-up-in-6-4-billion-io-deal">Apple&#8217;s Data Center Chief Joins OpenAI As Sam Altman, Jony Ive Team Up In $6.4 Billion &#8216;io&#8217; Deal</a> </li>
</ul>



Image via Shutterstock



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

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