President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and spiritual leaders marked Christmas Eve 2024 with messages of hope, peace, and inclusion, while Pope Francis conducted a significant ceremonial opening of the Holy Door, marking the beginning of Jubilee 2025.



President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden expressed special recognition for military service members spending the holiday season away from their families. &#8220;Jill and I hold a special place in our hearts for the brave men and women in uniform who defend our nation,&#8221; Biden wrote on social media.



<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">Jill and I hold a special place in our hearts for the brave men and women in uniform who defend our nation, many of whom are away from their families this holiday season. Wishing you and your loved ones a safe Christmas Eve. <a href="https://t.co/BRIxLcaWmY">pic.twitter.com/BRIxLcaWmY</a>&mdash; Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1871595465424166950?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



The President later shared updates from the North American Aerospace Defense Command&#8217;s Santa tracking system, maintaining a lighthearted holiday tradition while also extending broader seasonal wishes for &#8220;peace and light&#8221; to the nation.



<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">Folks, I&#39;ve just received intel from the experts at <a href="https://twitter.com/NoradSanta?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NoradSanta</a> that Santa Claus is on his way! <a href="https://t.co/AMPnaT6qtx">pic.twitter.com/AMPnaT6qtx</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1871715198542729614?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Vice President Harris took a community-focused approach to the holidays, hosting Washington, D.C. students at her residence. The event highlighted student-designed ornaments that Harris noted, &#8220;filled our home with holiday cheer.&#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">We welcomed students from across Washington, D.C. to celebrate the holidays with us. The ornaments they designed have filled our home with holiday cheer. <a href="https://t.co/C4p5cN1Vq4">pic.twitter.com/C4p5cN1Vq4</a>&mdash; Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) <a href="https://twitter.com/VP/status/1871685411988250947?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



At the Vatican, Pope Francis marked Christmas Eve with the ceremonial opening of the Holy Door, a ritual symbolizing spiritual renewal and the commencement of Jubilee 2025. &#8220;Tonight, the door of hope has opened wide to the world,&#8221; the Pope stated, emphasizing that hope remains alive even in challenging times.



<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">Tonight, the door of hope has opened wide to the world. Tonight, God speaks to each of us and says: there is hope also for you! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Christmas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Christmas</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Jubilee2025?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Jubilee2025</a> <a href="https://t.co/TbFHVU9cbl">pic.twitter.com/TbFHVU9cbl</a>&mdash; Pope Francis (@Pontifex) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pontifex/status/1871662382482657446?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



The Pontiff&#8217;s Christmas message stressed active engagement with faith rather than passive waiting. &#8220;Christian hope is not a &#8216;happy ending&#8217; which we passively await, but rather, a promise, the Lord&#8217;s promise, to be welcomed here and now in our world of suffering and sighs,&#8221; he said.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Christian hope is not a "happy ending" which we passively await, but rather, a promise, the Lord's promise, to be welcomed here and now in our world of suffering and sighs. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Christmas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Christmas</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Jubilee2025?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Jubilee2025</a>&mdash; Pope Francis (@Pontifex) <a href="https://twitter.com/Pontifex/status/1871662634170519798?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk shared holiday greetings through a repost featuring the company&#8217;s humanoid robot, Optimus, in a festive scene with its &#8220;older brother.&#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">They grow up so fast Merry Xmas from Optimus &amp; his older brother, Optimus <a href="https://t.co/R2oCey0WVC">pic.twitter.com/R2oCey0WVC</a>&mdash; Tesla Optimus (@Tesla_Optimus) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tesla_Optimus/status/1871712134188720545?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



President-elect Donald Trump, while not posting direct Christmas wishes, had previously promoted his new book &#8220;SAVE AMERICA&#8221; as a Christmas gift option, saying &#8220;The hottest gift is my new book,&#8221; on Dec. 15.



<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">Christmas is coming! The hottest gift is my new book, "SAVE AMERICA." No other book captures our Movement, our Campaign, and our FUTURE. Get your copy today! <a href="https://t.co/awtik9uN8p">https://t.co/awtik9uN8p</a> <a href="https://t.co/YdteHKrdJk">pic.twitter.com/YdteHKrdJk</a>&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1868085790485758308?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 15, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Meanwhile, Vice President-elect J.D. Vance shared a more personal moment, posting about baking family biscuits with his three-year-old child.



<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">Baking some Vance family biscuits with the world's best three-year-old sous chef. Merry Christmas everyone! <a href="https://t.co/j5agMYJXGV">pic.twitter.com/j5agMYJXGV</a>&mdash; JD Vance (@JDVance) <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance/status/1871730366417109225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



These varied Christmas messages from political, spiritual, and business leaders reflect different approaches to the holiday season, ranging from traditional religious observance to family-centered celebrations and public service recognition.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/treasuries/24/12/42674886/santa-rally-kicks-off-on-wall-street-stocks-gain-tesla-soars-bitcoin-hits-98000">Santa Rally Kicks Off On Wall Street: Stocks Gain, Tesla Soars, Bitcoin Hits $98,000</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.

News

Global

Biden, Harris, And Pope Francis Deliver Messages Of Hope And Inclusion On Christmas Eve, Trump Promotes His New Book As 'Hottest Gift'

Jameson Lopp&#8217;s recent post on X, &#8220;RIP Bitcoin Obituaries,&#8221; suggests a decline in Bitcoin&#8217;s (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) death proclamations, sparking interest in the cryptocurrency&#8217;s resilience.



What Happened: The software engineer, columnist, and Bitcoin advocate&#8217;s post on Christmas Eve, hints at the diminishing frequency of death declarations. Bitcoin, the world&#8217;s largest cryptocurrency, has faced numerous critiques since its inception over 15 years ago, leading to its &#8220;death&#8221; being declared 477 times, according to 99 Bitcoins&#8217; Obituaries tracker.



<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">RIP Bitcoin Obituaries <a href="https://t.co/6s8C70u1yz">pic.twitter.com/6s8C70u1yz</a>&mdash; Jameson Lopp (@lopp) <a href="https://twitter.com/lopp/status/1871639944823017599?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



The last wave of such negative sentiments emerged in April. However, the number of Bitcoin death reports has been on a decline, hitting a decade-low of 8 in 2023. In 2024, 99 Bitcoin&#8217;s obituary timeline lists only two such fatal declarations.



Data from Bitbo shows an even more dramatic drop in Bitcoin obituaries. A graph from the real-time Bitcoin dashboard shows how these proclamations have thinned out since 2022. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="1017" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/24201151/bitcoinisdead.org_-1024x1017.png" alt="" class="wp-image-706569" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/24201151/bitcoinisdead.org_-1024x1017.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/24201151/bitcoinisdead.org_-300x298.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/24201151/bitcoinisdead.org_-150x150.png 150w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/24201151/bitcoinisdead.org_-768x763.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/24201151/bitcoinisdead.org_.png 1087w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Source: bitbo.io



<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">Even the buttcoiners are coping these days by saying that scams can go on in perpetuity and now that Bitcoin has many billionaires and politicians who are &quot;in on it&quot; that it&#39;s going to stick around.&mdash; Jameson Lopp (@lopp) <a href="https://twitter.com/lopp/status/1871645375502979422?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 24, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Lopp noted the resilience of the apex cryptocurrency in another post in the same thread where he says that even Bitcoin&#8217;s detractors are &#8220;coping&#8221; these days by saying that &#8220;scams can go on in perpetuity and now that Bitcoin has many billionaires and politicians who are &#8216;in on it&#8217; that it&#8217;s going to stick around.&#8221;



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42638902/scaramucci-defends-microstrategys-bitcoin-strategy-predicts-long-term-crypto-growth?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Scaramucci Defends MicroStrategy&#8217;s Bitcoin Strategy, Predicts Long-Term Crypto Growth</a>



Why It Matters: The decline in Bitcoin&#8217;s death proclamations signals a shift in mainstream media&#8217;s perception of the cryptocurrency. According to a previous report, the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/23/12/36338011/bitcoin-obituary-count-hits-decade-low-just-seven-reports-filed-in-2023">highest number</a> of Bitcoin obituaries came in 2017. Even that year, the apex coin surged a record-breaking 1,900%.



Indeed, Bitcoin has been on a tear in 2024, enjoying gains of 132.2% since January. Over the last 3 months alone the crypto has shot up over 56%. Its most recent all-time high was recorded just a week ago on Dec. 17 when it hit $108,268.45.



Benzinga recently noted that if an investor had put $1,000 into Bitcoin the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42286177/if-you-invested-1000-in-bitcoin-last-time-it-was-declared-dead-heres-how-much-itd-be-worth-today">last time an obituary was published</a> in April, they would have gained 48%. These obituaries often surface when the cryptocurrency is facing a bear market or heightened regulatory scrutiny.



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42638575/microstrategy-stock-declines-over-14-amid-heightened-volatility-over-sp-500-inclusion-concerns-heres-what-is-happening?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MicroStrategy Stock Declines Over 14% Amid Heightened Volatility Over S&amp;P 500 Inclusion Concerns: Here&#8217;s What Is Happening</a></li>
</ul>



This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/shivdeep-dhaliwal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shivdeep Dhaliwal</a>

Cryptocurrency

Markets

General

$BTC

'RIP Bitcoin Obituaries,' Declares Expert — Death Notices Dwindle As Top Crypto Gains Acceptance From Politicians, Billionaires

A day before Christmas, on Tuesday, Cathie Wood-led Ark Invest made significant adjustments to its portfolio, notably selling shares of Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>), and Block Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SQ#NYSE">SQ</a>). Notably, Ark has been <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42664623/cathie-wood-led-ark-invests-monday-moves-dumps-tesla-palantir-stock-adds-amazon">shedding shares</a> of both Palantir and Tesla this week. Palantir shares have run up a whopping 397% so far this year, while Tesla has appreciated 86% in a similar period. 



The Tesla Trade



Ark Invest executed a notable transaction by selling 18,847 shares of Tesla Inc. through its ARK Innovation ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKK#NYSE">ARKK</a>). This sale, valued at approximately $8.7 million based on Tesla&#8217;s closing price of $462.28, comes amid discussions surrounding Tesla&#8217;s future valuation. Elon Musk recently speculated that Tesla could <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42667044/teslas-valuation-could-exceed-all-transport-companies-but-spacex-ceo-elon-musk">surpass the value of all transport companies</a> except SpaceX. Despite these ambitious projections, Tesla&#8217;s stock has been influenced by potential challenges, such as the possible cancellation of the $7,500 EV tax credit in the U.S., which could impact sales.



The Palantir Trade



Ark Invest also reduced its Palantir holdings, selling 42,293 shares from the ARKK fund. This transaction was valued at approximately $3.5 million, given Palantir&#8217;s closing price of $82.38. Palantir&#8217;s stock has been on a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42673408/palantir-stock-is-trading-at-all-time-highs-whats-going-on">remarkable upward trajectory</a>, reaching all-time highs. The company&#8217;s strong performance is largely attributed to its strategic positioning in the AI sector, with shares surging over 380% this year, driven by robust demand for AI solutions.



The Block Trade



In another strategic move, Ark Invest sold 23,962 shares of Block Inc. from the ARKK fund, amounting to about $2.2 million based on the closing price of $91.08. The Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)-focused company&#8217;s recent financial performance has been mixed, with its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/11/41826457/block-shares-sink-after-mixed-q3-results-eps-beat-revenues-miss">third-quarter earnings</a> surpassing expectations but revenues falling short.



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/12/42619049/celebrities-like-ellen-degeneres-david-beckham-and-simon-cowell-have-turned-englands-idyllic-cotswolds-into-a-list-mecca?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Celebrities Like Ellen DeGeneres, David Beckham And Simon Cowell Have Turned England&#8217;s Idyllic Cotswolds</a>



Other Key Trades:



<ul>
<li>Sold 50,163 shares of Adaptive Biotechnologies Corp from ARKG.Bought 35,598 shares of CRISPR Therapeutics AG via ARKK and ARKG.</li>



<li>Bought 269,976 shares of GitLab Inc via ARKK.Bought 53,371 shares of 10X Genomics Inc for ARKK and ARKG.</li>
</ul>



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42635671/analyst-bullish-on-shiba-inu-sees-235-surge-despite-recent-fall?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Analyst Bullish on Shiba Inu, Sees 235% Surge Despite Recent Fall</a></li>
</ul>



This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/shivdeep-dhaliwal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shivdeep Dhaliwal</a>

Equities

ETFs

ARKK

PLTR

TSLA

Cathie Wood's Pre-Christmas Sale: Ark Invest Dumps Even More Tesla, Palantir Stock

Wall Street kicked off the Santa Rally season on a positive note, with all major indices and sectors closing higher in a shortened session ahead <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42665923/is-stock-market-open-on-christmas-eve-2024-a-quick-guide-for-market-hours-banks-and-whats-closed-for-santa-claus">of the Christmas holiday.</a>



The S&amp;P 500 climbed 1%, extending its gains for a third consecutive session following last week&#8217;s volatile Federal Reserve meeting.



The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.9%, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 gained 1.3%, nearly erasing last week&#8217;s losses.



Consumer discretionary stocks, the top-performing sector of the year, led the rally amid light trading volumes. Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) surged 7.35%, marking its strongest single-day performance since November.



Other standout performers in the S&amp;P 500 included Walmart Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WMT#NYSE">WMT</a>), Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SBUX#NASDAQ">SBUX</a>), and Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>), up 2.4%, 2.8% and 2.5% respectively. 



The U.S. dollar index posted modest gains, with the greenback hovering near over one-year highs against the euro. Treasury yields remained stable, with the 10-year benchmark at 4.6%, the highest level since May.



In commodities, gold edged up 0.4%, while oil prices rose 0.7%.



Risk appetite returned to the cryptocurrency market following recent volatility, as Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) jumped 4% to over $98,000. This rally buoyed crypto-related stocks, including Microstrategy Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), MARA Digital Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>), and Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>), all posting notable gains.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Tuesday&#8217;s Performance In Major US Indices, ETFs</h3>



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table><tbody><tr><td>Major Indices </td><td>Price</td><td>1-day %chg</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>21,771.80</td><td>1.3%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>6,032.64</td><td>1.0%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>2,254.99</td><td>0.8%</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>43,239.42</td><td>0.8%</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated at 1:00 p.m. ET</figcaption></figure>



According to&nbsp;<a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent122324&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">Benzinga Pro</a>&nbsp;data:



<ul>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) rose 1.1% to $601.01.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>)&nbsp;rose 0.8% to $432.44.</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>) rallied 1.3% to $529.94.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;iShares Russell 2000 ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) rose 1% to $223.46.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLY#NYSE">XLY</a>) outperformed, up by 2.3%; the&nbsp;Utilities Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLU#NYSE">XLU</a>) lagged, up 0.5%.</li>
</ul>



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42673660/bitcoin-ethereum-xrp-dogecoin-surge-around-5-in-christmas-eve-santa-rally">Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin Surge Around 5% In Christmas Eve &#8216;Santa Rally&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Photo via Shutterstock.

Large Cap

Mid Cap

Bonds

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

Commodities

Treasuries

Movers

Tech

COIN

MARA

MSTR

NFLX

SBUX

Santa Rally Kicks Off On Wall Street: Stocks Gain, Tesla Soars, Bitcoin Hits $98,000

Cryptocurrency markets are trading higher on Christmas eve, prompting traders to predict a bullish end to the year.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Price&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>Gains +/-</td></tr><tr><td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td><td>&nbsp;$98,100.74</td><td>+5%</td></tr><tr><td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>)</td><td>&nbsp;$3,478.79</td><td>+4%</td></tr><tr><td>Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>)</td><td> $196.49</td><td>+6%</td></tr><tr><td>XRP (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>)</td><td>&nbsp;$2.31</td><td>+6.1%</td></tr><tr><td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)</td><td>&nbsp;$0.3338</td><td>+6.9%</td></tr><tr><td>Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/shib/usd">SHIB</a>)</td><td>&nbsp;$0.0000231</td><td>+6.8%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Notable Statistics:



<ul>
<li>IntoTheBlock data shows large transaction volume increasing by 158.7%. Transactions greater than $100,000 are up from 7,495 to 10,784 in a single day. Exchanges netflows are down by 233.05%.</li>



<li>Coinglass data reports 88,733 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours for $250.33 million.  </li>
</ul>



Notable Developments:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42667518/deribit-eyes-growth-in-asset-backed-crypto-with-pax-gold-debut">Deribit Eyes Growth In Asset-Backed Crypto With Pax Gold Debut</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42667932/did-vladimir-putin-just-ban-bitcoin-mining-in-russia-the-devil-is-in-the-details">Did Vladimir Putin Just Ban Bitcoin Mining In Russia? The Devil Is In The Details</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42665539/north-korean-hackers-suspected-presence-triggers-over-500-million-in-outflows-from-crypto-exchange">North Korean Hackers&#8217; Suspected Presence Triggers Over $500 Million In Outflows From Crypto Exchange</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42666635/blackrocks-bitcoin-etf-could-outshine-sp-500-tracking-spy-to-become-top-investment-vehicle-but-it-will-take-a-long-time-says-prominent-analyst">Blackrock&#8217;s Bitcoin ETF Could Outshine S&amp;P 500-Tracking SPY To Become Top Investment Vehicle But It Will Take A &#8216;Long&#8217; Time, Says Prominent Analyst</a></li>
</ul>



Top Gainers:



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Price&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>Gains +/-</td></tr><tr><td>Pudgy Penguins (CRYPTO: PENGU)</td><td>&nbsp;$0.03587</td><td>+35.7%</td></tr><tr><td>Bitget Token (CRYPTO: )</td><td>&nbsp;$4.90</td><td>+21.9%</td></tr><tr><td>Virtuals Protocol (CRYPTO: VIRTUAL)</td><td>&nbsp;$3.13&nbsp;</td><td>+20.6%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Trader Notes: Bitcoin prices are trading higher, and crypto trader Jelle has shared a straightforward strategy for navigating the market.



<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">Bull market Christmasses tend to be wild. Bull market Januaries tend to be bullish. Keep it simple. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> <a href="https://t.co/Msb55w8EqN">pic.twitter.com/Msb55w8EqN</a>&mdash; Jelle (@CryptoJelleNL) <a href="https://twitter.com/CryptoJelleNL/status/1871111818732798092?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Meanwhile, Rekt Capital <a href="https://x.com/rektcapital/status/1871577852291727666">observed</a> that Bitcoin attempted a relief rally yesterday but was rejected near recent lows. 



Today, it&#8217;s rebounding and testing former support levels, which now act as resistance. 



If resistance holds, further downside is likely. However, reclaiming these levels could signal a bullish reversal.



Trader Satoshi Flipper <a href="https://x.com/SatoshiFlipper/status/1871560106111914201">reflected</a> on Bitcoin&#8217;s recent 15% correction and altcoins dropping 25-50%. 



He questions whether this marks the local bottom or if future corrections will follow a similar pattern.



While its possible, certainty remains elusive. 



The trader wonders if history is repeating or rhyming, acknowledging it&#8217;s too early to draw conclusions. Investors can afford to wait, but traders remain cautious.



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42668043/if-you-gave-your-loved-ones-a-150-bitcoin-christmas-gift-in-2022-itd-be-worth-more-than-what-an-average-american-spends-on-the-holiday-in-2024">If You Gave Your Loved Ones A $150 Bitcoin Christmas Gift In 2022, It&#8217;d Be Worth More Than What An Average American Spends On The Holiday In 2024</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

$DOGE

$ETH

$SHIB

$SOL

$XRP

Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin Surge Around 5% In Christmas Eve 'Santa Rally'

Despite a week of market chaos sparked by the Federal Reserve's hawkish stance, Bank of America clients leaned into risk, driving massive inflows into equities <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs">and exchange traded funds.</a>



Data released Tuesday shows that BofA clients poured nearly $10 billion into U.S. assets — the second-largest inflow on record since 2008 and the biggest since January 2017.



Jill Carey Hall, a Bank of America analyst, highlighted a streak of seven consecutive weeks of inflows and said that, as in the previous five weeks, clients favored both single stocks and ETFs, with larger inflows directed toward single stocks.



The four-week moving average of inflows rose to $6.36 billion, the highest on record.



This appetite for risk came even as the S&amp;P 500, as tracked by the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>), tumbled 2% for the week, with Wednesday volatility spiking to its highest level since 2018.



While Fed Chair Jerome Powell&#8216;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42628985/traders-fight-the-grinch-to-save-the-santa-rally-10-sp-500-stocks-poised-for-a-year-end-surge">hawkish rhetoric rattled markets</a>, the flows story underscores a crucial trend: investors remain willing to aggressively buy the dip.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Institutional Buying Surges, Hedge Funds Sell</h3>



A closer look at the data revealed divergent behaviors across investor groups. 



Institutional clients, often considered market bellwethers, were net buyers for the third consecutive week, driving the largest rolling four-week inflows in nine months. 



Bank of America analysts highlighted that this trend often follows October's tax-loss selling season for mutual funds. Retail investors also joined the buying spree, marking their second consecutive week of inflows. 



In contrast, hedge funds remained sellers for a second straight week. 



Private clients, traditionally heavy sellers in December due to tax-loss harvesting, were less aggressive this year, with their single-stock selling activity "slightly less so than in the average December," according to Hall.



Notably, while private clients leaned into ETFs, corporations continued their stock buybacks at a pace that is on track to set a record high for the year when measured as a percentage of the S&amp;P 500's market cap. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Tech, Industrials Shine, Health Care Suffers</h3>



Breaking down the flows by sectors, tech stocks emerged as the strongest performers, netting $4.3 billion in inflows. 



Industrial stocks followed with their largest inflows since February 2022, while Consumer Staples also saw robust buying.



Conversely, Health Care and Consumer Discretionary stocks led the outflows, with Health Care seeing net selling in four of the last five weeks. 



ETF flows painted a similar picture, with tech and industrial ETFs dominating inflows while Financials and Real Estate experienced the most significant outflows.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42658817/5-semiconductor-stocks-wall-street-analysts-predict-could-soar-in-2025">5 Semiconductor Stocks Wall Street Analysts Predict Could Soar In 2025</a></li>
</ul>



Illustration created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

Analyst Color

Hedge Funds

Econ #s

Federal Reserve

Investors Aggressively Bought Stocks, ETFs In Volatile Fed Week: Bank Of America Reveals Largest Inflows Since 2017

Shares of FedEx Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FDX#NYSE">FDX</a>) are trading lower Tuesday. The stock is continuing the downtrend that began on Dec. 19 when, after the close, the company announced earnings and said it plans to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42623222/whats-going-on-with-fedex-stock-friday">separate its Freight Unit.</a>



The chart of FedEx shows some classic examples of what traders refer to as &#8220;bad action.&#8221; This is why our team of technical analysts has made it our Stock of the Day.



Action is something that can't be quantified. For example, if a company beats earnings and the stock moves down, it would be considered &#8220;bad action.&#8221; If a company misses earnings and the stock goes up it could be considered &#8220;good action.&#8221;



On Dec. 20, FedEx stock opened about $20 higher than the previous day's close. Traders and investors thought the news and earnings were bullish.



But by the close, the sellers overpowered the buyers. The shares reversed and gave back all of their gains. This was &#8220;weak action&#8221; that showed the bears were in charge.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/large-cap/24/12/42668623/american-airlines-resolves-nationwide-flight-grounding-on-christmas-eve-shares-rebound-after-brief-selloff">American Airlines Lifts Christmas Eve Grounding, Shares Bounce Back</a>



As you can see on the chart, FedEx broke the support that was at the $275 level. This was another example of &#8220;bad action.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="554" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/24115534/fdx-1024x554.png" alt="" class="wp-image-706297" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/24115534/fdx-1024x554.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/24115534/fdx-300x162.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/24115534/fdx-768x415.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/24115534/fdx.png 1488w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



There tends to be support at prices that have been resistance. This happens because some people who sold at the resistance regretted doing so when the price eventually moved higher. They decide they will buy their shares back at the same price they were sold for if they can.



So, when the stock fell back to $275, they placed buy orders. This concentration of buy orders caused support to form.



But the support was only intact for 3 days. There were more sell orders than buy orders, which made the support break and resulted in another move lower.



The fact that there has been no rebound or bounce back is a third sign of &#8220;bad action.&#8221;



Typically, if a stock makes a large move lower, it is followed by some rebound or bounce, even though it may be small. If this doesn't happen, it shows that buyers are not entering the market, and the sellers are still in charge.



There is a good chance FedEx continues to head lower.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/12/42671446/the-worlds-most-valuable-neurotech-company-builds-an-alarm-system-for-your-brain">The World&#8217;s Most Valuable Neurotech Company Builds an Alarm System for Your Brain</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Technicals

Trading Ideas

Stock Of The Day: FedEx Shows 'Bad Action' As Support Crumbles

In a brief but dramatic Christmas Eve disruption, American Airlines Group Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAL#NASDAQ">AAL</a>) grounded all flights across the United States on Tuesday due to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42665923/is-stock-market-open-on-christmas-eve-2024-a-quick-guide-for-market-hours-banks-and-whats-closed-for-santa-claus">a temporary technical outage</a>. 



The issue was resolved by 7:50 a.m. ET, with the carrier restoring operations and addressing disruptions caused by the nationwide halt.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Flights Resume After Hours Of Uncertainty</h3>



An hour earlier, the Federal Aviation Administration issued an advisory stating that the carrier had halted all flights across the country, Reuters reports.



Passengers shared their frustration on X before the issue was resolved, with one flyer <a href="https://x.com/SACKsonville17/status/1871513983683067982">reporting</a>, "I just heard from the gate crew that there's a massive system outage and they can't scan boarding passes.&#8221;



The FAA's Air Traffic Control System Command Center later issued an update lifting the nationwide <a href="https://www.fly.faa.gov/adv/adv_otherdis.jsp?advn=26&amp;adv_date=12242024&amp;facId=DCC/DCC&amp;title=AAL+GROUND+STOP+CANCELLATION&amp;titleDate=12/24/24">groundstop </a>for American Airlines.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Airlines Briefly Recover Losses</h3>



Investors were quick to react. American Airlines stock initially plunged over 3% in premarket trading but bounced back, erasing all losses after systems were restored.



A benchmark of airlines stocks, as represented by the U.S. Global Jets ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JETS#NYSE">JETS</a>), was 0.6% lower by 8:05 a.m. in New York.



Shares of United Airlines Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UAL#NASDAQ">UAL</a>) and Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DAL#NYSE">DAL</a>) were both 0.2% higher. Alaska Air Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ALK#NYSE">ALK</a>) was also up 0.2%, while Southwest Airlines Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LUV#NYSE">LUV</a>) was unchanged. 



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42660092/microstrategy-sinks-after-nasdaq-100-inclusion-bitcoin-bet-under-fire">MicroStrategy Sinks After Nasdaq 100 Inclusion: Bitcoin Bet Under Fire?</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Nate Hovee/Shutterstock.com

Sector ETFs

JETS

American Airlines Lifts Christmas Eve Grounding, Shares Bounce Back

Editor&#8217;s note: the story has been updated to reflect that Luca Netz is the CEO, not the creator of Pudgy Penguins.



The Pudgy Penguins (CRYPTO: PENGU) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42562051/pudgy-penguins-pengu-token-extends-rally-outperforms-dogecoin-shiba-inu-on-wednesday">meme coin is seeing a surge in interest</a>, fueled by new exchange listings, bullish sentiment and whale accumulation. 



What Happened: Onchain Lens <a href="https://x.com/OnchainLens/status/1871397092125769748">data</a> shows that a newly created wallet acquired 519.99 million PENGU tokens, valued at $14.72 million, via Binance. &nbsp;



In Mario Nawfal's latest Crypto Daily episode posted on <a href="https://x.com/MarioNawfal/status/1871182703816839401">X</a> on Dec 23, Luca Netz, the CEO of Pudgy Penguins, shared insights into the project's vision.



He dismissed the idea that Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>) will maintain dominance forever, labeling it as a "bad assumption." 



Netz emphasized that memetic characters like Pudgy Penguins remain underdeveloped and have untapped cultural potential.



He added that in terms of social viewership and other factors Dogecoin and Pepe (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">PEPE</a>) are the only two closest competitors.



Netz short term goal for Pudgy Penguins is to make it a cultural phenomenon which has happened only twice earlier in the crypto space – DOGE and Bored Apes and Ape. 



The next big step for Pudgy he believes is a movie TV show and a blockbuster game.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Price&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>Market Cap</td><td>24-Hour Trend</td><td>7-Day Trend</td></tr><tr><td>Pudgy Penguins (CRYPTO: PENGU)</td><td>&nbsp;$0.03558</td><td>$2.2 billion</td><td>+28.4%&nbsp;</td><td>+612.3%&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)</td><td>&nbsp;$0.3198</td><td>$47.1 billion</td><td>+1.3%&nbsp;</td><td>-21.1%&nbsp;</td></tr><tr><td>Pepe (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">PEPE</a>)</td><td>&nbsp;$0.00001828&nbsp;</td><td>$7.7 billion</td><td>+1.4%&nbsp;</td><td>+22.3%&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Trader Notes: Wizard of SoHo, a prominent crypto trader, <a href="https://x.com/wizardofsoho/status/1871313321644666983">revealed</a> that PENGU is among his three biggest retail bets for 2025, alongside Dogecoin and Chillguy. 



He also holds smaller positions in Pepe, Mog (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">MOG</a>) and Rekt.



Lord Durden, another investor, shared the "PENGU prophecy roadmap," highlighting its future potential.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24PENGU&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$PENGU</a> prophecy roadmap &#x1f427; I don't make the rules &#x1f937;&#x1f3fb;&#x200d;&#x2642;&#xfe0f; GCR does &#x1f525; <a href="https://t.co/3O3lttbXHB">pic.twitter.com/3O3lttbXHB</a>&mdash; Lord Durden (@LordDurden) <a href="https://twitter.com/LordDurden/status/1871335848148668423?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Community News: Kamino Finance, a Solana DeFi protocol, <a href="https://x.com/KaminoFinance/status/1871492434443817440">announced</a> a "PENGU incentives boost" in collaboration with Pudgy Penguins and JitoSol. Depositors will receive 2,500 JITO and 375,000 PENGU incentives over the next month.



Bithumb, South Korea's largest digital asset platform, <a href="https://x.com/BithumbOfficial/status/1871426950113509529">listed</a> PENGU effective Dec. 24.



Pudgy Penguins' official account celebrated reaching 500,000 holders.



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42562051/pudgy-penguins-pengu-token-extends-rally-outperforms-dogecoin-shiba-inu-on-wednesday">Pudgy Penguins PENGU Token Extends Rally, Outperforms Dogecoin, Shiba Inu On Wednesday</a></li>
</ul>



Image via Pudgy Penguin

$MOG

$PEPE

Careful Dogecoin, Your Dominance Isn't Forever, Pudgy Penguins' CEO Says As PENGU Meme Coin Surges 28% (CORRECTED)

Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO Elon Musk on Monday said that the EV company could exceed the value of all transport companies with the exception of his rocket manufacturing company SpaceX. 



What Happened: &#8220;With a LOT of work and good ideas, I think it could exceed the value of all transport companies, excluding SpaceX,&#8221; Musk said in a post on social media platform X. 



<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">With a LOT of work and good ideas, I think it could exceed the value of all transport companies, excluding SpaceX&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1871107096122712450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



The CEO was responding to an X user who noted that the company&#8217;s present-day market cap exceeds that of several automakers. 



Tesla shares closed up 2.27% on Monday at $430.60. The stock is up by 73.3% year-to-date, thanks to the rally that followed Donald Trump&#8216;s victory in the U.S. Presidential elections last month. 



Why It Matters: Tesla has a market cap of 1.382 trillion as of its last close. The company&#8217;s American rivals Ford Motor Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/F#NYSE">F</a>) and General Motors (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>) have a market cap of $39.35 billion and $58 billion respectively as of their previous close. 



SpaceX, meanwhile, hit $350 billion valuation after the company and its investors agreed to purchase $1.25 billion of insider shares earlier this month. The new valuation makes SpaceX the most valuable private startup in the world. Its valuation, in fact, trumps the valuation of listed rival&nbsp;Boeing Co. Boeing has a market cap of only $132.94 billion as of last close.



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



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42665617/hyundai-ev-owners-can-charge-on-tesla-supercharger-network-starting-q1-2025" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tesla Supercharger Network Opens Up For Hyundai EV Owners Starting Q1 2025</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

SPACE

Tesla's Valuation Could Exceed All Transport Companies But SpaceX, Says CEO Elon Musk, But Notes It Will Take A 'Lot Of Work And Good Ideas'

U.S. stock futures advanced on Tuesday, ahead of a shortened trading session owning to Christmas Eve. The stock market will shut at 1 p.m. ET, while the bond market closes at 2:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, whereas both the markets will remain closed for Christmas on Dec. 25. Futures of all four major indices advanced.



The S&amp;P 500 index is on its way to registering a robust 20% plus return for the second consecutive year in 2024, as most analysts expect a &#8220;Santa Rally&#8221; during this time of the year.



The 10-year and two-year Treasury notes yielded 4.59% and 4.34%, respectively. The probability of having no change in the interest rates for the upcoming Jan. 31, 2025 decision was at 91.4%, according <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">to</a> CME Group&#8217;s FedWatch tool.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table><tbody><tr><td>Futures</td><td>Change (+/-)</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>0.19%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>0.12%</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>0.02%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>0.02%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



In premarket trading on Tuesday, the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) was up 0.16% to $595.67 and the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) rose 0.24% to $524.10, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga</a> Pro data.



Cues From The Last Session



U.S. stocks rebounded on <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/24/12/42666701/nasdaq-gains-around-1-as-tesla-nvidia-rise-ahead-of-christmas-greed-index-remains-in-fear-zone">Monday</a>, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq leading the gains. The Nasdaq Composite surged 0.98%, buoyed by strong performances from Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) and Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>).



Economic data released on Monday showed mixed results. The Chicago Fed National Activity Index improved slightly, while U.S. durable goods orders unexpectedly declined.



Sector performance was varied. Communication services, healthcare, and information technology led the gains, while consumer staples and materials lagged. Last week, all major indices posted losses. The Dow Jones Industrial Average suffered its third consecutive losing week, declining by roughly 2.3%. The S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq Composite also experienced declines, falling by approximately 2% and 1.8%, respectively. 



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table><tbody><tr><td>Index</td><td>Performance (+/-)</td><td>Value</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq Composite</td><td>0.98%</td><td>19,764.89</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>0.73%</td><td>5,974.07</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>0.16%</td><td>42,906.95</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-0.22%</td><td>2,237.44</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Insights From Analysts



According to the chief market strategist at Carson Research, Ryan Detrick even though the last seven days of the previous year were negative, &#8220;The next 7 days are officially the Santa Claus Rally period.&#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">The next 7 days are officially the Santa Claus Rally period. Down last year, but down back-to-back years only twice since 1950. <a href="https://t.co/S5czvrd6SY">pic.twitter.com/S5czvrd6SY</a>&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1871296502536307092?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Detrick also added that no other seven-day period except the last seven days of the year is more likely to be higher. This period of &#8220;Santa Rally&#8221; has given positive returns at least 78.4% of the time.



<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">These next 7 trading days are known as the Santa Claus Rally period. There is no 7 day period more likely to be higher (78.4% of the time) and only two 7 day periods have a better avg return (1.29%). &#x1f385; <a href="https://t.co/40qVwHa1rS">pic.twitter.com/40qVwHa1rS</a>&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1871322312219468049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



He also added that this year has seen only an 8.5% correction or peak-to-through pullback in August, however, on average a year sees a 14.2% correction, increasing the possibility of some correction in 2025.



<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">S&amp;P 500 up about 25% this year with only an 8.5% peak-to-through pullback all year (August). Just remember the avg year sees an 14.2% correction, which increases the odds it might happen next year. <a href="https://t.co/nV9i2yL9dU">pic.twitter.com/nV9i2yL9dU</a>&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1871299031672205315?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



While the <a href="https://x.com/RyanDetrick/status/1871317802306707882">first</a> year of a new president&#8217;s term has usually been strong since 1897, the returns during the first year of a second term haven&#8217;t been very good overall, Detrick said.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Returns during year one of a second term haven&#39;t been very good overall, but way better lately. Down 5 in a row, but now up 4 in a row. &#x1f914; <a href="https://t.co/aUrCbf22Gw">pic.twitter.com/aUrCbf22Gw</a>&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1871320275129967103?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Talking about the proposed policy changes by President-elect Donald Trump, Louis Navellier of Navellier &amp; Associates said, &#8220;On the table is all the uncertainty about the many changes that the new Trump administration has announced, both how quickly they will be implemented and what the ripple effects might be especially tariffs. The conflicts in the Mideast and Ukraine appear to be escalating. In the end, these many risks will only impact stocks if they impact earnings, and for now, estimates for &#8217;25 are holding.



&#8220;Optimistic analyst targets, stretched positioning and high valuations leave the market vulnerable to larger pullbacks in our view, should we see any of the rosy projections falling short of lofty expectations. This does not leave us underweight Equities. We acknowledge the power of bull markets mean there may still be room to run,&#8221; said Mario Georgiou, executive director, head of investments, at InCred Global Wealth.



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



Upcoming Economic Data



A few important data points are slated to be released in this truncated week that will help investors determine the future course of action.



<ul>
<li>On Tuesday, November&#8217;s data for durable goods orders and durable goods minus transportation will be released at 8:30 a.m., ET.</li>



<li>New home sales for November will be released at 10:00 a.m. ET.</li>



<li>On Thursday, initial jobless claims data till Dec. 21 will announced at 8:30 a.m. ET.</li>



<li>On Friday, November&#8217;s data for the advanced U.S. trade balance in goods, advanced retail inventories, and advanced wholesale inventories will be announced at 8:30 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



Stocks In Focus:



<ul>
<li>Carbon Revolution PLC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CREV#NASDAQ">CREV</a>) was up 56.81% in premarket after it inked an agreement with OIC for a further $25 million in financing to support the ongoing liquidity of the business.</li>



<li>Avinger Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGR#NASDAQ">AVGR</a>) was up 236.4%. Last week, the company announced it has received a Notice of Allowance for a U.S. patent titled "Catheter Device With Detachable Distal End (For The Treatment Of Peripheral Artery Disease)."</li>



<li>Tivic Health Systems Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TIVC#NASDAQ">TIVC</a>) was up 68% after the company&#8217;s CEO outlined 2025 priorities, seeing a 30% reduction in net operating loss.</li>



<li>Neuehealth Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NEUE#NYSE">NEUE</a>) gained 58.93% after it entered into a definitive merger to be acquired for $7.33 per share.</li>



<li>Theriva Biologics Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TOVX#NYSE">TOVX</a>) rose 30% after it received a notice of allowance for a U.S. Patent titled "Microbiome Protection from Oral Antibiotics."</li>
</ul>



Commodities, Gold And Global Equity Markets:



Crude oil futures were higher in the early New York session by 0.77% to hover around $69.77 per barrel.



The gold spot index was up by 0.11% to $2,631.19 per ounce. The Dollar Index was up 0.16% to 108.210 level.



Asian markets were mixed on Tuesday, as Hong Kong&#8217;s Hang Seng, China&#8217;s CSI 300 and Australia&#8217;s ASX 200 index rose. Whereas, South Korea&#8217;s Kospi, Japan&#8217;s Nikkei 225, and India&#8217;s S&amp;P BSE Sensex index declined. Most European markets traded higher.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42640560/japan-cannot-happen-here-was-common-refrain-20-years-ago-in-the-west-mohammed-el-erian-says-as-tokyo-climbs-out-of-the-hole-this-country-looks-at-risk-of-falling-in">Mohammed El Erian Says This Country Faces Japan-Style Economic Risk Even As Tokyo Rebounds</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Wikimedia

Futures

Economics

Pre-Market Outlook

AVGR

CREV

NEUE

NVDA

TIVC

TOVX

US Stocks To Open Higher On Shortened Trading Day: Santa Claus Rally Period Officially Begins, Says Analyst

Warren Buffett&nbsp;is entering 2025 with the largest cash reserve at&nbsp;Berkshire Hathaway&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>) (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRK#NYSE">BRK</a>) in over three decades. 



What Happened:&nbsp;The conglomerate&#8217;s cash holdings have reached a staggering $325 billion, marking the highest percentage of total assets since 1990, CNBC<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/12/22/buffett-heads-into-2025-with-biggest-cash-position-in-more-than-30-years.html"> reported</a> on Tuesday.



This cash accumulation comes as Buffett, 94, finds few attractive investment opportunities amid a highly valued market. The &#8220;Buffett indicator,&#8221; which compares&nbsp;the total market value of&nbsp;U.S. stocks to GDP, has soared to 209%, a level not seen since the 1929 market peak, according to Oppenheimer data.



Throughout 2024, Buffett sold significant portions of his largest holdings, including&nbsp;Apple Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) and&nbsp;Bank of America Corp.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BAC#NYSE">BAC</a>), offloading $133 billion in stocks during the year&#8217;s first three quarters. Despite this, Berkshire&#8217;s shares rose 27% in 2024, its best performance since 2021.



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42642371/smith-wessons-fate-hangs-in-the-balance-as-supreme-court-weighs-mexicos-gun-trafficking-lawsuit-swbi-stock-down-27-over-past-month-heres-whats-next?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Smith &amp; Wesson&#8217;s Fate Hangs In The Balance As Supreme Court Weighs Mexico&#8217;s Gun Trafficking Lawsuit: SWBI&nbsp;Stock Down 27% Over Past Month, Here&#8217;s What&#8217;s Next</a>



Buffett&#8217;s strategy may involve waiting for a major acquisition opportunity, potentially benefiting his successor,&nbsp;Greg Abel. Analyst&nbsp;Kevin Heal&nbsp;from Argus Research suggests that some of the cash could be used for investments in distressed situations, allowing successors to leave their mark.



"This will also provide an opportunity for the successors to make their own mark when Mr. Buffett ocially hands over the reins."



Why It Matters: This substantial cash reserve positions Berkshire Hathaway for strategic maneuvers in the coming years. Recently, Buffett&#8217;s investment activities have shown a shift. In December, Berkshire significantly increased its stake in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42666459/warren-buffett-once-called-berkshire-the-opposite-of-those-who-hurry-to-sell-now-hes-offloading-apple-and-snapping-up-occidental-petroleum-amid-a-20-drop">Occidental Petroleum Corp.</a> (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OXY#NYSE">OXY</a>), acquiring approximately 8.9 million shares over a few days. This move, totaling around $405 million, raised Berkshire&#8217;s ownership to 28% of Occidental, valued at approximately $12 billion.



Price Action: As per <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>, BRK.A&#8217;s YTD returns rose by 25.69% while that of BRK.B increased by 25.35%



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42642808/americas-fatal-flaw-is-its-sharply-increasing-addiction-to-government-debt-says-expert-and-the-mother-of-all-bubbles-is-ready-to-pop?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">America&#8217;s &#8216;Fatal Flaw&#8217; Is Its &#8216;Sharply Increasing Addiction&#8217; To Government Debt, Says Expert And The &#8216;Mother Of All Bubbles&#8217; Is Ready To Pop</a></li>
</ul>



Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.



Image via Shutterstock

AAPL

Warren Buffett Heads Into 2025 With $325 Billion Cash Pile, His Largest in Over Three Decades: Expert Says It 'Will Provide An Opportunity For The Successors To Make Their Own Mark'

As the holiday season approaches, major global financial markets are preparing to halt operations in observance of Christmas Eve 2024. This annual closure affects trading activities across various exchanges worldwide.



On Tuesday, Dec. 24, NYSE markets will close early at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time, with eligible options closing at 1:15 p.m. Late trading sessions for NYSE American Equities, NYSE Arca Equities, NYSE Chicago, and NYSE National will end at 5:00 p.m. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq will also close early at 1:00 p.m. ET.



The&nbsp;New York Stock Exchange&nbsp;and&nbsp;Nasdaq Stock Market&nbsp;will be closed on Dec.&nbsp;25 in observance of the&nbsp;federal holiday. Additionally, bond&nbsp;markets and over-the-counter markets will&nbsp;also not operate on this day.



This follows a strong year for the markets, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average, represented by the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>), at 13.80% as of Tuesday.



Meanwhile, the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) which tracks the S&amp;P 500 saw its year-to-date returns climb by 25.12%, while that of the Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which represents the Nasdaq composite, rose by 27.68%.



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/12/42638862/kiyosaki-warns-of-global-financial-crisis-protect-your-wealth-by-investing-in-real-assets?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8216;Rich Dad Poor Dad&#8217; Author Robert Kiyosaki Warns Of Global Financial Crisis: &#8216;Invest In Real Assets To Protect Your Wealth by Investing in Real Assets&#8217;</a>



Branches of major banks such as&nbsp;Capital One,&nbsp;Bank of America,&nbsp;PNC,&nbsp;Truist, and&nbsp;CitiBank&nbsp;will remain closed on Dec. 25, as reported by USA Today. 



The London Stock Exchange will observe a half-day on Dec. 24, with market closing processes starting at 12:30 London time.



The&nbsp;Hong Kong Stock Exchange&nbsp;will not have an extended morning or afternoon session on Christmas Eve, and no after-hours trading will occur on Dec. 24. Both Dec. 25 and the following weekday, December 26, will be holidays. 



However, holiday trading exchange contracts will be available on Dec. 24, 25, and 26. Meanwhile, the&nbsp;Shanghai Stock Exchange&nbsp;and the&nbsp;Tokyo Stock Exchange&nbsp;will remain open during this period.



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42639737/trumps-call-to-reclaim-panama-canal-sparks-backlash-every-square-meter-belongs-to-panama-says-president-mulino?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump&#8217;s Call To Reclaim Panama Canal Sparks Backlash: &#8216;Every Square Meter Belongs To Panama,&#8217; Says President Mulino</a></li>
</ul>



Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.



Image via Shutterstock

Is Stock Market Open On Christmas Eve 2024? A Quick Guide For Market Hours, Banks And What's Closed For Santa Claus

Bitcoin moved sideways while the altcoin market rallied significantly on Monday as traders pivoted away from the leading cryptocurrency ahead of Christmas.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Gains +/-</td><td>Price (Recorded at 7:45 p.m. ET)</td></tr><tr><td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td><td>-0.37%</td><td>$94,282.97</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>+4.35%</td><td>$3,405.60</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>+4.51%</td><td>$0.3227</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



What Happened: Bitcoin remained choppy, oscillating between the $92,000-$96,000 zone. The sideways movement comes a day after the apex cryptocurrency<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42640293/trump-congratulates-bitcoiners-on-new-all-time-highs-as-apex-crypto-suffers-first-weekly-loss-since-election-triumph"> closed at a weekly loss for the first time</a> since Donald Trump's election victory last month.



Investors shifted their capital to Ethereum and the rest of the altcoin market. The world&#8217;s largest cryptocurrency rose 4.35% to nearly $3,400.



Bitcoin's dominance fell by 1.53%, while Ethereum and altcoin saw increases in their respective market shares.



Over $278 million was liquidated from the market in the last 24 hours, with nearly equal proportions of long and short liquidations.



Bitcoin's Open Interest rose 2.49% in the last 24 hours. An increase in Open Interest, coming alongside a sideways price action, indicated a potential upside move.&nbsp;



More than 66% of traders on Binance were leveraged long on Bitcoin, according to the Long/Short Ratio.



The market remained in the "Greed" zone, according to the Cryptocurrency Fear &amp; Greed Index.



Top Gainers (24-Hours)



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Gains +/-</td><td>Price (Recorded at 7:45 p.m. ET)</td></tr><tr><td>Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL)</td><td>+29.76%</td><td>$2.99</td></tr><tr><td>Aave (AAVE)</td><td>+22.56%</td><td>$385.47</td></tr><tr><td>XDC Network (XDC)</td><td>+15.14%</td><td>$0.08652</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $3.32 trillion, following an increase of 2.04% in the last 24 hours.



Stocks began the holiday week high on spirits. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 66.69 points, or 0.16%, to close at 42,906.95. The S&amp;P 500 added 0.73%, ending at 5,974.07, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite spiked 0.98% to 19,764.88.



Data released Monday <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42657230/us-consumer-confidence-drops-in-december-expectations-signal-potential-economic-weakness-in-2025">indicated a sharp fall in U.S. consumer morale</a>, with the Conference Board&#8217;s Consumer Confidence Index falling to 104.7 in December, returning to mid-range levels seen during the previous two years.



The New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq will close early on Christmas Eve, and the markets will be shut on Christmas Day.



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



Analyst Notes: In a note to Benzinga, Arthur Azizov, CEO of cryptocurrency payment provider B2BINPAY attributed the market's ongoing correction to Bitcoin's growing dominance.



"Naturally, we can now anticipate a decline in Bitcoin's dominance, which should create room for altcoins to pick up momentum again," Azizov predicted. "Overall, this is all playing out as expected, with most assets returning to the 50% retracement zone of their recent impulse moves."



Widely followed cryptocurrency analyst and trader Ali Martinez drew attention to Ethereum's "most significant" support level of $3,030 &#8211; $3,130 and the "most significant" resistance level of $3,640 &#8211; $3,740.



"A sustained close outside of this no-trade zone will determine the direction of ETH&#8217;s trend," Martinez remarked.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The most significant support level for <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ethereum?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ethereum</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24ETH&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$ETH</a> is between $3,030 &#8211; $3,130, and the most significant resistance wall is $3,640 &#8211; $3,740. A sustained close outside of this no-trade zone will determine the direction of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ETH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ETH</a>&#39;s trend. <a href="https://t.co/YCGKucGvjt">pic.twitter.com/YCGKucGvjt</a>&mdash; Ali (@ali_charts) <a href="https://twitter.com/ali_charts/status/1871280113209266444?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



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



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42660092/microstrategy-sinks-after-nasdaq-100-inclusion-bitcoin-bet-under-fire">MicroStrategy Sinks After Nasdaq 100 Inclusion: Bitcoin Bet Under Fire?</a></li>
</ul>

Bitcoin Flat, Ethereum, Dogecoin Spike Ahead Of Christmas: Analyst Says Decline In BTC Dominance Leaves 'Room For Altcoins To Pick Up'

On Monday, Cathie Wood-led Ark Invest executed notable trades involving Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), and Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>).



The Tesla Trade



Ark Invest made a significant move by selling 13,040 shares of Tesla Inc. through its ARK Innovation ETF (NYSE: ARKK). This transaction, valued at approximately $5.6 million, comes as <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42641207/researcher-says-cancelation-of-7500-ev-tax-credit-could-impact-teslas-deliveries-despite-ceo-elon-musk-claiming-otherwise">Tesla faces potential challenges</a> related to the possible cancellation of the $7,500 EV tax credit in the U.S. Researcher Troy Teslike has highlighted that similar tax credit cancellations in Europe have previously led to a decline in Tesla&#8217;s sales. Despite these concerns, Tesla&#8217;s stock closed at $430.60, marking a 2.27% increase.



The Palantir Trade



Ark Invest sold shares of the Alex Karp-led company on Monday. Palantir, which closed at $80.69, has been actively expanding its footprint in the defense sector. Ark sold 22,807 Palantir shares through the flagship ARKK ETF. The transaction was valued at $1.84 million.



The company, alongside Anduril Industries, is leading a consortium to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42640010/palantir-and-anduril-reportedly-lead-consortium-partner-with-spacex-and-openai-to-compete-against-traditional-defense-contractors-in-850-billion-us-military-market">challenge traditional defense contractors</a>, according to a previous report. This move positions Palantir as a formidable player in the $850 billion U.S. military market.



The Amazon.com Trade



Ark Invest&#8217;s trade activity on Amazon was also noteworthy. The firm purchased 7,499 of the e-commerce giant&#8217;s shares through Ark Fintech Innovation ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKF#NYSE">ARKF</a>). The transaction was valued at nearly $1.7 million. The company&#8217;s stock, which closed at $225.06 with a slight 0.06% uptick, has been the subject of optimistic projections. An analyst with an 86% accuracy rate has predicted a 24% upside for Amazon, as detailed in a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/price-target/24/12/42646865/this-analyst-with-86-accuracy-rate-sees-around-24-upside-in-amazon-com-here-are-5-stock-picks-for-last-week-from-wall-streets-most-accurate-analysts">recent analysis</a>. This forecast aligns with Ark&#8217;s strategic interests in high-growth potential stocks.



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/12/42638957/warren-buffetts-timeless-advice-if-youre-gonna-do-dumb-things-because-your-stock-goes-down-you-shouldnt-own-a-stock-at-all?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Warren Buffett's Timeless Advice For Investing $10,000: &#8216;If You're Gonna Do Dumb Things Because Your Stoc</a>



Other Key Trades:



<ul>
<li>Bought stock of 10X Genomics Inc. via ARKK and ARKG. </li>



<li>Bought shares of Gitlab Inc. through ARKK.</li>
</ul>



Image via Benzinga YouTube and Unsplash



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42635671/analyst-bullish-on-shiba-inu-sees-235-surge-despite-recent-fall?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Analyst Bullish on Shiba Inu, Sees 235% Surge Despite Recent Fall</a></li>
</ul>



This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/shivdeep-dhaliwal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shivdeep Dhaliwal</a>

AMZN

ARKF

Cathie Wood-Led Ark Invest's Monday Moves: Dumps Tesla, Palantir Stock, Adds Amazon

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) is reportedly planning to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42428505/google-asks-ftc-to-kill-microsofts-monopoly-over-hosting-openai-technology-on-its-cloud-servers-report">reduce its dependence</a> on ChatGPT-maker OpenAI.



What Happened: Microsoft has been working on integrating internal and third-party artificial intelligence models into its AI product, Microsoft 365 Copilot, reported Reuters, citing sources familiar with the effort.



This move is a strategic step to diversify from the current underlying technology of OpenAI and reduce costs.



The Satya Nadella-led company is also decreasing 365 Copilot&#8217;s dependence on OpenAI due to concerns about cost and speed for enterprise users, the report noted, citing the sources.



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/12/42642020/steve-ballmers-bold-investment-strategy-80-of-his-portfolio-is-in-microsoft-stock-heres-why-his-keep-it-simple-approach-is-winning-big?itm_source=parsely-api">Steve Ballmer&#8217;s Winning Investment Strategy: Billionaire Says &#8216;Keep It Simple&#8217; As His Microsoft Bet Pays Off Thanks To AI Boom</a>



A Microsoft spokesperson was quoted in the report saying that OpenAI continues to be the company&#8217;s partner on frontier models. &#8220;We incorporate various models from OpenAI and Microsoft depending on the product and experience.&#8221;



OpenAI and Microsoft did not immediately respond to <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/lxquj26b2sag">Benzinga's</a> request for comments.



Microsoft 365 Copilot is reportedly yet to prove its return on investment to enterprises. The tech giant has not shared specific sales data on the number of licenses sold.



Subscribe to the <a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a> to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.



Why It Matters: This move mirrors those of other Microsoft business units which have altered the ways they use OpenAI models. For instance, GitHub, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/11/35623886/microsofts-github-poised-for-growth-with-ai-tools-analyst-sees-5b-arr-potential">acquired by Microsoft</a> in 2018, added models from Anthropic and Alphabet Inc.'s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google in October as alternatives to OpenAI's GPT-4.



Previously it was reported that company insiders were concerned about Microsoft&#8217;s AI strategy being <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37605368/is-microsoft-turning-into-it-for-openai-insiders-say-tech-giants-ai-strategy-is-overly-reliant-on-ch">heavily reliant on its partnership</a> with OpenAI.



In October, the two companies engaged in talks to decide how Microsoft's $14 billion investment in OpenAI would be <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41407196/openais-for-profit-structure-adds-valuation-complexity-to-microsoft-and-other-equity-investors-repor">converted into equity</a> in the AI firm.



OpenAI plans to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42382569/elon-musk-asks-was-it-ever-not-a-lie-as-he-accuses-openai-of-selling-out-to-microsoft-and-betraying-its-founding-mission">remove a clause that restricts</a> Microsoft&#8217;s access to its most advanced AI models upon achieving artificial general intelligence, according to a report published in December.



Price Action: Microsoft&#8217;s stock fell 0.31% on Monday, closing at $435.25. However, year-to-date, the shares have risen by 17.36%, according to <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/lxquj26b2sag">Benzinga Pro data</a>.



Photo via Shutterstock



Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech">following this link</a>.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42633922/qualcomm-bags-win-in-chips-licensing-trial-against-arm-but-the-battle-is-not-over-yet?itm_source=parsely-api">Qualcomm Bags Win In Chips Licensing Trial Against Arm, But The Battle Is Not Over Yet</a></li>
</ul>



Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Media

GOOG

GOOGL

MSFT

Microsoft Invested Nearly $14 Billion In OpenAI But Now Its Reducing Its Dependence On The ChatGPT-Parent: Report

The semiconductor sector has had an electrifying run in recent years, but 2024 proved to be more selective. While some chipmakers soared to triple-digit gains, others <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/chipmakers">struggled to stay afloat. </a>



As traders look forward to2025, a fresh question emerges: Should you chase the winners, pick the laggards, or focus on undervalued opportunities with high analyst backing?



The iShares Semiconductor ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOXX#NYSE">SOXX</a>) delivered a 15.2% year-to-date gain as of Dec. 23, cooling off after a massive 65% surge in 2023. Within the group, performance varied wildly:



<ul>
<li>Top Performers: Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) rose 180%, while Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>) gained 109%.</li>



<li>Biggest Laggards: Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>) sank 60%, Microchip Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MCHP#NASDAQ">MCHP</a>) fell 36%, and ON Semiconductor Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ON#NASDAQ">ON</a>) dropped 20%.</li>
</ul>



The key takeaway? The semiconductor market is far from homogenous, with companies diverging sharply based on their ability to capitalize on emerging trends like AI.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">5 Chip Stocks Analysts Are Betting On for 2025</h3>



Rather than chasing laggards or jumping on already overheated names, traders might want to focus on undervalued semiconductor stocks that align with analysts' bullish forecasts. 



Here are five potential winners for 2025:



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">5. Applied Materials (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMAT#NASDAQ">AMAT</a>)</h4>



<ul>
<li>Median Price Target (upside vs. current market price) : 32.02%</li>



<li>2024 YTD Performance: +3.29%</li>



<li>2023 Total Return: 67.97%</li>



<li>Market Cap: $136.21 billion</li>



<li>P/E Ratio (Next 12 Months): 17.7x</li>
</ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">4. Monolithic Power Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MPWR#NASDAQ">MPWR</a>)</h4>



<ul>
<li>Median Price Target (upside vs. current market price): 33.08%</li>



<li>2024 YTD Performance: -2.20%</li>



<li>2023 Total Return: 79.78%</li>



<li>Market Cap: $30.09 billion</li>



<li>P/E Ratio (Next 12 Months): 38.6x</li>
</ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">3. Micron Technology (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>)</h4>



<ul>
<li>Median Price Target (upside vs. current market price): 43.12%</li>



<li>2024 YTD Performance: +4.80%</li>



<li>2023 Total Return: 71.93%</li>



<li>Market Cap: $99.64 billion</li>



<li>P/E Ratio (Next 12 Months): 11.4x</li>
</ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">2. Advanced Micro Devices Inc. </h4>



<ul>
<li>Median Price Target (upside vs. current market price): 45.83%</li>



<li>2024 YTD Performance: -15.34%</li>



<li>2023 Total Return: 127.59%</li>



<li>Market Cap: $202.53 billion</li>



<li>P/E Ratio (Next 12 Months): 27.7x</li>
</ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">1. Microchip Technology</h4>



<ul>
<li>Median Price Target (upside vs. current market price): 49.26%</li>



<li>2024 YTD Performance: -36.11%</li>



<li>2023 Total Return: 30.90%</li>



<li>Market Cap: $30.94 billion</li>



<li>P/E Ratio (Next 12 Months): 34.9x</li>
</ul>



Now Read: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42657620/amd-and-micron-top-analyst-picks-for-ai-and-next-gen-tech-growth">AMD and Micron Are Top Analyst Picks for AI and Next-Gen Tech Growth</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Macro Economic Events

AMAT

AVGO

INTC

MCHP

MPWR

SOXX

5 Semiconductor Stocks Wall Street Analysts Predict Could Soar In 2025

Shares of MicroStrategy Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>) fell more than 8.5% Monday, marking a rough debut to its nascent tenure <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42656254/tech-stocks-eye-christmas-gains-microstrategy-tumbles-as-bitcoin-dips-to-93000-whats-driving-markets-monday">among the Nasdaq 100. </a>



The software company and top corporate Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) holder has struggled lately, logging its fifth losing session in the past six sessions and plunging over 37% since its all-time high last month.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Why Is MicroStrategy Falling?</h3>



On Monday, MicroStrategy announced it sold $561 million in common stock to purchase an additional 5,262 Bitcoins at an average price of $106,662 per coin. This brings the company's total Bitcoin holdings to a staggering 444,262 BTC.



Yet, both the size and the timing of this purchase raised eyebrows among traders and analysts. 



The latest Bitcoin purchase was Michael Saylor&#8216;s smallest to date. It&#8217;s a sharp contrast to the bold, big-ticket acquisitions that have defined his crypto strategy thus far.



The average price paid for the new Bitcoin stash is roughly 12% above current levels. Even more telling, the price exceeds the Dec. 17 record close of $106,151 per Bitcoin—an unusual move for a company known for strategically buying dips.



Critics didn't hold back. Peter Schiff, a well-known Bitcoin skeptic, took a jab at Saylor on X, saying:



"It seems like you are running out of firepower to keep propping up Bitcoin. Plus, not only is this your smallest buy, but the first time your average purchase price has been above the market price on the Monday you disclosed the buy."



Meanwhile, the market's reaction reflected growing unease.



 "$MSTR continues to look quite heavy," wrote the account Markets &amp; Mayhem on X. "The ‘infinite money glitch' isn't really a glitch at all. It's just trying to replace a failing core SaaS business with something that attracts today's high-beta-loving speculators."



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">A Risky Game Of Leverage</h3>



MicroStrategy's deep ties to Bitcoin have been both its crown jewel and its Achilles' heel. With over $41 billion worth of Bitcoin on its balance sheet as of December 2024, the company is inextricably linked to the volatile movements of the cryptocurrency market.



Yet, its latest purchase suggests cracks in its strategy. Not only was this one of the smallest Bitcoin buys in recent years, but it also indicates that MicroStrategy may be overextending itself as Bitcoin prices falter.



Adding to investor concerns is MicroStrategy&#8217;s pivot away from its original software business. The company has leaned heavily into Bitcoin speculation, prompting questions about its ability to generate sustainable cash flow from its core operations.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">What&#8217;s Next For MSTR?</h3>



While MicroStrategy remains a favorite among Bitcoin bulls, the stock&#8217;s recent performance signals caution. The company has shed nearly 40% of its value in just over a month, despite Bitcoin trading near $100,000.



The broader Nasdaq 100 debut was supposed to be a moment of validation for MicroStrategy, but instead, it highlighted the risks of its hyper-concentrated bet on cryptocurrency.



As 2024 nears its end, all eyes will be on Bitcoin&#8217;s price trajectory. If the cryptocurrency can&#8217;t regain upward momentum, MicroStrategy&#8217;s high-stakes game could face mounting pressure.



Now Read: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42653753/history-may-hint-at-sp-500-struggles-in-2025-yet-there-is-also-hope-heres-why">History Suggests S&amp;P 500 Could Struggle In 2025, But There&#8217;s Reason For Optimism</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Small Cap

MicroStrategy Sinks After Nasdaq 100 Inclusion: Bitcoin Bet Under Fire?

Billionaire Stanley Druckenmiller, a George Soros protégé, is known for his &#8220;top-down&#8221; investing style. Druckenmiller&#8217;s strategy focuses on <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/health-care/24/12/42627207/stanley-druckenmillers-top-holding-has-outperformed-its-sector-by-252" target="_blank" rel="noopener">making large bets</a> on macroeconomic trends, prioritizing top-performing industries over individual companies.



The Bowdoin College and University of Michigan alumnus recently upped his stake in Broadcom Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>), a $1 trillion semiconductor company based in San Jose, California.



Druckenmiller closed his hedge fund, Duquesne Capital in 2010, but still maintains the Duquesne Family Office to manage his wealth.



Druckenmiller first bought 51,956 shares in the company in mid-to-late 2023, selling all before the next quarter. The latest Duquesne 13F filing, revealing the firm&#8217;s holdings as of Sept. 30, showed Druckenmiller upping his wager on Broadcom to 239,980 shares. The investment — up over 35% since September — represents a market value of almost $56 million, one of his largest holdings.



Shares of the company were already trading up over 100% between his first filing and the latest filing.



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42653753/history-may-hint-at-sp-500-struggles-in-2025-yet-there-is-also-hope-heres-why">History Suggests S&amp;P 500 Could Struggle In 2025, But There&#8217;s Reason For Optimism</a>



Druckenmiller previously called NVIDIA Corp&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) ascension, buying shares in late 2022 and early 2023, but sold off most of his position before the company&#8217;s historic rally in 2024. The investor <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/10/41374232/amid-nvidias-stratospheric-rally-billionaire-investor-druckenmiller-regrets-cashing-out-of-ai-st">later called the sale</a> a &#8220;big mistake.&#8221;



Broadcom is a global technology company that designs, develops, and supplies semiconductor and infrastructure software solutions. Its products, which include chips for networking, broadband, wireless communications, and storage, as well as enterprise software for cybersecurity and data management, power a wide range of industries, from telecommunications and data centers to consumer electronics.



The company&#8217;s shares were trading almost 5% higher at the time of publication Monday following news that the U.S. is opening an investigation into China&#8217;s semiconductor industry policies, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Also Read:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42656254/tech-stocks-eye-christmas-gains-microstrategy-tumbles-as-bitcoin-dips-to-93000-whats-driving-markets-monday">Tech Stocks Eye Christmas Gains, Microstrategy Tumbles As Bitcoin Dips To $93,000: What&#8217;s Driving Markets Monday?</a></li>
</ul>



Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

Druckenmiller Bets Big On Semiconductor Stock Just Before It Spikes To $1 Trillion

Luigi Mangione, the Ivy League grad <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42541669/luigi-mangione-faces-murder-first-degree-life-in-prison-in-ceo-death-a-senseless-act-of-violence">accused of killing</a> UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson outside a New York Hilton on December 4, pled not guilty to state murder charges on Monday.



What Happened: Mangione faces 11 counts in New York, including first-degree murder, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/23/us/luigi-mangione-arraignment-new-york/index.html">reports</a>.



Veteran Manhattan prosecutor Joel Seidemann, assigned to the case by District Attorney Alvin Bragg, says the evidence against Mangione is substantial.



"I have never seen a case with such volume of evidence, aside from the issue of the quality of the evidence," Seidemann said during the proceeding. "This is not a usual case in terms of the thousands of hours of video."



Meanwhile, Mangione&#8217;s defense attorney Karen Friedman Agnifilo expressed concern about the possibility of a fair trial.



"He's a young man and he's being treated like a human ping pong ball by two warring jurisdictions here," Friedman Agnifilo said. "They're treating him like a human spectacle."



Why it Matters: Investigators allege that Mangione fled the crime scene on a bicycle, dumped his belongings in Central Park and left NYC on a bus.



The Maryland-born alumnus of the University of Pennsylvania was arrested in an Altoona, Pennsylvania McDonald&#8217;s on December 9. According to a criminal complaint, Mangione was found with a 3D-printed gun, a silencer and a fake ID.



A notebook found on Mangione in Altoona allegedly spoke negatively of the insurance industry and included a possible confession to the killing. ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/unitedhealthcare-ceo-shooting-suspect-inspired-unabomber-nypd-analysis/story?id=116653076">reported</a> that Mangione may have been inspired by Ted Kaczynski, also known as the Unabomber.



Mangione faced a highly publicized &#8220;perp walk&#8221; in his extradition to Manhattan on December 20. Mayor Eric Adams was seen walking closely behind Mangione following his arrival into the city, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/20/nyregion/luigi-mangione-eric-adams.html">according</a> to the New York Times.



Mangione&#8217;s alleged actions have drawn a polarizing response online. Several social media users expressed support of the killing, expressing outrage at the health insurance industry. Following the killing, Taylor Lorenz, a former Washington Post columnist, <a href="https://www.usermag.co/p/yes-we-want-insurance-executives">penned</a> a controversial Substack article titled, &#8220;Why &#8216;we&#8217; want insurance executives dead.&#8221;



Meanwhile, other commentators, such as New York Times columnist Bret Stephens, have <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2024/12/04/opinion/thepoint/brian-thompson-luigi-mangione?smid=url-share">expressed</a> confoundment at Mangione&#8217;s online status as a &#8220;working class hero.&#8221; Mangione descended from a wealthy Maryland family and attended an elite college preparatory school. Meanwhile, Thompson grew up in rural Iowa and attended a public university.



Also Read:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42649864/tariffs-or-more-energy-analyst-warns-of-high-costs-limited-capacity-if-europe-bows-to-trumps-lng-push">Tariffs Or More Energy: Analyst Warns Of High Costs, Limited Capacity If Europe Bows To Trump&#8217;s LNG Push</a></li>
</ul>

Politics

Legal

Luigi Mangione, Suspected CEO Assassin, Pleads Not Guilty In New York Court

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