Cisco Systems Option Alert: Jan 16 $67.5 Calls Sweep (48) near the Ask: 1500 vs 1487 OI

Cisco Systems Option Alert: Jan 16 $67.5 Calls Sweep (48) near the Ask: 1500 @ $4.75 vs 1487 OI; Ref=$64.43

Cisco Systems Option Alert: Sep 19 $70 Calls Sweep (22) near the Ask: 2500 vs 7970 OI

Cisco Systems Option Alert: Sep 19 $70 Calls Sweep (22) near the Ask: 2500 @ $2.76 vs 7970 OI; Ref=$64.7999

Cisco Systems Option Alert: Sep 19 $70 Calls Sweep (29) above Ask!: 2500 vs 7970 OI

Cisco Systems Option Alert: Sep 19 $70 Calls Sweep (29) above Ask!: 2500 @ $2.76 vs 7970 OI; Ref=$64.78

Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:CSCO) Azioni

CISCO SYSTEMS INC

Cisco Systems

Cisco Systems is the largest provider of networking equipment in the world and one of the largest software companies in the world. Its largest businesses are selling networking hardware and software (where it has leading market shares) and cybersecurity software such as firewalls. It also has collaboration products, like its Webex suite, and observability tools. It primarily outsources its manufacturing to third parties and has a large sales and marketing staff—25,000 strong across 90 countries. Overall, Cisco employs 80,000 people and sells its products globally.

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Shares of communication equipment stocks are trading higher following President Trump's decision to implement a 90-day pause on reciprocal tariffs for all countries except China.

Despite President Donald Trump&#8216;s tariffs sending shockwaves through the stock market, one analyst believes the domestic automotive industry in the U.S. is poised for a surprising boost. Here is a list of potential beneficiaries and losers of the new trade policy. 
What Happened: While the tariffs of U.S. trading partners have had a damaging effect on the stock market, they have also fueled the fear of a slowdown in the economy and a possible recession.
According to John Murillo, the chief dealing officer at a global fintech solutions provider for financial institutions, B2BROKER, Trump's tariffs preemptively target metals, cars, and high-tech imports into the U.S., which seemingly spells trouble, &#8220;specifically for these sectors.&#8221;
However, he goes on to add that the &#8220;devil is always hiding in the details,&#8221; and sees the protectionist measures as a silver lining for the American automotive sector, predicting increased demand due to reduced foreign competition.
&#8220;Since tariffs are imposed on foreign cars competing with U.S. cars for consumer preferences, it will be precisely the American automotive industry that reaps the fruit of this protectionism,&#8221; Murillo told Benzinga.
Murillo states that despite the initial negative reaction following a cut in dividends by the Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/F#NYSE">F</a>) executives, &#8220;Ford and General Motors Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>) will see higher demand on their production over time, which will offset all current inconveniences with reorientation for alternative foreign supply parts producers.&#8221;
&#8220;We must also not forget Donald Trump&#8216;s bet on the American oil industry,&#8221; adds Murillo, stating that he will &#8220;zealously protect American businesses, and we know that conventional energy is the subject of his special focus.&#8221; 
&#8220;He is expected to fight with big oil companies worldwide in every possible way, and this is very positive news for the U.S. oil stocks despite the current softness of oil prices,&#8221; which will especially benefit classic oil producers like Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XOM#NYSE">XOM</a>) and Chevron Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVX#NYSE">CVX</a>), according to Murillo.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/04/44705659/cathie-wood-points-to-serious-liquidity-issues-as-overnight-borrowing-rate-spreads-widen-o">Cathie Wood Points To &#8216;Serious Liquidity Issues&#8217; As Overnight Borrowing Rate Spreads Widen On Spiking Treasury Yields</a>
Why It Matters: Tariffs are considered protectionist policies as they are taxes that a government levies on imported goods. The primary objective of tariffs is to protect domestic industries that produce the same or similar goods.
However, they could lead to an increase in the prices of goods as the cost of producing the goods domestically increases.
Murillo also highlights the companies that will lose out because of these policies in the long run.
&#8220;The most evident losers will be retail stocks, such as Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COST#NASDAQ">COST</a>) and Walmart Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WMT#NYSE">WMT</a>), which traditionally formed most of their margins by arbitraging Chinese wholesale versus U.S. domestic retail prices.&#8221;
&#8220;PC, server, and phone equipment manufacturers like HP Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HPQ#NYSE">HPQ</a>), Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>), and Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) will also feel the heat because many essential parts have been delivered from China for decades,&#8221; he adds.
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Stocks In Focus</td>
<td>YTD Performance</td>
<td>One Year Performance</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/F#NYSE">F</a>)</td>
<td>-9.95%</td>
<td>-35.82%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>General Motors Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>)</td>
<td>-17.31%</td>
<td>-5.03%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XOM#NYSE">XOM</a>)</td>
<td>-6.09%</td>
<td>-16.84%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Chevron Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVX#NYSE">CVX</a>)</td>
<td>-6.67%</td>
<td>-15.48%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COST#NASDAQ">COST</a>)</td>
<td>-0.12%</td>
<td>26.46%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Walmart Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WMT#NYSE">WMT</a>)</td>
<td>-9.12%</td>
<td>36.80%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HP Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HPQ#NYSE">HPQ</a>)</td>
<td>-32.61%</td>
<td>-26.99%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>)</td>
<td>-10.00%</td>
<td>6.36%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>)</td>
<td>-29.29%</td>
<td>1.62%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
Price Action: Notably, on Tuesday, the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) decreased by 1.57% to $496.48, while the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) saw a decline of 1.80% to $416.06, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.
Following Tuesday&#8217;s trading session, the Nasdaq 100 is in bear market territory, having fallen 23.10% from its prior peak of 22,222.61. The S&amp;P 500 also saw a significant decline of 18.95% from its Feb. 19 high of 6,147.43, while the Dow Jones was down 16.48% from its 52-week high.
Wednesday&#8217;s futures market indicated further potential losses, with Dow, S&amp;P 500, and Nasdaq 100 futures all trading lower.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/04/44683084/bear-markets-hit-harder-and-last-longer-during-recessions-heres-a-historical-look-at-bear-market-severity-and-duration">Bear Markets Hit Harder And Last Longer During Recessions, Says Strategist</a></li>
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Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Exclusives

General

AAPL

COST

Ford, GM To Witness 'Higher Demand' As American Carmakers Set To 'Reap The Fruit Of Protectionism,' Says Expert: Here's A List Of Potential Gainers And Losers From Trump Tariffs

Piper Sandler analyst James Fish maintains Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) with a Neutral and lowers the price target from $72 to $60.

Price Target

Piper Sandler Maintains Neutral on Cisco Systems, Lowers Price Target to $60

Rosenblatt analyst Mike Genovese upgraded Coherent Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COHR#NYSE">COHR</a>) from Neutral to Buy and lowered the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/COHR/analyst-ratings" rel="noreferrer noopener">price target from</a> $115 to $85 on Friday.
Genovese is upbeat on sequential re-acceleration in AI transceivers by the second half of calendar 2025, driven by the Blackwell rollout and Coherent ZR transceiver demand for Data Center Interconnect (DCI) and telecom application that is very strong.
The analyst is bullish on the transceiver market through 2030 and increasingly views co-packaged optics (CPO) as more of an opportunity than a threat because of new products like Ultra-High-Power (UHP) lasers and Optical Circuit Switches (OCS).
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/03/44517267/whats-going-on-with-coherent-stock-thursday" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Coherent Stock Slides as It Plans to Offload Fabrication Site Near University of Illinois</a>
Coherent is also making solid progress in commercializing 200G VCSELs and 100G and 200G EMLs.
Additional reasons for liking Coherent are the strong new CEO, Jim Anderson.
The stock has pulled back to its historical (pre-AI) valuation of under 13 times forward earnings. This likely signals that the buy side believes numbers need to come down due to demand destruction from the new tariffs, including 24% on Malaysian goods.
Genovese did not change estimates, primarily because of the very positive demand messages he heard from companies at the Optical Fiber Conference (OFC) this week. Another reason is that tariffs still seem to be a potentially moving target.
The analyst considers Coherent to be a long-term leader in AI Optics.
Coherent has increased 800G Datacom transceiver revenues every quarter for the last couple of years and now does ~$300 million per quarter in sales. This makes Coherent #2 in global market share after Innolight.
While sequential growth for Coherent in 800G has continued, it has slowed recently.
Investors are now openly discussing Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/04/44645946/microsoft-halts-data-center-expansions-due-to-semiconductor-tariff-concerns-ai-overcapacity-fears" rel="noreferrer noopener">delaying some new</a> Data Center builds.
Nevertheless, the analyst expects Coherent&#8217;s and the overall market&#8217;s 800G Datacom transceiver sales to accelerate in the September and December quarters, driven by attachments to shipments of Blackwell GPUs ordered in the first half of 2025.
In the second quarter of 2025, Coherent&#8217;s Telecom revenues grew 11% year over year, following 17% year over year growth in the first quarter of 2025.
The company noted the strong ramp of new products and said it expects these products to continue to grow over the coming quarters.
Coherent management echoed these sentiments when Genovese met with them this week at OFC.
In addition, Ciena Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CIEN#NYSE">CIEN</a>) and Cisco Systems, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) said that the demand for Hyper-Scale DCI remains incredibly strong at OFC this week. However, any chatter investors hear about Microsoft, in particular, slowing down on some new Data Center investments.
At the OFC meeting, Coherent said it has the vendor&#8217;s most extensive portfolio of CPO components. The company also said CPO equipment is currently 2 to 4 times more expensive than transceiver equipment since it is new and esoteric. Coherent told the analyst it is participating in OCS deployments this year at a significant Hyper Scaler and is engaged in similar planning and bids with others.
According to the analyst&#8217;s checks, Lumentum Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LITE#NASDAQ">LITE</a>) is still significantly ahead in EML capacity, but Coherent is finally getting close to ramping up its own EML production.
Genovese is confident that Coherent can expand its production of indium phosphide lasers, including EMLs and CWs, over time.
Coherent has manufacturing locations around the world, including Malaysia (24% tariff), China (54% tariff), other Asian countries (tariff rates mostly between Malaysia and China), and Europe (20% tariff).
Genovese projected third-quarter revenue of $1.44 billion and EPS of 85 cents.
Price Action: Coherent stock is down 9% at $49.06 at last check Friday.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/04/44644607/verizons-new-3-year-price-lock-free-phone-offer-strategic-move-to-boost-customer-retention" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Verizon&#8217;s New 3-Year Price Lock, Free Phone Offer: Strategic Move To Boost Customer Retention</a></li>
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Upgrades

LITE

MSFT

Coherent Gets Analyst Upgrade, But Tariffs Could Cast Shadow Over Future Growth

ASNS

CLRO

ONDS

Shares of communication equipment stocks are trading lower as global markets continue to decline following President Trump's announcement of sweeping tariffs.

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders will search for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges heavily from its normal worth. High amounts of trading activity could push option prices to exaggerated or underestimated levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Information Technology sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/04/25</td>
<td>$270.00</td>
<td>$36.2K</td>
<td>2.5K</td>
<td>21.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AAPL</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/04/25</td>
<td>$217.50</td>
<td>$29.6K</td>
<td>2.6K</td>
<td>9.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WULF</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/11/25</td>
<td>$2.50</td>
<td>$31.5K</td>
<td>179</td>
<td>5.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$110.00</td>
<td>$137.9K</td>
<td>18.5K</td>
<td>5.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$52.50</td>
<td>$173.0K</td>
<td>2.7K</td>
<td>2.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ZS</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/18/26</td>
<td>$170.00</td>
<td>$2.8 million</td>
<td>11</td>
<td>1.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ORCL</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>08/15/25</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$35.1K</td>
<td>134</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IBM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$230.00</td>
<td>$256.2K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
<td>568</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MU</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$90.00</td>
<td>$128.6K</td>
<td>14.0K</td>
<td>522</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>STM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$18.00</td>
<td>$39.6K</td>
<td>534</td>
<td>201</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• For MSTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 1 day(s) on April 4, 2025. This event was a transfer of 100 contract(s) at a $270.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $36.2K, with a price of $363.0 per contract. There were 2550 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 21202 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding AAPL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 1 day(s) on April 4, 2025. Parties traded 2281 contract(s) at a $217.50 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 36 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $29.6K, with a price of $13.0 per contract. There were 2608 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 9112 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding WULF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WULF#NASDAQ">WULF</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 8 day(s) on April 11, 2025. Parties traded 2240 contract(s) at a $2.50 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 22 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $31.5K, with a price of $14.0 per contract. There were 179 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 5198 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 43 day(s) on May 16, 2025. Parties traded 310 contract(s) at a $110.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 10 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $137.9K, with a price of $445.0 per contract. There were 18536 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 5103 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding CSCO (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>), we observe a put option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 169 day(s) on September 19, 2025. Parties traded 1000 contract(s) at a $52.50 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $173.0K, with a price of $173.0 per contract. There were 2747 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2051 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For ZS (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ZS#NASDAQ">ZS</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 441 day(s) on June 18, 2026. This event was a transfer of 1336 contract(s) at a $170.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $2.8 million, with a price of $2145.0 per contract. There were 11 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1959 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding ORCL (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>), we observe a call option sweep with neutral sentiment. It expires in 134 day(s) on August 15, 2025. Parties traded 14 contract(s) at a $120.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $35.1K, with a price of $2510.0 per contract. There were 134 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1283 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding IBM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 43 day(s) on May 16, 2025. Parties traded 350 contract(s) at a $230.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 5 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $256.2K, with a price of $731.0 per contract. There were 1151 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 568 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MU (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 78 day(s) on June 20, 2025. Parties traded 80 contract(s) at a $90.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 10 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $128.6K, with a price of $1607.0 per contract. There were 14050 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 522 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding STM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STM#NYSE">STM</a>), we observe a put option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 288 day(s) on January 16, 2026. Parties traded 200 contract(s) at a $18.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $39.6K, with a price of $198.0 per contract. There were 534 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 201 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Options

MSTR

WULF

10 Information Technology Stocks Whale Activity In Today's Session

PCLA

Shares of communication equipment stocks are trading lower as markets react to President Trump's announcement of sweeping tariffs.

<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/03/44375147/smart-puppies-are-smarter-than-ai-mark-cubans-surprising-take-on-the-future-of-artificial-intelligence">Artificial intelligence</a> is writing code faster than humans ever could, and one big question looms: Should people still bother learning to code? Cisco&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) executive vice president and chief customer experience officer, Liz Centoni, has a firm answer—yes, but with a twist.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Unexpected Value of &#8220;Boring Problems&#8221;</h2>
Centoni, who started as a software engineer and has spent nearly 25 years at Cisco, insists coding is still essential. &#8220;I want someone in there sitting with the subject matter experts who can not just understand the problem, but look at how we can creatively craft a solution,&#8221; Centoni told<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cisco-executive-liz-centoni-learn-to-code-advice-ai-2025-3#:~:text=Cisco's%20Liz%20Centoni%20told%20BI,business%20knowledge%20are%20also%20key."> Business Insider</a>.&nbsp;
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She argues that coding teaches a structured approach to breaking down complex problems, analyzing data, forming hypotheses, and testing solutions. &#8220;And maybe nobody wants to talk about the boring problems because it doesn&#8217;t make the news,&#8221; she added.
&#8220;But the reality is that we have boring problems with lots of data underneath it. It has thousands of employees who work at it.&#8221; she said during the interview.&nbsp;
That might not sound exciting, but these so-called &#8220;boring problems&#8221; keep major companies running smoothly. From automating workflows to analyzing massive datasets, coding knowledge gives employees an edge, even if AI is lending a hand.
Trending: If there was a new fund backed by Jeff Bezos offering a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/arrived-private-credit-fund">7-9% target yield with monthly dividends would you invest in it</a>?
Centoni&#8217;s argument isn&#8217;t just philosophical—the data backs it up. Based on a study by<a href="https://www.zippia.com/programmer-jobs/trends/"> Zippia</a>, over 266,493 computer programmers are employed in the U.S., earning a $73,007 average salary in 2025.<a href="https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Computer-Programmer-Salary"> According to ZipRecruiter</a>, the 75th percentile of computer programmers in the U.S. earn $80,000, and the top earners, the 90th percentile, earn $87,000 annually.&nbsp;
Based on the World Economic Forum&#8217;s<a href="https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_Report_2025.pdf"> Future of Jobs Report</a> 2025, 40% of companies anticipate reducing their workforce where AI can automate tasks. Nonetheless, jobs that require critical thinking and problem-solving will remain in demand.&nbsp;
Not everyone agrees. The chief learning officer at Coursera, Trena Minudri, told<a href="https://www.newsweek.com/soft-skills-importance-corporate-training-data-interpersonal-managerial-2046056"> Newsweek</a>, &#8220;One of the most exciting side effects of the AI and digital transformation revolution is that there&#8217;s this double-down on the things that make us human. That goes to things like empathy, resilience, self-awareness, listening skill, for everyone–not just managers and leaders.&#8221;
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As AI takes over routine coding tasks, creativity, and business acumen will also become the real differentiators in the job market.
Centoni doesn&#8217;t think everyone needs a computer science <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/01/42932626/billionaire-mark-cuban-on-college-costs-pick-the-cheapest-school-you-can-find-its-about-learning-not-prestige">degree</a>, but she does want to see more people combining tech knowledge with business strategy. &#8220;I want someone in there sitting with the subject matter experts who can not just understand the problem but look at how we can creatively craft a solution,&#8221; she said.&nbsp;
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Personal Finance

Cisco EVP Liz Centoni Says The 'Boring Problems' No One Talks About Hold The Key To AI's Future—And Thousands Are Solving Them

Fortinet Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FTNT#NASDAQ">FTNT</a>) could be the most exposed <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/cybersecurity">security hardware vendor</a> to newly announced <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/04/44620889/trumps-liberation-day-tariffs-roil-markets-as-china-slams-typical-unilateral-bullying-asian-markets-plunge">U.S. tariffs</a>, with a potential 60-basis-point margin headwind due to its reliance on Taiwan-based manufacturing.
JPMorgan analyst Brian Essex warns that this exposure could significantly impact the company's margins.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Fortinet's Taiwan Exposure Creates Headwinds</h2>
According to Essex, Fortinet manufactures approximately 95% of its hardware in Taiwan, making it highly susceptible to tariffs imposed on the region. His calculations suggest that the company could face incremental tariff costs of roughly $40 million, translating to a 60bps impact on margins.
While Fortinet could mitigate some of this impact by raising prices or shifting manufacturing to other locations, the competitive landscape may shift in favor of domestic peers like Cisco Systems Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>).
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/insights/short-sellers/25/04/44614453/is-fortinet-gaining-or-losing-market-support">Is Fortinet Gaining or Losing Market Support?</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Check Point, Palo Alto Networks Appear More Insulated</h2>
Essex notes that Check Point Software Technologies Ltd (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CHKP#NASDAQ">CHKP</a>) faces relatively negligible tariff exposure, as only 10% of its Bill of Materials (BOM) comes from China, and its U.S. revenue exposure is around 35%.
Meanwhile, Palo Alto Networks Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PANW#NASDAQ">PANW</a>) has proactively addressed tariff risks by shifting contract manufacturing to Texas and reducing its reliance on Chinese components.
As a result, Essex sees the tariff impact on Palo Alto's margins as minimal.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Investor Concerns, Competitive Implications</h2>
Essex highlights that investors have been closely watching Fortinet's exposure to Taiwan and other regions, such as Canada and Mexico.
However, these countries are not currently subject to the latest tariffs, which provides some relief. Still, the competitive implications remain, as companies with less exposure to affected regions may gain an advantage.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Uncertain Path Forward</h2>
While the full impact of the tariffs is yet to be determined, Essex stresses that Fortinet's exposure is notably higher than that of its peers. He cautions that further supply chain adjustments or price increases may be necessary to offset these pressures, making the coming quarters critical for investors tracking the stock.
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Photo: Shutterstock

CHKP

FTNT

PANW

Fortinet Faces Tariff Turbulence - Analyst Flags Margin Risk

Benzinga's options scanner has just identified more than 16 option transactions on Cisco Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>), with a cumulative value of $621,387. Concurrently, our algorithms picked up 2 puts, worth a total of 69,538.
<h3>Expected Price Movements</h3>
Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $45.0 to $65.0 for Cisco Systems during the past quarter. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Development</h3>
In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for Cisco Systems options trades today is 2917.0 with a total volume of 19,070.00.
In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for Cisco Systems's big money trades within a strike price range of $45.0 to $65.0 over the last 30 days.
<h3>Cisco Systems Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1743012988_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Noteworthy Options Activity:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$0.93</td>
<td>$0.87</td>
<td>$0.93</td>
<td>$61.00</td>
<td>$87.4K</td>
<td>3.3K</td>
<td>2.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$0.98</td>
<td>$0.92</td>
<td>$0.98</td>
<td>$61.00</td>
<td>$67.4K</td>
<td>3.3K</td>
<td>2.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$9.65</td>
<td>$9.6</td>
<td>$9.65</td>
<td>$52.50</td>
<td>$55.0K</td>
<td>3.6K</td>
<td>70</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$5.35</td>
<td>$5.2</td>
<td>$5.32</td>
<td>$57.50</td>
<td>$53.2K</td>
<td>4.3K</td>
<td>102</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$1.01</td>
<td>$1.0</td>
<td>$1.0</td>
<td>$61.00</td>
<td>$50.7K</td>
<td>3.3K</td>
<td>3.2K</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Cisco Systems</h3>
Cisco Systems is the largest provider of networking equipment in the world and one of the largest software companies in the world. Its largest businesses are selling networking hardware and software (where it has leading market shares) and cybersecurity software such as firewalls. It also has collaboration products, like its Webex suite, and observability tools. It primarily outsources its manufacturing to third parties and has a large sales and marketing staff—25,000 strong across 90 countries. Overall, Cisco employs 80,000 people and sells its products globally.
Following our analysis of the options activities associated with Cisco Systems, we pivot to a closer look at the company's own performance.
<h3>Cisco Systems's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>Trading volume stands at 10,639,027, with CSCO's price up by 1.07%, positioned at $61.64.</li>
<li>RSI indicators show the stock to be is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.</li>
<li>Earnings announcement expected in 49 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What The Experts Say On Cisco Systems</h3>
Over the past month, 1 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $73.0.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
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&#x2A; An analyst from Citigroup has decided to maintain their Buy rating on Cisco Systems, which currently sits at a price target of $73. 
Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest Cisco Systems options trades with real-time alerts from <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>.

Cisco Systems Unusual Options Activity

Oracle Cloud&nbsp;is suspected to have suffered a significant cyberattack, leading to the theft of 6 million records. These records are reportedly being sold by a hacker. Oracle, however, has firmly denied any such breach.
What Happened:&nbsp;A hacker going by the pseudonym "rose87168" is purportedly selling 6 million records stolen from Oracle&#8217;s systems. This claim was initially brought to light by a cybersecurity firm,&nbsp;CloudSEK, based out of India&#8217;s Bengaluru. The firm also called it the &#8216;Biggest supply chain attack of 2025&#8217;
Oracle has staunchly refuted these allegations, and <a href="https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/oracle-denies-data-breach-after-hacker-claims-theft-of-6-million-data-records/">told</a> the Bleeping Computer that none of its Cloud customers have been affected and that the leaked credentials do not pertain to Oracle Cloud.
Despite Oracle&#8217;s denial, cybersecurity experts advise businesses using Oracle services to implement preventive measures to safeguard their sensitive data. As per CloudSEK&#8217;s report, this could potentially be the largest supply chain hack of 2025, targeting Oracle Cloud and&nbsp;impacting more than 140,000 tenants across&nbsp;various sectors and regions. 
The breach was reportedly linked to the login endpoint login.(region-name).oraclecloud.com, exposing a dataset that included Java KeyStore (JKS) files, encrypted SSO passwords, key files, and Enterprise Manager JPS keys.
Since January 2025, the hacker has been selling sensitive data, attempting to decrypt stolen credentials, and extorting companies for data deletion fees. As perCloudSEK, the hacker also created an X page to broaden their reach by following Oracle-related accounts and tracking their targets.
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Why It Matters: The reported exposure of 6 million records presents major risks for organizations, including large-scale data breaches, corporate espionage and unauthorized access. Decrypted SSO and LDAP passwords could allow attackers to infiltrate Oracle Cloud environments and exploit supply chain vulnerabilities by targeting interconnected systems.
Businesses face high stakes as the hacker "rose87168" pressures over 140,000 tenants with extortion demands, using an X page to amplify threats and target Oracle-related accounts. This incident follows a trend of<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43692893/chinese-hacker-group-salt-typhoon-expands-global-telecom-exploits-targets-cisco-routers"> increased cyberattacks</a>, such as the exploits by the Chinese hacker group, Salt Typhoon on Cisco (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>). 
Oracle holds a momentum rating of 65.86% and a growth rating of 62.87%, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/report/ORCL" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga&#8217;s Proprietary Edge Rankings</a>. The Benzinga Growth metric evaluates a stock's historical earnings and revenue expansion across multiple timeframes, prioritizing both long-term trends and recent performance. For an in-depth report on more stocks and insights into growth opportunities,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/screener/top-momentum-stocks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">sign</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/screener/top-momentum-stocks" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">up for Benzinga Edge.</a>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="446" height="280" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/24054609/image-214.png" alt="" class="wp-image-838024" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/24054609/image-214.png 446w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/24054609/image-214-300x188.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 446px) 100vw, 446px" /></figure>
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<li>READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/03/44450807/zuckerberg-says-2025-will-be-the-year-an-ai-assistant-hits-1-billion-users-and-he-wants-it-to-be-meta-ai">Zuckerberg Says 2025 Will Be The Year An AI Assistant Hits 1 Billion Users—And He Wants It To Be Meta AI</a></li>
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Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Oracle Denies Massive Data Theft As Hacker Allegedly Sells 6M Records

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Information Technology sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$118.00</td>
<td>$29.0K</td>
<td>97.0K</td>
<td>37.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$60.00</td>
<td>$38.2K</td>
<td>17.4K</td>
<td>6.8K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SMCI</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$42.00</td>
<td>$91.8K</td>
<td>17.9K</td>
<td>6.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ZS</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$185.00</td>
<td>$1.2 million</td>
<td>392</td>
<td>3.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AAPL</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$210.00</td>
<td>$29.3K</td>
<td>34.2K</td>
<td>2.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$280.00</td>
<td>$58.5K</td>
<td>2.1K</td>
<td>1.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CLS</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$97.50</td>
<td>$63.0K</td>
<td>651</td>
<td>603</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>APP</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$310.00</td>
<td>$50.9K</td>
<td>2.0K</td>
<td>523</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>JKS</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$22.50</td>
<td>$156.0K</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>400</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>IONQ</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$25.00</td>
<td>$31.1K</td>
<td>1.9K</td>
<td>372</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These itemized elaborations have been created using the accompanying table. 
• For NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, is expiring today. Parties traded 255 contract(s) at a $118.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 11 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $29.0K, with a price of $114.0 per contract. There were 97048 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 37539 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For CSCO (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, is expiring today. Parties traded 1418 contract(s) at a $60.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 18 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $38.2K, with a price of $27.0 per contract. There were 17403 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 6889 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For SMCI (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be neutral, expiring in 7 day(s) on March 28, 2025. This event was a transfer of 473 contract(s) at a $42.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $91.8K, with a price of $194.0 per contract. There were 17922 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 6051 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding ZS (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ZS#NASDAQ">ZS</a>), we observe a put option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 56 day(s) on May 16, 2025. Parties traded 2775 contract(s) at a $185.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $1.2 million, with a price of $435.0 per contract. There were 392 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3025 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AAPL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 91 day(s) on June 20, 2025. This event was a transfer of 33 contract(s) at a $210.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $29.3K, with a price of $890.0 per contract. There were 34243 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2760 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MSTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 7 day(s) on March 28, 2025. This event was a transfer of 100 contract(s) at a $280.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 9 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $58.5K, with a price of $585.0 per contract. There were 2161 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1761 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For CLS (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CLS#NYSE">CLS</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 27 day(s) on April 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 100 contract(s) at a $97.50 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $63.0K, with a price of $630.0 per contract. There were 651 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 603 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding APP (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APP#NASDAQ">APP</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 7 day(s) on March 28, 2025. Parties traded 49 contract(s) at a $310.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 11 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $50.9K, with a price of $1040.0 per contract. There were 2010 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 523 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding JKS (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JKS#NYSE">JKS</a>), we observe a put option trade with neutral sentiment. It expires in 182 day(s) on September 19, 2025. Parties traded 400 contract(s) at a $22.50 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $156.0K, with a price of $390.0 per contract. There were 0 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 400 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For IONQ (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IONQ#NYSE">IONQ</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bearish, is expiring today. Parties traded 100 contract(s) at a $25.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $31.1K, with a price of $311.0 per contract. There were 1955 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 372 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more about unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

IONQ

SMCI

10 Information Technology Stocks With Whale Alerts In Today's Session

NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) CEO Jensen Huang and Cisco Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) CEO Chuck Robbins described unprecedented global enthusiasm for artificial intelligence development, with national leaders recognizing AI as a strategic priority.
What Happened: &#8220;In no initiative and no foundational technology that I&#8217;ve ever known since the internet has the world and the leaders realized the importance of artificial intelligence to them,&#8221; Huang said, in an <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/20/nvidia-ceo-and-cisco-ceo-discuss-the-global-outlook-on-the-ai-arms-race.html">interview</a> with CNBC. 
Robbins expressed confidence in the President Donald Trump administration&#8217;s commitment to maintaining American AI dominance despite concerns about potential tariff impacts on semiconductor imports. 
&#8220;Based on the conversations I&#8217;ve had with the administration&#8230;they want to protect that lead, and they want us to win,&#8221; Robbins said. &#8220;I believe that their policies that they&#8217;re going to implement will ensure that happens.&#8221;
The comments come amid intensifying U.S.-China competition in AI development. The Trump administration recently backed &#8220;Stargate,&#8221; a $500 billion private-sector initiative involving OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle Corp. to build massive data centers in Texas, while simultaneously facing competition from Chinese firms like DeepSeek that are making technological advances despite U.S. export <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/startups/25/02/43420092/as-easy-as-it-can-be-trump-promises-ai-giants-support-with-500b-investment-plan-how-does-it-compare-with-deepseek">controls on advanced semiconductors</a>.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/03/44429586/elon-musk-says-hang-on-to-your-stock-in-surprise-late-evening-tesla-all-hands-meeting-touts-7-million-evs-optimus-robot-and-ai-supercomputer-dojo">Elon Musk Says &#8216;Hang On To Your Stock&#8217; In Surprise Late-Evening Tesla All-Hands Meeting — Touts 7 Million EVs, Optimus Robot, And AI Supercomputer Dojo</a>
Why It Matters: The administration is also reviewing AI regulatory approaches following <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/markets/25/03/44300525/sam-altmans-openai-urges-trump-administration-for-rapid-ai-advancement-and-reduced-regulation">proposals from companies like OpenAI</a>, which has urged reduced regulation and highlighted potential threats from Chinese AI technology. High-level meetings between tech executives and Trump have included Michael Dell of Dell Technologies Inc., which projects its <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/03/44269039/michael-dell-joins-trump-elon-musk-for-high-stakes-ai-talks-as-dell-eyes-15-billion-in-server-business">AI server business</a> to reach $15 billion in fiscal year 2026.
Cisco and Nvidia announced a partnership to deliver AI technology to enterprises with new infrastructure. According to Huang, AI has &#8220;reinvented the entire computing stack&#8221; and requires a complete overhaul of enterprise systems. &#8220;We need to go and rerack the whole world&#8217;s companies,&#8221; Huang said.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44429645/perplexity-ceo-says-app-will-make-apple-intelligence-work-amid-iphone-makers-ai-challenges">Perplexity Can Make &#8216;Apple Intelligence Work&#8217; Says CEO Aravind Srinivas As iPhone Maker Attracts Criticism On Siri And AI Delays</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.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Cisco's Chuck Robbins Tout AI's Global Impact: Trump 'Want Us To Win'

The future of telecommunications is now and investors are paying attention. With NVIDIA&#8217;s recent foray into AI-native 6G networks, the world is changing fast and there are huge opportunities for <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs">telecom, AI, and semiconductor ETFs</a>.
Defiance ETFs CEO Sylvia Jablonski thinks this revolution is only just starting. &#8220;Telecom companies that want to stay competitive will need to invest in AI-powered networks, partner with AI tech leaders and upgrade to cutting-edge semiconductor technology. That's exactly why we built the Defiance Connective Technologies ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SIXG#NASDAQ">SIXG</a>) to capture this AI-driven telecom revolution,&#8221; she told Benzinga.
Nvidia Corp.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) new <a href="https://nvidianews.nvidia.com/news/nvidia-and-telecom-industry-leaders-to-develop-ai-native-wireless-networks-for-6g">deals </a>with T-Mobile Us Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TMUS#NASDAQ">TMUS</a>), MITRE, Cisco Systems Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>), ODC, and Booz Allen Hamilton Holding Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BAH#NYSE">BAH</a>) that were announced in the GTC 2025 are a significant step forward in AI-powered telecommunications. Nvidia is taking the lead in the deployment of AI in wireless network hardware, software and infrastructure, paving the way for new-gen connectivity.
For investors, this transition offers attractive opportunities. The need for AI-driven networking chips, cloud computing infrastructure, telecom software and cybersecurity is likely going to boom. Broadcom Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>), Marvell Technology Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MRVL#NASDAQ">MRVL</a>), Qualcomm Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QCOM#NASDAQ">QCOM</a>), Amazon.com Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) AWS, Alphabet Inc.&#8217;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 Cloud, Oracle Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NASDAQ">ORCL</a>), Cisco Systems, Ericsson and Nokia Oyj (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NOK#NYSE">NOK</a>) are likely to gain. Naturally, ETFs holding stocks of these companies are seeing an upside potential, too.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44418376/is-nvidia-sitting-on-the-ai-goldmine-no-one-sees-yet">Is Nvidia Sitting On The AI Goldmine No One Sees Yet?</a>
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">ETFs That Stand To Gain</h1>
Jablonski points out that ETFs such as Defiance Connective Technologies provide exposure to these leaders, enabling investors to be part of the revolution in telecom networks.
Outside of that ETF, a number of other ETFs stand to gain from Nvidia&#8217;s and the telecom sector&#8217;s AI-led transformation:
• Global X Artificial Intelligence &amp; Technology ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AIQ#NASDAQ">AIQ</a>) targets AI-led innovation across sectors, such as cloud computing and telecommunications. 
• VanEck Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMH#NASDAQ">SMH</a>) contains top semiconductor players such as Nvidia, Broadcom and Qualcomm that form the backbone of AI-driven networking. 
• iShares U.S. Telecommunications ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IYZ#BATS">IYZ</a>) offers exposure to large telecom companies such as Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VZ#NYSE">VZ</a>) and T-Mobile. 
• ARK Autonomous Technology &amp; Robotics ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKQ#BATS">ARKQ</a>) contains firms utilizing AI-based connectivity for automation and future mobility. 
• First Trust Nasdaq Cybersecurity ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CIBR#NASDAQ">CIBR</a>) also covers cybersecurity companies such as Palo Alto Networks Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PANW#NASDAQ">PANW</a>) and CrowdStrike Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRWD#NASDAQ">CRWD</a>), which will be instrumental in protecting <a href="https://www.crowdstrike.com/platform/">AI-native</a> 6G <a href="https://www.paloaltonetworks.com/blog/2024/11/a-security-first-approach-to-6g/#:~:text=Next%20Steps,development%20and%20deployment%20of%206G.">networks</a>.
The actual impact of AI-enabled 6G is much greater than the telecommunications sector. From health and finance to manufacturing and self-driving cars, AI-enhanced networks will bring efficiency, security and performance to many different industries. 
Jablonski noted, &#8220;AI-integrated telecom networks will boost productivity and connectivity across several industries: healthcare – enabling remote surgeries, real-time diagnostics and telemedicine; finance, strengthening cybersecurity for transactions and real-time market analysis; manufacturing, enhancing automation and predictive maintenance and autonomous vehicles, powering AI-native Vehicle-to-Everything (V2X) communication.&#8221;
The financial benefit won&#8217;t directly touch consumers&#8217; wallets. &#8220;In the short term, telecom companies will likely use AI-driven efficiency to increase their profits as they recover infrastructure investment costs. Over time, as AI optimizes network operations, consumers could see more competitive pricing and improved services — similar to how cloud services have evolved.&#8221; 
In the long run, with AI optimizing network operations, customers may experience more competitive rates and better services.
But, AI-driven networks may create a divide between telecom and tech giants. &#8220;Companies like AWS, Google Cloud and Microsoft Azure are expanding into telecom with AI-driven cloud services. Traditional telecom providers that fail to adapt may struggle to compete with these tech-driven companies,&#8221; she noted.
Nvidia&#8217;s AI-native 6G project is a game-changer and the investment environment is changing rapidly. With partnerships that range from telecom behemoths to cloud and cybersecurity companies, the argument for ETFs such as Defiance Connective Technologies ETF and Defiance Quantum ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QTUM#NASDAQ">QTUM</a>) has never been more compelling. As AI-powered networks redefine connectivity, investors can seize the opportunity to ride the future of telecommunications technology.
Read Next: • <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44406384/alphabets-mega-cybersecurity-bet-3-etfs-poised-for-a-jackpot">Alphabet Bets Big On Cybersecurity: 3 ETFs Poised For A Jackpot</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

Sector ETFs

Specialty ETFs

ETFs

ARKQ

AVGO

CIBR

CRWD

GOOG

GOOGL

iShares Dow Jones US Telecommunications Sector Index Fund

MRVL

QCOM

QTUM

SIXG

TMUS

EXCLUSIVE: Why Defiance ETF CEO Sees Big Gains Ahead During Nvidia's 6G Revolution

NVIDIA today unveiled partnerships with industry leaders T-Mobile, MITRE, Cisco, ODC, a portfolio company of Cerberus Capital Management, and Booz Allen Hamilton on the research and development of AI-native wireless network hardware, software and architecture for 6G.
Next-generation wireless networks must be fundamentally integrated with AI to seamlessly connect hundreds of billions of phones, sensors, cameras, robots and autonomous vehicles. AI-native wireless networks will provide enhanced services for billions of users and set new standards in spectral efficiency — the rate at which data can be transmitted over a given bandwidth. They will also offer groundbreaking performance and resource utilization while creating new revenue streams for telecommunications companies.

NVIDIA And Telecom Industry Leaders To Develop AI-Native Wireless Networks For 6G

Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) is preparing to introduce new <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/artificial-intelligence">artificial intelligence-powered solutions</a>.
What Happened: The company is rolling out updates. The goal is to improve workflows in AI Assistant for Webex Suite and simplify employee interactions with Webex Calling Customer Assist and AirPlay on Cisco Devices for Microsoft Teams Rooms.
With updates to the Cisco AI Assistant for Webex Contact Center and the availability of Webex AI Agent, Cisco is transforming contact centers into customer experience hubs.
New solutions for end users and IT teams include Webex Calling Customer Assist, enhanced features in Webex Control Hub, and new workflow automation capabilities for the Cisco AI Assistant for Webex.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/03/44357674/restaurant-sales-sink-recession-warning-or-just-weather-driven-dip">Restaurant Sales Sink: Recession Warning Or Just Weather-Driven Dip?</a>
Why It Matters: The Cisco AI Assistant for Webex Contact Center, with new features like suggested responses and real-time transcription arriving in the second quarter of 2025, enhances both agent efficiency and customer experience.
The product enhances efficiency by integrating with enterprise apps like Salesforce, ServiceNow, and Jira, enabling users to complete tasks faster and automatically share meeting summaries.
Investors can gain exposure to the stock via&nbsp;iShares U.S. Telecommunications ETF&nbsp;(BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IYZ#BATS">IYZ</a>) and&nbsp;First Trust NASDAQ Cybersecurity ETF&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CIBR#NASDAQ">CIBR</a>).
Price Action: Cisco shares are up 1.39% at $60.66 premarket at the last check Monday
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44353699/niu-q4-rides-high-on-demand-for-e-scooters-but-gross-margins-decline-amid-higher-costs" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Niu Q4 Rides High On Demand For E-Scooters, But Gross Margins Decline Amid Higher Costs</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

Large Cap

Contracts

Cisco Unveils AI-Powered Solutions With Webex AI Agent

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders will search for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges heavily from its normal worth. High amounts of trading activity could push option prices to exaggerated or underestimated levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Information Technology sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/14/25</td>
<td>$115.00</td>
<td>$45.7K</td>
<td>37.3K</td>
<td>64.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>INTC</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/14/25</td>
<td>$24.00</td>
<td>$32.4K</td>
<td>1.3K</td>
<td>34.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CSCO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$65.00</td>
<td>$421.8K</td>
<td>21.8K</td>
<td>3.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>RGTI</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$5.00</td>
<td>$188.9K</td>
<td>27.2K</td>
<td>2.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PGY</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$5.00</td>
<td>$174.8K</td>
<td>181</td>
<td>2.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$280.00</td>
<td>$143.0K</td>
<td>1.3K</td>
<td>2.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSFT</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$325.00</td>
<td>$195.0K</td>
<td>5.9K</td>
<td>1.8K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AAPL</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$225.00</td>
<td>$688.8K</td>
<td>20.6K</td>
<td>1.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MU</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$90.00</td>
<td>$169.3K</td>
<td>16.2K</td>
<td>1.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PLTR</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/28/25</td>
<td>$75.00</td>
<td>$95.0K</td>
<td>3.1K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• For NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 1 day(s) on March 14, 2025. This event was a transfer of 250 contract(s) at a $115.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $45.7K, with a price of $183.0 per contract. There were 37369 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 64021 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding INTC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 1 day(s) on March 14, 2025. Parties traded 427 contract(s) at a $24.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 14 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $32.4K, with a price of $76.0 per contract. There were 1359 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 34156 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding CSCO (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 309 day(s) on January 16, 2026. Parties traded 524 contract(s) at a $65.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 10 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $421.8K, with a price of $805.0 per contract. There were 21890 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3500 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For RGTI (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RGTI#NASDAQ">RGTI</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 309 day(s) on January 16, 2026. This event was a transfer of 1303 contract(s) at a $5.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 271 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $188.9K, with a price of $145.0 per contract. There were 27296 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2605 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For PGY (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PGY#NASDAQ">PGY</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 309 day(s) on January 16, 2026. This event was a transfer of 2498 contract(s) at a $5.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $174.8K, with a price of $70.0 per contract. There were 181 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2500 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MSTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 8 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 200 contract(s) at a $280.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $143.0K, with a price of $715.0 per contract. There were 1306 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2106 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MSFT (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 64 day(s) on May 16, 2025. This event was a transfer of 500 contract(s) at a $325.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $195.0K, with a price of $390.0 per contract. There were 5912 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1820 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AAPL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 8 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 480 contract(s) at a $225.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 8 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $688.8K, with a price of $1435.0 per contract. There were 20670 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1576 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MU (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 8 day(s) on March 21, 2025. Parties traded 477 contract(s) at a $90.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 70 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $169.3K, with a price of $355.0 per contract. There were 16246 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1493 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For PLTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 15 day(s) on March 28, 2025. This event was a transfer of 250 contract(s) at a $75.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $95.0K, with a price of $380.0 per contract. There were 3159 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1168 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

PLTR

RGTI

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to meet with the CEOs of America&#8217;s largest corporations on Tuesday, amid growing economic concerns and a recent slump in stock values.
What Happened: Trump&#8217;s meeting with around 100 CEOs is part of a regular gathering of the Business Roundtable in Washington. This influential group includes leaders from major U.S. companies such as Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JPM#NYSE">JPM</a>), and Walmart Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WMT#NYSE">WMT</a>). BlackRock, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BLK#NYSE">BLK</a>) CEO Larry Fink and Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GS#NYSE">GS</a>) CEO David Solomon are also likely to be part of the Business Roundtable as per Reuters.
Chuck Robbins, the CEO of Cisco (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>), is the Chair of the Business Roundtable.
Despite prevailing market concerns over Trump&#8217;s policies, the White House remains optimistic. White House spokesman Kush Desai told Reuters, &#8220;Industry leaders have responded to President Trump&#8217;s America First economic agenda of tariffs, deregulation, and the unleashing of American energy with trillions in investment commitments that will create thousands of new jobs.&#8221;
Earlier in March, Business Roundtable CEO Joshua Bolten extended support to Trump&#8217;s agenda, like creating more American jobs or increasing investment in domestic businesses and manufacturing. However, Bolten urged Congress to find a common ground for agreement on tax reforms, significant regulatory reforms, and the removal of the recent tariffs.  &#8220;These tariffs, especially if they are long-lasting, run the risk of creating serious economic impact,&#8221; stated Bolten.
SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/03/44245897/billionaire-investor-ron-baron-reacts-to-nasdaq-sp-selloff-the-stock-prices-cant-believe-how-cheap-they-are">Billionaire Investor Ron Baron Reacts To Nasdaq, S&amp;P Selloff: &#8216;The Stock Prices&#8230;Can&#8217;t Believe How Cheap They Are&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: The meeting comes at a time when the market is experiencing turbulence, largely due to fears of inflation and economic downturn. U.S. stocks experienced a significant drop on Monday, with the S&amp;P 500 down nearly 3% since Trump&#8217;s election and 4.5% down for the year. 
Tom Lee, the research head of Fundstrat Global Advisors, has labeled the recent stock-market plunge <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44244329/tom-lee-predicts-market-stabilization-following-mondays-overreaction-foresees-may-rate-cut">as an overreaction</a>, predicting market stabilization and a potential rate cut in May. Lee highlighted Tuesday&#8217;s Business Roundtable as one of the events that could lead to market stabilization and allay investor concerns.
However, the overall sentiment remains cautious, with investors closely watching the outcome of the meeting and the future direction of Trump&#8217;s economic policies.&nbsp;
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/space/25/03/44244377/elon-musks-spacex-partners-with-airtel-to-launch-starlink-in-india-weeks-after-pm-narendra-modis-us-visit">Elon Musk&#8217;s SpaceX Partners With Airtel To Launch Starlink In India, Weeks After PM Narendra Modi&#8217;s US Visit</a>
Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Trump Set To Meet Top Executives From Apple, JPMorgan And Other Giants In Business Roundtable Amid Economic Concerns And Market Downturn: Report

On Tuesday, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) announced the expansion of its x86 embedded processor portfolio by introducing&nbsp;5th&nbsp;Gen <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/amd" rel="noreferrer noopener">AMD EPYC Embedded processors</a>.
AMD EPYC Embedded 9005 Series CPUs are optimized <a target="_blank" href="https://ir.amd.com/news-events/press-releases/detail/1239/amd-unveils-5th-gen-amd-epyc-embedded-processors-delivering-leadership-performance-efficiency-and-long-product-lifecycles-for-networking-storage-and-industrial-edge-markets" rel="noreferrer noopener">for embedded markets</a>.
Powered by the proven "Zen 5" architecture, these processors deliver leadership performance and energy efficiency, enabling networking, storage, and industrial edge systems to process more data faster and more efficiently.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/03/44201104/usa-targets-deepseek-weighs-restrictions-on-chinas-ai-firm-that-shook-nvidias-market-value-by-600-billion" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">USA Targets DeepSeek, Weighs Restrictions On China&#8217;s AI Firm That Shook Nvidia&#8217;s Market Value By $600 Billion</a>
AMD SVP Salil Raje noted that AI-driven network traffic, exploding data storage requirements, and the expansion of industrial edge computing drive the demand for higher compute performance in embedded platforms.
AMD EPYC Embedded 9005 Series processors are designed to power compute-intensive embedded systems, supporting core counts from 8 to 192 in a single socket.
The new "Zen 5c" core architecture offers higher throughput and greater energy efficiency.
AMD is working closely with Cisco Systems, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSCO#NASDAQ">CSCO</a>) and International Business Machines Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>) to bring next-generation processors to market.
AMD is reportedly <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43908370/amd-reshapes-strategy-plans-4-billion-data-center-asset-sale-while-doubling-down-on-gpus" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">divesting ZT Systems'</a> data center infrastructure production capabilities to Taiwan's Compal Electronics Inc, Inventec Corp, Pegatron Corp, and Wistron Corp. However, AMD had also remained adamant about not changing its focus priority from its primary GPU roadmap.
AMD is also <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44087877/intel-stock-surges-as-nvidia-broadcom-test-18a-chips-amd-shows-interest" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">reportedly considering using</a> Intel's 18A manufacturing process for its needs.
Price Action: AMD stock is up 1.85% at $98.42 premarket at last check Tuesday.
AMD stock plunged over 51% in the last 12 months.
Also Read:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/03/44218665/servicenow-eyes-3-billion-ai-deal-targets-boost-from-moveworks-chatbot-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ServiceNow Eyes $3 Billion AI Deal, Targets Boost From Moveworks Chatbot Tech</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

Advanced Micro Devices Unleashes AI-Focused Chips Powered By 'Zen5' Core Architecture

Shares of communication equipment stocks are trading lower amid recession worries due to uncertainty regarding tariffs and trade policy. President Trump said there is a "period of transition." Economic uncertainty could drive a rotation out of growth sectors.

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