Ultime notizie per H&R Block (NYSE:HRB) Azioni

H&R Block

H&R Block Inc provides income tax return preparation services, digital do-it-yourself tax solutions, and other services related to income tax preparation to the general public in the United States, Canada, and Australia. The company mainly prepares tax returns for customers within the United States through its company-owned offices, franchise locations, and online tax software. The vast majority of H&R Block's offices are located in the U.S. The company derives the majority of its total revenue from the U.S. assisted tax preparation fees. Revenue from franchise and product royalties and digital do-it-yourself tax solutions is also relatively.

H&R Block Inc

HARBOR BANKSHARES CORP by Harbor Bankshares Corporation

Harbor Bankshares Corp

HARBOR DIVERSIFIED INC by Harbor Diversified, Inc.

Harbor Diversified Inc

H&amp;R Block (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HRB#NYSE">HRB</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 6.4% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 20.67%. Currently, H&amp;R Block has a market capitalization of $8.38 billion. 
Buying $100 In HRB: If an investor had bought $100 of HRB stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $260.78 today based on a price of $60.60 for HRB at the time of writing.
<h3>H&amp;R Block's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1729000833_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

News

Trading Ideas

$100 Invested In H&R Block 5 Years Ago Would Be Worth This Much Today

H&amp;R Block (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HRB#NYSE">HRB</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 8.51% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 22.52%. Currently, H&amp;R Block has a market capitalization of $9.00 billion. 
Buying $100 In HRB: If an investor had bought $100 of HRB stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $272.50 today based on a price of $64.46 for HRB at the time of writing.
<h3>H&amp;R Block's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1727119810_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

H&amp;R Block (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HRB#NYSE">HRB</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 8.14% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 21.42%. Currently, H&amp;R Block has a market capitalization of $8.76 billion. 
Buying $1000 In HRB: If an investor had bought $1000 of HRB stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $2,637.57 today based on a price of $62.77 for HRB at the time of writing.
<h3>H&amp;R Block's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1726237836_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Here's How Much You Would Have Made Owning H&R Block Stock In The Last 5 Years

H&amp;R Block's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HRB#NYSE">HRB</a>) short percent of float has risen 5.39% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 9.53 million shares sold short, which is 11.53% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 4.32 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock/">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>H&amp;R Block Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1726165822_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for H&amp;R Block has grown since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to fall in the near-term but traders should be aware that more shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing H&amp;R Block's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>, H&amp;R Block's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 5.01%, which means the company has more short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze/">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

Short Sellers

Short Ideas

How Is The Market Feeling About H&R Block?

We often judge a company based on its sales and earnings. These metrics, however, may not be sufficient on their own. A stock might get a boost if these figures rise year over year or surpass estimates in a particular quarter, offering a lucrative opportunity for short-term investors to cash in. However, relying solely on sales and earnings numbers may not yield the desired long-term returns. For those seeking sustainable investment growth, a deeper dive into the company&#39;s financial health and stability is essential.
A critical analysis of a company&#39;s financial background is a prerequisite for an informed investment decision. Coverage ratios, which assess whether a company is robust enough to meet its financial obligations, play a crucial role in this analysis. A higher ratio generally indicates a stronger financial position. This article focuses on the interest coverage ratio, a key indicator used to evaluate a company&#39;s ability to pay interest on its debt, ensuring that the company is not over-leveraged and can comfortably meet its interest obligations from its operating earnings.
Interest Coverage Ratio = Earnings before Interest &amp; Taxes (EBIT) divided by Interest Expense.
<h2>Why Interest Coverage Ratio?</h2>
The interest coverage ratio is used to determine how effectively a company can pay the interest charges on its debt.
Debt, which is crucial for most companies to finance operations, comes at a cost called interest. Interest expense has a direct bearing on the profitability of a company and its creditworthiness depends on how effectively it meets interest obligations. Therefore, the interest coverage ratio is one of the important criteria to factor in before making any investment decision.
Interest coverage ratio suggests the number of times the interest could be paid from earnings and gauges the margin of safety a firm carries for paying interest.
An interest coverage ratio lower than 1.0 implies that the company is unable to fulfill its interest obligations and could default on repaying debt. A company that is capable of generating earnings well above its interest expense can withstand financial hardships. One should also track the company&#39;s past performance to determine whether the interest coverage ratio has improved or worsened over a period of time.
Sterling Infrastructure, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/strl#NASDAQ">STRL</a>), H&amp;R Block, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/hrb#NYSE">HRB</a>), Leidos Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ldos#NYSE">LDOS</a>) and Stride, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/lrn#NYSE">LRN</a>) boast an impressive interest coverage ratio.
<h2>The Winning Strategy</h2>
Apart from having an Interest Coverage Ratio that is more than the industry average, adding a favorable Zacks Rank and a VGM Score of A or B to your search criteria should lead to better results.
Interest Coverage Ratio greater than X-Industry Median
Price greater than or equal to 5: The stocks must all be trading at a minimum of $5 or higher.
5-Year Historical EPS Growth (%) greater than X-Industry Median: Stocks that have a strong EPS growth history.
Projected EPS Growth (%) greater than X-Industry Median: This is the projected EPS growth over the next three to five years. This shows that the stock has near-term earnings growth potential.&nbsp;
Average 20-Day Volume greater than 100,000: A substantial trading volume ensures that the stock is easily tradable.
Zacks Rank less than or equal to 2: Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) or 2 (Buy) stocks are known to outperform irrespective of the market environment.
VGM Score of less than or equal to B: Our research shows that stocks with a VGM Score of A or B, when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2, offer the best upside potential.
Here are four of the eight stocks that qualified the screening.
Sterling Infrastructure, which is engaged in e-infrastructure, transportation and building solutions, sports a Zacks Rank #1 and has a VGM Score of B. Sterling Infrastructure has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 17.4%, on average.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Sterling Infrastructure&#39;s current financial year sales and EPS suggests growth of 9.7% and 26.6%, respectively, from a year ago. The stock has surged 38.1% in the past year.
H&amp;R Block, which specializes in assisted income tax return preparation and DIY tax return services and products, sports a Zacks Rank #1 and has a VGM Score of B. HRB has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 10.8%, on average.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for H&amp;R Block&#39;s current financial year sales and EPS suggests growth of 3% and 15.2%, respectively, from the year-ago period. The stock has rallied 62.4% in the past year.
Leidos Holdings, which provides services and solutions in the defense, intelligence, civil and health markets in the United States and internationally, has a VGM Score of A and carries a Zacks Rank #2.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Leidos Holdings&#39; current financial year sales and EPS suggests growth of 5.4% and 22.6%, respectively, from a year ago. Leidos Holdings has a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 23.5%, on average. The stock has surged 62.7% in the past year.
Stride, a technology-based education company, carries a Zacks Rank #2 and has a VGM Score of A. LRN delivered an earnings surprise of 40.3% in the last reported quarter.
The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Stride&#39;s current financial year sales and EPS suggests growth of 6.3% and 7.7%, respectively, from the year-ago period. The stock has soared 87.3% in the past year.
Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2332597/4-stocks-that-stand-out-on-attractive-interest-coverage-ratio?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-analyst_blog|rw-2332597">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

Earnings

Large Cap

Mid Cap

Markets

Analyst Ratings

LDOS

STRL

4 Stocks That Stand Out on Attractive Interest Coverage Ratio

H&amp;R Block (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HRB#NYSE">HRB</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 7.28% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 21.37%. Currently, H&amp;R Block has a market capitalization of $8.94 billion. 
Buying $1000 In HRB: If an investor had bought $1000 of HRB stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $2,633.14 today based on a price of $64.04 for HRB at the time of writing.
<h3>H&amp;R Block's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1724956383_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

$1000 Invested In H&R Block 5 Years Ago Would Be Worth This Much Today

H&amp;R Block, Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/hrb#NYSE">HRB</a>) has performed exceptionally well in the past year and has the potential to sustain this momentum in the near term. Consequently, if you haven&#39;t taken advantage of its share price appreciation yet, it&#39;s time you add the stock to your portfolio.
<h2>What Makes HRB an Attractive Pick?</h2>
An Outperformer:&nbsp;A glimpse at this consumer services company&#39;s price trend reveals that the stock has had an impressive run over the past year. Shares of H&amp;R Block have gained 61.8%, significantly outperforming the 18.3% rise of the&nbsp;industry&nbsp;it belongs to and the 27.3% rally of the Zacks S&amp;P 500 composite.
<h2>H&amp;R Block, Inc. Price</h2>
<div class="chart_embed">
<h2><img alt="H&amp;R Block, Inc. Price" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/charts/18/1724422402.png" style="height:310px; width:600px" title="" /></h2>
H&amp;R Block, Inc. price | H&amp;R Block, Inc. Quote
Solid Rank and VGM Score: H&amp;R Block has a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) and a VGM Score of B. Our research shows that stocks with a VGM Score of A or B, when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2 (Buy), offer the best investment opportunities for investors. Thus, the company is a compelling investment proposition at the moment.
</div>
Northward Estimate Revisions: Two estimates for fiscal 2025 have moved north in the past 30 days versus no southward revision, reflecting analysts&#39; confidence in the company. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for HRB&#39;s fiscal 2025 earnings has moved up nearly 6.7% in the past 30 days.
Strong Growth Prospects: The company has an expected long-term (three to five years) earnings per share growth rate of 12.5%. Its fiscal 2025 earnings are expected to improve 15.2% year over year.
Positive Earnings Surprise History: HRB has an impressive earnings surprise history. The company outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in all the trailing four quarters, delivering an average earnings surprise of 10.8%.
Growth Factors:&nbsp;H&amp;R Block has a five-year strategy called Block Horizons in place. The strategy is focused on using human expertise and technological infrastructure to drive innovation. It aims to build strong relationships with small businesses through Wave and Block Advisors, develop Emerald Card as a consumer-centric, mobile-first solution for the underbanked, and make taxation faster and more personalized by integrating human expertise with digital tools.
Block Horizons is expected to help the company earn sustainable revenues and operating profit growth, improve return on investments, and maintain a strong balance sheet and liquidity position.
We believe that the main drivers of the company&#39;s post-pandemic performance are the digital enablement of its business, client addition and retention in both Assisted and DIY, greater usage of AI, and machine learning for product improvement and expansion in small businesses.
<h2>Other Stocks to Consider</h2>
A couple of other top-ranked stocks from the broader Zacks Business Services sector are Genpact (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/g#NYSE">G</a>) and&nbsp;Jamf (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/jamf#NASDAQ">JAMF</a>).
Genpact carries a Zacks Rank of 2 at present. It has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 8.4%.G delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 6.9%, on average.
Jamf currently carries a Zacks Rank of 2. The company has a long-term earnings growth expectation of 57%. JAMF delivered a trailing four-quarter earnings surprise of 15.7%, on average.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2326563/here-s-why-h-r-block-hrb-stock-is-a-great-pick-right-now?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-analyst_blog|rank_focused-2326563">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

JAMF

Here's Why H&R Block Stock is a Great Pick Right Now

H&amp;R Block's (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HRB#NYSE">HRB</a>) short percent of float has fallen 4.57% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 9.49 million shares sold short, which is 11.48% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 12.97 days to cover their short positions on average.
<h3>Why Short Interest Matters</h3>
Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock/">Short selling</a> is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises.
Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/short-interest">List of the most shorted stocks</a>
<h3>H&amp;R Block Short Interest Graph (3 Months)</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1724441411_0.png" alt="short_fig" />
As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for H&amp;R Block has declined since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to rise in the near-term but traders should be aware that less shares are being shorted.
<h3>Comparing H&amp;R Block's Short Interest Against Its Peers</h3>
Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis.
According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>, H&amp;R Block's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 5.21%, which means the company has more short interest than most of its peers.
Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-make-money-on-a-short-squeeze/">This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it.</a>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor.

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed further improvement in the overall market sentiment, while the index remained in the &#8220;Fear&#8221; zone on Friday.
U.S. stocks settled higher on Friday, with the S&amp;P 500 recording its best week since Nov. 2023. The S&amp;P 500 gained around 3.9%, while the Nasdaq and Dow Jones gained 5.2% and 2.9%, respectively, last week.
On the economic data front, housing starts in the U.S. declined by 6.8% from the prior month to an annualized rate of 1.238 million in July. Building permits dropped by 4% to an annual rate of 1.396 million in July. The University of Michigan consumer sentiment climbed to 67.8 in August from 66.4 in the prior month and topped market estimates of 66.9.
Data released last week showed retail sales came in stronger than projected, while weekly jobless claims declined.
Shares of NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) were among the best performers in tech stocks, gaining more than 18% last week. H&amp;R Block, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HRB#NYSE">HRB</a>) shares jumped over 12% on Friday after the company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter financial results and issued FY25 guidance above estimates.
As far as the earnings season is concerned, around 93% of the S&amp;P 500 companies have released quarterly results so far, with over 78% of those exceeding market estimates.
Most sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed on a positive note, with financials, information technology, and utilities stocks recording the biggest gains on Friday. However, industrials and energy stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session lower.
The Dow Jones closed higher by around 97 points to 40,659.76 on Friday. The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.20% to 5,554.25, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.21% at 17,631.72 during Friday's session.
Investors are awaiting earnings results from The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EL#NYSE">EL</a>), Fabrinet (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FN#NYSE">FN</a>), and Palo Alto Networks, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PANW#NYSE">PANW</a>) today.
What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?
At a current reading of 35.1, the index remained in the &#8220;Fear&#8221; zone on Friday, versus a prior reading of 33.1.
The Fear &amp; Greed Index is a measure of the current market sentiment. It is based on the premise that higher fear exerts pressure on stock prices, while higher greed has the opposite effect. The index is calculated based on seven equal-weighted indicators. The index ranges from 0 to 100, where 0 represents maximum fear and 100 signals maximum greediness.
Read Next:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/08/40420521/jim-cramer-recommends-buying-clorox-ceo-has-done-remarkable-job"> </a>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/08/40420521/jim-cramer-recommends-buying-clorox-ceo-has-done-remarkable-job">Jim Cramer Recommends Buying Clorox: &#8216;CEO Has Done Remarkable Job&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>

Pre-Market Outlook

NVDA

PANW

Nvidia Rebounds To Help S&P 500 Post Its Best Week In 2024, But Greed Index Remains In 'Fear' Zone

Macro Economic Events

Market Summary

Economics

General

Benzinga Market Summary: H&R Block Closes Higher On Strong Earnings, Consumer Sentiment Slightly Beats Expectations, Harris Unveils Economic Plan

H&amp;R Block, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HRB#NYSE">HRB</a>) shares are trading higher today, driven by the company&#8217;s better-than-expected fourth-quarter financial results and strong guidance. The stock also got a boost from the company&#8217;s quarterly dividend increase and $1.5 billion share repurchase authorization. Here&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/08/40418070/h-r-block-posts-upbeat-earnings-joins-alibaba-group-ci-t-and-other-big-stocks-moving-higher-on-frida">you need to know.</a>
Why It's Moving: H&amp;R Block reported forth-quarter revenue of $1.063 billion, beating estimates of $1.028 billion and EPS of $1.89, beating the expected $1.74. The company attributed its performance to increased revenue from higher net average charges and volumes in the Assisted category, along with stronger online paid returns.
Additionally, the company projects full-year revenue in the range of $3.69 billion to $3.75 billion, above consensus expectations of $3.575 billion, with adjusted earnings per share expected between $5.15 and $5.35, significantly higher than the estimated $4.30.
What Else: H&amp;R Block's board approved a new $1.5 billion share repurchase program and increased the quarterly dividend by 17%, marking the seventh consecutive increase in seven years. The new dividend of $0.375 per share will be payable on October 3rd.
HRB Price Action: H&amp;R Block&#8217;s stock has surged by 12.2%, trading at $64.48 per share as of the latest session according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro.</a>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/?utm_source=BZprocontent081624&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="564" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/16144922/HRB-1024x564.png" alt="" class="wp-image-499709" style="width:397px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/16144922/HRB-1024x564.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/16144922/HRB-300x165.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/16144922/HRB-768x423.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/16144922/HRB.png 1069w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>
See Also:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/08/40423424/donald-trump-names-howard-lutnick-to-lead-transition-team-heres-what-it-means-for-crypto">Donald Trump Names Howard Lutnick To Lead Transition Team: Here&#8217;s What It Means For Crypto</a></li>
</ul>
Photo by solarseven on Shutterstock.

Movers

Why H&R Block Shares Are Surging Today

U.S. stocks traded higher toward the end of trading, with the Dow Jones index gaining more than 100 points on Friday.
The Dow traded up 0.27% to 40,673.09 while the NASDAQ rose 0.22% to 17,633.18. The S&amp;P 500 also rose, gaining, 0.18% to 5,553.08.
Check This Out: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/24/08/40416945/more-than-30m-bet-on-this-stock-check-out-these-3-stocks-insiders-are-buying">More Than $30M Bet On This Stock? Check Out These 3 Stocks Insiders Are Buying</a>
Leading and Lagging Sectors Financials shares climbed by 0.6% on Thursday.
In trading on Thursday, real estate shares fell by 0.4%.
Top Headline
The total number of active U.S. oil rigs fell by 2 to 483 rigs this week, Baker Hughes Inc reported.
Equities Trading UP &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Cingulate Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CING#NASDAQ">CING</a>) shares shot up 301% to $19.23 after the company on Thursday was granted European patent No. 3261625 for CTx-1301, its lead asset for the treatment of ADHD.</li>
<li>Shares of Zoomcar Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ZCAR#NASDAQ">ZCAR</a>) got a boost, surging 48% to $0.1639 after the company reported first-quarter results.</li>
<li>H&amp;R Block, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HRB#NYSE">HRB</a>) shares were also up, gaining 14% to $65.44 after the company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter financial results and issued FY25 guidance above estimates.</li>
</ul>
Equities Trading DOWN
<ul>
<li>Sonida Senior Living, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNDA#NYSE">SNDA</a>) shares dropped 17% to $26.58 after the company announced the pricing of an upsized public offering of 4.3 million shares at $27 per share.</li>
<li>Shares of Shimmick Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SHIM#NASDAQ">SHIM</a>) were down 20% to $2.62 after the company reported worse-than-expected quarterly financial results.</li>
<li>ENDRA Life Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NDRA#NASDAQ">NDRA</a>) was down, falling 20% to $0.0416 after the company announced a 1-for-50 reverse stock split, effective on August 20.</li>
</ul>
Commodities In commodity news, oil traded down 2.1% to $76.56 while gold traded up 1.7% at $2,535.10.
Silver traded up 1.4% to $28.81 on Friday, while copper fell 0.1% to $4.1495.
Euro zone
European shares closed mostly higher today. The eurozone's STOXX 600 rose 0.31%, Germany's DAX rose 0.77% and France's CAC 40 rose 0.35%. Spain's IBEX 35 Index rose 0.59%, while London's FTSE 100 fell 0.43%.
The Eurozone recorded a trade surplus of EUR 22.3 billion in June, higher than market expectations of EUR 13.3 billion. Retail sales in the UK climbed 0.5% month-over-month in July compared to a revised 0.9% decline in the prior month.
Asia Pacific Markets
Asian markets closed higher on Friday, with Japan's Nikkei 225 jumping 3.64%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index climbing 1.88%, China's Shanghai Composite Index gaining 0.07% and India's BSE Sensex gaining 1.68%.
Hong Kong's economy grew by 3.3% year-over-year in the second quarter compared to a 2.8% increase in the previous period, while unemployment rate came in unchanged at 3% in the three months ending July.
Economics
<ul>
<li>Housing starts in the U.S. declined by 6.8% from the prior month to an annualized rate of 1.238 million in July.</li>
<li>Building permits dropped by 4% to an annual rate of 1.396 million in July.</li>
<li>The University of Michigan consumer sentiment climbed to 67.8 in August from 66.4 in the prior month and topping market estimates of 66.9.</li>
<li>The total number of active U.S. oil rigs fell by 2 to 483 rigs this week, Baker Hughes Inc reported.</li>
</ul>
Now Read This: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/08/40416463/how-to-earn-500-a-month-from-est-e-lauder-stock-ahead-of-q4-earnings">How To Earn $500 A Month From Estée Lauder Stock Ahead Of Q4 Earnings </a></li>
</ul>

Equities

Eurozone

Commodities

CING

NDRA

SHIM

SNDA

ZCAR

Crude Oil Down 2%; Zoomcar Shares Spike Higher

Wall Street edged slightly higher on Friday, with major equity indices showing modest gains <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets">at midday in New York.</a>
Both the S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq 100 are on track to record their best week since October 2023, driven by stronger-than-expected economic data that eased earlier concerns of a recession. If they close in the green, they will secure the seventh straight positive session. 
On Friday, the University of Michigan&#8217;s Consumer Sentiment Index for August exceeded expectations, adding to a series of positive data, including lower-than-anticipated jobless claims and strong retail sales growth reported the day before.
Gold was the standout performer, climbing 1.5% to reach a record high of $2,500 per ounce, as traders positioned themselves in anticipation of imminent Federal Reserve rate cuts.
This surge in gold prices boosted gold mining stocks, with the VanEck Gold Miners ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GDX#NYSE">GDX</a>) advancing over 2%.
Oil prices, however, dipped 1.6% amid reduced geopolitical tensions as Gaza ceasefire negotiations resumed in Doha, Qatar. In a joint statement, the United States, Qatar, and Egypt announced that Washington had presented a new proposal that has the potential to rapidly close gaps and lead to a swift agreement.
Meanwhile, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) rose 1.6%, reaching $58,368.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Friday&#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>Russell 2000</td>
<td>2,142.44</td>
<td>0.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>5,552.80</td>
<td>0.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Jones</td>
<td>40,619.51</td>
<td>0.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>19,507.26</td>
<td>0.1%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated at 12:30 p.m. ET</figcaption></figure>
According to <a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent081624&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">Benzinga Pro</a> 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>)&nbsp;was 0.1% higher to $553.81.</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;also rose 0.1% to $406.32.</li>
<li>The tech-heavy Invesco QQQ Trust Series (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) edged 0.2% up to $475.31.</li>
<li>The iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) ticked 0.2% higher to $212.42.</li>
<li>The Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLC#NYSE">XLC</a>), The Financials Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLF#NYSE">XLF</a>), and The Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLY#NYSE">XLY</a>) outperformed, up by 0.5%. The Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLRE#NYSE">XLRE</a>) lagged, down by 0.5%.</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Friday&#8217;s Stock Movers</h3>
<ul>
<li>H&amp;R Block Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HRB#NYSE">HRB</a>) rallied 15% following stronger-than-expected results last quarter.</li>
<li>Other stocks moving on earnings were Amcor plc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMCR#NYSE">AMCR</a>), down 5%, Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMAT#NASDAQ">AMAT</a>), down 1.5%, Coherent Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COHR#NYSE">COHR</a>), up 8%, Flower Foods Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FLO#NYSE">FLO</a>), down 0.3%, and Globant S.A. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GLOB#NYSE">GLOB</a>), up 4.9%. </li>
<li>Repligen Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RGEN#NASDAQ">RGEN</a>) dropped 13% after making an acquisition offer to Maravai LifeSciences Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MRVI#NASDAQ">MRVI</a>), a company specializing in vaccine capping reagents with a market value of $2.2 billion. Following the offer, Maravai&#8217;s shares surged by 23%.</li>
</ul>
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/08/40420968/walmart-stock-one-of-the-most-compelling-retail-investments-7-analysts-highlight-ma">Walmart Stock &#8216;One Of The Most Compelling&#8217; Retail Investments: 7 Analysts Highlight Market Share Gains</a></li>
</ul>
Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

Econ #s

Tech

ETFs

$BTC

AMAT

AMCR

COHR

SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF Trust

Market Vectors ETF Trust Market Vectors Gold Miners

GLOB

MRVI

RGEN

XLRE

Select Sector SPDR-Consumer Discretionary

Wall Street Gains Ground As Consumer Sentiment Improves; Gold Hits Record Highs, Boosting Mining Stocks: What's Driving Markets Friday?

Goldman Sachs analyst George Kelly maintains H&amp;R Block (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HRB#NYSE">HRB</a>) with a Sell and raises the price target from $39 to $44.

Price Target

Goldman Sachs Maintains Sell on H&R Block, Raises Price Target to $44

U.S. stocks traded higher midway through trading, with the Dow Jones gaining around 75 points on Friday.
The Dow traded up 0.19% to 40,638.81 while the NASDAQ rose 0.25% to 17,638.93. The S&amp;P 500 also rose, gaining, 0.16% to 5,551.89.
Check This Out: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/24/08/40416945/more-than-30m-bet-on-this-stock-check-out-these-3-stocks-insiders-are-buying">More Than $30M Bet On This Stock? Check Out These 3 Stocks Insiders Are Buying</a>
Leading and Lagging Sectors Communication services shares climbed by 0.4% on Thursday.
In trading on Thursday, materials shares fell 0.4%.
Top Headline
The University of Michigan consumer sentiment climbed to 67.8 in August from 66.4 in the prior month and topping market estimates of 66.9.
Equities Trading UP &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Cingulate Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CING#NASDAQ">CING</a>) shares shot up 94% to $9.32 after the company on Thursday was granted European patent No. 3261625 for CTx-1301, its lead asset for the treatment of ADHD.</li>
<li>Shares of Zoomcar Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ZCAR#NASDAQ">ZCAR</a>) got a boost, surging 100% to $0.2219 after the company reported first-quarter results.</li>
<li>H&amp;R Block, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HRB#NYSE">HRB</a>) shares were also up, gaining 18% to $68.10 after the company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter financial results and issued FY25 guidance above estimates.</li>
</ul>
Equities Trading DOWN
<ul>
<li>Sonida Senior Living, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNDA#NYSE">SNDA</a>) shares dropped 16% to $26.89 after the company announced the pricing of an upsized public offering of 4.3 million shares at $27 per share.</li>
<li>Shares of Shimmick Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SHIM#NASDAQ">SHIM</a>) were down 23% to $2.5309 after the company reported worse-than-expected quarterly financial results.</li>
<li>ENDRA Life Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NDRA#NASDAQ">NDRA</a>) was down, falling 25% to $0.0389 after the company announced a 1-for-50 reverse stock split, effective on August 20.</li>
</ul>
Commodities In commodity news, oil traded down 1.8% to $76.76 while gold traded up 1.4% at $2,527.10.
Silver traded up 0.1% to $28.445 on Friday, while copper fell 0.7% to $4.1220.
Euro zone
European shares were mostly higher today. The eurozone's STOXX 600 rose 0.17%, Germany's DAX rose 0.64% and France's CAC 40 rose 0.13%. Spain's IBEX 35 Index rose 0.55%, while London's FTSE 100 fell 0.44%.
The Eurozone recorded a trade surplus of EUR 22.3 billion in June, higher than market expectations of EUR 13.3 billion. Retail sales in the UK climbed 0.5% month-over-month in July compared to a revised 0.9% decline in the prior month.
Asia Pacific Markets
Asian markets closed higher on Friday, with Japan's Nikkei 225 jumping 3.64%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index climbing 1.88%, China's Shanghai Composite Index gaining 0.07% and India's BSE Sensex gaining 1.68%.
Hong Kong's economy grew by 3.3% year-over-year in the second quarter compared to a 2.8% increase in the previous period, while unemployment rate came in unchanged at 3% in the three months ending July.
Economics
<ul>
<li>Housing starts in the U.S. declined by 6.8% from the prior month to an annualized rate of 1.238 million in July.</li>
<li>Building permits dropped by 4% to an annual rate of 1.396 million in July.</li>
<li>The University of Michigan consumer sentiment climbed to 67.8 in August from 66.4 in the prior month and topping market estimates of 66.9.</li>
</ul>
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/08/40416463/how-to-earn-500-a-month-from-est-e-lauder-stock-ahead-of-q4-earnings">How To Earn $500 A Month From Estée Lauder Stock Ahead Of Q4 Earnings</a></li>
</ul>

Dow Jumps 75 Points; US Consumer Confidence Surges In August

U.S. stocks were mixed, with the Dow Jones index falling around 0.1% on Friday.
Shares of H&amp;R Block, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HRB#NYSE">HRB</a>) rose sharply during Friday's session after the company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter financial results and issued <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/08/40407075/h-r-block-q4-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-strong-guidance-1-5b-buyback-stock-up-9">FY25 guidance above estimates.</a>
H&amp;R Block reported quarterly earnings of $1.89 per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $1.74. The company reported quarterly sales of $1.063 billion which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $1.028 billion.
Also, the company announced a quarterly dividend increase and $1.5 billion share repurchase authorization.
H&amp;R Block shares jumped 16.4% to $66.73 on Friday.
Here are some other big stocks recording gains in today's session.
<ul>
<li>Emergent BioSolutions Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EBS#NYSE">EBS</a>) shares jumped 25% to $10.82. Shares of vaccine and mpox-related stocks traded higher after the WHO declared it a global health emergency.</li>
<li>AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ASTS#NASDAQ">ASTS</a>) surged 16.4% to $36.52. AST SpaceMobile recently said its first five commercial satellites are on target for orbital launch in the first half of September.</li>
<li>Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RKLB#NASDAQ">RKLB</a>) gained 16% to $6.76. Today, the company said it has successfully packed and shipped two Mars-bound spacecraft to Cape Canaveral, FL, in readiness for launch.</li>
<li>Planet Labs PBC (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PL#NYSE">PL</a>) gained 16% to $2.520 after the company announced that its first hyperspectral satellite, Tanager-1, along with 36 SuperDoves (Flock 4BE), will launch on the Transporter-11 rideshare mission with SpaceX on August 16.</li>
<li>Jumia Technologies AG (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JMIA#NASDAQ">JMIA</a>) rose 14.8% to $5.63. Jumia announced completion of at-the-market offering.</li>
<li>Polestar Automotive Holding UK PLC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PSNY#NASDAQ">PSNY</a>) gained 14.6% to $0.8482. Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Andres Sheppard reiterated Polestar Automotive with an Overweight and maintained a $3 price target.</li>
<li>SIGA Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SIGA#NASDAQ">SIGA</a>) gained 14.6% to $11.01.</li>
<li>Ambipar Emergency Response (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMBI#NYSE">AMBI</a>) climbed 10.5% to $5.99.</li>
<li>Treace Medical Concepts, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TMCI#NASDAQ">TMCI</a>) rose 9.2% to $6.53.</li>
<li>CI&amp;T Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CINT#NYSE">CINT</a>) shares gained 7.4% to $7.25 after the company reported better-than-expected second-quarter financial results.</li>
<li>QXO, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QXO#NYSE">QXO</a>) gained 7.1% to $12.15.</li>
<li>Cellebrite DI Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CLBT#NYSE">CLBT</a>) rose 6.7% to $15.96. Cellebrite, on Thursday, reported better-than-expected second-quarter financial results and raised its FY24 revenue guidance above estimates.</li>
<li>JD.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JD#NASDAQ">JD</a>) gained 5.5% to $28.51.</li>
<li>Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) rose 4.9% to $83.44 after multiple analysts raised their price targets on the stock following Thursday&#8217;s earnings report.</li>
</ul>
Now Read This:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/24/08/40417110/jim-cramer-this-financial-stock-is-a-buy-core-scientific-is-a-very-overvalued-situation"> </a>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/24/08/40417110/jim-cramer-this-financial-stock-is-a-buy-core-scientific-is-a-very-overvalued-situation">Jim Cramer: This Financial Stock Is A Buy, Core Scientific Is A &#8216;Very Overvalued Situation&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>

Intraday Update

AMBI

ASTS

BABA

CINT

CLBT

JMIA

PSNY

RKLB

SIGA

TMCI

H&R Block Posts Upbeat Earnings, Joins Alibaba Group, CI&T And Other Big Stocks Moving Higher On Friday

Barrington Research analyst Alexander Paris maintains H&amp;R Block (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HRB#NYSE">HRB</a>) with a Outperform and raises the price target from $60 to $70.

Barrington Research Maintains Outperform on H&R Block, Raises Price Target to $70

WIIM

H&R Block shares are trading higher after the company reported better-than-expected Q4 financial results and issued FY25 guidance above estimates. Also, the company announced a quarterly dividend increase and $1.5 billion share repurchase authorization.

Wall Street appears on track to build on gain as expectations concerning a continued moderation in inflation and soft-landing gain ground. The major index futures point to a modestly higher open on Friday as the S&amp;P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite indices look to extend their six-day winning run. Vice President Kamala Harris, who is running for the presidency, is due to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/08/40411555/ahead-of-kamala-harris-first-economic-policy-speech-in-north-carolina-campaign-provides-sneak-peek-f">formally announce her economic policy at the North Carolina rally </a>scheduled for Friday.
The market could draw cues from her speech, as traders assess the implications of the policy proposals for the various sectors and stocks. A sneak peek provided by the Democratic Party&#8217;s nominee already suggests an accent on residential construction. A consumer sentiment reading and a speech by a Federal Reserve official could also impact sentiment.
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Futures</td>
<td>Performance (+/-)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nasdaq 100</td>
<td>+0.16%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500</td>
<td>+0.02%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow</td>
<td>+0.05%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>R2K</td>
<td>-0.41%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> In premarket trading on Friday,&nbsp;the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) slipped 0.07% to $552.71, and the&nbsp;Invesco QQQ ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) rose 0.02% to $474.51, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/lxquj26b2sag" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro data</a>.</figcaption></figure>
Cues From Last Session: 
A set of benign economic data accelerated the market rally on Thursday, with the S&amp;P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite indices settling higher for a sixth straight session. Retail sales jumped more than expected in July with the upside commendable even after giving effect the two-tenths of a percentage point downward revision to the June number. The upside was fueled by auto sales. Retail sales growth that excludes autos also was a healthy 0.4%.
Also allaying growth concerns were an unexpected decline in weekly jobless claims and a not-so-steep contraction as expected in manufacturing activity in the New York and Philadelphia regions. 
The major averages gap opened higher and saw a steady rise until the afternoon before going about a consolidation move for the rest of the session. The Nasdaq Composite and the Dow Industrials hit fresh two-week highs, while the S&amp;P 500 ended at its highest level since July 23.
All but two of the 11 S&amp;P sectors advanced, led by consumer discretionary and IT stocks, while defensive utility and real estate stocks moved to the downside.
<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>+2.34%</td>
<td>17,594.50</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>S&amp;P 500 Index</td>
<td>+1.61%</td>
<td>5,543.22</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dow Industrials</td>
<td>+1.39%</td>
<td>40,563.06</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Russell 2000</td>
<td>+2.45%</td>
<td>2,135.47</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
Insights From Analysts:
The market rally may have further legs, according to Fund Strat Head Of Research Tom Lee. &#8220;While bottoms are a &#8216;process,&#8217; a good July Core CPI tilts &#8216;risk-on&#8217; at least until Jackson Hole (8/22-8/24),&#8221; said the strategist.
Fund manager Louis Navellier is also positive about the market trajectory, stating that &#8220;Market momentum is alive and&nbsp;well.&#8221; 
Data reinforces the resilience of consumers and the labor market, the fund manager said. &#8220;While this may give the&nbsp;Fed pause on&nbsp;how quickly to trim rates,&nbsp;it doesn&#8217;t appear that elevated rates are restraining the&nbsp;economy as much as some conclude,&nbsp;and leaves dry powder for the&nbsp;potential slowdown that&nbsp;continues to be pushed&nbsp;forward quarter after&nbsp;quarter,&#8221; he added.
Upcoming Economic Data:
<ul>
<li>The Commerce Department is scheduled to release the housing start and building permits report for July at 8:30 a.m. EDT. Economists, on average, expect housing starts to come in at a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 1.34 million units for July, down only slightly from June&#8217;s rate of 1.35 million units. Building permits &#8211; a measure of future starts may have declined from 1.45 million units in June to 1.42 million units in July. </li>
<li>The University of Michigan is set to release the results of its preliminary consumer sentiment survey at 10 a.m. EDT. The consensus estimate calls for the headline consumer sentiment to come in at 66.6 for August, slightly up from 66.4 in July. The forward inflation expectations readings of the report may also evince some interest.</li>
<li>Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee is scheduled to speak at 1:25 p.m. EDT.</li>
</ul>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-trade-futures">How To Trade Futures</a>
Stocks In Focus:
<ul>
<li>Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MAT#NASDAQ">MAT</a>) fell nearly 3% in premarket trading following the chip equipment maker&#8217;s quarterly results, and H&amp;R Block, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HRB#NYSE">HRB</a>) climbed over 9.5% on earnings.</li>
<li>Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FLO#NYSE">FLO</a>) rose nearly 6% ahead of its earnings.</li>
</ul>
Commodities, Bonds And Global Equity Markets:
Crude oil futures fell sharply after Thursday&#8217;s surge in the wake of the U.S. retail sales data, and gold futures rose modestly and are tantalizingly close to $2,500 an ounce. The 10-year Treasury yield eased 3.2 points to 3.894%. Bitcoin USD (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) rose modestly and traded past the $58.5 level.
Asian stocks rallied across the board, encouraged by Wall Street&#8217;s scintillating rally. Japan&#8217;s Nikkei 225 soared 3.64% as the yen weakened against the dollar amid the strong U.S. data. European stocks also advanced in early trading on Friday.
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Stocks Photo by Jirapong Manustrong on Shutterstock

US Stocks Strive To Keep Winning Run Alive As Kamala Harris Prepares To Unveil Economic Policy: Analyst Says 'Risk-On' Sentiment Will Persist Until This Event

With U.S. stock futures trading higher this morning on Friday, some of the stocks that may grab investor focus today are as follows:
<ul>
<li>Wall Street expects Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSGE#NYSE">MSGE</a>) to report a quarterly loss at $2.27 per share on revenue of $271.32 million before the opening bell, according to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>. Madison Square Garden shares gained 3.5% to $40.00 in after-hours trading.</li>
<li>Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMAT#NASDAQ">AMAT</a>) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/08/40406069/applied-materials-q3-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-demand-being-driven-by-race-for-ai-leadership-a">reported better-than-expected results</a> for its third quarter. The company said it anticipates fourth-quarter revenue of $6.53 billion, plus or minus $400 million, versus estimates of $6.91 billion. The company expects fourth-quarter adjusted earnings to be between $2 and $2.36 per share, versus estimates of $2.14 per share. Applied Materials shares fell 3.1% to $205.30 in the after-hours trading session.</li>
<li>Analysts are expecting CI&amp;T Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CINT#NYSE">CINT</a>) to post quarterly earnings at 6 cents per share on revenue of $99.03 million. The company will release earnings before the markets open. CI&amp;T shares rose 10.4% to $7.45 in after-hours trading.</li>
</ul>
Check out our <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premarket/">premarket coverage here </a>
<ul>
<li>H&amp;R Block, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HRB#NYSE">HRB</a>) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/08/40407075/h-r-block-q4-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-strong-guidance-1-5b-buyback-stock-up-9">reported better-than-expected</a> fourth-quarter financial results and increased its quarterly dividend by 17%. H&amp;R Block said it expects full-year 2025 revenue to be in the range of $3.69 billion to $3.75 billion versus estimates of $3.575 billion, per Benzinga Pro. The company sees full-year adjusted earnings in the range of $5.15 to $5.35 per share versus estimates of $4.30 per share. H&amp;R Block shares jumped 10% to $63.23 in the after-hours trading session.</li>
<li>Analysts expect Flowers Foods, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FLO#NYSE">FLO</a>) to post quarterly earnings at 33 cents per share on revenue of $1.24 billion before the opening bell. Flowers Foods shares gained 1.5% to $22.99 in after-hours trading.</li>
</ul>
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</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

MSGE

Applied Materials, H&R Block And 3 Stocks To Watch Heading Into Friday

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