Wall Street began the new year with modest gains, as major U.S. indices edged higher by midday trading in New York, aiming to recover from <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets">the prior session&#8217;s selloff.</a>



The S&amp;P 500 advanced 0.5%, while the tech-focused Nasdaq 100 rose 0.6%. Small-cap stocks led the charge, with the Russell 2000 climbing nearly 1%.



Energy-related stocks outperformed, buoyed by a surge in oil and natural gas prices. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil soared 2.4% to surpass $73 per barrel, marking its fourth consecutive session of gains. The rally followed Energy Information Administration (EIA) data showing a sixth straight weekly decline in U.S. commercial crude inventories.



Natural gas prices also gained over 2%, driven by heightened heating demand as arctic <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/25/01/42769181/natural-gas-prices-surge-as-arctic-blast-freezes-us-3-stocks-on-the-move">air swept across the U.S.</a>



The broader commodities market was upbeat as well. Gold climbed 1.7%, and silver surged 2.4%. Longer-dated U.S. Treasury yields stayed high, with the 30-year Treasury note inching up 2 basis points to 4.80%.



Tesla was in the spotlight for disappointing results. The EV giant reported delivering 1.79 million vehicles in 2024, falling 1.1% short of its 2023 total of 1.81 million. Shares tumbled by over 5%, poised for the fifth straight session decline. 



In cryptocurrency markets, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) sharply rebounded, jumping 2.9% to $97,000 and eyeing its third straight daily surge. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday&#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>2,248.56</td><td>0.9%</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>21,135.82</td><td>0.6%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>5,908.86</td><td>0.5%</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>42,555.35</td><td>0.1%</td></tr></tbody></table><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Updated at 12:15 p.m. ET</figcaption></figure>



According to&nbsp;<a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent010225&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>&nbsp;data:



<ul>
<li>The&nbsp;SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) rose 0.4% to $587.90.</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;was flat at $425.80.</li>



<li>The tech-heavy&nbsp;Invesco QQQ Trust Series&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) rose 0.5% to $513.20.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;iShares Russell 2000 ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) soared 0.8% to $222.81.</li>



<li>The&nbsp;Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLE#NYSE">XLE</a>) outperformed, up 1.6%; the&nbsp;Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLY#NYSE">XLY</a>) lagged, down 0.5%.</li>
</ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Thursday&#8217;s Stock Movers</h3>



<ul>
<li>Carvana Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVNA#NYSE">CVNA</a>) rose 1.6%, despite Hindenburg Research issue a short report revealing accounting tricks by the used-car dealer. </li>



<li>Constellation Energy Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CEG#NYSE">CEG</a>) surged nearly 7% after revealing it had secured a 10-year, $840 million contract to supply power to over 13 federal government agencies.</li>



<li>Unity Software Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/U#NYSE">U</a>) saw its shares climb Thursday morning after investor Keith Gill, known as &#8220;Roaring Kitty,&#8221; made a cryptic social media post late Wednesday, as reported by media outlets. Unity&#8217;s stock surged 8%.</li>



<li>SoFi Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOFI#NASDAQ">SOFI</a>) dropped 6% after KBW downgraded the stock, citing concerns about its high valuation and aggressive financial targets. </li>
</ul>



Check Out: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42769626/hindenburg-shorts-carvana-stock-claims-user-car-retailers-turnaround-is-a-mirage">Hindenburg Shorts Carvana Stock, Claims Used Car Retailer&#8217;s Turnaround Is A &#8216;Mirage&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Large Cap

Macro Economic Events

Sector ETFs

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

Economics

Tech

ETFs

$BTC

CVNA

SOFI

Stocks Gain, Oil Jumps To $73, Tesla Tumbles As 2024 Sales Dip: What's Driving Markets Thursday?

Authorities now believe the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42756901/fbi-probes-new-years-day-vehicle-assault-in-new-orleans-as-terrorism">New Orleans truck attack</a> suspect acted alone, contradicting earlier suspicions of the existence of accomplices, the FBI announced in a press conference on Thursday.



What Happened: The New Year's Day tragedy left 14 dead and dozens injured when Shamsud-Din Jabbar drove a pickup truck into a crowd of revelers on Bourbon Street, The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/02/us/new-orleans-attack-news">reports</a>. It was initially reported the Bourbon Street attack killed 15 people; the Times clarified Thursday that 14 people were killed plus the suspect. 



Officials said two explosive devices found at the French Quarter scene failed to detonate, adding that no definitive link has been established between the attack and the explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas hours later.



In Las Vegas, Matthew Livelsberger, an active duty Army soldier, allegedly drove a rented Tesla Cybertruck loaded with fireworks mortars, gasoline and camping fuel into the valet area of the hotel early on New Year's Day. The vehicle exploded, killing Livelsberger and injuring seven bystanders, ABC News <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/las-vegas-cybertruck-explosion-investigation-leads-police-colorado/story?id=117263085">reports</a>.



Investigators have since uncovered that both Livelsberger and Jabbar served at the same Army base, <a href="https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/suspects-in-vegas-explosion-new-orleans-attack-served-at-same-army-base-sources-tell-denver7-investigates">according </a>to Denver7, an ABC affiliate. 



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/sports/25/01/42771050/new-orleans-beefs-up-security-ahead-of-sugar-bowl-tickets-plummet-to-25-as-fans-leave-town">New Orleans Beefs Up Security Ahead Of Sugar Bowl, Tickets Plummet To $25 As Fans Leave Town</a>



Why It Matters: The shared military base connection that was reported between Jabbar and Livelsberger has intensified scrutiny of their overlapping histories. Additionally, the use of Turo rentals in these tragedies highlights concerns about background check procedures on car-sharing platforms.



Both suspects rented electric pickup trucks: Livelsberger used a Tesla Cybertruck and Jabbar rented a Ford F-150 Lightning. The latter vehicle's owner, who rents cars for a secondary income, said he identified his truck from news footage and plans to stop using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/01/42769136/turo-used-for-new-orleans-las-vegas-attacks-we-are-devastated-by-these-horrible-incidents">Turo after the attack.</a>



Authorities in both cities said there are no ongoing threats as investigations continue.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42768507/china-slaps-export-restrictions-on-dozens-of-us-companies-boeing-lockheed-martin-general-dynamics-raytheon-affected">China&#8217;s Export Crackdown Hits Boeing, Lockheed Martin And More</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock.

News

FBI Says Suspect In New Orleans Attack Acted Alone; Vegas Cybertruck Explosion Suspect Identified

An arctic air blast across the U.S. is driving up heating demand and creating volatile <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/commodities">conditions in energy markets</a>.



What Happened: Natural gas futures bounced back Thursday morning, with February contracts climbing by over 2% to $3.71 per million British units.



According to the National Weather Center (NWC), "Periods of locally heavy coastal rains and higher elevation snow continue for much of the northwestern U.S."



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/01/42764583/mortgage-rates-soar-to-697-applications-crash-jobless-claims-fall-thursdays-econ-data">Mortgage Rates Soar To 6.97%, Applications Crash, Jobless Claims Fall: Thursday&#8217;s Economic Data</a>



The next two days will see a deluge of rain and snow over the Northwest. The heaviest moisture will target the northern California coast and Oregon today. The NWC highlighted an isolated threat of flash flooding in these areas.



"Accumulating snow is possible over the highest elevations of the Cascades, Sierra and Northern Rockies," the NWC added, noting that snow showers will continue in the Northern and Central Rockies, while rain and snow showers expand across the Northwest on Friday.



The Great Lakes region is bracing for heavy snowfall, with isolated areas expecting accumulations of up to one foot. Snowfall of six to 12 inches is also forecast for parts of the Central Appalachians by Friday.



Why It Matters: Winter weather is driving much of the action, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports continue to fuel demand as Natural Gas Intel reported.



Natural gas-related stocks posted notable gains by mid-morning Thursday, reflecting optimism about rising demand and cold-driven volatility in the market.



U.S. natural gas prices — as tracked by the United States Natural Gas Fund LP (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNG#NYSE">UNG</a>) — have risen by 15% over the past month.



Pipeline giant ONEOK Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OKE#NYSE">OKE</a>) soared 1.57%, trading at $102.28, while Kinder Morgan Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KMI#NYSE">KMI</a>), a major natural gas transporter, advanced 2% to $27.94.



Shares of NGL Energy Partners LP (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NGL#NYSE">NGL</a>) rose 1.2% to $5.05. It was buoyed by expectations of increased activity in the natural gas infrastructure sector.



What&#8217;s Next: Traders are anxiously awaiting Friday&#8217;s U.S. Energy Information Administration storage report.



Withdrawal estimates for the week ended Dec. 27 range from 77 to 159 billion cubic feet, with an average expectation of 127 Bcf.



If realized, the 127 Bcf draw would erase much of the 166 Bcf surplus left after last week's 93 Bcf withdrawal. For comparison, last year's pull for the same period was just 35 Bcf, while the five-year average is 104 Bcf.



Now Read: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/42757901/elon-musk-fireworks-or-explosive-device-caused-fatal-cybertruck-incident-at-las-vegas-trump-hotel-vehicle-was-rented">Elon Musk: Fireworks Or Explosive Device Caused Fatal Cybertruck Incident At Las Vegas Trump Hotel</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Mid Cap

Specialty ETFs

Commodities

Econ #s

Natural Gas Prices Surge As Arctic Blast Freezes US: 3 Stocks On The Move

Rentals from peer-to-peer car-sharing company Turo were used in the New Year's Day attacks in both Las Vegas <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/01/42756901/10-killed-dozens-hurt-in-new-orleans-terrorist-attack-truck-drives-into-bourbon-street-new-years-crowd">and New Orleans.</a>



Here's a look at how the company is involved and what comes next.



What Happened: Attacks that used vehicles in New Orleans and<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/25/01/42757028/tesla-cybertruck-ignites-outside-trump-international-hotel-in-las-vegas"> Las Vegas on Wednesday</a> left at least 16 people dead and dozens more injured.



Peer-to-peer car-sharing company Turo, which is often referred to as the Airbnb of vehicles, issued a <a href="https://turo.com/blog/news/an-update-on-todays-incidents-in-new-orleans-and-las-vegas/">statement </a>on the use of Turo rentals in the attacks. 



"It is with a heavy heart that we confirm that this morning's horrific attack in New Orleans and this afternoon's Tesla Cybertruck explosion in Las Vegas both involved vehicles rented on Turo. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families," Turo said in a statement.



Turo said it is working with law enforcement to help the investigations. The company said it does not believe either renter had a "criminal background" that would have flagged them as a security threat. Turo also said there is no evidence at this time that the two attacks are connected.



"We are devastated by these horrible incidents, and remain dedicated to helping the authorities however we can."



In the attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, a Ford F-150 Lightning truck was used. In Las Vegas, a Tesla Cybertruck exploded outside the Trump Hotel. Both vehicles are electric pickup trucks.



The owner of the F-150 Lightning recognized his vehicle from news footage of the attack and the license plate, as <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/01/us/turo-new-orleans-attack-vegas-explosion.html">reported </a>by the New York Times. The truck's owner said he rents out five vehicles on Turo for a secondary income source but plans to stop this practice after the attack.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42642606/elon-musk-wants-to-raise-a-tesla-fleet-expert-estimates-vehicle-owners-can-make-40kyear-but-remains-doubtful">Tesla Analyst Estimates Vehicle Owners Can Make $40,000 A Year By Renting EVs To Robotaxi Fleet That Elon Musk Likened To A Combination Of Airbnb And Uber, But Will It Take Off?</a>



About Turo: The car-sharing company started in 2009 with venture capital backing, seeking to use a model similar to Airbnb to connect consumers with vehicles that were not being used by their owners.



Unlike traditional car rental companies, users on Turo can often find vehicles located in more convenient spots close to home or work instead of having to go to a car rental retail location. The rates and fees can also be cheaper when using Turo, although this can depend on the prices set by vehicle owners themselves on the app.



A November filing, shared by the New York Times, said around 3.5 million people have used Turo to book a vehicle and around 150,000 people have listed their vehicles for rent on the platform.



In order to use the Turo platform, users have to create an account, have a valid driver's license and payment method. Users also have to be 18 years of age in the United States, which is younger than most car rental companies that set the minimum at 20 or 21. Turo also often checks credit history, auto insurance scores and criminal background history and is able to decline rentals and ban users.



Turo users do not need to have their own car insurance to rent a vehicle, as they can select from three protection plans.



In September, Turo <a href="https://turo.com/blog/news/uber-and-turo-partner-to-share-vehicles-on-uber-rent/">announced </a>a partnership with Uber Technologies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UBER#NYSE">UBER</a>). The partnership gives Uber customers the ability to rent vehicles from Turo directly through the Uber app.



Turo is available in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom, France and Australia, according to the company's website.



What's Next: Turo filed paperwork to go public in 2022. It did not go public in 2024 and is one of many companies that mount a 2025 IPO.



Turo is backed by dozens of investors through multiple funding rounds. IAC Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IAC#NASDAQ">IAC</a>) is among the largest investors in the company, with a $250 million investment made in <a href="https://turo.com/blog/news/iac-invests-250-million-in-turo/">2019 </a>at a valuation of $1 billion, helping to make the company the biggest shareholder.



The car-sharing company had revenue of $880 million in 2023, up 18% year-over-year. The company's 2023 profit was $14.7 million, down from $154.7 million in 2022, as <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-turo-car-rental-app-las-vegas-new-orleans-2025-1">reported </a>by Business Insider.



Insurance bought by the renters on Turo for the vehicles used in the Wednesday attacks and the insurance policies owned by the vehicle owners could become a key topic for Turo in connection with potential liability claims.



The issue of approval of vehicle renters and Turo&#8217;s background check process are also likely to be in the spotlight. 



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/01/42757919/joe-biden-addresses-new-orleans-attack-says-law-enforcement-probing-links-with-cybertruck-explosion-outside-trump-hotel-in-las-vegas">Joe Biden Addresses New Orleans Attack Says Law Enforcement Probing Links With Cybertruck Explosion Outside Trump Hotel In Las Vegas</a></li>
</ul>



Photo via Shutterstock.

Media

UBER

Turo Rentals Used In New Orleans, Las Vegas Attacks: 'We Are Devastated By These Horrible Incidents'

China's Ministry of Commerce implemented new trade controls on Thursday targeting U.S. defense contractors and technologies, citing<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/12/42643821/biden-administration-initiates-trade-probe-on-chinese-legacy-chips"> national security concerns. </a>&nbsp;



The Details: In an escalation of ongoing trade tensions between the U.S. and China, China&#8217;s Ministry of Commerce added 28 U.S. companies to an export control list and banned the export of dual-use items with both military and civilian applications to those companies.&nbsp;



Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/12/42743937/natural-gas-prices-spike-as-bone-chilling-arctic-blast-approaches">Natural Gas Prices Spike As &#8216;Bone-Chilling&#8217; Arctic Blast Approaches</a>



China also added 10 companies to its Unreliable Entity List for participating in arms sales to Taiwan. Those companies are prohibited from doing any business in China and their executives may not enter or live in the country. Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMT#NYSE">LMT</a>), Boeing Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BA#NYSE">BA</a>), General Dynamics Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GD#NYSE">GD</a>) and RTX Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RTX#NYSE">RTX</a>) are among the companies affected.&nbsp;



Andrew Gilholm, a China expert at the consulting firm Control Risks,<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/02/business/china-us-companies-entity-list.html"> told the </a>New York Times that China has taken similar actions on these companies before.&nbsp;



"Most of this is probably at the symbolic level because so many of these entities were already subject to sanctions," Gilholm said.&nbsp;



"What we're seeing is the widening scope and number of entities being added in a single listing," he added.&nbsp;



Why It Matters: The move is seen as retaliation to recent U.S. measures including the Biden administration&#8217;s restrictions on exports of advanced memory chips and chipmaking machinery to 140 Chinese companies and the addition of Chinese firms to the U.S. Department of Commerce&#8217;s Entity List.&nbsp;



China's new trade controls come just weeks before President-elect Donald Trump enters the White House. Trump<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42527567/pdds-temu-tops-ios-downloads-in-us-while-trump-wants-to-impose-100-tariffs-on-chinese-imports"> has pledged</a> to raise tariffs on China-made goods and could use those tariffs to push for a new trade deal with China.&nbsp;



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/12/42734220/bill-ackman-sends-fannie-mae-freddie-mac-stocks-soaring-trump-likes-big-deals">Bill Ackman Sends Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac Stocks Soaring: &#8216;Trump Likes Big Deals&#8217;</a>&nbsp;</li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Asia

Global

Markets

Movers

China's Export Crackdown Hits Boeing, Lockheed Martin And More

Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) shares are trading lower Thursday following fourth-quarter <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/01/b42764219/tesla-fourth-quarter-2024-production-deliveries-deployments">production and delivery figures</a>.



What Happened: Tesla said it produced 459,445 vehicles in the fourth quarter and delivered 495,570 vehicles. For comparison, Tesla reported production of 494,989 vehicles and 484,507 deliveries in the fourth quarter of 2023.



Tesla said it produced 436,718&nbsp;Model 3 and Model Y vehicles and 22,727&nbsp;other models. The company delivered 471,930&nbsp;Model 3 and Ys and 23,640&nbsp;other model vehicles.



&#8220;In the&nbsp;fourth quarter, we produced approximately 459,000 vehicles, delivered over 495,000 vehicles and deployed 11.0 GWh of energy storage products – a record for both deliveries and deployments,&#8221; the company said in a news release. 



Tesla reported total 2024 deliveries of 1.79 million, down from full-year deliveries of 1.81 million in 2023. CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/01/02/tesla-tsla-q4-2024-vehicle-delivery-and-production-numbers.html">reported</a> that this marks the first annual decline in delivery numbers for Tesla. 



Tesla noted that energy storage deployments for all of 2024 were 31.4 GWh.



Tesla also set the date for its upcoming earnings report. The EV maker will report financial results for the fourth quarter after the market closes on Jan. 29. Analysts currently expect the company to report earnings of 74 cents per share and revenue of $27.385 billion, according to estimates from <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Check This Out: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/01/42762223/tesla-shares-rise-in-thursday-premarket-despite-recent-cybertruck-explosion-outside-trumps-las-vegas-hotel-heres-why">Tesla Shares Rise In Thursday Premarket After Cybertruck Qualifies For $7,500 EV Tax Credit</a>



In the third quarter, Tesla reported an 8% year-over-year increase in revenue to $25.18 billion, but missed <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/10/41501607/tesla-q3-earnings-highlights-eps-beat-revenue-miss-shares-climb-on-2025-timeline-for-lower-cost-evs">estimates of $25.37 billion</a>. The company noted last quarter that total revenues were impacted by growth in vehicle deliveries, growth of energy generation, higher full self-driving revenue and lower average selling prices for vehicles.



&#8220;Despite ongoing macroeconomic conditions, we expect to achieve slight growth in vehicle deliveries in 2024,&#8221; the company said last quarter. 



Tesla also said at the time that it remained on track to launch more affordable vehicle models in the first half of 2025.



TSLA Price Action: <a href="http://benzinga.com/tsla">Tesla shares</a> were down 4.62% at $385.20 at the time of publication, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Photo: Shutterstock.

TSLA

Tesla Stock Tumbles On Q4 Deliveries: What's Going On?

The new year brought little cheer for prospective U.S. homebuyers, as mortgage rates surged to their highest <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/real-estate">level in six months. </a>



The average interest rate on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages with conforming loan balances of $766,550 or less climbed to 6.97% in the week ending Dec. 27, 2024, up from 6.75% the previous week, according to data released Thursday by the Mortgage Bankers Association.



This marks the steepest rates since early July, as long-term Treasury yields remain elevated following the Federal Reserve's hawkish monetary stance. 



Notably, mortgage rates, which had trended lower for much of the first half of 2024, are now 21 basis points higher than this time last year, flipping the script on what had been a relatively friendly market for borrowers.



The surge in mortgage rates reflects broader shifts in financial markets, with long-dated Treasury yields rising alongside the Federal Open Market Committee's (FOMC) projections of fewer than-expected interest rate cuts.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Mortgage Applications Tumble 12.6%</h3>



With borrowing costs approaching the psychologically significant 7% threshold, mortgage activity took a nosedive. The MBA reported that mortgage applications fell 12.6% during the same week, compounding a 10.7% decline from the previous period. Seasonally adjusted, this leaves mortgage volumes at their lowest level in 10 months.



The sharp drop suggests that higher rates are squeezing demand, with many prospective buyers either unable or unwilling to lock in mortgages under such unfavorable conditions.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Labor Market Shows Resilience</h3>



On the flip side, labor market data offered a glimmer of optimism, as initial jobless claims fell to 211,000 in the week ending Dec. 28, down from 219,000 the previous week and beating market expectations of 222,000.



Continuing claims, which track those already receiving unemployment benefits, also dipped to 1.844 million, the lowest level since late September and below forecasts of 1.890 million. The steady decline in claims suggests that the U.S. job market remains robust in the face of rising borrowing costs.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Market Reactions</h3>



Thursday delivered a dose of optimism for markets as risk sentiment rebounded sharply ahead of the first trading session of the new year.



Following Tuesday&#8217;s selloff, major equity futures jumped in early trading. As of 8:40 a.m. ET, contracts on the S&amp;P 500 climbed 1%. Meanwhile, futures tied to the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 jumped 1.2%. 



Meanwhile, the U.S. dollar index (DXY) — as tracked by the Invesco DB USD Index Bullish Fund ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UUP#NYSE">UUP</a>) — rose 0.3% to 108.80 levels, reaching the highest since November 2022.



Read Now: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42761107/us-stocks-to-open-higher-in-the-first-trading-session-of-2025-analyst-says-history-favors-rebound-after-year-end-dip">US Stocks To Open Higher In The First Trading Session Of 2025: Analyst Says History Favors Rebound After Year-End Dip</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Currency ETFs

Federal Reserve

Mortgage Rates Soar To 6.97%, Applications Crash, Jobless Claims Fall: Thursday's Economic Data

Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO Elon Musk said the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/25/01/42757028/tesla-cybertruck-ignites-outside-trump-international-hotel-in-las-vegas">explosion involving</a> a Cybertruck on Wednesday was not due to the vehicle&#8217;s design or functionality, but rather an external factor.



What Happened: Musk&nbsp;took to X to shed light on the incident involving a Cybertruck that had caught fire.



&#8220;We have now confirmed that&nbsp;the explosion was caused by&nbsp;very large fireworks and/or a&nbsp;bomb carried in the bed&nbsp;of the rented Cybertruck and&nbsp;is unrelated to the vehicle&nbsp;itself. All vehicle telemetry was&nbsp;positive at the time of&nbsp;the explosion,&#8221; he stated.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">We have now confirmed that the explosion was caused by very large fireworks and/or a bomb carried in the bed of the rented Cybertruck and is unrelated to the vehicle itself. All vehicle telemetry was positive at the time of the explosion. <a href="https://t.co/HRjb87YbaJ">https://t.co/HRjb87YbaJ</a>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1874579547452269054?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



The incident in question occurred outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas. A video shared on social media showed the vehicle engulfed in flames, leading to speculation about the cause of the fire.



Sheriff Kevin McMahill of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department provided an initial briefing on Wednesday about the Cybertruck explosion. He confirmed that one person inside the Cybertruck had been killed and seven others were injured.



He also said that the authorities have confirmed there is &#8220;no further threat to the community.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">UPDATE ON CYBER TRUCK EXPLOSION Sheriff Kevin McMahill provided an initial briefing regarding the explosion of a Cyber Truck in front of Trump Tower in Las Vegas this morning. Key details: &#8211; At approximately 8:40 a.m., reports were received of a vehicle explosion. &#8211; One person… <a href="https://t.co/woCvwR1Qvq">https://t.co/woCvwR1Qvq</a> <a href="https://t.co/BLf5jQsRzm">pic.twitter.com/BLf5jQsRzm</a>&mdash; LVMPD (@LVMPD) <a href="https://twitter.com/LVMPD/status/1874572577500516778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



In a later update, McMahill shared videos that showed evidence such as gas canisters, camp fuel canisters, and large firework mortars on the bed of the involved Cybertruck. He noted that the exterior of the truck was largely intact as it sat outside the hotel.



&#8220;The fact that it was a Cybertruck really limited the damage that occurred inside of the valet because it had most of the blast go up through the truck,&#8221; he said.



This was also corroborated by Musk in a separate social media post on the same day. The Sheriff said that the front doors of the hotel remained intact despite the blast.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack. Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards. Not even the glass doors of the lobby were broken. <a href="https://t.co/9vj1JdcRZV">https://t.co/9vj1JdcRZV</a>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1874614362612326761?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



McMahill refused to confirm any names associated with the incident at the later press briefing but revealed that the truck was rented in Colorado.



The police were able to trace the truck through Tesla charging stations. McMahill stated the vehicle arrived in Las Vegas at 7:30 a.m. It was noticed moving on the Las Vegas Boulevard before it entered the Trump International Hotel.



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/12/42732904/elon-musk-blasted-as-intrusive-and-presumptuous-for-trying-to-influence-german-elections-toward-far-right-party?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Blasted As &#8216;Intrusive And Presumptuous&#8217; For &#8216;Trying To Influence&#8217; German Elections Toward Far-Right Party</a>



Why It Matters: The fire, extinguished by emergency services after being reported at 8:41 a.m. PT, is under investigation, with no injuries confirmed. The incident coincides with Musk&#8217;s increased ties to President-elect Donald Trump.



McMahill said that the Cybertruck explosion was &#8220;isolated&#8221; and ruled out further threats to the community. Acting Special Agent For Federal Bureau Of Investigation Jeremy Schwartz said the agency was conducting an investigation into the incident and was determining if this was an act of terrorism.



&#8220;We believe this is an isolated incident, we don&#8217;t believe there is a bunch of folks out there supporting this or helping this,&#8221; said Schwartz. 



The Sheriff stated that potential links to the New Orleans incident, where a vehicle <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42756901/fbi-probes-new-years-day-vehicle-assault-in-new-orleans-as-terrorism">sped into a crowd</a> in the early hours of New Year&#8217;s Day, are under probe. &#8220;We are not ruling out anything out yet,&#8221; said McMahill.



He also said there was no indication that the Las Vegas incident had any links to ISIS but said every aspect was under investigation. McMahill noted that the vehicles involved in the New Orleans and Las Vegas incident were both rented from the same company.



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



Image via Shutterstock



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/24/12/42741855/elon-musks-ex-wife-and-mother-of-5-kids-says-he-wont-take-no-for-an-answer-he-locks-his-gaze-on-to-something-and-says-it-shall-be-mine?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk&#8217;s Ex-Wife And Mother Of 5 Kids Says He Won&#8217;t Take No For An Answer – He Locks His Gaze On To Something And Says, It Shall Be Mine</a></li>
</ul>



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

General

Elon Musk: Fireworks Or Explosive Device Caused Fatal Cybertruck Incident At Las Vegas Trump Hotel; Vehicle Was Rented

Editor&#8217;s Note: This article has been updated with additional details on market moments.



Keith Gill, aka Roaring Kitty, the retail trading icon behind the 2021 GameStop Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GME#NYSE">GME</a>) rally, posted a Rick James-themed GIF on X, sparking speculation about potential market movements among retail investors.



What Happened: The post, featuring Dave Chappelle&#8216;s Rick James impersonation, comes amid Gill&#8217;s recent return to social media after a three-year hiatus. His May 2024 comeback coincided with significant market movements, as GameStop shares surged over 50% following his first posts.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://t.co/TSq9cwyJx1">pic.twitter.com/TSq9cwyJx1</a>&mdash; Roaring Kitty (@TheRoaringKitty) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRoaringKitty/status/1874621633777844714?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Gill, who transformed a $53,000 investment into $50 million during the 2021 GameStop short squeeze, has maintained substantial market influence. After returning to social media in 2024, he revealed ownership of 9 million shares of Chewy Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CHWY#NYSE">CHWY</a>).



His recent activity has consistently moved markets. When Gill posted his Chewy position in June, accompanied by a cartoon dog image on X, the pet retailer&#8217;s stock experienced immediate upward momentum. 



GameStop shares similarly responded to his social media presence, with the stock opening 73.6% higher at $40.16 on June 3, following his disclosure of a $180 million position.



Unity Software Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/U#NYSE">U</a>) surged 12% in overnight trading on Robinhood trading service as users on X speculated about a potential connection to a recent post by Gill. Retail trading icon&#8217; post featured a Rick James-themed GIF, leading some retail investors to draw parallels between the GIF&#8217;s "UNITY!" reference and the software company.



One user noted, &#8220;In the skit he is referencing, Rick James punches Charlie Murphy in the face and says &#8216;UNITY!&#8217; However, to be clear, I have no idea what Roaring Kitty is actually trying to communicate. I just think it would be funny if it was Unity.&#8221;



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">In the skit he is referencing, Rick James punches Charlie's Murphy in the face and says "UNITY!". However, to be clear, I have no idea what Roaring Kitty is actually trying to communicate. I just think it would be funny if it was Unity. <a href="https://t.co/1x9oWBUNv3">pic.twitter.com/1x9oWBUNv3</a>&mdash; Low Key (@Low_Key_Low_Key) <a href="https://twitter.com/Low_Key_Low_Key/status/1874638315141611652?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/12/42730341/gamestops-comeback-trumps-meme-stock-magic-retail-vs-wall-street-2024">GameStop&#8217;s Comeback, Trump&#8217;s Meme Stock Magic: Retail Vs. Wall Street In 2024</a>



Why It Matters: The Wall Street veteran-turned-retail investor gained prominence during congressional hearings following the GameStop trading frenzy, where he famously stated, &#8220;I like the stock.&#8221; 



His investment thesis, originally shared through detailed YouTube videos and Reddit posts under the username &#8220;DeepFuckingValue,&#8221; helped spark a retail trading movement that continues to influence market dynamics.



Market participants closely monitor Gill&#8217;s social media activity, as his posts often precede significant price movements in meme stocks and retail-focused securities.



Price Action: GameStop rose 2.43% overnight on Robinhood to $32.10. It closed Tuesday at $31.34, down 2.09%, and edged up 0.32% after hours to $31.44.



Chewy gained 0.48% overnight on Robinhood to $33.65. It ended Tuesday at $33.49, down 2.10%, and climbed 0.24% after hours to $33.57.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/01/42757919/joe-biden-addresses-new-orleans-attack-says-law-enforcement-probing-links-with-cybertruck-explosion-outside-trump-hotel-in-las-vegas">Joe Biden Addresses New Orleans Attack Says Law Enforcement Probing Links With Cybertruck Explosion Outside Trump Hotel In Las Vegas</a></li>
</ul>



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

Equities

CHWY

'Roaring Kitty' Keith Gill Sparks Speculation With Rick James-Themed Post On X: GameStop, Chewy Shares In Focus — Unity Software Pops 12% (UPDATED)

U.S. stock futures were higher on Thursday, the first trading session of 2025, after sliding on <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42749759/under-the-radar-new-year-new-financial-frontiers-beyond-the-big-banks">New Year</a>&#8216;s Eve on Tuesday. All four index futures advanced in premarket trade.



The S&amp;P 500 index fell for the fourth session on Tuesday, which was its longest losing year-end streak since 1966. Despite missing the typical year-end Santa Rally, the S&amp;P 500 index achieved 20% plus return for the second consecutive year in 2024.



The 10-year and two-year Treasury notes yielded 4.53% and 4.21%, respectively. The probability of having no change in the interest rates for the upcoming Jan. 31 FOMC meeting was at 88.8%, <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">according to</a> CME Group&#8217;s FedWatch tool.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table><tbody><tr><td>Futures</td><td>Change (+/-)</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>0.74%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>0.56%</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>0.45%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>0.55%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



In premarket trading on Thursday, the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) was up 0.66% to $589.97  and the Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) rose 0.83% to $515.48, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.



Cues From The Last Session



U.S. stocks closed <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42759171/sp-500-surges-23-in-2024-but-fear-greed-index-remains-in-fear-zone">lower</a> on Tuesday, with the Nasdaq Composite experiencing a significant decline of around 176 points during the trading session.



Despite this downturn on the final trading day of the year, major indices still demonstrated strong growth in 2024. The S&amp;P 500 surged by a substantial 24.01%, building upon its impressive 24.2% gain in 2023. Similarly, the Dow Jones Industrial Average saw a notable 12.80% jump last year, while the Nasdaq Composite significantly outperformed with a remarkable 30.78% rally. &nbsp;



Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) experienced a phenomenal year, with its stock price skyrocketing 178.78% and reaching new all-time highs in 2024. U.S. stock markets were closed on Wednesday in observance of New Year&#8217;s Day.



On the economic data front, the S&amp;P CoreLogic Case-Shiller home price index showed a year-over-year increase of 4.2% in October, slightly moderating from the 4.6% growth in September. This figure aligned closely with market expectations of a 4.1% rise.



The FHFA house price index registered a modest 0.4% increase in October, marginally below market estimates of a 0.5% rise. The Dallas Fed general business activity index for Texas&#8217; service sector declined to 9.6 in December, indicating a slight slowdown from the 9.8 reading in November. &nbsp; Sector performance on the S&amp;P 500 was mixed. Energy, materials, and real estate sectors led the gains. Consumer discretionary and information technology stocks bucked the overall positive trend, closing the session with losses.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table><tbody><tr><td>Index</td><td>Performance (+/-)</td><td>Value</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq Composite</td><td>-0.90%</td><td>19,310.79</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>-0.43%</td><td>5,881.63</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>-0.07%</td><td>42,544.22</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>0.11%</td><td>2,230.16</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Insights From Analysts



The S&amp;P 500 index created records in 2024 but failed to rally over the last four days of 2024. However, historical data shows that the index delivers positive returns over the next few days when it falls for at least three days during the year-end.



With 57 all-time highs and over 20% year-to-date returns for two consecutive years, the S&amp;P 500 achieved several milestones last year. It also rose 53.2% in two years, recording the biggest two-year jump since 1997-1998.



The S&amp;P 500 index witnessed its longest losing year-end streak of four days, the most since 1966 which saw five days of fall. However, the first month of 1967 saw 7.82% returns following the decline.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">With a red day today, the S&amp;P 500 would be down 4 days in a row to end the year. That would be the longest losing streak to end any year since 1966 (that year had 5). Hmmm. Stocks did gain 20% in 1967 though &#x1f60a;&mdash; Ryan Detrick, CMT (@RyanDetrick) <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick/status/1874131444542660704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



According to an X post by Ryan Detrick, the chief market strategist at Carson Research, and the consecutive data shared by SubuTrade, the index has had a 6.24% average return over the next month after closing lower on the last three days of the year.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Interesting stat via <a href="https://twitter.com/RyanDetrick?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RyanDetrick</a>: If the S&amp;P 500 closes lower today, it'll be down 4 days in a row to end the year: no year-end rally this time But here's a silver lining: In similar cases over the past 100 years, the S&amp;P rallied in the following month Happy New Year! &#x1f389; <a href="https://t.co/UnhCLzlLxx">pic.twitter.com/UnhCLzlLxx</a>&mdash; SubuTrade (@subutrade) <a href="https://twitter.com/subutrade/status/1874135463935856814?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



The U.S. stock market has experienced explosive growth, with its valuation skyrocketing to a record-breaking $63.8 trillion. This unprecedented surge represents a doubling of market capitalization in just 4.5 years, showcasing a remarkable upward trajectory.



In 2024 alone, the market added a staggering $10 trillion, <a href="https://x.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1874461185342341272">according</a> to The Kobeissi Letter. To put this into perspective, the combined market capitalization of China, Hong Kong, and Europe is roughly half that of the U.S. Furthermore, the &#8220;magnificent seven&#8221; tech giants boast a market cap exceeding the entire European market, emphasizing their dominant role in global stock markets. 



Standout performers in 2024 included Bitcoin, U.S. stocks, and Gold, while Oil and U.S. bonds delivered largely flat returns.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The usual monthly table of returns for major assets/asset classes which, this time around, covers the full year 2024. Most delivered strong returns, with standout performances by Bitcoin (+120% after a 153% gain in 2023), US stocks (S&amp;P 500 up 20% for the second consecutive… <a href="https://t.co/XHb5pAzmBq">pic.twitter.com/XHb5pAzmBq</a>&mdash; Mohamed A. El-Erian (@elerianm) <a href="https://twitter.com/elerianm/status/1874217443444326887?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 31, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



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



Upcoming Economic Data



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



<ul>
<li>On Thursday, initial jobless claims till Dec. 28 will be announced at 8:30 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Construction spending data for November will be released at 10:00 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>On Friday, ISM manufacturing data for December will be announced at 10:00 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



Stocks In Focus:



<ul>
<li>Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) was up 1.32% as Elon Musk clarified that the car explosion outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas was unrelated to the Cybertruck itself.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>SoFi Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOFI#NASDAQ">SOFI</a>) was down 2.40% after it was downgraded to &#8216;underperform&#8217; by Keefe, Bruyette, and Woods expressing concerns about its lofty valuation, deeming its long-term earnings potential insufficient to justify the current stock price.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Sealsq Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LAES#NASDAQ">LAES</a>) was up 18.7% in premarket after the announcement that it expects to end the year with a strong balance sheet and a cash position which is projected to be in excess of $85 million by Jan. 3, 2025.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FFIE#NASDAQ">FFIE</a>) was up 16.46% after the company disclosed on Sunday that entrepreneur Luke Hans will receive the first &#8216;FF 91&#8217; 2.0 Futurist Alliance EV of 2025 during a January delivery ceremony with company executives.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>MicroCloud Hologram Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HOLO#NASDAQ">HOLO</a>) was up 19.70% after its recent achievements in the field of quantum technology helped it develop a solution that allows the use of a "fast adiabatic driving protocol to achieve coherent control of two heavy hole spin qubits in a double quantum dot (QD) system."</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Quantum-Si Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QSI#NASDAQ">QSI</a>) was up 6.67% after its director Jonathan M. Rothberg sold 3,506,267 shares for $11,710,931.</li>
</ul>



Commodities, Gold And Global Equity Markets:



Crude oil futures were higher in the early New York session by 1.41% to hover around $72.73 per barrel.



The gold spot index was up by 0.50% to $2,654.31 per ounce. The Dollar Index was up 0.12% to 108.612 level.



Asian markets were mostly lower on Thursday as Japan&#8217;s Nikkei 225, South Korea&#8217;s Kospi, China&#8217;s CSI 300, and Hong Kong&#8217;s Hang Seng index declined. Whereas, Australia&#8217;s ASX 200 index ended higher. European markets were mixed.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/01/42754939/sp-500-scaled-a-record-57-all-time-highs-in-2024-heres-what-analysts-think-is-in-store-in-2025">S&amp;P 500 Scaled A Record 57 All-Time Highs In 2024: Here&#8217;s What Analysts Think Is In Store This Year</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Wikimedia

Market Summary

Futures

Pre-Market Outlook

FFIE

HOLO

LAES

NVDA

US Stocks To Open Higher In The First Trading Session Of 2025: Analyst Says History Favors Rebound After Year-End Dip

Leading cryptocurrencies ticked higher on New Year's Day as investors combined the festive spirit with some risk-taking.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Gains +/-</td><td>Price (Recorded at 7:30 p.m. ET)</td></tr><tr><td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td><td>+1.24%</td><td>$95,016.06</td></tr><tr><td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>+1.02%</td><td>$3,384.66</td></tr><tr><td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>+4.92%</td><td>$0.3332</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



What Happened: Bitcoin surged past $95,000 while Ethereum almost crossed $3,400 as the world bid goodbye to 2024 and welcomed 2025



The leading cryptocurrency concluded the fourth quarter of 2024 with gains of 47.73%, lower than 2023's figures of 56.9% and significantly below the quarterly average of 85.42%.



Ethereum, on the other hand, returned 28.34%, which was greater than the quarterly average of 23.85%.



Otherwise, the final quarter of 2024 was historic, with Bitcoin embarking on a record-breaking bull run that pushed its price past $100,000.



Bitcoin's Open Interest rose 1.14% in the last 24 hours to $57.71 billion. The total money locked in Bitcoin's derivatives market spiked 68% in the fourth quarter.



More than 60% of speculative traders on Binance took bullish positions on Bitcoin, according to the Long/Short Ratio



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



Top Gainers (24-Hours)



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Gains +/-</td><td>Price (Recorded at 7:30 p.m. ET)</td></tr><tr><td>Stellar (XLM)</td><td>+32.67%</td><td>$0.4493</td></tr><tr><td>IOTA (IOTA)</td><td>+23.49%</td><td>$0.3531</td></tr><tr><td>Virtuals Protocol (VIRTUAL)</td><td>+22.77%</td><td>$4.83</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $3.33 trillion, following an increase of 1.89% in the last 24 hours.



Stock futures dropped slightly on the first evening of 2025. The Dow Jones Industrial Average Futures dipped 28 points, or 0.07%, as of 7:45 p.m. EDT.&nbsp; Futures tied to the S&amp;P 500 slid 0.04%, while Nasdaq 100 Futures added 0.05%.



Trading will resume on Thursday after New Year's break. Investors will monitor the weekly jobless claims data to assess the labor market.



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



Analyst Notes: Influential cryptocurrency analyst Ali Martinez highlighted the significance of $88,000 as a support level for Bitcoin.



"If Bitcoin falls below $88,000, the next major support level lies at $71,000, according to the MVRV pricing bands," Martinez cautioned.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">If <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> falls below $88,000, the next major support level lies at $71,000, according to the MVRV Pricing Bands. <a href="https://t.co/QdphZhRcT2">pic.twitter.com/QdphZhRcT2</a>&mdash; Ali (@ali_charts) <a href="https://twitter.com/ali_charts/status/1874440941232378181?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Widely followed cryptocurrency investor Daan Crypto Trades drew attention to Ethereum's historically strong performance in the first quarter.



"ETH generally sees a good amount of action in Q1. Even during the past few years during the downtrend against BTC," the analyst remarked.



"During the previous bull cycle, 2020 and 2021 saw large moves for the ETH/BTC ratio which also kick-started an alt season."



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24ETH&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$ETH</a> Generally sees a good amount of action in Q1. Even during the past few years during the downtrend against <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a>. During the previous bull cycle, 2020 and 2021 saw large moves for the ETH/BTC ratio which also kick-started an alt season. ~0.04 remains an important level to… <a href="https://t.co/rEjnriL88i">pic.twitter.com/rEjnriL88i</a>&mdash; Daan Crypto Trades (@DaanCrypto) <a href="https://twitter.com/DaanCrypto/status/1874501339356504396?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



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



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/specialty-etfs/24/12/42751129/bitwises-bold-approach-new-etf-targets-bitcoin-powerhouses-as-institutional-adoption-soars">Bitwise&#8217;s Bold Approach: New ETF Targets Bitcoin Powerhouses As Institutional Adoption Soars</a></li>
</ul>

Cryptocurrency

Trading Ideas

$DOGE

$ETH

Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Begin New Year On A Healthy Note: Analyst Says This Blue Chip Crypto Can Witness 'Good Amount Of Action' In Early 2025

Editor&#8217;s note: This story has been updated with additional information on the postponement of the Sugar Bowl and the timing of the New Year&#8217;s Day attack on Bourbon Street.



A vehicle was driven into a crowd at high speed in New Orleans in the early morning hours of New Year&#8217;s Day, resulting in at least 10 deaths and over 30 injuries. The FBI is investigating the incident as a potential act of terrorism.



What Happened: New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick described the suspect as being &#8220;hell-bent on creating the carnage and the damage that he did.&#8221; 



The incident took place on Canal and Bourbon streets at about 3:15 a.m. Wednesday, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-01/10-people-killed-after-vehicle-drives-into-crowd-in-new-orleans?srnd=homepage-americas&amp;sref=TBDibEcD">according</a> to Bloomberg. 



After the attack, the driver was shot and killed by the police. A handgun and an AR-style rifle were recovered from the scene, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-orleans-car-bourbon-street-63a1b43d615af365cb8ba6f5f0583eca">reports </a>the Associated Press.



The FBI said the driver was Shamsud-Din Jabbar, 42, of Texas, and is investigating his possible associations with terrorist organizations, the AP report said. The FBI reportedly said an Islamic State flag was found in the truck. 



Alethea Duncan, an assistant FBI Assistant special agent in charge in New Orleans, said suspected improvised&nbsp;explosive devices were found at the scene, The New York Times reported. 



New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell&nbsp;labeled the incident as a &#8220;terrorist attack,&#8221; the AP reported. 



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40727007/georgia-high-school-shooting-which-killed-4-and-injured-9-sparks-renewed-national-gun-control-discus">Georgia High School Shooting, Which Killed 4 And Injured 9, Sparks Renewed National Gun Control Discussions</a>



Two police officers were injured during the exchange of fire with the suspect and are in stable conditions, The New York Times reported. 



The location of the attack, a popular New Year&#8217;s Eve destination, was filled with college football fans for the Sugar Bowl college football quarterfinal, which was scheduled for Wednesday night. The game, between Georgia and Notre Dame, has been postponed to Thursday, according to the Associated Press. 



Super Bowl LIX is scheduled to take place on Sunday, Feb. 9 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40951090/kamala-harris-underlines-her-support-for-second-amendment-dismisses-false-dichotomy-of-gun-control-d">Kamala Harris Underlines Her Support For Second Amendment, Dismisses False Dichotomy Of Gun Control Debate</a></li>
</ul>



Photo via Shutterstock.

10 Killed, Dozens Hurt In New Orleans 'Terrorist Attack': Truck Drives Into Bourbon Street New Year's Crowd (UPDATED)

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed a slight easing in the overall fear level, while the index remained in the &#8220;Fear&#8221; zone on Tuesday.



U.S. stocks settled lower on Tuesday, with the Nasdaq Composite falling around 175 points during the session.



Although major indices settled lower on the final trading session of the year, they still recorded gains in 2024. The S&amp;P 500 surged 23.31% in 2024, after recording a gain of 24.2% during 2023. Meanwhile, the Dow jumped 12.88% last year, while the Nasdaq outperformed with a rally of 28.64%.



Shares of Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) jumped 171% last year, recording fresh highs in 2024. The U.S. stock market was closed on Wednesday for New Year's Day



On the economic data front, the S&amp;P CoreLogic Case-Shiller home price index rose 4.2% year-over-year in October compared to a 4.6% increase in September, versus market estimates of a 4.1% rise. The FHFA house price index rose by 0.4% in October versus market estimates of a 0.5% increase. The Dallas Fed general business activity index for Texas' service sector fell to 9.6 in December compared to 9.8 in November.



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



The Dow Jones closed lower by around 30 points to 42,544.22 on Tuesday. The S&amp;P 500 fell 0.43% to 5,881.63, while the Nasdaq Composite dipped 0.90% to 19,310.79 during Tuesday's session.



Investors are awaiting earnings results from Resources Connection, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RGP#NASDAQ">RGP</a>) and Lifecore Biomedical, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LFCR#NASDAQ">LFCR</a>) today.



What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?



At a current reading of 27.9, the index remained in the &#8220;Fear&#8221; zone on Tuesday, versus a prior reading of 27.1.



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: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/12/42740135/how-to-earn-500-a-month-from-alphabet-stock">How To Earn $500 A Month From Alphabet Stock</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Earnings

LFCR

S&P 500 Surges 23% In 2024, But Greed Index Remains In 'Fear' Zone

Editor&#8217;s note: This headline and body of this story have been updated with additional information. 



A Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) Cybertruck reportedly caught fire outside the Trump International Hotel in Las Vegas on Wednesday.



What Happened: A video shared on social media platform X shows the vehicle engulfed in flames, with the person filming writing that the Cybertruck &#8220;exploded.&#8221;



The exact cause of the fire remains unclear. One person who was inside the vehicle was killed and seven people who were nearby suffered minor injuries, the Associated Press reported, citing Las Vegas police and fire officials. 



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Cybertruck blew up in front of Trump hotel in Las Vegas. Those are our luggage by the door and that's where we were when it happened. <a href="https://t.co/KaVZXfGLNK">pic.twitter.com/KaVZXfGLNK</a>&mdash; ayackle (@kaaaassuu) <a href="https://twitter.com/kaaaassuu/status/1874506594425381133?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 1, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



According to a report by The <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/1/24333612/cybertruck-fire-explosion-trump-hotel-las-vegas">Verge</a>, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department confirmed the fire has been extinguished and an investigation is underway.



Emergency services received the first report of the incident at 8:41 a.m. PT, according to KSNV <a href="https://news3lv.com/news/local/vehicle-fire-fashion-show-mall-trump-international-las-vegas-strip-ccfd-southern-nevada-new-years-day">News </a>3 Las Vegas.



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/12/42715951/trump-backs-immigration-visas-musk-praises-his-stance-and-says-rising-tide-lifts-all-boats">Trump Backs Immigration Visas, Musk Praises His Stance and Says &#8216;Rising Tide Lifts All Boats&#8217;</a>



The incident comes as Elon Musk continues to make headlines for his <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42722137/elon-musk-peter-thiel-and-billionaires-influence-in-trumps-white-house-former-labor-secretary-robert-reichs-warning">growing ties with President-elect Donald Trump.</a> Musk reportedly celebrated New Year's Eve at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate and according to the New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/30/us/politics/elon-musk-trump-mar-a-lago.html">report</a>, he has been staying on the property since the election.



Read Next:



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<li><a href="http://emaillink.benzinga.com/ls/click?upn=u001.3FxiOxu2VJzSK929J2kTqRGiFWu11oXHMmH2zvvPOrTpD7EiELkmBhfL8Y15EIoxKeljn20NXmP0qXn3Nm9OshWrkrmRvJq8fZZ8PtYtoJfEBS-2BcAt4LmeOY0FpaN-2F-2Bd5vn2JpJZcnTezlMTy8qeMdDO-2FUzOZRViCo0pbgwwq5zZsj-2F1X1H1BfQGyXTBEEcN0-2FrmFGeA8dRLi-2ByfTcXx5bXKVzZ7NBBEGzvzp8z-2BhT0TiUDcHM-2B1YYx6bsHD9cX3tj-2Bi74SNBnnMI3ROVPrTB8Y5kpoYoVbBQ6Dk1pApCSp3N2QRMJgEF8kIghGTOK-2BawfnZ_cgm2JnRt-2FP8vSMnuJoZ2sYFmM2As7BbeApT-2FGB0aH4UgAD-2FKe1vdQj5dTjVzULz5CKAzzj1YsiuQL6CWpo34nla20ONevYAKq2ytGQs5CYx42JeKw5OhBAI5uRP6WnDIstcF-2Fwd4A2-2B1iTc2-2Fzwpsgeqo7ZRsly-2BbZXH-2Fub4UcdsGnwjKBYWpm6EjUI5oDuy1XCJwKKGkXT-2B8FX8WnUQwax-2BDkgdIv-2F6cfiX6f2wQU-2Fa3xXIzQ6BQ-2FUncgLnTsXbTOeBVzM8bMXnVLxpQD5OSawNlYtOg-2BaNylnllJV0kBs-3D" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EXCLUSIVE: Eric Trump Calls Elon Musk ‘Albert Einstein Of Our Time,' Says Tesla CEO Will Help Build ‘A Stronger America'</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy of Tesla.

Entertainment

Tesla Cybertruck Ignites Outside Trump International Hotel In Las Vegas, 1 Dead (UPDATED)

Venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya has questioned the long-standing advice of Warren Buffett to invest in low-fee S&amp;P 500 index funds. Palihapitiya warns of potential risks due to the index&#8217;s heavy concentration in a few tech stocks.



What Happened: Buffett has consistently recommended that the average person invest in a low-fee S&amp;P 500 index fund and hold it for the long term. 



However, Palihapitiya, co-host of the &#8220;All-In&#8221; podcast, contends that a handful of tech stocks have become so valuable that owning the S&amp;P 500 is essentially a concentrated bet on these risky businesses.



Palihapitiya&#8217;s concern is that the top 10 most valuable S&amp;P 500 companies, including&nbsp;Apple Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>),&nbsp;Nvidia Corporation&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), and&nbsp;Microsoft Corporation&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), account for nearly 40%&nbsp;of the benchmark index&#8217;s total&nbsp;market cap. This, he argues, contradicts the diversification principle that underpins index investing.



&#8220;When you buy an index of 500 companies, you&#8217;re really buying 10 companies with 490 others thrown in,&#8221; Palihapitiya said in the X post on Saturday. 



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/12/42638957/warren-buffetts-timeless-advice-if-youre-gonna-do-dumb-things-because-your-stock-goes-down-you-shouldnt-own-a-stock-at-all">Warren Buffett&#8217;s Timeless Advice For Investing $10,000: &#8216;If You&#8217;re Gonna Do Dumb Things Because Your Stock Goes Down, You Shouldn&#8217;t Own A Stock At All&#8217;</a>



&#8220;Average Americans buy S&amp;P 500 index ETFs, in part, because Buffett told them to. They were told they would pay very little and get diversification in the 500 best companies on earth to ride out storms,&#8221; he said in the post. 



&#8220;That's ok if you're a "professional" and that's what you are betting on but most ETF buyers aren't professional stock traders and they will be in for a rude awakening if this isn't addressed,&#8221; Palihapitiya wrote. 



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">This needs to be fixed or it will end in disaster. Why? Average Americans buy S&amp;P 500 index ETFs, in part, because Buffett told them to. They were told they would pay very little and get diversification in the 500 best companies on earth to ride out storms. But as… <a href="https://t.co/YEYhjvrSg7">https://t.co/YEYhjvrSg7</a>&mdash; Chamath Palihapitiya (@chamath) <a href="https://twitter.com/chamath/status/1873144394100187263?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2024</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



He warns that if these tech giants take a hit, investors could face significant losses, as their portfolios won&#8217;t be sufficiently cushioned by other holdings.



Why It Matters: Palihapitiya&#8217;s critique of Buffett&#8217;s investment strategy comes amidst his own controversial promotion of high-risk special purpose acquisition deals, or SPACs, during the pandemic. 



Buffett, on the other hand, has largely avoided tech stocks throughout his career, focusing on value investing within his circle of competence. 



This divergence in investment approaches underscores the ongoing debate about the role of tech stocks in portfolio diversification and the potential risks associated with over-reliance on a few high-performing companies.



Read Next



<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/stock-split/24/12/42716194/how-warren-buffett-decides-when-to-sell-a-stock-if-the-competitive-advantage-disappears-we-sell">How Warren Buffett Decides When To Sell a Stock: &#8216;If the Competitive Advantage Disappears&#8230;We Sell&#8217;</a>



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

AAPL

MSFT

Warren Buffett Says Buy S&P 500, But This Tech Investor Warns Of A 'Rude Awakening'

Each trading day features hundreds of headlines and press releases on Benzinga Pro, a source for traders to see the latest news on the overall market&nbsp;<a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent123124&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">and individual tickers.</a>



Here is a look at the most-searched stocks on Benzinga Pro for December 2024. Current prices and year-to-date performance are based on Dec. 31 and do not include dividends. Data for the month of November was not tracked.



<ol>
<li>Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>)</li>
</ol>



<ul>
<li>Current Price: $403.84</li>



<li>52-Week Range: $138.80 to $488.54</li>



<li>Year-to-Date Return: +62.6%</li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/top-stories/24/10/41150827/exclusive-top-20-most-searched-tickers-on-benzinga-pro-in-september-2024-where-do-tesla-nvidia-apple">September</a>/<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/top-stories/24/11/41718416/exclusive-top-20-most-searched-tickers-on-benzinga-pro-in-october-2024-where-do-tesla-nvidia-apple-d">October </a>Ranking: 3rd/1st</li>
</ul>



2. Super Micro Computer (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>) 



<ul>
<li>Current Price: $30.48</li>



<li>52-Week Range: $17.25 to $122.90</li>



<li>Year-to-Date Return: +6.8%</li>



<li>September/October Ranking: 7th/5th</li>
</ul>



3. NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>)



<ul>
<li>Current Price: $134.29</li>



<li>52-Week Range: $47.32 to $152.89</li>



<li>Year-to-Date Return: +178.8%</li>



<li>September/October Ranking: 1st/2nd</li>
</ul>



4. SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>)



<ul>
<li>Current Price: $586.08</li>



<li>52-Week Range: $466.44 to $609.07</li>



<li>Year-to-Date Return: +24.0%</li>



<li>September/October Ranking: 2nd/4th</li>
</ul>



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/broad-u-s-equity-etfs/24/12/42726598/dow-jones-2024-scoreboard-top-5-winners-losers-and-how-amazon-nvidia-could-reshape-2025">Dow Jones 2024 Scoreboard: Top 5 Winners, Losers — And How Amazon, Nvidia Could Reshape 2025</a>



5. SoundHound AI (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOUN#NASDAQ">SOUN</a>)



<ul>
<li>Current Price: $19.84</li>



<li>52-Week Range: $1.62 to $24.98</li>



<li>Year-to-Date Return: +853.9%</li>



<li>September/October Ranking: Not in Top 20/Not in Top 20</li>
</ul>



6. Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>)



<ul>
<li>Current Price: $75.63</li>



<li>52-Week Range: $15.67 to $77.98</li>



<li>Year-to-Date Return: +356.2%</li>



<li>September/October Ranking: 12th/14th</li>
</ul>



7. Quantum Computing (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QUBT#NASDAQ">QUBT</a>)



<ul>
<li>Current Price: $16.55</li>



<li>52-Week Range: $0.35 to $27.15</li>



<li>Year-to-Date Return: +1,759.6%</li>



<li>September/October Ranking: Not in Top 20/Not in Top 20</li>
</ul>



8. Rigetti Computing (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RGTI#NASDAQ">RGTI</a>)



<ul>
<li>Current Price: $15.26</li>



<li>52-Week Range: $0.66 to $19.35</li>



<li>Year-to-Date Return: +1,558.7%</li>



<li>September/October Ranking: Not in Top 20/Not in Top 20</li>
</ul>



9. MicroStrategy Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>)



<ul>
<li>Current Price: $289.62</li>



<li>52-Week Range: $43.89 to $542.99</li>



<li>Year-to-Date Return: +322.7%</li>



<li>September/October Ranking: Not in Top 20/16th</li>
</ul>



10. Nukkleus Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NUKK#NASDAQ">NUKK</a>)



<ol>
<li></li>
</ol>



<ul>
<li>Current Price: $36.67</li>



<li>52-Week Range: $1.30 to $78.32</li>



<li>Year-to-Date Return: +58.6%</li>



<li>September/October Ranking: Not in Top 20/Not in Top 20</li>
</ul>



Honorable Mentions:&nbsp;The following stocks were the 11th&nbsp;to 20th&nbsp;most-searched tickers on&nbsp;<a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent090324&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>&nbsp;in December 2024.



<ol start="11">
<li>Broadcom Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>)</li>



<li>CleanSpark Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CLSK#NASDAQ">CLSK</a>)</li>



<li>Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>)</li>



<li>Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LLY#NYSE">LLY</a>)</li>



<li>SEALSQ Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LAES#NASDAQ">LAES</a>)</li>



<li>Micron Technology (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>)</li>



<li>D-Wave Quantum (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QBTS#NYSE">QBTS</a>)</li>



<li>Dell Technologies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DELL#NYSE">DELL</a>)</li>



<li>Walmart Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WMT#NYSE">WMT</a>)</li>



<li>Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>)</li>
</ol>



Why It's Important: Tesla ranked as the most-searched ticker on Benzinga Pro for another month, taking the crown for the month of December. The stock is regularly one of the most-searched tickers on the site each month.



Super Micro Computer climbed up the leaderboard for the month, ranking second in December. The surge in interest came with shares down significantly in the month.



Nvidia ranked third for the month of December, its lowest ranking in several months of tracking.



Several companies made their first appearance on the list of most-searched tickers with the<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/12/42380768/quantum-computing-stocks-roundup-d-wave-rigetti-ionq-lead-the-charge-with-explosive-growth"> theme of quantum computing </a>stocks showing through in the monthly rankings. Quantum Computing, Rigetti and D-Wave Quantum all ranked among the top 20 searched tickers for the month of December.



Other newcomers to the top 10 included SoundHound AI, a popular AI play and short squeeze candidate. The stock has been highlighted several times in the<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/24/12/42628286/benzingas-stock-whisper-index-5-stocks-investors-secretly-monitor-but-dont-talk-about-yet-including-qubt-qbts"> Benzinga Stock Whisper Index</a> and company executives have been interviewed by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42628373/exclusive-soundhound-ai-ceo-on-882-growth-were-just-getting-started">Benzinga recently.</a>



MicroStrategy, who is one of the largest holders of Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) ranked ninth in the list, gaining from a 16th place ranking in September. The stock continues to be a proxy for Bitcoin, but with the rise of Bitcoin ETFs will be an interesting case study to watch in 2025 for investor appetite with more ways for investors to get exposure to the leading cryptocurrency.



Nukkleus was another newcomer to the top 10 and will be worth watching to see if this is a one-month inclusion or start of investor momentum.



On the ETF front, the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust ranked fourth for the month and continues to be one of the most-watched ETFs. The Invesco QQQ Trust ETF, which tracks the Nasdaq 100 fell to 20th for the month after ranking 15th in October and sixth in September.



Trump Media &amp; Technology Group (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DJT#NASDAQ">DJT</a>), which ranked third in October, fell out of the top 20 stocks. This could show that the stock gained momentum around the 2024 election and the move may have been short-lived. With President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration in January, it will be worth monitoring to see if the stock gains in price and interest among Benzinga readers.



Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) was one of the bigger surprises in December. The stock is regularly ranked among the top 10 most-searched tickers and ranked eighth in October. The stock fell out of the top 20, ranking 25th in December.



Overall the month of December saw four of the same top 10 tickers from October and eight of the top 20 tickers from October.



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EXCLUSIVE: Top 20 Most-Searched Tickers On Benzinga Pro In December 2024 — Where Do Tesla, Nvidia, Quantum Computing Stock Rank?

Elon Musk&#8216;s rocket manufacturing company SpaceX has completed 134 launches in 2024, setting a new milestone.



What Happened: For the entirety of 2023, SpaceX&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40916098/elon-musks-spacex-launches-90th-mission-in-2024-with-over-a-third-of-launch-target-still-to-go" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">only completed 96 launches</a>, not including two test flights of the company's Starship launch vehicle.



SpaceX was initially looking to complete 144 launches this year or an average of 12 times per month.



However, SpaceX VP of Launch&nbsp;Kiko Dontchev&nbsp;said in November that the company will&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/11/41767169/spacex-completes-400th-successful-falcon-launch-to-date-but-will-miss-target-of-144-launches-in-2024" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">not make its goal of 144 launches this year</a>&nbsp;but is still targeting 30 more launches, or one launch every two days, for the rest of the year.



As of the end of 2024, the company has completed 134 launches, excluding four Starship test flights. A majority of the launches were conducted by the company&#8217;s Falcon 9 launch vehicle and merely two on the company&#8217;s Falcon Heavy launch vehicle, one in the first half of the year and one in the second.



SpaceX&#8217;s first launch this year was on Jan. 2. Falcon 9 then launched 21 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.



The company has launched every month since, with the most launches completed in November and the least in July, owing to a two-week pause in operations mid-month. The last launch of the year was conducted on Tuesday when the company&#8217;s Falcon 9 launched 21 Starlink satellites to low-Earth orbit from Florida.



The company also completed four test flights of its ambitious Starship launch vehicle this year &#8211; in March, June, October, and the latest in November.



Landmark Missions:



In September, SpaceX launched the Polaris Dawn mission to space. The five-day Polaris Dawn mission included a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40830436/spacex-completes-1st-ever-spacewalk-by-a-commercial-company-as-part-of-polaris-dawn-mission">spacewalk carried out by private astronauts</a> including billionaire and Shift4 Payments CEO&nbsp;Jared Isaacman.



While space agency NASA routinely conducts extravehicular activities with government astronauts, no commercial player or civilians attempted it before, making Polaris a landmark mission for SpaceX and commercial spaceflight companies.



Yet another significant achievement for the company this year was when it <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/space/24/11/42105704/spacex-ceo-elon-musk-reveals-technical-glitch-that-led-company-to-drop-key-objective-of-starships-6th-test-flight">caught the Starship launch vehicle&#8217;s booster back at Starbase </a>with the metal arms of the launch tower, in a demonstration of the vehicle&#8217;s reusability, during its third flight test in October.



Accidents And Operational Pauses: 



The year, however, was not without accidents.



SpaceX launched its Falcon 9 rocket with 20 Starlink satellites from California on July 11. However, the Starlink satellites were deployed in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39766325/starlink-satellites-from-thursdays-launch-will-fully-demise-in-earths-atmosphere-says-elon-musks-spa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">lower-than-intended orbit&nbsp;</a>owing to an issue with the rocket&#8217;s second-stage engine. The Starlink satellites were demised and the company's launch operations were subsequently <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/41088324/spacexs-falcon-9-rocket-grounded-3rd-time-in-3-months-launch-put-on-hold-as-company-hunts-for-root-c">placed on hold </a>until July 27.



In late August, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded the Falcon after a rocket booster that supported a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/starlink" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Starlink mission</a>&nbsp;failed to land upright on a droneship at sea and exploded upon returning to Earth. However, the FAA gave the green light for the company to resume launch operations two days later.



Earlier this month, Reuters also reported that SpaceX lost ground control for at least an hour during the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40787779/spacex-launches-polaris-dawn-crew-to-space-with-aim-of-first-ever-private-spacewalk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Polaris Dawn mission</a>&nbsp;in September. The SpaceX mission control was unable to command its Dragon spacecraft in orbit during the outage but the vehicle remained safe and maintained some communication with the ground with the help of the company's Starlink satellite network, the report said.



Reuters could not determine the exact time and duration of the outage. However, as per two of the agency's sources, it <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/24/12/42546578/spacex-lost-ground-control-on-dragon-spacecraft-during-polaris-dawn-mission-due-to-power-outage-at-california-facility-report">happened before the planned spacewalk</a> and lasted at least an hour.&nbsp;



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



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Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

SPACE

SpaceX Hits New Milestone In 2024 With 134 Launches

U.S. stock markets, including the Nasdaq and New York Stock Exchange, will be closed on Wednesday, Jan. 1, in observance of New Year's Day.



U.S. bond markets closed early on Tuesday, Dec. 31, with trading ending at 2 p.m. ET. Bond markets will remain closed on New Year's Day and resume operations on Thursday, Jan. 2.



The next scheduled market closure will be on Thursday, Jan. 9, as the nation observes a day of mourning following the passing of former President Jimmy Carter. Markets will remain closed for the day.



Most banks, following&nbsp;the Federal Reserve banking holidays,&nbsp;will close on New Year&#8217;s Day.&nbsp;



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42746085/the-only-2025-market-prediction-youll-need">The Only 2025 Market Prediction You&#8217;ll Need</a>



Various retailers, grocery stores, and pharmacies will be open on New Year&#8217;s Day, albeit with adjusted hours.



Albertsons Companies, encompassing&nbsp;ACME, Albertsons, Jewel-Osco, Randalls, Safeway,&nbsp;Shaw's, Tom Thumb, and Vons, will operate on shortened hours. 



Kroger family stores will keep their regular hours. However, Costco and Sam&#8217;s Club will be closed on New Year&#8217;s Day, <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/30/business/open-closed-new-years-eve-day/index.html">reports</a> CNN.



Pharmacy chains CVS and Walgreens&nbsp;will be open, though some&nbsp;may operate on limited hours. Most banks, following&nbsp;the Federal Reserve banking holidays,&nbsp;will close on New Year&#8217;s Day.&nbsp;The New York Stock Exchange&nbsp;and Nasdaq will also cease trading on New Year&#8217;s Day.



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US Stock Markets Closed Today: Trading Resumes Jan. 2 After New Year's Break

As the global debt approaches $102 trillion, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/24/12/42701155/made-in-china-paid-in-america-what-trumps-new-tariffs-mean-for-the-us-economy">the United States and China</a> are the top contributors to the increasing debt. According to data from the IMF and Visual Capitalist, in one year, the global debt will have risen by $5 trillion.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The United States: A Growing Debt Mountain</h2>



The U.S. accounts for the largest portion of the global debt at 34.6%. Major contributing factors include an aging population, defense spending triggered by geopolitical tensions and rising health care costs.&nbsp;



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Net interest payments on the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42642808/americas-fatal-flaw-is-its-sharply-increasing-addiction-to-government-debt-says-expert-and-the-mother-of-all-bubbles-is-ready-to-pop">national debt</a> exceeded $892 billion in the 2024 fiscal year. The IMF projects that by 2034, annual interest payments in the U.S. will hit $1.7 trillion and cumulative interest costs over the next decade will reach upward of $12.9 trillion.&nbsp;



The IMF wrote that these pressures require major fiscal adjustments – like spending cuts and increased taxes – to stabilize debt levels. They suggest that without intervention, the United States' debt burden could greatly strain <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/24/10/41564246/from-10-trillion-to-35-trillion-how-government-spending-has-spiraled-out-of-control">government budgets</a> and economic growth.&nbsp;



See Also: Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing —<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/boxabl"> you can become an investor for $0.80 per share today.</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">China: Accelerating Debt Growth</h2>



China is the second-largest contributor to global government debt at 16.1%. In 2024, China's debt-to-GDP ratio stood at 90.1%. Projections show that this number could reach 111.1% by 2029. Increases to China's debt are driven by ongoing stimulus measures to support its economy amid external pressures, like potential tariffs from the U.S.&nbsp;



China has been able to mitigate some of its debt risks despite the challenges it faces. However, the IMF warns that current fiscal efforts may not be enough to stabilize or reduce debt levels in the future.&nbsp;



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Rising Risks and Global Implications</h2>



Global public debt is expected to exceed 100% of global GDP by 2029. Aging populations, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/24/08/40624190/aon-predicts-9-increase-in-employer-health-care-costs-for-2025-heres-whats-fueling-the-spike">rising health care costs</a> and higher defense spending in major countries like the U.S., China, Brazil and France drive this growth. The IMF's October 2024 Fiscal Monitor also warns about "hidden debt" from state-owned enterprises and other liabilities, which could increase global public debt beyond current estimates.



Trending: Many are using retirement income calculators to check if they&#8217;re on pace —<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-do-i-calculate-my-retirement-income-adv"> here&#8217;s a breakdown on what&#8217;s behind this formula.</a>



In the U.S., experts are raising concerns about the potential impact of high debt on the dollar. The Bipartisan Policy Center says rising debt could hurt the dollar's role as the world's main reserve currency. If investors lose confidence in the U.S.'s ability to manage its debt, it could weaken America's economic power globally.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Addressing the Debt Challenge</h2>



Experts say governments need to create policies that lower debt while still protecting the most vulnerable. The IMF recommends reforming entitlement programs, increasing taxes in wealthier countries and improving how taxes are collected in developing nations. These measures aim to reduce debt without significantly slowing economic growth.



As debt levels keep rising, governments face growing pressure to take action. Without real changes, the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42075235/feds-schmid-rising-us-national-debt-could-push-interest-rates-higher">increasing debt</a> could harm long-term economic stability worldwide.



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$102 Trillion Global Debt: The U.S. And China Lead The Charge – What You Need To Know

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