Ultime notizie per Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) Azioni

Microsoft

Microsoft develops and licenses consumer and enterprise software. It is known for its Windows operating systems and Office productivity suite. The company is organized into three equally sized broad segments: productivity and business processes (legacy Microsoft Office, cloud-based Office 365, Exchange, SharePoint, Skype, LinkedIn, Dynamics), intelligence cloud (infrastructure- and platform-as-a-service offerings Azure, Windows Server OS, SQL Server), and more personal computing (Windows Client, Xbox, Bing search, display advertising, and Surface laptops, tablets, and desktops).

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Con il taglio dei tassi della Fed, alcuni titoli tecnologici come Nvidia e Microsoft sono pronti a decollare.

Taglio dei tassi: ecco i titoli pronti a prendere il volo

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Oracle guadagna slancio mentre Nvidia e Meta dominano l&#39;IA

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Le azioni Nvidia salgono grazie all&#39;interesse dell&#39;Arabia Saudita per i chip IA, mentre gli USA rivalutano le sanzioni.

Azioni Nvidia in ascesa: Arabia Saudita e futuro dei chip IA

Microsoft Corp

MICROSOFT ORD

OpenAI has secured more than $6.5 billion in new funding at a valuation of $157 billion as it looks to increase its lead in the <a href="http://benzinga.com/topic/ai">artificial intelligence space</a>.
What Happened: OpenAI on Wednesday announced that it raised $6.6 billion at a post-money valuation of $157 billion to accelerate progress on&nbsp;AI research, increase compute capacity and continue building tools to solve complex problems. OpenAI was valued around <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/02/37191268/openai-employees-given-green-light-to-sell-shares-at-whopping-86b-valuation-report">$86 billion earlier this year</a> when employees opted to offload existing shares. 
&#8220;Across industries, businesses are improving productivity and operations, and developers are leveraging our platform to create a new generation of applications. And we're only getting started,&#8221; the AI company said in a statement.
OpenAI&#8217;s ChatGPT is the fastest-growing consumer application in history, as it was estimated to have reached 100 million monthly active users within two months of launch. The company was seeing an average of about 13 million unique visitors per day at that time, per Reuters.
OpenAI said Wednesday that more than 250 million people across the globe are currently using ChatGPT daily to enhance their work, creativity and learning. 
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/41087674/openais-searchgpt-set-to-disrupt-googles-search-empire-as-former-engineer-sounds-alarm-on-deteriorat">OpenAI&#8217;s SearchGPT Set To Disrupt Google&#8217;s Search Empire As Former Engineer Sounds Alarm On Deteriorating User Experience Amid Rising Competition</a>
Why It Matters: According to a Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-02/openai-has-closed-new-funding-round-raising-over-6-5-billion?srnd=homepage-americas&amp;sref=TBDibEcD">report</a> citing people familiar with the matter, OpenAI&#8217;s new funding deal is one of the largest private investments ever alongside SpaceX and TikTok parent ByteDance.
The funding was reportedly <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/financing/24/08/40614817/openai-on-cusp-of-raising-billions-in-new-venture-capital-round-valuation-spikes-to-100b-report">led by</a>&nbsp;Thrive Capital. Previous reports suggested the venture capital firm would invest at least $1 billion. OpenAI was also reportedly in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/08/40636153/apple-in-talks-to-invest-in-openai-as-chatgpt-makers-valuation-climbs-to-100b-report">funding talks</a> with Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) and Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>). 
Apple ended up pulling out of discussions early, but separate reports suggested <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41134540/after-apple-reportedly-backed-out-softbank-eyes-500m-investment-in-chatgpt-parent-pushing-valuation">SoftBank</a> was looking to step into the deal. Microsoft has been the main backer of OpenAI to date, having invested $13 billion in the AI company over the past five years.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41134540/after-apple-reportedly-backed-out-softbank-eyes-500m-investment-in-chatgpt-parent-pushing-valuation">After Apple Reportedly Backed Out, SoftBank Eyes $500M Investment In ChatGPT Parent, Pushing Valuation To $150B</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

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OpenAI Valuation Soars To $157B In Latest Funding Round

As the 2024 elections heat up, a look at the data reveals that publicly traded companies are indirectly supporting cannabis legalization efforts by funneling millions of dollars into Democratic candidates&#8217; campaigns.&nbsp;
This alignment could prove significant for the industry, particularly as Democratic candidate <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/09/41106120/kamala-harris-we-need-to-legalize-cannabis-vp-says-for-first-time-as-presidential-candidate-in-a">Kamala Harris</a> reiterated that cannabis should be legalized nationwide.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/09/41106120/kamala-harris-we-need-to-legalize-cannabis-vp-says-for-first-time-as-presidential-candidate-in-a">Kamala Harris: &#8216;We Need to Legalize&#8217; Cannabis, VP Says For First Time As Presidential Candidate In &#8216;All The Smoke&#8217; Podcast</a>
<ul>
<li>Get Benzinga&#8217;s exclusive analysis and the top news about the cannabis industry and markets daily in your inbox for free. Subscribe to our newsletter&nbsp;<a href="https://newsletteremail.benzinga.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>. You can't afford to miss out if you&#8217;re serious about the business.</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Corporate Giants </h3>
Big-name companies like Google (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>), Microsoft (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), and Netflix (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) are among those whose employees have poured large sums into Democratic coffers.&nbsp;
According to <a href="https://www.quiverquant.com/">Quiver Quantitative</a>, a data platform that tracks political donations, Google&#8217;s workforce contributed $4.1 million to Democrats, compared to just $629,778 to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/09/40879364/young-republicans-break-ranks-to-back-cannabis-legalization-is-the-gop-ready-for-a-shift-in-the-">Republicans</a>. Similarly, Microsoft employees sent $3.45 million to Democrats, dwarfing their $876,320 to Republicans.&nbsp;
Netflix stands out with $4.47 million exclusively to Democrats, revealing a clear preference among tech giants.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="560" height="591" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/01183749/election-donations.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-575612" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/01183749/election-donations.jpg 560w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/01183749/election-donations-284x300.jpg 284w" sizes="(max-width: 560px) 100vw, 560px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Image via<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DAjbdT3yITo/"> Quiver Quantitative </a></figcaption></figure>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Financial Industry Weighs In</h3>
Financial powerhouses like Blackstone (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BX#NYSE">BX</a>) and Charles Schwab (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SCHW#NYSE">SCHW</a>) also show their leanings. Blackstone, traditionally seen as conservative, donated over $1 million to Democrats but still favored Republicans with over $6 million.&nbsp;
Meanwhile, Charles Schwab employees contributed $2.98 million solely to Democratic campaigns.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Democratic Funding </h3>
With over $20 million directed toward Democratic<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/09/40712816/what-trump-learned-about-marijuana-that-desantis-did-not-and-why-the-gop-might-become-weed-frien"> candidates </a>across industries, cannabis legalization could receive a much-needed push.&nbsp;
Notably, contributions from companies like Palantir (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NYSE">PLTR</a>) and Arista Networks (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ANET#NYSE">ANET</a>) demonstrate the industry&#8217;s broader support, with Palantir employees donating $2.26 million to Democrats, compared to $1.05 million to Republicans.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/09/40753138/how-google-ai-and-digital-marketing-are-changing-weed-retailing-for-good-how-you-can-and-should-">How Google, AI, And Digital Marketing Are Changing Weed Retailing For Good, How You Can And Should Adapt</a>
Disclaimer: This data, includes donations to all PACs as of September 30, mapped to parties based on their expenditures. It is heavily influenced by company executives, who often make multi-million dollar Super PAC donations. Donations to PACs with mixed expenditures between parties are not included.

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How Google, Microsoft And Netflix Are Fueling Cannabis Legalization With Millions In Donations

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Information Technology sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>10/04/24</td>
<td>$117.00</td>
<td>$50.2K</td>
<td>25.4K</td>
<td>42.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AMD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>10/04/24</td>
<td>$160.00</td>
<td>$25.7K</td>
<td>10.6K</td>
<td>37.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>11/15/24</td>
<td>$110.00</td>
<td>$25.7K</td>
<td>10.4K</td>
<td>3.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TSM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>10/25/24</td>
<td>$190.00</td>
<td>$45.0K</td>
<td>780</td>
<td>2.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSFT</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>10/18/24</td>
<td>$420.00</td>
<td>$54.3K</td>
<td>4.4K</td>
<td>1.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CRM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>10/04/24</td>
<td>$275.00</td>
<td>$27.6K</td>
<td>763</td>
<td>936</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>INTC</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$22.50</td>
<td>$28.1K</td>
<td>13.9K</td>
<td>377</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$170.00</td>
<td>$428.5K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
<td>206</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>APPN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$40.00</td>
<td>$26.4K</td>
<td>63</td>
<td>103</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ADSK</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>11/15/24</td>
<td>$280.00</td>
<td>$66.0K</td>
<td>262</td>
<td>91</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding NVDA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 2 day(s) on October 4, 2024. Parties traded 433 contract(s) at a $117.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 10 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $50.2K, with a price of $116.0 per contract. There were 25469 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 42110 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AMD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 2 day(s) on October 4, 2024. This event was a transfer of 100 contract(s) at a $160.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $25.7K, with a price of $257.0 per contract. There were 10676 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 37632 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MU (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 44 day(s) on November 15, 2024. Parties traded 89 contract(s) at a $110.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 9 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $25.7K, with a price of $289.0 per contract. There were 10409 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3151 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding TSM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>), we observe a call option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 23 day(s) on October 25, 2024. Parties traded 150 contract(s) at a $190.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $45.0K, with a price of $300.0 per contract. There were 780 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2056 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MSFT (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 16 day(s) on October 18, 2024. This event was a transfer of 75 contract(s) at a $420.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $54.3K, with a price of $725.0 per contract. There were 4416 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1516 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For CRM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 2 day(s) on October 4, 2024. This event was a transfer of 39 contract(s) at a $275.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $27.6K, with a price of $710.0 per contract. There were 763 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 936 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding INTC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 107 day(s) on January 17, 2025. Parties traded 100 contract(s) at a $22.50 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.1K, with a price of $281.0 per contract. There were 13989 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 377 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MSTR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 170 day(s) on March 21, 2025. Parties traded 100 contract(s) at a $170.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $428.5K, with a price of $4285.0 per contract. There were 1030 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 206 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding APPN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APPN#NASDAQ">APPN</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 142 day(s) on February 21, 2025. Parties traded 103 contract(s) at a $40.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $26.4K, with a price of $257.0 per contract. There were 63 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 103 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding ADSK (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ADSK#NASDAQ">ADSK</a>), we observe a call option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 44 day(s) on November 15, 2024. Parties traded 100 contract(s) at a $280.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $66.0K, with a price of $660.0 per contract. There were 262 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 91 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more about unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Options

ADSK

APPN

INTC

MSTR

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

<a href="https://www.theinformation.com/briefings/openai-employees-may-get-to-sell-shares-after-6-6-billion-round-says-cfo" title="https://www.theinformation.com/briefings/openai-employees-may-get-to-sell-shares-after-6-6-billion-round-says-cfo">https://www.theinformation.com/briefings/openai-employees-may-get-to-sell-shares-after-6-6-billion-round-says-cfo</a>

'OpenAI Employees May Get to Sell Shares After $6.6B Round, Says CFO' - The Information

OpenAI Raises $6.6B At $157B Valuation, Microsoft, Nvidia, Thrive Capital Participated

Whales with a lot of money to spend have taken a noticeably bullish stance on Microsoft.
Looking at options history for Microsoft (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) we detected 71 trades.
If we consider the specifics of each trade, it is accurate to state that 45% of the investors opened trades with bullish expectations and 38% with bearish.
From the overall spotted trades, 31 are puts, for a total amount of $2,005,638 and 40, calls, for a total amount of $2,078,899.
<h3>What's The Price Target?</h3>
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $150.0 to $475.0 for Microsoft over the last 3 months. 
<h3>Insights into Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
Looking at the volume and open interest is a powerful move while trading options. This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Microsoft's options for a given strike price. Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of Microsoft's whale trades within a strike price range from $150.0 to $475.0 in the last 30 days. 
<h3>Microsoft Call and Put Volume: 30-Day Overview</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1727885823_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Biggest Options Spotted:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>MSFT</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>11/15/24</td>
<td>$2.29</td>
<td>$2.24</td>
<td>$2.25</td>
<td>$365.00</td>
<td>$225.0K</td>
<td>1.4K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSFT</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$21.25</td>
<td>$21.1</td>
<td>$21.1</td>
<td>$440.00</td>
<td>$198.2K</td>
<td>1.8K</td>
<td>109</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSFT</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$46.75</td>
<td>$46.35</td>
<td>$46.35</td>
<td>$450.00</td>
<td>$162.2K</td>
<td>952</td>
<td>37</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSFT</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$46.8</td>
<td>$46.5</td>
<td>$46.5</td>
<td>$450.00</td>
<td>$139.5K</td>
<td>952</td>
<td>103</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSFT</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>08/15/25</td>
<td>$38.15</td>
<td>$37.8</td>
<td>$38.15</td>
<td>$430.00</td>
<td>$110.6K</td>
<td>78</td>
<td>33</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Microsoft</h3>
Microsoft develops and licenses consumer and enterprise software. It is known for its Windows operating systems and Office productivity suite. The company is organized into three equally sized broad segments: productivity and business processes (legacy Microsoft Office, cloud-based Office 365, Exchange, SharePoint, Skype, LinkedIn, Dynamics), intelligence cloud (infrastructure- and platform-as-a-service offerings Azure, Windows Server OS, SQL Server), and more personal computing (Windows Client, Xbox, Bing search, display advertising, and Surface laptops, tablets, and desktops).
In light of the recent options history for Microsoft, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.
<h3>Present Market Standing of Microsoft</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a trading volume of 6,217,284, the price of MSFT is down by -0.52%, reaching $418.51.</li>
<li>Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be approaching overbought.</li>
<li>Next earnings report is scheduled for 20 days from now.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Professional Analyst Ratings for Microsoft</h3>
A total of 3 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $485.3333333333333.
Turn $1000 into $1270 in just 20 days?
20-year pro options trader reveals his one-line chart technique that shows when to buy and sell. Copy his trades, which have had averaged a 27% profit every 20 days. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/options-moneyline-2/?t=Moop1arja3be22op14&amp;utm_source=benzinga-insights">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from DA Davidson keeps a Neutral rating on Microsoft with a target price of $475. 
&#x2A; Reflecting concerns, an analyst from DA Davidson lowers its rating to Neutral with a new price target of $475. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Morgan Stanley persists with their Overweight rating on Microsoft, maintaining a target price of $506. 
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Microsoft, <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> gives you real-time options trades alerts.

A Closer Look at Microsoft's Options Market Dynamics

Salesforce Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>) recently received an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/41012804/salesforces-free-cash-flow-could-double-by-2029-amid-ai-push-analyst-says-while-upgrading-stock">upgrade from Piper Sandler analysts</a>.
The company&#8217;s AgentForce platform is now "on par" with Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), according to Northland Capital Partners.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings/analyst/591479b9290fa7000138e4b7/nehal-chokshi">Analyst Nehal Chokshi</a> upgraded the rating for Salesforce to Outperform, while raising the price target from $270 to $400.
The Salesforce Thesis: On Sept. 12, the company officially rolled out AgentForce. The platform enables users to deploy GenAI agents into sales, service, marketing and commerce workflows.
Check out <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-stock-ratings">other analyst stock ratings</a>.
AgentForce is powered by the Atlas engine, which eliminates the need to write code to build agents, while also having the ability to determine when to leverage human expertise, which is "a significant development in the field of autonomous agents," Chokshi said.
Salesforce is pricing AgentForce on a consumption basis, which aims at capturing a portion of the value GenAI creates for end customers. This could increase the software TAM (total addressable market) by $3.2 trillion, representing a 4x increase, the analyst stated.
CRM Price Action: Shares of Salesforce had risen by 1.24% to $7.83 at the time of publication on Wednesday.
Read More: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/09/41046002/salesforce-analyst-sees-ai-as-a-tailwind-stakeholders-fed-up-with-dual-mandate">Salesforce Analyst Sees AI As A Tailwind, Stakeholders &#8216;Fed Up&#8217; With Dual Mandate</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Salesforce

Salesforce's GenAI Platform AgentForce 'On Par' With Microsoft: Analyst

To gain an edge, this is what you need to know today.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://thearorareport.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-10-02_09h01_16.png" alt="" style="width:624px" /></figure>
<h4 class="wp-block-heading">The Power Of Missile Defense</h4>
Please <a href="https://thearorareport.com/chart-analysis-stock-market-raytheon-missile-defense-iron-dome-patriot-rtx-mc-10022024">click here</a> for an enlarged chart of Rtx Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RTX#NYSE">RTX</a>).
Note the following:
<ul>
<li>This article is about the big picture, not an individual stock. The chart of RTX stock is being used to illustrate the point.</li>
<li>Yesterday, Iran fired about 180 ballistic missiles on Israel.  Israel and the U.S. were able to intercept most of these missiles with missile defense systems. These missiles reached Israel in 12 minutes. The defense was impressive considering there were no fatalities.</li>
<li>What happened in Israel yesterday shows the power of missile defense systems and illustrates the opportunity for investors in missile defense stocks.</li>
<li>As full disclosure, RTX is in The Arora Report&#8217;s ZYX Buy Core Model Portfolio. RTX is The Arora Report's favorite missile defense stock.&nbsp;</li>
<li>The chart shows that RTX has broken out on the success of missile defense in Israel.</li>
<li>RTX is a joint developer of the Iron Dome used in Israel. RTX is best known for its Patriot Air And Missile Defense System.  RTX also produces several other missile defense systems and aircraft engines.</li>
<li>RTX entered The Arora Report portfolio when the stock experienced a massive drop on the news of cracks in Pratt &amp; Whitney engines. The Arora Report uses over 50 different strategies. RTX belongs to the strategy of buying a good company where the stock is down due to a fixable technical problem.</li>
<li>The chart shows the power of buy zones.  Buy zones allow investors to buy stocks and ETFs when the probability adjusted risk reward is more favorable.  Risk and reward are two sides of the same coin in investing. Smart money focuses on risk adjusted returns. In contrast, the momo crowd focuses only on rewards – the result is that the momo crowd goes through volatile cycles of making money and losing money, and in the end, accumulating far less than smart money.</li>
<li>The chart illustrates the power of a billionaire and hedge fund technique known as a trade around position.&nbsp; A trade around position can dramatically increase profits and reduce risks.</li>
<li>The chart shows that the RTX trade around position was started at an average of $80.70. The position has over 50% gain as of this writing.  The trade around position is separate and distinct from the core position.</li>
<li>Peace is not about to break out in the world.&nbsp; As such, all investors should consider a defense stock or ETF in their portfolio.</li>
<li>For those interested in ETFs, The Arora Report&#8217;s ETF of choice is iShares US Aerospace &amp; Defense ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ITA#BATS">ITA</a>).&nbsp; As full disclosure, ITA is in The Arora Report&#8217;s ZYX Allocation Model Portfolio.&nbsp;</li>
<li>Automatic Data Processing Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ADP#NASDAQ">ADP</a>) is the largest private payroll processor in the country.&nbsp; ADP uses its data to provide a glimpse of the employment picture ahead of the official jobs report that will be released on Friday.&nbsp; ADP employment change came at 143K vs. 120K consensus.&nbsp; This indicates that the jobs picture is staying strong.</li>
<li>Previously, JOLTS job openings came at 8.04M, higher than expectations.</li>
<li>&nbsp;ISM Manufacturing Index came at 47.2 vs. 47.4 consensus.</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Buying Stampede</h3>
Stocks are experiencing a once in a century buying stampede in Hong Kong.  Stocks in Hong Kong rose 7%. Property developers rose 47%, and broker stocks rose 35%.  As full disclosure, Hong Kong ETF iShares China Large-Cap ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FXI#NYSE">FXI</a>) is in The Arora Report&#8217;s ZYX Emerging.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Magnificent Seven Money Flows</h3>
In the early trade, money flows are neutral in Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) and Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>).
In the early trade, money flows are negative in &nbsp;Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), Alphabet Inc Class C (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>), NVIDIA Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), and Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>).
In the early trade, money flows are negative in SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1 (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>).
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Momo Crowd And Smart Money In Stocks</h3>
Investors can gain an edge by knowing money flows in SPY and QQQ.  Investors can get a bigger edge by knowing when smart money is buying stocks, gold, and oil.  The most popular ETF for gold is SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GLD#NYSE">GLD</a>).  The most popular ETF for silver is iShares Silver Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SLV#NYSE">SLV</a>). The most popular ETF for oil is United States Oil ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/USO#NYSE">USO</a>).
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Bitcoin</h3>
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) is seeing selling along with junk stocks.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Protection Band And What To Do Now</h3>
It is important for investors to look ahead and not in the rearview mirror.
Consider continuing to hold good, very long term, existing positions. Based on individual risk preference, consider a protection band consisting of cash or Treasury bills or short-term tactical trades as well as short to medium term hedges and short term hedges. This is a good way to protect yourself and participate in the upside at the same time.
You can determine your protection bands by adding cash to hedges. The high band of the protection is appropriate for those who are older or conservative. The low band of the protection is appropriate for those who are younger or aggressive. If you do not hedge, the total cash level should be more than stated above but significantly less than cash plus hedges.
A protection band of 0% would be very bullish and would indicate full investment with 0% in cash. A protection band of 100% would be very bearish and would indicate a need for aggressive protection with cash and hedges or aggressive short selling.
It is worth reminding that you cannot take advantage of new upcoming opportunities if you are not holding enough cash.  When adjusting hedge levels, consider adjusting partial stop quantities for stock positions (non ETF); consider using wider stops on remaining quantities and also allowing more room for high beta stocks. High beta stocks are the ones that move more than the market.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Traditional 60/40 Portfolio</h3>
Probability based risk reward adjusted for inflation does not favor long duration strategic bond allocation at this time.
Those who want to stick to traditional 60% allocation to stocks and 40% to bonds may consider focusing on only high quality bonds and bonds of five year duration or less.&nbsp; Those willing to bring sophistication to their investing may consider using bond ETFs as tactical positions and not strategic positions at this time.
The Arora Report is known for its accurate calls. The Arora Report correctly called the big artificial intelligence rally before anyone else, the new bull market of 2023, the bear market of 2022, new stock market highs right after the virus low in 2020, the virus drop in 2020, the DJIA rally to 30,000 when it was trading at 16,000, the start of a mega bull market in 2009, and the financial crash of 2008. Please click here to sign up for a free forever <a href="https://thearorareport.com/generate-wealth-newsletter-benzinga">Generate Wealth Newsletter</a>.

Market Summary

ETFs

General

$BTC

iShares Dow Jones US Aerospace & Defense Index Fund

TSLA

Opportunity In Missile Defense Stocks, Once In A Century Buying Stampede In Hong Kong

Global

Microsoft To Invest €4.3 Billion To Strengthen AI Infrastructure And Cloud Capacity In Italy

Good Morning Traders! In today&#39;s Market Clubhouse Morning Memo, we will discuss SPY, QQQ, AAPL, MSFT, NVDA, GOOGL, META, and TSLA.
Our proprietary formula, exclusive to Market Clubhouse, dictates these price levels. This dynamic equation takes into account price, volume, and options flow. These levels are updated every day and shared with all Clubhouse Members, prior to the opening of the market.
We recommend closely monitoring these stocks, and be prepared to leverage potential breakouts or reversals. As always, stay alert and ready to adjust your tactics based on the market&#39;s pulse to optimize your trading gains. Now, let&#39;s dive into the stock analysis:
<h3>SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust </h3>
SPY (ARCA: SPY) is trading near our key level of 567.81. For bullish momentum, we&rsquo;d like to see a push higher to the next target of 569.16. Should this level hold firmly, buyers might aim to elevate the price to the 569.98 support. If this support holds through regular trading hours, it opens the door for an additional climb toward 571.06. Our high bull target for SPY stands at 572.15.
If 567.81 fails as support, the bears will likely attempt to test 566.46. If selling pressure persists, we can anticipate a further move down to 565.38. A decisive breakdown from there might lead to a test of 564.29, with a sharp sell-off potentially targeting the low bear level of 563.23.
<h3>Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1 </h3>
The QQQ (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/qqq#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) is currently trading around 481.73. For bulls to maintain control, we need buyers to hold the line above this level, driving the price toward 483.95. A solid move above 483.95 could signal a path to higher levels, with 486.10 acting as the next upside target. If momentum is sustained, expect the price to reach the 487.69 resistance, with the high bull target for today at 490.05.
On the flip side, failure to hold 481.73 could see the bears gaining traction, sending the price to 479.03. Continued selling pressure might lead to further downside, testing the 476.85 level. Should this support break, we expect a potential decline toward 474.66, with a final bear target at 471.33.
<h3>Apple Inc. </h3>
Apple&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/aapl#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) is currently auctioning near 225.31. Bulls will look to hold this level and aim for a push to 226.08, reinforcing it as a key support zone. If buying continues, the next move would likely target 226.90, with bullish momentum bringing a possible test of the 227.82 high bull target for the day.
However, if 225.31 doesn&rsquo;t hold, we can expect a test of 223.87 on the downside. Continued selling could drive the price lower to 222.96. A break below this level might lead to a further drop toward 222.24, with a potential low bear target at 221.66.
<h3>Microsoft Corp.</h3>
Microsoft&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/msft#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) is currently trading around 419.17. Bulls will aim to defend this level, seeking a rally up to 420.26. If the price stabilizes above this point, buyers could push for a run toward 421.62, with continued momentum targeting the 422.84 high bull level for the day.
If 419.17 fails as support, bears may take control and push the price down to 417.25. Should this level break, expect a further decline to 416.32. Continued downside pressure could lead to a test of 414.56, with a final bear target of 413.14 for the day.
<h3>NVIDIA Corporation</h3>
NVIDIA&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/nvda#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) is currently trading near our key level of 115.83. For bulls to take charge, they&rsquo;ll need to push the price to 116.61 and hold it as support. A solid move higher could target 117.86, with buying momentum potentially lifting the price to 119.44. The high bull target for today is 120.27.
If 115.83 doesn&rsquo;t hold, we&rsquo;ll be watching for a test of 115.15 on the downside. If selling pressure increases, the next level to watch is 114.29. A breakdown here might lead to further weakness, with the low bear target at 112.54.
<h3>Alphabet Inc Class A</h3>
Alphabet&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/googl#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) is currently auctioning around 167.04. Bulls need to maintain support at this level and push higher to 169.34. If they succeed, a rally could extend to 171.14, which stands as the high bull target for today.
If 167.04 doesn&rsquo;t hold, bears could step in and drive the price lower to 165.41. A break below this level might trigger additional selling down to 163.79. A significant decline could result in testing the low bear target of 161.79.
<h3>Meta Platforms Inc</h3>
Meta&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/meta#NASDAQ">META</a>) is currently trading around 573.25. Bulls need to hold this level as support to push higher toward 580.17. A strong buying session could see further gains to 585.73, with bullish momentum potentially reaching the high bull target of 591.29.
If 573.25 breaks down, we can expect a test of 565.53. Bears might intensify selling pressure, driving the price lower to 559.29. If this level gives way, the low bear target for Meta today is 553.05.
<h3>Tesla Inc.</h3>
Tesla&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/tsla#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) is trading around 256.34. Bulls will aim to hold this level and push toward 257.56. If the buying momentum continues, expect Tesla to test the next resistance at 259.81. With a strong market rally, we might see Tesla hit 262.68, with a high bull target at 264.46.
If Tesla fails to hold 256.34, we could see a test of 254.28. Continued selling pressure may drive the price to 252.38. A break below this level could lead to a deeper pullback, targeting the low bear level of 250.25.
Final Word: Today&rsquo;s trading session starts with the Non-Farm Employment Change at 8:15 AM ET, a key labor market indicator that often sets the tone for the day. Following that, Fed&rsquo;s Hammack speaks at 9:00 AM ET, potentially providing more clarity on future monetary policy. At 11:00 AM ET, Fed Governor Bowman, a voting member, will address the Community Banking Research Conference, which could offer further insights into the central bank&rsquo;s thinking.&nbsp;
At 12:15 PM ET, Fed&#39;s Barkin, another voting member, is scheduled to speak at the Wilmington Biz Conference and Expo, potentially adding to market volatility. Given the importance of the data releases and multiple Fed speakers throughout the day, expect significant price swings and volatility. Traders should remain alert and manage risk carefully, as today&rsquo;s action could be highly reactive to new information. Stay disciplined, trade cautiously, and good luck!
The Morning Memo is curated by RIPS, a pro trader with years of experience in equities, options, and futures trading. RIPS is at the heart of the exclusive Market Clubhouse community, offering his insights, expertise, and real-time mentorship.
Start your day with a live daily market analysis, a carefully selected watch list, early access to the Morning Memo, and exclusive Market Clubhouse price levels, providing precise support and resistance indicators. When you become a member of Market Clubhouse, you will gain early access to the Morning Memo, just like this one, every single day&mdash;hours before it&#39;s published. You will also have access to a live stream with zero latency and screen sharing, enabling you to witness Rips executing his trades in real-time and sharing his exclusive trading plans, strategies, and live decision-making.
For a limited time during our special promotion, you can join RIPS and get a full access pass to Market Clubhouse for 7 full days for just $7. Check it out at <a href="https://marketclubhouse.club/7Days/" title="https://marketclubhouse.club/7Days/">https://marketclubhouse.club/7Days/</a> where you can trade live with him and tap into his wealth of knowledge and experience. You can also catch Rips on his live day trading streams every Monday-Friday at 8 am EST on the Market Clubhouse YouTube channel: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@MarketClubhouse" title="https://www.youtube.com/@MarketClubhouse">https://www.youtube.com/@MarketClubhouse</a>.
This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga's reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.

Market Clubhouse Morning Memo - October 2nd, 2024 (Trade Strategy For SPY, QQQ, AAPL, MSFT, NVDA, GOOGL, META And TSLA)

The U.S. private sector added 143,000 jobs in September, surpassing expectations of 124,000 jobs and reflecting a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/labor-market">rebound in job creation</a> following a five-month slowdown, according to the latest ADP National Employment Report released on Wednesday. 
Pay growth for both job-stayers and job-changers continued to slow, indicating a cooling labor market. Notably, the manufacturing sector added jobs for the first time since April, while job losses were confined to the information sector.
"Stronger hiring didn't require stronger pay growth last month," said Nela Richardson, ADP's chief economist. "Typically, workers who change jobs see faster pay growth. But their premium over job-stayers shrank to 1.9 percent, matching a low we last saw in January."
The ADP report is often viewed as a preview of the government's official jobs data, set to be released on Friday.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">ADP National Employment Report: Key Highlights</h3>
<ul>
<li>Private employers added 143,000 jobs in September.</li>
<li>Goods-producing sectors added 42,000 jobs, with 14,000 in natural resources/mining and 26,000 in construction.</li>
<li>Service-providing sectors saw 101,000 new jobs, with 34,000 added in leisure/hospitality and 20,000 in professional/business services.</li>
<li>Job-stayers&#8217; annual pay growth slowed to 4.7%, while job-changers&#8217; pay gains fell to 6.6%.</li>
<li>The South led all U.S. regions, adding 61,000 jobs, while small establishments (1-19 employees) lost 13,000 jobs.</li>
<li>Large establishments (500+ employees) saw the most growth, with 86,000 jobs added.</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Market Reactions</h3>
<ul>
<li>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 0.12%.</li>
<li>Gold, as tracked by the SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GLD#NYSE">GLD</a>), fell 0.45%.</li>
<li>Futures on U.S. equity indices fell during the premarket trading Wednesday. Contracts on the Nasdaq 100 and the S&amp;P 500 were down by 0.07% and 0.23%, respectively, by 8:20 a.m. ET.</li>
<li>On Tuesday, the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) closed 0.9% lower, while the tech-heavy Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) was down 1.39%.</li>
</ul>
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41132441/billionaire-investor-who-predicted-2000-2008-crashes-says-market-euphoria-will-top-soon-warns-of-bla">Billionaire Investor Who Predicted 2000, 2008 Crashes Says Market Euphoria Will Top Soon, Warns Of &#8216;Black Swan Event&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.

Econ #s

Federal Reserve

PowerShares DB US Dollar Index Bullish Fund

Private Sector Job Gains Outpace Forecasts In September As US Adds 143,000 Jobs

Nvidia&nbsp;Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) recently made significant product launches amid a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41119735/nvidia-faces-new-competition-cerebras-files-for-ipo-huawei-pushes-ai-chips" rel="noreferrer noopener">volatile run as </a>the Street factors in the company&#8217;s customer concentration and delays in product releases like its&nbsp;Blackwell GPUs.
The chip designer launched an open-source artificial intelligence model, intensifying rivalry with Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) backed ChatGPT parent OpenAI and Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) Google, Venture Beat <a target="_blank" href="https://venturebeat.com/ai/nvidia-just-dropped-a-bombshell-its-new-ai-model-is-open-massive-and-ready-to-rival-gpt-4/" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>.
Nvidia&#8217;s new&nbsp;NVLM 1.0&nbsp;family of large multimodal language models also enhances text-only capabilities in addition to vision and language tasks.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/10/41127863/despite-nvidia-selloff-bidens-law-and-taiwan-semis-advantage-offer-growth-potential" rel="noreferrer noopener">Despite Nvidia Selloff, Biden&#8217;s Law and Taiwan Semi&#8217;s Advantage Offer Growth Potential</a>
Nvidia also launched its new Unreal Engine 5 on-device plugins for&nbsp;Nvidia Ace at&nbsp;Unreal Fest Seattle 2024, helping build and deploy AI-powered MetaHuman characters on Windows PCs, Venture Beat <a target="_blank" href="https://venturebeat.com/ai/nvidia-releases-plugins-to-improve-digital-human-realism-on-unreal-engine-5/" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>.
Developers can now access a new Audio2Face-3D plugin for AI-powered facial animations in Autodesk, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ADSK#NASDAQ">ADSK</a>)
Maya.&nbsp;
Nvidia stock lost over 4% in the last five days since China retaliated against U.S. artificial intelligence technology sanctions by urging its companies to reach out to domestic chipmakers instead of Nvidia. Huawei Technologies has started tapping Nvidia&#8217;s Chinese hyperscalar customers by offering them Ascend 910C processor samples.
Nvidia stock has risen over 161% in the last 12 months as US hyperscalars continue to drive up demand for its AI chips.
Investors can gain exposure to Nvidia through ProShares Ultra Semiconductors (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/USD#NYSE">USD</a>) and Invesco PHLX Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOXQ#NASDAQ">SOXQ</a>).
Price Action: NVDA stock is down 0.62% at $116.27 premarket at last check Wednesday.
Also Read:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40980388/amd-chief-predicts-custom-chips-will-outperform-gpus-sees-shift-in-ai-chip-demand-report" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">AMD Chief Predicts Custom Chips Will Outperform GPUs, Sees Shift in AI Chip Demand: Report</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock

SOXQ

Nvidia Expands AI Offerings with New Open-Source Models and Unreal Engine 5 Plugins

Ahead of the latest Windows 11 update, users are reporting significant issues that could disrupt their workflow. Here&#8217;s what you need to know about the problem and how to address it.
What Happened: According to Microsoft Corp.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/daveywinder/2024/10/02/microsoft-issues-new-windows-11-blue-screen-warning-for-all-users/?ref=biztoc.com">update</a> released on Sep. 26, the latest Windows 11 update has been causing some devices to restart multiple times or become unresponsive with blue or green screens.
Microsoft reported that affected devices might automatically open the Automatic Repair tool after repeated restart attempts. In some instances, BitLocker recovery can also be triggered. The company is currently investigating the issue and will provide updates as more information becomes available.
The problematic update applies to Windows 11 Enterprise and Education, version 22H2, and Windows 11 version 23H2, all editions. Users experiencing these issues are advised to follow Microsoft&#8217;s guidelines for a temporary fix.
To address the problem, Microsoft suggests using the <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-client/group-policy/use-group-policy-to-deploy-known-issue-rollback">Known Issue Rollback</a> (KIR) technology, which allows users to roll back specific changes applied by nonsecurity updates without uninstalling the entire update. This rollback is temporary and will no longer be necessary once a new update is released to fix the issue.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/41087287/elon-musk-responds-after-y-combinators-paul-graham-says-twitter-name-change-was-a-waste-of-time-you?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Responds After Y Combinator&#8217;s Paul Graham Says Twitter Name Change &#8216;Was A Waste Of Time:&#8217; &#8216;You&nbsp;Know Nothing&#8217;</a>
Microsoft continues to support Enterprise and Education editions of Windows 11 after Oct. 8. However, Home and Pro editions of Windows 11, version 22H2, will reach the end of service on that date and will only receive security updates until then.
Why It Matters: This isn&#8217;t the first time has faced issues with its updates. Back in July, a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/07/39854612/windows-pcs-crash-worldwide-with-users-experiencing-blue-screen-of-death-issue-crowdstrike-updat">faulty update</a> from CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRWD#NASDAQ">CRWD</a>) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/07/39854612/windows-pcs-crash-worldwide-with-users-experiencing-blue-screen-of-death-issue-crowdstrike-updat">caused a global IT outage</a>, leading to the infamous Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) for many users. This incident was considered one of the largest IT outages in history, affecting critical infrastructure worldwide, including airlines, banks, and media services.
In a LinkedIn post, Jen Easterly, director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39875506/crowdstrikes-faulty-microsoft-windows-update-gets-slammed-by-us-cybersecurity-official-was-a-huge-de">criticized the Crowdstrike update</a> as a &#8220;serious mistake&#8221; and emphasized its significant impact on global operations. The CEO of CrowdStrike, George Kurtz, took full responsibility and committed to resolving the issue collaboratively.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/41078848/openai-execs-feared-chatgpt-parent-would-collapse-after-departure-of-ilya-sutskever-tried-to-woo-him?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">OpenAI Execs Feared ChatGPT-Parent Would Collapse After Departure Of Ilya Sutskever, Tried To Woo Him Back And Almost Succeeded: Report</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

CRWD

Another Blue Screen Day? Microsoft's Windows 11 Reboot Might Cause Temporary Glitches. Here's How To Fix Them

Masayoshi Son-led SoftBank Group Corporation (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFTBF#OTC">SFTBF</a>)&nbsp;has reportedly re-committed to a $500 million investment in ChatGPT-parent&nbsp;OpenAI.
What Happened: This investment forms part of a larger $6.5 billion funding round, catapulting OpenAI&#8217;s valuation to a staggering $150 billion, <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/b1efdc2a-4dbc-40cc-920e-2cf389d261e8">reported</a> Financial Times, citing two people with knowledge of the deal.
The investment will be made through SoftBank&#8217;s second Vision Fund, primarily backed by the personal wealth of the company&#8217;s leader, Son.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/41087674/openais-searchgpt-set-to-disrupt-googles-search-empire-as-former-engineer-sounds-alarm-on-deteriorat?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">OpenAI&#8217;s SearchGPT Set To Disrupt Google&#8217;s Search Empire As Former Engineer Sounds Alarm On Deteriorating User Experience Amid Rising Competition</a>
This move will add SoftBank to the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/08/40636153/apple-in-talks-to-invest-in-openai-as-chatgpt-makers-valuation-climbs-to-100b-report">list of existing investors</a>, which includes Thrive Capital and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>).
Despite the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/41059344/sam-altman-hits-back-at-trolls-after-mira-muratis-openai-exit-explains-executive-drain-as-natural-we">high-profile departures</a> from OpenAI and potential corporate restructuring, investors remain optimistic about the company&#8217;s ability to push the boundaries&nbsp;of AI technology, the report noted.
They are&nbsp;betting on OpenAI&#8217;s potential to outperform big tech rivals like&nbsp;Google and Meta, as well&nbsp;as startups&nbsp;such as Anthropic and Mistral.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It Matters: Son has previously referred to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/09/34682813/softbanks-masayoshi-son-is-chatgpt-heavy-user-explores-investing-in-openai-after-bumper-arm-ipo">himself as an avid user</a> of OpenAI's chat service and has formed a strong connection with the company's CEO, Sam Altman.
He considers Altman to be one of the most influential figures in the world and has said that they communicate daily. 
SoftBank already works with OpenAI in Japan, helping local businesses create advanced chatbots.
Last month, Apple design legend Sir Jony Ive also confirmed his collaboration with OpenAI on a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40973399/apples-former-design-maestro-jony-ive-confirms-hes-joined-forces-with-openais-sam-altman-for-a-new-a">new AI hardware project</a>. Earlier, it was reported that Altman and Ive are seeking to secure $1 billion in funding from SoftBank for their new venture.
Meanwhile, Apple has reportedly <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/41078582/tim-cook-led-apple-reportedly-abandons-openai-funding-round-discussions-but-nvidia-and-microsoft-cou">pulled out of talks to invest</a> in OpenAI's upcoming funding round. The withdrawal occurred at the last minute, just ahead of the funding round's expected closure.
Image via ChatGPT
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/41108345/apples-satellite-messaging-feature-emerges-as-lifeline-after-hurricane-helene-leaves-thousands-witho?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple&#8217;s Satellite Messaging Feature Emerges As Lifeline After Hurricane Helene Leaves Thousands Without Cell Phone Service: Here&#8217;s How You Can Use It</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

SFTBF

After Apple Reportedly Backed Out, SoftBank Eyes $500M Investment In ChatGPT Parent, Pushing Valuation To $150B

National Grid Renewables is pleased to announce the execution of a power purchase agreement (PPA) with Microsoft for its Portage Solar Project, a 250-megawatt (MW) development located in Portage County, Wisconsin.
"It's exciting to see business development and economic growth in our neighboring state of Wisconsin," said Blake Nixon, President of National Grid Renewables. "Through our contract with Microsoft, we are providing Wisconsin residents direct and indirect revenue streams from Portage Solar. The project will not only benefit the local communities through the production of new tax revenue and job creation, but it also contributes a clean, sustainable energy solution for years to come."

National Grid Renewables Signs Power Purchase Agreement with Microsoft For Its Portage Solar Project, A 250-Megawatt Development Located In Portage County, Wisconsin

TWLO

Twilio Announces Integration With OpenAI's Realtime API To Enable Over 300,000 Customers And 10M Developers To Build Conversational AI Voice Experiences Using GPT-4o

OpenAI Launches Model Distillation, Vision Fine-Tuning For GPT-4o, Prompt Caching, And Public Beta Of Realtime API With Audio Input/Output Capabilities

To gain an edge, this is what you need to know today.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://thearorareport.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2024-10-01_08h10_05.png" alt="" style="width:624px" /></figure>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Important Data Ahead</h3>
Please <a href="https://thearorareport.com/chart-analysis-stock-market-dip-powell-blind-money-spy-mc-10012024">click here</a> for an enalrged chart of SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) which represents the benchmark stock market index S&amp;P 500 (SPX).
Note the following:
<ul>
<li>The chart shows the dip in the market caused by Powell's remarks. Powell pushed back against aggressive rate cut bets that the momo crowd has placed. Powell clearly said that the Fed plans on two 25 bps cuts this year assuming the economy stays on the expected trajectory. The momo crowd is counting on 100 bps cut. Even non-momo investors are betting on 75 bps cuts.</li>
<li>The chart shows the dip on Powell's remarks was aggressively bought, running the stock market higher than where it was before Powell's remarks. The buying appears to be related to quarter end window dressing.</li>
<li>Momo gurus' new narrative to persuade their followers to buy stocks is to not trust the Fed.&nbsp; Prudent investors always need to be mindful that momo gurus' interest is not the same as prudent investors' best interest.</li>
<li>There are two important pieces of data ahead.
<ul>
<li>JOLTS job openings data will be released at 10am ET.</li>
<li>ISM Manufacturing index will also be released at 10am ET.</li>
<li>Both of these pieces of data may be market moving.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>The most important economic data this week is the jobs report, also known as the mother of all reports, that will be released at 8:30am ET on Friday.</li>
<li>Expect blind money to flow into the stock market today and tomorrow.&nbsp; Blind money is the money that flows into the stock market on the first two days of the month without any analysis irrespective of market conditions.</li>
<li>East coast port workers have gone on strike. FedEx Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FDX#NYSE">FDX</a>) is a beneficiary.  As full disclosure, FDX was recently added to the portfolio that surrounds the Core Model Portfolio in The Arora Report&#8217;s ZYX Buy, taking advantage of the dip on earnings.  The Arora Report utilizes over 50 different strategies. FDX belongs to the strategy of earnings patterns that historically work. </li>
<li>In important news for prudent investors, Michael Dell has sold $1.22B in Dell Technologies Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DELL#NYSE">DELL</a>) shares.&nbsp; Michael Dell is taking advantage of the run up in Dell shares on the AI frenzy.&nbsp; The momo crowd is oblivious and has been an aggressive buyer of DELL stock.</li>
<li>Prudent investors should also note that there is a consistent pattern of insiders selling AI stocks that have run up.&nbsp; It is important to pay attention to the protection band as well as to separate articles indicating putting on hedges or taking partial profits.</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Japan</h3>
Japan's new prime minister is likely to favor tighter fiscal policy and tighter monetary policy.  Such tighter policies will be good for the Japanese yen.  As full disclosure, there is a position in yen using Invesco CurrencyShares Japanese Yen Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FXY#NYSE">FXY</a>) in The Arora Report&#8217;s ZYX Allocation.  On the negative side, tighter fiscal and monetary policies in Japan increase the risk to the carry trade.  Lately, in the carry trade, funds have been borrowing in yen and investing in U.S. stocks, especially AI stocks.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Magnificent Seven Money Flows</h3>
In the early trade, money flows are positive in Alphabet Inc Class C (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>), Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>), NVIDIA Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), and Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>).
In the early trade, money flows are negative in Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), and Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>).
In the early trade, money flows are mixed in (SPY) and Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1 (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>).
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Momo Crowd And Smart Money In Stocks</h3>
Investors can gain an edge by knowing money flows in SPY and QQQ.  Investors can get a bigger edge by knowing when smart money is buying stocks, gold, and oil.  The most popular ETF for gold is SPDR Gold Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GLD#NYSE">GLD</a>).  The most popular ETF for silver is iShares Silver Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SLV#NYSE">SLV</a>).  The most popular ETF for oil is United States Oil ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/USO#NYSE">USO</a>).
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Bitcoin</h3>
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) is range bound.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Protection Band And What To Do Now</h3>
It is important for investors to look ahead and not in the rearview mirror.
Consider continuing to hold good, very long term, existing positions. Based on individual risk preference, consider a protection band consisting of cash or Treasury bills or short-term tactical trades as well as short to medium term hedges and short term hedges. This is a good way to protect yourself and participate in the upside at the same time.
You can determine your protection bands by adding cash to hedges.&nbsp; The high band of the protection is appropriate for those who are older or conservative. The low band of the protection is appropriate for those who are younger or aggressive.&nbsp; If you do not hedge, the total cash level should be more than stated above but significantly less than cash plus hedges.
A protection band of 0% would be very bullish and would indicate full investment with 0% in cash.&nbsp; A protection band of 100% would be very bearish and would indicate a need for aggressive protection with cash and hedges or aggressive short selling.
It is worth reminding that you cannot take advantage of new upcoming opportunities if you are not holding enough cash.&nbsp; When adjusting hedge levels, consider adjusting partial stop quantities for stock positions (non ETF); consider using wider stops on remaining quantities and also allowing more room for high beta stocks.&nbsp; High beta stocks are the ones that move more than the market.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Traditional 60/40 Portfolio</h3>
Probability based risk reward adjusted for inflation does not favor long duration strategic bond allocation at this time.
Those who want to stick to traditional 60% allocation to stocks and 40% to bonds may consider focusing on only high quality bonds and bonds of five year duration or less.&nbsp; Those willing to bring sophistication to their investing may consider using bond ETFs as tactical positions and not strategic positions at this time.
The Arora Report is known for its accurate calls. The Arora Report correctly called the big artificial intelligence rally before anyone else, the new bull market of 2023, the bear market of 2022, new stock market highs right after the virus low in 2020, the virus drop in 2020, the DJIA rally to 30,000 when it was trading at 16,000, the start of a mega bull market in 2009, and the financial crash of 2008. Please click here to sign up for a free forever <a href="https://thearorareport.com/generate-wealth-newsletter-benzinga">Generate Wealth Newsletter</a>.

Asia

Powell Stock Market Drip Aggressively Bought, Important Data And Blind Money Ahead

Good Morning Traders! In today&#39;s Market Clubhouse Morning Memo, we will discuss SPY, QQQ, AAPL, MSFT, NVDA, GOOGL, META, and TSLA.
Our proprietary formula, exclusive to Market Clubhouse, dictates these price levels. This dynamic equation takes into account price, volume, and options flow. These levels are updated every day and shared with all Clubhouse Members, prior to the opening of the market.
We recommend closely monitoring these stocks, and be prepared to leverage potential breakouts or reversals. As always, stay alert and ready to adjust your tactics based on the market&#39;s pulse to optimize your trading gains. Now, let&#39;s dive into the stock analysis:
<h3>SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust</h3>
The SPY&nbsp;(ARCA: SPY) is currently trading around 573.50, an important level for bulls to maintain. For upside potential, buyers will aim to push through 574.65, signaling strength and opening the door for a move toward 575.67. If this area holds during the session, we could see a further rally targeting 576.62. A strong bullish push might even take us to the high target of 577.87 for the day.
On the downside, failure to hold 573.50 as support could bring selling pressure, testing 572.15. If sellers dominate, the next key level to watch is 571.06. Should this support level break, we may see a drop toward 569.98. In an extended sell-off, the low bear target for SPY sits at 569.16.
<h3>Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1</h3>
The QQQ (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/qqq#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) is currently near a key pivot at 487.69, where bulls need to sustain momentum. Holding above this level could lead to a move higher to 490.05. If buyers can maintain control, we may see the price push further to 491.82. Should the bullish trend strengthen, we expect a potential test of 493.60, with a high target set at 495.35.
However, if 487.69 fails to act as support, bears could gain control, driving prices down to 486.10. Increased selling pressure could then test 483.95, with further weakness bringing 481.73 into play. A stronger sell-off may result in a test of the low bear target at 479.03.
<h3>Apple Inc.</h3>
Apple&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/aapl#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) is currently trading around 230.25, a critical level for bullish traders. Buyers will aim to push the price higher, targeting 231.76 as the next resistance. Should momentum persist, 233.28 could come into play, with continued strength potentially pushing toward the high bull target of 234.20.
On the flip side, if 230.25 fails to hold as support, we could see a move down to 229.03. Additional selling pressure might push the stock lower to 227.82. If bears continue to dominate, 226.90 becomes a key level to watch, with a low bear target of 226.08 in sight.
<h3>Microsoft Corp.</h3>
Microsoft&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/msft#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) is currently hovering around 429.25, a key level that bulls will want to defend. A break above 429.25 could push the price toward 430.25, where holding support may set up a further rally. Should buying momentum continue, we could see a move to 431.25, with a potential test of the high bull target at 432.49.
If 429.25 does not hold, sellers could look to take control, targeting 428.48 initially. Continued selling might lead to a test of 427.36, and if bearish momentum persists, 426.00 could come into play. The low bear target for Microsoft on the day is 425.16.
<h3>NVIDIA Corporation</h3>
NVIDIA&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/nvda#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) is trading near 121.97, a key level that buyers will try to push higher from. A successful hold of support at 123.41 could ignite bullish momentum, potentially driving the stock toward 125.21. Should the buying persist, 126.84 becomes a target, with the high bull level set at 128.10.
If 121.97 fails to hold, sellers might step in, targeting 120.27 as the first level to test. Further selling pressure could push the stock down to 119.44. Should the bears remain in control, 117.86 becomes the next key support, with a low target of 116.61 on the day.
<h3>Alphabet Inc Class A</h3>
Alphabet (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/googl#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) is currently trading around 167.04, a critical level for the bulls to maintain control. A break higher could see a move toward 169.34, with buyers looking to reclaim this level as support. If the bullish momentum continues, we could see a push toward the high target of 171.14.
Should 167.04 fail to act as support, bears may push the price down to 165.41. If selling pressure intensifies, the next area of support is at 163.79. A more extended sell-off could lead to a test of the low bear target at 161.79.
<h3>Meta Platforms Inc</h3>
Meta&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/meta#NASDAQ">META</a>) is trading around 573.25, a level that bulls will want to defend. If buyers can hold this area, they may push the price up to 580.17. Continued strength could drive Meta higher toward 585.73, with the high bull target for the day set at 591.29.
On the downside, a break below 573.25 could see bears take control, driving the price down to 565.53. Further selling could lead to a test of 559.29, with a possible move to the low bear target of 553.05 if bearish pressure remains strong.
<h3>Tesla Inc.</h3>
Tesla&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/tsla#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) is currently near a key level of 259.81, and bulls will aim to push higher from here. A successful rally could bring the price to 262.68, with continued buying strength targeting 264.46. Should the bullish momentum pick up, Tesla could test the high bull target of 269.48.
If 259.81 fails as support, bears could gain control, targeting 257.56 initially. Further downside pressure could see the price fall to 256.34, with the low bear target for the day at 254.28 if selling intensifies.
Final Word: Today&#39;s session marks the beginning of Q4 2024 and the start of October, which often brings increased market activity. First on the calendar is the Final S&amp;P Global Manufacturing PMI for September at 9:45 AM ET, a key indicator of economic health. At 10:00 AM ET, we will get both the JOLTS Job Openings report for August and the ISM Manufacturing Index, both of which are crucial in assessing labor market conditions and business sentiment.
Additionally, at 10:30 AM ET, the Dallas Fed Services Activity report for September will be released, providing insights into the broader services sector. Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic, a voting member, is scheduled to speak at 11:00 AM ET alongside voting member Lisa Cook, adding potential market-moving commentary. With a full schedule of data and speeches, volatility could spike throughout the session. It&#39;s essential to stay focused, adapt to changing conditions, and trade with caution. Good luck!
The Morning Memo is curated by RIPS, a pro trader with years of experience in equities, options, and futures trading. RIPS is at the heart of the exclusive Market Clubhouse community, offering his insights, expertise, and real-time mentorship.
Start your day with a live daily market analysis, a carefully selected watch list, early access to the Morning Memo, and exclusive Market Clubhouse price levels, providing precise support and resistance indicators. When you become a member of Market Clubhouse, you will gain early access to the Morning Memo, just like this one, every single day&mdash;hours before it&#39;s published. You will also have access to a live stream with zero latency and screen sharing, enabling you to witness Rips executing his trades in real-time and sharing his exclusive trading plans, strategies, and live decision-making.
For a limited time during our special promotion, you can join RIPS and get a full access pass to Market Clubhouse for 7 full days for just $7. Check it out at <a href="https://marketclubhouse.club/7Days/" title="https://marketclubhouse.club/7Days/">https://marketclubhouse.club/7Days/</a> where you can trade live with him and tap into his wealth of knowledge and experience. You can also catch Rips on his live day trading streams every Monday-Friday at 8 am EST on the Market Clubhouse YouTube channel: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@MarketClubhouse" title="https://www.youtube.com/@MarketClubhouse">https://www.youtube.com/@MarketClubhouse</a>.
This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga's reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.

Market Clubhouse Morning Memo - October 1st, 2024 (Trade Strategy For SPY, QQQ, AAPL, MSFT, NVDA, GOOGL, META And TSLA)

Accelerated computing and artificial intelligence stock Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) has been up over 171% in the last 12 months.
However, Gil Luria&nbsp;of DA Davidson flagged Nvidia&#8217;s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/09/40730558/tech-analyst-raises-red-flags-over-nvidias-heavy-dependence-on-just-four-customers-" rel="noreferrer noopener">dependence on four customers</a>, which could include hyperscalars Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>),&nbsp;Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>),&nbsp;Amazon.Com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), and&nbsp;Google parent Alphabet Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) considering in-house chip developments by the tech giants.
Analysts had also highlighted the AI frenzy as overhyped, raising questions over the sustainability of the colossal investment further intensified by Nvidia&#8217;s delays in product releases like its&nbsp;Blackwell GPUs.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40980388/amd-chief-predicts-custom-chips-will-outperform-gpus-sees-shift-in-ai-chip-demand-report" rel="noreferrer noopener">AMD Chief Predicts Custom Chips Will Outperform GPUs, Sees Shift in AI Chip Demand: Report</a>
The AI wave is prompting several companies to tap the growth by catering to industries ranging from gaming to professional visualization, data centers, and automotive.
On Monday, Cerebras Systems Inc filed for an initial public offering with the SEC. CS-3, Cerebras&#8217;&nbsp;flagship system, can handle AI computing workloads and power AI supercomputers. It proposes to compete with Nvidia.
The AI computing firm&#8217;s sales reached $136.4 million in the first six months of 2024, up from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/2021728/000162828024041596/cerebras-sx1.htm" rel="noreferrer noopener">$8.7 million</a> a year ago. Cerebras filed confidentially&nbsp;for the IPO in August, Bloomberg <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-10-01/india-market-buzz-china-s-stock-surge-sparks-rotation-concern?sref=TBDibEcD" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>.
Cerebras reported a net loss of $66.6 million, down from $77.8 million a year ago. Group 42 Holding accounted for 87% of its revenue for the first half of 2024.&nbsp;
According to a Bloomberg <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-09-25/cerebras-systems-targets-raising-up-to-1-billion-in-ipo?sref=TBDibEcD" rel="noreferrer noopener">report</a>, Cerebras could raise up to $1 billion at a valuation of $7 billion to $8 billion.
In China, Huawei Technologies&nbsp;is offering Ascend 910C processor samples to Chinese hyperscalars, which are Nvidia customers, SCMP <a target="_blank" href="https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3280306/huaweis-ai-chips-take-another-step-forward-chinese-firms-look-nvidia-alternatives" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>.
<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/09/41093269/whats-going-on-with-chip-stocks-like-nvidia-taiwan-semi-and-amd-on-monday" rel="noreferrer noopener">China pushed its</a> companies to reach out to domestic AI chips from companies like&nbsp;Cambricon Technologies Corp and&nbsp;Huawei Technologies Co as it retaliates against the US&#8217;s advanced semiconductor tech sanctions.
Price Action: NVDA stock is down 1.19% at $120.01 at the last check on Tuesday.
Also Read:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/09/41108682/michael-dell-sells-1-2-billion-worth-of-dell-stock-reducing-stake-amid-companys-recent-s-p-500-r" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Michael Dell Sells $1.2B Worth Of Dell Stock, Reducing Stake Amid Company&#8217;s Recent S&amp;P 500 Inclusion And AI Expansion</a></li>
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The quantum computing market is experiencing robust growth with technological advancements, rapid adoption, and investments. Amid this backdrop, investors could buy high-potential quantum computing stocks Microsoft (MSFT), International Business Machines (IBM), and FormFactor (FORM) poised for substantial gains. Continue reading... The quantum computing market is rapidly developing and trending globally. The field has significant potential to transform computing by offering faster and more efficient solutions. This has resulted in increased interest in companies and rising investments, opening new avenues for market development.
Given the industry's rosy prospects, it could be wise to consider high-potential quantum computing stocks Microsoft Corporation (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/MSFT/">MSFT</a>), International Business Machines Corporation (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/IBM/">IBM</a>), and FormFactor, Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/FORM/">FORM</a>) for potential gains.
Quantum computing has been revolutionizing computing methods lately. This cutting-edge technology, which uses quantum mechanics to solve complex problems faster than classical computers, is rapidly developing, with more and more companies operating in the market emphasizing quantum error correction.
Also, diverse industries like healthcare and pharma, automotive &amp; transportation, and financial services are actively adopting quantum computing for various applications.
The global quantum computing market is projected to grow to $12.62 billion by 2032, exhibiting growth at a noteworthy <a href="https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Market-Reports/quantum-computing-market-144888301.html">CAGR of 34.8%</a>. Factors influencing the market growth include rising adoption across various industries, technological advancements, rapidly surging investments, and growing strategic partnerships and collaborations.
Further, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/the-rise-of-quantum-computing">according to McKinsey</a>, as of December 2023, over $6.70 billion have been invested in the quantum computing space, and there were over 261 start-ups operating in the field. Also, it projects that by 2040, the estimated market size will reach between $45 billion and $131 billion.
Besides, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/steady-progress-in-approaching-the-quantum-advantage">public investments in the quantum market increased</a> by over 50% from 2022. Various countries, led by Germany, the United Kingdom, and South Korea, announced significant new funding for QT development, bringing the global public funding total to date to about $42 billion, indicating fueling investment and interest in the segment.
Hence, amid this backdrop, it could be wise to invest in high-potential stocks offering suitable returns, and capital appreciation prospects. Given these encouraging trends, let's delve deeper into the fundamentals of high-potential stocks such as MSFT, IBM, and FORM.
Microsoft Corporation (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/MSFT/">MSFT</a>)
MSFT develops and supports software, services, devices, and solutions globally. The company operates through three segments: Productivity and Business Processes; Intelligent Cloud; and More Personal Computing. It offers Office, exchange, SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, office 365 Security and Compliance, Microsoft Viva, Microsoft 365 Copilot, and Office consumer services.
On September 29, MSFT and KT Corporation (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/KT/">KT</a>) entered into a five-year multibillion-dollar partnership to propel KT's AI and ICT (AICT) transformation and accelerate the advancement of AI services and innovation in Korea. The companies will work on the development of Korean sovereign cloud solutions and market launches to drive cloud and AI innovation for the public sector and regulated industries.
The strategic partnership will drive AI transformation for over 650 thousand businesses and 17 million consumers across Korea.
On August 8, MSFT and Palantir Technologies Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/PLTR/">PLTR</a>) expanded their partnership to deliver enhanced analytics and AI services to classified networks for critical national security operations. The companies collaborated to bring sophisticated and secure cloud, AI, and analytics capabilities to the U.S. Defense and Intelligence Community.
Palantir and MSFT have a long-standing alliance, and the new partnership will expand MSFT's capabilities and its reach in the defense sector. It will help accelerate the safe, secure, and responsible deployment of advanced AI capabilities for the US government.
MSFT's total revenues rose 15.2% year-over-year to $64.73 billion for the fourth quarter that ended June 30, 2024. The company's <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/o/operatingincome.asp">operating income</a> grew 15.1% from the year-ago value to $27.92 billion. Also, its net income and EPS totaled $22.04 billion and $2.95, reflecting an increase of 9.7% from the prior year's quarter, respectively.
In addition, the company's total assets came in at $512.16 billion as of June 30, 2024, versus $411.98 billion as of June 30, 2023.
Street expects MSFT's revenue and EPS for the first quarter (ended September 2024) to increase 14.2% and 3.7% year-over-year to $64.52 billion and $3.10, respectively. Furthermore, it has surpassed the consensus revenue and EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters, which is impressive.
Shares of MSFT have surged 3.3% over the past month and 33.7% over the past year to close the last trading session at $430.30.
MSFT's robust growth prospects are reflected in its <a href="https://stocknews.com/powr-ratings/">POWR Ratings</a>. The POWR Ratings are calculated by considering 118 different factors, each weighted to an optimal degree.
The stock has a B grade for Stability and Quality. Within the B-rated <a href="https://stocknews.com/category/software-business/">Software - Business</a> industry, MSFT is ranked #22 out of 40 stocks.
<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/MSFT/">Click here</a> to access additional ratings of MSFT for Growth, Sentiment, Value, and Momentum.
International Business Machines Corporation (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/IBM/">IBM</a>)
IBM offers integrated solutions and services internationally. The company operates in Software; Consulting; Infrastructure; and Financing segments. The company offers a hybrid cloud and AI platform that enables clients to realize their digital and AI transformations across the applications, data, and environments in which they operate.
On September 23, IBM and NASA announced a new AI foundation model for a variety of weather and climate use cases, offering insights to the scientific, developer, and business communities. The model provides a flexible, scalable way to address a variety of challenges related to short-term weather and long-term climate projections.
On September 19, IBM and MSFT officially opened three new IBM-Microsoft Experience Zones within IBM's client innovation centers. The Experience Zones are designed to help global clients across industries find new ways to derive value from generative AI, hybrid cloud, and other Microsoft products and technologies.
Also, on September 9, IBM announced its intent to acquire Accelalpha, a global Oracle services provider. The strategic acquisition expands IBM's Oracle consulting expertise in supply chain and logistics, finance, enterprise performance management (EPM), and customer transformation.
For the second quarter that ended June 30, 2024, IBM's total revenue increased 1.9% year-over-year to $15.77 billion. Its non-GAAP gross profit grew 5.4% from the prior year's quarter to $9.12 billion. The company's non-GAAP income from continuing operations and EPS of $2.27 billion and $2.43 indicate growth of 13.6% and 11.5% year-over-year, respectively.
Furthermore, the company's adjusted EBITDA came in at $4 billion, up 8.1% from the from the prior-year quarter. Its free cash flow increased 24.3% from the year-ago value to $2.61 billion.
As per the full-year 2024 expectations, IBM continues to expect revenue growth consistent with its mid-single-digit model. And the company expects over $12 billion in free cash flow.
Analysts expect IBM's revenue and EPS for the third quarter (ended September 2024) to increase 2% and 1% year-over-year to $15.04 billion and $2.22, respectively. Also, the company has topped the consensus EPS estimates in all of the trailing four quarters.
IBM's shares have gained 16.5% over the past six months and 57% over the past year to close the last trading session at $221.08.
IBM's sound fundamentals are reflected in its POWR Ratings. The stock has an overall rating of B, which translates to a Buy in our proprietary rating system.
The stock has a B grade for Quality. Within the <a href="https://stocknews.com/category/technology-services/">Technology - Services</a> industry, IBM is ranked #18 among 75 stocks.
In addition to the POWR Ratings we've stated above, we also have IBM ratings for Momentum, Value, Stability, Growth, and Sentiment. Get all IBM ratings <a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/IBM/">here</a>.
FormFactor, Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/FORM/">FORM</a>)
FORM designs manufactures, and sells probe cards, analytical probes, probe stations, metrology systems, thermal systems, and cryogenic systems to semiconductor companies and scientific institutions. The company operates through two segments: Probe Cards and Systems.
On February 28, FORM and Tabor Electronics LLC presented the Echo-5Q project, a demonstration of a full stack 5-Qubit Quantum Computer for research and education, leveraging a QPU supplied by QuantWare. The collaboration showed the ability of the partnering companies to support the quantum industry with their respective technologies.
During the second quarter, which ended June 29, 2024, FORM's revenues rose 26.7% year-over-year to $197.47 million. It reported a non-GAAP gross profit of $89.42 million, which is up 41.4% from the prior year's quarter. Also, the company's non-GAAP operating income increased 155.6% from the year-ago value to $28.54 million.
Furthermore, the company's non-GAAP net income of $27.32 million and $0.35 per share reflects growth of 143.1% and 150% from the prior year's quarter, respectively.
For the third quarter, FORM provided the following outlook: It expects revenue of $200 million, +/- $5 million. It expected non-GAAP net income per share of $0.31, +/- $0.04.
Analysts expect FORM's EPS for the third quarter (ended September 2024) to increase 42.4% year-over-year to $0.31, and its revenue is estimated to grow 16.7% year-over-year to $200.29 million for the same quarter. Moreover, the company surpassed the consensus revenue estimates in each of the trailing four quarters.
FORM's stock has soared 36.5% over the past year to close the last trading session at $46.
FORM's POWR Ratings reflect its robust outlook. FORM has an A grade for Growth. It also has a B grade for Quality. It is ranked #15 among the 91 stocks in the <a href="https://stocknews.com/category/semiconductor-wireless-chip/">Semiconductor &amp; Wireless Chip</a> industry.
<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/FORM/">Click here</a> to access additional FORM ratings for Value, Sentiment, Momentum, and Stability.
What To Do Next?
Discover 10 widely held stocks that our proprietary model shows have tremendous downside potential. Please make sure none of these "death trap" stocks are lurking in your portfolio:
<a href="https://report.stocknews.com/free-report/10-stocks-to-sell/?formplacement=artbotad_10sell">10 Stocks to SELL NOW! &gt;</a>

<hr />
MSFT shares were trading at $423.44 per share on Tuesday afternoon, down $6.86 (-1.59%). Year-to-date, MSFT has gained 13.22%, versus a 21.16% rise in the benchmark S&amp;P 500 index during the same period.
<hr><div style="clear:both;"></div> <h2>About the Author: Rjkumari Saxena</h2> <img src='https:/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Rajkumari-Saxena_Image-1.jpeg' style="float:left; padding:5px;width:125px;">Rajkumari started her career as a writer but gradually shifted her focus to financial journalism, leveraging her educational background in Commerce. Fascinated by the interplay of business and economic shifts in equities, she aspires to evolve as an analyst. With a knack for simplifying complex financial concepts, her mission is to empower investors with insights that lead to profitable decisions.<a href="https://stocknews.com/authors/?author=rajkumari-saxena">More...</a>The post <a href=https://stocknews.com/news/msft-ibm-form-kt-pltr-3-high-potential-stocks-in-the-quantum-computing-space/>3 High-Potential Stocks in the Quantum Computing Space</a> appeared first on <a href=https://stocknews.com/>StockNews.com</a>

3 High-Potential Stocks in the Quantum Computing Space

The collaboration platform industry is thriving due to the escalating usage of modern digital workspaces. Amid this, let's compare collaboration platform stocks Zoom Video Communications (ZM) and Microsoft (MSFT) to analyze which platform stock is more productive. Read on to find out… With the rising demand to automate business processes, the demand for IT services worldwide is growing strongly. The global IT services market is expected to reach $1.85 trillion by 2031, expanding at a <a href="https://www.industryarc.com/Research/IT-Services-Market-Research-501180">CAGR of 9.5%</a>.
Amid this, the growing popularity of cloud-based services that enable seamless communication and collaboration between teams regardless of physical location, together with the rising need for remote work solutions, are the primary drivers of the collaboration software market. The collaboration software market is expected to grow at a <a href="https://www.verifiedmarketresearch.com/product/collaboration-software-market">CAGR of 12.8% by 2031</a>.
Against this backdrop, let's compare two collaboration platform stocks to analyze which stock is more productive: Zoom Video Communications, Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/ZM/">ZM</a>) and Microsoft Corporation (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/MSFT/">MSFT</a>).
The Case for Zoom Video Communications, Inc. Stock
With a $21.47 billion market cap, Zoom Video Communications, Inc. (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/ZM/">ZM</a>) provides a unified communications platform in the Americas, the Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The company offers Zoom Meetings, Zoom Phone, Zoom Chat, Zoom Rooms, Zoom Conference Room Connector, Zoom Events, OnZoom, and Zoom Webinars.
On August 8, 2024, ZM unveiled new AI features, including AI-generated virtual backgrounds and enhanced meeting summaries. They also introduced a page builder for customizable event landing pages, streamlining event creation with AI-driven text and image generation.
ZM's stock has gained 17.8% over the past three months to close the last trading session at $69.74.
In terms of the trailing-12-month gross profit margin, ZM's 75.89% is 52.4% higher than the 49.80% industry average. Similarly, its 41.04% trailing-12-month levered FCF margin is 298.3% higher than the 10.30% industry average. Also, its 8.33% trailing-12-month <a href="https://www.investopedia.com/terms/r/return_on_total_assets.asp">Return on Total Assets</a> is 284.8% higher than the 2.17% industry average.
ZM's revenues for the second quarter, which ended on July 31, 2024, increased 2.1% year-over-year to $1.16 billion. Similarly, its gross profit rose marginally over the prior-year quarter to $877.43 million.
For the same quarter, the company's non-GAAP income from operations stood at $455.54 million. In addition, the company's non-GAAP net income was $436.42 million, or $1.39 per share, up 6.6% and 3.7% from the prior year's quarter, respectively.
Street expects ZM's revenue for the quarter ending October 31, 2024, to increase 2.4% year-over-year to $1.16 billion. Its EPS for the same quarter is expected to rise 1.4% year-over-year to $1.31. It surpassed the Street revenue and EPS estimates in each of the trailing four quarters.
ZM's <a href="https://stocknews.com/powr-ratings/">POWR Ratings</a> reflect its promising outlook. The stock has an overall rating of B, which translates to a Buy in our proprietary rating system. The POWR Ratings are calculated by considering 118 different factors, with each factor weighted to an optimal degree.
The stock has a B grade for Quality and Value. ZM is ranked #10 out of 75 stocks in the <a href="https://stocknews.com/category/technology-services/">Technology - Services</a> industry.
In addition to the POWR Ratings I've just highlighted, you can see ZM's ratings for Growth, Momentum, Sentiment, and Stability <a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/ZM/">here</a>.
The Case for Microsoft Corporation Stock
Valued at $3.20 trillion by market cap, Microsoft Corporation (<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/MSFT/">MSFT</a>) is a tech giant that innovates in software, services, and devices. Its divisions include Productivity &amp; Business Processes; Intelligent Cloud; and More Personal Computing. The company's flagship offerings include Office, Microsoft Teams, and advanced solutions like Microsoft Viva.
Shares of MSFT have surged 14.4% over the past nine months but plunged 3.7% over the past three months to close the last trading session at $430.30.
In terms of the trailing-12-month gross profit margin, MSFT's 69.76% is 41% higher than the 49.80% industry average. However, its 0.53x trailing-12-month asset turnover ratio is 14.6% lower than the 0.62x industry average.
MSFT's total revenue increased 15.2% year-over-year to $64.73 billion for the fiscal 2024 fourth quarter that ended June 30, 2024. Its operating income grew 15.1% from the year-ago value to $27.93 billion. Moreover, the company's net income and EPS came in at $22.04 billion and $2.95, both growing 9.7% from the prior year's quarter, respectively.
For the fiscal 2025 first quarter that ended September 2024, MSFT's revenue is expected to increase 14.2% year-over-year to $64.53 billion. Its EPS for the ongoing quarter is expected to be $3.10, increasing 3.7% from the prior year's period. Moreover, the company topped the consensus revenue and EPS estimates in all four trailing quarters, which is impressive.
MSFT's mixed fundamentals are reflected in its POWR Ratings. The stock has an overall C rating, translating to Neutral in our proprietary rating system.
MSFT has a C grade for Sentiment and Momentum. It is ranked #22 in the <a href="https://stocknews.com/category/software-business/">Software - Business</a> industry.
<a href="https://stocknews.com/stock/MSFT/">Click here</a> for the additional POWR Ratings for MSFT (Growth, Value, Stability, and Quality).
Zoom (ZM) vs. Microsoft Teams (MSFT): Which Collaboration Platform Stock Is More Productive?
With the rise of remote work and freelancing, team collaboration software has become an essential component of modern business operations. By leveraging collaborative technologies, organizations can create a virtual workspace that enables employees to exchange data and documents seamlessly.
As the trend toward remote work continues to grow, the demand for team collaboration software is only set to increase. Leading collaboration platform companies ZM and MSFT stand to capitalize on the optimistic industry outlook. However, ZM's strong financial performance and higher profitability favor it as the better collaboration platform stock pick.
Our research shows that the odds of success increase when one invests in stocks with an Overall Rating of Strong Buy or Buy. View all the top-rated stocks in the Technology - Services industry <a href="https://stocknews.com/category/technology-services/">here</a> and the Software - Business industry <a href="https://stocknews.com/category/software-business/">here</a>.
What To Do Next?
Discover 10 widely held stocks that our proprietary model shows have tremendous downside potential. Please make sure none of these "death trap" stocks are lurking in your portfolio:
<a href="https://report.stocknews.com/free-report/10-stocks-to-sell/?formplacement=artbotad_10sell">10 Stocks to SELL NOW! &gt;</a>

<hr />
MSFT shares were trading at $423.00 per share on Tuesday afternoon, down $7.30 (-1.70%). Year-to-date, MSFT has gained 13.10%, versus a 20.97% rise in the benchmark S&amp;P 500 index during the same period.
<hr><div style="clear:both;"></div> <h2>About the Author: Nidhi Agarwal</h2> <img src='https:/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Nidhi-Agarwal_Headshot-3.jpg' style="float:left; padding:5px;width:125px;">Nidhi is passionate about the capital market and wealth management, which led her to pursue a career as an investment analyst. She holds a bachelor's degree in finance and marketing and is pursuing the CFA program.

Her fundamental approach to analyzing stocks helps investors identify the best investment opportunities.<a href="https://stocknews.com/authors/?author=nidhi-agarwal">More...</a>The post <a href=https://stocknews.com/news/msft-zm-zoom-zm-vs-microsoft-msft-which-collaboration-platform-stock-is/>Zoom (ZM) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): Which Collaboration Platform Stock Is More Productive?</a> appeared first on <a href=https://stocknews.com/>StockNews.com</a>

Zoom (ZM) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): Which Collaboration Platform Stock Is More Productive?

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