Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) saw its market capitalization fall below the symbolic $1 trillion mark on Tuesday as shares plunged 8.39% to $302.80, bringing the company&#8217;s valuation to $948.81 billion.



What Happened: The electric vehicle maker first reached the trillion-dollar milestone om Nov. 8, days after President Donald Trump&#8216;s election victory. Since then, Tesla has lost significant ground, with shares down 36.0% from their Dec. 17 high of $473.86 and falling 28.59% since Trump&#8217;s Jan. 20 inauguration.



Some investors point to CEO Elon Musk&#8216;s Washington commitments as a key factor in the decline. Musk has been spending considerable time in the capital leading Trump&#8217;s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where his aggressive cost-cutting measures have resulted in federal worker layoffs and nationwide protests.



Musk&#8217;s net worth has dropped over $74 billion this year but remains the world&#8217;s highest at $358 billion, down from a $486 billion peak in December, according to the&nbsp;Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The last reported change is pegged as a decline of $22.2 billion by Bloomberg. The figures are updated at the close of each trading day.



These protests have directly impacted Tesla&#8217;s brand, with demonstrations occurring at showrooms across major U.S. cities including New York and Seattle. Some incidents have escalated to vandalism of Tesla vehicles and charging infrastructure, with one Supercharger station <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43905675/tesla-will-press-charges-against-vandalism-at-superchargers-as-brand-backlash-grows-over-elon-musks-political-ties">recently defaced.</a>



European Tesla <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43534797/tesla-sales-drop-60-in-germany-are-elon-musks-politics-getting-in-the-way-of-ev-growth">sales plunged 50.4% year-over-year in January</a>, with sharp declines in Germany, down 59.5%, France, down 63.4%, Spain, down 75.4% and United Kingdom, down 18.2%. 



See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/25/02/43958798/amc-q4-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-in-line-attendance-up-20-shares-climb">AMC Q4 Earnings: Revenue Beat, EPS In Line, Attendance Up 20%, Shares Climb</a>



Why It Matters: Customer sentiment has also soured. Montreal resident Alain Roy, a former Tesla enthusiast who owned both a Model Y and Model S, said he was selling his vehicles and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/02/43914165/i-like-the-cars-its-musk-i-dont-like-former-elon-fan-dumps-both-teslas-and-cancels-cybertruck-order-to-boycott-elon-musk">canceling his Cybertruck order</a> specifically because of Musk&#8217;s political activities. Singer Sheryl Crow similarly parted with her Tesla, stating on Instagram there comes a time &#8220;when you have to decide who you are willing to align with.&#8221;



Product concerns are compounding these issues. Reuters reported Monday that Tesla&#8217;s upgraded &#8220;navigate on city streets&#8221; feature in China has disappointed users, falling short of Musk&#8217;s self-driving promises. Chinese competitors like BYD and Xiaomi offer similar technologies at lower costs or as standard features.



Despite these challenges, Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives maintains a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43761581/ross-gerber-says-hes-eventually-selling-his-cybertruck-because-the-hate-is-real-as-protests-rock-tesla-showrooms">bullish $550 price target on Tesla</a>, arguing that brand concerns are &#8220;bark way worse than the bite.&#8221; Tesla reported its first annual sales decline in 2024, suggesting the company&#8217;s post-election market surge has largely evaporated.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/broad-u-s-equity-etfs/25/02/43955914/market-could-enter-a-real-correction-expert-warns">Market Could Enter A &#8216;Real Correction,&#8217; Expert Warns, Highlights 2 &#8216;Recession-Resistant&#8217; Companies</a></li>
</ul>



Image Via Shutterstock 



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

Equities

News

Markets

TSLA

Tesla Loses $1 Trillion Valuation As Shares Plunge 8%— Elon Musk's DOGE Role, Brand Backlash Fuel Sell-Off

Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) is reportedly in talks to build a massive AI data center campus that could exceed $200 billion in costs.



What Happened: This development was <a href="https://www.theinformation.com/articles/meta-discusses-200-billion-ai-data-center-project">reported</a> on Tuesday by The Information, citing people familiar with the matter.&nbsp;



The $200 billion data center project signals Meta's aggressive push into AI at a time when investors are scrutinizing AI infrastructure spending, particularly after China's DeepSeek introduced a low-cost AI model that rivals OpenAI.



On Friday, TD Cowen analysts stated Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) had <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43908921/microsoft-pulls-plug-on-ai-data-center-leases-says-analyst-oversupply-situation-likely">canceled leases</a> with at least two private data center operators, triggering market jitters.



See Also:&nbsp;<a href="http://benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43838071/microsoft-ceo-satya-nadella-warns-of-dot-com-like-ai-bubble-pushes-for-measuring-ai-impact-with-gdp-growth-self-claiming-agi-milestone-is-just-nonsensical-benchmark-hacking" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella Warns Of Dot-com-Like AI Bubble, Pushes For Measuring AI Impact With GDP Growth: ‘Self-Claiming AGI Milestone Is Just Nonsensical Benchmark Hacking'</a>



Microsoft later said that its $80 billion AI investment remains on track, though <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43932234/top-analyst-dismisses-microsoft-ai-spending-fears-as-more-smoke-than-fire-after-report-of-data-center-lease-cancellationstech-giant-reaffirms-80-billion-investment-plan">adjustments may occur</a>.



Why It's Important: Previously, it was reported that in 2025, big tech's AI infrastructure investments are expected to reach a record $320 billion, with Amazon leading at $100 billion, followed by Microsoft and Alphabet at $80 billion each, and Meta committing over $60 billion.



Price Action: In after-hours trading, Meta stock was up 0.53% reaching $661. On Tuesday, Meta&#8217;s stock closed at $657.50, dropping 1.59% for the day. Year-to-date, it is up 9.72%, and over the past 12 months, it has gained 36.48%, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Image via Shutterstock



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43153571/openais-sam-altman-flip-flops-on-trump-as-500-billion-stargate-ai-project-is-announced-years-after-praising-reid-hoffman-for-stopping-his-re-election" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">OpenAI's Sam Altman Flip Flops On Trump After $500 Billion Stargate AI Project, Says ‘I Wish I Had Done More Of My Own Thinking'</a></li>
</ul>



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

Tech

Media

MSFT

Meta Gears Up For AI Dominance With $200 Billion Data Center Project: Report

On Tuesday, Cathie Wood-led Ark Invest made some significant trades, most notably buying into Tempus AI Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TEM#NASDAQ">TEM</a>) and Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>), while selling shares of  ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKB#NASDAQ">ARKB</a>).



The Tempus AI Trade



Ark Invest purchased a significant number of shares of Tempus AI, despite the company&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43941871/tempus-ai-stock-is-tumbling-tuesday-whats-happening">stock tumbling</a> after reporting mixed fourth-quarter financial results. The firm&#8217;s ARK Genomic Revolution ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKG#BATS">ARKG</a>) bought 78,570 shares, while the ARK Innovation ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKK#NYSE">ARKK</a>) acquired a whopping 367,388 shares. The total value of these trades, calculated from the latest closing price of $59.10, is nearly $26.35 million.



According to a Benzinga report, Tempus AI&#8217;s revenue was up 35.8% year-over-year, with data and services revenue growing 44.6% to $80.2 million. Genomics revenue grew 30.6% year-over-year to $120.4 million, and unit growth came in at 22.5%.



The Coinbase Trade



Ark Invest also bought into Coinbase, with its ARK Next Generation Internet ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKW#NYSE">ARKW</a>) purchasing 41,032 shares. This move comes after the <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/02/43887659/coinbase-shares-rise-as-sec-moves-to-drop-lawsuit-whats-going-on">Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) announced plans to drop its lawsuit</a> against the crypto exchange, a case that had been ongoing for nearly two years.



On Tuesday, Coinbase shares ended the day at $212.49, the Ark trade was valued at $8.7 million.



The ARK Bitcoin ETF Trade



Interestingly, while Ark Invest bought into Coinbase, it sold off its stake in the ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF. The ARKW fund sold 98,060 shares of ARKB. This move coincides with a <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/top-stories/25/02/43940583/bitcoin-ethereum-xrp-shed-billions-in-9-correction-3-factors-driving-the-downturn">9% correction</a> in the total crypto market capitalization, as reported by <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/top-stories/25/02/43940583/bitcoin-ethereum-xrp-shed-billions-in-9-correction-3-factors-driving-the-downturn">Benzinga</a>. Amid the decline, the apex cryptocurrency, Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) retreated to three-month lows.



ARKB shares ended the day at $87.86. The Ark transaction was valued at $8.6 million based on the closing price.



Other Key Trades:



<ul>
<li>Ark Invest&#8217;s ARK Fintech Innovation ETF (ARKF) and ARKK sold 70,367 and 49,782 shares of Draftkings Inc. (DKNG) respectively. ARKF purchased 20,174 shares of Kaspi.kz AO (KSPI).</li>



<li>The firm&#8217;s ARKG fund sold 850,919 shares of Accolade Inc. (ACCD) and bought 103,430 shares of Recursion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (RXRX) and 97,505 shares of Absci Corp (ABSI).</li>



<li>ARKK sold 107,159 shares of Roku Inc. (ROKU) and 430,483 shares of SoFi Technologies Inc. (SOFI) while buying 39,418 shares of Iridium Communications Inc. (IRDM).</li>
</ul>



Image Via Shutterstock



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/broad-u-s-equity-etfs/25/02/43955914/market-could-enter-a-real-correction-expert-warns">Market Could Enter A &#8216;Real Correction,&#8217; Expert Warns, Highlights 2 &#8216;Recession-Resistant&#8217; Companies</a></li>
</ul>



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

ETFs

$BTC

ARKB

ARKG

ARKK

ARKW

COIN

Cathie Wood's Buys The Dip In Tempus AI, Coinbase But Sells Ark's Bitcoin ETF Shares Amid Crypto Meltdown

AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMC#NYSE">AMC</a>) reported financial results for the fourth quarter after the market close on Tuesday. Here&#8217;s a look at the key metrics <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/02/b43957106/amc-entertainment-holdings-inc-reports-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2024-results">from the quarter</a>.



Q4 Earnings: AMC reported fourth-quarter revenue of $1.31 billion, beating the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus estimate</a>&nbsp;of $1.3 billion. The movie theater operator reported a fourth-quarter adjusted loss of 18 cents per share, in line with analyst estimates, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Total revenue was up more than 18% on a year-over-year basis. Net cash provided by operations was $203.6 million in the fourth quarter, and AMC generated $113.9 million of free cash flow in the quarter. The company ended the period with $632.3 million in cash and cash equivalents.



AMC reported a total fourth-quarter attendance of approximately 62.42 million, up 20.2% year-over-year. U.S. attendance was 42.96 million in the quarter, up 21.1% year-over-year.



&#8220;More than 62 million guests visited an AMC theatre worldwide in the fourth quarter, marking a post-pandemic fourth quarter record and a healthy 20% increase compared to 2023. Complementing this fourth quarter attendance milestone, moviegoers enthusiastically embraced the variety and quality of our food and beverage offerings, driving food and beverage revenue per patron to $7.15 — an all-time fourth quarter record for AMC,&#8221; said Adam Aron, chairman and CEO of AMC.



"As we look ahead to 2025 and beyond, we look forward to what we believe will be material growth in the industry-wide box office. To best benefit from such growth, we remain committed to continually improving the experience in our theatres for our guests.&#8221;



AMC said it plans to work on expanding its premium large format, extra-large format and special purpose screens in 2025.



The company noted it has already raised $171.7 million in the first quarter of 2025 from prepayment of forward agreements and at-the-market offerings. AMC also said it repurchased $1.3 million of its 5.75% senior subordinated notes due 2025 in the first quarter.



AMC executives will further discuss the company&#8217;s quarterly results on a conference call at 5 p.m. ET.



AMC Price Action: <a href="http://benzinga.com/quote/a,c">AMC shares</a> were up 5.20% in after-hours, trading at $3.44 at the time of publication Tuesday, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43948627/nvidia-stock-quite-cheap-ahead-of-q4-earnings-analyst-says-growth-story-is-intact">Nvidia Stock &#8216;Quite Cheap&#8217; Ahead Of Q4 Earnings: Analyst Says &#8216;Growth Story Is Intact&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock.

Earnings

Entertainment

After-Hours Center

Movers

AMC Q4 Earnings: Revenue Beat, EPS In Line, Attendance Up 20%, Shares Climb

Lucid Group Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LCID#NASDAQ">LCID</a>) reported fourth-quarter financial results after the market close on Tuesday. Here&#8217;s a rundown <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/02/n43956551/lucid-announces-fourth-quarter-and-full-year-2024-financial-results">of the report</a>.



Q4 Earnings: Lucid reported fourth-quarter revenue of $234.5 million, beating the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus estimate</a>&nbsp;of $214.22 million, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>. The electric vehicle maker reported a fourth-quarter loss of 22 cents per share, beating analyst estimates for a loss of 27 cents per share.



Lucid said it produced 3,386 vehicles in the fourth quarter and delivered 3,099 vehicles.&nbsp;The company ended the quarter with approximately $6.13 billion in total liquidity.



&#8220;We saw significant momentum in 2024 with four consecutive quarters of record deliveries,&#8221; said&nbsp;Gagan Dhingra, Interim CFO of Lucid. 



&#8220;Additionally, we made substantial progress in improving our gross margins, managing our operating expenses while balancing strategic growth investments, and strengthening our balance sheet with the support of the Public Investment Fund (PIF).&#8221;



Related Link: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43933726/polestar-attempts-to-woo-disgruntled-tesla-owners-with-offers-2025-to-be-strongest-year-in-polestars-history">Polestar Attempts To Woo Disgruntled Tesla Owners With Offers: &#8216;2025 To Be Strongest Year In Polestar&#8217;s History&#8217;</a>



Guidance: Lucid said it expects to produce approximately 20,000 vehicles in 2025.



Lucid also announced that CEO and CTO Peter Rawlinson decided to step away from his roles and transition to a strategic technical advisor to the chairman of the company&#8217;s board. COO Marc Winterhoff has been appointed Interim CEO.



Lucid executives will further discuss the quarter on a conference call with investors and analysts at 5:30 p.m. ET. 



LCID Price Action: <a href="http://benzinga.com/quote/lcid">Lucid shares</a> were up 8.05% in after hours, trading at $2.82 at the time of publication Tuesday, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>.



Photo: courtesy of Lucid.

Guidance

LCID

Lucid Q4 Earnings: Revenue Beat, EPS Beat, 20K Production Guidance For 2025, CEO Transition And More

As the NASDAQ (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), Bitcoin and the Magnificent Seven stocks face a pullback in February, one expert says market price action is looking like a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43906522/billionaire-investor-steve-cohen-warns-of-significant-correction-as-trump-tariffs-immigration-crackdown-and-spending-cuts-shake-market-confidence-its-a-tax">&#8220;real correction now.&#8221;</a>



Louis Navellier, an investment manager, discussed several market trends on Tuesday in a note to investors. Navellier says volatility in the markets, as observed by a sharp increase in the VIX Index, and low bond yields are evidence the market could enter a correction with a catalyst.



&#8220;It&#8217;s difficult to identify what the catalyst is to make this the time for a correction, but it is long overdue, and buying the dip is not happening,&#8221; Navellier said.



The expert noted the steep decline in consumer confidence in February and said the economy could experience stagflation with a decline in consumer spending.



He also noted companies that are likely to succeed during market downturns.



&#8220;Quality names fall the least and are the first to rebound. Look at Costco [Wholesale Corp] (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COST#NASDAQ">COST</a>), it&#8217;s up 1.3% today, seen as a safe haven for fiercely loyal customers,&#8221; Navellier said. &#8220;Apple is still positive for the trailing week on the strength of its massive loyal customer base. Both of these companies have high P/E multiples but are seen as especially recession resistant.&#8221;



Navellier is still bullish on the market in the long run.



&#8220;While this correction is painful, longer-term trends remain positive. It appears to be an adjustment of valuations rather than serious concerns about a lowering of earnings estimates. It would not be a surprise if NVIDIA [Corp] (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) delivers big to see a marked recovery.&#8221;



Also Read:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43948627/nvidia-stock-quite-cheap-ahead-of-q4-earnings-analyst-says-growth-story-is-intact">Nvidia Stock &#8216;Quite Cheap&#8217; Ahead Of Q4 Earnings: Analyst Says &#8216;Growth Story Is Intact&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Cryptocurrency

Broad U.S. Equity ETFs

COST

NVDA

Market Could Enter A 'Real Correction,' Expert Warns, Highlights 2 'Recession-Resistant' Companies

Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) shareholders voted to uphold the company's diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs on Tuesday, rejecting a proposal from a conservative think tank to abolish them, CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/25/apple-annual-shareholder-meeting-2025-.html">reports</a>.



What To Know: A proposal from the National Center for Public Policy Research rgued that DEI initiatives could lead to discrimination and pose financial risks.



Other tech companies like Meta Platforms Inc, Microsoft Corp and Alphabet Inc reportedly <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/02/43517468/google-joins-meta-amazon-in-winding-up-dei-hiring-memo-reveals-details">decided to discontinue</a> DEI programs.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/02/43949339/consumer-confidence-plummets-in-february-sharp-decline-marks-third-consecutive-monthly-drop">Consumer Confidence Plummets In February: Sharp Decline Marks Third Consecutive Monthly Drop</a>



Apple opposed the measure. The Cupertino, California-based company stated it complies with employment laws and that the proposal overreached in controlling internal policies. 



Per CNBC, CEO Tim Cook reaffirmed Apple's commitment to fostering a diverse workforce but acknowledged evolving legal challenges might require adjustments.



What Else: The vote comes amid a broader corporate retreat from DEI programs following a 2023 Supreme Court ruling ending affirmative action in college admissions and a Trump executive order dismantling federal DEI initiatives. Despite these trends, Apple's shareholders maintained their inclusion policies.



Shareholders also rejected proposals on AI ethics, child exploitation prevention and Apple's OpenAI partnership while approving the board slate, executive compensation and a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43910982/apple-commits-500-billion-in-us-investment-for-ai-push-boost-us-manufacturing-tech">$500 billion investment</a> in U.S. operations. Cook also confirmed Apple's commitment to annual dividend increases, with further details expected in May.



Read Also: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/02/43951080/bitcoin-plunges-as-consumer-confidence-falls-whats-driving-markets-tuesday">Bitcoin Plunges As Consumer Confidence Falls: What&#8217;s Driving Markets Tuesday?</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

AAPL

Apple Shareholders Uphold DEI Programs Amid Corporate Rollbacks

The cryptocurrency market plunged on Tuesday, with Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) slipping below $88,000 and the global market cap retreating below the $3 trillion mark.



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Price&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>Gains +/-</td></tr><tr><td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td><td>$87,679.28</td><td>-6.9%</td></tr><tr><td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>)</td><td>$2,463.78</td><td>-7.2%</td></tr><tr><td>Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>)</td><td>&nbsp;$143.94</td><td>-4.9%</td></tr><tr><td>XRP (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>)</td><td>&nbsp;$2.25</td><td>-6.7%</td></tr><tr><td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)</td><td>&nbsp;$0.2079</td><td>-6.8%</td></tr><tr><td>Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/shib/usd">SHIB</a>)</td><td>&nbsp;$0.00001396</td><td>-2.3%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Notable Statistics:



<ul>
<li>IntoTheBlock data shows large transaction volume increasing by 52% and daily active addresses growing by 38.5%. Transactions greater than $100,000 are up from 6,703 to 10.858 in a single day. Exchanges netflows are up by 183.7%.</li>



<li>Coinglass data reports 387,391 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours for $1.60 billion. Long liquidations of $933.4 million are at the highest level since Feb.3. </li>



<li>Crypto chart analyst Ali Martinez <a href="https://x.com/ali_charts/status/1894251729237037363">highlighted</a> that the number of new Bitcoin addresses created per day has dropped to 240,534, the lowest level since July 2024.</li>
</ul>



Notable Developments:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/02/43952007/sec-drops-another-case-uniswap-investigation-concludes-without-enforcement">SEC Drops Another Case: Uniswap Investigation Concludes Without Enforcement</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43934933/bitcoin-plunges-below-88000-what-is-going-on">Bitcoin Plunges Below $88,000: What Is Going On?</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43923960/citadel-securities-moves-into-crypto-market-making-following-trumps-crypto-friendly-regulation-push">Citadel Securities Moves Into Crypto Market-Making Following Trump&#8217;s Crypto-Friendly Regulation Push (CORRECTED)</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43932037/bitcoin-friendly-vivek-ramaswamy-announces-bid-for-ohio-governor-avoids-mentioning-doge-in-cincinnati-rally">Bitcoin-Friendly Vivek Ramaswamy Announces Bid For Ohio Governor, Trump Offers Total Endorsement: &#8216;Young, Strong, And Smart&#8217;</a></li>



<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43945957/liquidity-is-disappearing-bitcoins-downturn-spells-doom-for-altcoins-analyst-warns">&#8216;Liquidity Is Disappearing&#8217;: Bitcoin&#8217;s Downturn Spells Doom For Altcoins, Analyst Warns</a></li>
</ul>



Top Gainers:



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Cryptocurrency</td><td>Price&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td><td>Gains +/-</td></tr><tr><td>Story (CRYPTO: IP)</td><td>$5.89</td><td>+26.2%</td></tr><tr><td>Celestia (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">TIA</a>)</td><td>$3.66</td><td>+9.1%</td></tr><tr><td>Quant (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">QNT</a>)</td><td>$96.41</td><td>+8.9%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Trader Notes: Ali Martinez compares Bitcoin's current price action to the 2021 market top, warning that if the pattern holds, BTC could enter a consolidation phase before another leg down.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> is showing similarities to the 2021 market top. If this pattern holds, we could see a period of consolidation at current levels before the next leg down! <a href="https://t.co/lKV0aJIpwB">pic.twitter.com/lKV0aJIpwB</a>&mdash; Ali (@ali_charts) <a href="https://twitter.com/ali_charts/status/1894466645298680149?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Michael van de Poppe <a href="https://x.com/CryptoMichNL/status/1894470672388428121">points</a> out Bitcoin's recent dip, emphasizing that a close above $87,000 with strong altcoin performance could signal a market rebound. He notes that peak negative sentiment often aligns with market bottoms.



Roman Trading views this week's Bitcoin close as crucial, warning that a break below key support could send BTC towards $70,000, while a range between $89,000-$78,000 remains possible.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> 1W I think some of you need to realize how important this week's close will be. A close below support and the next area of interest is in the 70ks or at least starting a new range between 89-78k. Pay. Attention.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#bitcoin</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/cryptocurrency?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#cryptocurrency</a> <a href="https://t.co/ECKCGBqmNY">pic.twitter.com/ECKCGBqmNY</a>&mdash; Roman (@Roman_Trading) <a href="https://twitter.com/Roman_Trading/status/1894466324061196377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 25, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/top-stories/25/02/43940583/bitcoin-ethereum-xrp-shed-billions-in-9-correction-3-factors-driving-the-downturn">Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP Shed Billions In 9% Correction: 3 Factors Driving The Downturn</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

$DOGE

$ETH

$QNT

$SHIB

$SOL

$TIA

$XRP

Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin See Blood-Red Tuesday As Traders Expect 'Period Of Consolidation Before Next Leg Down'

The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index fell sharply in February, declining 7.0 points to 98.3, marking the <a href="https://www.conference-board.org/topics/consumer-confidence">steepest drop</a> since August 2021. This is the third consecutive monthly decline, bringing the index to the lower end of its two-year range. 



What To Know: The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index is a widely watched <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-confidence">economic indicator</a> that measures consumer sentiment regarding the current and future state of the economy. It is based on a monthly survey of 5,000 households, assessing perceptions of business conditions, labor markets and personal finances.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43947393/stock-of-the-day-will-dollar-tree-break-out-and-head-higher">Stock Of The Day – Will Dollar Tree Break Out And Head Higher?</a>



A decline in the <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/us-consumer-confidence-dropped-sharply-in-february-302384647.html">index</a>, like the one seen in February, often signals reduced consumer spending and growing concerns about economic conditions, which can influence both business decisions and market trends.



What&#8217;s Driving The Data: The Present Situation Index, reflecting current business and labor market conditions, dipped to 136.5, while the Expectations Index plunged to 72.9—below the critical recession-signaling threshold of 80 for the first time since mid-2024.



Consumers' confidence in future economic conditions weakened significantly. Optimism about income, business conditions, and job prospects declined, with pessimism about employment prospects reaching a 10-month high. Confidence fell across all age groups, with the most pronounced decline among those aged 35 to 55.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43938959/trump-targets-chinas-tech-sector-with-stricter-biden-era-chip-curbs-it-will-backfire-says-beijing">Trump Reportedly Targets China&#8217;s Tech Sector With Stricter Biden-Era Chip Curbs. It Will Backfire, Says Beijing</a>



The downturn was also widespread across income levels, except for the lowest earners and those making between $100,000 and $125,000 annually.



Inflation expectations surged to 6%, driven by price increases in essentials like eggs and concerns over tariffs. Consumers&#8217; recession expectations rose to a nine-month high, while stock market optimism dropped, with only 46.8% expecting gains—down from 54.2% in January. Also of note &#8211; more than half of consumers anticipated higher interest rates ahead.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/specialty-etfs/25/02/43946240/rocket-lab-kratos-archer-aviation-and-more-earnings-this-week-could-have-a-big-impact-on-cathie-woods-ark-etfs">Rocket Lab, Kratos, Archer Aviation And More Earnings This Week Could Have A Big Impact On Cathie Wood&#8217;s Ark ETFs</a>



Expert Commentary: Jeffrey Roach, Chief Economist at LPL Financial, noted that while current conditions remain positive, the outlook for the future has worsened for the third straight month. Consumers are increasingly concerned about the impact of tariffs and rising prices, though more are planning home purchases in anticipation of lower mortgage rates. 



Roach also observed a softening labor market, with more consumers perceiving jobs as harder to find. Despite these shifts, he cautioned that consumer confidence surveys are volatile and unlikely to influence the Federal Reserve&#8217;s near-term monetary policy decisions.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/25/02/43789321/disney-latest-captain-america-film-opens-with-100m-can-marvel-magic-happen-three-times-in-2025" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Disney's Latest ‘Captain America' Film Opens With $100M: Can Marvel Magic Happen Three Times In 2025?</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Econ #s

Consumer Confidence Plummets In February: Sharp Decline Marks Third Consecutive Monthly Drop

Semiconductor giant Nvidia Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) is likely to report record financial results and highlight strong demand from technology companies when the company reports fourth-quarter financial results <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings">after market close Wednesday.</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Nvidia Earnings Estimates</h2>



Analysts expect Nvidia to report fourth-quarter revenue of $38.05 billion. That&#8217;s up from $22.1 billion in last year's fourth quarter, according to data <a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent022525&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">from Benzinga Pro</a>.



The company has beaten analyst estimates for revenue in nine straight quarters.



Analysts expect the company to report earnings of 84 cents per share for the fourth quarter — up from 52 cents per share in last year's fourth quarter.



The company has beaten analyst estimates for earnings per share in eight straight quarters.



Revenue and earnings per share from Nvidia could once again be company records and continue the company's high growth across several business segments.



Guidance <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/11/42099904/nvidia-beats-q3-revenue-eps-estimates-supply-constraints-ding-stock-huang-says-age-of-ai-is-in-full-steam">from the company</a> given after third-quarter results calls for fourth-quarter revenue to be $37.5 billion plus or minus 2%.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43865455/nvidia-takes-on-scalpers-by-offering-rtx-5090-5080-founders-edition-gpus-to-loyal-users">Nvidia Takes On Scalpers By Offering RTX 5090, 5080 Founders Edition GPUs To Loyal Users</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What Analysts Are Saying</h2>



Reports of large Capex spending by other technology companies should bode well for Nvidia's results and guidance, Piper Sandler analyst Harsh Kumar said in a recent investor note.



The analyst reiterated an Overweight rating with a $175 price target.



"We are expecting NVDA to nicely beat January quarter estimates to the tune of $1.8 billion on the top line and revert back to the greater than $2 billion cadence beat that the company had maintained before its transition to Blackwell," Kumar said.



The analyst said demand for Blackwell is strong and should lead to a beat and raise quarter for Nvidia.



"We continue to believe NVDA is sold out for CY2025 and we see increasing cadence of beats of magnitude as the year progresses."



Kumar said reports from Microsoft, Meta Platforms, Alphabet and Amazon show that demand for Nvidia products is large and could lead to increased guidance from the company.



"This tells us that interest in AI Capex spend remains robust and that NVDA's growth story is intact."



Truist analyst William Stein said Nvidia is the AI leader and the stock in the sector to own. The analyst maintained a Buy rating on Nvidia with a $200 price target.



Stein expects Nvidia to deliver upside to consensus estimates for the fourth-quarter and first quarter guidance.



With Nvidia stock trading at 23x calendar-year 2026 earnings per share, the analyst said Nvidia stock is "quite cheap."



The analyst's concerns are Hopper purchases slowing down, production challenges and Deepseek causing a slowdown to capex spending.



Stein said commentary from large technology companies suggest spending on products from Nvidia will be just fine.



"We expect a solid quarter, outlook &amp; commentary," Stein said.



The analyst also expects Nvidia to discuss emerging AI models, data processing techniques and physical AI for items like robotics.



"We expect this will be a positive catalyst for the stock."



Morgan Stanley analyst Joseph Moore recently <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/02/43540906/nvidia-stock-remains-analysts-top-pick-deepseek-selloff-is-a-buying-opportunity">called a pullback </a>in Nvidia stock related to the rise of Chinese AI competitor DeepSeek a buying opportunity.



Moore maintained an Overweight rating on Nvidia with a $152 price target.



The analyst said DeepSeek marks a &#8220;strong evolutionary upgrade in the AI space,&#8221; but comes in a space where Nvidia continues to improve AI performance and will continue to do so.



Nvidia could have several headwinds from the DeepSeek emergence including further export controls, a different financing environment for AI spenders and investor sentiment on the company turning negative.



&#8220;While we have several reasons to believe that large cluster builds will continue, mostly because the architects of those clusters are insisting so loudly every day, the cynicism is overwhelming,&#8221; Moore said.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Items to Watch: Freedom Capital Markets </h2>



Chief Global Strategist Jay Woods <a href="https://jaywoods.substack.com/">said </a>there are likely three items investors will be watching for in Nvidia's quarterly results. Woods said Blackwell chip, DeepSeek questions and guidance top the list of items to watch.



For Blackwell, Woods said analysts expect $38 billion in quarterly revenue and are also looking for guidance on future revenue.



Woods questions if Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang will address the concerns from competitor DeepSeek during the earnings commentary and earnings call.



The market strategist said when it comes to Nvidia's guidance, it will be two-fold.



"First, given the continued capex spending by major customers in Meta, Amazon and Alphabet, can they meet the demand? Secondly, they have a history of upping production for future earnings. Will this trend continue or are there growth concerns given global competition and inflation concerns at home?" Woods asks.



Revenue by segment could be another key area to watch. The data center segment posted a quarterly record for revenue in the third quarter. Data center revenue was up 112% year-over-year. The Gaming &amp; AI PC and Professional Visualization segments had year-over-year growth of 15% and 17% respectively.



The gaming segment got a call-out as having a "great quarter" in the third quarter and seeing strong back-to-school sales. The segment's holiday sales impact could show through in the fourth-quarter results.



Price Action: Nvidia stock is down 2.7% to $126.81 on Tuesday versus a 52-week trading range of $75.61 to $153.13. Nvidia stock is down 8.3% year-to-date in 2025 and up over 60% in the last year.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/03/37879478/humble-beginnings-like-nvidia-reddit-was-founded-inside-a-restaurant">Humble Beginnings: Like NVIDIA, Reddit Was Founded Inside A Restaurant</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Price Target

Previews

Reiteration

Analyst Ratings

Trading Ideas

Nvidia Stock 'Quite Cheap' Ahead Of Q4 Earnings: Analyst Says 'Growth Story Is Intact'

Markets fell broadly Tuesday with the S&amp;P 500 trading at five-week lows and the Nasdaq extending its three-day losing streak. The Dow Jones managed to recover midday while Wall Street digested a weaker-than-anticipated consumer confidence survey from the Conference Board, adding to concerns over the health of the U.S. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/02/43949339/consumer-confidence-plummets-in-february-sharp-decline-marks-third-consecutive-monthly-drop">consumer and job market. </a>



Escalating trade concerns are also weighing on markets after President Donald Trump announced on Monday that tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico "will go forward" and Bloomberg reported the White House is preparing tighter restrictions on semiconductor exports to China.&nbsp;



NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) led the Nasdaq lower as investors anticipate the company's earnings release on Wednesday and shares of Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) fell after the EV giant saw a sharp decline in European sales. 



Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/02/43949800/tesla-competes-against-chinese-rivals-with-one-hand-tied-behind-its-back-analyst">Tesla Competes Against Chinese Rivals &#8216;With One Hand Tied Behind Its Back&#8217;: Analyst</a>



Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) fell below $88,000, its lowest since November 2024, as concerns over a slowing U.S. economy and Trump's trade policies<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43945957/liquidity-is-disappearing-bitcoins-downturn-spells-doom-for-altcoins-analyst-warns"> weighed on </a>crypto markets. 



The yield on the U.S. 10-year Treasury note fell about 9 bps to 4.32% as investors flocked toward safe-haven assets.  The iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TLT#NASDAQ">TLT</a>) rose 1.49%. 



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Tuesday's Performance In Major U.S. Indices, ETFs</h1>



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Major Indices</td><td>Price</td><td>1 day % chg.</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>19,072.35</td><td>-1.12%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>5,957.58</td><td>-0.43%</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>43,597.47</td><td>0.31%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>2,165.29</td><td>-0.59%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



According to Benzinga Pro data:



<ul>
<li>The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) was down 0.48% to $594.36.</li>



<li>The SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIA#NYSE">DIA</a>) climbed 0.28% at $435.76.</li>



<li>The tech-heavy Invesco QQQ Trust Series (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) slid 0.98% to $514.78.</li>



<li>The iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) eased down 0.38% to $215.41.</li>



<li>The Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLY#NYSE">XLY</a>) was down 0.8% to $215.84.</li>



<li>The Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLE#NYSE">XLE</a>) fell 1.53% to $89.56.</li>
</ul>



<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Tuesday's Stock Movers </h1>



Hims &amp; Hers Health, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HIMS#NYSE">HIMS</a>) shares plunged after<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/health-care/25/02/43926641/hims-hers-health-stock-drops-after-q4-report-eps-in-line-revenues-beat"> the company reported</a> a decline gross margins in the fourth-quarter added to concern over the end of the FDA-declared shortage of semaglutide.



Stocks reacting to company earnings reports included:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li>Krispy Kreme, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DNUT#NASDAQ">DNUT</a>) </li>



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



<li>Home Depot, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HD#NYSE">HD</a>) </li>



<li>Easterly Government Properties, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DEA#NYSE">DEA</a>) </li>



<li>Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KDP#NASDAQ">KDP</a>) </li>



<li>Trip.com Group Limited (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TCOM#NASDAQ">TCOM</a>) </li>
</ul>



Companies reporting after Tuesday's closing bell include:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li>Lucid Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LCID#NASDAQ">LCID</a>) </li>



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



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



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



<li>First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FSLR#NASDAQ">FSLR</a>) </li>



<li>Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CZR#NASDAQ">CZR</a>) </li>



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



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



<li>CAVA Group, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CAVA#NYSE">CAVA</a>) </li>
</ul>



Read Next:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43945252/lucid-q4-earnings-preview-production-deliveries-margins-on-watch"> </a>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43945252/lucid-q4-earnings-preview-production-deliveries-margins-on-watch">Lucid Q4 Earnings Preview: Production, Deliveries, Margins On Watch</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

Large Cap

Market Summary

Sector ETFs

Treasuries

General

CART

CAVA

CHGG

CPNG

DNUT

FSLR

HIMS

INTU

TCOM

WDAY

Bitcoin Plunges As Consumer Confidence Falls: What's Driving Markets Tuesday?

AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMC#NYSE">AMC</a>) will be reporting its fourth-quarter earnings on Tuesday. Wall Street expects a loss of 18 cents a share and $1.30 billion in revenues when the company reports<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings?tickers=AMC" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> after market hours</a> on Tuesday.



The stock is down 24.49% over the past year, 16.42% YTD.



Let&#8217;s look at what the charts indicate for AMC stock and how it maps against Wall Street estimates.



Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/25/02/43923619/amc-entertainment-q4-earnings-preview-will-movie-theater-stock-have-wicked-quarterly-results">AMC Entertainment Q4 Earnings Preview: Will Movie Theater Stock Have &#8216;Wicked&#8217; Quarterly Results?</a>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">AMC Stock Strongly Bearish Ahead Of Q4 Earnings</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent022525&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="627" height="493" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/25092106/Screenshot-2025-02-25-at-7.45.59-PM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-797589" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/25092106/Screenshot-2025-02-25-at-7.45.59-PM.png 627w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/25092106/Screenshot-2025-02-25-at-7.45.59-PM-300x236.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 627px) 100vw, 627px" /></a></figure>



<a href="https://bzresearch.myclickfunnels.com/benzinga-pro-content-webinar-registration/?utm_source=BZprocontent022525&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">Chart created using Benzinga Pro</a>



AMC stock is facing significant bearish pressure. At $3.36 per share, it is trading below its five, 20 and 50-day exponential moving averages. This alignment signals a strong downtrend, suggesting continued vulnerability to further downside movement. The eight-day simple moving average (SMA) at $3.49 also presents a bearish signal, reinforcing the negative momentum.



However, the stock remains above its 20-day SMA of $3.31, offering a slight bullish counterpoint. Yet, the 50-day and 200-day SMAs, at $3.64 and $4.48, respectively, both signal bearishness as the stock trades well below these levels. The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) indicator at a negative 0.04 further supports the bearish outlook, while the Relative Strength Index (RSI) of 45.14 indicates the stock is neither overbought nor oversold.



For investors, the overall technical landscape suggests caution. Unless AMC stock can break above its short-term resistance levels, the prevailing trend favors bearish movement, making it a riskier bet for bullish traders.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">AMC Analysts See 30% Upside</h2>



Ratings &amp; Consensus Estimates:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/AMC/analyst-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> </a>The <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/AMC/analyst-ratings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus analyst rating</a> on AMC stock stands at a Neutral with a price target of $5.06. Recent ratings from Roth MKM, Macquarie and B. Riley Securities suggest a 31.46% upside for AMC stock with a $4.42 average price target.



Price Action: AMC stock was trading at $3.36 at the time of publication.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/25/02/43789321/disney-latest-captain-america-film-opens-with-100m-can-marvel-magic-happen-three-times-in-2025">Disney&#8217;s Latest &#8216;Captain America&#8217; Film Opens With $100M: Can Marvel Magic Happen Three Times In 2025?</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Shutterstock

Technicals

AMC Stock Tanks Ahead Of Q4 Earnings - Can It Stage A Blockbuster Comeback?

In a move to further tighten the noose on China&#8217;s burgeoning tech sector, President Donald Trump is reportedly considering stricter measures on the country&#8217;s semiconductor industry. This move is seen as an extension of efforts initiated under the Joe Biden administration to curb China&#8217;s technological advancement.



What Happened: Trump officials have been in talks with their Japanese and Dutch counterparts to limit the activities of engineers from Tokyo Electron Ltd. and ASML Holding NV (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ASML#NASDAQ">ASML</a>) in China, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-25/trump-administration-seeks-more-restrictions-on-china-tech-weighs-nvidia-curbs">reported</a> on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter.



The aim is to get allies on board with the U.S. in imposing similar restrictions on China that have been placed on American semiconductor companies, including Lam Research Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LRCX#NASDAQ">LRCX</a>), KLA Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KLAC#NASDAQ">KLAC</a>), and Applied Materials Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMAT#NASDAQ">AMAT</a>).



The Trump administration is also exploring stricter controls on the global export of AI chips without a license. Washington&#8217;s broader objective is to hinder China&#8217;s advancement in building a domestic semiconductor industry that could enhance its AI and military capabilities.



According to the publication, implementation of these new regulations may take several months as the Trump administration selects staff for key federal agencies.



The White House did not immediately respond to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga&#8217;s</a> request for comment.



SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43937601/bitcoin-down-7-ethereum-xrp-dogecoin-shiba-inu-plunge-over-10-as-148-billion-liquidation-tsunami-hits">Bitcoin Down 7%, Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin, Shiba Inu Plunge Over 10% As $1.48 Billion Liquidation Tsunami Hits</a>



Why It Matters: In response to these reports, Lin Jian, from the Chinese foreign ministry, stated that such actions will obstruct the growth of the global semiconductor industry and also backfire, Reuters reported. Meanwhile, it also remains to be seen if Japan and the Netherlands echo the same thoughts as Trump.



This development comes on the heels of President Trump&#8217;s recent announcement of his intention to impose a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43805852/trump-shakes-global-trade-with-25-auto-chip-and-pharma-tariffs-announcement-asian-stocks-pare-their-five-day-rally">25% tariff on auto imports,</a> chips, and pharmaceuticals. These tariffs, expected to take effect as early as April 2, have already caused a stir in international trade. The latest move to tighten restrictions on China&#8217;s tech sector is seen as a continuation of Trump&#8217;s aggressive trade policies, and could potentially escalate trade tensions between the U.S. and China.



Another report by the South China Morning Post suggests that Tencent Holdings (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TCEHY#OTC">TCEHY</a>), Alibaba (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) and ByteDance have significantly increased demand for Nvidia's (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) H20 AI chip, driven by the surging popularity of DeepSeek's affordable AI models. This development also comes ahead of the tariffs and chip curbs likely to be imposed by the Trump administration.



<ul>
<li>READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43934320/should-passengers-accept-deltas-30000-no-strings-attached-compensation-offer-lawyers-weigh-in">Should Passengers Accept Delta Air Lines&#8217; $30,000 &#8216;No Strings Attached&#8217; Compensation Offer? Lawyers Weigh In</a></li>
</ul>



Image via Shutterstock



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

AMAT

ASML

BABA

KLAC

LRCX

TCEHY

Trump Reportedly Targets China's Tech Sector With Stricter Biden-Era Chip Curbs. It Will Backfire, Says Beijing

As Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) retreats to three-month lows, the 9% correction in total crypto market capitalization has analysts speculating about what is <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/news/global/25/02/43926015/trump-confirms-tariffs-on-canada-mexico-will-take-effect-as-planned">driving this downturn</a>.



What Happened: In a detailed thread on <a href="https://x.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1894218914923417964">X</a> on Tuesday, macro commentary account Kobeissi Letter described the correction as a liquidity cascade triggered by multiple compounding factors. 



The aggressive sell-off in Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>), combined with a broader risk-off move in equities, likely sparked a wave of liquidations across crypto.



Solana is down 17.2% in the past seven days and 44.9% over the past month. Leading meme coins like Trump (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">TRUMP</a>), Bonk (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">BONK</a>) and Dogwifhat (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">WIF</a>) are down 21%, 17% and 14%, respectively.



According to Kobeissi Letter, the meme coin market losing liquidity is a notable signal, signaling broader risk appetite is fading. CoinGecko data shows the total meme coin market cap down 16.5% over the past 24 hours.



The crypto market has shed close to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43937601/bitcoin-down-7-ethereum-xrp-dogecoin-shiba-inu-plunge-over-10-as-148-billion-liquidation-t">$1.5 billion in liquidations</a> as part of the market correction.



Interestingly, this market correction comes on the heels of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43923960/citadel-securities-moves-into-crypto-market-making-following-trumps-crypto-friendly-regula">Citadel Securities&#8217; announcement</a> of plans to become a liquidity provider for Bitcoin and crypto. The market seems to have interpreted this as a &#8220;sell the news&#8221; event.



The recent <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43905078/bybit-nears-recovery-after-crypto-heist-freezes-42-89-million-in-stolen-funds-secures-1-23-billion-in-eth-through-whales-and-loans">Bybit hack on Feb. 21</a> has also dampened market sentiment. Arkham Intelligence has labeled this incident as the &#8220;largest financial heist in history,&#8221; surpassing even the Central Bank of Iraq theft in 2003.



Price Action: Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) is down 7% over the past 24 hours, trading around $88,800 at the time of writing. Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) and XRP (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>) are down 9%, trading at $2,415 and $2,22, respectively.



Also Read: <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43934933/bitcoin-plunges-below-88000-what-is-going-on">Bitcoin Plunges Below $88,000: What Is Going On?</a>



What's Next: Technical factors and a general pullback in risk appetite across financial markets have contributed to the crypto market&#8217;s liquidity squeeze. 



The Kobeissi Letter notes, &#8220;We saw historic levels of risk appetite in 2024 and heading into 2025. A pullback in risk appetite means less liquidity for crypto markets.&#8221;



While the current situation may seem alarming, it&#8217;s worth noting that Bitcoin has experienced numerous 10% pullbacks during its bull run. 



The Kobeissi Letter suggests that &#8220;Technical pullbacks are healthy&#8221; and doesn&#8217;t necessarily indicate a prolonged bear market.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://in.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43918143/bitcoin-stuck-in-90-day-consolidation-range-this-juncture-is-critical-bitfinex-analysts-say">Bitcoin Stuck In 90-Day Consolidation Range: This Juncture Is Critical, Bitfinex Analysts Say</a></li>
</ul>



Image: Shutterstock

$BONK

$TRUMP

$WIF

Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP Shed Billions In 9% Correction: 3 Factors Driving The Downturn

On Tuesday, Home Depot Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HD#NYSE">HD</a>) stock is trading higher in a volatile session after the home improvement retailer reported its <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/25/02/n43935026/the-home-depot-announces-fourth-quarter-and-fiscal-2024-results-increases-quarterly-dividend-by-2-" rel="noreferrer noopener">fourth-quarter 2024 results and provided its 2025 outlook</a>.



HD reported fourth-quarter sales growth of 14.1% year-over-year to $39.70 billion, beating the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">consensus estimate of $39.14 billion</a>. Adjusted EPS was $3.13 (+9.4% year over year), beating the consensus of $3.00.&nbsp;



Customer transactions for the quarter rose 7.6%. Comparable sales increased 0.8%, and comparable sales in the U.S. rose 1.3%.



Related: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/previews/25/02/43922935/home-depot-q4-earnings-preview-could-slowing-new-home-sales-higher-mortgage-rates-help-stock" rel="noreferrer noopener">Home Depot Q4 Earnings Preview: Could &#8216;Slowing New Home Sales And Higher Mortgage Rates&#8217; Help The Stock?</a>



Margins: Gross profit rose 13.3% YoY to $13.03 billion, with a margin of 32.8%, down 25 bps YoY. The operating margin was 11.3%, down 60 bps YoY, and operating income for the quarter rose 8.5% to $4.495 billion. The adjusted operating margin slipped to 11.7% from 12.1% YoY.



Operating expenses increased 15.9% year over year to $8.539 billion.



The average ticket in the fourth quarter was $89.11, a 0.3% increase, and sales per retail square foot increased 1.2% to $556.90.



As of February 2, the company held $1.659 billion in cash and equivalents. It generated an operating cash flow of $19.810 billion for fiscal 2024, compared to $21.172 billion a year ago.



At the end of the quarter, HD operated 2,347 retail stores and over 780 branches across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.



Dividend: Home Depot announced a 2.2% increase in its quarterly dividend to $2.30 per share, totaling an annual dividend of $9.20 per share. The dividend is payable on March 27, 2025, to shareholders of record as of March 13, 2025.



2025 Outlook: Home Depot forecasts total sales growth of 2% year-over-year, reaching $163.98 billion, slightly below the consensus of $164.17 billion.



Comparable sales are expected to rise approximately 1%, with an adjusted operating margin of around 13.4%.



The company projects adjusted EPS to decline by about 2%, from $15.24 to $14.94, falling short of the $15.57 consensus estimate.



Price Action: HD shares are trading higher by 1.15% at $386.80 premarket on the last check Tuesday.



Also Read:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/01/43166746/home-depot-likely-to-outcomp-lowes-in-q4-analyst-says-as-home-improvement-battle-heads-toward-earnings" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Home Depot &#8216;Likely To Outcomp&#8217; Lowe&#8217;s In Q4, Analyst Says As Home Improvement Battle Heads Toward Earnings</a></li>
</ul>



Photo: Sockagphoto via Shutterstock

Dividends

Home Depot Lifts Annual Dividend After Strong Q4, But Soft 2025 Outlook Weighs On Stock

The cryptocurrency market faced a sharp downturn over the past 24 hours, with Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) dropping to a low of $87,115 before stabilizing at $88,850, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43934933/bitcoin-plunges-below-88000-what-is-going-on">marking a 7% decline</a>.



Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) saw an even steeper drop of 10%, trading at $2,420.



Major altcoins also suffered losses, with Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>) down 15%, Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>) losing 14%, and Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/shib/usd">SHIB</a>) and XRP (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>) falling by 10%.



The sell-off resulted in $1.48 billion in liquidations, with $1.37 billion coming from long positions, according to <a href="https://www.coinglass.com/LiquidationData">data</a> from Coinglass.



In a note sent to Benzinga, Dr. Sean Dawson, head of research at Derive.xyz, contextualized the sell-off within historical market trends, attributing it to macroeconomic factors and recent industry shocks. 



&#8220;This kind of market correction isn't new – and it&#8217;s definitely not the worst we've witnessed,&#8221; he said, pointing to geopolitical tensions and rising interest rate concerns as contributing factors. 



Dawson also noted that despite the Bybit hack on Ethereum, the market has shown resilience, with Bitcoin's seven-day implied volatility rising to 46% and Ethereum's to 68%.



Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43923960/citadel-securities-moves-into-crypto-market-making-following-trumps-crypto-friendly-regulation-push">Citadel Securities Moves Into Crypto Market-Making Following Trump&#8217;s Crypto-Friendly Regulation Push</a>



Aurelie Barthere, principal research analyst at Nansen, in a note to Benzinga, highlighted broader market trends affecting crypto, stating, &#8220;BTC is now breaking lower following other token prices.&#8221; 



She cited the LIBRA (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">LIBRA</a>) scam and Bybit hack as major events that have eroded risk appetite. 



Additionally, concerns over slowing U.S. economic growth, evidenced by the lowest U.S. Services PMI reading in 22 months, have compounded selling pressure. 



According to Barthere, upcoming catalysts for risk assets include Nvidia's earnings report on Feb. 26 and core PCE inflation data on Feb. 28.



Stella Zlatareva, Nexo Dispatch editor, predicted a prolonged consolidation phase for the crypto market amid evolving inflation and trade policies. 



&#8220;Despite the current recalibration, the crypto market's overall growth trajectory remains intact,&#8221; she stated in a note to Benzinga, adding that Bitcoin could serve as both a risk asset and a store of value if inflation intensifies.



With uncertainty dominating the market, analysts suggest that while volatility remains high, long-term investors could find opportunities in the downturn.



Read Next: 



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43922379/trump-meme-coin-was-a-gut-punch-bitmex-research-says">Trump Meme Coin Was &#8216;A Gut Punch&#8217;, BitMex Research Says</a></li>
</ul>

Bitcoin Down 7%, Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin, Shiba Inu Plunge Over 10% As $1.48 Billion Liquidation Tsunami Hits

U.S. stock futures fell on Tuesday following Monday's mixed close. Futures of all the four benchmark indices declined in premarket trading.



Investor anxiety over tariffs and anticipation of Nvidia Corp.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) earnings this week weighed on the sentiment.



President Donald Trump confirmed on Monday that his administration will <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/02/43926015/trump-confirms-tariffs-on-canada-mexico-will-take-effect-as-planned">proceed with tariffs</a> on imports from Canada and Mexico, despite economic concerns. The decision, initially delayed by a month, will take effect next week, signaling a shift in North American trade relations.



Trump reiterated his stance at a White House press conference, arguing that foreign nations have unfairly benefited from U.S. trade policies and stressing the need for reciprocal tariffs. 



Treasury yields slipped on Tuesday. The 10-year Treasury yield stood at 4.34%, while the two-year yield was at 4.12%. According to the CME Group's FedWatch <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">tool</a>, there is a 95.5% chance that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged for the March meeting.



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Futures</td><td>Change (+/-)</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq 100</td><td>-0.49%</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>-0.29%</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>-0.07%</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-0.28%</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



The 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 ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which track the S&amp;P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, fell in premarket on Tuesday. SPY was down 0.35% to $595.13, and QQQ declined 0.60% to $516.75, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.



Cues From The Last Session



Information technology, utilities, consumer discretionary, communication services, and utilities dragged the indices on Monday, whereas health care, financials, and real estate sectors advanced.



Alibaba Group Holding Ltd ADR (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) plunged over 10% as Trump's memo directed the Committee on Foreign Investment to limit Chinese spending and investment. No economic data was scheduled to be released on Monday. 



<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table style="overflow:auto; height: 90px; display: block;"><tbody><tr><td>Index</td><td>Performance (+/-)</td><td>Value</td></tr><tr><td>Nasdaq Composite</td><td>-1.21%</td><td>19,286.93</td></tr><tr><td>S&amp;P 500</td><td>-0.50%</td><td>5,983.25</td></tr><tr><td>Dow Jones</td><td>0.076%</td><td>43,461.21</td></tr><tr><td>Russell 2000</td><td>-0.78%</td><td>2,178.27</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



Insights From Analysts



"Caution is warranted as we navigate the complex dynamics ahead," said economist Jeremy Siegel in his weekly market note as he said no economic data but Nvidia's earnings will be the most significant event this week.



Siegel who was a former professor at the University of Pennsylvania said that investors should remain focused on earnings strength, the trajectory of interest rates, and developments on the tariff front.



"While Growth stocks continue to dominate, any shift in margins or competitive dynamics—especially in AI—could create volatility.



Barchart in an X post shared a graph showing that the S&amp;P 500's price-to-book ratio has now surpassed the Dot Com Bubble high.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">S&amp;P 500 Price-to-Book Ratio has now surpassed the Dot Com Bubble High &#x1f6a8; <a href="https://t.co/w76HoTJoa4">pic.twitter.com/w76HoTJoa4</a>&mdash; Barchart (@Barchart) <a href="https://twitter.com/Barchart/status/1894008755567632741?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



Louis Navellier of Navellier &amp; Associates highlights the growing pressure President Trump is placing on both German and U.S. companies to move operations to the U.S. to avoid higher tariffs.



In line with this, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) made a significant announcement on Monday, committing to invest $500 billion in the U.S. over the next four years, marking its largest domestic investment to date. The tech giant plans to hire 20,000 workers and produce AI servers on U.S. soil.



This move follows a recent meeting between Apple CEO Tim Cook and President Trump, who praised the company&#8217;s investment, saying, "He's investing hundreds of billions of dollars."



Trump has also threatened a 10% additional tax on imports from China, where Apple manufactures most of its products, including iPhones. Historically, "Trump has traded investment in the U.S. for tariff relief in the past, so it appears that Apple is doing its best to appease the Trump Administration."



&#8220;It&#8217;s hard to be too concerned when after the worst week in months the S&amp;P is only 2.4% from all-time highs. The trend remains positive, but Nvidia could have a material impact in the short term, in either direction,&#8221; he added.



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



Upcoming Economic Data



Here&#8217;s what investors will keep on Tuesday:



<ul>
<li>Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan will speak in London at 4:20 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>December's S&amp;P Case-Shiller home price index for 20 cities will be out at 9:00 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>February's consumer confidence data will be announced at 10:00 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Fed Vice Chairman for Supervision Michael Barr will speak at 11:45 a.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin will speak at 01:00 p.m., ET.</li>
</ul>



Stocks In Focus:



<ul>
<li>Home Depot Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HD#NYSE">HD</a>) declined 1.17% in the premarket on Tuesday ahead of its earnings, which will be released before the opening bell. Analysts expect it to report earnings of $3.04 per share on revenue of $39.07 billion.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Keurig Dr Pepper Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KDP#NASDAQ">KDP</a>) advanced 0.44% as Wall Street expects it to report quarterly earnings of 57 cents per share on revenue of $4 billion before the opening bell.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Workday Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WDAY#NASDAQ">WDAY</a>) was up 0.41% ahead of its earnings, which will be released after the closing bell. Analysts expect it to report quarterly earnings of $1.78 per share on revenue of $2.18 billion.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Intuit Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTU#NASDAQ">INTU</a>) dropped 0.13% as Wall Street expects it to report quarterly earnings of $2.58 per share on revenue of $3.83 billion after the closing bell.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Brera Holdings PLC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BREA#NASDAQ">BREA</a>) jumped 118.60% as it entered the eSports market by launching Brera FC&#8217;s FIFA&#xAE; 23 Pro Clubs&#x2122; team, joining a select group of just 56 clubs in Italy.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Wah Fu Education Group Ltd (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WAFU#NASDAQ">WAFU</a>) zoomed 87.15% as it announced plans to integrate DeepSeek, a domestic large language model, into its educational platform to drive AI transformation, focusing on its online education and exam preparation services through two key initiatives.</li>
</ul>



<ul>
<li>Propetro Holding Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PUMP#NYSE">PUMP</a>) fell 2.68% after reporting a fourth-quarter 2024 adjusted loss of 1 cent per share.</li>
</ul>



Commodities, Gold And Global Equity Markets:



Crude oil futures were trading higher in the early New York session by 0.03% to hover around $70.72 per barrel.



The gold spot index was down by 0.41% to $2,941.04 per ounce easing from the record high of $2,956.37. The Dollar Index was up 0.07% at 106.674 level.



Asian markets ended lower on Monday except India's S&amp;P BSE Sensex index. Japan's Nikkei 225, Australia's ASX 200, China's CSI 300, South Korea's Kospi, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index declined. European markets were mostly higher in trade.



Read Next:



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43933428/dominos-pizza-serves-consistent-market-share-gains-since-2015-despite-q4-earnings-miss-aims-for-3-same-store-sales-growth-to-capture-additional-share">Domino&#8217;s Pizza Sees 1% QSR Market Share Increase Despite Q4 Earnings Miss: &#8216;Consistent With Our Average Annual Share Growth&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>



Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Government

Economics

Pre-Market Outlook

BREA

PUMP

WAFU

US Stocks Likely To Open Lower: 'Caution Is Warranted,' Says Expert As Investors Navigate 'Complex Dynamics' Ahead

Russian President Vladimir Putin has offered the United States access to Russia's metals, presenting Moscow as an alternative to Washington's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/02/43909360/zelensky-says-ukraine-wont-trade-minerals-for-debt-seeks-win-win-deal-with-us" rel="noreferrer noopener">push for Ukraine's resources.</a>



If President Donald Trump successfully brokers the agreement to stop the three-year conflict in Ukraine, it could open the doors for renewed economic cooperation.



Trump's notion of securing major economic agreements with Russia, as mentioned <a target="_blank" href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/liveblog/2025/2/24/trump-live-news-us-president-places-thousands-of-workers-on-leave-at-usaid" rel="noreferrer noopener">by</a> Al Jazeera, drew a prompt reaction. Putin convened a high-level meeting with economic advisors, reflecting on opportunities with joint projects in strategic metals.



"We, by the way, would be ready to offer joint projects with our American partners," Putin <a target="_blank" href="https://tass.com/economy/1918439" rel="noreferrer noopener">stated</a> on Russian state television, clarifying that Russia possesses far greater reserves of these critical minerals than Ukraine.



Russia holds the world's fifth-largest <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/23/07/33233340/rare-earth-elements-explained" rel="noreferrer noopener">rare earth reserves</a>, estimated at 3.8 million metric tons, yet it produces only about 2,500 tons per year due to limited refining capacity. These materials are essential for electric vehicles, missile guidance systems, consumer electronics, and renewable energy technologies.



Putin described rare earth metals as a priority for Russia's long-term economic development, with plans to expand beyond raw extraction into high-tech manufacturing. He also noted a significant opportunity for aluminum exports.



Russia is one of the world's largest aluminum producers, with its leading company, Rusal, historically supplying a significant share of global markets. Before tariffs were imposed in 2023, Russia accounted for up to 15% of U.S. aluminum imports.



Putin now says that Russia could supply up to 2 million tons annually to the U.S., helping to stabilize prices in the American market.



"This will not significantly affect pricing, but it will have a restraining influence on price formation," Putin said. He also proposed that American firms could invest in Russian aluminum production, particularly in the Krasnoyarsk region of Siberia, which houses some of the world's largest aluminum facilities.



While Putin angles for American cooperation, the European Union has taken a stricter approach, tightening restrictions on Russian aluminum as part of its latest, <a target="_blank" href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_25_585" rel="noreferrer noopener">16th sanctions package</a>. New rules will further limit Russia's presence in European markets, explaining why Moscow seeks alternative buyers.



Alongside his economic proposals, Putin endorsed Trump's suggestion for a 50% reduction in defense spending for Russia and the United States and openly invited China to join the initiative.



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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/management/25/02/43893993/teck-shrugs-off-tariff-risks-while-cameco-says-its-kind-of-econ-101-for-uranium-prices" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Teck Shrugs Off Tariff Risks, While Cameco Says ‘It's Kind Of Econ 101' For Uranium Prices</a></li>
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Putin Offers Russian Aluminum, Rare Earths As An Alternative To Ukraine's Minerals

Deepwater Management&#8216;s Gene Munster&nbsp;has shared his insights on Apple&#8217;s recent announcement of $500 billion U.S. investments.



What Happened: On Tuesday, Munster took to X to present his analysis of&nbsp;Apple Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>)&#8217;s decision to ramp up its annual U.S. expenditures. He believes the tech giant is set to increase its annual U.S. investments by $39 billion, a 45% increase from the 2021 run rate. However, Munster suggests the actual&nbsp;incremental investment is closer to&nbsp;$20 billion annually.



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Three takeaways from $AAPL's announcement of investments in the US: 1- The quick math suggests Apple is increasing its annual US expenditures by $39B, up 45% from the run rate outlined in 2021. In reality, the incremental investment is closer to $20B annually. Prior to today's…&mdash; Gene Munster (@munster_gene) <a href="https://twitter.com/munster_gene/status/1894086801452646772?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2025</a></blockquote><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



He also indicated that Apple&#8217;s announcement underscores its realization that an AI-powered future necessitates significant infrastructure investments. He estimates that 15% of the $19 billion incremental spend will be allocated to the hiring of 20,000 new employees, adding roughly $3 billion in annual employee expenses. The remaining 85% is likely to be invested in infrastructure, including expanding data center capacity and chip production for Apple Watches and iPads.



Munster&#8217;s third point underscores Apple&#8217;s strategic approach to bypass tariffs by redirecting those savings into U.S. investments. He estimates that the U.S. accounts for about 35% of Apple&#8217;s total sales, translating to approximately $147 billion in revenue this year. Of that, around $120 billion comes from product sales, which could be affected by the 10% tariffs. Hence, by boosting its domestic investments, Apple could potentially save at least $11 billion per year by avoiding the tariff. Put simply, tariff avoidance covers half of the additional $19 billion in U.S. investment announced.



SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/02/43926015/trump-confirms-tariffs-on-canada-mexico-will-take-effect-as-planned">Trump Confirms Tariffs On Canada, Mexico Will Take Effect As Planned</a>



Why It Matters: Apple CEO Tim Cook&#8216;s announcement of this massive investment in the U.S. is being widely perceived as a means to avoid the tariff threat. Tariffs have been a cause of major cause of concern for Apple. Bank of America analyst Analyst Wamsi Mohan had previously stated that iPhone manufacturers will need to increase prices on iPhones, iPads, and other <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43839627/apple-may-hike-iphone-prices-by-9-due-to-trumps-tariffs-says-bank-of-america">products by about 9%</a> to offset the impact of tariffs.



Meanwhile, President <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43911774/trump-says-apples-500-billion-investment-is-due-to-his-policies-without-which-they-wouldnt-be-investing-ten-cents">Donald Trump stated</a> that the investment was a result of Apple&#8217;s confidence in his administration and policies. 



Apart from Gene Munster, several other analysts have presented their reactions to the iPhone maker&#8217;s $500 billion investment. UBS analyst David Vogt stated that  &#8220;it lacks substance&#8221;, while renowned short-seller James Chanos called it &#8220;unrealistic&#8221; considering Apple&#8217;s current capital base is less than $160 billion. On the other hand, Wedbush&#8217;s Dan Ives said, &#8220;Apple made the smart strategic move with this $500 billion bet on its US buildout.&#8221;



Apple stock closed 0.66% higher at $247.17 on Monday. 



<ul>
<li>READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43932533/tesla-starts-rolling-out-fsd-features-in-china">Tesla Starts Rolling Out FSD Features In China A Month After Elon Musk Said EV Giant Faces &#8216;Challenges&#8217; In The Country</a></li>
</ul>



Image via Shutterstock



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

Short Sellers

Apple Could Save $11 Billion Annually By Avoiding Tariffs As Tim Cook's Tech Giant Pledges $500 Billion US Investment, Says Top Analyst

Jason Les, CEO of leading Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) miner Riot Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIOT#NASDAQ">RIOT</a>), stated on Monday that the company was committed to boosting Bitcoin yield for its shareholders but denied exploring maneuvers like those of&nbsp; Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>) as yet.



What happened: During the firm's fourth-quarter earnings call on Monday, Les outlined the significance of offering a higher Bitcoin per share by minimizing dilution.&nbsp;



He pointed out that the company&#8217;s mining operations, characterized by a "very low" direct cost of production, are the key to this strategy.



"And of course, always going to be looking to raise capital in the least dilutive, lowest cost of capital manner in order to enhance Bitcoin yield," the CEO added.&nbsp;



The "Bitcoin Yield" metric, popularized by Strategy, the world's largest corporate holder, measures the percentage change in the number of Bitcoins a company owns per share over a period. The metric helps gauge the effectiveness of the Bitcoin acquisition strategy.&nbsp;



See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42735744/pharma-bro-martin-shkreli-predicts-doom-for-michael-saylors-microstrategy-as-stock-dips-below-300-in-after-hours-trading"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/25/02/43905274/kanye-west-deletes-x-posts-on-potential-meme-coin-unfollows-changpeng-zhao-whats-he-upto">Kanye West Deletes X Posts On Potential Meme Coin, Unfollows Changpeng Zhao — What&#8217;s He Upto?</a>



"We think with our assets and the things that we&#8217;ve what we build up here at Riot, we are well positioned to find alternative forms of financing," Les stated.



On the question of introducing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43913122/strategy-acquires-20356-bitcoin-for-1-99-billion-boosts-2025-btc-yield-to-6-9">"structured products"</a> like Strategy, the CEO said, "That&#8217;s not something that we&#8217;ve looked too closely at yet."



Why It Matters: Les' remarks come in the wake of a trend among leading U.S.-based Bitcoin miners to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/42867736/us-bitcoin-miners-hoard-apex-crypto-to-shield-against-rising-expenses-mara-riot-replicate-microstrategys-playbook">accumulate BTC as a buffer</a> against increasing competition and shrinking profit margins.&nbsp;



Riot bagged approximately $510 million worth of Bitcoin in December. As of this writing, it was the third-largest corporate Bitcoin holder, with a stash of 18,221 BTC, worth $1.67 billion, <a href="https://bitcointreasuries.n">according</a> to bitcointreasuries.net.



Riot Platforms <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43928216/riot-platforms-shares-climb-after-fy-2024-results-details">reported </a>a fiscal 2024 revenue of $376.7 million, surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of $372.34 million. The company posted mining revenue of $321 million for the year, as compared to $189.0 million in 2023, primarily driven by higher average Bitcoin prices.



Price Action: At the time of writing, Bitcoin was exchanging hands at $92,165.87, down 3.64% in the last 24 hours, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA..">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.



Shares of Riot rose 1% in after-hours trading, after closing 4.49% lower at $9.990 during Monday's trading session. Year-to-date, the stock has dropped 2.15%.



Image via Shutterstock



Read Next:&nbsp;



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/financial-advisors/25/02/43903229/advisors-remain-divided-on-crypto-but-sec-approvals-demand-are-shifting-views">Advisors Remain Divided On Crypto, But SEC Approvals, Demand Are Shifting Views</a></li>
</ul>



Disclaimer:&nbsp;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.<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/apis?utm_source=benzinga.com&amp;utm_campaign=article-bottom" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"></a>

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Riot Platforms CEO Reaffirms Plan To Boost Bitcoin Yield But 'Not Looking Too Closely' At Michael Saylor-Led Strategy's Maneuvers

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