Short interest for Micron Technology gives investors a sense of the degree to which investors are betting on the decline of Micron Technology's stock. Short interest data is updated every two weeks.

Micron Technology Stock (NASDAQ:MU), Short Interest Report

Micron Technology

Micron is one of the largest semiconductor companies in the world, specializing in memory and storage chips. Its primary revenue stream comes from dynamic random access memory, or DRAM, and it also has minority exposure to not-and or NAND, flash chips. Micron serves a global customer base, selling chips into data centers, mobile phones, consumer electronics, and industrial and automotive applications. The firm is vertically integrated.

Semiconductor.Shutterstock

News

Global

Markets

Tech

NVDA

SSNLF

The global supply of high-performance memory chips is expected to remain constrained throughout 2024, driven by the soaring demand for artificial intelligence technology.

High-Performance Memory Chip Supply To Stay Tight In 2024 Amid Surging AI Demand, Major Manufacturers Face Shortages

Asia

Politics

General

ASML

INTC

QCOM

SOXL

iShares PHLX SOX Semiconductor Sector Index Fund

SOXX

Western governments prioritize securing chip supply to compete with China, as seen through Biden&#39;s $32.8B incentives, export restrictions, and ASML concerns.

China&#39;s Semiconductor Spending Tops US With $142B Commitment: Global Chip Race Heats Up

micron shutter2

Media

Trading Ideas

BIIB

FIHL

FROG

Jim Cramer recommends buying Micron, adding that he likes the company&#39;s CEO Sanjay Mehrotra. As for Fidelis? &#34;Not a favorite.&#34;

Jim Cramer Likes Micron And Its CEO, Recommends Buying This Big Bank

Micron Technology Inc

Blackrock MuniAssets Fund, Inc Common Stock

Blackrock Muniassets Fund Inc

iShares National Muni Bond ETF

Blackrock MuniHoldings California Quality Fund, Inc. Common Stock

BlackRock MuniHoldings California Quality Fund Inc

Blackrock MuniHoldings Quality Fund II, Inc. Common Stock

BlackRock MuniHoldings Quality Fund II Inc

Paul Mueller Co

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. Common Stock

Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc

MU GLOBAL HOLDING LTD by Mu Global Holding Limited

Mu Global Holding Ltd

MARUHACHI HLDGS CO LTD by MARUHACHI HOLDINGS CO LTD.

Maruhachi Holdings Co Ltd

BlackRock Municipal Income Fund, Inc. Common Stock

BlackRock Municipal Income Fund Inc

Blackrock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund, Inc. Common Stock

BlackRock MuniHoldings New Jersey Quality Fund Inc

MARUWA UNYU KIKAN CO by MARUWA UNYU KIKAN CO LTD.

AZ-COM Maruwa Holdings Inc

MULIANG VIAGOO TECH by Muliang Viagoo Technology Inc.

Muliang Viagoo Technology Inc

Mullen Automotive Inc

MITON UK MICROCAP TR PLC by MITON UK MICROCAP TR PLC

PIMCO Intermediate Municipal Bond Active Exchange-Traded Fund

MUNDORO CAPITAL INC by Mundoro Capital, Inc.

Mundoro Capital Inc

M UP INC by M Up INC.

Murphy Oil Corp

Mural Oncology PLC

LIGHTSPEED DISCOVERIS INC by LIGHTSPEED DISCOVERIES INC.

Lightspeed Discoveries Inc

MUENCHENER RUEKVR GES SHS by Muenchener Rueckver Ges

Munchener Ruckversicherungs-Gesellschaft AG

MUENCHENER RE GP UNSP/ADR by Muenchener Rueckver Ges

MURCHISON MINERALS LTD by Murchison Minerals Ltd.

Murchison Minerals Ltd

MURRAY & ROB HLDGS ORD by Murray & Roberts Holdings Ltd.

Murray And Roberts Holdings Ltd

MURRAY INTL TR PLC by Murray International Trust Plc

Murphy USA Inc

mStable USD

Muse

American Century Multisector Income ETF

PRO MUSIC RIGHTS, INC.

Promino Nutritional Sciences Inc Ordinary Shares

PROMINO NTRITIONL SCIENCE by Promino Nutritional Sciences Inc.

Promino Nutritional Sciences Inc

Exchange Traded Concepts Trust MUSQ Global Music Industry ETF

MULTI SOLUTIONS II INC by Multi Solutions II Inc

Multi Solutions II Inc

Columbia Multi-Sector Municipal Income ETF

MUTUAL MERCHANT SVCS INC by Mutual Merchant Services, Inc.

McEwen Mining Inc

Mirrored United States Oil Fund

Micron Technology (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 15.81% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 28.72%. Currently, Micron Technology has a market capitalization of $136.20 billion. 
Buying $100 In MU: If an investor had bought $100 of MU stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $339.32 today based on a price of $122.99 for MU at the time of writing.
<h3>Micron Technology's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1715702426_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

$100 Invested In Micron Technology 5 Years Ago Would Be Worth This Much Today

The global supply of high-performance memory chips is expected to remain constrained throughout 2024, driven by the soaring demand for artificial intelligence technology.
What Happened: The supply of high-end memory chips is projected to remain tight due to the exponential demand for AI technology, as per a CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/14/ai-boom-to-keep-supply-of-high-end-memory-chips-tight-through-2024.html">report</a> on Tuesday. This is likely to affect the supply of these chips for the rest of 2024 and well into 2025.
Leading memory chip suppliers, including SK Hynix and Micron Technology Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>), are already facing a shortage of high-bandwidth memory chips for 2024, with the stock for 2025 also nearly depleted.
″We expect the general memory supply to remain tight throughout 2024," Kazunori Ito, director of equity research at Morningstar said in a report.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/05/38777196/amid-nvidia-craze-jim-cramer-sees-a-chip-stock-not-on-anyones-radar-about-to-break-out-heres-wha?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Amid Nvidia Craze, Jim Cramer Sees A Chip Stock &#8216;Not On Anyone&#8217;s Radar&#8217; About To Break Out: Here&#8217;s What He Said</a>
The demand for AI chipsets has significantly boosted the high-end memory chip market, benefiting major players such as Samsung Electronics (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SSNLF#OTC">SSNLF</a>) and SK Hynix, the top two memory chipmakers globally.
"The manufacturing of these chips are more complex and ramping up production has been difficult. This likely sets up shortages through the rest of 2024 and through much of 2025," said William Bailey, director at Nasdaq IR Intelligence.
 Chip manufacturers are competing intensely to produce cutting-edge memory chips to capitalize on the AI surge.
In a recent press conference, SK Hynix announced its initiation of mass production for the latest HBM chips, the 12-layer HBM3E, starting in the third quarter. Samsung Electronics, on the other hand, plans to commence mass production in the second quarter, having already shipped samples of this advanced chip, marking an industry-first achievement.
"Currently Samsung is ahead in 12-layer HBM3E sampling process. If they can get qualification earlier than its peers, I assume it can get majority shares in end-2024 and 2025," said SK Kim, executive director and analyst at Daiwa Securities.
Why It Matters: The global race to control chip supply is intensifying, with China recently <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/24/05/38800273/chinas-semiconductor-spending-tops-us-with-142b-commitment-global-chip-race-heats-up">overtaking the U.S.</a> in semiconductor spending. This has become a key focus for Western governments in their efforts to compete with China in the industry.
Additionally, the U.S. and China are set to discuss the potential risks of advanced AI in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38783544/us-china-to-discuss-ai-risks-in-geneva-will-washingtons-policies-be-up-for-negotiation">upcoming talks in Geneva</a>. The talks will explore ways to mitigate the potential dangers of this emerging technology, which is driving the demand for high-end memory chips.
Meanwhile, NVIDIA Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) is expected to continue delivering <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/05/38798378/hsbc-analyst-sees-nvidia-stock-climbing-another-50-on-strong-pricing-power-ai-roadm">strong pricing power</a> and upside surprises through fiscal-year 2026, according to HSBC Global Research. This is likely to further fuel the demand for high-end memory chips.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/05/38780639/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-trade-mixed-after-turbulent-week-analyst-says-king-crypto-can-ri?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Trade Mixed After Turbulent Week: Analyst Says King Crypto Can Rise To $76K Level If It Reclaims This Crucial Support</a>
Image Via Shutterstock 
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Engineered by Benzinga Neuro, Edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/Kaustubh-Bagalkote" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kaustubh Bagalkote</a>
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The GPT-4-based Benzinga Neuro content generation system exploits the extensive Benzinga Ecosystem, including native data, APIs, and more to create comprehensive and timely stories for you. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Learn more.</a>
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<a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/38577767">Gaining control over the global supply of chips</a> is becoming a central priority for Western governments trying to compete with China in the race to dominate the industry.
Pandemic-related disruptions showed how a lack of semiconductors <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/21/09/23093194/semiconductor-shortage-hits-supply-chain-for-medtech-industry">can negatively impact a vast number of industries</a>. Now more than ever, securing a steady flow of chips is being placed atop geopolitical strategies worldwide.
This is part of the reasoning behind a long list of sizable investments that governments are pouring on their domestic building capabilities. Subsidies are expected to reach hundreds of billions of dollars in the coming decade.
Biden Pushes Hard: In the U.S., incentives for the semiconductor industry already amount to $32.8 billion as part of President Joe Biden's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/chips-act">far-reaching CHIPS Act</a> in an effort to boost jobs, gain independence from Asian production and improve the administration's image ahead of the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/2024-election">presidential election</a>.
On Monday, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said it's "<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/24/05/38795043/yellen-calls-for-fair-trade-with-china-urges-other-central-banks-to-limit-currency-interventions">critically important for the United States to have a role in strategic industries</a>," including semiconductors.
Micron Technology Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>) and Intel Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>) are among U.S. companies poised <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/05/38650086/intel-micron-among-winners-in-bidens-280b-chips-act-for-semiconductor-advancement">to benefit from measures coming from the CHIPS Act</a>.
Another $39 billion in subsidies have been promised by the government, along with $75 billion in loans and tax breaks for companies in the sector, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-05-12/chip-technology-spending-gets-81-billion-boost-in-china-rivalry?srnd=homepage-americas&amp;sref=TBDibEcD">according</a> to Bloomberg.
The administration's strategy to bolster the chips industry <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/38682654">also includes several export restrictions on China</a>, along with international lobbying efforts with European partners aimed at limiting China's access to key technology needed to develop the most advanced semiconductors.
Earlier this year, ASML Holding NV (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ASML#NASDAQ">ASML</a>), a Dutch company producing machines that are vital in the development of advanced semiconductors, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/01/36591828/chipmaking-giant-asml-at-the-heart-of-u-s-china-tech-battle-export-bans-and-global-implications">raised concerns over its place at the center of a broader geopolitical conflict</a> between China and the U.S.
Export controls by the U.S. on China are affecting some of its largest players. Last week, China&#8217;s top chipmaker Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/24/05/38751498/chinas-top-chipmaker-smic-sees-profit-margin-plummet-to-15-year-low-amid-us-export-controls">reported its worst margin since the 2008 financial crisis</a>.
The U.S. government has <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/38682654">recently revoked export licenses that previously allowed </a>Intel and Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QCOM#NASDAQ">QCOM</a>), to supply essential chips to Shenzhen-based Huawei.
Read also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/04/38249052/samsung-secures-6-4b-from-us-for-texas-chip-factory-after-nvidia-supplier-tsmcs-breakthrough">Samsung Secures $6.4B from US for Texas Chip Factory After Nvidia Supplier TSMC&#8217;s Breakthrough</a>
China's $142B Response: For its part, China is also funneling billions into reaching semiconductor sovereignty. The exact figure is unclear since the Chinese government doesn't make those numbers public, yet an estimate from the Semiconductor Industry Association puts the figure at $142 billion between executed and planned financing.
According to Bloomberg, China now has more semiconductor fabs under construction than any other country. The country's massive efforts are born out of a need to compensate for restricted access to U.S. and European-made equipment, without which manufacturing the most complex semiconductors still remains impossible.
In her Monday interview, Yellen also warned against possible overflows in specific industries after "enormous subsidies in critical areas of advanced manufacturing has resulted in overcapacity," in China.
That's the main concern behind the recent wave of stimulus spreading across the Northern Hemisphere.
India, Japan and Europe Also Want In: In Europe, several plans have been unveiled to pour billions into the industry, including a wide-ranging initiative from the European Union as well as specific state-backed programs.
The European Chips Act will "mobilize more than €43 billion ($46 billion) of public and private investments and set measures to prepare, anticipate and swiftly respond to any future supply chain disruptions, together with Member States and international partners," according to an official press release.
Germany, France and The Netherlands have already spent a collective $24 billion in subsidies while several more billions have been proposed in Spain, Italy and the UK.
Over in Asia, the biggest state-backed investments so far come from Japan, where $16 billion of a total planned of $64 billion have been allocated, and India where $7 billion have been allocated from a $10 billion government fund.
The largest U.S.-listed ETFs following the semiconductor industry by total assets are VanEck Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMH#NASDAQ">SMH</a>), iShares Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOXX#NASDAQ">SOXX</a>) and Direxion Daily Semiconductor Bull 3X Shares (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOXL#NYSE">SOXL</a>)
Now read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/38764729">SoftBank&#8217;s Billion-Dollar Bet: Switching From Startups To Semiconductors, AI</a>
Shutterstock image.

China's Semiconductor Spending Tops US With $142B Commitment: Global Chip Race Heats Up

Barclays analyst Tom O'Malley maintains Micron Technology (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>) with a Overweight and raises the price target from $120 to $145.

Price Target

Analyst Ratings

Barclays Maintains Overweight on Micron Technology, Raises Price Target to $145

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. 
Here's the list of options activity happening in today's session: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$900.00</td>
<td>$175.9K</td>
<td>15.7K</td>
<td>36.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AMD</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$152.50</td>
<td>$52.5K</td>
<td>4.3K</td>
<td>9.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DOCN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>11/15/24</td>
<td>$35.00</td>
<td>$66.5K</td>
<td>30</td>
<td>3.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AAPL</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>07/19/24</td>
<td>$190.00</td>
<td>$25.7K</td>
<td>25.6K</td>
<td>2.3K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TSM</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$147.00</td>
<td>$65.7K</td>
<td>758</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MSFT</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$405.00</td>
<td>$31.2K</td>
<td>10.9K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SMCI</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$780.00</td>
<td>$36.2K</td>
<td>892</td>
<td>872</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/24/24</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$52.0K</td>
<td>1.3K</td>
<td>871</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PATH</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>08/16/24</td>
<td>$21.00</td>
<td>$32.2K</td>
<td>2.3K</td>
<td>398</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ARM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>11/15/24</td>
<td>$95.00</td>
<td>$31.9K</td>
<td>462</td>
<td>386</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 call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 4 day(s) on May 17, 2024. Parties traded 93 contract(s) at a $900.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $175.9K, with a price of $1890.0 per contract. There were 15796 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 36708 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding AMD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 4 day(s) on May 17, 2024. Parties traded 185 contract(s) at a $152.50 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 11 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $52.5K, with a price of $284.0 per contract. There were 4364 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 9033 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For DOCN (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DOCN#NYSE">DOCN</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 186 day(s) on November 15, 2024. This event was a transfer of 100 contract(s) at a $35.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $66.5K, with a price of $665.0 per contract. There were 30 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3519 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AAPL (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 67 day(s) on July 19, 2024. This event was a transfer of 50 contract(s) at a $190.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $25.7K, with a price of $515.0 per contract. There were 25657 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2364 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For TSM (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 4 day(s) on May 17, 2024. This event was a transfer of 332 contract(s) at a $147.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $65.7K, with a price of $198.0 per contract. There were 758 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1617 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MSFT (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), we observe a call option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 4 day(s) on May 17, 2024. Parties traded 30 contract(s) at a $405.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $31.2K, with a price of $1040.0 per contract. There were 10910 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1182 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For SMCI (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 4 day(s) on May 17, 2024. This event was a transfer of 20 contract(s) at a $780.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $36.2K, with a price of $1810.0 per contract. There were 892 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 872 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 11 day(s) on May 24, 2024. Parties traded 100 contract(s) at a $120.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 6 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $52.0K, with a price of $520.0 per contract. There were 1398 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 871 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For PATH (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PATH#NYSE">PATH</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 95 day(s) on August 16, 2024. This event was a transfer of 125 contract(s) at a $21.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $32.2K, with a price of $258.0 per contract. There were 2384 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 398 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For ARM (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARM#NASDAQ">ARM</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 186 day(s) on November 15, 2024. This event was a transfer of 10 contract(s) at a $95.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $31.9K, with a price of $3196.0 per contract. There were 462 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 386 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

AAPL

DOCN

MSFT

PATH

SMCI

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

On CNBC's &#8220;Mad Money Lightning Round,&#8221; Jim Cramer recommended buying Micron (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>), adding that he likes the company and its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/05/38768537/from-hype-to-reality-ai-reshapes-pharmaceutical-industry-across-drug-discovery-to-marketing-stock">CEO Sanjay Mehrotra</a>.
On May 6, Baird analyst Tristan Gerra upgraded Micron from Neutral to Outperform and raised the price target from $115 to $150.
Bank of America Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BAC#NASDAQ">BAC</a>) is a buy, Cramer said.
Earlier this month, Bank of America recommended shareholders reject &#8220;mini-tender&#8221; offer by Tutanota LLC.
When asked about JFrog Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FROG#NASDAQ">FROG</a>), he said, &#8220;I would be a seller of almost all the enterprise software companies here.&#8221;
On May 9, JFrog posted stronger-than-expected results for its first quarter. The company also said it sees FY24 adjusted earnings of 59 cents to 61 cents per share, on revenue of $425.5 million to $429.5 million.
The &#8220;Mad Money&#8221; host said he is not impressed with what Biogen (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIIB#NASDAQ">BIIB</a>) is doing.
On April 24, Biogen reported first-quarter adjusted EPS of $3.67, up 8%, beating the consensus of $3.44.
Cramer said Fidelis Insurance Holdings Limited (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FIHL#NYSE">FIHL</a>) is &#8220;not a favorite.&#8221;
On May 9, Fidelis Insurance posted better-than-expected earnings for its first quarter.
Chevron Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVX#NYSE">CVX</a>) is a buy, he said.
On May 10, Truist Securities analyst Neal Dingmann maintained Chevron with a Hold and raised the price target from $156 to $166.
Price Action:
<ul>
<li>Biogen shares fell 0.6% to settle at $221.50 on Friday.</li>
<li>Micron shares fell 4.8% to close at $6.09.</li>
<li>Bank of America shares gained 0.4% to settle at $38.45.</li>
<li>Fidelis Insurance shares fell 4.3% to close at $18.48 on Friday.</li>
<li>JFrog shares dipped 18.7% to settle at $33.01 on Friday.</li>
<li>Chevron shares gained 0.2% to close at $165.82.</li>
</ul>
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38759507/top-3-industrials-stocks-that-may-collapse-this-month">Top 3 Industrials Stocks That May Collapse This Month</a>
Image: Shutterstock

Pharmaceutical companies have been at the forefront of artificial intelligence for quite some time. Researchers have been using advanced AI models to understand disease mechanisms even before the recent surge in interest.
Wednesday, researchers at&nbsp;Alphabet Inc&#8217;s&nbsp;(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>)&nbsp;Google DeepMind&nbsp;developed&nbsp;AlphaFold 3, a new&nbsp;artificial&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/artificial-intelligence" rel="noreferrer noopener">intelligence (AI) model</a>.
AlphaFold&nbsp;3&nbsp;can predict the structure and interactions of biological molecules.&nbsp;This&nbsp;includes proteins, DNA, RNA, and small molecules that&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/05/38711266/google-deepmind-develops-latest-ai-model-to-aid-scientists-in-fighting-disease" rel="noreferrer noopener">could function as drugs</a>.&nbsp;
According to the latest McKinsey Global Institute report, AI technology could generate&nbsp;$60 billion—$110 billion annually&nbsp;in economic value for the pharmaceutical industry, as it can help speed up the process of identifying compounds, their development, and approval.
The report adds that generative&nbsp;AI&#8217;s impact on pharmaceuticals&nbsp;is expected&nbsp;to be profound as the foundational models&nbsp;are built&nbsp;on languages, images, omics, patient information, and other types of data that come together to explain and solve the disease process and effective treatment ways.
Increased drug discovery, approval, and marketing speed can help companies resolve the asset life cycle compression issue, which is the diminishing amount of time companies have to capture the value of the new drug.
McKinsey&#8217;s research shows that the time has decreased to 9.8 years from 11.7 years over the past 20 years.
Despite the speedy discovery, the average cost of discovering and developing new drugs has increased.
Generative AI using augmented foundational models can help accelerate pharma research, with drug discovery timelines cut by almost half. AI tech can have a potential economic value of $15 billion-$28 billion on research and discovery.
The report notes that, on average, ten years and around $1.4 billion are needed to bring one new drug to the market, of which 80%&nbsp;is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/23/09/34818722/from-years-to-months-how-ai-is-shaping-the-landscape-of-clinical-trials" rel="noreferrer noopener">associated&nbsp;with clinical development</a>.&nbsp;
Generative AI addresses pain points by increasing efficiency across&nbsp;the clinical development process,&nbsp;unlocking the economic value of $13 billion to $25 billion.
Generative&nbsp;AI tools can deepen relationships between care providers, pharmacists, insurers, and patients&nbsp;to&nbsp;fine-tune campaign strategies in&nbsp;real time, per the report.&nbsp;
Pharma professionals and patients will have substantial data to make faster, smarter decisions, providing a potential opportunity of $18 billion to $30 billion.
In 2023, the&nbsp;World Health Organization&nbsp;unveiled a comprehensive publication highlighting critical regulatory considerations for harnessing the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/23/10/35330203/world-health-organization-addresses-ai-in-healthcare-bias-outlines-guidance-for-regulatory-complianc" rel="noreferrer noopener">potential of&nbsp;AI in healthcare</a>.&nbsp;
In April,&nbsp;Bayer AG&nbsp;(OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BAYRY#OTC">BAYRY</a>)&nbsp;and&nbsp;Google Cloud announced a&nbsp;collaboration&nbsp;to develop AI solutions to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/large-cap/24/04/38169901/google-partners-with-european-conglomerate-bayer-for-new-ai-powered-solutions-for-radiologists" rel="noreferrer noopener">support radiologists</a>.
Key players shaping the market <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/23/10/n35164076/artificial-intelligence-in-healthcare-market-size-worth-usd-201-3-billion-globally-by-2030-at-45-5" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">include industry giants </a>such as Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>), International Business Machines Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBM#NYSE">IBM</a>), Google, General Electric Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GE#NYSE">GE</a>), Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), Medtronic Plc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MDT#NYSE">MDT</a>), Micron Technology Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>), Amazon Web Services, and Siemens Healthineers.
Photo via Shutterstock

Biotech

Large Cap

Health Care

BAYRY

GOOG

GOOGL

From Hype To Reality, AI Reshapes Pharmaceutical Industry Across Drug Discovery To Marketing - Stocks To Watch

To gain an edge, this is what you need to know today.
<img alt="" src="https://thearorareport.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/2024-05-10_08h35_45.png" style="height:383px; width:700px" />
<h3>Buying On Rising Layoffs</h3>
Please <a href="https://thearorareport.com/chart-analysis-stock-market-rising-layoffs-momentum-to-new-high-spy-mc-05102024">click here</a> for an enlarged chart of SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (ARCA:SPY) which represents the benchmark stock market index S&amp;P 500 (SPX).
Note the following:
<ul>
<li>The chart shows that the stock market has vigorously risen from the recent pullback.</li>
<li>The chart shows that RSI reached oversold levels during the recent pullback and now has risen to touch the lower band of the overbought zone.&nbsp; Historically, this setup leads to more stock market gains.</li>
<li>The chart shows that the volume during the recent rise is not heavy.&nbsp; This indicates lack of conviction.</li>
<li>The chart shows that the stock market is now in the resistance zone.</li>
<li>In The Arora Report analysis, stops of the short sellers are right above the resistance zone. &nbsp;If the stock market rises further, Wall Street&rsquo;s hunt and destroy algorithms will kick in, taking out the stops of short sellers and igniting a short squeeze.&nbsp;The result of such a scenario would be a new stock market high.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li>
<li>Yesterday in the <a href="https://blog.thearorareport.com/arm-earnings-050924/">Morning Capsule</a> we shared with you:</li>
</ul>
<blockquote>Jobless claims came at 231K vs. 213K consensus.&nbsp;This indicates that the job market is beginning to slow.
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li>The bulls latched on to the rise in jobless claims and aggressively bought stocks.&nbsp;There is merit to this line of thinking because Powell is already itching to cut rates and rising layoffs will give him an excuse to cut rates.</li>
<li>Prudent investors need to be somewhat careful as weekly jobless claims series is very volatile.</li>
<li>For proper analysis at The Arora Report, in addition to the weekly data, we look at a four week moving average of initial jobless claims.&nbsp; The four week moving average is now at 215K &ndash; up 2.26% from the prior week and down 10.14% from a year ago.&nbsp; Considering the size of the U.S. economy, a rise of 2.26% over the prior week is hardly meaningful, but do not tell that to trigger happy stock market bulls.&nbsp; Prudent investors should watch the trend over a period of several weeks, not just one week.&nbsp;Jobless claims is a leading indicator and carries heavy weight in The Arora Report adaptive <a href="https://thearorareport.com/ALLOCATION%2BMODELS.htm">ZYX Asset Allocation Model</a> with inputs in <a href="https://thearorareport.com/unique-zyx-asset-allocation-4/">ten categories</a>.&nbsp;In plain English, adaptiveness means that the model changes itself with market conditions.&nbsp; Please <a href="https://thearorareport.com/unique-zyx-asset-allocation-3/">click here</a> to see how this is achieved.&nbsp;One of the reasons behind The Arora Report&rsquo;s unrivaled performance in both bull and bear markets is the adaptiveness of the model. Most models on Wall Street are static. They work for a while and then stop working when market conditions change.</li>
<li>Adding to the optimism this morning is a report of rising revenues at the world&rsquo;s largest chip manufacturer Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg. Co. Ltd. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/tsm#NYSE">TSM</a>). TSM is manufacturing a vast majority of the artificial intelligence chips, and the data shows sales are booming.&nbsp; Here are the details:
<ul>
<li>April revenues came at T$236.02B.&nbsp; This is up 59.6% year-over-year and up 21% month-over-month.</li>
<li>January - April revenue came at T$828.67B. This is 26% year-over-year.</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li>Data from TSM is bringing buying into artificial intelligence stocks such as NVIDIA Corp (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/nvda#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/amd#NASDAQ">AMD</a>), Micron Technology Inc (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/mu#NASDAQ">MU</a>), and Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/amat#NASDAQ">AMAT</a>).</li>
</ul>
<h3>China</h3>
Stocks in Hong Kong have reached a nine month high.&nbsp;There is China risk, but stocks in Hong Kong represent the best value in the whole world at this time.&nbsp;The ETF of choice is&nbsp;iShares China Large-Cap ETF&nbsp;(ARCA: FXI).&nbsp;As full disclosure, FXI is in The Arora Report&#39;s&nbsp;ZYX Emerging Model Portfolio.
<h3>Magnificent Seven Money Flows</h3>
In the early trade, money flows are positive in Apple Inc (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/aapl#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/meta#NASDAQ">META</a>), NVDA, and Tesla Inc (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/tsla#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>).
In the early trade, money flows are neutral in 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 negative in Alphabet Inc Class C (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/goog#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>).
In the early trade, money flows are positive in S&amp;P 500 ETF (SPY) and Invesco QQQ Trust Series 1 (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/qqq#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>).
<h3>Momo Crowd And Smart Money In Stocks</h3>
The momo crowd is aggressively buying stocks in the early trade.&nbsp;Smart money is inactive in the early trade.
<h3>Gold</h3>
The momo crowd is buying gold in the early trade.&nbsp;Smart money is inactive in the early trade.
For longer-term, please see gold and silver ratings.
The most popular ETF for gold is SPDR Gold Trust (ARCA:GLD). The most popular ETF for silver is iShares Silver Trust (ARCA:SLV).&nbsp;
<h3>Oil</h3>
The momo crowd is buying oil in the early trade.&nbsp; Smart money is inactive in the early trade.
For longer-term, please see oil ratings.
The most popular ETF for oil is United States Oil ETF (ARCA:USO).
<h3>Bitcoin</h3>
Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) is rising along with tech stocks.
<h3>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. 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>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 seven 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>.
This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga&#39;s reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.

Coverage of Bitcoin, Etherum, Ripple and all the latest digital currencies.

Cryptocurrency

Commodities

Economics

$BTC

AMAT

AMZN

TSLA

Aggressive Stock Buying On Rising Layoffs And Revenue Rise At The Largest Chip Manufacturer TSMC

Earnings

Semiconductor Stocks Higher; TSM Reported Strong April Sales

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders will search for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges heavily from its normal worth. High amounts of trading activity could push option prices to exaggerated or underestimated levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Information Technology sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>NVDA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/10/24</td>
<td>$900.00</td>
<td>$32.6K</td>
<td>8.4K</td>
<td>43.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AMD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/10/24</td>
<td>$155.00</td>
<td>$59.5K</td>
<td>13.2K</td>
<td>30.3K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/10/24</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$26.4K</td>
<td>5.8K</td>
<td>3.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PLTR</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/24/24</td>
<td>$22.00</td>
<td>$122.0K</td>
<td>5.4K</td>
<td>3.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MARA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/10/24</td>
<td>$20.00</td>
<td>$44.8K</td>
<td>2.8K</td>
<td>3.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ARM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>05/10/24</td>
<td>$110.00</td>
<td>$34.5K</td>
<td>3.3K</td>
<td>3.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AKAM</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/21/24</td>
<td>$105.00</td>
<td>$117.0K</td>
<td>531</td>
<td>2.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SMCI</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>05/10/24</td>
<td>$830.00</td>
<td>$36.5K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
<td>2.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>INTC</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$25.00</td>
<td>$27.6K</td>
<td>3.0K</td>
<td>1.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WOLF</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$40.00</td>
<td>$53.0K</td>
<td>46</td>
<td>1.0K</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 call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 2 day(s) on May 10, 2024. Parties traded 25 contract(s) at a $900.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $32.6K, with a price of $1305.0 per contract. There were 8425 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 43973 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding AMD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 2 day(s) on May 10, 2024. Parties traded 500 contract(s) at a $155.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $59.5K, with a price of $119.0 per contract. There were 13245 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 30398 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MU (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 2 day(s) on May 10, 2024. This event was a transfer of 300 contract(s) at a $120.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 19 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $26.4K, with a price of $88.0 per contract. There were 5836 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3989 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding PLTR (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NYSE">PLTR</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 16 day(s) on May 24, 2024. Parties traded 2000 contract(s) at a $22.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 41 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $122.0K, with a price of $61.0 per contract. There were 5442 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3924 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MARA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 2 day(s) on May 10, 2024. Parties traded 472 contract(s) at a $20.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 12 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $44.8K, with a price of $95.0 per contract. There were 2825 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3475 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For ARM (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARM#NASDAQ">ARM</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 2 day(s) on May 10, 2024. This event was a transfer of 60 contract(s) at a $110.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $34.5K, with a price of $575.0 per contract. There were 3353 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 3277 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AKAM (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AKAM#NASDAQ">AKAM</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 44 day(s) on June 21, 2024. This event was a transfer of 249 contract(s) at a $105.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $117.0K, with a price of $470.0 per contract. There were 531 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2564 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding SMCI (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>), we observe a call option sweep with neutral sentiment. It expires in 2 day(s) on May 10, 2024. Parties traded 25 contract(s) at a $830.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 6 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $36.5K, with a price of $1460.0 per contract. There were 1002 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2412 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For INTC (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 618 day(s) on January 16, 2026. This event was a transfer of 105 contract(s) at a $25.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 16 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $27.6K, with a price of $263.0 per contract. There were 3095 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1461 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For WOLF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WOLF#NYSE">WOLF</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 317 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 171 contract(s) at a $40.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $53.0K, with a price of $310.0 per contract. There were 46 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1000 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

AKAM

MARA

PLTR

WOLF

10 Information Technology Stocks Whale Activity In Today's Session

The Biden administration has revoked export licenses that previously allowed major American semiconductor manufacturers, Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>) and Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QCOM#NASDAQ">QCOM</a>), to supply <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/semiconductors">essential chips to Huawei. </a>
This decision, as confirmed by the Commerce Department to the <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/cf965960-b083-49ee-bae1-6ce95fe872a3">Financial Times</a> on Tuesday, marks a pivotal escalation in the U.S. strategy to curb the technological ascent of the Chinese telecommunications equipment powerhouse.
National Security Concerns At The Forefront
This regulatory crackdown follows persistent concerns voiced by U.S. national security officials regarding Huawei's involvement in facilitating cyber espionage activities, allegations that Huawei consistently denies.
The tightening of restrictions also responds to pressures from Republican lawmakers who have advocated for a more stringent approach toward the Chinese firm. Key political figures, including Marco Rubio (R-FL), vice-chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), have explicitly urged for such measures in recent communications with U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
The decision to revoke these licenses reflects broader U.S. anxieties about Huawei&#8217;s capabilities in developing advanced technological components, despite previous restrictions. Huawei's recent unveiling of the Mate 60 Pro smartphone, equipped with sophisticated chip technology, has particularly alarmed U.S. officials. 
Market Reactions: Following the Commerce Department&#8217;s decision, shares of Qualcomm and Intel saw a dip, each falling by about 1% on Tuesday.
The broader iShares Semiconductor ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SOXX#NYSE">SOXX</a>) retreated 0.8%, snapping three straight sessions of gains. 
Chart: Qualcomm, Intel End Tuesday Session At Intraday Lows
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="495" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/07155759/image-45-1024x495.png" alt="" class="wp-image-327030" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/07155759/image-45-1024x495.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/07155759/image-45-300x145.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/07155759/image-45-768x372.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/07155759/image-45-1536x743.png 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/07155759/image-45.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
Other U.S. chipmakers may also be affected by the renewed export restrictions to the Chinese tech powerhouse. 
Other than Intel and Qualcomm, major technology firms such as Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>), Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>), Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) and Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) are also listed as U.S. suppliers to Huawei, according to an infographics shared by Reuters. 
Notably, smaller players like Lumentum Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LITE#NASDAQ">LITE</a>) and Qorvo Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QRVO#NASDAQ">QRVO</a>) are substantially reliant on Huawei, with approximately 11% of their total revenue stemming from orders from the Chinese tech giant.
Read now: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/04/38459947/as-us-tightens-screws-on-nvidia-intel-chip-exports-to-china-huaweis-latest-phone-uses-made-in-ch">As US Tightens Screws On Nvidia, Intel Chip Exports To China, Huawei&#8217;s Latest Phone Uses Made-In-China Chipset</a>
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Biden Administration Tightens Grip On China's Huawei, Revokes Key Export Licenses From US Chipmakers

<a href="https://www.ft.com/content/cf965960-b083-49ee-bae1-6ce95fe872a3" title="https://www.ft.com/content/cf965960-b083-49ee-bae1-6ce95fe872a3">https://www.ft.com/content/cf965960-b083-49ee-bae1-6ce95fe872a3</a>

'US to revoke licences for supply of chips to China's Huawei' -Financial Times

Whales with a lot of money to spend have taken a noticeably bullish stance on Micron Technology.
Looking at options history for Micron Technology (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>) we detected 10 trades.
If we consider the specifics of each trade, it is accurate to state that 50% of the investors opened trades with bullish expectations and 50% with bearish.
From the overall spotted trades, 3 are puts, for a total amount of $86,266 and 7, calls, for a total amount of $343,725.
<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 $107.0 to $150.0 for Micron Technology over the last 3 months. 
<h3>Analyzing 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 Micron Technology'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 Micron Technology's whale trades within a strike price range from $107.0 to $150.0 in the last 30 days. 
<h3>Micron Technology Option Activity Analysis: Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1715089666_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Significant Options Trades Detected:</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 style="text-align: right;">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>MU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>07/19/24</td>
<td>$2.23</td>
<td>$2.16</td>
<td>$2.21</td>
<td>$150.00</td>
<td>$111.0K</td>
<td>7.7K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">509</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>08/16/24</td>
<td>$7.95</td>
<td>$7.9</td>
<td>$7.9</td>
<td>$130.00</td>
<td>$47.4K</td>
<td>1.5K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/21/24</td>
<td>$4.05</td>
<td>$3.95</td>
<td>$4.01</td>
<td>$130.00</td>
<td>$40.1K</td>
<td>8.9K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">152</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$3.9</td>
<td>$3.8</td>
<td>$3.83</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$38.3K</td>
<td>12.3K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">129</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$24.6</td>
<td>$24.6</td>
<td>$24.6</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$36.9K</td>
<td>990</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">12</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Micron Technology</h3>
Micron is one of the largest semiconductor companies in the world, specializing in memory and storage chips. Its primary revenue stream comes from dynamic random access memory, or DRAM, and it also has minority exposure to not-and or NAND, flash chips. Micron serves a global customer base, selling chips into data centers, mobile phones, consumer electronics, and industrial and automotive applications. The firm is vertically integrated.
Having examined the options trading patterns of Micron Technology, our attention now turns directly to the company. This shift allows us to delve into its present market position and performance
<h3>Micron Technology's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a trading volume of 535,844, the price of MU is down by -0.36%, reaching $119.7.</li>
<li>Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be approaching overbought.</li>
<li>Next earnings report is scheduled for 50 days from now.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What The Experts Say On Micron Technology</h3>
In the last month, 4 experts released ratings on this stock with an average target price of $147.5.
<ul>
<li>Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Cantor Fitzgerald continues to hold a Overweight rating for Micron Technology, targeting a price of $150. </li>
<li>An analyst from Baird upgraded its action to Outperform with a price target of $150. </li>
<li>Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Stifel continues to hold a Buy rating for Micron Technology, targeting a price of $140. </li>
<li>Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Keybanc continues to hold a Overweight rating for Micron Technology, targeting a price of $150. </li>
</ul>
Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Micron Technology with <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> for real-time alerts.

Looking At Micron Technology's Recent Unusual Options Activity

Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>), today announced the availability of Crucial&#xAE; LPCAMM2, the disruptive next-generation laptop memory form factor that features LPDDR5X mobile memory to level up laptop performance for professionals and creators. Consuming up to 58% less active power1 and with a 64% space savings compared to DDR5 SODIMMs,2 LPCAMM2 delivers higher bandwidth and dual-channel support with a single module. LPCAMM2 is an ideal high-performance memory solution for handling AI PC and complex workloads and is compatible with the powerful and versatile Lenovo&#xAE; ThinkPad&#xAE; P1 Gen 7 mobile workstations. &nbsp;
"LPCAMM2 is a game-changer for mobile workstation users who want to enjoy the benefits of the latest mobile high performance memory technology without sacrificing superior performance, upgradeability, power efficiency or space," said Jonathan Weech, senior director of product marketing for Micron's Commercial Products Group. "With LPCAMM2, we are delivering a future-proof memory solution, enabling faster speeds and longer battery life to support demanding creative and AI workloads."
"Lenovo's ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 is the first laptop available in the market that can leverage the newest LPCAMM2 form factor to enable higher performance, faster AI workflows, scalable memory capacity and improved battery life for mobile workstations and thin and light laptops," said Yasumichi Tsukamoto, vice president and distinguished engineer, Commercial Product Solutions Development at Lenovo. "This powerful combination not only provides an enhanced user experience, but the low power memory used in LPCAMM2 modules helps reduce overall energy consumption in our laptops."
By utilizing LPDDR5X memory, LPCAMM2 enables blazing speeds of up to 7,500MT/s, which is 1.3 times faster than DDR5 SODIMMs.3 This memory form factor also reduces power consumption and extends battery life. With up to 80% less standby power compared to DDR5 SODIMMs,1 users can work longer on the go without compromising performance.
One LPCAMM2 module fills all 128 bits of CPU bus width, maximizing bandwidth for AI workloads and applications and unleashing greater potential of AI-enabled PCs. Users can boost their performance by up to 7% for digital content creation workloads and improve productivity workloads by up to 15%, based on PCMark 10 tests.4 Unlike soldered-down memory, LPCAMM2 is upgradeable, allowing users to easily swap out their modules and increase their memory capacity whenever they need to. It also features a thinner, fan-less design, making it more portable and sleeker.

Micron Delivers LPCAMM2 With LPDDR5X Memory For The AI-Ready Lenovo ThinkPad P1 Gen 7 Workstation

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed a slight decline in the overall market sentiment, but the index remained in the &#8220;Fear&#8221; zone on Monday.
U.S. stocks settled higher on Monday, with the Dow Jones index recording gains for the fourth straight session.
Data released Friday showed U.S. employers added 175,000 nonfarm payrolls in April, marking a reduction from the upwardly revised 315,000 reading in March and missing the expected 238,000. The unemployment rate went from 3.8% to 3.9%, more than the expected 3.8%.
Micron Technology Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>) shares gained around 5% on Monday after Baird analyst Tristan Gerra upgraded the stock from Neutral to Outperform and raised its price target from $115 to $150. Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSN#NYSE">TSN</a>) shares fell 5.7% after the company reported worse-than-expected second-quarter revenue results.
Most sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed on a positive note, with communication services, financial and information technology stocks recording the biggest gains on Monday. However, real estate stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session slightly lower.
The Dow Jones closed higher by around 177 points to 38,852.27 on Monday. The S&amp;P 500 rose 1.03% at 5,180.74, while the Nasdaq Composite jumped 1.19% at 16,349.25 during Monday's session.
Investors are awaiting earnings results from McKesson Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MCK#NYSE">MCK</a>), Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EA#NASDAQ">EA</a>), and The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIS#NYSE">DIS</a>) today.
At a current reading of 40.2, the index remained in the &#8220;Fear&#8221; zone on Friday, versus a prior reading of 40.5.
What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?
The Fear &amp; Greed Index is a measure of the current market sentiment. It is based on the premise that higher fear exerts pressure on stock prices, while higher greed has the opposite effect. The index is calculated based on seven equal-weighted indicators. The index ranges from 0 to 100, where 0 represents maximum fear and 100 signals maximum greediness.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38637897/micron-qualcomm-and-2-other-stocks-insiders-are-selling">Micron, Qualcomm And 2 Other Stocks Insiders Are Selling</a>

Pre-Market Outlook

Investor Optimism Decreases Slightly, But Dow Records Gains For 4th Day

The Biden administration aims to leverage the $280 billion CHIPS and Science Act to attract semiconductor companies focusing on digital twins, virtual representations of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/chips">physical chips.</a>
<a href="https://www.theverge.com/2024/5/6/24149817/us-fund-digital-twin-semiconductors-chips-act">According</a> to The Verge, this initiative includes the establishment of the CHIPS Manufacturing USA institute, which seeks to create regional networks for collaboration and resource-sharing among companies developing both physical semiconductors and their digital twins. 
Digital twins enable easier simulation of chip behavior, aiding in testing new processors before production.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/24/04/38369354/nvidias-high-end-chips-ended-up-in-chinese-hands-despite-us-ban-heres-how-beijing-scored-them">Nvidia&#8217;s High-End Chips Ended Up In Chinese Hands Despite US Ban: Here&#8217;s How Beijing Scored Them</a>
&#8220;Digital twin technology can help to spark innovation in research, development and manufacturing of semiconductors across the country — but only if we invest in America's understanding and ability of this new technology," Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in a press release.
She added: &#8220;This new Manufacturing USA institute will not only help to make America a leader in developing this new technology for the semiconductor industry, it will also help train the next generation of American workers and researchers to use digital twins for future advances in R&amp;D and production of chips.&#8221;
The administration plans to host briefings for interested parties to discuss funding opportunities, which will cover operational costs of the institute, digital twin research, facility access, and workforce training. 
The CHIPS Act, enacted in 2022 to bolster domestic semiconductor manufacturing, has faced challenges meeting capital demands, with requests surpassing the allocated $28 billion.
Key players such as Intel Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>) and Micron Technology Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>) are poised to receive government funding under the CHIPS Act. The administration aims to incentivize semiconductor companies, particularly in developing new processor types, amid rising demand driven by advancements like AI.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/24/04/38373343/nvidia-chips-to-power-softbanks-near-1b-ai-investment-report">Nvidia Chips To Power Softbank&#8217;s Near $1B AI Investment: Report</a>
Photo: <a href="https://www.shutterstock.com/es/g/3dartists">3dartists</a> on Shutterstock.

Intel, Micron Among Winners In Biden's $280B CHIPS Act For Semiconductor Advancement

Today, the Biden-Harris Administration <a href="https://www.commerce.gov/news/press-releases/2024/05/chips-america-announces-285-million-funding-opportunity-digital-twin" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">issued </a>a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) asking for proposals from qualified applicants for activities to establish and operate a CHIPS Manufacturing USA institute focused on digital twins for the semiconductor industry. 
Digital twins are virtual models that mimic&nbsp;the&nbsp;structure, context, and behavior&nbsp;of a physical counterpart.&nbsp;The CHIPS for America Program predicts up to approximately $285 million for a first-of-its-kind institute focused on developing, validating, and using digital twins for semiconductor manufacturing, advanced packaging, assembly, and test processes.&nbsp;
The CHIPS Manufacturing USA&nbsp;institute&nbsp;is the first Manufacturing USA institute launched by the Department of Commerce under the Biden Administration.
This move aligns with the 2022 Chips and Science Act, providing a substantial $11 billion allocation dedicated to semiconductor research and development.&nbsp;The initiative aims to steer the&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp;towards advanced chip technology, thereby lessening dependence on international supply chains, reported&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-06/us-to-fund-digital-twin-projects-for-chips-with-285-million?srnd=technology-vp&amp;sref=TBDibEcD" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bloomberg</a>.
Digital twin-based research can also leverage emerging technology like artificial intelligence to help accelerate the design of new&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp;chip development and manufacturing concepts and significantly reduce costs.
The&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp;Department of Commerce has already earmarked close to $33 billion in initial grants to bolster chip production within the country.&nbsp;
Leading chipmakers, including&nbsp;Nvidia Corp&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) and&nbsp;Advanced Micro Devices, Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>), have earned breakthroughs in&nbsp;AI&nbsp;technology chips courtesy of the&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp;and global Big Tech&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/02/37344993/us-chipmakers-want-more-subsidies-as-ai-shapes-the-semiconductor-industry" rel="noreferrer noopener">companies splurging on expanding their&nbsp;AI&nbsp;moat.</a>
This effort is crucial in establishing or expanding semiconductor fabrication sites, commonly&nbsp;referred to as&nbsp;fabs.&nbsp;
Intel Corporation&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>) is&nbsp;in discussions&nbsp;with the Biden administration to receive over $10 billion in subsidies.&nbsp;If realized,&nbsp;it will mark the&nbsp;largest&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/02/37193964/intel-in-talks-with-biden-administration-for-10b-subsidy" rel="noreferrer noopener">allocation under a plan to revive semiconductor manufacturing</a>.
Micron Technology, Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:&nbsp;MU) has signed a non-binding Preliminary Memorandum of Terms (PMT) for&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/04/38437555/microns-6-1b-chips-act-funding-propels-major-expansion-in-us" rel="noreferrer noopener">$6.1 billion in funding under the CHIPS and Science Act.</a>
"Digital twin technology will help transform the semiconductor industry," said&nbsp;Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Director Laurie E. Locascio.
&#8220;This historic investment in the CHIPS Manufacturing USA institute will help unite the semiconductor industry to unlock the enormous potential of digital twin technology for breakthrough discoveries. This is a prime example of how CHIPS for America is bringing research institutions and industry partners together in public private partnership to enable rapid adoption of innovations that will enhance domestic competitiveness for decades to come.&#8221;
Details of specific projects will hinge on applications submitted by the September 9 deadline, the report added. Notably, only institutions incorporated and primarily operating in the U.S. are eligible for these awards.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo via Shutterstock

Biden Administration Unveils $285M Funding For Semiconductor Institute

Micron Technology Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>) shares are trading higher after&nbsp;Baird&nbsp;analyst Tristan Gerra upgraded the stock from Neutral to Outperform and raised its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/MU/analyst-ratings" rel="noreferrer noopener">price target from $115 to $150</a>.
Citi&nbsp;analyst Christopher Danely remains bullish on the U.S. semiconductor sector. His top pick remains&nbsp;Micron Technology, Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>)
&nbsp;with other Buy-rated names, including&nbsp;Advanced Micro Devices, Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>),&nbsp;Broadcom Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>),&nbsp;Analog Devices, Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ADI#NASDAQ">ADI</a>),&nbsp;Microchip Technology Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MCHP#NASDAQ">MCHP</a>), and&nbsp;ON Semiconductor Corp&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ON#NASDAQ">ON</a>).
Last Friday afternoon, the SIA announced March monthly sales of $50.8 billion (up 16.4% month-over-month), above the analyst&#8217;s estimate of $50.1 billion (up 14.8% M/M) and seasonality of up 12.0% M/M driven by above-seasonal sales across all products, most notably from analog and microcontrollers, Danely noted.&nbsp;
Also Read:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38029253/nvidia-broadcom-lead-ai-charge-bofa-analyst-tips-amd-micron-as-emerging-contenders-" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nvidia, Broadcom Lead AI Charge: BofA Analyst Tips AMD, Micron as Emerging Contenders in Explosive Market Growth</a>
He said analog and microcontroller units were up roughly 50% M/M, well above seasonality of&nbsp;up&nbsp;roughly 20% M/M.&nbsp;
This data, together with recent commentary from the analog companies, supports Danely&#8217;s view of an analog inventory replenishment in the second half of 2024.
Danely maintained his 2024 semi sales forecast of up 11% Y/Y.&nbsp;
Analysts have previously forecasted Micron&#8217;s upside from its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38254546/micron-dominates-high-bandwidth-memory-market-anticipates-significant-revenue-growt" rel="noreferrer noopener">high-bandwidth memory (HBM)</a>&nbsp;market moat. They also projected upside from strong DRAM pricing and shipments of higher-priced, higher-margin and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/03/37756497/microns-stock-soars-as-analysts-forecast-strong-ai-and-dram-driven-earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">increasing AI exposure</a>.
Micron stock gained 97% in the last 12 months. Investors can gain exposure to the stock via&nbsp;REX FANG &amp; Innovation Equity Premium Income ETF&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FEPI#NASDAQ">FEPI</a>) and&nbsp;Invesco Semiconductors ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PSI#NYSE">PSI</a>).
Price Action:&nbsp;MU shares traded higher by 4.75% at $120.15 on the last check Monday.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37795929/micron-technology-poised-for-growth-on-strong-ai-demand-as-industry-enters-the-most-significant-memo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Micron Technology Poised for Growth On Strong AI Demand As Industry Enters The Most Significant Memory Cycle: Analyst</a>
Photo courtesy of Micron

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What's Going On With Micron Tech Stock On Monday?

Deep-pocketed investors have adopted a bullish approach towards Micron Technology (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>), and it's something market players shouldn't ignore. Our tracking of public options records at Benzinga unveiled this significant move today. The identity of these investors remains unknown, but such a substantial move in MU usually suggests something big is about to happen.
We gleaned this information from our observations today when Benzinga's options scanner highlighted 46 extraordinary options activities for Micron Technology. This level of activity is out of the ordinary.
The general mood among these heavyweight investors is divided, with 52% leaning bullish and 30% bearish. Among these notable options, 5 are puts, totaling $238,743, and 41 are calls, amounting to $2,809,670.
<h3>Predicted Price Range</h3>
Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $85.0 to $170.0 for Micron Technology during the past quarter. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Trends</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 Micron Technology'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 Micron Technology's whale trades within a strike price range from $85.0 to $170.0 in the last 30 days. 
<h3>Micron Technology Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1715014905_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Significant Options Trades Detected:</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>MU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/17/24</td>
<td>$3.85</td>
<td>$3.85</td>
<td>$3.85</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$328.8K</td>
<td>13.6K</td>
<td>3.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>12/20/24</td>
<td>$40.65</td>
<td>$39.85</td>
<td>$40.53</td>
<td>$85.00</td>
<td>$202.8K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
<td>50</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>12/20/24</td>
<td>$40.5</td>
<td>$39.9</td>
<td>$40.48</td>
<td>$85.00</td>
<td>$194.3K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
<td>50</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$35.1</td>
<td>$34.6</td>
<td>$34.82</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$173.7K</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
<td>78</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MU</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/10/24</td>
<td>$2.85</td>
<td>$2.77</td>
<td>$2.85</td>
<td>$118.00</td>
<td>$142.5K</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
<td>959</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Micron Technology</h3>
Micron is one of the largest semiconductor companies in the world, specializing in memory and storage chips. Its primary revenue stream comes from dynamic random access memory, or DRAM, and it also has minority exposure to not-and or NAND, flash chips. Micron serves a global customer base, selling chips into data centers, mobile phones, consumer electronics, and industrial and automotive applications. The firm is vertically integrated.
In light of the recent options history for Micron Technology, it's now appropriate to focus on the company itself. We aim to explore its current performance.
<h3>Micron Technology's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>Currently trading with a volume of 13,492,844, the MU's price is up by 4.99%, now at $120.42. </li>
<li>RSI readings suggest the stock is currently may be approaching overbought.</li>
<li>Anticipated earnings release is in 51 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What Analysts Are Saying About Micron Technology</h3>
Over the past month, 4 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $147.5.
<ul>
<li>Showing optimism, an analyst from Baird upgrades its rating to Outperform with a revised price target of $150. </li>
<li>An analyst from Keybanc has decided to maintain their Overweight rating on Micron Technology, which currently sits at a price target of $150. </li>
<li>Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Cantor Fitzgerald keeps a Overweight rating on Micron Technology with a target price of $150. </li>
<li>Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Stifel keeps a Buy rating on Micron Technology with a target price of $140. </li>
</ul>
Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest Micron Technology options trades with real-time alerts from <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a>.

What the Options Market Tells Us About Micron Technology

The Nasdaq 100 closed higher by around 2% on Friday. Investors, meanwhile, focused on some notable insider trades.
When insiders sell shares, it could be a preplanned sale, or could indicate their concern in the company's prospects or that they view the stock as being overpriced. Insider sales should not be taken as the only indicator for making an investment or trading decision. At best, it can lend conviction to a selling decision.
Below is a look at a few recent notable insider sales. For more, check out <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/sec/insider-trades/">Benzinga&#8217;s insider transactions</a> platform.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Micron Technology</h3>
<ul>
<li>The Trade: Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>) EVP, Technology &amp; Products Scott J Deboer <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/sec/insider-trades/">sold a total of 40,000 shares</a> at an average price of $110.31. The insider received around $4.41 million from selling those shares.</li>
<li>What's Happening: On April 25, Micron announced signing a non-binding Preliminary Memorandum of Terms (PMT) for $6.1 billion in funding under the CHIPS and Science Act.</li>
<li>What Micron Does: Micron is one of the largest semiconductor companies in the world, specializing in memory and storage chips.</li>
</ul>
Have a look at our <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premarket/">premarket coverage here</a>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Levi Strauss</h3>
<ul>
<li>The Trade: Levi Strauss &amp; Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LEVI#NYSE">LEVI</a>) Director David A Friedman <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/sec/insider-trades/">sold a total of 16,666 shares </a> at an average price of $21.42. The insider received around $357,027 from selling those shares.</li>
<li>What's Happening: On April 11, Levi Strauss &amp; Co. named Gianluca Flore as Chief Commercial Officer.</li>
<li>What Levi Strauss Does: Levi Strauss &amp; Co is involved in designing, marketing, and selling products that include jeans, casual and dresses pants, tops, shorts, skirts, jackets, footwear, and related accessories directly or through third parties and licensees for men, women, and children under Levi&#8217;s, Dockers, Signature by Levi Strauss &amp; Co. and Denizen brands.</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">QUALCOMM</h3>
<ul>
<li>The Trade: QUALCOMM Incorporated (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QCOM#NASDAQ">QCOM</a>) Chief Technology Officer James H Thompson <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/sec/insider-trades/">sold a total of 8,000 shares</a> at an average price of $182.00. The insider received around $1.46 million from selling those shares.</li>
<li>What's Happening: On May 1, Qualcomm reported better-than-expected second-quarter financial results and raised its dividend.</li>
<li>What QUALCOMM Does: Qualcomm develops and licenses wireless technology and designs chips for smartphones.</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">GoDaddy</h3>
<ul>
<li>The Trade: GoDaddy Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GDDY#NYSE">GDDY</a>) Chief Operating Officer Roger Chen <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/sec/insider-trades/">sold a total of 4,000 shares</a> at an average price of $122.60. The insider received around $490,400 from selling those shares.</li>
<li>What's Happening: On May 2, GoDaddy reported upbeat first-quarter financial results.</li>
<li>What GoDaddy Does: GoDaddy is a provider of domain registration and aftermarket services, website hosting, security, design, and business productivity tools, commerce solutions, and domain registry services.</li>
</ul>
Check This Out: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38611902/wall-streets-most-accurate-analysts-views-on-3-tech-telecom-stocks-delivering-high-dividend-yields">Wall Street&#8217;s Most Accurate Analysts&#8217; Views On 3 Tech &amp; Telecom Stocks Delivering High-Dividend Yields</a>

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<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
It would be foolish to turn a blind eye to the best quantum computing stock picks. Last year, we saw how a revolutionary technology like generative AI led the stock market to record gains. Companies involved directly or indirectly with generative AI saw their stock balloon in a relatively short&nbsp;time span. Given the incredible potential of quantum technology, I feel we could be in for something similar.



Quantum computing can potentially become a multi-billion dollar market within the next few years. With practical applications in everything from computing to energy to consumer and commercial finance, it&rsquo;s tough to ignore the power of quantum computing. &nbsp;Moreover, the battle for supremacy in quantum computing is intensifying, with major global powers vying for leadership. The U.S. and China are allocating billions to advancing their respective capabilities in the quantum computing field. Their investments effectively point to the strategic long-term importance of quantum computing and the tremendous upside potential in quantum computing stock picks.



<h2>Quantum Computing Stock Picks: IonQ (IONQ)</h2>



<a href="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ionq.jpg"><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ionq-300x169.jpg" alt="IONQ logo"></a>IonQ&nbsp;(NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ionq-stock-quote/" target="_blank">IONQ</a>) develops and sells access to multiple qubit-capacity quantum computers through cloud platforms in the U.S. It is also one of the most successful quantum computing pure-plays, having grown its sales<a href="https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/IONQ/income-statement" target="_blank">&nbsp;from $2.1 million in 2021 to $22 million last year</a>. Sales jumped more than 80% last year, which led to its stock gaining a market-beating 44%.



In recent months, though, we&rsquo;ve seen the stock slow down substantially, having shed roughly 26% of its value year-to-date (YTD). However, following another smashing quarterly performance in the first quarter (Q1), its stock is up almost 10% this month. Nevertheless, it still has a lot of ground to cover in matching its 52-week high of $21.60.



As mentioned earlier, the company&rsquo;s Q1 was another step in the right direction. Its sales jumped $7.6 million,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://seekingalpha.com/news/4103011-ionq-beats-top-line-and-bottom-line-estimates-initiates-q2-and-raises-fy24-bookings-outlook">up 77.2% on a year-over-year basis (YOY)</a>&nbsp;while beating estimates by $600,000. Additionally, it anticipates revenue growth between 68.2% and 86.4%, projecting revenues to reach between $37 million and $41 million YOY, ahead of estimates. Additionally, with a sweet $434.4 million in its cash till, it has ample liquidity to push forward with aplomb.



<h2>Sealsq (LAES)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/quantum-computing-3-300x169.jpg" alt="A concept image showing a quantum computer with a matrix background; quantum computing. leading quantum stocks, Best Quantum Computing Stocks to Buy"><div>Source: Shutterstock</div></div>Sealsq&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/laes-stock-quote/" target="_blank">LAES</a>)&nbsp;is a speculative quantum play that develops and sells quantum-resistant secure microcontrollers and related products such as processors and firmware. These specialized chips are designed to protect data efficiently against potential future threats from quantum computers.



Sealsq ended last year,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://9201667.fs1.hubspotusercontent-na1.net/hubfs/9201667/SEALSQ%20Annual%20Report%202023%20v4.pdf">delivering $30 million in sales</a>, roughly 30% higher on a YOY basis. Moreover, cash and cash equivalents were at $6.9 million, which is rather precarious given its liabilities. Its total liabilities are roughly 4.6 times its total equity, which is concerning, to say the least.



However, it has a few catalysts that could result in even healthier top-line growth ahead. For instance, its WISeSat picosatellite project significantly aims to improve satellite IoT device connectivity. Moreover, we saw its stock price spike briefly when it announced its foray into AI chip development. Hence, its involvement in three of the biggest multi-year trends in the stock market makes it an interesting bet. Also, considering you could swap its shares for a candy bar, it&rsquo;s unlikely to break the bank anytime soon.



<h2>Defiance Quantum ETF (QTUM)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Quantum1600-300x169.jpg" alt="A digital rendering of a circuit board and digital chip in neon colors to illustrate quantum computing"><div>Source: Shutterstock</div></div>Defiance Quantum ETF&nbsp;(NYSEARCA:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/qtum-stock-quote/" target="_blank">QTUM</a>) is perhaps a clear winner on the list. It&rsquo;s one of the few, if any,&nbsp;<a href="https://investorplace.com/industries/technology/quantum-computing/" target="_blank">quantum computing stocks</a>&nbsp;that&rsquo;s been in favor with investors over the past several years.&nbsp;In fact,&nbsp;QTUM stock has gained&nbsp;<a href="https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/QTUM/momentum/performance" target="_blank">more than 142% in value</a>&nbsp;over the past five years, blowing past the S&amp;P 500&rsquo;s 82% gain. Similarly, it has outperformed the S&amp;P 500 across multiple&nbsp;time periods, including last year.



Moreover, its expense ratio of just 0.40% is roughly 17% cheaper than the sector median. On top of that, investing in QTUM comes with a dividend. Though its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://seekingalpha.com/symbol/QTUM/dividends/scorecard">dividend yield of 0.8%</a>&nbsp;is nothing to write home about, it&rsquo;s paid dividends for the past five years, outperforming any pure-play quantum computing firm in this regard. Furthermore, it has investments in 71 different companies, including some of the biggest tech players like&nbsp;MicroStrategy&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a target="_blank" href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/mstr-stock-quote/">MSTR</a>),&nbsp;Micron Technology&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a target="_blank" href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/mu-stock-quote/">MU</a>),&nbsp;Nvidia&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a target="_blank" href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/nvda-stock-quote/">NVDA</a>),&nbsp;Coherent Corp.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a target="_blank" href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/cohr-stock-quote/">COHR</a>), among others.



On <a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-types/penny-stocks/">Penny Stocks</a> and Low-Volume Stocks:&nbsp;With only the rarest exceptions, InvestorPlace does not publish commentary about companies that have a market cap of less than $100 million or trade less than 100,000 shares each day. That&rsquo;s because these &ldquo;penny stocks&rdquo; are frequently the playground for scam artists and market manipulators. If we ever do publish commentary on a low-volume stock that may be affected by our commentary, we demand that InvestorPlace.com&rsquo;s writers disclose this fact and warn readers of the risks.



Read More: <a href="https://investorplace.com/2014/05/fraud-penny-stocks-scams/">Penny Stocks &mdash; How to Profit Without Getting Scammed</a>



On the date of publication, Muslim Farooque did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.&nbsp;The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com&nbsp;<a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/" target="_blank">Publishing Guidelines</a>.
<div>Muslim Farooque is a keen investor and an optimist at heart. A life-long gamer and tech enthusiast, he has a particular affinity for analyzing technology stocks. Muslim holds a bachelor&rsquo;s of science degree in applied accounting from Oxford Brookes University.</div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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The post <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/05/quantum-leap-3-computing-stocks-on-the-brink-of-a-breakout/">Quantum Leap: 3 Computing Stocks on the Brink of a Breakout</a> appeared first on <a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace</a>.

Quantum Leap: 3 Computing Stocks on the Brink of a Breakout

<a href="https://investorplace.com">InvestorPlace - Stock Market News, Stock Advice &amp; Trading Tips</a>
Today, we discuss three thematic ETFs to buy for investors looking to tap into future trends, consumer preferences or disruptive technologies. Metrics suggest how fast investor sentiment <a href="https://www.etfcentral.com/news/key-takeaways-from-the-2024-trackinsight-global-etf-survey-thematic-etfs">towards certain themes,</a> industries, countries or stocks may change on Wall Street. For instance, since the early days of COVID-19, we have witnessed different trends, including healthcare, green investing, blockchain, crypto, <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/05/baidu-stock-analysis-its-surprisingly-cheap-to-bet-on-chinas-chatgpt/">China&rsquo;s digitalization.</a> cybersecurity, autonomous&nbsp;vehicles and artificial intelligence (<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ai-stock-quote/">AI</a>). Yet, looking beyond the short-term and selecting the right theme demands vigilant due diligence and analysis.



The three thematic ETFs we introduce today may help investors capture the market&rsquo;s pulse and capitalize on specific industries without betting on single stocks. However, we should note that many thematic ETFs come with higher expense ratios than widely-held index funds tracking the S&amp;P 500, the Dow Jones Industrial Average or the Nasdaq 100 indices. Such higher annual expenses could potentially impact overall returns, so buyer beware.



<h2>Defiance Quantum &amp; AI ETF (QTUM)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/qtum-1-300x169.jpg" alt="A digital illustration of the cryptocurrency Qtum (QTUM)."><div>Source: Shutterstock</div></div>Quantum technologies (QT) that mostly bring together quantum physics and engineering have been entering the commercial space, with an expected global market of <a href="https://www.sdi.co.uk/news/quantum-drive-boosting-the-commercial-potential-of-tech-innovations#:~:text=Enabling%20a%20quantum%20revolution&amp;text=According%20to%20GlobalData%2C%20the%20global,in%20enabling%20the%20quantum%20revolution.">$10 billion by 2030.</a> In particular, <a href="https://investorplace.com/2024/05/3-quantum-computing-stocks-with-the-potential-to-make-you-an-overnight-millionaire/">quantum computing</a> has been getting considerable attention. Meanwhile, consumer interest in the generative AI platforms, such as Alphabet&rsquo;s (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/googl-stock-quote/">GOOGL</a>, NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/goog-stock-quote/">GOOG</a>) Gemini and OpenAI&rsquo;s ChatGPT, are projected to drive the generative AI market to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/company/press/generative-ai-to-become-a-1-3-trillion-market-by-2032-research-finds/">$1.3 trillion by 2032.</a> In other words, the AI segment is looking at a 42% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), compared to $40 billion in 2022.



Thus, our first pick among the thematic ETFs to buy is the Defiance Quantum &amp; AI ETF (NYSEARCA:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/qtum-stock-quote/">QTUM</a>). The fund <a href="https://www.defianceetfs.com/qtum/">offers exposure to leading global businesses</a> in transformative computing technologies such as machine learning, quantum computing and cloud platforms.



QTUM currently <a href="https://www.defianceetfs.com/wp-content/uploads/funddocs/qtum/QTUM-FactSheet.pdf?rand=0.760694749908339">holds 70 stocks,</a> with its top 10 holdings accounting for 20% of its $252 million net assets. Quantum Computing Technology dominates the subsector breakdown at 40%, followed by Machine Learning Services (19%) and AI &amp; Application Chips (16%). The majority of firms, over 58%, are U.S.-based, with notable presence from Japan (13%), and the Netherlands (8%).



Among QTUM&rsquo;s top holdings, we see a globally diverse set of technology companies. They include the cryptocurrency developer MicroStrategy (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/mstr-stock-quote/">MSTR</a>), Nvidia (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/nvda-stock-quote/">NVDA</a>), Socionext (OTCMKTS:SOCNF), Micron Technology (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/mu-stock-quote/">MU</a>) and MKS Instruments (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/mksi-stock-quote/">MKSI</a>).



Year-to-date (YTD), the fund has <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/QTUM?qsearchterm=qtum">gained nearly 10%</a> and currently trades at <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/QTUM">26.5 times trailing earnings.</a> We believe QTUM presents a potential opportunity for investing in transformative quantum and AI technologies without having to select individual stocks. Readers should note the expense ratio of 0.4% and dividend yield of 0.8%.



<h2>Invesco S&amp;P Spin-Off ETF (CSD)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/etf-1600-300x169.png" alt="Illustration of an ETF in multiple sectors."><div>Source: SWKStock / Shutterstock</div></div>Spinoffs&rsquo; have emerged as a viable alternative for businesses aiming to restructure and enhance corporate returns. Despite a <a href="https://www.morningstar.com/markets/spinoffs-are-new-ipos">slowdown in initial public offering</a> (<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ipo-stock-quote/">IPO</a>) activity, <a href="https://stockanalysis.com/actions/spinoffs/2023/">spinoff numbers have surged,</a> with well over 20 in both 2022 and 2023. So far in 2024, Wall Street has seen three <a href="https://stockanalysis.com/actions/spinoffs/2024/">spinoffs.</a>



Therefore, continuing our thematic ETFs to buy, we focus on the <a href="https://www.invesco.com/us/financial-products/etfs/product-detail?audienceType=Investor&amp;ticker=CSD">Invesco S&amp;P Spin-Off ETF</a> (NYSEARCA:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/csd-stock-quote/">CSD</a>). It gives access to U.S. companies spun off from their parent companies within the past four years. Launched in December 2006, the fund has a market value close to $60 million.



The CSD fund has 32 holdings and the top 10 stocks represent approximately 60% of the portfolio. Among the leading names are GE Vernova (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/gev-stock-quote/">GEV</a>), Veralto (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/vlto-stock-quote/">VLTO</a>), Constellation Energy (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/ceg-stock-quote/">CEG</a>), GE HealthCare Technologies (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/gehc-stock-quote/">GEHC</a>) and Solventum (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/solv-stock-quote/">SOLV</a>). Sector allocations include Industrials (43%), Health Care (20%) and Information Technology (9%), among others.



Last week, CSD hit an all-time high. It has <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/CSD?qsearchterm=csd">gained over 13%</a> since January, outperforming the <a href="https://www.spglobal.com/spdji/en/indices/equity/sp-500/#overview">S&amp;P 500&rsquo;s 9%</a> YTD return. These returns are, in fact, consistent with <a href="https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:1127475/FULLTEXT01.pdf">academic research</a> that suggests it may be &ldquo;&hellip;more profitable to invest in a portfolio consisting of spinoffs than&hellip;.the general stock market.&rdquo;



Finally, investors may want to note that the CSD ETF&rsquo;s trailing price-to-earnings (P/E) and price-to-book (P/B) ratios stand at 17x and 3x. Additionally, CDS has a 0.65% net expense ratio and 0.5% dividend yield.



<h2>ProShares Pet Care ETF (PAWZ)</h2>



<div><img width="300" height="169" src="https://investorplace.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/pawz-etf-300x169.jpg" alt="A picture of two dogs and two cats holding on to a white ledge"><div>Source: Shutterstock</div></div>Our final thematic ETF to buy is the <a href="https://www.proshares.com/our-etfs/strategic/pawz">ProShares Pet Care ETF</a> (NYSEARCA:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/pawz-stock-quote/">PAWZ</a>). If you are looking to capitalize on the growing trend of pet ownership and demand for pet-related products and services, then this fund should be on your radar.



Launched in November 2018, PAWZ comprises 25 stocks. The fund&rsquo;s top 10 holdings include Zoetis (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/zts-stock-quote/">ZTS</a>), Freshpet (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/frpt-stock-quote/">FRPT</a>), IDEXX Laboratories (NASDAQ:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/idxx-stock-quote/">IDXX</a>), Chewy (NYSE:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/chwy-stock-quote/">CHWY</a>) and French veterinary pharmaceutical company Virbac (OTCMKTS:<a href="https://investorplace.com/stock-quotes/vrbcf-stock-quote/">VRBCF</a>). These 10 businesses account for almost 70% of its $61 million net assets.



Around two-thirds of the businesses are U.S.-based, followed by the U.K. (9%), France (7%), Switzerland (4%) and Canada (4%). Sector weightings include Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology (25%), followed by Health Care Equipment &amp; Services (20%), Food, Beverage &amp; Tobacco (20%) and Consumer Discretionary Distribution (19%).



With the global pet care market <a href="https://www.precedenceresearch.com/pet-care-market#:~:text=The%20global%20pet%20care%20market%20will%20register%20growth,7.03%25%20between%202024%20and%202033.">projected to exceed $597 billion</a> by 2033 and the U.S. <a href="https://www.nar.realtor/blogs/economists-outlook/a-stunning-stat-there-are-more-american-households-with-pets-than-children">households with pets outnumbering</a> those with children, the sector shows clear growth potential. However, customer&rsquo;s changing behavior due to economic pressures like <a href="https://animalhealthnewsandviews.com/the-pet-industry-is-doing-great-and-getting-worse/">&ldquo;petflation&rdquo;</a> have <a href="https://blog.marketresearch.com/5-key-pet-industry-trends-to-watch-2024-2028#:~:text=Continued%20Pet%20Industry%20Growth%20Amid,annual%20growth%20rate%20(CAGR).">led to struggles</a> for many businesses in the sector.



As a result, PAWZ <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/PAWZ?qsearchterm=pawz">declined over 6%</a> since January and nearly 5% over the past year. Meanwhile, it has a 0.50% expense ratio and 0.4% dividend yield. Despite challenges, investing in pet care portfolios for long-term gains remains a potentially prudent choice, given the ongoing trend of pet ownership.



On the date of publication, Tezcan Gecgil had both long and short positions in NVDA stock.&nbsp;The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer, subject to the InvestorPlace.com&nbsp;<a href="https://investorplace.com/corporate/investorplace-publishing-guidelines/" target="_blank">Publishing Guidelines.</a>
<div>Tezcan Gecgil, PhD, began contributing to InvestorPlace in 2018. She brings over 20 years of experience in the U.S. and U.K. and has also completed all 3 levels of the Chartered Market Technician (CMT) examination. Publicly, she has contributed to <a href="https://www.investing.com/">investing.com</a> and the U.K. website of <a href="https://www.fool.com/">The Motley Fool.</a></div><h3>More From InvestorPlace</h3>
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