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These OTCQX &amp; OTCQB Securities Had the Most Trading Activity in August

80 Mile PLC

The<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-invest-in-the-sp-500"> S&amp;P 500 </a>is flashing a rare technical warning signal that hasn&#8217;t been seen since the Jimmy Carter administration, with declining stocks dominating market action for 14 consecutive days through Thursday.
What Happened: &#8220;Market tops have to start somewhere, and many begin with breadth divergences,&#8221; warns Ed Clissold, chief U.S. strategist at NDR, noting this marks the longest decline streak since Oct. 15, 1978, Business Insider <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/stock-market-outlook-risk-signal-breadth-sp500-investor-sentiment-returns-2024-12">reported</a> on Monday. 
The troubling market breadth comes as the benchmark index trades just 4% below its record high, masking deeper problems beneath the surface. The equal-weighted S&amp;P 500, which better reflects the typical stock&#8217;s performance, has already fallen 7% from its peak.
Historical data paints a concerning picture for investors. After similar breadth declines since 1972, the S&amp;P 500 has averaged just 0.1% returns over the following six months – significantly below the typical 4.5% gain seen during all periods.
The market faces a critical test heading into the traditionally bullish year-end period. &#8220;A lack of a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42627985/which-magnificent-7-stock-will-gain-the-most-in-a-santa-claus-rally-28-select">Santa Claus Rally</a> would be concerning not only from a seasonal perspective, but it would allow breadth divergences to deepen,&#8221; Clissold cautioned.
Adding to the worries, NDR&#8217;s sentiment indicators show investors have maintained extreme optimism since September, marking the seventh-longest stretch of excessive bullishness since 1995. This optimism, combined with the Federal Reserve&#8217;s recent hawkish stance on 2025 interest rate cuts, has pushed the market toward its worst weekly performance since March 2023.
&#8220;If the stock market cannot rectify recent breadth divergences in the next few weeks, it would suggest our concerns about a more difficult 2025 could come to fruition,&#8221; Clissold concluded.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/12/42639832/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-lose-sheen-ahead-of-holidays-but-top-analyst-points-to-this-indicator-says-btc-will-hit-a-top-above-168k">Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Lose Sheen Ahead Of Holidays But Top Analyst Points To This Indicator, Says BTC Will Hit A Top Above $168K</a>
Why It Matters: The term &#8220;Santa Claus rally&#8221; was coined by Yale Hirsch in 1972 in the &#8220;Stock Trader&#8217;s Almanac.&#8221; It refers to the tendency for <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/education/24/12/42625025/santa-claus-rally-in-2024-poll-shows-investors-split-on-end-of-year-returns-57-say-this">stock prices to rise </a>during the final five trading days of the year and the first two trading days of the following year. This period often sees higher prices due to factors such as year-end portfolio rebalancing, positive holiday sales reports, and optimism for the year ahead, all of which can contribute to strong returns for major stock market indexes.
When Benzinga asked if readers expect a Santa Clause rally, 57% responded that they expect one.
The S&amp;P 500 warning comes even as the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42627688/dow-surges-over-600-points-gold-jumps-1-5">index surged over</a> 1.5% to 5,956.61 on Friday.
The conflicting signals come as the benchmark index approaches what could be its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42430296/carson-researchs-50-year-study-suggests-that-the-26-months-old-bull-market-is-far-from-over">best election year</a> performance ever, having already notched 56 new all-time highs in 2024, according to Carson Research&#8217;s chief market strategist Ryan Detrick.
Price Action: Meanwhile, on Friday, the Dow traded up 1.55% to 43,000.53 while the NASDAQ rose 1.65% to 19,693.06. The S&amp;P 500 also rose, gaining, 1.53% to 5,956.61. SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) which closely monitors the S&amp;P 500 closed 1.20% higher and Invesco QQQ Trust (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) closed 0.87% higher, as per <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Read Also: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/12/42639832/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-lose-sheen-ahead-of-holidays-but-top-analyst-points-to-this-indicator-says-btc-will-hit-a-top-above-168k">Crypto Analyst: ‘2025 Will Continue To Be a Great Year for Bitcoin'</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image via Shutterstock

Analyst Color

'A Lack Of A Santa Claus Rally Would Be Concerning,' Says Analyst As S&P 500 Breadth Hits Lowest Since Jimmy Carter Era

ICL Appoints Elad Aharonson As President And CEO, Effective March 13, 2025

Rate decision supports investments in battery storage, transmission infrastructure and maintenance to improve reliability for customers.

Reported Friday, PGE Receives Approval For 2025 Rates, Supporting Critical Investments In Battery Storage And Grid Modernization

Reported Saturday, EHang Partners With Changan Automobile To Redefine Personal Transportation Through Innovative Flying Cars

RKLB

Reported Saturday, Rocket Lab Concludes 2024 With 16th Mission, Delivering Synspective Satellite And Celebrating Unprecedented Launch Cadence

Tesla Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) deliveries would be impacted if the U.S. were to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/11/41998381/tesla-earnings-will-be-hit-hardest-if-7500-ev-credit-is-cut-warns-gary-black-citing-80-dependence-on-ev-sales-please-do-the-math">cancel the up to $7,500 tax credit</a> currently available on the purchase of electric vehicles in the country, according to researcher Troy Teslike.
What Happened: Tesla researcher Teslike noted that the cancelation of a 5000 euro ecological bonus for electric vehicles in France as well as the cancelation of a €4,500 environmental bonus in Germany led to EV sales of the company dropping in the regions.
Cancelation of a $7500 tax credit on the purchase of EVs could similarly cause a fall in sales for the company in the U.S., Teslike said. 
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Here are two data points on what could happen when the $7,500 Federal Tax Credit in the US is canceled: • In France, the €5,000 Ecological Bonus for electric vehicles was canceled a year ago on December 14, 2023. Tesla&#39;s year-to-date sales from January to November are down by…
&mdash; Troy Teslike (@TroyTeslike) <a href="https://twitter.com/TroyTeslike/status/1870368929773731876?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
In November, Reuters reported that President-elect Donald Trump&#8216;s transition team is planning to kill $7,500 tax credit available on EV purchases. The report also noted that Tesla representatives expressed support for ending the subsidy to the team.
"In my view, we should end all government subsidies, including those for EVs, oil and gas," Tesla CEO Elon Musk then said.
Why It Matters: During Tesla&#8217;s second-quarter earnings in late July, Musk also said that the impact of the elimination of subsidies&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39934750/trump-presidency-and-ira-cut-would-be-devastating-for-competitors-says-elon-musk-long-term-probably" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">would only be slight for Tesla</a>&nbsp;but devastating for its competitors. The elimination of EV subsidies would probably help Tesla in the long term, he added.
However, not all are <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/11/42005034/elon-musk-backs-calls-for-end-to-ev-subsidies-but-former-tesla-exec-warns-of-massive-drop-in-manufacturing-investments-if-trump-follows-through">as hopeful as Musk</a>. The Future Fund&nbsp;Managing Partner&nbsp;Gary Black said in November that the killing of the consumer tax credit will have a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/11/41999238/ross-gerber-blasts-teslas-support-for-ending-ev-tax-credit-as-insanity-amid-reported-policy-shift-under-trump-administration">negative impact on Tesla's EPS</a> similar to the one experienced by the company when it resorted to price cuts to increase delivery volume in 2023.&nbsp;
Teslike then also said that the loss of tax credit would only make Tesla lose its market to gas cars from luxury car brands.
"Tesla competes with gas cars from BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, and Audi. Therefore, without the tax credit, Teslas will effectively be $7,500 more expensive compared to those cars,"&nbsp;Teslike then said. 
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link.</a>
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42640472/tesla-exec-bemoans-cost-of-sending-letter-to-owners-affected-by-ev-giants-recent-recall-of-nearly-700000-vehicles">Tesla Exec Bemoans Cost Of Sending Letter To Owners Affected By EV Giant&#8217;s Recent Recall Of Nearly 700,000 Vehicles</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Tesla

Tech

TSLA

Tesla Deliveries At Risk If $7,500 EV Tax Credit Ends, Researcher Warns Despite CEO Elon Musk Claiming Otherwise

The Scarborough Energy Project has passed another significant milestone with the final Pluto Train 2 modules arriving at the Pluto LNG facility in Karratha, Western Australia.
The successful completion of the Pluto Train 2 module program advances the Scarborough Energy Project towards the targeted delivery of first LNG in 2026.
Since February 2024, a total of 51 modules, weighing a combined 56,000 metric tonnes, have been shipped to Karratha from the module yard in Batam, Indonesia, where they were built.
Expanding the Pluto LNG facility to include a second LNG processing train provides an efficient way to process gas from the offshore Scarborough field.

Reported Earlier, Woodside's Scarborough LNG Project Reaches New Heights With Delivery Of Final Pluto Train 2 Components

Alphabet Inc.'s (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>) latest advancements in artificial intelligence and quantum computing are helping the tech giant rebuild its reputation and investor confidence.
What Happened: After the release of OpenAI's ChatGPT in late 2022, Google had reportedly <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/22/12/30170477/chatgpt-popularity-reportedly-leads-to-google-declaring-code-red-as-sundar-pichai-increases-involvem-1">declared a "Code Red,"</a>
The company faced criticism for lagging behind rivals like Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>), which partnered with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT-like capabilities into its products.
However, Google's latest developments have shifted the narrative, <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/3a3f8c9f-90fd-4e2f-94c4-b9977438e911">reported</a> Financial Times.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42378596/openais-chatgpt-makes-headway-in-search-threatening-googles-reign">OpenAI's ChatGPT Makes Headway In Search, Threatening Google's Reign</a>
"Alphabet has been under the microscope since ChatGPT was released," said Tiffany Hsia, a U.S. equity portfolio manager at AllianceBernstein and a Google shareholder. "Gemini 2.0 and the quantum chip give investors renewed confidence that they are one of the leading tech powerhouses."
This year, Google <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42446686/google-introduces-ai-agent-prototype-that-can-browse-the-web">launched</a> Gemini 2.0, Veo 2 and Imagen 3 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42609242/marques-brownlee-breaks-down-how-googles-ai-video-generator-veo2-outpaces-openais-sora">models for video and image</a> generation, along with a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42404763/pichai-and-musk-dream-big-about-quantum-computing-and-solar-energy-the-most-obvious-path-is-staring-at-our-eyes-literally">quantum computing breakthrough</a> with its Willow chip.
It also unveiled a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/06/39206137/google-accelerates-ai-innovation-jpmorgan-bullish-on-alphabet-as-apple-microsoft-ri">custom AI accelerator chip</a>, the Trillium Tensor Processing Unit, to challenge Nvidia Corporation's (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) dominance.
Other innovations include Project Mariner, which <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42446686/google-introduces-ai-agent-prototype-that-can-browse-the-web">compiles research reports</a> and acts on behalf of users, and Project Astra, which enables real-time answers across text, video, and audio <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38826439/at-google-io-2024-sundar-pichai-and-team-announces-new-gemini-models-project-astra-ai-fraud-protecti">through smart glasses</a>.
Why It Matters: Google has also faced growing competition and scrutiny. It still dominates the search market with a 90% share, but new players like OpenAI and Anthropic pose a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39426605/google-amazon-backed-openai-rival-anthropic-unveils-claude-3-5-sonnet-its-most-powerful-ai-yet">credible threat</a>.
The company also faces regulatory hurdles with the U.S. Department of Justice <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/legal/24/11/42053249/google-could-lose-chrome-browser-in-dojs-latest-antitrust-move">seeking to break up</a> Google's ad tech business and is challenging its dominance in search.
Last week, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42635813/google-announces-major-layoffs-as-pichai-stresses-efficiency">Google also cut 10% of its top management</a> positions as part of a multi-year initiative to streamline operations and enhance efficiency.
Despite these challenges, Alphabet Class A and C shares have risen around 38% on a year-to-date basis.
It currently has a market capitalization of $2.351 trillion, making it the fifth most valuable company in the world following Apple, Nvidia, Microsoft and Amazon.
Price Action: Alphabet&#8217;s Class A shares rose by 1.54% on Friday, closing at $191.41, while Class C shares climbed 1.72% to end at $192.96, according to <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/lxquj26b2sag">Benzinga Pro data</a>.
The latest analyst updates from JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs, and Baird place an average price target of $215.67 on Alphabet&#8217;s Class A shares, suggesting a potential gain of 11.87%.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/GOOGL/analyst-ratings"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/23014217/Screenshot-2024-12-23-at-12.12.07%E2%80%AFPM-1024x378.png" alt="" class="wp-image-703386" /></a></figure>
Similarly, Oppenheimer, Jefferies, and Pivotal Research have set an average price target of $225 for Class C shares, projecting an upside of 15.9%.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/GOOG/analyst-ratings"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/23014244/Screenshot-2024-12-23-at-12.12.35%E2%80%AFPM-1024x378.png" alt="" class="wp-image-703388" /></a></figure>
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41141844/after-googles-2-7b-acquisition-of-founders-and-staff-this-ai-startup-abandons-large-language-model-p">After Google&#8217;s $2.7B Acquisition Of Founders And Staff, This AI Startup Abandons Large Language Model Plans And Shifts Focus Away From Chatbots</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Media

GOOG

GOOGL

MSFT

NVDA

Google Entered 'Code Red' After ChatGPT Release, But Gemini 2.0 And Quantum Chip Give Investors 'Renewed Confidence,' Says This Portfolio Manager

Starbucks Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SBUX#NASDAQ">SBUX</a>) workers have expanded their strike to additional U.S. cities amid stalled wage negotiations during the crucial holiday shopping period, potentially <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/12/42609868/starbucks-workers-plan-strike-in-la-chicago-seattle-on-christmas-eve-amid-holiday-rush">affecting the coffee chain&#8217;s Christmas sales</a>, according to Workers United union.
What Happened: The five-day strike, which began Friday, has spread from initial locations in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle to include stores in New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, and St. Louis, the union said in a statement Saturday. Workers in Columbus, Ohio, Denver, and Pittsburgh are also participating in the walkout, reported Reuters.
At the heart of the dispute is Workers United&#8217;s proposal for substantial wage increases, including an immediate 64% rise in minimum hourly wages and a 77% increase over a three-year contract period. Starbucks has called these demands &#8220;unsustainable&#8221; and maintains that the strike has not significantly impacted its operations, noting that only a small fraction of its more than 11,000 U.S. locations are affected.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42639737/trumps-call-to-reclaim-panama-canal-sparks-backlash-every-square-meter-belongs-to-panama-says-president-mulino">Trump&#8217;s Call To Reclaim Panama Canal Sparks Backlash: &#8216;Every Square Meter Belongs To Panama,&#8217; Says President Mulino</a>
Why It Matters: The strike comes at a critical time for Starbucks, which employs approximately 200,000 workers across its U.S. operations. While negotiations between the company and the union began in April, with over eight bargaining sessions leading to 30 agreements, key issues regarding wages, staffing, and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/12/42609868/starbucks-workers-plan-strike-in-la-chicago-seattle-on-christmas-eve-amid-holiday-rush">schedules remain unresolved</a>.
Workers United has warned that the strike could expand to &#8220;hundreds of stores&#8221; by Christmas Eve, potentially disrupting one of the busiest retail periods of the year. 
Despite these labor challenges, Wall Street maintains a generally positive outlook on the company. Wells Fargo analyst Zachary Fadem, who holds an 86% accuracy <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42260312/this-analyst-with-86-accuracy-rate-sees-more-than-12-upside-in-starbucks-here-are-5-stock-picks-for-last-week-from-wall-streets-most-accurate-analysts">rating according to Benzinga</a>, recently maintained an Overweight rating on Starbucks with a price target of $115, suggesting over 12% upside potential.
The current consensus <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/SBUX/analyst-ratings">price target among 28 analysts</a> covering Starbucks stands at $103.85, with estimates ranging from Jefferies&#8217; low of $76 to Evercore ISI Group&#8217;s high of $120.
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/23012401/Screenshot-2024-12-23-at-11.53.13%E2%80%AFAM-1024x371.png" alt="" class="wp-image-703357" style="width:682px;height:auto" /></figure>
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42640010/palantir-and-anduril-reportedly-lead-consortium-partner-with-spacex-and-openai-to-compete-against-traditional-defense-contractors-in-850-billion-us-military-market">Palantir And Anduril Reportedly Lead Consortium, Partner With SpaceX And OpenAI To Compete Against Traditional Defense Contractors In $850 Billion US Military Market</a></li>
</ul>
Image Via Shutterstcok 
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Equities

SBUX

Starbucks Strike Expands To More US Cities As Wage Negotiations Stall During Busy Holiday Season

Sanofi initiates phase 3 program for PCV21 and expands collaboration with SK bioscience for next-generation pneumococcal conjugate vaccines
<ul>
<li>Pneumococcal disease remains a major global health challenge despite the availability of current vaccines</li>
<li>This 21-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV21) is the first pneumococcal conjugate vaccine candidate with more than 20 serotypes to enter phase 3 in infants &amp; toddlers</li>
</ul>

Sanofi Launches Phase 3 Trials For PCV21 And Strengthens Partnership With SK Bioscience On Next-Generation Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccines

Another country now faces a significant risk of economic stagnation warned veteran economist Mohamed A. El-Erian, in an X post, as the the major economic power&#8217;s short-term bond yields plummeted to a two-decade low on Friday.
What Happened: The yield on one-year Chinese government debt sharply declined 17 basis points on Friday, settling at 0.85%, the lowest level observed in over 20 years since 2003. This followed a significant event earlier in the trading session when yields briefly dipped below the psychologically important 1% threshold.
El-Erian is the former CEO and co-CIO at Pimco and the current president of Queens College at Cambridge University. According to him, Japan is recovering from an &#8220;awful economic trap&#8221; while China moves toward &#8220;Japanification.&#8221;
Last month China&#8217;s long-term 30-year bond yields dipped below those of Japan. This development is interpreted by investors as a signal that the Chinese economy may be entering a phase of &#8220;Japanification,&#8221; characterized by sluggish economic growth and persistent low inflation.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">A common refrain 20 years ago in the West was that "Japan could not happen here." That was proven wrong for quite a few other advanced economies. Now it's China that faces the risk of "Japanification" … and, ironically, this as Japan itself is climbing out of that awful… <a href="https://t.co/9gl9oEgfuz">pic.twitter.com/9gl9oEgfuz</a>
&mdash; Mohamed A. El-Erian (@elerianm) <a href="https://twitter.com/elerianm/status/1870154630795010219?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42610441/nikes-new-ceo-says-we-lost-our-obsession-with-sport-as-he-rebukes-old-strategies-on-performance-marketing-isolation-of-wholesalers-aims-to-create-demand">Nike&#8217;s New CEO Blames Promotions For Declining Profits, Says Turnaround Efforts May Hurt As Company Moves To Clear Excess Inventory: &#8216;We Lost Our Obsession With Sport&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: Japanification refers to the economic phenomenon where a country experiences a prolonged period of sluggish economic growth, accompanied by low inflation, even when monetary policies are implemented to stimulate the economy. This situation often results in persistently low interest rates, as central banks struggle to combat deflationary pressures.
According to a <a href="https://www.goldmansachs.com/insights/articles/from_briefings_09-april-2021">note</a> by former chief Japan economist at Goldman Sachs, Naohiko Baba, who is now with Barclays, &#8220;Concerns about Japanification have been rising recently in Europe and particularly in China, where the working-age population is projected to decline significantly. Interestingly, however, despite its demographic headwinds, Japan's economy has still managed to grow, albeit modestly.&#8221;
China&#8217;s consumer price index increased by 0.2% year-on-year in November 2024, marking a slight slowdown from the previous month&#8217;s 0.3% increase and falling below the economists forecast. Meanwhile, China&#8217;s GDP growth for the first three quarters of 2024 reached approximately 4.8% year-on-year. As of December 2024, China&#8217;s key interest rates stood as follows: Loan Prime Rate (LPR) at 3.10% and above five-year LPR at 3.60%.
According to a <a href="https://www.ssga.com/au/en_gb/institutional/insights/economic-parallels-china-japan">paper</a> by the global financial services firm State Street Global Advisors, &#8220;China fares better than 1990s Japan in certain aspects — such as higher policy autonomy, stricter capital control, and lower urbanization ratio — the nation has higher policy uncertainty, a more extreme property-sector boom, worse demographic progression, and a more challenging strategic relationship with the U.S.&#8221;
&#8220;Proactive and coordinated policy response on both monetary and fiscal fronts to boost the public expectations of future growth will be critical if China is to avoid Japanification. This proactive policy response needs to be coupled with more long-term structural reforms to combat demographic transition and property sector drag,&#8221; the paper added.
A Dec. 9 <a href="http://cpc.people.com.cn/n1/2024/1209/c64094-40378540.html">statement </a>by the Chinese government said that it aims to implement proactive fiscal policies to stimulate economic growth. The government will maintain a moderately loose monetary policy to support economic activity, said the press release and it will utilize a combination of policy tools to effectively address economic challenges. The Chinese government also strives to actively encourage consumer spending to drive economic growth.
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<li><a href="http://MicroStrategy Stock Declines Over 14% Amid Heightened Volatility Over S&amp;P 500 Inclusion Concerns: Here's What Is Happening">MicroStrategy Stock Declines Over 14% Amid Heightened Volatility Over S&amp;P 500 Inclusion Concerns: Here&#8217;s What Is Happening</a></li>
</ul>

Government

Macro Economic Events

Regulations

Bonds

Economics

Mohammed El Erian Says This Country Faces Japan-Style Economic Risk Even As Tokyo Rebounds

Popular dog-themed cryptocurrency Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>) spiked late Sunday night after President-elect Donald Trump recruited longtime loyalist Katie Miller to the Department of Government Efficiency, overseen by billionaire Elon Musk and former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
What happened: Through his Truth Social account, Trump announced, "Katie Miller will soon be joining DOGE! She has been a loyal supporter of mine for many years, and will bring her professional experience to Government Efficiency."
Miller expressed gratitude to Trump for the appointment and said, "Deeply honored to work for you at DOGE to make our government efficient and accountable. Let's Make America Great Again!"
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> for your trust. Deeply honored to work for you at DOGE to make our government efficient and accountable. Let's Make America Great Again! <a href="https://t.co/JYuvCEu6mp">https://t.co/JYuvCEu6mp</a>
&mdash; Katie Miller (@katierosemiller) <a href="https://twitter.com/katierosemiller/status/1870990234361778534?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
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See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42519107/if-you-invested-1000-in-bitcoin-when-the-first-bitcoin-etf-was-filed-heres-how-much-youd-have-today"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42560698/microstrategys-aggressive-bitcoin-strategy-raises-eyebrows-in-crypto-community">MicroStrategy&#8217;s Aggressive Bitcoin Strategy Raises Eyebrows In Crypto Community</a>.
Why It Matters: Miller served as deputy press secretary at the Department of Homeland Security in Trump's first administration. She later took over as press secretary for former Vice President Mike Pence.
Miller's husband, Stephen Miller, was named as Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy in the upcoming Trump administration.
Floated by Musk and greenlighted by Trump, the Department of Government Efficiency, popularly known as <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/11/41965420/elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-led-department-of-government-efficiency-opens-account-on-x-says-it-is-working-overtime">DOGE</a>, is aimed at bringing down government bureaucracy, slashing excess regulations, cutting waste expenditures, and restructuring federal agencies.
Dogecoin, a cryptocurrency that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/23/12/36355033/elon-musk-loves-dogecoin-but-says-he-doesnt-spend-a-lot-of-time-thinking-of-cryptocurrency">Musk has expressed interest in in recent years</a>, has gained in response to developments surrounding the department.
Price Action: At the time of writing, Dogecoin was exchanging hands at $0.315, up 2.19 % in the last 24 hours, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA..">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.&nbsp;
Read Next:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42545656/bitcoin-is-no-manhattan-real-estate-peter-schiff-challenges-microstrategys-micheal-saylor-btc-doesnt-generate-any-income">Bitcoin Is No Manhattan Real Estate, Peter Schiff Challenges MicroStrategy&#8217;s Michael Saylor: &#8216;BTC Doesn&#8217;t Generate Any Income&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>

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

Cryptocurrency

Politics

$DOGE

Dogecoin Turns Green As Trump Appoints Loyalist Katie Miller To The Department Of Government Efficiency

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) executive Sendil Palani on Sunday bemoaned the cost of sending letters to customers whose vehicles were affected by the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42613937/tesla-stock-falls-over-5-during-pre-market-after-elon-musk-led-ev-giant-recalls-nearly-700000-vehicles">recent recall issued by the company</a>.
What Happened: Palani termed the mandate of sending letters to affected owners as a waste of time and money.
&#8220;The OEM has to pay for printing, postage (now up to $0.73 per letter), and administration,&#8221; Palani, Vice President of Finance at Tesla, said. 
U.S. auto safety regulator National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said on Friday that Tesla is <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42613937/tesla-stock-falls-over-5-during-pre-market-after-elon-musk-led-ev-giant-recalls-nearly-700000-vehicles">recalling 694,304 Cybertruck, Model 3, and Model Y vehicles</a> citing concerns about the tire pressure monitoring system warning lights. Tesla released an over-the-air software update aimed at fixing the issue. 
As per Palani&#8217;s estimate, posting the letters notifying customers of the recent recall alone could cost Tesla up to $506,000. 
Palani also said on Sunday that in the case of Tesla&#8217;s recalls, &#8220;very often&#8221; the issue has been resolved before vehicle owners receive the mail as many of the issues are fixed via over-the-air software updates.
In July, Tesla recalled over 1.8 million vehicles over concerns that an unlatched hood can fully open when driving, obstructing the driver's view and increasing the risks of a crash. The company, then too, fixed the issue via an over-the-air update. 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Wastes time and money too. The OEM has to pay for printing, postage (now up to $0.73 per letter), and administration. In Tesla&#39;s case, the issue has very often been resolved prior to mail delivery.
&mdash; Sendil Palani (@sendilpalani) <a href="https://twitter.com/sendilpalani/status/1870940251310772315?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Why It Matters: Earlier this year, Tesla CEO Elon Musk himself <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/02/37148735/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-urges-nhtsa-to-end-requirement-for-physical-letters-regarding-recalls-fixed-via">called upon the NHTSA</a> to stop the requirement of mailing physical letters to vehicle owners for recalls fixed via an over-the-air (OTA) update.
&#8220;This needs to stop,&#8221; Musk wrote on X.
Musk and several other Tesla executives have previously even <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/02/36921334/elon-musk-criticizes-labeling-over-the-air-fixes-as-recalls-for-tesla-vehicles-by-that-anachronistic" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">condemned the use of the word &#8220;recall&#8221;</a> for vehicle issues that are fixed via an over-the-air (OTA) software update.
&#8220;This &#8216;recall&#8217; literally just changes a few pixels on the screen with an over-the-air update. By that anachronistic standard, phones are being "recalled" every few weeks,&#8221; Musk said in February after the company issued a &#8220;recall&#8221; for about <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/02/36906058/tesla-initiates-first-ever-cybertruck-recall-as-part-of-larger-2-2m-vehicle-callback" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2.2 million vehicles</a> due to concerns about a smaller font size for warning lights compromising the visibility of crucial safety information.
Check out more of Benzinga's Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link.</a>
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Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Tesla Exec Bemoans Cost Of Sending Letter To Owners Affected By EV Giant's Recent Recall Of Nearly 700,000 Vehicles

Spotify Technology SA (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>) executives and board members have capitalized on the company&#8217;s remarkable stock performance in 2024, selling $1.25 billion worth of shares as the streaming giant&#8217;s market value approaches $100 billion.
What Happened: Co-founders Daniel Ek and Martin Lorentzon led the selling spree, collecting $350 million and $550 million respectively, according to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings. The stock sales accelerated in November and December, involving approximately 20 company leaders.
The streaming service&#8217;s shares have nearly tripled in 2024, marking a dramatic recovery from 2022-2023 when its market capitalization fell below $20 billion. The turnaround follows successful cost-cutting measures, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/12/36063807/spotify-to-layoff-17-of-workforce-being-lean-is-not-just-an-option-but-a-necessity-says-ceo-daniel-e">including a 25% workforce reduction</a> in 2023, and price increases across multiple markets.
Key executives joining the selling wave include Chief Product and Technology Officer Gustav Söderström ($106 million), Chief Business Officer Alex Norström ($63 million), and Chief Human Resources Officer Katarina Berg ($38 million). Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, a Spotify board member since 2016, sold $6 million in stock.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42640181/microstrategys-michael-saylor-proposes-digital-assets-framework-for-us-advocates-bitcoin-reserve-capable-of-generating-1681-trillion-in-wealth">Michael Saylor Proposes US Digital Assets Framework, Backs Bitcoin Reserve Capable Of Generating $16–$81 Trillion In Wealth</a>
Why It Matters: JPMorgan recently named Spotify <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42561047/amazon-meta-alphabet-spotify-lead-jpmorgans-2025-tech-picks-for-ai-potential">among its top tech picks for 2025</a>, alongside Amazon.com Inc., Meta Platforms Inc., and Alphabet Inc., citing AI-driven growth potential. However, investment firm Ark Invest, led by Cathie Wood, sold approximately $4.8 million worth of Spotify <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42281575/cathie-woods-monday-moves-4-8m-spotify-stock-sale-meets-4-7m-pinterest-shopping-spree">shares in early December</a>.
Price Action: Spotify closed at $460.88 on Friday, up by 1.48%. In after-hours trading, the stock slightly gained, reaching $461.06. Year-to-date, Spotify&#8217;s stock has surged 144.11%, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.
Spotify has a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/SPOT/analyst-ratings">consensus price target</a> of $402.19, based on 32 analysts. The highest target is $560, and the lowest is $190. The most recent ratings, from Canaccord Genuity and Goldman Sachs, suggest a 13.87% upside, with an average target of $525.
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/22231018/Screenshot-2024-12-23-at-9.39.14%E2%80%AFAM-1024x372.png" alt="" class="wp-image-703228" style="width:578px;height:auto" /></figure>
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42640010/palantir-and-anduril-reportedly-lead-consortium-partner-with-spacex-and-openai-to-compete-against-traditional-defense-contractors-in-850-billion-us-military-market">Palantir And Anduril Reportedly Lead Consortium, Partner With SpaceX And OpenAI To Compete Against Traditional Defense Contractors In $850 Billion US Military Market</a></li>
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Image Via Shutterstock 
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

SPOT

Daniel Ek, Spotify Board Members Sell Over $1 Billion In Shares As Stock Surges 144% In 2024

President-elect Donald Trump congratulated the cryptocurrency community on Bitcoin's (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) new all-time highs on Sunday even as the leading cryptocurrency posted its first weekly decline since his victory last month.
What happened: Addressing a rally at the Turning Point USA event in Phoenix, Trump emphasized how risk-on markets have risen since the election.
"Bitcoin surged to an all-time record high of $108,000. Congratulations," Trump said amid thunderous applause from the crowd.
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See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42519107/if-you-invested-1000-in-bitcoin-when-the-first-bitcoin-etf-was-filed-heres-how-much-youd-have-today"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42560698/microstrategys-aggressive-bitcoin-strategy-raises-eyebrows-in-crypto-community">MicroStrategy&#8217;s Aggressive Bitcoin Strategy Raises Eyebrows In Crypto Community</a>
Interestingly, Trump&#8217;s enthusiastic speech coincided with Bitcoin&#8217;s first weekly loss since his election triumph, which <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/41915075/how-to-trade-the-trump-bitcoin-rally">sparked a record-breaking rally</a> for the top cryptocurrency. At the time of writing, Bitcoin was down over 8% in the last week.
Why It Matters: Several of Bitcoin's technical indicators painted a bearish outlook as of this writing.
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence indicator, which compares two exponential moving averages of price, flashed a &#8220;Sell&#8221; signal, <a href="https://in.tradingview.com/symbols/BTCUSD/technicals/">according </a>to TradingView. Additionally, most shorter moving averages projected downsides.
The Relative Strength Index, used to determine if an asset is overbought or oversold, showed a "Neutral" reading.&nbsp;
That said, the percentage of traders placing upside bets on the coin rose above 50%, signaling expectations of a rebound, <a href="https://www.coinglass.com/LongShortRatio">according </a>to data from Coinglass.
Price Action: At the time of writing, Bitcoin was exchanging hands at $96,296.30, down 0.76% in the last 24 hours, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA..">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.&nbsp;
Read Next:&nbsp;
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42545656/bitcoin-is-no-manhattan-real-estate-peter-schiff-challenges-microstrategys-micheal-saylor-btc-doesnt-generate-any-income">Bitcoin Is No Manhattan Real Estate, Peter Schiff Challenges MicroStrategy&#8217;s Michael Saylor: &#8216;BTC Doesn&#8217;t Generate Any Income&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>

$BTC

Trump Congratulates Bitcoin Community On New All-Time Highs Just As Top Crypto Suffers First Weekly Loss Since His Election Triumph

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) is taking its AirPods to the next level with plans to introduce heart rate monitors, temperature sensors, and even cameras to boost AI capabilities.
What Happened: In his &#8220;Power On&#8221; newsletter, Bloomberg columnist Mark Gurman reported that Apple's teams are currently experimenting with new improvements.
This includes heart rate monitoring, temperature sensing, and advanced sensors to track various physiological measures. The primary focus is to incorporate heart rate monitoring, a feature already available on the Apple Watch, into the AirPods.
It could debut with the next-generation AirPods Pro.
Subscribe to the <a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a> to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Cupertino is also working on integrating cameras into the AirPods to facilitate AI services. The technology could take a couple more years to hit the market, provided it doesn't get canceled once again, said Gurman.
Why It Matters: In September, Apple announced a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40786879/apples-airpods-pro-2-bring-clinical-grade-hearing-aid-without-the-stigma-or-high-cost-heres-what-peo">new suite of features</a> for the AirPods Pro 2, including active Hearing Protection, a scientifically validated Hearing Test, and a clinical-grade Hearing Aid.
These advancements are awaiting approval from health authorities like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are expected to launch this fall in over 100 markets.
Apple&#8217;s wearables segment continues to be a significant revenue driver, with AirPods playing a key role.
In the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/10/41666494/apple-q4-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-installed-base-hits-new-highs-iphone-sales-rise-as-apple-in">fiscal fourth quarter</a>, the wearables division generated $9.04 billion, though Apple's share in the true wireless stereo <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/11/42182829/apple-could-keep-airpods-max-headphones-around-without-meaningfully-updating-them-says-analyst-heres-why">market has declined</a> from 48.1% in 2019 to 17% today.
Price Action: Apple&#8217;s stock rose by 1.88% on Friday, ending the day at $254.49. Year-to-date, shares have increased by 37.09%, based on <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/lxquj26b2sag">data from Benzinga Pro</a>. The latest analyst reports from Morgan Stanley, Needham, and Wedbush have set an average price target of $277.67, indicating a potential upside of 8.74%.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/AAPL/analyst-ratings"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/22230935/Screenshot-2024-12-23-at-9.39.28%E2%80%AFAM-1024x374.png" alt="" class="wp-image-703225" /></a></figure>
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech">following this link</a>.
Photo courtesy: Apple
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AAPL

Apple AirPods To Get Heart Rate, Temperature Sensors, And Cameras To Help With AI Features: Top Analyst

MicroStrategy founder and Chairman Michael Saylor presented a detailed digital assets framework on Friday for the U.S. government to strengthen fiscal policy and position the country to lead the 21st-century digital financial system
What happened: The complete proposal urged for regulatory clarity, including defining what constitutes a digital asset, stakeholder rights and obligations, transparency, and initiatives to promote innovation.
Among the key objectives of the so-called strategic digital asset policy was the creation of a Bitcoin reserve, having the potential to generate $16–$81 trillion in wealth for the Treasury and thereby neutralizing the soaring national debt.
Interestingly, Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), who proposed a bill to establish a Bitcoin reserve, advocated purchasing 1 million BTC over five years, which is <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/09/40722735/trump-presidency-will-be-total-game-changer-for-crypto-industry-says-pro-bitcoin-senator-c">expected to be worth</a> $17 trillion in 20 years.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">A strategic digital asset policy can strengthen the US dollar, neutralize the national debt, and position America as the global leader in the 21st-century digital economy—empowering millions of businesses, driving growth, and creating trillions in value. <a href="https://t.co/7n7jQqPkf1">https://t.co/7n7jQqPkf1</a>
&mdash; Michael Saylor&#x26a1;&#xFE0F; (@saylor) <a href="https://twitter.com/saylor/status/1870183095611093220?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Additionally, Saylor&#8217;s framework called for growing digital currency markets from $25 billion to $10 trillion and digital capital markets from $2 trillion to $280 trillion.
The proposal also advocated growth in the digital asset market, other than Bitcoin, from $1 trillion to $590 trillion.
Saylor also supported increasing investors&#8217; access to a variety of digital assets, including tokenized commodities, real estate, art, businesses, teams, collectibles, intellectual property, and trademarks.
See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42519107/if-you-invested-1000-in-bitcoin-when-the-first-bitcoin-etf-was-filed-heres-how-much-youd-have-today"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42560698/microstrategys-aggressive-bitcoin-strategy-raises-eyebrows-in-crypto-community">MicroStrategy&#8217;s Aggressive Bitcoin Strategy Raises Eyebrows In Crypto Community</a>
Why It Matters: The proposal comes amid a renewed sense of optimism in cryptocurrency circles following Donald Trump&#8217;s presidential victory last month. According to reports, the president-elect <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42505162/trump-reportedly-considering-executive-order-to-establish-strategic-bitcoin-reserve">may consider creating a strategic Bitcoin reserve</a> by executive order.
Saylor said earlier that T<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42522606/trump-is-serious-about-creating-a-bitcoin-reserve-says-microstrategys-michael-saylorurges-to-buy-btc-before-it-goes-up-by-100x">rump was serious about creating a Bitcoin stockpile</a> and that it made sense for the government to &#8220;buy it now and own the future.&#8221;
Saylor also urged the incoming administration to take the lead in establishing a digital assets framework, outlining clear definitions of different entities and fixing the responsibilities of participants.
Price Action: At the time of writing, Bitcoin was exchanging hands at $93,904.08, down 3% in the last 24 hours, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA..">data from Benzinga Pro</a>. 
Image via Michael
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Michael Saylor Proposes US Digital Assets Framework, Backs Bitcoin Reserve Capable Of Generating $16–$81 Trillion In Wealth

President-elect Donald Trump has addressed speculation about Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO Elon Musk&#8217;s growing political influence.
What Happened: On Sunday, speaking at Turning Point USA&#8217;s AmericaFest conference, Trump dismissed suggestions that he had &#8220;ceded the presidency&#8221; to Musk, pointing to the Constitution&#8217;s natural-born citizen requirement, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-addresses-elon-musks-growing-political-influence-not-going-presi-rcna185038">reported</a> NBC.
&#8220;No, he&#8217;s not going to be president, that I can tell you,&#8221; Trump stated. &#8220;And I&#8217;m safe. You know why? He can&#8217;t be. He wasn&#8217;t born in this country.&#8221;
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/12/42559347/trump-administration-could-ban-amazons-top-selling-routers-linked-to-chinese-cyberattacks-report?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump Administration Could Ban Amazon's Top-Selling Routers Linked To Chinese Cyberattacks: Report</a>
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Why It Matters: Earlier this week, Trump and Musk <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/12/42566558/house-republicans-reject-spending-bill-under-pressure-from-trump-musk-government-faces-shutdown">played a key role in derailing</a> Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson's (R-La.) proposed emergency spending measure, forcing lawmakers to scramble for a last-minute alternative to avoid a government shutdown.
Democrats have jokingly dubbed Musk &#8220;President Musk&#8221; due to his growing political influence. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40969728/elon-musk-boosts-house-republicans-with-record-289-100-donation">Musk had spent</a> more than $250 million on Trump's campaign, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/trump-addresses-elon-musks-growing-political-influence-not-going-presi-rcna185038">noted</a> NBC.
A separate NBC <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/elon-musk-meeting-foreign-leaders-trump-conflict-putin-china-rcna184846">report</a> indicated that the Tesla CEO&#8217;s increasing presence in political circles has raised concerns among national security experts about potential conflicts of interest, given his extensive business dealings with foreign governments.
His companies maintain significant government contracts, with SpaceX providing critical services to NASA and the Pentagon.
Tesla&#8217;s substantial manufacturing presence in China, where the company operates its Gigafactory Shanghai facility, has also drawn particular scrutiny.
The company currently dominates the U.S. electric vehicle <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42637260/elon-musk-accused-of-bullying-republicans-to-scrap-us-china-investment-safeguards-to-protect-teslas-interests">market with nearly 50% market share</a>.
Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), outgoing chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expressed concern about Musk&#8217;s dual roles.
&#8220;I think he has incredible conflicts,&#8221; Cardin told the publication. &#8220;His association with the president-elect has already profited him as far as his personal assets are concerned.&#8221;
Price Action: Tesla&#8217;s stock dropped 3.46% on Friday, closing at $421.06, but rose 0.53% in after-hours trading. Year-to-date, the EV giant&#8217;s shares are up 69.5%. The latest ratings from Baird, Mizuho, and Goldman Sachs set an average price target of $446.67, indicating a potential upside of 5.53%, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro data</a>.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/TSLA/analyst-ratings"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/22215140/Screenshot-2024-12-23-at-8.21.30%E2%80%AFAM-1024x374.png" alt="" class="wp-image-703186" /></a></figure>
Images via Shutterstock
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Trump Fires Back At Critics, Denies Ceding Presidency To Elon Musk: 'I'm Safe ... He Wasn't Born In This Country'

A cheeky remark by influential economist Peter Schiff spawned a new cryptocurrency on Sunday that already has millions added to its capitalization.
What happened: The creators of the cryptocurrency USAcoin (USACOIN) were inspired by Schiff, who advised the U.S. government to consider the possibility of a strategic USAcoin reserve rather than a Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) reserve.
As of this writing, the coin has a market valuation of roughly $2.80 million, with over $7 million in trading volume in the last 24 hours, <a href="https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/usacoin-ethereum/">according</a> to CoinMarketCap.
Reacting to the new coin, Schiff clarified that he doesn&#8217;t endorse it. &#8220;My post was sarcastic—don&#8217;t buy it,&#8221; the staunch Bitcoin critic said. However, he stood by the idea behind proposing such a cryptocurrency.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Someone actually created a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USAcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USAcoin</a>. My post was sarcastic—don&#39;t buy it. However, my point was that if the U.S. government created such a token and committed to building a strategic USAcoin reserve, it would make more sense than stockpiling <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a>. That part wasn&#39;t a joke.
&mdash; Peter Schiff (@PeterSchiff) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeterSchiff/status/1870817719924449707?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
On Saturday, Schiff mooted the idea of a new government-backed cryptocurrency with a supply limit of 21 million, similar to Bitcoin, but one that has value and can be utilized for payments.
No prizes for guessing the new USAcoin also shows a supply cap of 21 million but was yet to be validated.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Instead of creating a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> strategic reserve, the U.S. could save a lot of money by creating <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USAcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USAcoin</a>. Just like Bitcoin, the supply can be capped at 21 million, but with an upgraded blockchain to make USAcoin actually viable for use in payments. This way we can all get rich.
&mdash; Peter Schiff (@PeterSchiff) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeterSchiff/status/1870455362127589496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42519107/if-you-invested-1000-in-bitcoin-when-the-first-bitcoin-etf-was-filed-heres-how-much-youd-have-today"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42560698/microstrategys-aggressive-bitcoin-strategy-raises-eyebrows-in-crypto-community">MicroStrategy&#8217;s Aggressive Bitcoin Strategy Raises Eyebrows In Crypto Community</a>
Why It Matters: Schiff has <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/42245202/peter-schiff-bitcoin-reserve-is-the-worst-monetary-mistake-us-could-make">blasted the idea</a> of a strategic Bitcoin reserve, going to the extent of calling it &#8220;treason" and the "worst monetary mistake" the U.S. could make. He argued that Bitcoin is not a viable reserve asset due to its market volatility.
A gold advocate, Schiff strongly opposes Bitcoin, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/09/40818582/gold-bull-peter-schiff-claims-bitcoin-lacks-intrinsic-value-and-is-destined-to-fail">stating that it has no fundamental value</a> and was destined to fail.
While Schiff <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/41891221/peter-schiff-says-he-would-have-loaded-up-on-bitcoin-had-he-known-that-the-btc-bubble-would-get-this-big" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">admitted to regretting</a> not buying Bitcoin when it was around $1, he emphasized that this doesn't mean he would buy it now.
Price Action: At the time of writing, Bitcoin was exchanging hands at $93,808.60, down 3.16% in the last 24 hours, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA..">data from Benzinga Pro</a>. 
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Peter Schiff's 'Sarcastic' Post Spurs Birth Of Supposed Bitcoin Alternative USAcoin With Millions In Marketcap, Economist Warns 'Don't Buy It'

Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NYSE">PLTR</a>) and Anduril Industries, a defense technology company are spearheading a new consortium of technology companies to compete for U.S. Department of Defense contracts, challenging traditional defense contractors&#8217; dominance over the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42615531/pltr-stock-up-over-80-in-the-past-two-months-trades-nearly-5-lower-in-friday-premarket-after-ubs-says-valuationis-simply-tough-to-get-over">$850 billion defense budget</a>.
What Happened: The group, expected to announce formal agreements in January, is in discussions with Elon Musk&#8216;s SpaceX, OpenAI, Saronic, and Scale AI, <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/6cfdfe2b-6872-4963-bde8-dc6c43be5093">reported</a> the Financial Times on Sunday, citing people with knowledge of the matter.
This initiative comes as Palantir&#8217;s market capitalization has surged to $169 billion, surpassing traditional defense contractor Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMT#NYSE">LMT</a>). Palantir&#8217;s stock has risen over 300% in the past year, though it recently faced headwinds after UBS initiated coverage with a neutral rating, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42615531/pltr-stock-up-over-80-in-the-past-two-months-trades-nearly-5-lower-in-friday-premarket-after-ubs-says-valuationis-simply-tough-to-get-over">citing valuation concerns</a>.
The consortium aims to modernize defense procurement by offering smaller, autonomous weapons systems and AI-powered solutions. Recent collaborations already show promise, with Palantir&#8217;s AI Platform being integrated with Anduril&#8217;s Lattice autonomous software for national security applications.
Palantir and Anduril did not immediately respond to&nbsp;<a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga</a>'s request for comment.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/12/42639068/linkedin-cofounder-reid-hoffman-says-musks-baseless-jeffrey-epstein-claims-forced-him-to-hire-security-elons-defamation-makes-me-angry">LinkedIn Cofounder Reid Hoffman Says Musk&#8217;s Baseless Jeffrey Epstein Claims Forced Him To Hire Security: &#8216;Elon&#8217;s Defamation Makes Me Angry&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: The timing aligns with increased defense spending driven by conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, plus rising U.S.-China tensions. Palantir recently secured a $400.7 million contract extension with the U.S. Army, which could potentially reach $618.9 million over four years.
Traditional defense procurement has faced criticism for <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/12/42525698/as-elon-musk-takes-on-lockheed-martin-made-f-35s-experts-question-feasibility-of-replacing-manned-fighter-jets-with-drones">favoring established contractors</a> like Raytheon Technologies Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RTX#NYSE">RTX</a>) and The Boeing Company (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BA#NYSE">BA</a>), often resulting in costly, time-consuming projects. This new tech consortium aims to provide more efficient, cutting-edge solutions to meet modern military challenges.
Palantir stock closed at $80.55 on Friday, up 8.54% for the day, and rose 0.19% in after-hours trading. Year to date, the stock has surged 385%, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.
The <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/PLTR/analyst-ratings">consensus price target</a> is $35.58, with the highest target of $80, and the lowest of $7.50. Recent ratings from UBS, Mizuho, and Baird average $64.67, implying a 19.87% downside.
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/22210140/Screenshot-2024-12-23-at-7.30.06%E2%80%AFAM-1024x377.png" alt="" class="wp-image-703159" style="width:715px;height:auto" /></figure>
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Image Via Shutterstock 
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

PLTR

Palantir And Anduril Reportedly Lead Consortium, Partner With SpaceX And OpenAI To Compete Against Traditional Defense Contractors In $850 Billion US Military Market

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Photo by<a href="https://unsplash.com/@soymeraki?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText"> Javier Allegue Barros</a> on<a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/change?utm_source=unsplash&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=creditCopyText"> Unsplash</a>

&nbsp;

The following post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga&rsquo;s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga.

August saw a slight increase in trading volume on the OTC Markets with activity showing signs of direction coming out of the summer doldrums. Leading the charge were cryptocurrencies, specifically the familiar funds from Grayscale Investments LLC and a smattering of large increases in manufacturing and tech stocks.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The combined total dollar volume on OTC Markets in August reached just over $52.6 billion. Compared to July&rsquo;s total of $50.3 billion, this was a 4.2% increase. Additionally, in comparison to July&rsquo;s figures, the total dollar volume for the OTCQX was up by 24%, while the OTCQB recorded a decrease of 37% in volume.

<h2>OTCQX</h2>

On the OTCQX Best Market, there was no change in the order of the top 3 most actively traded securities for August. Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (OTCQX:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GBTC#OTCQX">GBTC</a>) maintained its top spot with Grayscale Ethereum Trust (OTCQX:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ETHE#OTCQX">ETHE</a>) and Roche Holding Ltd. (OTCQX:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RHHBY#OTCQX">RHHBY</a>) in the No. 2 and No. 3 spots respectively.&nbsp;

The only surprise amongst the top 3 was ETHE, which did have a sharp 113% increase in dollar volume in August. The increase came in tandem with increased activity and rising prices in Ethereum and other cryptocurrencies during the same month as well.

Grayscale Digital Large Cap Fund LLC (OTCQX:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GDLC#OTCQX">GDLC</a>), another fund from Grayscale Investments LLC, saw a 116% increase in trading volume after news that GDLC had become an SEC reporting company.

Another standout in terms of trading volume in the OTCQX was Wal-Mart De Mexico (OTCQX:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WMMVY#OTCQX">WMMVY</a>), which saw a 227% increase in August after reporting strong financial results near the end of July.

<h2>OTCQB</h2>

Netlist, Inc. (OTCQB:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NLST#OTCQB">NLST</a>) a provider of high-performance SSDs and modular memory subsystems to enterprise customers, maintained its No. 1 spot in terms of dollar volume on the OTCQB Venture Market in August even after experiencing a decrease in trading volume for the same month.

However, the most dramatic increases in volume came from 3 securities in the OTCQB market. TPT Global Tech, Inc. (OTCQB:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TPTW#OTCQB">TPTW</a>), Bluejay Mng PLC (OTCQB:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BLLYF#OTCQB">BLLYF</a>) and Western Magnesium Corp. (OTCQB:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MLYF#OTCQB">MLYF</a>), which all saw increases in volume. TPTW soared into the top 10 in August as well.

Israel-based Todos Medical Ltd. (OTCQB:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TOMDF#OTCQB">TOMDF</a>) also saw an increase in volume on a flurry of positive news around its new COVID-19 variant identification tests, which can effectively identify various strains of the virus. The increase translated into an $11 million increase in trading volume for its stock this month.

Below are the top 10 most actively traded securities on the OTCQX and OTCQB markets in August:

<h2>OTCQX</h2>

<img alt="" src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/u360337/first.png" style="height:239px; width:650px" />

<h2>OTCQB</h2>

<img alt="" src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/u360337/second.png" style="height:264px; width:650px" />

The preceding post was written and/or published as a collaboration between Benzinga&rsquo;s in-house sponsored content team and a financial partner of Benzinga. Although the piece is not and should not be construed as editorial content, the sponsored content team works to ensure that any and all information contained within is true and accurate to the best of their knowledge and research. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice.

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