BlackRock ETF Trust BlackRock Future Financial and Technology ETF (ARCA: BPAY)

Latest news for BlackRock ETF Trust BlackRock Future Financial and Technology ETF (ARCA:BPAY)

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To pursue its objective, the Fund will invest at least 80 percent of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of financial and information technology companies and derivatives with similar economic characteristics. The financial and information technology companies in which the Fund will invest seek to generate revenue from the research, development, production and/or distribution of innovative and emerging technologies used and applied in financial services.

Discover Financial Services

Global Payments

Kaspi.kz AO

Paypal Holdings Inc

Fidelity National Information Services Inc

Charles Schwab Corp.

American Express Co.

Rakuten Bank Ltd

Temenos Ag

Shift4 Payments Inc.

BlackRock Future Financial and Technology ETF

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Equities

Large Cap

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BlackRock ETF Trust BlackRock Future Financial and Technology ETF

BPAY

IPAY

KNGZ

PRNT

WEX Inc. files federal lawsuit against HP for infringing trademarks with their HP Wex product, causing confusion in the marketplace.

WEX Goes to Court: HP Sued for Alleged Trademark Misuse

Sector ETFs

ETFs

iShares Dow Jones US Regional Banks Index Fund

KBWB

SIVB

Shares of banking company SVB Financial Group (NASDAQ: SIVB) plunged 60% on Thursday after it 

Watch Out For These ETFs As SVB Financial Bleeds Today

Wedbush analyst Nick Setyan reiterates Darden Restaurants (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DRI#NYSE">DRI</a>) with a Outperform and maintains $170 price target.

Price Target

Reiteration

Analyst Ratings

Wedbush Reiterates Outperform on Darden Restaurants, Maintains $170 Price Target

Morgan Stanley analyst Betsy Graseck maintains Citizens Financial Group (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CFG#NYSE">CFG</a>) with a Equal-Weight and raises the price target from $38 to $41.

Morgan Stanley Maintains Equal-Weight on Citizens Financial Group, Raises Price Target to $41

Needham analyst Serge Belanger reiterates Liquidia (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LQDA#NASDAQ">LQDA</a>) with a Buy and maintains $28 price target.

LQDA

Needham Reiterates Buy on Liquidia, Maintains $28 Price Target

Morgan Stanley analyst Terence Flynn maintains Johnson &amp; Johnson (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JNJ#NYSE">JNJ</a>) with a Equal-Weight and raises the price target from $167 to $169.

Morgan Stanley Maintains Equal-Weight on Johnson & Johnson, Raises Price Target to $169

Guidance

Reported Earlier, Alaska Air Group Cuts FY24 EPS Guidance By $0.25 At The Midpoint; Now Sees $3.50 - $4.50, Est $4.49

Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods analyst Chris Mcgratty maintains Equity Bancshares (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EQBK#NYSE">EQBK</a>) with a Market Perform and raises the price target from $38 to $41.

EQBK

Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Maintains Market Perform on Equity Bancshares, Raises Price Target to $41

The stablecoin sector has witnessed a significant expansion since the beginning of July, coinciding with the overall upswing in the cryptocurrency market.
What Happened: In an X post on Wednesday,&nbsp;Ki Young Ju, CEO of on-chain analytics firm CryptoQuant, noted that stablecoins have been flowing into the market since early July, reaching an all-time high last week. He highlighted that Tether (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">USDT</a>), the world&#8217;s largest stablecoin by market cap, accounted for 70% of the total share. 
Previous instances of USDT market growth were followed by notable rallies in Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>). Though not significant yet, the analyst acknowledged that the upward trend in stablecoins is noteworthy.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Stablecoins started flowing into the market. Their market cap has risen since early July, hitting an all-time high last week. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24USDT&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$USDT</a> makes up 70% of the total market cap. It may not be much yet, but the upward trend is noteworthy. <a href="https://t.co/wLHvkyUfrE">pic.twitter.com/wLHvkyUfrE</a>
&mdash; Ki Young Ju (@ki_young_ju) <a href="https://twitter.com/ki_young_ju/status/1813664989040763252?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
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In a note <a href="https://decrypt.co/240299/bitcoin-gains-held-back-stablecoin-liquidity-cryptoquant">shared </a>with Decrypt, CryptoQuant noted that stablecoin liquidity needs to expand further, especially from USDT, to justify a continued increase in Bitcoin&#8217;s price.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39771680/dogecoin-up-8-but-one-indicator-shows-it-could-explode-75-higher-still?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dogecoin Up 8% But One Indicator Shows It Could Explode 75% Higher Still</a>
Why It Matters: As is well known, stablecoins allow traders to preserve their fiat value without cashing out. Due to this, they are the preferred way for traders, especially on non-fiat cryptocurrency exchanges, to enter and exit trades. 
Spikes in stablecoin market cap could therefore be interpreted as bullish signals, as investors are likely using them to buy other cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin. 
As of this writing, more than $165 billion worth of stablecoins are in circulation, with most major ones pegged to $1. 
Price Action: At the time of publication, Bitcoin was trading at $64,783.01, following a 0.57% dip in the last 24 hours, according to data&nbsp;<a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">from Benzinga Pro</a>.&nbsp;The market has rallied sharply since pro-cryptocurrency presidential candidate Donald Trump escaped an attempt on his life. 
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39830824/ethereum-co-founder-charles-hoskinson-differs-with-old-rival-vitalik-buterin-on-mixing-cry">Ethereum Co-founder Charles Hoskinson Differs With Old Rival Vitalik Buterin On Mixing Crypto And Politics: &#8216;A Vote For Biden Is A Vote For The Death Of The American Crypto Industry&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock

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

Cryptocurrency

Markets

$BTC

$USDT

As Stablecoin Inflows Surge To All-Time Highs, Here's What It Could Mean For Bitcoin And Crypto Market

B of A Securities analyst Mihir Bhatia maintains Synchrony Finl (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SYF#NYSE">SYF</a>) with a Neutral and raises the price target from $51 to $56.

B of A Securities Maintains Neutral on Synchrony Finl, Raises Price Target to $56

Figma Inc., a San Francisco-based design startup, has secured a $12.5 billion valuation in a deal that involved investment from a group of prominent firms.
What Happened: The investment group includes Coatue Management, Alkeon Capital Management, and General Catalyst Partners, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-17/coatue-general-catalyst-back-figma-at-12-5-billion-valuation">reported</a> Bloomberg on Thursday citing people with knowledge of the matter.
This investment has come through a secondary share sale, which has been finalized. The deal also involved current and former employees, as well as other equity holders.
Figma, which is currently generating over $700 million in annual recurring revenue, is expected to exceed $1 billion by next year. The annual recurring revenue was approximately $400 million in late 2022.
Figma did not immediately respond to&nbsp;<a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga</a>'s request for comment.
Other investors in this deal include Sequoia Capital, Andreessen Horowitz, Iconiq, SurgoCap Partners, Atlassian Corp., Fidelity Management &amp; Research Co., Franklin Templeton&#8217;s Franklin Venture Partners, Thrive Capital, Greenoaks Capital Partners, Durable Capital Partners, Apple Inc. executive Eddy Cue, Goanna Capital, and XN, according to the Figma spokesperson.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39781712/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-continue-their-green-streak-but-big-test-could-come-on-a-60k-ret?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Continue Their Green Streak, But &#8216;Big Test&#8217; Could Come On A $60K Retest</a>
Why It Matters: This latest investment round comes after Figma <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38893439/figma-sets-12-5b-valuation-in-new-equity-offering-falling-short-of-adobes-acquisition-offer">set a $12.5 billion valuation</a> in a new equity offering in May, which was notably lower than the $20 billion acquisition offer from Adobe Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ADBE#NASDAQ">ADBE</a>).
The European Union raised antitrust concerns regarding the proposed acquisition, suggesting that it could significantly reduce competition in the global market for interactive product design tools. The <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/11/35870815/adobes-20b-figma-acquisition-under-scrutiny-eu-raises-antitrust-concerns">EU&#8217;s investigation</a> underscored worries about Figma&#8217;s potential dominance over Adobe&#8217;s Illustrator and Photoshop tools.
Adobe and Figma parted ways <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/startups/24/03/37481467/adobe-failed-to-acquire-figma-now-figma-is-a-bigger-threat-than-ever-after-a-1-billion-payday-and-ne">after failing to secure approvals</a> from the European Commission and the UK Competition and Markets Authority.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39787824/as-trumps-chances-of-presidency-improve-analysts-say-his-return-to-white-house-could-boost-these-3-s?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">As Trump&#8217;s Chances Of Presidency Improve, Analysts Say His Return To White House Could Boost These 3 Sectors</a></li>
</ul>
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This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/Kaustubh-Bagalkote" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kaustubh Bagalkote</a>

Startups

Tech

General

ADBE

Figma Bags New Investment At $12.5B Valuation, Nearly 40% Lower Than The Terminated $20B Adobe Deal

B of A Securities analyst Kendall Toscano maintains Sysco (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SYY#NYSE">SYY</a>) with a Buy and lowers the price target from $91 to $87.

B of A Securities Maintains Buy on Sysco, Lowers Price Target to $87

Baird analyst Joel Beatty upgrades e.l.f. Beauty (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ELF#NYSE">ELF</a>) from Neutral to Outperform and raises the price target from $210 to $230.

Upgrades

Baird Upgrades e.l.f. Beauty to Outperform, Raises Price Target to $230

This sales agreement, which follows the Memorandum of Understanding between Saudia Group and Lilium signed in October 2022, marks the largest of its kind in the MENA region and represents an important industry milestone as the largest reported firm order of eVTOL aircraft by an airline that plans to operate the aircraft.&nbsp;
Saudia Group expects to receive the first jets in 2026, for which operations will be managed and run by Saudia Private, a subsidiary of Saudia Group.

Contracts

LILM

Saudia Group and Lilium Sign Binding Sales Agreement For 50 Jets, With Options For Purchase Of 50 More

Biotech

Health Care

Stock Split

TCRT

Tuesday, Alaunos Therapeutics Announced A Reversed Stock Split Of 1-for-10, Effective July 18-8K

Foundation series <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39808526/cybertruck-curiosity-grips-tesla-shareholders-as-elon-musk-led-ev-giant-starts-taking-questions-for">Cyberbeast owners</a> will &#8220;soon&#8221; receive an overhead light bar that could be retrofitted, Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) executive Siddhant Awasthi said on Wednesday.
What Happened: Foundation series Cyberbeast customers will receive the overhead light bar first, Awasthi confirmed to a Tesla enthusiast on Wednesday on social media platform X. Awasthi is the Cybertruck Vehicle Program Manager at Tesla.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Soon for Foundation series Cyberbeast customers. They will receive it first
&mdash; Siddhant Awasthi (@siddawa) <a href="https://twitter.com/siddawa/status/1813670109350944828?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The lightbar will light up the top end of the vehicle&#8217;s windshield, reemphasizing its angular design. It is designed for off-road use and ought to be retrofitted. 
The company already has several accessories, including products on its online shop, dedicated to the Cybertruck. Earlier this week, Tesla launched a $300 tailgate shield and $100 jumpseats <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39813540/tesla-introduces-new-accessories-for-cybertruck-300-tailgate-shield-and-100-jumpseats">on its shop for the Cybertruck. </a>
Why It Matters: Two variants of the Cybertruck are currently available, namely the all-wheel drive version starting at $79,990 and the higher-end Cyberbeast version starting at an estimated $99,990. A cheaper rear-wheel drive will be available starting in 2025 priced at an estimated $60,990 and with a lower range of about 250 miles. 
The Foundation series, meanwhile, refers to the first few Cybertrucks manufactured by the company.&nbsp;It is unclear as to how many Foundation series units Tesla intends to manufacture. However, in late June, Tesla <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39590408/tesla-to-deliver-foundation-series-cybertrucks-through-late-2024-due-to-continued-high-demand-contra">sent a mail to</a> Cybertruck reservation holders that the company intends to deliver only the Foundation series Cybertrucks through late 2024, owing to &#8220;continued high demand.&#8221;
Tesla started delivering the Cybertruck in late November. During Tesla's annual shareholder meeting in early June, Musk said that the company has touched a weekly production record of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/23/12/36039263/did-tesla-overpromise-and-underdeliver-with-the-cybertruck" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">1,300 Cybertrucks</a>. The company is now ramping production further to touch 2,500 units per week by the end of the year with the aim to deliver 250,000 Cybertrucks a year starting in 2025.
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 More:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39830816/elon-musks-spacex-announces-starlink-now-connects-400k-canadians-or-3-homes-in-the-country">Elon Musk&#8217;s SpaceX Announces Starlink Now Connects 400K Canadians Or 3% Homes In The Country</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Tesla

TSLA

Tesla Executive Assures Cybertruck Light Bar Coming 'Soon' For Foundation Series Cyberbeast Customers

China has decided to suspend talks with the U.S. on arms control and nuclear proliferation. The decision comes in response to the U.S.&#8217; <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38809049/us-and-taiwan-engage-in-covert-joint-naval-exercises-amid-rising-threats-from-xi-jinpings-army-repor">continued arms sales</a> to Taiwan, a move that China strongly opposes.
What Happened: China&#8217;s foreign ministry announced on Wednesday that it would be suspending talks with the U.S. on arms control and nuclear proliferation. This decision was made in protest against the U.S.&#8217; ongoing arms sales to Taiwan, an island that China considers its territory, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jul/17/china-suspends-arms-talks-over-us-weapons-sales-to-taiwan">reported</a> The Guardian.
The U.S., a key ally and arms supplier to Taiwan, recently approved a $500 million military financing package for Taiwan, along with $2 billion in loans and loan guarantees. Additionally, $300 million in spare and repair parts for Taiwan&#8217;s F-16 fighter jets were also approved.
China&#8217;s foreign ministry spokesperson, Lin Jian, stated that despite &#8220;strong Chinese opposition and repeated negotiations,&#8221; the U.S. continued to sell arms to Taiwan. As a result, China has decided to put a hold on discussions with the U.S. on a new round of consultations on arms control and nonproliferation.
The U.S. State Department spokesperson, Matthew Miller, criticized China&#8217;s decision, stating that it &#8220;undermines strategic stability,&#8221; and increases the risk of &#8220;arms-race dynamics.&#8221; However, he also emphasized that the U.S. remains open to developing and implementing concrete risk-reduction measures with China.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/07/39805672/will-tesla-robotaxis-be-allowed-in-china-analyst-says-highly-unlikely-investors-sho?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Will Tesla Robotaxis Be Allowed in China? Analyst Says &#8216;Highly Unlikely,&#8217; Investors Should Consider Unavoidable National Security Risks</a>
Why It Matters: The suspension of nuclear talks follows a series of escalating tensions between the U.S. and China over Taiwan. In June, China reportedly imposed <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/06/39436742/china-sanctions-lockheed-martin-subsidiaries-executives-over-taiwan-arms-sales-report">sanctions on subsidiaries and senior executives</a> of Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMT#NYSE">LMT</a>) in response to U.S. arms sales to Taiwan. 
Earlier in March, the U.S. and China reportedly engaged in their <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39429701/us-and-china-confront-taiwan-issue-in-first-informal-nuclear-talks-in-5-years-report">first informal nuclear talks</a> in five years, where the Taiwan issue was prominently discussed. Chinese representatives assured their U.S. counterparts that they would not resort to nuclear threats over Taiwan, emphasizing their confidence in prevailing in a conventional conflict.
Additionally, in April, Chinese President Xi Jinping accused the U.S. of attempting to provoke <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39381310/xi-jinping-says-us-trying-to-trick-china-into-invading-taiwan-they-are-having-a-pipe-dream-and-would">China into invading Taiwan</a>. Xi made these allegations during a meeting with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, stating that the U.S. was trying to trick China into a military confrontation with Taiwan.
Recently, comments by U.S. presidential candidate Donald Trump <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39807774/trump-says-taiwan-should-pay-us-for-defense-ex-presidents-remark-triggers-fall-in-tsmc-shares">suggested that Taiwan should pay</a> the U.S. for its defense, causing a significant drop in shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>) and other tech giants in Silicon Valley.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39823332/nasdaq-100-suffers-worst-day-in-11-months-as-chipmakers-tumble-on-china-curbs-magnificent-?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nasdaq 100 Suffers Worst Day In 11 Months As Chipmakers Tumble On China Curbs; Magnificent 7 Wipe Out $500B</a></li>
</ul>
Image Via Shutterstock
This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/Kaustubh-Bagalkote" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kaustubh Bagalkote</a>

Global

China Halts Nuclear Talks With US Over Taiwan Arms Sales After Reportedly Sanctioning Lockheed Martin Executives In June

Cathie Wood, the CEO of ARK Invest, raised concerns about a potential deflationary cycle, citing a significant drop in commodity prices.
What Happened: Wood, in her letter to investors on Wednesday, pointed out the surprising downtrend in commodity prices since 2008. She highlighted that the Bloomberg Commodity Price Index is currently at the same level as in 1984, indicating a potential deflationary &#8220;Kondratieff wave.&#8221;
Kondratiev waves are long economic cycles, lasting 40-60 years, marked by alternating periods of high and slow growth, linked to the technology life cycle.
Wood also discussed the yield curve, which has been flattening for over a decade and inverted for more than two years. This, she suggested, further supports the notion of a deflationary Kondratieff wave.
&#8220;Characterized by decades-long waves of inflation and deflation, the concept of a wave continuing today might be associated not only with technologically enabled innovation but also with China exporting deflation to resuscitate its economy,&#8221; Wood wrote. 
By &#8220;exporting deflation,&#8221; Wood refers to China selling products to the U.S. at lower prices, made possible through government subsidies.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39807207/trump-eyes-jamie-dimon-for-treasury-secretary-rules-out-ousting-fed-chair-jerome-powell?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump Eyes Jamie Dimon For Treasury Secretary, Rules Out Ousting Fed Chair Jerome Powell</a>
The CEO noted that the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/07/39646053/mixed-picture-for-fed-june-payrolls-rise-more-than-expected-unemployment-rate-ticks-up-wage-grow">unemployment rate</a> has risen from 3.4% to 4% since January 2023, and several sectors of the economy, including housing, autos, and commercial real estate, have already entered a recession. She also highlighted the decline in the Index of Leading Economic Indicators, which has not been seen since the Global Financial Crisis.
Wood believes that the economy is gradually slipping into a recession and that the yield curve will only normalize with significant easing by the Federal Reserve.
&#8220;In our view, the economy is continuing its slow recession roll, and not until the Fed eases significantly will the yield curve normalize,&#8221; Wood wrote. 
Why It Matters: Wood&#8217;s warning of a potential deflationary cycle aligns with her previous predictions. In January, she <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/01/36764700/cathie-wood-predicts-fed-will-stop-rolling-recession-with-interest-rate-cuts-more-deflationary-force">forecasted a deflationary environment</a> for 2024, despite record highs in the S&amp;P 500 and technology stocks.
Wood&#8217;s recent letter also coincides with her <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/07/39830547/why-cathie-wood-is-betting-on-small-cap-stocks-triumphing-over-magnificent-six-amid-restrictive-">forecast of a potential shift</a> in the equity market, and strategic change in her company&#8217;s flagship fund ARK Innovation ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKK#NYSE">ARKK</a>), favoring small-cap stocks over large-cap tech companies due to the Federal Reserve&#8217;s current &#8220;restrictive&#8221; monetary policy.
Wood&#8217;s concerns are echoed by former Dallas Fed President Robert Kaplan, who <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39830062/september-may-bring-rate-cut-says-former-dallas-fed-president-robert-kaplan-i-think-theres-a-good-ch">predicts a potential rate cut</a> in September, and New York Fed President John Williams, who <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39812270/jerome-powells-top-advisor-hints-at-feds-potential-rate-cut-plans-all-moving-in-the-right-direction">hints at a potential rate cut</a> in the coming months if the recent slowdown in inflation persists.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/07/39779256/powell-praises-latest-inflation-progress-hints-at-imminent-rate-cuts-warns-hes-ve?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Powell Praises Latest Inflation Progress, Hints At Imminent Rate Cuts, Warns He&#8217;s &#8216;Very Worried&#8217; About Unsustainable National Debt</a></li>
</ul>
Cathie Wood Photo courtesy Benzinga YouTube and Shutterstock
This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/Kaustubh-Bagalkote" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Kaustubh Bagalkote</a>

Economics

ARKK

Deflation On The Horizon? Cathie Wood Points At Falling Commodity Prices To Hint At Slowing Economy

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSMC#NYSE">TSMC</a>) reported strong revenue and earnings growth for the second quarter, which came in above estimates, buoyed by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39824702/ai-infrastructure-ceo-says-customers-are-showing-relentless-demand-for-nvidia-chips-and-nvidia-chips">robust demand for AI chip</a>s used in hyper-performance computing. The company also issued upbeat guidance for the third quarter.
TSMC&#8217;s Key Q2 Numbers: Hsinchu, Taiwan-based TSMC reported consolidated second-quarter revenue of NT$673.51 billion ($20.82 billion), up 40.1% year-over-year. Sequentially, the top line expanded by 13.6%. In dollar terms, the revenue growth was 32.8% year-over-year and 10.3% quarter-over-quarter.
Revenue topped the NT$657.58 billion LSEG consensus estimates, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/07/18/tsmc-q2-2024-earnings.html">according</a> to CNBC. 
The sequential revenue growth was aided by strong demand for 3-nanometer and 5-nm technologies, partly offset by continued smartphone seasonality, the company said.
High-performance computing and smartphone end markets accounted for 52% and 33% of net revenue, respectively. IoT, automotive, digital consumer electronics and others made up of 5%, 2% and 2%, respectively. HPC revenue climbed 28% sequentially, while smartphone revenue declined 1%.
North American-based customers contributed 65% of the total revenue, China 16%, Asia-Pacific 9%, Japan 6% and EMEA 4%.
Net income and earnings per share climbed a more modest 36.3% each to NT$247.85 billion and NT$9.56 per share ($1.48 per ADR unit), respectively. On a quarter-over-quarter basis, net income rose 9.9%. Analysts, on average, expected a net profit of NT $238.8 billion.
Margin Profile: The company said in a statement that its gross margin, operating and net profit margin were at 53.2%, 42.5% and 36.8%, respectively. Here&#8217;s how margins compare to the prior-year period.
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td></td>
<td>Q2&#8217;24</td>
<td>Q1&#8217;24</td>
<td>Q2&#8217;23</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Gross Margin</td>
<td>53.2%</td>
<td>53.1%</td>
<td>54.1%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Operating Margin</td>
<td>42.5%</td>
<td>42.0%</td>
<td>42.0%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Net Profit Margin</td>
<td>36.8%</td>
<td>38.0%</td>
<td>37.8%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
Source: Company release
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-tech-stocks">Best Tech Stocks Right Now</a>
Shipments of the most advanced 3-nanometer processor node tech accounted for 15% of the total wafer revenue, while 5-nm and 7-nm processors made up 35% and 17% of the revenue, respectively. These advanced and more advanced technologies together made up 67% of the total wafer revenue.
Look Ahead: Chairman and CEO C.C. Wei said on the earnings call that &#8220;I also try to reach the supply and demand balance, but I cannot. Today, the demand is so high I had to work very hard to meet customer demand,&#8221; CNBC said.
 &#8220;I hope sometime in 2025 or 2026, I can reach the balance.&#8221;
The top brass expects business to be supported by strong smartphone and AI-related demand in the third quarter, adding that they continue to expect 2024 to be &#8220;a strong growth year for TSMC.&#8221;
The company guided third-quarter revenue of $22.4 billion to $23.3 billion, up from the $17.3 billion reported a year ago.
TSMC recently hit the $1-trillion market-cap mark amid an AI-fueled rally, but the stock has comes off its recent peak. Wednesday, the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/07/39813495/why-key-apple-nvidia-supplier-tsmcs-shares-are-plunging-in-wednesdays-premarket">NYSE-listed ADR of the company ended down 7.98% at $171.20, </a>according to <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro data, </a>weighed down by comments from Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump regarding his stance on Taiwan, and the Biden administration&#8217;s warning of further China chip curbs, which clouded the outlook for the sector.
Read Next:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/07/39830045/nvidia-tsmc-asml-holding-netflix-tesla-why-these-5-stocks-are-on-investors-radars-today"> </a>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/07/39830045/nvidia-tsmc-asml-holding-netflix-tesla-why-these-5-stocks-are-on-investors-radars-today">Nvidia, TSMC, ASML Holding, Netflix, Tesla: Why These 5 Stocks Are On Investors&#8217; Radars Today</a></li>
</ul>
Photo by Ivan Marc via Shutterstock

Asia

Earnings

Exclusives

TSMC

Apple, Nvidia Supplier TSMC Reports Strong Q2 Results Amid Booming Demand For AI Chips, Guides Q3 Above Consensus: 2024 To Be 'Strong Growth Year,' Says CEO

<a href="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Ftelxius.com%2Fen%2Finicio-en%2F&amp;esheet=54095739&amp;newsitemid=20240718748438&amp;lan=en-US&amp;anchor=Telxius&amp;index=1&amp;md5=c4d6a119155b0faa1295bcf9d2f4e5e6">Telxius</a>, a leading global connectivity provider, is scaling its core and edge network infrastructure to 400G with a Converged Optical Routing Architecture (CORA) provided by&nbsp;<a href="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&amp;url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.juniper.net%2F&amp;esheet=54095739&amp;newsitemid=20240718748438&amp;lan=en-US&amp;anchor=Juniper+Networks&amp;index=2&amp;md5=6ae5eacc14981357c124fd74b8c5a3d6">Juniper Networks</a>&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JNPR#NYSE">JNPR</a>), a leader in secure AI-Native Networks. This will enable a simplified network capacity expansion and efficient delivery of enhanced connectivity to metro networks and data center interconnects (DCI). It provides connectivity across distances of around 100 km to points of presence (PoPs) across Telxius&#39; global footprint in Spain, the Americas, and wider Europe.
Telxius connects millions of customers globally, providing a wide range of capacity, colocation and security services, as well as direct internet connectivity through its Tier-1 IP network. Its extensive ecosystem combines fiber optic submarine cables and terrestrial backhauls together spanning 100,000+ km, almost 100 PoPs in 17 countries, plus 27 data centers. Telxius seamlessly connects customers with ultra-high capacity, low latency and resilient networking.
Telxius will migrate some of its key architecture to Juniper&#39;s&nbsp;<a href="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.juniper.net%2Fgb%2Fen%2Fsolutions%2Fconverged-optical-routing-architecture-cora.html&amp;esheet=54095739&amp;newsitemid=20240718748438&amp;lan=en-US&amp;anchor=CORA&amp;index=3&amp;md5=43d394c015391f3105d097dc161f5d50">CORA</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.juniper.net%2Fus%2Fen%2Fproducts%2Frouters%2Fptx-series.html&amp;esheet=54095739&amp;newsitemid=20240718748438&amp;lan=en-US&amp;anchor=PTX+Series+Packet+Transport+Routers&amp;index=4&amp;md5=085c727b94bfddf6ed3e7b59207d2291">PTX Series Packet Transport Routers</a>&nbsp;to deliver a network that offers robust power and space savings superior performance and automated operations. This will free up a substantial amount of reserved bandwidth and allow for flexible extension to 400G capacity. The project will create enhanced connectivity for Telxius&#39; customers and create a more sustainable architecture by optimizing network scalability and bandwidth efficiency.
The solution leverages leading edge technology with the use of an IP over Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (IPoDWDM) solution. This maximizes routing platform capacity, scales up link bandwidth, and can reach more network locations and customers whilst removing the need to manage and maintain external DWDM equipment.
Using Juniper&#39;s CORA, Telxius will simplify the network architecture by consolidating previously siloed IP and optical network layers into a unified system leveraging IPoDWDM. Once the project is complete, Telxius expects to increase network reliability for its customers, simplify network operations and substantially reduce power consumption.

JNPR

Telxius Partners with Juniper to Upgrade Network Infrastructure to 400G

GE HealthCare (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GEHC#NASDAQ">GEHC</a>) today announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire&nbsp;<a href="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.intelligentultrasound.com%2F&amp;esheet=54095905&amp;newsitemid=20240717580041&amp;lan=en-US&amp;anchor=Intelligent+Ultrasound+Group+PLC%26%238217%3Bs&amp;index=1&amp;md5=94f2638a6e2012af338fc33fc1dca1b6">Intelligent Ultrasound Group PLC&#39;s</a>&nbsp;(Intelligent Ultrasound) clinical artificial intelligence (AI) software business for total consideration of approximately&nbsp;$51 million. Intelligent Ultrasound is a leader in integrated AI-driven image analysis tools designed to make ultrasound smarter and more efficient. GE HealthCare plans to incorporate these solutions across the ultrasound portfolio, strengthening its capabilities with technology that helps improve workflows and enhance ease-of-use for the benefit of clinicians and patients.

GEHC

GE HealthCare To Acquire  Intelligent Ultrasound Group's Clinical Artificial Intelligence Business For $51M

Elon Musk&#8216;s SpaceX on Wednesday revealed a conceptual illustration of the spacecraft it is <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39516687/elon-musks-spacex-wins-843m-contract-for-historic-nasa-mission">designing to deorbit the International Space Station</a> (ISS) and it resembles the company&#8217;s Dragon spacecraft.
What Happened: SpaceX posted the picture on X, while explaining that the spacecraft will have six times more propellant and four times the power of its Dragon spacecraft.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">With 6x more propellant and 4x the power of today's Dragon spacecraft, SpaceX was selected to design and develop the U.S. Deorbit Vehicle for a precise, controlled deorbit of the <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a> <a href="https://t.co/GgtuplTwqQ">https://t.co/GgtuplTwqQ</a> <a href="https://t.co/E23sS7CE4U">pic.twitter.com/E23sS7CE4U</a>
&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1813632705281818671?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
NASA <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39574766/spacex-overtakes-ula-in-military-space-missions-as-vulcan-centaur-rocket-experiences-delays">chose SpaceX</a> to develop and deliver the U.S. Deorbit vehicle (USDV) to deorbit the space station and ensure a lack of risk to populated areas in late June. SpaceX will develop the deorbit spacecraft under the contract valued at $843 million and NASA will take ownership afterward and operate it through the mission. 
The space agency said in a statement on Wednesday that the deorbit spacecraft would move the station out of orbit and into a remote area of an ocean at the end of its operations around 2030.
Both the spacecraft and the station are expected to break up through the process of re-entry into Earth&#8217;s atmosphere. Any remnants will subsequently fall harmlessly into the ocean. 
Why It Matters: Which launch vehicle will launch the deorbiting spacecraft into space has not been ascertained to date. 
However, the deorbiting vehicle will be launched about one and a half years before the final re-entry burn, ISS program manager Dana Weigel said in a media teleconference on Wednesday. The crew will stay on <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/02/36885276/starlab-to-launch-in-single-flight-before-iss-shutdown-thanks-to-spacexs-starship">board the station</a> until 6 months before the final re-entry, they added.
Once the ISS reaches an altitude of about 140 miles, the USDV will &#8220;perform a series of burns to set us up for that final deorbit, and then four days later it will do the final re-entry burn,&#8221; Weigel 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 More:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39811684/tesla-files-trademark-applications-for-cyberberry-and-supercharged-gummies-years-after-ceo-elon-musk" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tesla Files Trademark Applications For Cyberberry And Supercharged Gummies, Years After CEO Elon Musk Teased Making His Own Candy Company</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

SPACE

SpaceX Unveils ISS Deorbit Vehicle Design Resembling Dragon Spacecraft With '6X More Propellant And 4X Power'

From managing back-office operations at banks to facilitating digital currency transfers, one of the newest industries in the field of finance, Fin...

Fintech: Do Robo-Analysts Dream of Electric Returns?

BlackRock Future Financial and Technology ETF declares semi-annual distribution of $0.0613

AFRM

ARKF

AVDX

BILL

COIN

EMFQ

ENFN

FDIG

FINX

GFOF

HOOD

INTU

KOIN

LMND

OPEN

OSCR

PYPL

RELY

SOFI

TOST

UPST

WEX Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WEX#NYSE">WEX</a>) filed a federal lawsuit against&nbsp;HP Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HPQ#NYSE">HPQ</a>) and Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. in Maine federal&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/04/n38205015/wex-inc-files-federal-lawsuit-against-hp-to-protect-trademark-and-brand" rel="noreferrer noopener">court for infringing its trademarks</a>.



Notably, in March, HP launched its &#8220;HP Wex,&#8221; a misappropriation of WEX&#8217;s trademarks, and marketing to a customer base similar to WEX, which inevitably confuses the marketplace, as per WEX&#8217;s statement.



Jessica Roy, Vice President of Financial Communications, said, &#8220;HP&#8217;s use of the &#8220;WEX&#8221; name will inevitably sow confusion in the marketplace.&#8221;&nbsp;



&#8220;Given the similarities between the software, fleet and data management, and employee solutions offered by WEX on the one hand, and the &#8220;WEX&#8221;-branded software, fleet and data management, and employee solutions offered by HP on the other, combined with the overlapping worldwide footprint of both companies, confusion between the two WEX offerings is inevitable—and is already beginning to materialize. We have filed this action to prevent harm to our brand.&#8221;



WEX has been using the name since 1989 and formally rebranded to WEX in 2012. Noatbly, WEX said it tried to resolve this dispute amicably, but HP refused to stop using the name and therefore they filed for lawsuit.



WEX intends to seek a preliminary injunction to force HP to discontinue all further infringement of the WEX trademark immediately.



Megan K. Bannigan, Partner at Debevoise &amp; Plimpton and counsel to WEX, said, &#8220;HP&#8217;s use of the &#8220;WEX&#8221; name is already beginning to create confusion in the marketplace and will lead customers to believe that HP is either partnering with or has acquired WEX&#8217;s widely respected platform and software know-how to market HP&#8217;s new services. WEX and its customers deserve protection from the confusion HP&#8217;s actions will cause.&#8221;



Investors can gain exposure to the stock via&nbsp;BlackRock ETF Trust BlackRock Future Financial And Technology ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BPAY#NYSE">BPAY</a>) and&nbsp;Amplify ETF Trust Amplify Mobile Payments ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IPAY#NYSE">IPAY</a>).



Price Action: WEX shares are down 0.27% at $239.92 on the last check Thursday.



Photo: Courtesy of Ulf Wittrock via Shutterstock

Shares of banking company&nbsp;SVB Financial Group&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SIVB#NASDAQ">SIVB</a>) plunged 60% on Thursday after it&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/23/03/31281510/why-svb-financial-stock-is-plummeting-today" style="color:#4a6ee0; background:transparent; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt" target="_blank">shared plans to raise capital</a>.&nbsp;

SVB said it was seeking over $2 billion in additional funding. It planned to offer $1.25 billion of its common stock and $500 million of depositary shares registered as public offerings.&nbsp;

SVB also completed the plan to sell its available-for-sale securities portfolio. This transaction would result in an after-tax loss of $(1.8) billion in Q1 2023.

Additionally, SVB entered a private purchase subscription agreement with&nbsp;General Atlantic, a growth equity investor, to purchase $500 million of common stock at the public offering price. The company&#39;s CEO,&nbsp;Greg Becker, sent a letter citing higher interest rates and high cash burn from clients&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/23/03/31297188/with-svb-financial-group-on-life-support-analysts-downgrade-stock-too-much-uncertai" style="color:#4a6ee0; background:transparent; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt" target="_blank">as reasons for the need for capital</a>.

The stock was halted during pre-market trading Friday at around 8:41 am ET for code news pending. Amid the trading halt, CNBC&#39;s David Faber reported the company&#39;s proposed capital raise has failed, with CNBC reporting SVB Financial&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/03/31295860/why-svb-financial-group-shares-are-getting-obliterated" style="color:#4a6ee0; background:transparent; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt" target="_blank">is in talks to sell itself</a>.

Silicon Valley Bank&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/23/03/31299908/fdic-shuts-down-silicon-valley-bank-here-are-the-details" style="color:#4a6ee0; background:transparent; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt" target="_blank">has now been closed</a>&nbsp;by&nbsp;Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation&nbsp;(FDIC). The news comes on the heels of SVB&#39;s parent company, SVB Financial Group,&nbsp;failing to&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/m-a/23/03/31298169/silicon-valley-bank-cant-raise-cash-opts-for-a-sale" style="color:#4a6ee0; background:transparent; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt" target="_blank">raise cash to sustain operations</a>.

ETFs with significant exposure to the banking company include&nbsp;BlackRock ETF Trust, BlackRock Future Financial And Technology ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/bpay#NYSE" style="color:#4a6ee0; background:transparent; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt" target="_blank">BPAY</a>),&nbsp;IShares U.S. Regional Banks ETF&nbsp;(NYSE:&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/iat#NYSE" style="color:#4a6ee0; background:transparent; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt" target="_blank">IAT</a>),&nbsp;Invesco KBW Bank ETF&nbsp;(NASDAQ:&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/kbwb#NASDAQ" style="color:#4a6ee0; background:transparent; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt" target="_blank">KBWB</a>). The ETFs have exposure to SIVB between 3%-4% of their total holdings.

The ETFs have lost 11%-18% last month, missing the Factset segment average.

BPAY traded lower by 5.01% at $20.58 on the last check Friday. IAT traded lower by 5.60% at $41.14, and KBWB traded lower by 3.78% at $47.54.

Read:&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/specialty-etfs/23/03/31299793/exclusive-jim-cramer-recommended-svb-financial-in-february-an-example-of-his-reverse-midas-to" style="color:#4a6ee0; background:transparent; margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt" target="_blank">EXCLUSIVE: Jim Cramer Recommended SVB Financial In February, An Example Of &#39;His Reverse Midas Touch&#39;</a>

Price Action:&nbsp;SIVB shares traded lower by 62.8% at $39.49 on the last check Friday.

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BlackRock ETF Trust BlackRock Future Financial and Technology ETF

News

Latest news for BlackRock ETF Trust BlackRock Future Financial and Technology ETF (ARCA:BPAY)

Thursday, April 11, 2024

Friday, March 10, 2023