Franklin International Aggregate Bond ETF (BATS: FLIA)

Latest news for Franklin International Aggregate Bond ETF (BATS:FLIA)

Under normal market conditions, the fund invests at least 80% of its net assets in bonds and investments that provide exposure to bonds. Bonds include debt obligations of any maturity, such as bonds, notes, bills and debentures. The fund invests predominantly in fixed and floating-rate bonds issued by governments, government agencies and governmental-related or corporate issuers located outside the U.S. It is non-diversified.

Franklin International Aggregate Bond ETF

Japan

Asia

Sector ETFs

Bonds

Franklin Liberty International Aggregate Bond ETF

FLIA

JGBB

U.S. Japan bond ETFs flat after Bank of Japan&#39;s bond purchase reduction. Market reacts but individual ETFs show varied performance.

Bank Of Japan&#39;s Bond Purchase Reduction Leaves ETFs Flat, Yen Softens

Amid escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and China, Apple Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) CEO Tim Cook is said to have met President Donald Trump.
What Happened: Citing an anonymous source, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-20/apple-s-tim-cook-meeting-with-trump-as-tariffs-threaten-iphones">Bloomberg </a>reported a possible meeting between Cook and Trump at the White House. The purpose of the meeting, however, remains undisclosed.
The escalating trade war between the US and China has put Apple in a tricky situation. The Trump administration&#8217;s&nbsp;10% tariff on Chinese goods&nbsp;could potentially hinder Apple&#8217;s efforts to revive its sluggish iPhone sales.
Moreover, China, Apple&#8217;s largest manufacturing hub, is contemplating an investigation into the company&#8217;s&nbsp;policies and the fees it&nbsp;charges app developers. 
Also, this month,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/02/43554574/apple-faces-mounting-pressure-from-uk-government-to-grant-spying-access-to-encrypted-data-of-users-worldwide">Apple faced pressure</a>&nbsp;from the U.K. government to create a backdoor for accessing the encrypted data of its users worldwide. 
This meeting with President Trump could be seen in the context of tariffs and privacy-related concerns from the U.K.
Apple did not immediately respond to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga&#8217;s</a> request for comment. 
SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/02/43856927/billionaire-blackrock-ceo-larry-fink-says-people-are-saving-too-much-and-not-investing-enough-to-retire-with-dignity">Billionaire Blackrock CEO Larry Fink Says People Are Saving Too Much And Not Investing Enough To &#8216;Retire With Dignity&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: The tariffs imposed by the Trump administration raised concerns over the impact on the pricing of Apple products. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43839627/apple-may-hike-iphone-prices-by-9-due-to-trumps-tariffs-says-bank-of-america">Analysts at the Bank of America</a>&nbsp;securities have suggested that Apple may need to increase iPhone prices by 9% to counter the tariffs. 
The iPhone maker tried to shift its supply chain from China to India and Vietnam. While India is a major assembling hub for iPhones, Vietnam is a major hub for AirPods. However, the Chinese government is setting obstacles to this shift and has resorted to tightening controls on advanced equipment and critical materials. Additionally, the reciprocal tariffs on India announced by Trump have also become a cause of concern for the Tim Cook-led company.
Post-election, Cook had expressed his willingness to engage with the Trump administration. However, the two have previously had disagreements over Apple&#8217;s privacy policies, with Trump insisting that Apple should do more to assist federal law enforcement in accessing encrypted phones. Apple has consistently opposed such requests citing potential dangers from hackers. 
Despite these challenges, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43873396/apple-stock-has-run-up-over-10-in-a-month-jim-cramer-says-iphone-maker-is-ramping-and-the-credit-goes-to-chinese-subsidies">Apple&#8217;s stock has surged over 10%</a> in the past month, with CNBC's Jim Cramer attributing the momentum to the Chinese government&#8217;s national consumer subsidy programs that also cover Apple products.
<ul>
<li>READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43867210/rivian-automotive-q4-earnings-highlights-revenue-beat-eps-beat-2025-guidance-truly-transformational-product-r2-coming">Rivian Automotive Q4 Earnings Highlights: Revenue Beat, EPS Beat, 2025 Guidance, R2 Update</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Equities

News

Markets

Tech

AAPL

Apple CEO Tim Cook Reportedly Meets Trump As Tariff Impact Looms On iPhone Sales And Company's China Strategy

Macro Economic Events

Econ #s

Economics

Eurozone Services Purchasing Managers Index Preliminary For February 50.7 Vs. 51.5 Est.; 51.3 Prior

HCOB Eurozone Composite Purchasing Managers Index Preliminary For February 50.2 Vs. 50.5 Est.; 50.2 Prior

Eurozone Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index Preliminary For February 47.3 Vs. 46.9 Est.; 46.6 Prior

Jensen Huang, CEO of&nbsp;Nvidia Corporation&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), addressed investor concerns regarding the necessity of massive AI infrastructure spending during a virtual event uploaded on Thursday. 
What Happened: Huang addressed the DeepSeek-led sell-off of the Nvidia shares and said, that investors misinterpreted the DeepSeek&#8217;s AI advancements. The pre-recorded event, produced by Nvidia partner DDN, was part of the launch of DDN&#8217;s new software platform, Inifinia.
The major reason for the sell-off was due to investors questioning the need for massive AI infrastructure expenditure by Big Tech firms, particularly&nbsp;if models can be trained with lesser computing power. This is a result of DeepSeek&#8217;s advancements in AI, which investors may have misunderstood, triggering a significant market reaction.
The Nvidia Chief clarified that the industry still demands significant computing power for post-training methods, which enable AI models to generate predictions or reach conclusions after training. He emphasized that as these methods diversify and expand, the demand for Nvidia&#8217;s computing power will also increase.
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NVDA

Nvidia Stock Had A Bad Week After DeepSeek Unveiled Its New Model In January—Now CEO Jensen Huang Says Investors Are Misreading AI's Future Impact: 'Obviously, That Paradigm Is Wrong'

President Donald Trump and Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk have reignited decades-old discussions about the U.S. government&#8217;s gold holdings at Fort Knox, as the precious metal&#8217;s prices reach historic highs above $2,940 per ounce.
What Happened: Musk initiated the conversation on social media Saturday, questioning the status of the gold reserves and calling for a &#8220;live video walkthrough&#8221; of the facility. Trump escalated the matter Wednesday, announcing plans to inspect the fortress-like depository. 
&#8220;We hope everything&#8217;s fine with Fort Knox, but we&#8217;re going to go to Fort Knox&#8230;to make sure the gold is there,&#8221; Trump said, adding, &#8220;If the gold isn&#8217;t there, we&#8217;re going to be very upset.&#8221;
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;We&#39;re going to go to Fort Knox — the fabled Fort Knox — to make sure the gold is there.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/nFKlTDGXaO">pic.twitter.com/nFKlTDGXaO</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1892420940220313900?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The U.S. Bullion Depository at Fort Knox currently holds 147.3 million troy ounces of gold, representing approximately 59% of the Treasury&#8217;s total reserves, according <a href="https://www.usmint.gov/learn/tours-and-locations/fort-knox?srsltid=AfmBOorAKfMwGFU3cNWbLEtFSJ31roUnftZ9i27yKhJKN5E3djpNF2s3#accordion-d08d17b2a7-item-13f72f12ff">to</a> the U.S. Mint. At current market prices, these holdings are valued at approximately $434 billion.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/02/43872745/bitcoin-breaches-98k-ethereum-dogecoin-flat-as-sec-relaxes-crypto-enforcement-top-analysts-are-focused-on-this-level-for-a-potential-btc-upside">Bitcoin Breaches $98K, Ethereum, Dogecoin Flat As SEC Relaxes Crypto Enforcement: Top Analysts Are Focused On This Level For A Potential BTC Upside</a>
Why It Matters: The renewed interest in Fort Knox comes amid a broader surge in gold prices, driven by geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty. Goldman Sachs recently raised its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/specialty-etfs/25/02/43858757/bullion-boom-gold-etfs-gain-as-geopolitical-storm-fuels-surge">year-end gold target</a> to $3,100 per ounce, citing increased central bank purchasing activity.
The U.S. maintains the world&#8217;s largest government gold reserves, with 8,133 metric tons – more than double Germany&#8217;s holdings, according <a href="https://www.gold.org/goldhub/data/how-much-gold">to</a> the World Gold Council. The Kentucky facility, constructed in the 1930s, was strategically located inland to protect against potential foreign attacks during World War II.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently dismissed speculation about revaluing the nation&#8217;s gold holdings, stating that &#8220;all the gold is there&#8221; and extending an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/specialty-etfs/25/02/43858757/bullion-boom-gold-etfs-gain-as-geopolitical-storm-fuels-surge">open invitation to senators for verification</a>.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/25/02/43872677/alibaba-cfo-toby-xu-touts-5-drop-in-share-count-thanks-to-aggressive-buybacks-as-jack-ma-founded-company-basks-in-stellar-q3-results">Alibaba CFO Toby Xu Touts 5% Drop In Share Count Thanks To Aggressive Buybacks As Jack Ma-Founded Company Basks In Stellar Q3 Results</a></li>
</ul>
Image Via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Commodities

Trump Plans Fort Knox Gold Inspection As Prices Soar Past $2,940: 'If The Gold Isn't There...'

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Thursday said that preparations must start already for deorbiting the International Space Station (ISS), ahead of the timeline decided by space agency NASA. 
What Happened: &#8220;It has served its purpose. There is very little incremental utility,&#8221; Musk said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. &#8220;Let&#8217;s go to Mars,&#8221; the billionaire said, calling for a human-operated base on Mars instead of the low Earth orbit. 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">It is time to begin preparations for deorbiting the <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a>. It has served its purpose. There is very little incremental utility. Let's go to Mars.
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1892621691060093254?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;The decision is up to the President, but my recommendation is as soon as possible,&#8221; Musk said while also recommending that the station be deorbited two years from now, or in 2027. 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The decision is up to the President, but my recommendation is as soon as possible. I recommend 2 years from now.
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1892627928921329862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Current Plans For ISS: The ISS&nbsp;is operated by space agencies from the U.S., Europe, Japan, Canada, and Russia. All countries except Russia have committed to operating the station until 2030.&nbsp;The station has spent about 25 years in orbit and over 270 astronauts have visited it to date. 
NASA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39574766/spacex-overtakes-ula-in-military-space-missions-as-vulcan-centaur-rocket-experiences-delays" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">chose SpaceX</a>&nbsp;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 previously said 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's atmosphere. Any remnants will subsequently fall harmlessly into the ocean as part of the plan. 
Musk&#8217;s Mars Vision: Musk has often talked about landing humans on the surface of Earth&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39521319/elon-musk-envisions-building-space-station-on-moon-after-spacex-bags-nasa-contract-to-build-iss-deor">neighboring planet Mars</a>. SpaceX&#8217;s Starship launch vehicle, with which he intends to accomplish the dream, is in the testing and development phase. 
Musk last year said that the first Starships will&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39567836/spacex-ceo-elon-musk-picks-terminus-for-mars-first-starship-enabled-city-after-just-4-test-flights" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">head to Mars in two years</a>&nbsp;once the next Earth-Mars transfer window opens.
The first launches to Mars in 2026, Musk then said, will not have a crew onboard and will be aimed at testing the flight&#8217;s ability to land intact on Mars.
&#8220;If those landings go well, then the first crewed flights to Mars will be in 4 years,&#8221; Musk wrote, pegging the first crewed Starship flights to the neighboring planet for 2028.
According to the billionaire, humans stand a risk of extinction on Earth due to risks like nuclear war or natural annihilation.
"Having two planets means that all our eggs are not in one basket. From there, we can extend to other star systems," Musk said <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/space/25/02/43840887/spacex-ceo-elon-musk-says-making-mars-self-sustaining-will-take-up-to-half-a-century-will-require-10-earth-mars-transfer-windows">earlier this week.</a>
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>
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/space/25/02/43874743/elon-musks-spacex-starships-8th-test-flight-could-launch-as-early-as-feb-26">Elon Musk-Led SpaceX Likely To Undertake Starship&#8217;s 8th Test Flight On Feb 26: Here&#8217;s What We Know</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

SPACE

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk Calls For Deorbiting Space Station Ahead Of Timeline In 2027: 'Let's Go To Mars'

Vipshop Holdings Limited (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VIPS#NYSE">VIPS</a>) will release its fourth-quarter financial results, before the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/vips/earnings">opening bell, on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025.</a>
Analysts expect the Boston, Massachusetts-based company to report quarterly earnings at $5.39 cents per share, down from $5.79 per share in the year-ago period. Vipshop projects quarterly revenue of $32.07 billion, compared to $34.67 billion a year earlier, according to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>.
On Nov. 19, Vipshop reported third-quarter sales of $2.95 billion, down by 9.2% year-on-year, which topped the Wall Street view of $2.91 billion.
Vipshop shares fell 0.3% to close at $14.53 on Thursday.
Benzinga readers can access the latest analyst ratings on the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/22/09/28888638/exclusive-study-finds-benzinga-analyst-ratings-data-yields-market-beating-strategie">Analyst Stock Ratings</a> page. Readers can sort by stock ticker, company name, analyst firm, rating change or other variables.
Let's have a look at how Benzinga's most-accurate <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/vips/analyst-ratings">analysts have rated the company</a> in the recent period.
<ul>
<li>Citigroup analyst Alicia Yap maintained a Buy rating and cut the price target from $18 to $17 on Nov. 20, 2024. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 60%.</li>
<li>Benchmark analyst Fawne Jiang reiterated a Hold rating on Nov. 20, 2024. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 72%.</li>
<li>Barclays analyst Jiong Shao initiated coverage on the stock with an Overweight rating and a price target of $19 on Nov. 6, 2024. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 70%.</li>
</ul>
Considering buying VIPS stock? Here&#8217;s what analysts think: 
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="584" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/21034647/image-176-1024x584.png" alt="" class="wp-image-792595" style="width:584px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/21034647/image-176-1024x584.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/21034647/image-176-300x171.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/21034647/image-176-768x438.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/21034647/image-176.png 1106w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
Read This Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43864993/top-3-health-care-stocks-you-may-want-to-dump-in-february">Top 3 Health Care Stocks You May Want To Dump In February</a></li>
</ul>

Earnings

Trading Ideas

VIPS

Vipshop Gears Up For Q4 Print; Here Are The Recent Forecast Changes From Wall Street's Most Accurate Analysts

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed a decline in the overall market sentiment, while the index remained in the &#8220;Neutral&#8221; zone on Thursday.
U.S. stocks settled lower on Thursday, with the Dow Jones index falling around 450 points during the session.
Walmart Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WMT#NYSE">WMT</a>) shares fell around 6.5% on Thursday following the release of quarterly results. Walmart said it sees first-quarter FY26 sales growth of 3% – 4% in CC and adjusted EPS of $0.57 – $0.58 against an estimate of $0.64. For FY26 Walmart expects sales to grow 3% – 4% in CC and an adjusted EPS of $2.50 – $2.60, below the $2.76 estimate.
On the economic data front, initial jobless claims increased by 5,000 from the prior week to 219,000 in the week ending Feb. 15, versus estimates of 215,000. The Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index fell to 18.1 in February from 44.3 in the previous month
Most sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed on a negative note, with financial, consumer discretionary and consumer staples stocks recording losses on Thursday. However, energy and real estate stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session higher.
The Dow Jones closed lower by over 450 points to 44,176.65 on Thursday. The S&amp;P 500 fell 0.43% to 6,117.52, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.47% at 19,962.36 during Thursday's session.
Investors are awaiting earnings results from Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TDS#NYSE">TDS</a>), United States Cellular Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/USM#NYSE">USM</a>), and Brady Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRC#NYSE">BRC</a>) today.
What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?
At a current reading of 45.1, the index remained in the &#8220;Neutral&#8221; zone on Thursday, versus a prior reading of 46.7.
The Fear &amp; Greed Index is a measure of the current market sentiment. It is based on the premise that higher fear exerts pressure on stock prices, while higher greed has the opposite effect. The index is calculated based on seven equal-weighted indicators. The index ranges from 0 to 100, where 0 represents maximum fear and 100 signals maximum greediness.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43864993/top-3-health-care-stocks-you-may-want-to-dump-in-february">Top 3 Health Care Stocks You May Want To Dump In February</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Pre-Market Outlook

Dow Tumbles 450 Points As Walmart Shares Plunge: Investor Sentiment Declines, Fear & Greed Index In 'Neutral' Zone

Germany Services Purchasing Managers Index Preliminary For February 52.2 Vs. 52.4 Est.; 52.5 Prior

Germany Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index Preliminary For February 46.1 Vs. 45.4 Est.; 45.0 Prior

<h3>Companies Reporting Before The Bell</h3>
• Brady (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRC#NYSE">BRC</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $1.03 per share on revenue of $359.20 million. 
• SES AI (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SES#NYSE">SES</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.20 per share on revenue of $361.90 million. 
• Atmus Filtration Techs (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ATMU#NYSE">ATMU</a>) is likely to report quarterly earnings at $0.53 per share on revenue of $399.24 million. 
• AdvanSix (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ASIX#NYSE">ASIX</a>) is expected to report quarterly loss at $0.37 per share on revenue of $377.15 million. 
• Vipshop Holdings (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VIPS#NYSE">VIPS</a>) is likely to report quarterly earnings at $0.72 per share on revenue of $4.42 billion. 
• Arbor Realty Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ABR#NYSE">ABR</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.39 per share on revenue of $86.28 million. 
• Oil States International (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OIS#NYSE">OIS</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.05 per share on revenue of $173.33 million. 
• United States Cellular (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/USM#NYSE">USM</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $1.70 per share on revenue of $964.70 million. 
• Telephone and Data (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TDS#NYSE">TDS</a>) is likely to report quarterly loss at $0.23 per share on revenue of $1.26 billion. 
• Balchem (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BCPC#NASDAQ">BCPC</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $1.11 per share on revenue of $239.96 million. 
• Federal Agricultural (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AGM#NYSE">AGM</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $4.17 per share on revenue of $92.81 million. 
• Uniti Group (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNIT#NASDAQ">UNIT</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.33 per share on revenue of $295.37 million. 
• Sunstone Hotel Invts (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SHO#NYSE">SHO</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.14 per share on revenue of $215.79 million. 
• TXNM Energy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TXNM#NYSE">TXNM</a>) is likely to report quarterly earnings at $0.30 per share on revenue of $496.05 million. 
<h3>Companies Reporting After The Bell</h3>
• Hawaiian Electric Indus (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HE#NYSE">HE</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.34 per share on revenue of $1.16 billion. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

ASIX

ATMU

BCPC

TXNM

UNIT

Earnings Scheduled For February 21, 2025

As the precious metal nears the $3000 per ounce mark, all focus shifts to gold. As this expert highlights that the yellow metal is a portfolio &#8220;essential,&#8221; he adds that &#8220;fiscal dominance&#8221; could be a trigger for its divergence from inverse correlation with real yields.
What Happened: Despite trading flat at $2,930.62 per ounce, down 0.31% as of the publication of this article, gold has been testing the $3,000 level after hitting fresh records.
The metal&#8217;s 52-week range lies between $2,015.55 and the latest record high of $2,954.97.
Gold has given similar returns to the S&amp;P 500 index since 2020 while having a lower volatility, explains Jurrien Timmer, the director of global macro at Fidelity Investments. &#8220;Gold remains an essential component of a diversified portfolio in a regime in which bonds might remain impaired,&#8221; he added
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Gold has been a big winner for the past few years, keeping up and even beating equities. It's quite a performance for an asset that often gets lamented for not providing a cash flow. Since 2020, gold has produced almost the same return as the S&amp;P 500 while having a lower… <a href="https://t.co/khS02bvDbJ">pic.twitter.com/khS02bvDbJ</a>
&mdash; Jurrien Timmer (@TimmerFidelity) <a href="https://twitter.com/TimmerFidelity/status/1892606891789811996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Timmer also noted gold&#8217;s traditional inverse correlation with real yields has broken down recently. He said that likely due to &#8220;fiscal dominance&#8221; and geopolitical factors like central bank gold purchases.
<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">Gold is now testing the $3,000 level as the global money supply is perking up again and real yields are coming down. Valuing gold has been a challenge these past few years, breaking their age old pattern of mimicking the inverse of real yields. The chart below shows a steady… <a href="https://t.co/MWYi5TV6Wa">pic.twitter.com/MWYi5TV6Wa</a>
&mdash; Jurrien Timmer (@TimmerFidelity) <a href="https://twitter.com/TimmerFidelity/status/1892632560163029319?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
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See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43839198/reduce-deficits-and-debt-full-stop-says-this-economist-as-trump-mulls-doge-dividend-by-giving-away-20-of-its-savings-to-public">&#8216;Reduce Deficits And Debt… Full Stop,&#8217; Says Craig Shapiro As Trump Mulls &#8216;DOGE Dividend&#8217; By Giving Away 20% Of Its Savings To Public</a>
Why It Matters: Meanwhile, during the ongoing four-day 2025 Conservative Political Action Conference, Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO Elon Musk addressed the gold at Fort Knox and said, &#8220;It&#8217;s the public&#8217;s gold. It&#8217;s your gold. I think you have a right to see it.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43847433/trump-approval-rating-declines-in-february-unpopular-domestic-and-foreign-policy-ideas">President</a> Donald Trump added during his speech, &#8220;We&#8217;re going to open the doors and inspect Fort Knox,&#8221; He continued, &#8220;I don&#8217;t want to open it and find the cupboards are empty,&#8221;
According to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, an audit is conducted annually and confirms that all the gold is accounted for and present, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/fort-knox-gold-reserves-elon-musk-338bebb56885c142feaa0ff383c9ba37">reported</a> AP. 
Since 1937, Fort Knox has secured U.S. gold. It now also functions as the Army&#8217;s human resources command and the site of its largest yearly training.
Price Action: The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which track the S&amp;P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, fell on Thursday. SPY was 0.42% lower at $610.38, and QQQ was also down 0.42% to $537.23, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43844926/quantum-computing-stocks-rgti-qubt-ionq-qbts-cheer-microsofts-majorana-1-launch-satya-nadella-calls-it-a-physics-and-fabrication-breakthrough">Quantum Computing Stocks RGTI, QUBT, IONQ, QBTS Cheer Microsoft&#8217;s &#8216;Majorana 1&#8217; Launch: Satya Nadella Calls It A &#8216;Physics And Fabrication Breakthrough&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Government

Politics

Treasuries

Analyst Ratings

TSLA

Gold Is An 'Essential Component' Of Portfolio, Says Expert As It Nears $3000 While Trump, Musk Suggest Fort Knox Inspection Amid The Surge

France Services Purchasing Managers Index Preliminary For February 44.5 Vs. 48.8 Est.; 48.2 Prior

France Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index Preliminary For February 45.5 Vs. 45.3 Est.; 45.0 Prior

With U.S. stock futures trading mixed this morning on Friday, some of the stocks that may grab investor focus today are as follows:
<ul>
<li>Wall Street expects Telephone and Data Systems Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TDS#NYSE">TDS</a>) to report a quarterly loss at 28 cents per share on revenue of $1.25 billion before the opening bell, according to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>. Telephone and Data shares gained 0.9% to $40.00 in after-hours trading.</li>
<li>Analysts expect United States Cellular Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/USM#NYSE">USM</a>) to post a quarterly loss at 5 cents per share on revenue of $965.87 million. The company will release earnings after the markets close. United States Cellular shares gained 1.4% to $68.00 in after-hours trading.</li>
<li>Dropbox Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DBX#NASDAQ">DBX</a>) reported better-than-expected earnings for its fourth quarter after Thursday&#8217;s closing bell. Total ARR was $2.574 billion, an increase of 2% from the same period last year. Total ARR decreased by $4.8 million quarter-over-quarter. Dropbox shares dipped 9% to $29.00 in the after-hours trading session.</li>
</ul>
Check out our <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premarket/">premarket coverage here</a>
<ul>
<li>Before the markets open, Vipshop Holdings Limited (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VIPS#NYSE">VIPS</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at 82 cents per share on revenue of $4.77 billion. Vipshop shares gained 1.8% to $14.79 in after-hours trading.</li>
<li>Analysts expect Brady Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRC#NYSE">BRC</a>) to post quarterly earnings at $1.03 per share on revenue of $359.11 million before the opening bell. Brady shares gained 1.9% to $76.01 in after-hours trading.</li>
</ul>
Check This Out:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43864993/top-3-health-care-stocks-you-may-want-to-dump-in-february"> </a>
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43864993/top-3-health-care-stocks-you-may-want-to-dump-in-february">Top 3 Health Care Stocks You May Want To Dump In February</a></li>
</ul>
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Dropbox, Telephone and Data Systems And 3 Stocks To Watch Heading Into Friday

According to Airbus, the A321XLR burns 30% less fuel per seat than previous generation aircraft. Globally, 13 customers have selected GTF engines to power 217 A321XLR aircraft, with Wizz Air expected to be the first operator. To date, more than 2,200 GTF-powered aircraft have been delivered to over 80 customers worldwide. The next configuration of the engine, the GTF Advantage, is particularly well suited for the A321XLR, delivering higher take-off thrust and offering even better operating economics.

EADSF

European Aeronautic Defence And Space Unsponsored

EADSY

European Aviation Safety Agency Certifies Airbus A321XLR With Pratt & Whitney GTF Engines, Paving the Way For Entry Into Service

ValueAct Holdings, L.P. has initiated a significant position in Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), purchasing 536,900 shares worth approximately $119 million during the fourth quarter of 2024, according to a13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Feb. 14.
What Happened: The investment comes as Amazon continues to demonstrate strong market performance and strategic expansion. The e-commerce giant reported fourth-quarter net sales of $187.8 billion, representing a 10% year-over-year increase and exceeding analyst <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/02/43545590/amazoncom-q4-earnings-highlights-revenue-beat-eps-beat-most-successful-holiday-shopping-season-in-company-history">expectations of $187.3 billion</a>. 
The company&#8217;s AWS cloud division showed particularly robust growth, with revenues climbing 19% to $28.8 billion.
JPMorgan analyst Doug Anmuth recently named Amazon his &#8220;Best Idea&#8221; for 2025, projecting continued e-commerce acceleration. Despite a slight market share dip to 46.1% in the fourth quarter, Amazon maintains its dominant position in U.S. e-commerce, having delivered over 9 billion items within a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/02/43847764/amazon-tightens-grip-e-commerce-accelerates-jpmorgans-best-idea-2025">single day in 2024</a>.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/02/43872745/bitcoin-breaches-98k-ethereum-dogecoin-flat-as-sec-relaxes-crypto-enforcement-top-analysts-are-focused-on-this-level-for-a-potential-btc-upside">Bitcoin Breaches $98K, Ethereum, Dogecoin Flat As SEC Relaxes Crypto Enforcement: Top Analysts Are Focused On This Level For A Potential BTC Upside</a>
Why It Matters: The company is also making strategic moves in entertainment, with Amazon MGM Studios recently gaining creative control over the James Bond franchise through a new joint venture with longtime producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli. This development prompted Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to engage with fans about potential casting choices for <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43873122/james-bonds-future-now-in-amazons-handsand-jeff-bezos-wants-to-know-who-youd-pick-as-the-next-007">the next 007</a>.
ValueAct&#8217;s investment aligns with the firm&#8217;s history of backing <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43518855/jeff-ubbens-valueact-bet-on-meta-visa-and-exited-spotify-in-q3-was-it-a-clever-move">technology and growth sectors</a>. Founded by Jeff Ubben in 2000, the San Francisco-based activist hedge fund has evolved beyond its founder&#8217;s influence since his departure, as noted in a 2020 Financial Times interview.
Wall Street maintains a bullish outlook on Amazon, with a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/AMZN/analyst-ratings">consensus price target</a> of $264.05 based on 43 analyst ratings. Recent price targets from Loop Capital, Citigroup, and Maxim Group average $279.33, indicating a potential 25.12% upside from the current price of $222.88.
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-full is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/21005225/Screenshot-2025-02-21-at-11.21.39%E2%80%AFAM.png" alt="" class="wp-image-792352" style="width:607px;height:auto" /></figure>
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43874037/alibaba-sees-ai-gold-rush-in-cloud-computing-not-open-and-closed-source-modelshints-monetization-lies-in-powering-ai-not-selling-it">Alibaba Says If Artificial Intelligence Is Like Electricity, Then Its Cloud Computing Network Is The Power Grid: The Money Is In Powering AI, Not Selling It</a></li>
</ul>
Image Via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

AMZN

Amazon Attracts $119 Million Investment From Activist Hedge Fund ValueAct: Analysts See 25% Upside — What Catalysts Drive Jeff Bezos' E-Commerce Giant?

Walmart Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WMT#NYSE">WMT</a>) reported a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43846469/walmart-q4-earnings-shine-but-soft-fy26-outlook-disappoints-street">strong quarter</a> amid a weaker 2026 forecast during its fourth-quarter earnings call. The company highlighted a surge in its artificial intelligence use cases to manage its inventory, supply chain, deliveries, and developer efficiency.
What Happened: The retail giant is accelerating its entire business with AI as highlighted by CEO Doug McMillon during Walmart&#8217;s earnings call. Beyond optimizing delivery routes and supply chain automation, Walmart is now using AI to tackle internal challenges and empower its tech teams.
Highlighting the inventory management initiatives, McMillan spoke about a new AI agent for its merchants which helps them to identify the &#8220;root cause of issues related&#8221; to out-of-stock or overstock situations with greater accuracy and speed.
Another internal use case for AI at Walmart has been for the developers. AI&#8217;s new coding assistance and completion tools are helping the firm streamline its deployments and &#8220;deliver code faster with fewer bugs,&#8221; added the CEO. &#8220;Last year, these tools helped us save about 4 million developer hours,&#8221; he said.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/02/43842413/pentagon-worry-for-palantir-pips-deepseek-concerns-for-nvidia-dan-ives-equates-incident-as-pltr-plunges-10-saying-its-not-a-headwind">Dan Ives Says Pentagon Budget Cuts Are Positive For Palantir As PLTR Plunges Over 10%: &#8216;Bears Trying To Poke Holes Yet Again&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: Despite making strides with AI in the fourth quarter and full year of 2024, Walmart CFO John David Rainey said during the call that the management acknowledges the ongoing &#8220;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43869433/walmart-expects-slower-growth-in-an-uncertain-time-cfo-says-on-earnings-call">uncertain time</a>&#8220;.
The retailer expects fiscal 2026 revenue growth below 2025&#8217;s 5.1% increase at 3% to 4%, and earnings between $2.50 and $2.60 per share, below the $2.76 estimate.
For the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43846469/walmart-q4-earnings-shine-but-soft-fy26-outlook-disappoints-street">fourth quarter</a>, the retail giant posted revenue of $180.55 billion, a 4.1% increase year-over-year, surpassing analysts&#8217; predictions of $180.01 billion. Adjusted earnings per share also beat estimates, coming in at 66 cents compared to the anticipated 64 cents.
Price Action: WMT fell 6.53% on Thursday, contrasting with a 0.42% decline in the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>), which tracks the S&amp;P 500 index.
In after-hours Walmart rose 0.19% whereas SPY was up 0.0016%. WMT remains up 4.40% on a year-to-date basis and 22.76% over a year.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/WMT/analyst-ratings">Benzinga tracks 30 analysts</a> with an average price target of $102.07 for the stock, reflecting a &#8220;buy&#8221; rating. Estimates range widely from $75 to $120. Recent ratings from Piper Sandler, Baird, and Barclays average $113.67, suggesting a potential 16.71% upside.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/WMT/analyst-ratings"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="385" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/21014046/WMT-ANR-new-1024x385.png" alt="" class="wp-image-792407" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/21014046/WMT-ANR-new-1024x385.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/21014046/WMT-ANR-new-300x113.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/21014046/WMT-ANR-new-768x289.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/21014046/WMT-ANR-new.png 1063w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43841233/carvanas-brain-sebastian-says-ceo-as-he-vows-aggressive-ai-initiatives-to-process-very-deep-data">Carvana&#8217;s Online Chatbot Sebastian &#8216;Represents The Brain We&#8217;re Building,&#8217; Says CEO As Used Car Retailer Posts 50% Sales Growth In Q4</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Walmart Expands AI Use Beyond Optimizing Delivery Routes, To Tackling Inventory Issues And Delivering Code Faster

U.K. Retail Sales (MoM) For January 1.7% Vs. 0.4% Est.; -0.6% (Revised) Prior

U.S.-traded Japan bond exchange-traded funds are staying flat on Friday following the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/bank-of-japan">Bank of Japan&#8217;s</a> announcement to reduce its purchases of government bonds. This move, coupled with the decision to maintain its policy interest rate, has led to decreased spending and a subsequent dip in the bond market.



Monetary tightening should prop up the Japanese yen, but the currency instead softened in response to the central bank offering no specifics on its bond strategy, the Wall Street Journal <a href="https://www.wsj.com/economy/central-banking/bank-of-japan-maintains-policy-rate-will-reduce-bond-buying-e2f24a9d">reported</a>.



Despite the overall market&#8217;s muted reaction, individual ETFs showed varied performance. WisdomTree Japan Interest Rate Strategy Fund (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JGBB#NASDAQ">JGBB</a>) remained unchanged, while SPDR Bloomberg Barclays International Treasury Bond ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BWX#NYSE">BWX</a>) slipped 0.09%. Franklin International Aggregate Bond ETF (CBOE:FLIA) ticked up 0.4% on Friday.



Read also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/23/12/36296425/bank-of-japan-sticks-to-easy-monetary-policy-amid-high-uncertainties">Bank Of Japan Sticks To Easy Monetary Policy Amid High Uncertainties</a>



The yen traded at around 158 to the U.S. dollar after the decision, up from 157 earlier, and recovered some lost ground later in the day.



The bank kept its target for the overnight call rate between 0% and 0.1%, where it has been since it ended the world&#8217;s last negative rate interest rate policy in March, according to WSJ.



Japan is in a tightening cycle, in contrast to the European Central Bank, which lowered rates for the first time since 2019, and the Federal Reserve, where officials&nbsp;expect to cut rates once this year.&nbsp;



The Bank of Japan said in March it would keep buying Japanese government bonds worth around 6 trillion yen, equivalent to $38 billion, every month to maintain easy monetary conditions. On Friday, it said that amount would be reduced, with details to be decided at its next meeting at the end of July, the Journal reported.



The Japanese currency has stayed near its lowest level in more than three decades despite the government's recent yen-buying move as investors expect the interest-rate gap between the U.S. and Japan to remain wide.



Read now: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/penny-stocks/23/10/35032372/can-japans-economy-continue-to-blossom-if-bank-of-japan-raises-rates-apparently-so">Can Japan&#8217;s Economy Continue To Blossom If Bank of Japan Raises Rates? Apparently So.</a>



Photo: Shutterstock

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