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iA Financial (OTC:IAFNF) Stock, Option Chain

iA Financial Corp Inc is a life and health insurance company. It offers life and health insurance products, savings and retirement plans, mutual funds, securities, auto and home insurance, mortgages, and others. The company operates and manages its activities according to five main reportable operating segments Insurance Canada, Individual Wealth Management, Investment, Corporate, and U.S Operations. The majority of its revenue comes from Insurance Canada.

Analyst Color

News

Price Target

Reiteration

Analyst Ratings

Movers

Trading Ideas

IAFNF

TSX:IAG

RBC Capital Cuts iA Financial Price Target By ~10%

iA Financial Corp Inc

Health Care

Contracts

General

COTA Announces A New Partnership With Guardant Health That Will Allow Biopharmaceutical Researchers To Access The Combined Resources Of COTA's Research-grade Electronic Health Record Data From Academic And Community Care Centers And Guardant's Clinicogenomic Testing Data To Accelerate The Development Of New Cancer Therapies

Smith succeeds Thomas P. Werner, who is stepping down as CEO and as a member of the Board. Werner will serve in an advisory role through August 31, 2025 to ensure a smooth transition.

Management

Lamb Weston Appoints Michael Smith, Current COO, As President And CEO And As Member Of Board, Effective January 3, 2025

Lamb Weston Hldgs (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LW#NYSE">LW</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $0.66 per share which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $1.01 by 34.65 percent. The company reported quarterly sales of $1.600 billion which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $1.674 billion by 4.42 percent. This is a 7.62 percent decrease over sales of $1.732 billion the same period last year.

Earnings

Earnings Misses

Lamb Weston Hldgs Q2 2025 Adj. EPS $0.66 Misses $1.01 Estimate, Sales $1.600B Miss $1.674B Estimate

Biotech

VRTX

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Announced Results From Its Phase 2 Study Of Suzetrigine For Painful Lumbosacral Radiculopathy, The Study Met Its Primary Endpoint With Statistically Significant And Clinically Meaningful Reduction In Pain On The Numeric Pain Rating Scale

Regis Acquires Alline Salon Group In Transaction Valued At $22M Of Initial Consideration, With Ability For ASG To Earn Additional $3M Through Earn Out Payments

A publicly traded cryptocurrency company&#8217;s shares have nearly tripled in a month following reports of a potential acquisition by President-elect Donald Trump&#8217;s Trump Media &amp; Technology Group (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DJT#NASDAQ">DJT</a>).&nbsp;
What happened: Bakkt Holdings (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BKKT#NYSE">BKKT</a>) closed at an 11-month high of $32.44 earlier on Monday, marking a staggering 186% jump in a month, between Nov. 15 to Dec. 16. The rally pushed the company's valuation to $443 million, representing an addition of $288 million.
The positive momentum was imparted by reports that Trump Media &amp; Technology Group was in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/11/42048594/trump-digs-deeper-into-c[%E2%80%A6]oar-on-reported-interest-from-president-elects-media-company">advanced talks</a> to acquire the company. The official confirmation has yet to be made as of this writing.
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>
Bakkt, based in Alpharetta, Georgia, provides services for cryptocurrency trading, storage, and loyalty point redemption.
Bakkt was founded and is 55% owned by Intercontinental Exchange, which also owns the New York Stock Exchange.
Why It Matters: The market has<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/24/12/42552111/trump-era-will-unlock-crypto-market-with-regulatory-clarity-says-analyst"> reacted positively</a> to Trump&#8217;s triumph, with the price of the top cryptocurrency Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) surpassing $100,000 and other cryptocurrency-based equities like MicroStrategy and MARA Holdings raking in big gains.
The optimism stemmed from Trump&#8217;s vigorous pro-cryptocurrency campaign, which saw bold promises like <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/40001426/trump-aims-to-make-us-crypto-capital-of-the-planet-well-get-it-done">establishing a national Bitcoin stockpile</a>.&nbsp;
Interestingly, Bakkt&#8217;s stock has returned more than Bitcoin and its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42560698/microstrategys-aggressive-bitcoin-strategy-raises-eyebrows-in-crypto-community">de facto proxy stock, MicroStrategy</a>, which grew by only 16% and 24%, respectively, in the said time.
However, one could argue that low-priced stocks have a higher potential for large percentage moves.
Price Action: Meanwhile Bakkt shares have given up early week's gains, crashing 13.2% to $26.55 during Wednesday's regular session, 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>. 
Bakkt has a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/BKKT/analyst-ratings">consensus price targe</a>t of $2.51, according to four analyst ratings. The high of $7 was issued by Jefferies in Jan. 2022 while the low of $0.3 was issued by Citigroup in March.
The DJT stock likewise tanked 7% to $35.32. The decline had more to do with the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42563299/feds-powell-shocks-markets-its-a-new-phase-were-significantly-closer-to-neutral">Federal Reserve's hawkish outlook</a> which roiled the broader market.
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>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

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

Cryptocurrency

Markets

$BTC

Bakkt Holdings, Inc. Class A Common Stock

BKKT

Trump's DJT Connection Drives This Lesser-Known Crypto Stock's Nearly 3X Surge In A Month

Buybacks

X Financial Enters Repurchase Agreement With A Major Shareholder To Repurchase 6.35M ADSs With Total Repurchase Price Of $48.7M

NASA on Tuesday said that it has further delayed the return of astronauts Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore back to Earth from the International Space Station to at least late March 2025, prolonging their stay at the station for over nine months.
What Happened: Williams and Wilmore launched to the International Space Station aboard Boeing Co&#8216;s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BA#NYSE">BA</a>) Starliner spacecraft in June and were supposed to return in about eight days. 
However, technical issues identified with the spacecraft while docking delayed a return, and the space agency subsequently decided to scrap bringing back the two astronauts on the Starliner spacecraft.
The Starliner subsequently<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40758526/boeing-starliner-returns-to-earth-without-sunita-williams-and-butch-wilmore-lands-in-new-mexico-afte" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&nbsp;returned without the astronauts on Sept. 6</a>. The two astronauts, NASA then said, will return with Crew 9 members Nick Hague and Aleksandr Gorbunov <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40850262/nasa-delays-crew-9-mission-yet-again-this-time-to-complete-prelaunch-preparations">when they return home</a> in February 2025 aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. 
Crew-9 can return to Earth only after Crew-10 arrives at the station. NASA on Tuesday delayed the Crew-10&#8217;s launch to ISS to no earlier than late March 2025, subsequently delaying Crew 9&#8217;s return. The agency did not specify a date for the team&#8217;s return. 
The delay to launch Crew-10, NASA said, was made to allow NASA and SpaceX time to complete processing on a new Dragon spacecraft for the mission.
&#8220;Fabrication, assembly, testing, and final integration of a new spacecraft is a painstaking endeavor that requires great attention to detail," said Steve Stich, manager of NASA's Commercial Crew Program.
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/24/12/42568754/us-epa-greenlights-californias-plan-to-ban-sale-of-new-gas-cars-by-2025" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">EPA Greenlights California's Plan To Ban Sale Of New Gas Cars By 2025</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Flickr/ NASA Johnson

SPACE

Tech

Astronauts Sunita Williams, Butch Wilmore's Return From ISS Further Delayed: Now Expected No Earlier Than Late March

Telsey Advisory Group analyst Joseph Feldman maintains Grocery Outlet Holding (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GO#NASDAQ">GO</a>) with a Market Perform and maintains $18 price target.

Telsey Advisory Group Maintains Market Perform on Grocery Outlet Holding, Maintains $18 Price Target

Telsey Advisory Group analyst Dana Telsey maintains Birkenstock Holding (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIRK#NYSE">BIRK</a>) with a Outperform and maintains $70 price target.

BIRK

Telsey Advisory Group Maintains Outperform on Birkenstock Holding, Maintains $70 Price Target

Telsey Advisory Group analyst Dana Telsey downgrades European Wax Center (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EWCZ#NASDAQ">EWCZ</a>) from Outperform to Market Perform and lowers the price target from $8 to $6.

Downgrades

EWCZ

Telsey Advisory Group Downgrades European Wax Center to Market Perform, Lowers Price Target to $6

Bitcoin ETFs have shown an increase in premarket, even as&nbsp;Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell&nbsp;made it clear that the central bank has no plans to accumulate Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>).
What Happened: As per <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>&nbsp;on Thursday, the Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BITB#NYSE">BITB</a>) saw a rise of 1.08%, ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKB#BATS">ARKB</a>) increased by 1.41%, Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (BTC) (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GBTC#NYSE">GBTC</a>) climbed 1.32%,&nbsp;Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund&nbsp;(BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FBTC#BATS">FBTC</a>) advanced 1.04%, and iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBIT#NASDAQ">IBIT</a>) gained 1.26%.
Powell, speaking after the Fed&#8217;s latest policy meeting, emphasized that the central bank is not allowed to own Bitcoin. He noted that any legal considerations about Bitcoin stockpiling would fall under Congress&#8217;s jurisdiction. His comments came amid discussions about a potential U.S. Strategic Bitcoin Reserve proposed by President-elect Donald Trump.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42499950/crypto-analyst-shiba-inu-price-set-for-massive-surge-could-go-up-sixfold?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Crypto Analyst: Shiba Inu Price Set For Massive Surge, Could Go Up Sixfold</a>
Despite the Fed&#8217;s position, Bitcoin&#8217;s value has been on the rise, driven by optimism over Trump&#8217;s pro-crypto policies. However, Powell&#8217;s statements did affect Bitcoin&#8217;s rally, which had been bolstered by expectations of a more lenient government stance.&nbsp;Bitcoin was trading at $102,085 after dipping below $100,000 on Wednesday, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro.</a>
Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) has introduced legislation for a Bitcoin reserve, but such a plan would need congressional approval and might face opposition from the Fed, as highlighted by Barclays analysts.
Why It Matters: The backdrop to Powell&#8217;s comments includes a recent market upheaval following his hawkish outlook on interest rates. As reported, the U.S. stock market faced a significant selloff after Powell&#8217;s remarks, which CNBC's Jim Cramer described as <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42567950/jim-cramer-warns-of-incredible-panic-as-jerome-powells-cautious-rate-cuts-send-us-stocks-into-freefall">causing "incredible panic" in the markets.</a> 
This reaction was triggered by Powell&#8217;s announcement of a 25-basis-point rate cut to 4.25%-4.5%, alongside signaling only two potential rate cuts in 2025, fewer than the four projected in September. 
Read Next:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/12/42545419/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-stay-muted-before-feds-interest-rate-decision-analyst-says-btc-in-parabolic-phase-reveals-its-duration?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Stay Muted Before Fed&#8217;s Interest Rate Decision: Analyst Says BTC In Parabolic Phase, Reveals Its Duration</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

ETFs

ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF ARK 21Shares Bitcoin ETF

ARKB

Bitwise Bitcoin ETF Common Shares of Beneficial Interest

BITB

Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund

FBTC

GBTC

IBIT

Bitcoin ETFs Rise In Pre Market Despite Jerome Powell Says Fed Cannot Hold BTC: What's Going On?

Telsey Advisory Group analyst Dana Telsey downgrades Brilliant Earth Group (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRLT#NASDAQ">BRLT</a>) from Outperform to Market Perform and lowers the price target from $3 to $2.

BRLT

Telsey Advisory Group Downgrades Brilliant Earth Group to Market Perform, Lowers Price Target to $2

Baird analyst Robert Mason initiates coverage on Mirion Technologies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MIR#NYSE">MIR</a>) with a Outperform rating and announces Price Target of $22.

Initiation

Baird Initiates Coverage On Mirion Technologies with Outperform Rating, Announces Price Target of $22

Palantir Technologies Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NYSE">PLTR</a>) co-founder Joe Lonsdale disclosed that the data analytics company nearly collapsed in its early years before CEO Alex Karp secured crucial contracts with federal agencies.
What Happened: Speaking on the Shawn Ryan Show podcast released Wednesday, Lonsdale revealed that about three years into Palantir&#8217;s development, key team members were ready to quit due to insufficient contracts.
&#8220;It came really close to dying,&#8221; Lonsdale said. &#8220;A few of our top guys were basically ready to quit. They were like, &#8216;Joe this is just not working out.'&#8221;
Lonsdale convinced the team to persist for six more months, during which Karp made significant inroads with federal agencies. &#8220;Alex Karp did a really great job at figuring out how to get both the FBI and CIA to move on something, and all of a sudden it was good,&#8221; he explained.
The company later faced resistance from military procurement officials, leading to an unusual legal battle. &#8220;We ended up suing the government. I never sue anyone, but Palantir had to… and we won,&#8221; Lonsdale said. He noted that after military units began using Palantir&#8217;s software, they acknowledged its effectiveness despite earlier skepticism.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42567950/jim-cramer-warns-of-incredible-panic-as-jerome-powells-cautious-rate-cuts-send-us-stocks-into-freefall">Jim Cramer Warns Of &#8216;Incredible Panic&#8217; As Jerome Powell&#8217;s Hawkish Outlook Send Stocks Into Free Fall</a>
Why It Matters: The revelations come as Palantir&#8217;s stock has surged approximately 330% year-to-date, with the company&#8217;s artificial intelligence platform gaining significant traction. Recent endorsements include billionaire investor Stanley Druckenmiller, whose family office acquired 769,965 shares in the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42546044/alex-karp-jokes-about-cult-label-as-stanley-druckenmiller-praises-his-book-after-palantir-soars-nearly-350-in-2024">first quarter of 2024</a>.
Lonsdale emphasized Palantir&#8217;s evolution from a data organization platform to incorporating AI capabilities. &#8220;It turns out, it&#8217;s very powerful to then apply AI on top of it,&#8221; he said, noting that the company&#8217;s early focus on data organization positioned it well for AI integration.
Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42522531/tesla-will-be-the-biggest-winner-in-the-trump-era-says-dan-ives-predicts-nasdaq-at-25000-in-18-months-get-the-popcorn-out">remains bullish on Palantir</a>, predicting 2025 will be a breakthrough year for the company&#8217;s AI platform. The company&#8217;s market capitalization now exceeds $162 billion, surpassing traditional defense contractor Lockheed Martin Corp.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"> 
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<iframe loading="lazy" title="Joe Lonsdale - The AI-Driven EMP Weapon Built to Destroy New Jersey Drone Swarms &#x7C; SRS #151" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/TIKevZh97Tw?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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</figure>
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42570219/whartons-jeremy-siegel-calls-stock-sell-off-a-healthy-reality-check-market-was-overly-optimistic">Wharton&#8217;s Jeremy Siegel Calls Stock Sell-Off A &#8216;Healthy&#8217; Reality Check: &#8216;Market Was Overly Optimistic&#8217;</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

PLTR

Joe Lonsdale Reveals Palantir's 'Close To Dying' Moment, Credits Alex Karp For Securing Key Contracts With FBI And CIA

<ul>
<li>First India-headquartered company to receive BCR certification</li>
<li>An accredited data privacy compliance framework for international data transfers from the EU</li>
</ul>

INFY

Infosys Earns Binding Corporate Rules Certification For Data Privacy Excellence In AI-Driven Business

EV giant Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) said on Wednesday that the owners of its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/11/41929739/tesla-makes-1000-powerwalls-at-giga-nevada-in-a-day-as-energy-storage-segment-booms">Powerwall home battery</a> around the globe generated 4.5 TWh of solar energy this year.
What Happened: The energy generated together by the owners could power the company&#8217;s Model 3 EV sedan for 700,000 trips around the world, the company said in a post on social media platform X. Powerwall owners also saved over $800 million on their utility bills, the company said. 
Powerwall is a powerful home battery that stores solar energy for use when the grid goes down. The company has previously said that it has the capacity to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/08/40145508/tesla-says-it-can-make-one-powerwall-3-every-25-seconds-ceo-elon-musk-terms-it-a-great-product" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">build a Powerwall 3- the latest iteration of the product- every 25 seconds</a>, or more than 700,000 units per year.
A powerwall system, Tesla says, can power an entire home including large appliances. 
<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">Thank you to our Powerwall owners for your collective impact in 2024 <a href="https://t.co/mLEH0QeAvE">pic.twitter.com/mLEH0QeAvE</a>
&mdash; Tesla Energy (@teslaenergy) <a href="https://twitter.com/teslaenergy/status/1869496256864899267?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Why It Matters: In the three months through the end of September, Tesla&#8217;s energy generation and storage revenue <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41537560/teslas-energy-segment-boom-in-q3-sparks-leadership-changes-veteran-mike-snyder-promoted-as-vp" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">touched $2.38 billion</a>, marking a growth of 52% as compared to the corresponding period of last year, after deploying 6.9 GWh of energy storage products.
The energy business achieved a record gross margin of 30.5% and the powerwall product achieved record deployments.
Tesla manufactures two energy storage products &#8211; <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/08/40478134/tesla-breaks-powerwall-production-record-at-giga-nevada-as-it-aims-to-ramp-up-energy-storage-deploym">the Powerwall </a>and the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/11/41737630/tesla-makes-10-000th-megapack-at-california-as-energy-segment-booms" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">powerful battery called Megapack</a>.
Tesla currently operates a Megafactory in Lathrop, California, capable of making 10,000 Megapack units in a year. The company is also putting up a Megafactory in Shanghai which it expects to start shipping Megapacks in the first quarter of 2025.
For 2024, Tesla now expects to deploy more than twice the energy storage deployed last year, or over 29.4 GWh of energy storage.
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/tech/24/12/42569901/waymo-completes-4-million-autonomous-rides-in-key-us-metropolitan-areas-in-2024-ahead-of-tokyo-launch">Waymo Completes 4 Million Autonomous Rides In Key US Metropolitan Areas In 2024 Ahead Of Tokyo Launch</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Tesla

TSLA

Tesla Says Powerwall Owners Generated 4.5 TWh Of Solar Energy This Year Amid Energy Segment Revenue Boom

Chinese tech giants are making substantial gains, challenging the dominance of established players like Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) in the global wrist-worn device market.&nbsp;
What Happened: According to an IDC report released on Wednesday, the global wrist-worn device market, including smartwatches and wristbands, saw shipments reach 139 million units in the first three quarters of 2024.
Despite a 1% decline due to market saturation in key regions like the U.S. and India, China emerged as a leader with 45.8 million units shipped, marking a 20.1% year-on-year increase.
Huawei Technologies led the global market with 23.6 million units shipped, capturing a 16.9% market share. The brand&#8217;s GT5 series and Watch D2 were particularly popular.
Apple followed with 22.5 million shipments, holding a 16.2% market share. The tech giant experienced a 12.8% decline from the last year due to intense competition.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42514226/shiba-inu-burn-rate-surges-3609-as-dogecoin-whales-move-5-8-billion-doge-what-is-going-on?itm_source=parsely-api">Shiba Inu Burn Rate Surges 3,609% As Dogecoin Whales Move 5.8 Billion DOGE: What Is Going On?</a>
Xiaomi Corp. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XIACF#OTC">XIACF</a>) ranked third with 20.5 million shipments and a 14.7% market share.
Samsung and the BBK Group, the parent company of brands like Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus, and Realme, followed with 11.5 million and 7.8 million units, respectively.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/19035758/Screenshot-2024-12-19-at-2.27.50%E2%80%AFPM-1024x495.png" alt="" class="wp-image-699220" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Source: IDC</figcaption></figure>
Looking forward, IDC anticipates a 3.2% year-on-year growth in the Chinese market, with 62.5 million shipments expected in 2025, driven by diversified sales channels and improved health sensor accuracy.
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.
Why It Matters: Apple's troubles with its Chinese counterparts are not limited to just wrist-worn devices. Earlier this year in July it was reported that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/07/39954971/apple-drops-from-3rd-to-6th-in-china-amid-intensifying-competition-huawei-shipments-surge-41-in-">Apple&#8217;s position in the Chinese market</a> dropped from third to sixth place in the second quarter of 2024.
Previously it was also reported that China is making intense efforts <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/41017367/huawei-riding-high-on-trifold-success-launches-revolutionary-laptop-powered-by-homegrown-chips-softw">toward achieving technological self-reliance</a> as a direct reaction to U.S. limitations on semiconductor exports to the country.
The country is also making waves in the field of AI. Earlier this month, Clem Delangue, co-founder and CEO of Hugging Face, predicted that in 2025, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42319922/artificial-intelligence-ceo-backed-by-nvidia-alphabet-amazon-shares-2025-ai-predictions-including-robots-chemistry-and-more">China will take the lead</a> in the AI race, because of open-source AI development.
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech">following this link</a>.
Read Next:
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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.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

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Stifel analyst Selman Akyol upgrades DT Midstream (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DTM#NYSE">DTM</a>) from Hold to Buy and raises the price target from $89 to $106.

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Stifel Upgrades DT Midstream to Buy, Raises Price Target to $106

Perplexity AI, backed by Amazon.com Inc. founder Jeff Bezos, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/10/41420230/jeff-bezos-backed-perplexity-aims-for-8b-valuation-in-new-funding-round-ai-fueled-google-challen">secured $500 million in funding</a> led by Institutional Venture Partners, tripling its valuation to $9 billion, <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/d4fb70f9-b971-433b-884c-2f01d1d08968">reported</a> the Financial Times on Wednesday, citing sources. 
What Happened: The San Francisco-based startup has seen rapid growth in 2024, processing hundreds of millions of monthly queries from 15 million active users, mostly in the U.S. The company&#8217;s market share in AI search increased from 2.7% to 5.8% this year, according to FirstPageSage data.
Perplexity challenges Alphabet Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) Google and Microsoft Corp.&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) artificial intelligence-powered search offerings, while also taking on OpenAI.
While OpenAI&#8217;s ChatGPT maintains market leadership with a 73.8% share, followed by Google&#8217;s Gemini at 13.5%, Perplexity&#8217;s growth trajectory has attracted high-profile investors. 
OpenAI&#8217;s website continues to lead the AI platform race, ranking 92nd globally and 139th in U.S. web traffic, according to recent Similarweb data. The company attracted 250.1 million total visits, showcasing its commanding market position.
Perplexity.ai, while trailing in overall rankings at 467th globally and 547th in the U.S., demonstrated strong user engagement. The platform recorded 58.69 million total visits, with users spending an average of six minutes per session and viewing nearly four pages per visit.
In contrast, Google&#8217;s Gemini platform struggled to gain traction, ranking 12,612th globally and 31,018th in the U.S. The service recorded just 989,992 total visits, with notably high bounce rates suggesting challenges in user retention.
Monthly visit data further highlights the disparity, with OpenAI recording 83.39 million visits compared to Perplexity.ai&#8217;s 19.56 million and Gemini&#8217;s 329,997 visits. While OpenAI leads in raw traffic numbers, 
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/19035716/Screenshot-2024-12-19-at-2.21.33%E2%80%AFPM-1024x499.png" alt="" class="wp-image-699219" /></figure>
Perplexity AI did not immediately respond to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga</a>'s request for comment.
Similarweb data also shows conversations about Perplexity versus ChatGPT surging over the course of the year, largely taking off in August.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="365" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/19042831/Perplexity-versus-ChatGPT-1024x365.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-699287" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/19042831/Perplexity-versus-ChatGPT-1024x365.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/19042831/Perplexity-versus-ChatGPT-300x107.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/19042831/Perplexity-versus-ChatGPT-768x274.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/19042831/Perplexity-versus-ChatGPT.jpg 1373w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42569479/openai-takes-a-page-from-googles-2007-playbook-by-turning-phones-into-an-ai-hotline-with-toll-free-number-1-800-chatgpt">OpenAI Takes A Page From Google&#8217;s 2007 Playbook, Turns Phones Into AI Hotlines With 1-800-CHATGPT</a>
Why It Matters: Previous backers of Perplexity include NVIDIA Corp., SoftBank&#8216;s Vision Fund 2, and notable AI experts like Meta Platforms Inc.&#8216;s chief AI scientist Yann LeCun.
The funding comes as competition intensifies in the AI search space. OpenAI recently integrated web searching into ChatGPT, while Anthropic&#8217;s Claude expanded its capabilities with a &#8220;computer use&#8221; feature.
Both Google and Microsoft have incorporated large language models into their search products to provide more conversational results.
Perplexity&#8217;s revenue model relies on subscriptions, with annualized revenues growing from $5 million in January to $35 million in August. The company is now exploring advertising partnerships with major brands, potentially challenging the traditional search <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/10/41420230/jeff-bezos-backed-perplexity-aims-for-8b-valuation-in-new-funding-round-ai-fueled-google-challen">advertising system pioneered by Google</a>.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/12/42569744/apple-reportedly-in-talks-with-tencent-tiktok-parent-bytedance-to-roll-out-ai-features-in-china">Apple Reportedly In Talks With Tencent, TikTok-Parent ByteDance To Roll Out AI Features In China</a></li>
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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.

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Jeff Bezos-Backed Perplexity Raises $500 Million, Tripling Its Valuation To $9 Billion As Competition With Google And OpenAI Heats Up

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