Option chain shows key data for ISHARES IV PLC AUTO ROBTC by ISHARES IV PLC's stock options at various strike prices and expiration dates. Traders use this information to analyze potential trades and assess market sentiment for ISHARES IV PLC AUTO ROBTC by ISHARES IV PLC.

ISHARES IV PLC AUTO ROBTC by ISHARES IV PLC (OTC:IIVPF) Stock, Option Chain

ISHARES IV PLC AUTO ROBTC by ISHARES IV PLC

Trading Ideas

CHEK

Check-Cap Shares Halted On Circuit Breaker To The Upside, Stock Now Up 189.8%

Deep-pocketed investors have adopted a bearish approach towards Amgen (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMGN#NASDAQ">AMGN</a>), and it's something market players shouldn't ignore. Our tracking of public options records at Benzinga unveiled this significant move today. The identity of these investors remains unknown, but such a substantial move in AMGN usually suggests something big is about to happen.
We gleaned this information from our observations today when Benzinga's options scanner highlighted 10 extraordinary options activities for Amgen. This level of activity is out of the ordinary.
The general mood among these heavyweight investors is divided, with 10% leaning bullish and 60% bearish. Among these notable options, 6 are puts, totaling $327,012, and 4 are calls, amounting to $381,036.
<h3>Predicted Price Range</h3>
Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $135.0 to $310.0 for Amgen during the past quarter. 
<h3>Analyzing Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for Amgen options trades today is 108.33 with a total volume of 445.00.
In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for Amgen's big money trades within a strike price range of $135.0 to $310.0 over the last 30 days.
<h3>Amgen Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1734981331_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Significant Options Trades Detected:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th align="right">Open Interest</th>
<th align="right">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>AMGN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$13.4</td>
<td>$13.2</td>
<td>$13.2</td>
<td>$260.00</td>
<td>$209.8K</td>
<td align="right">127</td>
<td align="right">186</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AMGN</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$11.9</td>
<td>$11.75</td>
<td>$11.9</td>
<td>$250.00</td>
<td>$147.5K</td>
<td align="right">64</td>
<td align="right">124</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AMGN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>12/27/24</td>
<td>$18.45</td>
<td>$16.85</td>
<td>$17.6</td>
<td>$245.00</td>
<td>$70.4K</td>
<td align="right">2</td>
<td align="right">40</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AMGN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$131.25</td>
<td>$126.35</td>
<td>$129.07</td>
<td>$135.00</td>
<td>$64.5K</td>
<td align="right">0</td>
<td align="right">5</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AMGN</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$50.2</td>
<td>$49.75</td>
<td>$50.14</td>
<td>$310.00</td>
<td>$44.9K</td>
<td align="right">159</td>
<td align="right">15</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Amgen</h3>
Amgen is a leader in biotechnology-based human therapeutics. Flagship drugs include red blood cell boosters Epogen and Aranesp, immune system boosters Neupogen and Neulasta, and Enbrel and Otezla for inflammatory diseases. Amgen introduced its first cancer therapeutic, Vectibix, in 2006 and markets bone-strengthening drug Prolia/Xgeva (approved 2010) and Evenity (2019). The acquisition of Onyx bolstered the firm's therapeutic oncology portfolio with Kyprolis. Recent launches include Repatha (cholesterol-lowering), Aimovig (migraine), Lumakras (lung cancer), and Tezspire (asthma). The 2023 Horizon acquisition brings several rare-disease drugs, including thyroid eye disease drug Tepezza. Amgen also has a growing biosimilar portfolio.
<h3>Current Position of Amgen</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a volume of 1,153,448, the price of AMGN is down -0.14% at $263.02. </li>
<li>RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock may be approaching oversold.</li>
<li>Next earnings are expected to be released in 43 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Professional Analyst Ratings for Amgen</h3>
Over the past month, 2 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $293.0.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=Be8be9arja3be22bz20&amp;utm_source=benzinga-insights">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; An analyst from RBC Capital has decided to maintain their Outperform rating on Amgen, which currently sits at a price target of $330. 
&#x2A; An analyst from B of A Securities has revised its rating downward to Underperform, adjusting the price target to $256. 
Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for Amgen with <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> for real-time alerts.

Options

Markets

AMGN

Spotlight on Amgen: Analyzing the Surge in Options Activity

Whales with a lot of money to spend have taken a noticeably bullish stance on Cleanspark.
Looking at options history for Cleanspark (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CLSK#NASDAQ">CLSK</a>) we detected 50 trades.
If we consider the specifics of each trade, it is accurate to state that 56% of the investors opened trades with bullish expectations and 36% with bearish.
From the overall spotted trades, 15 are puts, for a total amount of $5,835,570 and 35, calls, for a total amount of $2,223,001.
<h3>Predicted Price Range</h3>
After evaluating the trading volumes and Open Interest, it's evident that the major market movers are focusing on a price band between $5.0 and $37.0 for Cleanspark, spanning the last three months.
<h3>Analyzing Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
Examining the volume and open interest provides crucial insights into stock research. This information is key in gauging liquidity and interest levels for Cleanspark's options at certain strike prices. Below, we present a snapshot of the trends in volume and open interest for calls and puts across Cleanspark's significant trades, within a strike price range of $5.0 to $37.0, over the past month.
<h3>Cleanspark 30-Day Option Volume &amp; Interest Snapshot</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1734981326_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Largest Options Trades Observed:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>CLSK</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$25.6</td>
<td>$25.4</td>
<td>$25.4</td>
<td>$35.00</td>
<td>$1.4M</td>
<td>2.2K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CLSK</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$25.3</td>
<td>$25.1</td>
<td>$25.3</td>
<td>$35.00</td>
<td>$1.1M</td>
<td>2.2K</td>
<td>447</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CLSK</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$28.1</td>
<td>$27.35</td>
<td>$27.35</td>
<td>$37.00</td>
<td>$913.5K</td>
<td>4.4K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CLSK</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$25.55</td>
<td>$25.35</td>
<td>$25.4</td>
<td>$35.00</td>
<td>$871.2K</td>
<td>2.2K</td>
<td>1.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CLSK</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$28.2</td>
<td>$27.3</td>
<td>$27.3</td>
<td>$37.00</td>
<td>$663.4K</td>
<td>4.4K</td>
<td>579</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Cleanspark</h3>
Cleanspark Inc is a bitcoin mining company. Through CleanSpark, Inc., and the Company's wholly owned subsidiaries, the company mines bitcoin. The company entered the bitcoin mining industry through its acquisition of ATL. Bitcoin mining is the sole reportable segment of the company.
Having examined the options trading patterns of Cleanspark, our attention now turns directly to the company. This shift allows us to delve into its present market position and performance
<h3>Present Market Standing of Cleanspark</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a volume of 19,975,235, the price of CLSK is down -8.48% at $10.2. </li>
<li>RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock may be approaching oversold.</li>
<li>Next earnings are expected to be released in 45 days.</li>
</ul>
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=Be8be9arja3be22bz20&amp;utm_source=benzinga-insights">Click here for access</a>.
Options trading presents higher risks and potential rewards. Astute traders manage these risks by continually educating themselves, adapting their strategies, monitoring multiple indicators, and keeping a close eye on market movements. Stay informed about the latest Cleanspark options trades with real-time alerts from <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a>.

CLSK

Cleanspark Options Trading: A Deep Dive into Market Sentiment

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on Apollo Global Management (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APO#NYSE">APO</a>).
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with APO, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
So how do we know what these investors just did? 
Today, <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?utm_source=insights">Benzinga</a>'s options scanner spotted 13 uncommon options trades for Apollo Global Management.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 61% bullish and 30%, bearish.
Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 8 are puts, for a total amount of $281,262, and 5 are calls, for a total amount of $236,738.
<h3>Predicted Price Range</h3>
After evaluating the trading volumes and Open Interest, it's evident that the major market movers are focusing on a price band between $115.0 and $185.0 for Apollo Global Management, spanning the last three months.
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Trends</h3>
In terms of liquidity and interest, the mean open interest for Apollo Global Management options trades today is 1315.5 with a total volume of 2,992.00.
In the following chart, we are able to follow the development of volume and open interest of call and put options for Apollo Global Management's big money trades within a strike price range of $115.0 to $185.0 over the last 30 days.
<h3>Apollo Global Management Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1734981320_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Noteworthy Options Activity:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th align="right">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>APO</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$3.0</td>
<td>$2.85</td>
<td>$2.85</td>
<td>$180.00</td>
<td>$82.6K</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
<td align="right">336</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>APO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$12.2</td>
<td>$12.1</td>
<td>$12.2</td>
<td>$175.00</td>
<td>$64.6K</td>
<td>319</td>
<td align="right">649</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>APO</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$59.3</td>
<td>$57.3</td>
<td>$58.7</td>
<td>$115.00</td>
<td>$58.7K</td>
<td>3.4K</td>
<td align="right">10</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>APO</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>12/27/24</td>
<td>$10.1</td>
<td>$9.5</td>
<td>$9.5</td>
<td>$180.00</td>
<td>$38.0K</td>
<td>280</td>
<td align="right">40</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>APO</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$7.6</td>
<td>$7.3</td>
<td>$7.4</td>
<td>$185.00</td>
<td>$35.5K</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
<td align="right">59</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Apollo Global Management</h3>
Apollo Global Management Inc is an alternative investment manager. It serves various sectors such as chemicals, manufacturing and industrial, natural resources, consumer and retail, consumer services, business services, financial services, leisure, and media and telecom and technology. The company operates in three business segments that are Asset Management, Retirement Services, and Principal Investing. It generates maximum revenue from the Retirement Services segment.
After a thorough review of the options trading surrounding Apollo Global Management, we move to examine the company in more detail. This includes an assessment of its current market status and performance.
<h3>Current Position of Apollo Global Management</h3>
<ul>
<li>Trading volume stands at 1,809,704, with APO's price up by 0.73%, positioned at $172.28.</li>
<li>RSI indicators show the stock to be is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.</li>
<li>Earnings announcement expected in 45 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>What The Experts Say On Apollo Global Management</h3>
5 market experts have recently issued ratings for this stock, with a consensus target price of $202.2.
Unusual Options Activity Detected: Smart Money on the Move
Benzinga Edge's Unusual Options board spots potential market movers before they happen. See what positions big money is taking on your favorite stocks. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premium/ideas/benzinga-edge-checkout/?t=Be8be9arja3be22bz20&amp;utm_source=benzinga-insights">Click here for access</a>. 
&#x2A; Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from TD Cowen keeps a Buy rating on Apollo Global Management with a target price of $230. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Wells Fargo continues to hold a Overweight rating for Apollo Global Management, targeting a price of $197. 
&#x2A; Maintaining their stance, an analyst from BMO Capital continues to hold a Outperform rating for Apollo Global Management, targeting a price of $186. 
&#x2A; Consistent in their evaluation, an analyst from Piper Sandler keeps a Overweight rating on Apollo Global Management with a target price of $202. 
&#x2A; An analyst from Keefe, Bruyette &amp; Woods has decided to maintain their Outperform rating on Apollo Global Management, which currently sits at a price target of $196. 
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Apollo Global Management, <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> gives you real-time options trades alerts.

Decoding Apollo Global Management's Options Activity: What's the Big Picture?

WIIM

AVXL

Anavex Life Sciences shares are trading higher after the company announced better-than-expected Q4 financial results.

RKLB

Rocket Lab shares are trading higher. The company completed its 16th successful mission of 2024.

<a href="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-files-lawsuit-to-stop-illegal-kickback-scheme-to-steer-borrowers-to-rocket-mortgage/#:~:text=WASHINGTON%2C%20D.C.%20%E2%80%93%20Today%2C%20the,Rocket%20Mortgage%2C%20LLC%20for%20loans" title="https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-files-lawsuit-to-stop-illegal-kickback-scheme-to-steer-borrowers-to-rocket-mortgage/#:~:text=WASHINGTON%2C%20D.C.%20%E2%80%93%20Today%2C%20the,Rocket%20Mortgage%2C%20LLC%20for%20loans">https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-files-lawsuit-to-stop-illegal-kickback-scheme-to-steer-borrowers-to-rocket-mortgage/#:~:text=WASHINGTON%2C%20D.C.%20%E2%80%93%20Today%2C%20the,Rocket%20Mortgage%2C%20LLC%20for%20loans</a>.

News

CFPB Sues Rocket Homes And The Mitchell Group Over Kickback Scheme Steering Homebuyers To Rocket Mortgage; Alleges Suppression Of Down Payment Assistance Information And Seeks Consumer Redress And Civil Penalties

U.S. stocks traded mixed toward the end of trading, with the S&amp;P 500 gaining around 0.5% on Monday.
The Dow traded down 0.06% to 42,815.78 while the NASDAQ climbed 0.90% to 19,748.00. The S&amp;P 500 also rose, gaining, 0.54% to 5,962.84.
Check This Out: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/24/12/42616196/jim-cramer-likes-walmart-recommends-buying-this-very-very-good-financial-stock">Jim Cramer Likes Walmart, Recommends Buying This &#8216;Very, Very Good&#8217; Financial Stock</a>
Leading and Lagging Sectors Communication services shares jumped by 0.9% on Monday.
In trading on Friday, consumer staples shares fell by 1.2%.
Top Headline
U.S. building permits gained by 5.2% to an annualized rate of 1.493 million in November compared to initial estimates of 1.505 million.
Equities Trading UP &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
<ul>
<li>Traws Pharma, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TRAW#NASDAQ">TRAW</a>) shares shot up 144% to $12.23 after the company announced progress in the development of Tivoxavir Marboxi.</li>
<li>Shares of Reliance Global Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RELI#NASDAQ">RELI</a>)got a boost, surging 212% to $3.7401 after the company issued a year-end review of its operations, as well as a look to the future.</li>
<li>Rumble Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RUM#NASDAQ">RUM</a>) shares were also up, gaining 86% to $13.36 after the company announced it has entered into a definitive agreement for a strategic investment of $775 million from Tether.</li>
</ul>
Equities Trading DOWN
<ul>
<li>iLearningEngines, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AILE#NASDAQ">AILE</a>) shares dropped 74% to $0.2313 after the company announced it voluntarily filed for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy.</li>
<li>Shares of MGO Global, Inc. &nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MGOL#NASDAQ">MGOL</a>) were down 53% to $0.4479 after the company announced the pricing of upsized $6.0 million public offering.</li>
<li>Castellum, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CTM#NYSE">CTM</a>) was down, falling 30% to $0.4216 after the company announced the pricing of a $3.6 million registered direct offering of 9.47 million shares at $0.38 per share.</li>
</ul>
Commodities In commodity news, oil traded down 0.1% to $69.37 while gold traded down 0.7% at $2,626.90.
Silver traded up 0.9% to $30.235 on Monday, while copper fell 0.4% to $4.0835.
Euro zone
European shares were mixed today. The eurozone's STOXX 600 gained 0.14%, Germany's DAX fell 0.18% and France's CAC 40 fell 0.03%. Spain's IBEX 35 Index fell 0.28%, while London's FTSE 100 rose 0.22%.
Asia Pacific Markets
Asian markets closed mostly higher on Monday, with Japan's Nikkei 225 gaining 1.19%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index gaining 0.82%, China's Shanghai Composite Index declining 0.50% and India's BSE Sensex gaining 0.64%.
Economics
<ul>
<li>The Chicago Fed National Activity Index rose to -0.12 in November compared to a revised reading of -0.5 in October.</li>
<li>U.S. durable goods orders fell 1.1% month-over-month to $285.1 billion in November compared to a revised 0.8% gain in October and versus market estimates of a 0.4% decline.</li>
<li>U.S. building permits gained by 5.2% to an annualized rate of 1.493 million in November compared to initial estimates of 1.505 million.</li>
</ul>
Now Read This: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/24/12/42648003/how-to-earn-500-a-month-from-qualcomm-stock-2">How To Earn $500 A Month From Qualcomm Stock</a></li>
</ul>

Equities

Eurozone

Commodities

Intraday Update

AILE

MGOL

RELI

TRAW

Gold Moves Lower, Rumble Shares Jump

Rosenblatt polled its analysts, including Steve Frankel, gathering their top picks for the first half of 2025. The stocks reflect key themes across its research universe, including the Age of Artificial Intelligence and the build-out of next-generation broadband.
Steve Frankel maintained a Buy rating on Advanced Micro Devices, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) with a price target of $250.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/24/12/42621868/nvidia-secures-eu-approval-for-runai-deal-us-probes-china-export-breach" rel="noreferrer noopener">Nvidia Secures EU Approval For Run:ai Deal, US Probes China Export Breach</a>
AMD is one of Rosenblatt&#8217;s top picks for the first half of 2025 on momentum in CPU and GPU share gains into 2025 and a broader non-AI recovery exiting 2025.
The difference entering 2025 is that the Street acknowledges this dynamic, which has legs for double-digit market share in GPU compute and AI inference at the edge, being a secular opportunity on Xilinx incumbency and chiplet prowess.
AMD&#8217;s EPYC processors will likely continue increasing the company&#8217;s revenue share in server and Data Center CPUs as the business proposition is significant, the analyst said.
AMD&#8217;s MI350 in 2025 and MI400 in 2026 GPUs will drive additional revenues and increased market share on hyperscale adoption, chiplet scale, and AI moving to the edge, he added.
The price target reflects a 25-times P/E multiple to Frankel&#8217;s $10.00 fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS. This multiple is in line with the analyst&#8217;s AI compute group average of 25 times.
Frankel reiterated a Buy rating on Micron Technology, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>) with a price target of $250.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="750" height="650" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/23124236/newplot-1-4.png" alt="" class="wp-image-704652" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/23124236/newplot-1-4.png 750w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/23124236/newplot-1-4-300x260.png 300w" sizes="(max-width: 750px) 100vw, 750px" /></figure>
Micron is one of Rosenblatt&#8217;s top picks for the first half of 2025, as he liked the big opportunity for DRAM content deployment in AI platforms going forward.
In particular, the analyst liked Micron&#8217;s HBM opportunity, where the trade ratios are 3-to-1 to DDR5 and moving to 4-to-1 with the move to HBM4, a structural shift Frankel did not witness in any other memory cycle.
Industry HBM supply continues to be an issue to watch as supply does not catch up to demand well into calendar 2025.
For Micron, Frankel&#8217;s viewpoint on HBM is more related to the overall implications of DRAM bit supply, with HBM3E garnering a 3-to-1 trade ratio and HBM4 a 4-to-1 trade ratio, creating a favorable supply and demand dynamic.
Frankel noted Micron as an HBM share gainer in HBM3E and HBM4 varietals and as the segment moves from 8-Hi to 12-Hi and 16-Hi configurations, where power efficiency (a Micron structural advantage) becomes increasingly important.
Frankel found using P/E to value Micron reasonable, given its proven consistent profitability through cross-memory cycles, aggressive share buybacks, and a cycle driven by AI workload dynamics correlating to DRAM content. The price target reflects a mid-teens P/E multiple on the analyst&#8217;s $18 fiscal 2026 adjusted EPS.
Price Actions: At last check on Monday, AMD stock was up 4.70% at $124.82. MU is down 0.78%.
Also Read:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/12/42613368/broadcom-expects-decade-long-ai-chip-boom-as-big-tech-invest-billions" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Broadcom Expects Decade-Long AI Chip Boom as Big Tech Invest Billions</a></li>
</ul>
Photo via Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Price Target

Reiteration

Analyst Ratings

Tech

AMD and Micron Are Top Analyst Picks for AI and Next-Gen Tech Growth

Cryptocurrency markets are trading lower on a low-volume Monday.
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>Price&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>Gains +/-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td>
<td>&nbsp;$92,996.64</td>
<td>-3.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>)</td>
<td>&nbsp;$3,313.40</td>
<td>-0.3%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>)</td>
<td>&nbsp;$184.82</td>
<td>+0.9%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>XRP (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>)</td>
<td>&nbsp;$2.16</td>
<td>-4%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)</td>
<td>&nbsp;$0.3108</td>
<td>-2.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/shib/usd">SHIB</a>)</td>
<td>&nbsp;$0.00002168&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>-1%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
Notable Statistics:
<ul>
<li>IntoTheBlock data shows large transaction volume decreasing by 20.6% and daily active addresses falling by 0.02%. Transactions greater than $100,000 are down from 8,435 to 7,495 in a single day. Exchanges netflows are down by 246.9%.</li>
<li>Coinglass data reports 100,183 traders were liquidated in the past 24 hours for $293.65 million.</li>
<li>Santiment <a href="https://x.com/santimentfeed/status/1870993979782963500">data</a> shows number of non-empty wallets for Bitcoin increased 27% in the past two years, while Ethereum reported a 47% surge.</li>
</ul>
Notable Developments:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42647239/foresight-ventures-55m-investment-in-the-block-seeks-to-shape-the-future-of-crypto-media-forest-bai">Foresight Ventures&#8217; $55M Investment In The Block Seeks To Shape The Future Of Crypto Media: Forest Bai</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42646182/exclusive-la-rosa-adds-bitcoin-and-crypto-payment-options-to-its-real-estate-agents">EXCLUSIVE: La Rosa Adds Bitcoin and Crypto Payment Options For Network Agents</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42652101/microstrategy-adds-5262-bitcoin-to-bring-holdings-to-over-444000-btc">MicroStrategy Adds 5,262 Bitcoin To Bring Holdings To Over 444,000 BTC</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42646986/whats-going-on-with-cleanspark-stock-monday">What&#8217;s Going On With CleanSpark Stock Monday?</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42640181/microstrategys-michael-saylor-proposes-digital-assets-framework-for-us-advocates-bitcoin-reserve-capable-of-generating-1681-trillion-in-wealth">Michael Saylor Proposes US Digital Assets Framework, Backs Bitcoin Reserve Capable Of Generating $16–$81 Trillion In Wealth</a></li>
</ul>
Top Gainers:
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>Price&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>Gains +/-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Virtuals Protocol (CRYPTO: VIRTUAL)</td>
<td>&nbsp;$2.69</td>
<td>+14.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Aave (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/aave/usd">AAVE</a>)</td>
<td>&nbsp;$352.99</td>
<td>+13.8%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>FTX Token (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ftt/usd">FTT</a>)</td>
<td>&nbsp;$3.19&nbsp;</td>
<td>+8.6%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
Trader Notes: Bitcoin&#8217;s price decline continued into the final week&#8217;s opening, with CoinDesk Senior Analyst James Van Straten <a href="https://x.com/btcjvs/status/1871226901101990380">warning</a> that if Bitcoin loses the critical $90,000 support level, it could drop to $75,000 due to limited support in that range. This would represent a 30% pullback within the ongoing bull market. 
Daan Crypto Trades highlighted that Bitcoin&#8217;s end-of-year price action is typically choppy, and this year is no exception. He expects this volatility to persist until the new year, after which liquidity is likely to return, paving the way for stronger moves.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> End of the year price action has usually been choppy. This year is no different. Expecting this to remain choppy until the new year. After which liquidity returns and we&#39;ll likely see some stronger moves again. <a href="https://t.co/LuD42BBlxZ">pic.twitter.com/LuD42BBlxZ</a>
&mdash; Daan Crypto Trades (@DaanCrypto) <a href="https://twitter.com/DaanCrypto/status/1871237385822060957?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
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</figure>
Meanwhile, The Kobeissi Letter pointed out that Bitcoin&#8217;s recent rally might be due for a correction. Historically, Bitcoin prices lag global money supply by about 10 weeks. With the money supply recently dropping by $4.1 trillion, the trend suggests Bitcoin could decline by up to $20,000 in the coming weeks, signaling a pause in its red-hot rally.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Is Bitcoin overdue for a correction? In the past, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> prices have followed global money supply with ~10 week lag. As global money supply hit a new record of $108.5 trillion in October, Bitcoin prices reached an all-time high of $108,000. Over the last 2 months, however,… <a href="https://t.co/i80ym4Wu7F">pic.twitter.com/i80ym4Wu7F</a>
&mdash; The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) <a href="https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/1870541179433160848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 21, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Read Next:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42655154/84000-is-bitcoins-worst-case-options-trading-firm-ceo-says">$84,000 Is Bitcoin&#8217;s Worst Case, Options Trading Firm CEO Says</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

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

Cryptocurrency

$AAVE

$BTC

$DOGE

$ETH

$FTT

$SHIB

$SOL

$XRP

Bitcoin, Ethereum, XRP, Dogecoin Slide On Quiet Monday, Trader Predicts 'Choppy' Price Action Until 2025

DXLG

Destination XL Group shares are trading higher after the company received a non-binding proposal from Fund 1 Investments to acquire all of the outstanding shares of the company for $3 per share.

MrBeast, also known as Jimmy Donaldson, is dominating streaming platform Prime Video with his new "Beast Games"<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/05/38860861/amazon-betting-on-game-shows-for-streaming-growth-mrbeast-travis-kelce-pop-culture-jeopardy"> game show competition.</a>
Here's a look at the early data and what's next.
What Happened: Record-breaking <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/03/37809533/mrbeast-confirms-beast-games-on-amazon-prime-video-with-1-000-contestants-5m-prize-its-gonn">game show</a> "Beast Games" premiered its first two episodes on Prime Video Dec. 19.
The show, considered the world's largest live game show, promises to award the "biggest single prize in the history of television and streaming" by Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), the owner of Prime Video.
While official viewership figures for the first two episodes have not been released, "Beast Games" was the most-watched Prime Video show or movie last week, according to Donaldson.
"Beast Games is #1 in the US and I cannot express how grateful I am for all of the love and support! I, and countless talented people really put so much love and passion into it, and seeing everyone's reactions has been amazing! Thanks guys!" he <a href="https://x.com/MrBeast/status/1870242683039683065">tweeted</a>.
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<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Beast Games is #1 in the US and I cannot express how grateful I am for all of the love and support! I, and countless talented people really put so much love and passion into it, and seeing everyone's reactions has been amazing! Thanks guys! &#x2764;&#xFE0F; <a href="https://t.co/ZTcZlXUhCS">pic.twitter.com/ZTcZlXUhCS</a>
&mdash; MrBeast (@MrBeast) <a href="https://twitter.com/MrBeast/status/1870242683039683065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 20, 2024</a></blockquote>
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</figure>
The content creator, who is the most followed individual on YouTube, <a href="https://x.com/MrBeast/status/1870545271274590539">tweeted </a>that the show was number one on Prime Video in almost half the countries on Earth, naming many in the post.
Prime Video saw the previous week led by "Red One," a Christmas movie starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Chris Evans. Amazon said <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/12/42537187/christmas-movie-with-the-rock-flops-at-box-office-breaks-streaming-records-for-this-company">over 50 million people </a>watched the movie in its first week. "Beast Games" knocked "Red One" down to number two across many territories.
Knocking a movie that set the premiere week record for Prime Video shouldn't go unnoticed for Prime Video, especially a Christmas movie in the weeks ahead of the holiday.
Amazon bet aggressively on "Beast Games," reportedly beating out other streaming and media companies for the content creator's game show idea.
&#8220;Amazon will give us the most creative control,&#8221; Donaldson previously said. &#8220;Other platforms didn&#8217;t. There&#8217;s a reason we went with Amazon.&#8221;
Beast Games is a big bet for Prime Video. The reported cost is around $100 million and includes building a city for the show. But with strong initial viewership it looks like the bet could pay off.
Donaldson <a href="https://x.com/MrBeast/status/1870910033120149861">shared </a>the first 10 minutes of the premiere episode of "Beast Games" on X and YouTube. Viewers must go to Prime Video to watch the full episode.
Read Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/12/42563662/streamers-max-paramount-won-november-heres-why-analyst-expects-netflix-amazon-to-win-december"> Streamers Max, Paramount+ Won November: Here&#8217;s Why Analyst Expects Netflix, Amazon To Win December</a>
What's Next: For 10 episodes, "Beast Games" will eliminate contestants. The winner will take home the $5 million prize.
The next episode will premiere on Thursday, Dec. 26 at 12 p.m. ET. The episode's release comes <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/11/42199235/amazon-prime-vs-netflix-mrbeast-game-show-arrives-dec-19-squid-game-season-2-drops-1-week-later">out the same day</a> as the highly anticipated second season of "Squid Game" on Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>). This means Netflix and Amazon will be pitted against each other for viewership the day after the Christmas holiday.
The "Beast Games" finale episode premieres on Feb. 13 and likely break several world records. It will also showcase Amazon's bet on MrBeast and his game show vision in full.
"Beast Games" may be far from over with the website hinting at future seasons.
"Don't miss your chance to be part of the excitement and competition in the future. Enter your email below to be notified when applications reopen for the next Beast Games!" the Beast Games website reads.
For Donaldson and potentially Amazon, granted they sign on for additional seasons, this could be the beginning of one of the most-watched game shows worldwide.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42562732/mrbeasts-new-game-show-to-premiere-on-amazon-prime-video-thursday-why-billionaire-david-tepper-may-be-watching">MrBeast&#8217;s New Game Show To Premiere On Amazon Prime Video Thursday: Why Billionaire David Tepper May Be Watching</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

Entertainment

AMZN

NFLX

MrBeast Dominates Prime Video: How YouTuber Could Help Amazon Boost Streaming Presence

Regarding building wealth, rental properties can be a solid investment. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/24/11/42026823/this-is-how-you-get-wealthy-dave-ramsey-details-how-one-move-could-make-you-5-million-by-retirement">Personal finance expert</a> Dave Ramsey is all for owning real estate – but only if you do it correctly. In his usual straightforward style, Ramsey is clear about one thing: don't fall for the get-rich-quick schemes that often pop up around real estate.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Real Estate Hype Comes Back Every Few Years</h2>
Ramsey points out that every seven to eight years, a wave of get-rich-quick real estate hype rolls through, targeting people who don't remember how risky it was last time. The promise? Buy properties, take on a ton of debt, and let the renters cover your payments while you sit back and collect cash. According to Ramsey, this is a fantasy.
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<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Every so many years, the get-rich-quick real estate movement kicks up again. It's about a 7–8 year cycle, because you have to get the young people who don't remember how stupid it was a little bit older, so they don't remember how stupid it was. There's nothing wrong with owning… <a href="https://t.co/NNjqTTjhwG">pic.twitter.com/NNjqTTjhwG</a>
&mdash; Dave Ramsey (@DaveRamsey) <a href="https://twitter.com/DaveRamsey/status/1695797715899236798?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 27, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Don't Miss:
<ul>
<li>This Jeff Bezos-backed startup will allow you to <a href="https://arrivedhomes.go2cloud.org/aff_c?offer_id=15&amp;aff_id=1006&amp;aff_sub=yahoo&amp;aff_sub2=byerscta100">become a landlord in just 10 minutes, with minimum investments as low as $100 for properties like the Byer House from Stranger Things.</a></li>
<li>Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing —<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/boxabl-y2"> you can become an investor for $0.80 per share today.</a></li>
</ul>
"If you tell me the renters are going to pay the payments for you, that tells me you&#8217;ve never managed rental property," he says. Life happens – tenants lose jobs, deal with health issues, or face other financial hardships. Rent doesn't always show up on time; assuming it will is a rookie mistake.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Ramsey's Rules for Smart Real Estate Investing</h2>
Ramsey isn't against real estate at all. In fact, he owns several rental properties himself. The difference? He buys them with cash. No debt. No risky assumptions.
Here's his advice for anyone thinking about getting into real estate:
<ol>
<li>Get your financial house in order first: Pay off your home mortgage and other debts. Build an emergency fund covering 3–6 months of expenses.</li>
<li>Avoid debt: Ramsey learned the hard way over 30 years ago that debt can destroy your financial future. He's adamant about buying properties outright instead of taking out loans.</li>
<li>Start small and stay smart: Once you're financially stable, save aggressively to buy a rental property with cash. This approach minimizes risk and ensures you're not overleveraged if things go south.</li>
</ol>
See Also: Unlock the hidden potential of commercial real estate —<a href="https://equitymultiple.com/benzinga?invite=benzinga&amp;utm_campaign=product-promotion-earn&amp;utm_source=yahooFinance&amp;utm_medium=affiliate&amp;utm_content=unlockboost-yahoo"> This platform allows individuals to invest in commercial real estate offering a 12% target yield with a bonus 1% return boost today!</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Protect Your Investments with an LLC</h2>
For those building a real estate portfolio, Ramsey <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/12/42561253/if-they-win-heres-the-savvy-reason-dave-ramsey-launches-a-new-real-estate-llc-after-hitting-5-million">suggests setting up a Limited Liability Company</a> to protect personal assets. If a tenant sues, the LLC limits claims to what it owns, keeping your home and savings safe. Once your properties in one LLC hit a value of around $5 million, Ramsey recommends forming another LLC to spread the risk.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Don't Fall for the Passive Income Myth</h2>
If you think <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/finance-rental-property">rental properties are easy</a>, think again. Ramsey bluntly calls the idea of passive income from real estate "moronic." <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/managing-rental-properties">Owning rentals</a> means dealing with tenants, fixing problems, and staying on top of legal issues. It's a business, not a hands-off investment.
Read Next:
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<li>Deloitte's fastest-growing software company partners with Amazon, Walmart &amp; Target – <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/mode-mobile-y2">Last Chance to get 4,000 of its pre-IPO shares for just $0.26/share!</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/go/arrived-private-credit-yf">Arrived Home's Private Credit Fund&#8217;s has historically paid an annualized dividend yield of 8.1%&#x2A;</a>, which provides access to a pool of short-term loans backed by residential real estate with just a $100 minimum.<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/go/arrived-private-credit-yf"> </a></li>
</ul>

'There's Nothing Wrong With Owning Rentals,' Says Dave Ramsey, But Forget The Get-Rich-Quick Nonsense Some Want You To Believe

Destination XL Group, Inc, (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DXLG#NASDAQ">DXLG</a>), the leading integrated - commerce specialty retailer of Big + Tall men's clothing and shoes, today confirmed that it has received a non-binding proposal from Fund&nbsp;1 Investments, LLC to acquire all of the outstanding shares of the Company.

Destination XL Group Confirms Receipt Of Non-Binding Proposal From Fund 1 Investments To Acquire All Of The Outstanding Shares Of The Company For $3/Share

Canaccord Genuity analyst Austin Moeller maintained a Buy rating at Vertical Aerospace Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EVTL#NYSE">EVTL</a>) <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/EVTL/analyst-ratings" rel="noreferrer noopener">with a price target of $16</a>.
Last week, the company reported a third-quarter net loss of $45.7 million, compared to $41.8 million in the same quarter a year ago.
The company has around 25 million Sterling pounds in cash. The new funding round is expected to close in the first quarter of 2025.
The analyst writes about the recent $50 million capital commitment, but the investor focuses on the expected completion of the full capital raise in the first quarter, a key step for VX4's development.
Last month, the term sheet outlined a $50 million funding commitment from Mudrick Capital, with $25 million in upfront funding and an additional $25 million backstop, which can <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/contracts/24/11/42162996/vertical-aerospace-soars-50-million-funding-boost-and-debt-conversion-propel-evtol-maker-forward" rel="noreferrer noopener">be reduced by third-party funding</a>.
This funding is expected to support the company's Flightpath 2030 Strategy, which aims to position Vertical as a global leader in the eVTOL market by the end of the decade. This strategy includes the ongoing development and certification of the VX4.
Moeller says that he is confident in the company's strong design and engineering team, which is making steady progress with the CAA on the VX4 certification.
The analyst revised estimates for EBITDA loss to $55.6 million from $89.6 million earlier in 2024, $70.7 million from $68.7 million in 2025 and $81.5 million from $80.5 million in 2026.
Price Action: EVTL shares are down 6.53% at $7.38 at the last check Monday.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/42653466" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Honda, Nissan Confirm Merger Plans To Offset Chinese EV Competition: How Mitsubishi Factors In</a></li>
</ul>
Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Small Cap

EVTL

Amid Funding Milestones, Analyst Bets On Vertical Aerospace's Strong Engineering And Design Team

Following a strong rise in November, the U.S. consumer morale declined sharply in December, dragged down by concerns <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s">about future economic conditions. </a>
The Conference Board&#8217;s Consumer Confidence Index declined by 8.1 points to 104.7, moving back into the mid-range levels observed over the past two years. 
The most significant drop occurred in the Expectations Index, which fell by 12.6 points to 81.1, teetering just above the critical threshold of 80. Historically, values below this level have been associated with recessionary periods.
&#8220;Compared to last month, consumers in December were substantially less optimistic about future business conditions and incomes. Moreover, pessimism about future employment prospects returned after cautious optimism prevailed in October and November," Dana M. Peterson, chief economist&nbsp;at The Conference Board.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Current Conditions: Labor Market Strong, Business Sentiment Weakens</h3>
Consumers' assessment of the present economy was mixed in December. Labor market sentiment improved, with 37.0% of respondents stating jobs were "plentiful," up from 33.6% in November, while those saying jobs were "hard to get" fell to 14.8% from 15.2%.
However, business conditions showed signs of deterioration. The share of consumers reporting that business conditions were "good" declined to 19.1% from 21.6%, while those describing them as "bad" increased to 16.7% from 15.3%.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Future Expectations Show Growing Pessimism</h3>
&#8220;While weaker consumer assessments of the present situation and expectations contributed to the decline, the expectations component saw the sharpest drop," Peterson added. 
The sharp drop in the Expectations Index highlights a growing sense of unease about the future. 
Only 21.7% of respondents expected better business conditions in the next six months, down from 24.7% in November. Meanwhile, the percentage anticipating worse conditions rose to 18.3% from 15.9%.
Labor market optimism also faded. The share of consumers expecting more jobs to become available dropped to 19.1% from 22.8%, while those anticipating fewer jobs increased to 21.3% from 17.9%. 
Personal income prospects mirrored this negative trend, with only 17.2% expecting their incomes to increase, down from 20.7% in November. Those expecting incomes to decline rose to 14.3% from 12.1%.
December brought a dip in stock market optimism. The percentage of consumers expecting stock prices to rise in the next year fell from a record high of 57.2% in November to 52.9%. Those anticipating a decline in stock prices increased from 21.7% to 25%.
Interest rate expectations were mixed. The share of consumers expecting rates to rise ticked up slightly to 48.5%, while those expecting rates to fall slipped to 29.3%. These shifts reflect lingering uncertainty about the Federal Reserve's monetary policy trajectory.
Concerns about tariffs also increased, with 46% of consumers expecting tariffs to raise the cost of living, while 21% believed tariffs could create more U.S. jobs.
The S&amp;P 500 index – as tracked by the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>)&nbsp;–&nbsp;was up 0.2% by the time of this writing Monday. The index tracking the 500 largest U.S. companies has climbed nearly 25% year to date, matching the gains recorded in 2023.
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Macro Economic Events

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US Consumer Confidence Drops In December: Expectations Signal Potential Economic Weakness In 2025

<ul>
<li>Microsoft aims to reduce reliance on OpenAI due to cost and speed concerns</li>
<li>Microsoft adding homegrown smaller models to power 365 Copilot</li>
<li>Microsoft customizes open-weight models for efficiency in 365 Copilot</li>
</ul>
 - Reuters Citing Sources&nbsp;

MSFT

Microsoft Seeks To Reduce Reliance On OpenAI By Integrating Internal And Third-Party AI Models Into 365 Copilot For Greater Efficiency And Cost Savings

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BTCM

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COIN

HIVE

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WULF

Shares of crypto-related stocks are trading lower possibly amid a drop in Bitcoin.

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Shares Of Fulcrum Therapeutics See Volume; Traders Circulating Co. Mentioned By M&A Blog

Analysts revised/maintained the price target for Carnival Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CCL#NYSE">CCL</a>) following better-than-expected fourth-quarter <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/12/42621270/carnival-cruises-into-success-with-record-bookings-and-strong-q4-earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">2024 results reported last week</a>.
The company reported sales growth of 10% year-over-year to $5.938 billion, marginally beating the street view of $5.932 billion and adjusted EPS of $0.14,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/earnings" rel="noreferrer noopener">beating the consensus estimate of $0.08.</a>
JP Morgan analyst Matthew R. Boss raised the price target to $31 from $29 while <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ccl/analyst-ratings" rel="noreferrer noopener">maintaining an Overweight rating</a>.
The analyst says that looking ahead to 2025, CEO Weinstein noted that nearly two-thirds of the year is already booked, and the company expects another year of big yield improvement, surpassing historical growth rates.
The cumulative advanced bookings for 2025 are 16 points higher compared to the same time last year, setting an &#8220;all-time high&#8221; for both price and occupancy, with each quarter of 2025 booked above 2024 levels, adds the analyst.
Boss writes that with increased advertising investment (after previous underinvestment compared to peers) and a more conservative capacity growth strategy, CCL is positioned to improve brand clarity, pricing power, and accelerate efforts to de-lever its balance sheet.
Truist Securities analyst C. Patrick Scholes maintained a Buy rating with a price target of $29.
The analyst says that fourth-quarter exceeded high Street and investor expectations, with upside to earnings driven by better-than-expected costs, particularly in the Commission, transportation, and other line items.
Scholes writes that he does not expect investor disappointment with the newly introduced 2025 earnings guide, which is roughly in line or slightly below consensus, as cruise lines typically provide conservative guidance at the start of the year due to global uncertainties.
With strong booking pricing trends continuing, the analyst anticipates further opportunities for quarterly earnings beats and upgrades.
Other analyst price target/rating revisions:
<ul>
<li>Stifel analyst increased the price target to $34 from $32, while reiterating a Buy rating.</li>
<li>Barclays analyst raised the price target to $32 from $31, while reiterating an Overweight rating.</li>
</ul>
Investors can gain exposure to the stock via&nbsp;AdvisorShares Hotel ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BEDZ#NYSE">BEDZ</a>) and&nbsp;Defiance Hotel, Airline, and Cruise ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRUZ#NYSE">CRUZ</a>).
Price Action: CCL shares are down 4.89% at $25.49 at the last check Monday.
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</ul>
Photo by Darryl Brooks via Shutterstock

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