JD.com Option Alert: Mar 21 $50 Calls at the Bid: 5000 vs 12072 OI; Earnings 3/6 Before Open 

JD.com Option Alert: Mar 21 $50 Calls at the Bid: 5000 @ $1.19 vs 12072 OI; Earnings 3/6 Before Open Ref=$42.61

JD.com Option Alert: Apr 17 $49 Calls at the Ask: 2850 vs 2353 OI; Earnings 3/6 Before Open 

JD.com Option Alert: Apr 17 $49 Calls at the Ask: 2850 @ $2.08 vs 2353 OI; Earnings 3/6 Before Open Ref=$42.85

JD.com Option Alert: Jun 20 $34 Puts at the Bid: 2500 vs 4531 OI; Earnings 3/5 Before Open [est] 

JD.com Option Alert: Jun 20 $34 Puts at the Bid: 2500 @ $2.1 vs 4531 OI; Earnings 3/5 Before Open [est] Ref=$39.045

JD.com Option Alert: Jun 20 $35 Puts at the Bid: 2500 vs 2267 OI; Earnings 3/5 Before Open [est] 

JD.com Option Alert: Jun 20 $35 Puts at the Bid: 2500 @ $2.61 vs 2267 OI; Earnings 3/5 Before Open [est] Ref=$38.82

JD.com Option Alert: Apr 17 $50 Calls at the Bid: 4000 vs 17190 OI; Earnings 3/5 Before Open [est] 

JD.com Option Alert: Apr 17 $50 Calls at the Bid: 4000 @ $1.45 vs 17190 OI; Earnings 3/5 Before Open [est] Ref=$41.29

JD.com (NASDAQ:JD) Stock

JD.com

JD.com is the third-largest Chinese e-commerce platform by GMV in 2024. it offers a wide selection of authentic products with speedy and reliable delivery. The company has built its own nationwide fulfilment infrastructure and last-mile delivery network, staffed by its own employees, which supports both its online direct sales, its online marketplace and omnichannel businesses.

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Chinese stocks are trading higher amid tech sector optimism and recent stimulus hopes.

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders will search for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges heavily from its normal worth. High amounts of trading activity could push option prices to exaggerated or underestimated levels. 
Here's the list of options activity happening in today's session: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>BABA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/28/25</td>
<td>$150.00</td>
<td>$26.9K</td>
<td>5.4K</td>
<td>16.6K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PDD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>02/28/25</td>
<td>$141.00</td>
<td>$81.2K</td>
<td>580</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>FND</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$85.00</td>
<td>$120.0K</td>
<td>336</td>
<td>1.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MODG</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>08/15/25</td>
<td>$7.50</td>
<td>$54.0K</td>
<td>164</td>
<td>713</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LOW</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$245.00</td>
<td>$34.1K</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
<td>468</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>TSLA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>08/15/25</td>
<td>$700.00</td>
<td>$63.7K</td>
<td>4.5K</td>
<td>315</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MELI</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$2500.00</td>
<td>$25.2K</td>
<td>39</td>
<td>272</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>JD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>05/16/25</td>
<td>$40.00</td>
<td>$28.5K</td>
<td>3.4K</td>
<td>174</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SFIX</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$3.00</td>
<td>$27.8K</td>
<td>445</td>
<td>105</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>NKE</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$85.00</td>
<td>$27.5K</td>
<td>3.6K</td>
<td>72</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These itemized elaborations have been created using the accompanying table. 
• Regarding BABA (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 7 day(s) on February 28, 2025. Parties traded 106 contract(s) at a $150.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $26.9K, with a price of $254.0 per contract. There were 5458 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 16646 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding PDD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PDD#NASDAQ">PDD</a>), we observe a call option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 7 day(s) on February 28, 2025. Parties traded 700 contract(s) at a $141.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $81.2K, with a price of $116.0 per contract. There were 580 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1118 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For FND (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FND#NYSE">FND</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 84 day(s) on May 16, 2025. This event was a transfer of 300 contract(s) at a $85.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 26 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $120.0K, with a price of $400.0 per contract. There were 336 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1118 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For MODG (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MODG#NYSE">MODG</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 175 day(s) on August 15, 2025. This event was a transfer of 373 contract(s) at a $7.50 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $54.0K, with a price of $145.0 per contract. There were 164 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 713 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For LOW (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LOW#NYSE">LOW</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, is expiring today. Parties traded 99 contract(s) at a $245.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 9 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $34.1K, with a price of $345.0 per contract. There were 1684 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 468 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding TSLA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 175 day(s) on August 15, 2025. Parties traded 148 contract(s) at a $700.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 5 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $63.7K, with a price of $431.0 per contract. There were 4552 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 315 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding MELI (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MELI#NASDAQ">MELI</a>), we observe a call option trade with neutral sentiment. It expires in 329 day(s) on January 16, 2026. Parties traded 1 contract(s) at a $2500.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $25.2K, with a price of $25240.0 per contract. There were 39 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 272 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For JD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JD#NASDAQ">JD</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 84 day(s) on May 16, 2025. This event was a transfer of 50 contract(s) at a $40.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.5K, with a price of $573.0 per contract. There were 3414 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 174 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding SFIX (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SFIX#NASDAQ">SFIX</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 329 day(s) on January 16, 2026. Parties traded 105 contract(s) at a $3.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 5 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $27.8K, with a price of $265.0 per contract. There were 445 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 105 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For NKE (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NKE#NYSE">NKE</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 28 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 30 contract(s) at a $85.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 7 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $27.5K, with a price of $915.0 per contract. There were 3668 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 72 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more about unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Options

MELI

MODG

SFIX

TSLA

10 Consumer Discretionary Stocks Whale Activity In Today's Session

Whales with a lot of money to spend have taken a noticeably bullish stance on JD.com.
Looking at options history for JD.com (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JD#NASDAQ">JD</a>) we detected 73 trades.
If we consider the specifics of each trade, it is accurate to state that 54% of the investors opened trades with bullish expectations and 32% with bearish.
From the overall spotted trades, 14 are puts, for a total amount of $1,107,602 and 59, calls, for a total amount of $5,188,616.
<h3>Expected Price Movements</h3>
Based on the trading activity, it appears that the significant investors are aiming for a price territory stretching from $20.0 to $70.0 for JD.com over the recent three months. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Development</h3>
Examining the volume and open interest provides crucial insights into stock research. This information is key in gauging liquidity and interest levels for JD.com's options at certain strike prices. Below, we present a snapshot of the trends in volume and open interest for calls and puts across JD.com's significant trades, within a strike price range of $20.0 to $70.0, over the past month.
<h3>JD.com Call and Put Volume: 30-Day Overview</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1740159038_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>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>JD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$1.26</td>
<td>$1.19</td>
<td>$1.19</td>
<td>$50.00</td>
<td>$595.0K</td>
<td>12.0K</td>
<td>6.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>JD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$2.08</td>
<td>$1.98</td>
<td>$2.08</td>
<td>$49.00</td>
<td>$592.8K</td>
<td>2.3K</td>
<td>2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>JD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$6.7</td>
<td>$6.6</td>
<td>$6.64</td>
<td>$39.00</td>
<td>$340.6K</td>
<td>1.5K</td>
<td>519</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>JD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$7.0</td>
<td>$6.8</td>
<td>$6.99</td>
<td>$39.00</td>
<td>$324.3K</td>
<td>1.5K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>JD</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/04/25</td>
<td>$4.6</td>
<td>$4.55</td>
<td>$4.6</td>
<td>$44.00</td>
<td>$138.0K</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>101</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About JD.com</h3>
JD.com is the third-largest Chinese e-commerce platform by GMV in 2024. it offers a wide selection of authentic products with speedy and reliable delivery. The company has built its own nationwide fulfilment infrastructure and last-mile delivery network, staffed by its own employees, which supports both its online direct sales, its online marketplace and omnichannel businesses.
Having examined the options trading patterns of JD.com, our attention now turns directly to the company. This shift allows us to delve into its present market position and performance
<h3>Where Is JD.com Standing Right Now?</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a trading volume of 14,109,556, the price of JD is up by 3.98%, reaching $42.83.</li>
<li>Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be approaching overbought.</li>
<li>Next earnings report is scheduled for 13 days from now.</li>
</ul>
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Unpacking the Latest Options Trading Trends in JD.com

U.S. listed Chinese stocks led by e-commerce and gaming giants like Alibaba Group Holding (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>), Baidu Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>), PDD Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PDD#NASDAQ">PDD</a>), JD.Com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JD#NASDAQ">JD</a>) along with electric vehicle companies NIO Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NIO#NYSE">NIO</a>), Li Auto Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LI#NASDAQ">LI</a>), XPeng Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XPEV#NYSE">XPEV</a>) are trading higher on Friday.
Chinese tech barometer Alibaba reported its upbeat quarterly results, adding to the Chinese market rebound, which the property market selloff and economic slowdown have hit.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/emerging-markets/25/02/43815333/muddy-waters-carson-block-warns-against-chinese-stocks-despite-recent-market-surge-report" rel="noreferrer noopener">Muddy Waters&#8217; Carson Block Warns Against Chinese Stocks Despite Recent Market Surge: Report</a>
Alibaba reported <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43846533/alibaba-q3-earnings-revenue-and-eps-beat-eyes-global-e-commerce-profitability-in-fy25-increase-investments-in-ai" rel="noreferrer noopener">fiscal third-quarter 2024</a> revenue growth of 8% to $38.38 billion, topping the analyst estimate of $38.19 billion. Adjusted earnings per ADS of $2.93 beat the&nbsp;consensus estimate of $2.66.&nbsp;Adjusted net income rose 7% Y/Y to $7 billion.
Alibaba expects its international e-commerce unit to turn profitable next fiscal year and plans to spend more on Cloud and AI over the next three years than in the past decade.
Also, Reuters cited a Friday post by Chinese AI startup DeepSeek&nbsp;stating that it plans to make its models&#8217; code publicly available.
DeepSeek&#8217;s affordable AI model promises and Beijing&#8217;s support for private firms have prompted Chinese companies, mainly in the tech sector, to raise funds overseas, Reuters cites bankers.
Two tech companies raised $500 million this week alone, with more gearing up to raise capital via offshore equity sales.
Chinese video streaming platform iQIYI&nbsp;Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IQ#NASDAQ">IQ</a>) raised $350 million on Thursday, and Hong Kong-listed auto chip maker Black Sesame&nbsp;raised $160 million.
Adding to the positive momentum, China&#8217;s President Xi Jinping met with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43846533/alibaba-q3-earnings-revenue-and-eps-beat-eyes-global-e-commerce-profitability-in-fy25-increase-investments-in-ai" rel="noreferrer noopener">tech business leaders</a>, including Jack Ma, the founder of e-commerce juggernaut Alibaba, and Liang Wenfeng, the founder of DeepSeek.
Li He of Davis Polk told Reuters about a solid pipeline of IPO candidates, particularly in tech, healthcare, and consumer sectors. Besides secondary market deals, IPOs by Chinese companies, particularly in Hong Kong, will likely pick up pace.
Appaloosa Management&#8217;s David Tepper <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/emerging-markets/25/02/43619521/deepseek-impact-billionaire-david-tepper-bets-big-on-china-increases-stakes-in-alibaba-jd-com-and-pdd" rel="noreferrer noopener">raised his bets</a> on China-related stocks, including Alibaba, Baidu, and PDD and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) last quarter.
Investors can gain exposure to Chinese equities through KraneShares Trust KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KWEB#NYSE">KWEB</a>) and&nbsp;iShares China Large-Cap ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FXI#NYSE">FXI</a>).
Also Read:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43850567/user-engagement-and-high-margin-businesses-fuel-bilibili-q4-growth-ceo-highlights-ai-potential" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">User Engagement And High-Margin Businesses Fuel Bilibili Q4 Growth, CEO Highlights AI Potential</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock

US Listed China Stocks Rally: Alibaba's Performance, President Xi's Support, DeepSeek AI Boost Investor Confidence

Chinese technology stocks advanced sharply on Friday, with Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABAF#OTC">BABAF</a>) (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) jumping 11.41% in Hong Kong trading, as investors responded to positive earnings guidance and anticipated monetary policy easing from Beijing.
What Happened: Alibaba&#8217;s shares climbed to 134.70 HKD ($17.33) after CEO Eddie Wu announced expectations for the company&#8217;s International Commerce Unit to achieve profitability in the next fiscal year. 
The broader tech sector rally saw gains across major Chinese companies, with&nbsp;Tencent Holdings Ltd. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TCEHY#OTC">TCEHY</a>) rising 3.23% to 502.50 HKD ($64.66), Xiaomi Corp. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XIACY#OTC">XIACY</a>) surging 4.88% to 51.55 HKD ($6.63), Baidu Inc (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BAIDF#OTC">BAIDF</a>) adding 2.22% to 87.40 HKD ($11.25), and JD.com Inc. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JDCMF#OTC">JDCMF</a>) climbing 2.47% to 157.50 HKD ($20.27).
The surge comes as economists predict China&#8217;s central bank could cut its main policy rate following the annual parliamentary meeting in March. The People&#8217;s Bank of China (PBOC) maintained its loan prime rates Thursday, keeping the one-year rate at 3.1% and the five-year rate at 3.6%.
Bruce Pang, an adjunct associate professor at the Chinese University of Hong Kong Business School, according <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/20/china-lpr-decision-february.html">to</a> CNBC, forecasts a 50-basis-point cut to the reserve requirement ratio next month, with the seven-day reverse repo rate potentially decreasing by 40 to 50 basis points this year.
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 tech sector&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/25/02/43772586/xi-jinpings-supportive-business-stance-sparks-rally-for-second-day-alibaba-xiaomi-surge-over-4-on-hong-kong-exchange">momentum builds on recent optimism</a> following Chinese President Xi Jinping&#8216;s supportive stance toward private enterprise, demonstrated at a high-level business symposium that included prominent tech leaders. The gathering notably featured Alibaba founder Jack Ma&#8216;s first major public appearance with top leadership since Beijing&#8217;s 2020 regulatory crackdown.
However, investors are watching U.S.-China tensions, as recent tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump&#8216;s administration and the Federal Reserve&#8217;s cautious approach to rate cuts could influence PBOC&#8217;s monetary policy decisions. 
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43871609/trumps-federal-workforce-downsizing-plan-gets-green-light-from-judge-appeal-by-unions-dismissed">Trump&#8217;s Federal Workforce Downsizing Plan Gets Green Light From Judge, Appeal By Unions Dismissed</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.

BEKE

Shares of US-listed Chinese companies are trading higher after China's central bank vowed to take measures to support its real estate and shore up the economy. Additionally, Alibaba reported better-than-expected Q3 financial results which may be buoying Chinese equities.

<a href="https://jdcorporateblog.com/jd-com-to-provide-social-insurance-benefits-for-delivery-riders-a-first-in-chinas-food-delivery-industry/" title="https://jdcorporateblog.com/jd-com-to-provide-social-insurance-benefits-for-delivery-riders-a-first-in-chinas-food-delivery-industry/">https://jdcorporateblog.com/jd-com-to-provide-social-insurance-benefits-for-delivery-riders-a-first-in-chinas-food-delivery-industry/</a>

JD.Com Starting March 1, Will Provide Full-Time Food Delivery Riders With Comprehensive Social Insurance & Housing Fund Contributions

American investor and the founder of Muddy Waters Research, Carson Block, is snubbing China&#8217;s current stock market rally, citing unreliability in corporate accounting and geopolitical risks.
Block <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-19/carson-block-stays-away-from-chinese-stocks-widening-rebound?sref=TBDibEcD" rel="noreferrer noopener">voiced to</a> Bloomberg his aversion to Chinese stocks for 15 years due to the lack of credibility of accounting, especially the ones listed outside of China.
Chinese e-commerce juggernaut Alibaba Group Holding (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>), considered a tech barometer of China, has gained over 51% in the last six months, buoyed by China&#8217;s stimulus measures and as the company&#8217;s artificial intelligence models gained traction.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43778265/baidu-q4-earnings-ai-cloud-grows-margin-slides-expects-ai-investments-to-bear-fruit-in-2025" rel="noreferrer noopener">Baidu Q4 Earnings: AI Cloud Grows, Margin Slides, Expects AI Investments To Bear Fruit In 2025</a>
Block&#8217;s firm became popular after exposing fraud at some Chinese companies. Last October, Block&nbsp;warned&nbsp;investors about buying local stocks.
The MSCI China Index has gained about 10% since October as President Xi Jinping&#8217;s unleashed stimulus measure to boost the private sector with additional optimism from DeepSeek&#8217;s artificial intelligence capabilities, offset by U.S. President Donald Trump&#8217;s tariff threats and risk of a potential military conflict between China and Taiwan, Bloomberg wrote.
Meanwhile, Appaloosa Management&#8217;s&nbsp;David Tepper <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/emerging-markets/25/02/43619521/deepseek-impact-billionaire-david-tepper-bets-big-on-china-increases-stakes-in-alibaba-jd-com-and-pdd" rel="noreferrer noopener">boosted his exposure</a> to China-related stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) last quarter. In the fourth quarter of 2024,
Tepper raised his stake in companies, including JD.com Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JD#NASDAQ">JD</a>), Alibaba Group, and PDD Holdings (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PDD#NASDAQ">PDD</a>).
JD.com gained 32% in the last six months. Chinese EV companies Nio Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NIO#NYSE">NIO</a>) and Li Auto Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LI#NASDAQ">LI</a>) gained over 7-19%. Xpeng Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XPEV#NYSE">XPEV</a>) surged 143%, which was backed by the successful launch of new models, notably the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43732077/whats-going-on-with-xpeng-stock-today" rel="noreferrer noopener">XPeng MONA M03</a>.
Also Read:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/02/43730124/apple-focuses-on-alibaba-baidu-partnership-in-race-to-bring-ai-features-to-china-by-mid-2025" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple Focuses On Alibaba, Baidu Partnership In Race To Bring AI Features To China by Mid-2025</a></li>
</ul>
Photo by Tatiana Popova and rawf8 via Shuttterstock

Muddy Waters' Carson Block Warns Against Chinese Stocks Despite Recent Market Surge: Report

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick&#8216;s hedge fund Cantor Fitzgerald LP increased the firm&#8217;s exposure to Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) and Chinese technology companies during the fourth quarter of 2024, when Donald Trump was reelected as the President.
What Happened: Lutnick is the chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, who was Trump&#8217;s pick to serve as the U.S. Secretary of Commerce. The fund added many Bitcoin-related stocks and exchange-traded funds to its portfolio in the fourth quarter amid the span of the U.S. elections, results for which were declared on Nov. 5.
Here are the key changes made to the fund&#8217;s portfolio during the quarter.
<ul>
<li>While Coinbase Global Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>) was already a part of Fitzgerald&#8217;s portfolio during the third quarter, the stake was increased by 66% in the fourth quarter. However, the fund also added other stocks involved with BTC acquisition to its portfolio.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Michael Saylor&#8216;s Strategy Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>), formerly MicroStrategy, and MARA Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>) were the new entrants in Fitzgerald&#8217;s portfolio. While the fund added a staggering 3,580,131 shares of MSTR worth $1.036 billion in the fourth quarter, about 170,362 of MARA were added.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Similarly, Fitzgerald was already exposed to BTC through one of its ETF holdings, iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBIT#NASDAQ">IBIT</a>). It purchased an additional 1,127,368 shares or 221% of IBIT in the fourth quarter.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Other Bitcoin-related ETFs that the fund added to its portfolio included Grayscale Bitcoin Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GBTC#NYSE">GBTC</a>), Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FBTC#BATS">FBTC</a>), and Bitwise Bitcoin ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BITB#NYSE">BITB</a>).</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Apart from BTC, the company also increased its existing position in iShares Ethereum Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ETHA#NASDAQ">ETHA</a>) by 35,750 shares or 140% to a value of $1.550 million.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Along with the cryptocurrency exposure, Cantor Fitzgerald was seen increasing stakes in China-based technology companies as it boosted its stake in Alibaba Group Holding Ltd ADR (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) by 2504%, valued at $5.012 million, as of the fourth quarter.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Fitzgerald further hiked its holdings in Baidu Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>) and JD.Com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JD#NASDAQ">JD</a>) by 333% and 98%, respectively.</li>
</ul>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Company</td>
<td>Holdings (as of Sept. 30)</td>
<td>Holdings (as of Dec. 31)</td>
<td>Change (in %)</td>
<td>Value As Of Dec. 31</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Strategy Inc. </td>
<td>0</td>
<td>3,580,131</td>
<td>0%</td>
<td>$1.036 billion</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MARA Holdings Inc. </td>
<td>0</td>
<td>170,362</td>
<td>0%</td>
<td>$2.856 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Coinbase Global Inc. </td>
<td>2,401</td>
<td>3,988</td>
<td>66%</td>
<td>$990,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF </td>
<td>509,386</td>
<td>1,636,754</td>
<td>221%</td>
<td>$86.829 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>iShares Ethereum Trust ETF </td>
<td>25,555</td>
<td>61,305</td>
<td>140%</td>
<td>$1.550 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Grayscale Bitcoin Trust</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>7,150</td>
<td>0%</td>
<td>$529,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund </td>
<td>0</td>
<td>4,987</td>
<td>0%</td>
<td>$406,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bitwise Bitcoin ETF</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>4,336</td>
<td>0%</td>
<td>$220,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alibaba Group Holding Ltd ADR </td>
<td>2,270</td>
<td>59,119</td>
<td>2504%</td>
<td>$5.012 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Baidu Inc. </td>
<td>92,330</td>
<td>399,975</td>
<td>333%</td>
<td>$33.721 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>JD.Com Inc. </td>
<td>36,740</td>
<td>72,745</td>
<td>98%</td>
<td>$2.522 million</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Source: <a href="https://13f.info/13f/000092963825000760/compare/000092963824003880">13F.info</a></figcaption></figure>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/25/02/43806017/alibabas-q4-shakeup-many-asian-funds-exit-while-us-based-funds-like-ubs-oconnor-marathon-assetmark-cantor-fitzgerald-double-down">Alibaba Sees Asian Funds Exiting In Q4 Even As Their US Peers UBS O&#8217;Connor, Marathon, AssetMark, And Cantor Fitzgerald Double Down</a>
Why It Matters: According to its 13F filings with the SEC, the fund had 275 holdings valued at $5.020 billion as of the fourth quarter.
The Senate confirmed Howard Lutnick as Trump&#8217;s commerce secretary on Tuesday with a 51-45 vote, which fell along party lines. Lutnick had previously served as an adviser during Trump&#8217;s transition to his second term in the White House.
As Lutnick is part of the Trump 2.0 cabinet it is unclear if he will continue to serve as the CEO of the fund. Meanwhile, the fund has many co-CEOs including Pascal Bandelier, Sage Kelly, and Christian Wall.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43805475/big-bets-on-ai-powered-precision-medicine-major-funds-from-ark-and-jpmorgan-to-blackrock-and-citadel-add-tempus-ai-to-their-portfolio">Tempus AI Sees Surge In Institutional Holdings In Q4: Cathie Wood&#8217;s Ark Invest, JPMorgan, And BlackRock Load Up On TEM Stock</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Cantor Fitzgerald

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

Cryptocurrency

Market Summary

Hedge Funds

ETFs

$BTC

Bitwise Bitcoin ETF Common Shares of Beneficial Interest

BITB

COIN

ETHA

Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund Fidelity Wise Origin Bitcoin Fund

FBTC

GBTC

IBIT

MARA

MSTR

US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick's Cantor Fitzgerald Increases Bitcoin Exposure Via ETFs, MSTR, MARA; Adds Chinese Firms Like BABA, Baidu, JD In Q4

<h4>Key Takeaways:</h4>
<ul>
<li>JD.com has signaled it&rsquo;s preparing to enter China&rsquo;s massive takeout dining market, most likely using its Dada Nexus local delivery service as a foundation</li>
<li>The initiative is likely to do well over the longer term by targeting large chains and using existing infrastructure, but could weigh on JD.com&rsquo;s profits over the shorter term</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;&nbsp;
By Doug Young
China&rsquo;s duopoly Ele.me and Meituan (3690.HK) looks set to get a major new competitor, as e-commerce giant&nbsp;JD.com&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/jd#NASDAQ">JD</a>) looks for a place at the country&rsquo;s massive but highly competitive takeout dining table.
<a href="https://insideretail.asia/2025/02/12/jd-starts-recruiting-restaurants-for-food-delivery-foray/?utm_source=brevo&amp;utm_campaign=IRASIA-NB-2024-02-12&amp;utm_medium=email">Reports</a>&nbsp;of the move abounded in Chinese media earlier this week, after JD.com posted an ad looking for &ldquo;high quality dine-in restaurants&rdquo; to join its program. Equally eye-catching were the terms JD.com was serving up, including zero commissions for restaurants that join before May 1. That should be a huge incentive for new restaurants, since&nbsp;Ele.me&nbsp;and&nbsp;Meituan&nbsp;currently typically charge anywhere from 5% to as much as 25% of the price of each order for restaurants that participate in their services.
Another interesting twist to this story comes from JD.com&rsquo;s recent launch of a&nbsp;<a href="https://thebambooworks.com/news-wrap-jd-com-completes-dada-nexus-takeover-with-privatization-bid/">plan to privatize</a>&nbsp;its&nbsp;Dada Nexus&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/dada#NASDAQ">DADA</a>) subsidiary, which operates a local delivery business working with partners like grocery and drugstore chains. That network would immediately give JD.com the basic delivery infrastructure it needs to operate such a takeout dining service.
If the privatization succeeds, which seems almost guaranteed, since JD.com currently controls 63% of Dada Nexus, it&rsquo;s quite possible JD.com could re-list Dada in Hong Kong to raise fresh funds to finance this new takeout delivery initiative. Like many offshore-listed Chinese companies, JD.com is showing a growing preference for Hong Kong, rather than the U.S., for listings of its various units as a hedge against growing U.S.-China tensions.
The company made its own second listing in Hong Kong in 2020, complementing its original U.S. listing dating back to 2014. It also listed both its JD Logistics (2618.HK) and JD Health units (6618.HK) in Hong Kong in 2021.
China&rsquo;s takeout dining business has become all the rage over the last decade, made possible by the country&rsquo;s huge number of restaurants and technology that makes centralizing delivery orders quite fast and easy. Ele.me was the first major player to enter the business and was followed by Meituan and&nbsp;Baidu&nbsp;(NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/bidu#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>). Ele.me already counted e-commerce giant&nbsp;Alibaba&nbsp;(NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/baba#NYSE">BABA</a>) as a major investor when it bought Baidu&rsquo;s service in 2017, and Alibaba fully purchased Ele.me a year later.
That brings us to the present, where Meituan and Ele.me currently dominate the market that was worth an estimated $51.5 billion in 2023, according to one&nbsp;<a href="https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202203/1253882.shtml">online report</a>. Ele.me said it had 750 million users in 2023, and partnerships with 4 million restaurants, according to the report. Meituan, meanwhile, had 670 million users and worked with 6.9 million restaurants.
Alibaba&rsquo;s latest quarterly report shows that revenue from its local services group, which includes Ele.me, rose 14% year-on-year to 17.7 billion yuan ($2.43 billion) in the three months to last September. The group reported a loss of 391 million yuan on an earnings before interest, taxes and amortization (EBITA) basis, though that was a big improvement over its 2.56 billion yuan EBITA loss a year earlier. &nbsp;
Meantime, Meituan reported its revenue from delivery services, which includes takeout dining, grew by a similar 13% in last year&rsquo;s second quarter to 23 billion yuan from 20.4 billion yuan a year earlier. Here, however, we should also note the second quarter growth rate represented a sharp slowdown from the 24.6% growth the company logged in the first quarter.
<h4>Dada infrastructure</h4>
Next, we&rsquo;ll look at how JD.com is likely to roll out and expand its takeout dining business as it vies for a piece of the pie. Analysts pointed out that JD.com&rsquo;s call for &ldquo;high quality dine-in restaurants&rdquo; shows it may want to focus on the higher-end of the business and leave the many smaller eateries that compete mostly on price for Ele.me and Meituan.
Such an approach seems smart, at least to start, as the big national chains and higher-end restaurants have better quality control and management in general, which should make them better partners for JD.com. One report notes that JD.com is already working directly with several big national chains, including locally owned Champion Pizza and Yuanji Dumpling, as well as the China operation for Burger King.
A look at Dada Nexus&rsquo; two main apps, Dada Now and JD Now, shows that the former will be the likely home for the new takeout dining service. The other major service, JD Now, currently offers mostly grocery delivery services working with big chains like Walmart, Sam&rsquo;s Club, Aldi and Lianhua. Dada Now&rsquo;s offerings are more diverse, and the service already offers a takeout dining channel with participation from major chains including McDonald&rsquo;s and Shake Shack, as well as coffee and tea chains Starbucks, Nayuki and HeyTea.
Among the two major Dada Nexus apps, Dada Now has been growing strongly lately, while JD Now has been moving in the opposite direction. Whereas JD Now used to be the company&rsquo;s dominant revenue source, Dada Now has taken over that role in the last year and now accounts for about 60% of the company&rsquo;s revenue. The existence of these two separate services is the result of merger that formed Dada Nexus in 2014, and it&rsquo;s quite possible that JD.com might just merge the pair into a single service following the privatization.
Investors weren&rsquo;t particularly impressed by news of JD.com&rsquo;s intent to challenge Ele.me and Dianping, perhaps worried by the big losses the company will incur from the move initially. JD.com&rsquo;s U.S.-listed shares fell 6.1% over the three trading days after the reports, though they&rsquo;re still up 52% over the last six months, much of that from a major rally since mid-September.
Even after that rally, JD.com&rsquo;s stock currently trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of just 13. That&rsquo;s well behind the 25 for Alibaba, and the even bigger 45 for Meituan, though it&rsquo;s about the same as the 12 for PDD (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/pdd#NASDAQ">PDD</a>), which has come under pressure lately due to scrutiny of its popular low-cost Temu international e-commerce site.
At the end of the day, JD.com&rsquo;s takeout dining move looks like a smart, targeted foray that has good chances of success over the longer term by focusing on big chains and using the company&rsquo;s existing infrastructure. But the new initiative will also be a money pit over the next few years, which could become a significant damper on JD.com&rsquo;s profits.
This article is from an unpaid external contributor. It does not represent Benzinga's reporting and has not been edited for content or accuracy.

Penny Stocks

Small Cap

DADA

JD.com Seeks Place At China's Massive Takeout Dining Table

Late investor Jim Simons&#8216; fund Renaissance Technologies LLC made some significant changes within its artificial intelligence bets during the fourth quarter of 2024. The 13F SEC filings reveal that Renaissance increased its stake in a few Asia-based AI companies during the quarter.
What Happened: Mathematician <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38431687/jim-simons-a-math-professor-became-one-of-the-most-successful-investors-of-all-time-now-he-shares-hi">Simons</a> who died in May 2024 achieved remarkable success in finance by founding the quantitative hedge fund Renaissance Technologies. The key changes in its fourth-quarter holdings are as follows.
<ul>
<li>Renaissance cut its stake in Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>) by 41% but its position in value terms increased by $294.4 million or 21% during the said quarter.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The fund sold all 304,140 shares of Super Micro Computer Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMCI#NASDAQ">SMCI</a>), exiting the company as the company underwent a 10-for-1 stock split in mid-quarter, which lowered the price per share but increased the number of shares. The fund repurchased about $1.637 million of the new class of shares valued at $49.898 million.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>The company increased its stake in Asian AI plays like Alibaba Group Holding ADR (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) by 209%, Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg. Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>) by 92% and JD.Com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JD#NASDAQ">JD</a>) by a staggering 1331%.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Furthermore, Renaissance added 1303% of Nike Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NKE#NYSE">NKE</a>) and 32% of Robinhood Markets Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HOOD#NASDAQ">HOOD</a>) during the fourth quarter.</li>
</ul>
<figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Company</td>
<td>Holdings (as of Sept. 30)</td>
<td>Holdings (as of Dec. 31)</td>
<td>Change (in %)</td>
<td>Value As Of Dec. 31</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Palantir Technologies Inc. </td>
<td>38,419,240</td>
<td>22,789,809</td>
<td>-41%</td>
<td>$1.723 billion</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alphabet Inc. Class C </td>
<td>815,000</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>-100%</td>
<td>0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alphabet Inc. Class A </td>
<td>743,614</td>
<td>3,050</td>
<td>-99.6%</td>
<td>$592,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Super Micro Computer Inc. </td>
<td>304,140</td>
<td>0</td>
<td>-100%</td>
<td>0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Alibaba Group Holding &#8211; ADR </td>
<td>971,000</td>
<td>2,995,640</td>
<td>209%</td>
<td>$254 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg. Co.</td>
<td>848,420</td>
<td>1,629,242</td>
<td>92%</td>
<td>$321.759 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>JD.Com Inc.</td>
<td>79,900</td>
<td>1,143,700</td>
<td>1331%</td>
<td>$39.652 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Robinhood Markets Inc. </td>
<td>8,986,602</td>
<td>12,078,116</td>
<td>34%</td>
<td>$450.030 million</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Nike Inc. </td>
<td>185,500</td>
<td>2,602,101</td>
<td>1303%</td>
<td>$196.900 million</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43774882/donald-trumps-tax-cut-could-add-46-trillion-to-deficit-says-robert-reich-emphasizing-48-billion-relief-for-top-100-us-firms-via-corporate-tax-cuts">Trump&#8217;s Tax Cut Could Add $4.6 Trillion To Deficit, With $48 Billion Tax Relief For Top 100 Firms: Robert Reich</a>
Why It Matters: As of its fourth quarter filings, the hedge fund had 3,533 holdings with a total value of $67.553 billion as per its 13F filings. 
Simons in an old conversation had revealed the key to Renaissance Technologies&#8217; <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38431687/jim-simons-a-math-professor-became-one-of-the-most-successful-investors-of-all-time-now-he-shares-hi">staggering returns</a>.
&#8220;My algorithm has always been you get smart people together. You give them a lot of freedom,&#8221; Simons explained in a <a href="https://alphaarchitect.com/2015/06/james-simons-transcript-quantitative-finance-and-building-a-firm/">transcript</a> of his old interview. 
His words offer a glimpse into the inner workings of the famously secretive and astoundingly successful Medallion Fund. Managed exclusively for Renaissance employees, the fund has achieved near-mythical status in the finance world due to its unprecedented performance. This exclusivity, coupled with its consistent outperformance, has fueled both intrigue and admiration from investors worldwide.
Simons&#8217; final ingredient for building a multi-billion dollar empire is to ensure everyone has a vested interest. &#8220;Make everyone partners,&#8221; he advised. In short, Simons&#8217; Renaissance Technologies model rests on four pillars: brilliant minds, a collaborative environment, cutting-edge infrastructure, and shared ownership.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43774256/gop-megadonor-ken-griffins-citadel-earns-77-return-from-palantir-despite-slashing-13-in-q4-adds-4-mag-7-while-cutting-stake-in-3">GOP Megadonor Ken Griffin&#8217;s Citadel Scores 77% Return On Palantir Despite Trimming Stake, Doubles Down On These 4 &#8216;Mag 7&#8217; Stocks</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

GOOGL

HOOD

PLTR

SMCI

Jim Simons' Renaissance Technologies Makes AI Moves: Sells Big Tech, Buys Chinese Stocks, Robinhood In Q4

Chinese technology stocks extended gains Tuesday, as investors continued to react to President Xi Jinping&#8216;s supportive stance toward the private sector demonstrated at Monday&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/25/02/43761193/xi-jinping-and-jack-mas-upcoming-meeting-a-clear-message-of-beijings-support-stock-soars-in-hong-kong-ahead-of-earnings">high-level business symposium</a>.
What Happened: By 11:59 a.m. Hong Kong time, the Hang Seng Index had surged 2.5% to 23,080, and mainland China&#8217;s CSI 300 Index had advanced 0.40% to 3,963. Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABAF#OTC">BABAF</a>) surged 4.34% to HKD 127.50 ($16.39), while Xiaomi Corp. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XIACY#OTC">XIACY</a>) climbed 5.87% to HKD 47.80 ($6.14).
Tencent Holdings Ltd. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TCEHY#OTC">TCEHY</a>) rose 3.42% to HKD 510.50 ($65.62), as JD.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JD#NASDAQ">JD</a>) added 0.95% to HKD 158.60 ($158.60) and Baidu Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>) gained 1.06% to HKD 90.80 ($11.67).
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/02/43771666/bitcoin-dogecoin-weak-ethereum-rebounds-amid-muted-investor-sentiment-eth-moving-to-cold-wallets-at-shocking-pace-a-positive-for-price-action-in-the-long-term">Bitcoin, Dogecoin Weak, Ethereum Rebounds Amid Muted Investor Sentiment: ETH Moving To Cold Wallets At &#8216;Shocking Pace&#8217; A Positive For Price Action In The Long-Term</a>
Why It Matters: The market enthusiasm follows Xi&#8217;s Monday meeting with prominent business leaders, including Alibaba founder Jack Ma&#8216;s first major public appearance with top leadership since Beijing&#8217;s 2020 tech crackdown. 
The gathering, which included executives from Xiaomi, Huawei, and BYD Co. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BYDDF#OTC">BYDDF</a>), comes amid escalating U.S.-China tensions, with recent retaliatory tariffs and export controls on critical minerals <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/25/02/43761193/xi-jinping-and-jack-mas-upcoming-meeting-a-clear-message-of-beijings-support-stock-soars-in-hong-kong-ahead-of-earnings">affecting both nations</a>.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/25/02/43771526/after-google-stands-firm-on-gulf-of-america-label-mexico-says-its-waiting-for-a-new-response-or-will-proceed-to-court">After Google Stands Firm On &#8216;Gulf of America&#8217; Label, Mexico Says It&#8217;s Waiting For A New Response Or &#8216;Will Proceed To Court&#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.

BYDDF

Xi Jinping's Supportive Appearance Sparks Chinese Tech Rally For Second Day: Alibaba, Xiaomi Surge Over 4% On Hong Kong Exchange

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Below are some instances of options activity happening in the Consumer Discretionary sector: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>TSLA</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$350.00</td>
<td>$71.8K</td>
<td>17.2K</td>
<td>24.3K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SBUX</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/18/26</td>
<td>$80.00</td>
<td>$37.6K</td>
<td>23.5K</td>
<td>23.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BABA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$110.00</td>
<td>$918.2K</td>
<td>19.1K</td>
<td>2.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SERV</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$13.00</td>
<td>$117.0K</td>
<td>173</td>
<td>832</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>RIVN</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$12.50</td>
<td>$84.8K</td>
<td>53.7K</td>
<td>599</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CVNA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$300.00</td>
<td>$49.4K</td>
<td>2.0K</td>
<td>593</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AMZN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$200.00</td>
<td>$28.6K</td>
<td>7.0K</td>
<td>333</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>UDMY</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$7.50</td>
<td>$28.7K</td>
<td>501</td>
<td>281</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PTON</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>07/18/25</td>
<td>$10.00</td>
<td>$35.8K</td>
<td>7.8K</td>
<td>277</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>JD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$38.00</td>
<td>$40.0K</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
<td>85</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These bullet-by-bullet explanations have been constructed using the accompanying table. 
• For TSLA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 7 day(s) on February 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 72 contract(s) at a $350.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 5 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $71.8K, with a price of $1000.0 per contract. There were 17291 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 24349 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For SBUX (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SBUX#NASDAQ">SBUX</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 489 day(s) on June 18, 2026. This event was a transfer of 10 contract(s) at a $80.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $37.6K, with a price of $3760.0 per contract. There were 23533 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 23984 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding BABA (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 62 day(s) on April 17, 2025. Parties traded 500 contract(s) at a $110.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 19 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $918.2K, with a price of $1840.0 per contract. There were 19184 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2535 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding SERV (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SERV#NASDAQ">SERV</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 126 day(s) on June 20, 2025. Parties traded 300 contract(s) at a $13.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $117.0K, with a price of $390.0 per contract. There were 173 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 832 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For RIVN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIVN#NASDAQ">RIVN</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 336 day(s) on January 16, 2026. This event was a transfer of 329 contract(s) at a $12.50 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $84.8K, with a price of $258.0 per contract. There were 53778 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 599 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For CVNA (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVNA#NYSE">CVNA</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 7 day(s) on February 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 40 contract(s) at a $300.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $49.4K, with a price of $1235.0 per contract. There were 2015 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 593 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding AMZN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), we observe a call option trade with neutral sentiment. It expires in 7 day(s) on February 21, 2025. Parties traded 10 contract(s) at a $200.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.6K, with a price of $2860.0 per contract. There were 7063 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 333 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For UDMY (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UDMY#NASDAQ">UDMY</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bearish, expiring in 7 day(s) on February 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 99 contract(s) at a $7.50 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $28.7K, with a price of $290.0 per contract. There were 501 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 281 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding PTON (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PTON#NASDAQ">PTON</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bearish sentiment. It expires in 154 day(s) on July 18, 2025. Parties traded 200 contract(s) at a $10.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 21 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $35.8K, with a price of $180.0 per contract. There were 7833 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 277 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For JD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JD#NASDAQ">JD</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 35 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 80 contract(s) at a $38.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 8 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $40.0K, with a price of $505.0 per contract. There were 1238 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 85 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more about unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

AMZN

CVNA

PTON

RIVN

SBUX

SERV

UDMY

10 Consumer Discretionary Stocks With Whale Alerts In Today's Session

BILI

Shares of Chinese stocks are trading higher. The sector has been volatile in recent weeks amid optimism toward's China's DeepSeek AI model, which has lifted Chinese tech stocks. Additionally, it was reported President Xi Jinping will meet with key tech entrepreneurs on Monday.

U.S.-listed Chinese stocks continue to gain steam after the country introduced DeepSeek and Alibaba Group Holding&#8217;s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) affordable AI models.
Alibaba Chair Joseph Tsai <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-13/apple-s-iphone-will-use-alibaba-ai-in-china-joe-tsai-says?sref=TBDibEcD" rel="noreferrer noopener">confirmed to</a> Bloomberg that Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) iPhones will use&nbsp;Alibaba&#8217;s AI technology. Reportedly, Apple submitted AI features that were co-developed with Alibaba for China&#8217;s approval.
Also Read: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/emerging-markets/25/02/43691826/not-just-deepseek-chinas-ai-landscape-heats-up-as-baidu-launches-free-ernie-bot" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Not Just DeepSeek, China&#8217;s AI Landscape Heats Up As Baidu Launches Free Ernie Bot</a>
Apple&#8217;s move marks its focus on boosting <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43631776/apple-teams-up-with-alibaba-for-ai-innovation-in-china-submits-ai-features-for-regulatory-approval" rel="noreferrer noopener">its position</a> in China, as the lack of Apple Intelligence capability in current iPhones in the country and government-incentivized local vendors have cost it its market share.
China also mandated that international companies collaborate with domestic companies as a primary partner, which prompted Apple to partner with&nbsp;Baidu Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>).
Apple continued its&nbsp;partnership with Baidu on AI features for the Chinese market, the Information <a target="_blank" href="https://technode.com/2025/02/14/apple-to-continue-partnership-with-baidu-collaborate-with-alibaba-on-ai-for-iphone/" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>.
Baidu is developing AI-based search features for Apple to enhance image and text processing and improve the Chinese-language Siri experience. Apple had initially considered&nbsp;Baidu to be its leading AI model partner, but it did not materialize.
Apple&nbsp;has also explored&nbsp;Tencent Holding (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TCEHY#OTC">TCEHY</a>),&nbsp;ByteDance, and&nbsp;DeepSeek&#8217;s&nbsp;AI models.&nbsp;
By 2028, Counterpoint expects most smartphones priced above $250 to be Generative AI-capable.
Apple&#8217;s China revenues have fallen for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/price-target/25/02/43668203/apple-teams-up-with-alibaba-for-ai-analyst-says-edge-device-integration-could-boost-growth" rel="noreferrer noopener">six consecutive quarters</a> as competitors Huawei and Xiaomi (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XIACF#OTC">XIACF</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XIACY#OTC">XIACY</a>) have gained a market share. BofA Securities&#8217; Wamsi Mohan expects Apple to regain its lost ground in China by launching Apple Intelligence.
China is Apple&#8217;s second-most important market after the U.S., and it is the biggest market for smartphones, computing, and artificial intelligence.
Apple is amid efforts to bring its AI features to China by the middle of 2025, Bloomberg <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-14/apple-plans-to-overhaul-china-iphones-with-ai-by-middle-of-year?srnd=homepage-asia&amp;sref=TBDibEcD" rel="noreferrer noopener">reported</a>, citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.
The iPhone maker has teams in China and the U.S. working to acclimate its Apple Intelligence platform for the country, aiming for a launch by May.
Alibaba Group stock surged 63% in the last 12 months. Investors can gain exposure to Alibaba through Invesco Golden Dragon China ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PGJ#NASDAQ">PGJ</a>) and ProShares Online Retail ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ONLN#NYSE">ONLN</a>).
Price Action:&nbsp;BABA stock is up 6.16% at $126.90 premarket at the last check Friday. BIDU is up 3.15%.
Also Read:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/emerging-markets/25/02/43619521/deepseek-impact-billionaire-david-tepper-bets-big-on-china-increases-stakes-in-alibaba-jd-com-and-pdd" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">DeepSeek Impact? Billionaire David Tepper Bets Big on China, Increases Stakes in Alibaba, JD.com, And PDD</a></li>
</ul>
Photo via Shutterstock

AAPL

ONLN

PowerShares Golden Dragon Halter USX China Portfolio

XIACF

Apple Focuses On Alibaba, Baidu Partnership In Race To Bring AI Features To China by Mid-2025

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Here's the list of options activity happening in today's session: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>TSLA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>02/14/25</td>
<td>$350.00</td>
<td>$58.5K</td>
<td>19.8K</td>
<td>107.4K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BABA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$140.00</td>
<td>$42.6K</td>
<td>30.5K</td>
<td>20.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DKNG</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$42.00</td>
<td>$62.0K</td>
<td>2.2K</td>
<td>2.5K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>SBUX</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$125.00</td>
<td>$1.1 million</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
<td>2.1K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>CZR</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/28/25</td>
<td>$37.00</td>
<td>$51.6K</td>
<td>54</td>
<td>1.2K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>WYNN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$90.00</td>
<td>$36.2K</td>
<td>2.0K</td>
<td>849</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AMZN</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$225.00</td>
<td>$26.9K</td>
<td>32.5K</td>
<td>631</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>JD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$40.00</td>
<td>$40.8K</td>
<td>22.7K</td>
<td>630</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PDD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>12/19/25</td>
<td>$125.00</td>
<td>$225.7K</td>
<td>2.3K</td>
<td>620</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>PTON</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>04/17/25</td>
<td>$8.00</td>
<td>$54.8K</td>
<td>3.7K</td>
<td>510</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These itemized elaborations have been created using the accompanying table. 
• For TSLA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 1 day(s) on February 14, 2025. This event was a transfer of 119 contract(s) at a $350.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 9 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $58.5K, with a price of $494.0 per contract. There were 19885 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 107492 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding BABA (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 36 day(s) on March 21, 2025. Parties traded 160 contract(s) at a $140.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 13 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $42.6K, with a price of $267.0 per contract. There were 30563 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 20036 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For DKNG (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DKNG#NASDAQ">DKNG</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 8 day(s) on February 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 1000 contract(s) at a $42.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 16 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $62.0K, with a price of $62.0 per contract. There were 2214 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2505 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding SBUX (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SBUX#NASDAQ">SBUX</a>), we observe a call option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 337 day(s) on January 16, 2026. Parties traded 1500 contract(s) at a $125.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $1.1 million, with a price of $745.0 per contract. There were 1085 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 2119 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For CZR (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CZR#NASDAQ">CZR</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 15 day(s) on February 28, 2025. This event was a transfer of 400 contract(s) at a $37.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $51.6K, with a price of $129.0 per contract. There were 54 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1202 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding WYNN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WYNN#NASDAQ">WYNN</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 127 day(s) on June 20, 2025. Parties traded 85 contract(s) at a $90.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 16 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $36.2K, with a price of $427.0 per contract. There were 2068 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 849 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For AMZN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), we notice a call option trade that happens to be bullish, expiring in 8 day(s) on February 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 50 contract(s) at a $225.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $26.9K, with a price of $538.0 per contract. There were 32510 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 631 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For JD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JD#NASDAQ">JD</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 36 day(s) on March 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 150 contract(s) at a $40.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $40.8K, with a price of $272.0 per contract. There were 22789 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 630 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding PDD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PDD#NASDAQ">PDD</a>), we observe a call option trade with neutral sentiment. It expires in 309 day(s) on December 19, 2025. Parties traded 100 contract(s) at a $125.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $225.7K, with a price of $2257.0 per contract. There were 2385 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 620 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For PTON (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PTON#NASDAQ">PTON</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 63 day(s) on April 17, 2025. This event was a transfer of 265 contract(s) at a $8.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 24 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $54.8K, with a price of $207.0 per contract. There were 3748 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 510 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more news on unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

DKNG

WYNN

This whale alert can help traders discover the next big trading opportunities.
Whales are entities with large sums of money and we track their transactions here at Benzinga on our options activity scanner.
Traders often look for circumstances when the market estimation of an option diverges away from its normal worth. Abnormal amounts of trading activity could push option prices to hyperbolic or underperforming levels. 
Here's the list of options activity happening in today's session: 
<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>TSLA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>02/14/25</td>
<td>$340.00</td>
<td>$52.6K</td>
<td>11.4K</td>
<td>79.8K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BABA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/14/25</td>
<td>$120.00</td>
<td>$116.2K</td>
<td>9.2K</td>
<td>18.9K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DASH</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$200.00</td>
<td>$74.1K</td>
<td>4.9K</td>
<td>1.7K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>AMZN</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>09/19/25</td>
<td>$210.00</td>
<td>$30.1K</td>
<td>2.3K</td>
<td>773</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ABNB</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>02/21/25</td>
<td>$137.00</td>
<td>$25.9K</td>
<td>251</td>
<td>436</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>HELE</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$45.00</td>
<td>$46.2K</td>
<td>172</td>
<td>89</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LULU</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>03/21/25</td>
<td>$390.00</td>
<td>$75.2K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
<td>87</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>JD</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>08/15/25</td>
<td>$30.00</td>
<td>$33.0K</td>
<td>21</td>
<td>31</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>DECK</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$155.00</td>
<td>$54.0K</td>
<td>29</td>
<td>22</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>LRN</td>
<td>PUT</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$150.00</td>
<td>$31.3K</td>
<td>18</td>
<td>16</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h2>Explanation</h2>
These itemized elaborations have been created using the accompanying table. 
• For TSLA (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be neutral, expiring in 2 day(s) on February 14, 2025. This event was a transfer of 64 contract(s) at a $340.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 3 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $52.6K, with a price of $824.0 per contract. There were 11434 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 79812 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For BABA (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>), we notice a call option sweep that happens to be bullish, expiring in 2 day(s) on February 14, 2025. This event was a transfer of 510 contract(s) at a $120.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 7 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $116.2K, with a price of $229.0 per contract. There were 9293 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 18959 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding DASH (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DASH#NASDAQ">DASH</a>), we observe a call option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 9 day(s) on February 21, 2025. Parties traded 190 contract(s) at a $200.00 strike. This particular call needed to be split into 4 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $74.1K, with a price of $390.0 per contract. There were 4974 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 1779 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding AMZN (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 219 day(s) on September 19, 2025. Parties traded 30 contract(s) at a $210.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 18 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $30.1K, with a price of $1005.0 per contract. There were 2307 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 773 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For ABNB (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ABNB#NASDAQ">ABNB</a>), we notice a put option sweep that happens to be bearish, expiring in 9 day(s) on February 21, 2025. This event was a transfer of 48 contract(s) at a $137.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 14 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $25.9K, with a price of $540.0 per contract. There were 251 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 436 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding HELE (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HELE#NASDAQ">HELE</a>), we observe a put option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 338 day(s) on January 16, 2026. Parties traded 89 contract(s) at a $45.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $46.2K, with a price of $520.0 per contract. There were 172 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 89 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding LULU (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LULU#NASDAQ">LULU</a>), we observe a put option sweep with bullish sentiment. It expires in 37 day(s) on March 21, 2025. Parties traded 53 contract(s) at a $390.00 strike. This particular put needed to be split into 19 different trades to become filled. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $75.2K, with a price of $1420.0 per contract. There were 1072 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 87 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding JD (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JD#NASDAQ">JD</a>), we observe a call option trade with bearish sentiment. It expires in 184 day(s) on August 15, 2025. Parties traded 30 contract(s) at a $30.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $33.0K, with a price of $1100.0 per contract. There were 21 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 31 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• Regarding DECK (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DECK#NYSE">DECK</a>), we observe a call option trade with bullish sentiment. It expires in 338 day(s) on January 16, 2026. Parties traded 20 contract(s) at a $155.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $54.0K, with a price of $2700.0 per contract. There were 29 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 22 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
• For LRN (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LRN#NYSE">LRN</a>), we notice a put option trade that happens to be neutral, expiring in 128 day(s) on June 20, 2025. This event was a transfer of 16 contract(s) at a $150.00 strike. The total cost received by the writing party (or parties) was $31.3K, with a price of $1960.0 per contract. There were 18 open contracts at this strike prior to today, and today 16 contract(s) were bought and sold. 
Options Alert Terminology 
 - Call Contracts: The right to buy shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Put Contracts: The right to sell shares as indicated in the contract. 
 - Expiration Date: When the contract expires. One must act on the contract by this date if one wants to use it. 
 - Premium/Option Price: The price of the contract. 
For more information, visit our <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/blog/how-to-understand-option-alerts/">Guide to Understanding Options Alerts</a> or read <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/options">more about unusual options activity</a>. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

ABNB

DASH

DECK

HELE

LULU

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/chinese-stocks" rel="noreferrer noopener">U.S.-listed Chinese stocks</a>&nbsp;Alibaba Group Holding (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NASDAQ">BABA</a>),&nbsp;Baidu, Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BIDU#NASDAQ">BIDU</a>),&nbsp;JD.com, Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:&nbsp;JD),&nbsp;PDD Holdings Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:&nbsp;PDD),&nbsp;NIO Inc&nbsp;(NYSE:&nbsp;NIO),&nbsp;Li Auto Inc&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LI#NASDAQ">LI</a>), and&nbsp;XPeng Inc&nbsp;(NYSE:&nbsp;XPEV) gave up their gains Tuesday after the Trump administration decided to delay the suspension of duty-free entry for packages <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43577630/trump-administration-delays-suspension-of-duty-free-imports-from-china-under-de-minimis-rule" rel="noreferrer noopener">valued under $800</a>.
The delay will remain in place until the Commerce Department can establish systems to process and collect tariff revenues efficiently,&nbsp;according to a new executive&nbsp;action announced last Friday.
Also Read: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43493607/chinese-stocks-sink-as-trump-eyes-more-tariffs-and-tougher-trade-restrictions" rel="noreferrer noopener">Chinese Stocks Slide As Trump Eyes More Tariffs And Tougher Trade Restrictions</a>
This decision affects Chinese e-commerce platforms like Shein, Temu, and Aliexpress, as well as U.S. retailers such as&nbsp;Amazon.com Inc.,&nbsp;eBay Inc., and&nbsp;Etsy Inc., which ship goods from China.
The de minimis provision was part of a broader announcement by&nbsp;Donald Trump regarding 10% tariffs on Chinese goods, a move that could significantly impact global trade dynamics.
On the flip side, Appaloosa Management&#8217;s David Tepper increased his exposure to China-related stocks and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) last quarter.
Tepper increased his stake in companies, including JD.com, Alibaba Group Holding, and PDD Holdings, in the fourth quarter of 2024 after expressing his conviction in the country in September.
His move followed a rally in Chinese stocks as the government unveiled its stimulus measures to boost the economic slowdown perpetrated by the property sector meltdown.
The intensifying geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China also gained steam as the Western counterpart imposed artificial technology sanctions on the Asian counterpart, restricting its access to advanced semiconductor technology.
SCMP <a target="_blank" href="https://www.scmp.com/business/china-business/article/3298197/billionaire-investor-david-tepper-boosts-china-bet-37-his-firms-portfolio" rel="noreferrer noopener">cited</a> regulatory filings indicating that Appaloosa raised its exposure to JD.com by 43%, Alibaba by 18%, Baidu by 7%, KE Holdings by 18%, and PDD by 1%. Appaloosa also increased its stake in KraneShares Trust KraneShares CSI China Internet ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KWEB#NYSE">KWEB</a>) by 21.5% and iShares China Large-Cap ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FXI#NYSE">FXI</a>) by 14%.
China-linked stocks and ETFs accounted for about 37% of Tepper&#8217;s portfolio at the end of December as per SCMP.
Meanwhile, DeepSeek&#8217;s emergence as a low-cost AI model triggered a U.S. tech selloff, with Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) losing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/43390988/deepseek-and-nvidia-under-us-investigation-ai-market-shakeup-wipes-out-1-trillion-in-tech-value" rel="noreferrer noopener">$600 billion in</a> market value in a single day.
Last week, Deutsche Bank compared DeepSeek&#8217;s emergence to the Soviet Union&#8217;s launch of the world&#8217;s first artificial satellite in 1957, flagging the Chinese AI startup as a &#8220;Sputnik moment.&#8221;
Alex Stauffacher of Vontobel told the SCMP that he expects China&#8217;s strides in AI to lead to the market diversifying their portfolios beyond U.S.-centric stocks.
David Chao of Invesco told the SCMP how Chinese equities, especially technology companies, were priced at a discount to their American counterparts.
Meanwhile, Alibaba&#8217;s affordable Qwen AI models have gained traction, with its latest clients being Stanford, Berkeley, and SCMP <a target="_blank" href="https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3298073/alibabas-qwen-ai-models-enable-low-cost-deepseek-alternatives-stanford-berkeley" rel="noreferrer noopener">reports</a>. E-commerce juggernaut Alibaba is considered the tech barometer of China.
In January, AI researcher Steven Hoi Chu-hong joined Alibaba&#8217;s Intelligent Information Platform unit based in Singapore as vice president.
Hoi will lead research and development of multimodal foundation models, agent-related studies, and applied solutions for consumer-facing AI businesses, SCMP <a target="_blank" href="https://www.scmp.com/tech/big-tech/article/3297642/alibaba-bolsters-consumer-ai-team-expert-steven-hoi-amid-race-top-tech-talent" rel="noreferrer noopener">cited</a> Jiemian.
Alibaba&nbsp;has split its AI operations into two divisions, focusing on consumer applications and fundamental AI models and tools for enterprises and developers.
Also Read:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43592322/on-semiconductor-q4-earnings-q4-revenue-drops-15-weak-demand-in-auto-and-industrial-sectors-lower-utilization-hits-margins-ceo-warns-of-continued-challenges-in-2025" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ON Semiconductor: Q4 Revenue Drops 15%, Weak Demand In Auto, Industrial Sectors, Low Utilization Hits Margins, CEO Warns Of 2025 Challenges</a></li>
</ul>
Photo by Tatiana Popova and rawf8 via Shuttterstock

NVDA

DeepSeek Impact? Billionaire David Tepper Bets Big on China, Increases Stakes in Alibaba, JD.com, And PDD

Shares of Chinese stocks are trading higher amid trade volatility. Chinese e-commerce stocks rose after President Trump reportedly postponed tariffs on packages under $800 from China. Additionally, optimism towards China's DeepSeek AI model has also lifted stocks recently.

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">New On The Block</h2>
PharmChem, Inc. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PCHM#OTC">PCHM</a>), the go-to name for drug-detecting sweat patches, is officially exploring strategic alternatives (i.e., mergers, acquisitions, or an outright sale). So far, the board of directors expressed confidence that it can handle things solo as opposed to hiring a banker. For interested suitors, a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mergers-and-acquisitions">data room officially opened</a>.
Other auction block items this week:
<ul>
<li>Ontario Teachers&#8217; Pension Plan tapped Lazard to run a sale process for compliance software firm Mitratech. Reuters estimates that the transaction could hover around $4 billion.</li>
<li>Recall how Paysafe (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PSFE#NYSE">PSFE</a>) went public <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/20/12/18678982/paysafe-goes-public-again-in-spac-deal-what-investors-should-know">via a SPAC in 2020</a>. Today, it&#8217;s for sale, according to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-06/paysafe-is-said-to-weigh-sale-after-getting-takeover-interest?srnd=phx-deals">Bloomberg</a>. The firm, backed by billionaire Bill Foley, is receiving takeover interest.</li>
<li>Switzerland-based Bank J. Safra Sarasin is weighing a takeover offer for Denmark&#8217;s Saxo Bank, per <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-03/safra-sarasin-is-said-to-explore-deal-for-denmark-s-saxo-bank?srnd=phx-deals">Bloomberg</a>.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Updates From The Block</h2>
<ul>
<li>Veritas Capital is circling Wall Street data provider Dun &amp; Bradstreet (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DNB#NYSE">DNB</a>), per <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-07/veritas-is-said-in-talks-to-acquire-data-firm-dun-bradstreet?srnd=phx-deals">Bloomberg</a>. Dun &amp; Bradstreet boasts a $4.9 billion market cap.</li>
<li>Bausch + Lomb (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BLCO#NYSE">BLCO</a>) considered &#8220;a full separation&#8221; from Bausch Health Companies Inc. After engaging with potential buyers, that process did not result in a deal. Full separation remains the goal, the company confirmed. Full-year 2024 earnings will be posted on Feb. 19.</li>
<li>KKR &amp; Co Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KKR#NYSE">KKR</a>) is adamant about buying Japanese tech group Fuji Soft. The private equity firm upped its offer to around $4.3 billion to outbid a rival firm, Bain Capital.</li>
<li>Bain has another deal in the works, should the Fuji Soft one not work out. The firm is close to buying the pharma unit of Mitsubishi Chemical Group (TYO:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TYO:4188#TYO">4188</a>). The price tag is expected to be north of $3.3 billion, according <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-06/bain-is-said-to-near-3-billion-deal-for-mitsubishi-pharma-unit?srnd=phx-deals">to</a> Bloomberg.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Off The Block</h2>
<ul>
<li>Meanwhile, Bain Capital <a href="https://www.plasticsnews.com/news/hillenbrand-sells-majority-stake-milacron-bain-capital-287m">agreed</a> to buy a 51% stake in Milacron, a provider of plastic processing equipment and services. Hillenbrand (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HI#NYSE">HI</a>) sold the stake for $287 million. </li>
<li>Riverwood Capital agreed to <a href="https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-riverwood-capital-buys-israeli-ai-pricing-co-quicklizard-1001501462">buy</a> Munich-based Quicklizard (TASE: QLRD), a pricing platform for retailers and brands, for roughly $52 million.</li>
<li>TPG <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43537313/why-altus-power-stock-is-gaining-today">agreed to buy</a> Altus Power (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMPS#NYSE">AMPS</a>), an owner of commercial-scale solar in the U.S., for around $2.2 billion.</li>
<li>Another solar-related deal: Turn/River Capital agreed to buy Austin, Texas-based SolarWinds (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SWI#NYSE">SWI</a>) for $4.4 billion — a 35% premium to the stock&#8217;s closing price on Thursday, Feb. 6.</li>
<li>Montreal-basedValsoft, a software firm backed by Coatue Management and Viking Global Investors, acquired VHL Sistemas, a Brazilian provider of cloud-based notary management software.</li>
<li>BCI, a Canadian asset management, agreed to buy Luxembourg-based investment BBGI Global Infrastructure (LSE: BBGIB). Reuters reported that the deal cost around 1 billion pounds ($1.24 billion).</li>
<li>EP Global Commerce, backed by billionaire Daniel Kretinsky, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-06/czech-billionaire-kretinsky-seeks-to-take-metro-private-again?srnd=phx-deals">purchased</a> Düsseldorf, Germany-based Metro at a 2 billion euro ($2.76 billion) valuation. </li>
<li>Databricks, valued at $62 billion, <a href="https://www.infoworld.com/article/3817328/databricks-acquires-bladebridge-to-aid-data-warehouse-migrations.html">acquired</a> BladeBridge and its talent to bolster enterprise data warehouse migrations.</li>
<li>JD.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JD#NASDAQ">JD</a>) reportedly revived its interest in buying Düsseldorf, Germany-based Ceconomy AG. The Chinese e-commerce giant last showed interest in the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/02/43496221/jd-coms-stock-dips-as-ceconomy-deal-heats-up-in-germany-is-the-e-commerce-king-eyeing-expansion">German retailer in 2023</a>.</li>
<li>Nissan Motor Co. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NSANY#OTC">NSANY</a>) CEO Makoto Uchida informed Honda Motor Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HMC#NYSE">HMC</a>) CEO Toshihiro Mibe of his intention to terminate discussions <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/25/02/43517930/nissan-ceo-seeks-to-end-honda-merger-talks-report">on a potential merger</a>.</li>
<li>Brookfield completed its $1.7 billion acquisition of Houston-based Chemelex, a provider of electric thermal and sensing solutions. Goldman Sachs advised nVent Electric (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVT#NYSE">NVT</a>) on the sell side.</li>
<li>Court Square Capital Partners and WindRose Health Investors completed a $1.1 billion buyout of Frisco, Texas-based infusion company Soleo Health. H.I.G. Capital.</li>
</ul>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Bankruptcy Block</h2>
Judge Christopher Lopez has rejected a deal that would have facilitated a second auction attempt for Alex Jones&#8216; media company, Infowars. This ruling, as reported by <a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/02/05/g-s1-46738/infowars-alex-jones-onion-bankruptcy-judge-sandy-hook">NPR</a>, provides another temporary reprieve for Jones, but delays the Sandy Hook families' efforts to collect the $1.3 billion in defamation damages awarded nearly seven years ago.
Lopez explained he couldn&#8217;t approve the deal because Infowars&#8217; parent company, Free Speech Systems (FSS), is no longer in bankruptcy. That means, he rules, its assets cannot be sold—only Jones&#8217; ownership stake in the company can be auctioned. And yet, the judge also blocked <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/media/24/11/41982446/jokes-on-jones-onion-backed-by-families-of-sandy-hook-victims-buys-info-wars">a previous offer</a> from satirical website The Onion, which had partnered with the Connecticut families to bid on Infowars. 
Moving forward, Lopez emphasized that any asset sale must be a straightforward cash deal. With this latest decision, the path to recovering damages—and potentially dismantling Jones' platform—remains uncertain.
TGI Fridays has sold 19 more restaurants as part of its ongoing Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.&nbsp;Fremont, California-based Yadav Enterprises, an operator of 340 restaurants across six brands, is <a href="https://www.restaurantbusinessonline.com/financing/tgi-fridays-sells-19-restaurants-out-bankruptcy">buying</a> 16 stores for $3 million in debt. Sugarloaf Hospitality, a firm owned by former TGI Fridays CEO Ray Blanchette, is acquiring three locations for $100,000.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Notes From The Block</h2>
Scale Vs. Scope: This week, Bain Capital pointed out a trend in the media sector.
Media deals are becoming &#8220;predominantly cross-industry.&#8221; According to Bain&#8217;s <a href="https://www.bain.com/insights/media-and-entertainment-m-and-a-report-2025/">analysis</a>, using data from Dealogic, more than half of all media industry M&amp;A for the first three quarters of 2024 involved either a target or acquirer outside of their industry.
Here are a few callouts, cited by Bain partners Nicole Magoon, Matt Keith and Alex Egan:
<ul>
<li>The majority of Walt Disney Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DIS#NYSE">DIS</a>) transactions used to be &#8220;scale&#8221; (i.e., Pixar in 2006 and 21st Century Fox in 2019); today, there&#8217;s an &#8220;increasing emphasis on scope deals.&#8221; For example, last year, Disney invested in Epic Games, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/09/41052867/disneys-streaming-surge-epic-games-deal-among-key-growth-drivers-says-analyst">the maker of Fortnite</a>.</li>
<li>Sony Group Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SONY#NYSE">SONY</a>) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/06/39313096/sony-steps-into-theater-business-with-alamo-drafthouse-purchase">purchased the theater-dinner chain</a> Alamo Drafthouse.</li>
<li>Companies are also doing deals for evergreen IP: Sony Music bought half of Michael Jackson's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/08/40515995/michael-jacksons-1-5b-catalog-lands-court-approval-for-sale-thriller-for-sony">publishing and recorded music catalog</a>.</li>
<li>Pophouse Entertainment acquired Kiss's catalog as well as <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/04/38116031/sealed-with-a-kiss-rock-band-sells-legacy-for-300m-who-did-gene-simmons-get-into-bed-with">the band members' likenesses</a>. </li>
<li>Private equity funds have invested in smaller production studios with a track record of quality IP. For example, Redbird bought All3Media, seeking an enduring advantage in the video space.</li>
</ul>
Is there risk? &#8220;Acquirers in cross-sector media M&amp;A quickly learn that such deals require a different type of diligence,&#8221; the Bain partners say. &#8220;For one thing, an acquirer is likely to be less familiar with the target's industry. Also, the revenue synergies inherent in scope deals are harder to realize and underwrite than cost synergies.&#8221;
For last week&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/01/43402048/deal-dispatch-sage-and-silvus-are-up-for-sale-mrbeast-secures-20b-for-tiktok">Deal Dispatch, click here</a>.
Now Read:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/real-estate/25/02/43535187/gwyneth-paltrow-sells-la-home-for-22m-heres-a-look-at-actor-turned-business-moguls-pricy-property-portfolio">Gwyneth Paltrow Sells LA Home For $22M. Here&#8217;s A Look At Actor-Turned-Business-Mogul&#8217;s Pricy Property Portfolio</a></li>
</ul>
Image created using a photo from Shutterstock.

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Date	Put/Call	Strike Price	Exp Date	DTE	Trade Vol	Day Vol	Vol / OI	OI	Trade Type	Sentiment
10:56 AMFeb 21, 2025	CALL	$50.00	Mar 21, 2025	25	6504	5000	54	12072	TRADE	BEARISH
10:33 AMFeb 21, 2025	CALL	$49.00	Apr 17, 2025	52	2	2850	0	2353	TRADE	BULLISH
10:27 AMFeb 19, 2025	PUT	$34.00	Jun 20, 2025	116	2500	2500	55	4531	TRADE	BULLISH
10:09 AMFeb 18, 2025	PUT	$35.00	Jun 20, 2025	116	2506	2500	111	2267	TRADE	BULLISH
11:01 AMFeb 14, 2025	CALL	$50.00	Apr 17, 2025	52	4194	4000	24	17190	TRADE	BEARISH