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In his first public rally since President Joe Biden declared he would not seek re-election, former President Donald Trump launched a series of attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday.
Trump, addressing his supporters in North Carolina, criticized Harris on immigration and inflation issues, labeling her as a &#8220;radical-left lunatic.&#8221; He accused Harris of misleading the public to cover up Biden&#8217;s mental fitness, implying that she is untrustworthy and unfit to lead, <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/4791536-donald-trump-blasts-kamala-harris-rally/">reported</a> The Hill
Trump also highlighted Harris&#8217;s positions during her 2020 presidential campaign, including her support for Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) "Medicare for All" bill and her stance on banning fracking.
In response, a Harris campaign spokesperson labeled Trump's speech as "unhinged, weird, and rambling," and emphasized that the November choice will be between Trump&#8217;s agenda or Harris&#8217;s fight to protect freedom and ensure every American gets a fair shot.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39897685/ted-cruz-says-trump-victory-in-november-not-a-given-cautions-republicans-against-underestimating-kam?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ted Cruz Says Trump Victory In November Not A Given, Cautions Republicans Against Underestimating Kamala Harris: &#8216;This Is Not A Layup&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: Biden&#8217;s unexpected decision to withdraw from the 2024 presidential race has significantly altered the political landscape. 
Following Biden&#8217;s announcement, Harris quickly consolidated support among Democrats. Her campaign has <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/07/39908377/kamala-harris-secures-majority-backing-for-2024-democratic-nomination-ap-survey">raised over $100 million</a> in roughly 48 hours, and thousands of volunteers have signed up to support the effort.
Trump&#8217;s campaign has filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission against Harris&#8217;s campaign, accusing it of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39922045/trump-campaign-files-election-commission-complaint-against-kamala-harris-accuses-vps-campaign-of-91">improperly acquiring</a> funds from Biden&#8217;s campaign. This development adds another layer of complexity to the upcoming election.
After Biden withdrew from the 2024 race, leading to a face-off between Harris and Trump. The latest polls show a tight contest, with Trump <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/07/39946360/trump-vs-harris-2024-election-candidates-tied-in-new-poll-65-of-democrats-say-biden-stepping-dow">slightly ahead</a> by one point in a head-to-head battle.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39924772/democratic-mega-donors-predict-kamala-harris-to-pick-vp-among-these-3-lawmakers-as-presidential-race?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Democratic Mega Donors Predict Kamala Harris To Pick VP Among These 3 Lawmakers As Presidential Race Against Trump Heats Up</a></li>
</ul>
This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/shivdeep-dhaliwal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shivdeep Dhaliwal</a>

News

Politics

General

Trump Takes Aim At Kamala Harris In First Rally Post Biden's Exit, Calls her A 'Radical-Left Lunatic' — VP Campaign Labels Him 'Unhinged' And 'Weird'

President Joe Biden addressed the nation from the White House on Wednesday night to explain his decision to quit the November presidential race
What Happened: &#8220;I have decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. That is the best way to unite our nation,&#8221; Biden stated.
The decision came after weeks of pressure from Democrats and internal polling that suggested a potential loss against Republican Donald Trump in the upcoming election. Biden is the first incumbent president not to seek re-election since 1968.
In his address, Biden emphasized the power of the people, stating, &#8220;The great thing about America is here, kings and dictators do not rule. The people do. History is in your hands. The power is in your hands. The idea of America – lies in your hands.&#8221;
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39875181/trump-wants-republicans-reimbursed-after-biden-quits-we-have-to-start-all-over-again?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump Wants Republicans Reimbursed After Biden Quits: &#8216;We Have To Start All Over Again&#8217;</a>
Following his announcement, Democrats have rallied around Biden, paying tribute to his character and his presidential record. Biden plans to concentrate on his presidential duties over his remaining six months in office.
Why It Matters: Biden&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/07/39874057/biden-drops-out-of-2024-race-in-bombshell-announcement-it-has-been-the-greatest-honor-of-my-life">decision to withdraw</a> from the race was first announced through a letter posted on his official account. The president&#8217;s decision has caused a significant shift in the political landscape.
With Biden stepping down, Vice President Kamala Harris has <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39921743/donald-trump-wants-to-take-our-country-backward-says-kamala-harris-in-first-campaign-speech-poll-sho">secured the Democratic nomination</a> for the 2024 presidential race. In her first campaign rally, Harris took a marginal lead over Republican rival Donald Trump, according to a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll.
A new election poll shows a close <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/07/39946360/trump-vs-harris-2024-election-candidates-tied-in-new-poll-65-of-democrats-say-biden-stepping-dow">head-to-head battle</a> between Harris and Trump, with 65% of Democrats believing Biden&#8217;s decision to step down increases the party&#8217;s chances of winning.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39873597/anthony-scaramucci-says-if-democrats-win-they-can-extinguish-large-elements-of-trumpism-but-youre-no?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Anthony Scaramucci Says If Democrats Win, They Can &#8216;Extinguish Large Elements Of Trumpism&#8217; But &#8216;You&#8217;re Not Going To Be Able To Do It If You Don&#8217;t&#8230;&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/shivdeep-dhaliwal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shivdeep Dhaliwal</a>

Biden Says 'History Is In Your Hands' In Oval Office Speech: 'The Best Way Forward Is To Pass The Torch To A New Generation'

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Trading Halt: Halted at 7:50:00 p.m. ET - Trading Halt: Halt News Pending

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EZFL

Vice President Kamala Harris is likely to face off against former President Donald Trump in the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/2024-election">2024 presidential election.</a>
The change comes with President Joe Biden withdrawing from the race and Harris having the reported delegates support to win the nomination.
A new election poll shows a close head-to-head battle.
What Happened: The first 2024 presidential debate performance by Trump and Biden saw election polls and<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/sports-betting/24/07/39868243/2024-election-betting-odds-joe-biden-has-8-chance-of-winning-according-to-sportsbooks-pred"> betting odds from sportsbooks</a> and prediction markets shift more in favor of the former president.
With Biden withdrawing from the race, the battle to win the 2024 election could be back to being the toss-up that was seen months ago.  
A new NPR/PBS News/Marist 2024 <a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/07/23/nx-s1-5048890/elections-poll-biden-harris-trump">poll </a>shows Trump with a one-point lead over Harris in a head-to-head battle. Trump has 46% support with Harris getting 45% and 9% of voters are undecided.
A larger percentage of voters are now undecided after Biden dropped out, as earlier this month only 2% of voters in the poll were undecided in the head-to-head battle.
When third-party candidates are included, the poll looks like this:
<ul>
<li>Donald Trump: 42%</li>
<li>Kamala Harris: 42%</li>
<li>Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: 7%</li>
<li>Jill Stein: 1%</li>
<li>Cornel West: 1%</li>
</ul>
The support for Kennedy Jr. hit the lowest since he was included by the poll group in April.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/07/39920146/harris-vs-trump-vice-president-trails-former-president-by-2-points-gains-independent-voters-59-o">Harris Vs. Trump: Vice President Trails Former President By 2 Points, Gains Independent Voters, 59% Of Democrats Say Best Chance To Win 2024 Election</a>
Why It's Important: Along with tying Trump in the five-way race in the poll, Harris is showing ground being made up in the 2024 election race since Biden dropped out.
NPR said Harris ranks better than Biden among key voter groups like young voters and non-White voters.
Sixty-five percent of Democrats also said that Biden stepping down increases the party's chances of winning the 2024 election.
Harris has a smaller percentage of Independent voters than Biden was pulling, but many of the Independent voters are now undecided in the election. Around 20% of Independent voters are undecided and around 30% of Independent women voters are undecided.
Harris becoming the official nominee and naming a vice president pick could shift the undecided voters in the coming weeks to get a closer look at the head-to-head battle. According to the<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/2024/07/24/biden-speech-2024-election-campaign-updates/"> Washington Post</a>, &#8220;Vice President Harris will select her running mate by Aug. 7, according to two officials familiar with her timeline who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private deliberations.&#8221;
Seventy-seven percent of Democratic voters and Democratic-leading Independent voters polled said Harris is the right nominee for the party.
Eighty-seven percent of all voters said Biden stepping down was the right decision in the election. Sixty-eight percent said Biden should finish his current presidential term before making way for the 2024 election winner in January.
Harris has a net favorability ranking of minus four points, with 40% viewing her as positive and 44% viewing her as negative. Trump ranks worse with 43% viewing him as positive and 49% viewing him as negative. Biden was seven points behind where Harris is for her net favorability ranking, based on the ratings in a poll earlier this month.
Trump's vice-presidential pick of J.D. Vance doesn't get favorable ratings with 28% viewing him as favorable and 31% viewing him as negative and 41% saying they have never heard of him or have no opinion.
When asked who Harris' vice president pick should be, voters in the poll selected Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (21%), Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg (21%) and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (17%) as the top options.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39919247/who-will-kamala-harris-pick-for-vice-president-crypto-bettors-have-4-favorites-for-democra">Who Will Kamala Harris Pick For Vice President? Crypto Bettors Have 4 Favorites For Democratic Party Running Mate</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Trump Vs. Harris: 2024 Election Candidates Tied In New Poll, 65% Of Democrats Say Biden Stepping Down Increases Party's Chances Of Winning

A Texas judge dismissed another of Attorney General Ken Paxton's <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/01/36880984/gop-attor-ney-gen-er-al-in-texas-sues-five-cities-to-stop-voter-approved-mar-i-jua-na-reform-say">lawsuits over voter-approved</a> marijuana decriminalization ordinances. It is Paxton&#8217;s second legal loss in as many cases.
"On Monday, Judge Sherri Tibbe dismissed Ken Paxton's lawsuit seeking to force the City of San Marcos to devote scarce local resources to arresting people for marijuana possession," according to Ground Game Texas in a Tuesday news release. "This ruling follows last month's dismissal of Paxton's lawsuit against the City of Austin and reaffirms that the AG has no business telling cities how to enforce drug law." 
Ground Game has been instrumental in organizing cannabis reform initiatives&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/texas-cannabis" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">across multiple Texas cities</a>. The cities still waiting for <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/01/36880984/gop-attor-ney-gen-er-al-in-texas-sues-five-cities-to-stop-voter-approved-mar-i-jua-na-reform-say">Paxton to pounce</a> include Denton, Elgin and Killeen. In June, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/06/39302347/texas-judge-dismisses-gop-attorney-general-ken-paxtons-lawsuit-against-voter-approved-cannabis-m" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">judge dismissed Paxton&#8217;s lawsuit</a>&nbsp;against Austin.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/07/39920347/dallas-cannabis-reform-ballot-is-a-go-decriminalization-in-november-elections-would-allow-up-to-">Dallas Cannabis Reform Ballot Is A Go: Decriminalization In November Elections Would Allow Up To 4 Ounces Of Weed</a>
"Judge Tibbe rightly recognized Paxton has no legal basis for interfering with the will of local voters or municipal governments," said Catina Voellinger, executive director of Ground Game Texas, <a href="https://kdhnews.com/news/local/texas-district-court-judge-dismisses-another-paxton-marijuana-lawsuit/article_51d5bb84-49e0-11ef-bc1e-c7dcb88b72f3.html">reported</a> the Killeen Daily Herald. "This decision, along with the recent verification of our petition in Dallas, is a welcome reminder that this is a winning movement, and one we look forward to continuing to build across the state this November."
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">&#x1f31f; Ken vs. Texans: How it&#39;s going&#8230; We&#39;re winning the fight for cannabis decriminalization in TX! Join us: <a href="https://t.co/oJh9GilEvo">https://t.co/oJh9GilEvo</a> <a href="https://t.co/kLYhUhMCCt">pic.twitter.com/kLYhUhMCCt</a>
&mdash; GroundGameTX (@GroundGameTX) <a href="https://twitter.com/GroundGameTX/status/1815932596179943767?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
On Monday, Tibbe denied Paxton's application for an injunction and granted the plea to jurisdiction that had been filed by the City of San Marcos. Paxton next move could be an appeal of the judge's decisions to a higher court. As of Wednesday, a notice of appeal had not yet been filed.
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">A Full-Time Job For The AG?</h1>
Since his vendetta against cannabis decriminalization began this past January, Paxton has spent many billable hours prosecuting cities, large and small, across Texas that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/05/39041635/73-of-texans-support-full-cannabis-legalization-or-decriminalization-including-plurality-of-repu" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">have decriminalized marijuana</a> … most with over 70% voter approval, we might add.
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Paxton&#8217;s Motive?</h1>
Apparently, Paxton is deathly afraid of the crime he presumes will reign on the streets if the possession of small amounts of marijuana is sanctioned for consenting adults. 
&#8220;I will not stand idly by as cities run by pro-crime extremists deliberately violate Texas law and promote the use of illicit drugs that harm our communities,&#8221; Paxton wrote in a press release earlier this year. 
Now Read:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/07/39908970/trump-and-desantis-supporters-love-their-cannabis-is-rift-between-anti-weed-politicos-pot-users-">Trump And DeSantis Supporters Love Their Cannabis: Is Rift Between Anti-Weed Politicos, Pot Users Brewing In The Sunshine State?</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: El Planteo

Cannabis

Government

Regulations

Legal

GOP Attor­ney Gen­er­al In Texas Loses Legal Battle Against Towns With Decriminalized Cannabis, Insists They're 'Run By Pro-Crime Extremists'

Semiconductor stock Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) was among the technology stocks that fell Wednesday on the heels of earnings reports from Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) and Alphabet being <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39938971/chip-stocks-nvidia-amd-and-others-see-more-selloff-on-wednesday-whats-going-on">dissected by investors.</a>
What Happened: AMD stock is now down year-to-date after Wednesday's decline. The drop comes as there was some optimism across social media from photos shared by company CEO Lisa Su.
Su shared pictures of an event with Tesla that she attended.
"Great spending time with the Tesla team talking about AI, leadership and more! Proud to partner with such an amazing team! Thanks for the invite!" Su <a href="https://x.com/LisaSu/status/1816105459029274933">tweeted</a>.
Benzinga reached out to Tesla and AMD for more commentary on the meeting and did not hear back.
Su appeared to be a speaker at a Tesla event with a background slide in one picture showing the caption "Women in Tesla."
The meeting was likely more about Su's role in the technology space and less about the two companies partnering, but could be noteworthy given the past history between the two companies.
AMD <a href="https://www.amd.com/en/solutions/automotive/in-vehicle-experience.html#:~:text=Driving%20Innovation%20for%20the%20Future%20of%20In%2DVehicle%20Experience&amp;text=AMD%20is%20at%20the%20forefront,such%20as%20Tesla%20and%20Daimler">lists </a>Tesla as a partner on its website.
"The new Tesla Model S and Model X feature AMD Ryzen Embedded APU and RDNA2 based GPU that power the new infotainment experience with support for AAA gaming," the website reads.
AMD also lists a section on "driving innovation for the future of in-vehicle experience" where it highlights Tesla and Daimler as technology partners.
Read Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/07/39918390/tesla-q2-earnings-highlights-revenue-beat-eps-miss-robotaxi-update-2024-growth-rate-to-be-notably-l"> Tesla Q2 Earnings Highlights: Revenue Beat, EPS Miss, Robotaxi Update, 2024 Growth Rate To Be &#8216;Notably Lower&#8217; Than 2023</a>
Why It's Important: AMD is one of several semiconductor companies operating in the automotive space. The company offers products for automobiles that include driver monitoring systems, in-cabin monitoring systems, driver information and more. 
In January, Tesla CEO Elon Musk said the electric vehicle company <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/01/36813208/elon-musk-says-tesla-will-buy-chips-from-amd-invest-over-500m-on-nvidia-hardware">planned to purchase </a>chips from AMD to advance its artificial intelligence efforts. The comment came as Tesla also spent $500 million to buy hardware from NVIDIA Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>).
The automotive sector is one of the fastest growth sectors for semiconductor companies with Qualcomm Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QCOM#NASDAQ">QCOM</a>) and others seeing strong year-over-year growth and bookings. AMD doesn't break out its automotive revenue like others in the sector, making it harder to see the impact, <a href="https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/04/amd_car_chips/">according </a>to The Registar.
The Registar highlighted new automotive related products from AMD back in January as the company looks to grow in the sector.
While Su's appearance with Tesla is likely just part of a speaking engagement, it could come with more partnerships in the future or serve as a reminder to investors that Tesla and AMD are already partners.
AMD Price Action: AMD shares closed Wednesday down 6.08% to $144.63 on Wednesday versus a 52-week trading range of $93.12 to $227.30. AMD shares are up over 30% in the last year, but now down 1.5% year-to-date in 2024, as seen on the <a href="http://www.benzinga.com/pro/register/?utm_source=BZprocontent072424&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">Benzinga Pro chart </a>below.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="http://www.benzinga.com/pro/register/?utm_source=BZprocontent072424&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1001" height="503" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/24170103/Screenshot-82.png" alt="" class="wp-image-455265" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/24170103/Screenshot-82.png 1001w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/24170103/Screenshot-82-300x151.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/24170103/Screenshot-82-768x386.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1001px) 100vw, 1001px" /></a></figure>
AMD will report second-quarter results on July 30 after market close. Analysts expect the company to report revenue of $5.73 billion and earnings per share of 68 cents compared to $5.36 billion and 58 cents, respectively, in last year's second quarter.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/07/39938160/8-tesla-analysts-size-up-margins-fsd-robotaxis-new-evs-as-stock-tanks-the-realities">8 Tesla Analysts Size Up Margins, FSD, Robotaxis, New EVs As Stock Tanks: &#8216;The Realities Of Today Vs. The Dreams Of Tomorrow&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Movers

Tech

Trading Ideas

NVDA

QCOM

TSLA

AMD Stock Turns Negative Year-to-Date, CEO Lisa Su Meets With Tesla: What Investors Should Know

Roblox Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RBLX#NYSE">RBLX</a>) reported an increase in child exploitation incidents during 2023, with over 13,000 cases flagged to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), a significant rise from 3,000 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming">the previous year. </a>
The platform&#8217;s broad reach, serving around 77 million daily players — including 40% under the age of 13 — has brought its safety measures into focus.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/09/34461316/robloxs-console-evolution-playstation-debut-realistic-avatars-whats-next-for-gamers">Roblox&#8217;s Console Evolution: PlayStation Debut, Realistic Avatars: What&#8217;s Next for Gamers?</a>
In dialogue with Benzinga, Roblox&#8217;s Communications Team shared a statement addressing concerns about its safety practices. 
&#8220;A recent article contained glaring mischaracterizations about how we protect users of all ages on the platform and failed to reflect both the complexities of online child safety and the realities of the overwhelmingly positive experiences that tens of millions of people of all ages have on Roblox every single day,&#8221; the spokesperson said. 
Roblox also stressed the reported incidents must be understood in the context of the platform&#8217;s enormous content volume.
&#8220;Bloomberg fails to provide context on the scale of these reported incidents vis-a-vis the amount of content on the platform and growing user base of 77 million daily active users. In a single quarter, Roblox users generated and uploaded approximately 205 billion total pieces of content,&#8221; the spokesperson added.
Furthermore, the company&#8217;s contribution to the NCMEC's total report count is less than 0.04% of the 36.2 million reports received by the center that year for suspected child sexual abuse material.
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Increased Reports and High-Profile Cases</h1>
The accessibility of Roblox across various platforms, including PlayStation, PC and mobile devices, has made it a popular environment for children but has also exposed it to potential threats.
Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/company-news/2024/07/23/the-gaming-platform-with-a-predator-problem/">reported </a>that despite Roblox's response to 1,300 law enforcement requests for information on predatory players, some individuals managed to evade detection. A high-profile case involved Arnold &#8220;DoctorRofatnik&#8221; Castillo, who operated the successful game Sonic Eclipse Online. 
Castillo was apprehended after attempting to meet a 15-year-old girl 700 miles away, leading to a 15-year prison sentence for grooming and sexual abuse.
<h1 class="wp-block-heading">Roblox's Safety Measures And Future Plans</h1>
Roblox has reiterated its commitment to safety, with Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman detailing ongoing efforts to enhance platform security. 
&#8220;To be the best in the world at delivering safe and civil online experiences, this is essential,&#8221; Kaufman <a href="https://corp.roblox.com/newsroom/2024/07/driving-civility-and-safety-for-all-users">said</a>. He highlighted that only 0.0063% of content on Roblox was flagged for policy violations, including bullying and hate speech.
The company is actively working on the next generation of safety tools and features to address evolving threats. &#8220;We will continue to work tirelessly to keep our users safe and be vigilant against bad actors who might attempt to circumvent our safety systems,&#8221; Kaufman affirmed in a blog post. 
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/08/33896713/roblox-shares-sink-on-short-report-saying-gaming-company-has-facilitated-more-child-abuse-than-any">Roblox Shares Sink On Short Report Saying Gaming Company &#8216;Has Facilitated More Child Abuse Than Any Public Company In History&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Image courtesy: Roblox Corp.

Gaming

RBLX

Roblox Reports 13,000 Child Exploitation Cases In 2023, Details Safety Measures

Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) has taken down approximately 63,000 accounts in Nigeria involved in financial <a target="_blank" href="https://about.fb.com/news/2024/07/combating-financial-sextortion-scams-from-nigeria/" rel="noreferrer noopener">sexual extortion</a>, or sextortion, scams targeting <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/24/07/39934253/how-metas-game-changing-ai-model-could-enhance-developer-freedom-propel-privacy-standards-and-surge" rel="noreferrer noopener">adult men in the United States</a>.
Financial sextortion, a crime without borders, has been fueled in recent years by the rise in activities of loosely organized cybercriminals known as &#8216;Yahoo Boys&#8217;, predominantly operating from Nigeria, specializing in various scam techniques, Meta said in a statement.
&#8220;We&#8217;ve banned Yahoo Boys under Meta&#8217;s&nbsp;Dangerous Organizations and Individuals policy&nbsp;— one of our strictest policies — which means we remove Yahoo Boys&#8217; accounts engaged in this criminal activity whenever we become aware of them,&#8221; the software giant said.&nbsp;
Also Read:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/39930463" rel="noreferrer noopener">Zuckerberg Says Sam Altman &#8216;Deserves A Lot Of Credit,&#8217; But Highlights The Irony In His Firm Named OpenAI Leading Closed AI Models</a>
The firm also removed around 7,200 assets, including 1,300 Facebook accounts, 200 Facebook Pages, and 5,700 Facebook Groups, also based in Nigeria, that were providing tips for conducting scams.&nbsp;
&#8220;We also recently announced that we&#8217;ve developed&nbsp;new signals to identify accounts that are&nbsp;potentially engaging in sextortion,&nbsp;and are taking steps to help prevent these accounts from finding and interacting with teens,&#8221; Meta said.
In recent years, the social media giant has faced increasing pressure from governments, including lawmakers in its home country of the United States, to address concerns about its executives allegedly disregarding evidence that its platforms harm children, reported Reuters.
Last week, Meta was fined $220 million by Nigeria&#8217;s competition watchdog.
The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) revealed that Meta violated local consumer, data protection, and privacy laws by sharing data on its social platforms without user consent, per a Reuters report.
Additionally, Meta was accused of abusing its market dominance with exploitative privacy policies and treating Nigerians differently compared to users in jurisdictions with similar regulations.
According to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?gspk=YWRhbWVja2VydDUzMzY&amp;gsxid=zBMR4PKmcgBw" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Pro</a>, META stock has gained over 60% in the past year. Investors can gain exposure to the stock via&nbsp;Direxion Daily META Bull 2X Shares (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/METU#NASDAQ">METU</a>) and&nbsp;Vanguard Communication Services ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VOX#NYSE">VOX</a>).
Price Action: META shares closed lower by 5.61% to $461.27 on Wednesday.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com//node/39923398" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk&#8217;s X, Mark Zuckerberg-Owned Facebook, And TikTok Face Stricter Regulations As Malaysia And Singapore Tighten Oversight On Social Media To Combat Online Scams</a></li>
</ul>
Photo by DANIEL CONSTANTE on Shutterstock

Equities

Markets

METU

Meta Cracks Down On Nigerian 'Yahoo Boys' In Massive Sextortion Scam Purge, Bans 63K Accounts

As the COVID-19 pandemic faded away and people were less required to practice social distancing, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/11/35994035/insta-worthy-workspaces-to-woo-back-remote-workers-social-media-users-tell-companies-to-please-just">bosses began demanding</a> that their employees return to the office (RTO) instead of performing their jobs at home.
This led to droves of workers who wanted to keep working from home to quit their jobs in what became known as the &#8220;Great Resignation,&#8221; but that&#8217;s what some bosses wanted them to do, <a href="https://www.bamboohr.com/resources/guides/return-to-office#executives-and-hr-admit-rto-is-meant-to-make-people-quit">according</a> to a survey by Bamboo HR.
The analysis revealed that 25% of vice presidents and executives and 18% of human resources professionals admit they hoped for &#8220;some voluntary turnover&#8221; during an RTO mandate, proving why they are actually &#8220;layoffs in disguise,&#8221; Bamboo HR said.
&#8220;Nearly two in five (37%) managers, directors and executives believe their organization enacted layoffs in the last year because fewer employees than they expected quit during their RTO,&#8221; the survey said.
Read Now: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/09/35015655/why-metas-return-to-office-is-a-mess-from-sitting-on-floors-to-hot-desks-dilemma-and-pending-remote">Why Meta&#8217;s Return To Office Is A &#8216;Mess:&#8217; From Sitting On Floors To &#8216;Hot Desks&#8217; Dilemma, And Pending Remote Work Requests</a>
Whatever the intention ultimately is, some companies are instituting policies to bring employees back to the office.
Salesforce, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CRM#NYSE">CRM</a>), a San Francisco-based software company, is now pushing to bring the majority of its employees back into the office, the San Francisco Standard <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/07/17/salesforce-pressures-its-workers-back-to-the-office-as-layoffs-continue/">reported</a>.
Certain workers in sales, workplace services, data center engineering and&nbsp;onsite support technicians&nbsp;under the chief information officer will need to show up to the office four to five days a week, starting in October.
Salesforce&#8217;s other departments will be required to show up to the office three days a week through an &#8220;office-flex&#8221; arrangement, while certain engineering roles will need to come in only at least 10 days each quarter.
Salesforce notified employees of the RTO policy through a memo that also said the company will start tracking when employees scan their badges next month.
Salesforce said employees will have "full visibility" of this data, which will measure attendance against quarterly goals set by each team. 
Read Now:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/12/36106919/amazons-rigid-return-to-office-policy-triggers-employee-exodus-report">Amazon&#8217;s Rigid Return-To-Office Policy Triggers Employee Exodus: Report</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Bosses Admit Using 'Return To Office' Mandate To Get Workers To Quit: Survey

Guidance

Celestica Raises FY24 Revenue Outlook To $9.45B From Previous Outlook Of $9.1B (Est $9.126B); Adjusted EPS To $3.62 From Prior $3.30 (Est $3.33)

Celestica Expects Q3 Revenue Of $2.325B - $2.475B (Est $2.29B), Adjusted EPS Of $0.86 - $0.96 (Est $0.82)

Celestica (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CLS#NYSE">CLS</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $0.91 per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $0.81 by 12.35 percent. This is a 65.45 percent increase over earnings of $0.55 per share from the same period last year. The company reported quarterly sales of $2.391 billion which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $2.249 billion by 6.31 percent. This is a 23.31 percent increase over sales of $1.939 billion the same period last year.

Earnings

Earnings Beats

Celestica Q2 2024 Adj EPS $0.91 Beats $0.81 Estimate, Sales $2.391B Beat $2.249B Estimate

Orion Gr Hldgs (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORN#NYSE">ORN</a>) reported quarterly losses of $(0.16) per share which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $(0.01) by 1500 percent. This is a 14.29 percent decrease over losses of $(0.14) per share from the same period last year. The company reported quarterly sales of $192.167 million which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $192.786 million by 0.32 percent. This is a 5.28 percent increase over sales of $182.534 million the same period last year.

Earnings Misses

Orion Gr Hldgs Q2 2024 Adj EPS $(0.16) Misses $(0.01) Estimate, Sales $192.167M Miss $192.786M Estimate

Mid Penn Bancorp Q2 2024 Sales $44.095M Beat $41.910M Estimate

General Motors Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GM#NYSE">GM</a>) shares are trading lower after-hours Wednesday following Ford Motor Co.'s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/F#NYSE">F</a>) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/07/39943178/ford-q2-earnings-highlights-revenue-beat-eps-miss-transit-vans-hit-record-ev-sales-fall-37">second-quarter earnings release.</a> 
The Details: Ford shares are dropping after the company reported quarterly earnings per share of 47 cents, missing a Street consensus estimate of 68 cents. Ford also reported a 37% drop in revenue from its Ford Model e segment year-over-year, which the company attributed to industry-wide pricing pressure and lower wholesales.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/biotech/24/07/39944467/viking-therapeutics-stock-climbs-on-q2-eps-beat">Viking Therapeutics Stock Climbs On Q2 EPS Beat</a>&nbsp;
GM shares are down slightly in sympathy with Ford during after-hours trading. General Motors reported strong <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/07/39913791/whats-going-on-with-general-motors-stock-today">second-quarter results</a> on Tuesday, beating Street estimates with sales growth of 7.2% year-over-year. GM also reported quarterly earnings of $3.06 per share, beating the analyst consensus estimate of $2.72. 
GM, F Price Action: According to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?gspk=YWRhbWVja2VydDUzMzY&amp;gsxid=zBMR4PKmcgBw">Benzinga Pro</a>, General Motors shares are down 0.73% after-hours at $46.15 and Ford shares are down 10.24% at $12.27 at the time of publication Wednesday.
Read Also:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39865576/whats-going-on-with-rivian-stock">What&#8217;s Going On With Rivian Stock?</a></li>
</ul>
Image: Shutterstock

After-Hours Center

General Motors Stock Falls After Ford Reports Q2 Results: What's Going On?

CB Financial Services (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CBFV#NASDAQ">CBFV</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $0.52 per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $0.51 by 1.96 percent. This is a 5.45 percent decrease over earnings of $0.55 per share from the same period last year. The company reported quarterly sales of $12.158 million which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $12.300 million by 1.15 percent. This is a 9.19 percent decrease over sales of $13.389 million the same period last year.

CBFV

CB Financial Services Q2 2024 Adj EPS $0.52 Beats $0.51 Estimate, Sales $12.158M Miss $12.300M Estimate

The aggregate incremental backlog associated with these fixtures is approximately&nbsp;$656 million. As of July 24, 2024, the company&#39;s total backlog is approximately&nbsp;$8.8 billion.

Transocean Releases Quarterly Fleet Status Report; Reports Total Backlog Of $8.8B As Of July 24

NRG Energy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NRG#NYSE">NRG</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 3.9% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 16.37%. Currently, NRG Energy has a market capitalization of $15.47 billion. 
Buying $100 In NRG: If an investor had bought $100 of NRG stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $215.11 today based on a price of $74.19 for NRG at the time of writing.
<h3>NRG Energy's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1721856619_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Here's How Much You Would Have Made Owning NRG Energy Stock In The Last 5 Years

Everest Consolidator Acquisition gets non-compliance notice from NYSE

MNTN

Press Releases

Everest Consolidator Acquisition Corporation Receives NYSE Notice Regarding Delayed Form 10-Q Filing

Everest Consolidator

Everest Consolidator Acquisition Corporation (the "Company") today announced that on November 21, 2023 it received a notice (the "Notice") from the New York Stock Exchange (the "NYSE") indicating that the Company is not in compliance with Section 802.01E of the NYSE Listed Company Manual (the "Listing Rule") as a result of the Company's failure to timely file its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2023 (the "Form 10-Q") with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC").The Notice has no immediate effect on the listing of the Company's securities on the NYSE. The NYSE informed the Company that, under the NYSE's rules, the Company has six months from the original due date of the Form 10-Q, or until May 20, 2024, to file the Form 10-Q and regain compliance with the Listing Rule. The NYSE further noted that, if the Company fails to file the Form 10-Q, and any subsequent filings, within the six-month period, the NYSE may grant, in its sole discretion, an extension of up to six additional months for the Company to regain compliance, depending on the specific circumstances. The NYSE Notice also noted that the NYSE may nevertheless commence delisting proceedings at any time if it deems that the circumstances warrant.As previously reported by the Company in its Notification of Late Filing on Form 12b-25 filed with the SEC on November 15, 2023, the Company was unable to file the Form 10-Q within the prescribed period without unreasonable effort or expense because the Company required additional time to address the implications of its use of funds restricted for payment of the Company's tax liabilities counter to the terms of the Trust Agreement as a result of internal resource constraints and to complete its procedures for finalizing the Form 10-Q.The Company is continuing its efforts to complete the Form 10-Q. The Company intends to file the Form 10-Q as soon as practicable to regain compliance with the Listing Rule.

<ul>
	<li>Unifund leverages its proprietary data science technology, analytics, and machine learning for acquiring and servicing consumer debt receivables to optimize the lifetime value of borrowers.</li>
	<li>Everest believes Unifund is an attractive target due to the combination of its profitability and attractive growth prospects.</li>
	<li>Based on our current assumptions, including assuming Everest retains&nbsp;$60 million&nbsp;in its trust account, the pro forma enterprise value of the combined company is estimated to be approximately&nbsp;$232 million.</li>
	<li>Everest&#39;s trust account will be supported via a 1.5 million share bonus pool.</li>
	<li>Everest intends to solicit warrant holder approval to amend the terms of Everest&#39;s public warrants so that each public warrant will be convertible into the right to receive a cash payment of&nbsp;$0.50&nbsp;upon the closing of the business combination in an effort to create a cleaner capital structure for the combined company.</li>
	<li>Existing shareholders of Unifund will roll&nbsp;100%&nbsp;of their equity holdings.</li>
	<li>The transaction is expected to close as early as&nbsp;Q3&nbsp;2023.</li>
</ul>

As previously disclosed, Everest Consolidator Acquisition Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MNTN#NYSE">MNTN</a>) (&quot;Everest&quot;), a special purpose acquisition company, and Everest Consolidated Sponsor, LLC have entered into a definitive business combination agreement with Unifund Financial Technologies, Inc., Unifund Holdings, LLC and USV, LLC (collectively, &quot;Unifund&quot;), a group of data science and analytics companies operating within the consumer debt servicing industry. Upon closing of the transaction, the combined company will adopt the name &quot;Unifund Financial Technologies, Inc.&quot; and is expected to be listed on Nasdaq under the ticker symbol &quot;UFND.&quot;

Everest&#39;s Chairman and CEO, Adam Dooley, stated: &quot;We are pleased to announce our strategic partnership with Unifund, a leading data science and analytics firm at the forefront of innovation in the consumer debt servicing arena. We believe that Unifund&#39;s exceptional combination of strong profitability and attractive growth prospects positions it as an outstanding investment opportunity for our SPAC, reflecting our commitment to providing transformational growth capital and operational expertise to exceptional companies in the financial services industry.&quot;

Company Overview

Established in 1986 by David Rosenberg, Unifund leverages its proprietary technology, analytics, and machine learning for acquiring and servicing consumer debt receivables. Unifund also provides consumer data analytics and custom recovery solutions for major banks, financial institutions and other creditors across the United States.

Unifund&#39;s operations are divided into three lines of business:

1) Debt Recovery: Applies leading edge data analytics and machine learning techniques to the consumer lending sector to optimize debt recovery. This line of business consists of two services: (i) Balance Sheet Services, which generate yield-driven income from assets purchased and held on Unifund&#39;s balance sheet and (ii) Third-Party Servicing, which generates fee-based income from third-party managed services.

2) Analytics: Built around Unifund&#39;s Recovery Decision Science AI platform, this line of business offers data and analytics services for fee-based income.

3) Retention Solutions: Creates financial solutions to optimize borrower-lender relationships in part through the PAYCE rewards and cash-back platform. This line of business is a fee-for-service, asset-light model.

For fiscal year 2022, Unifund generated&nbsp;$52.2 million&nbsp;in revenue and&nbsp;$14.8 million&nbsp;in operating income. For the fiscal year 2023, Unifund expects to generate approximately&nbsp;$58.5 million&nbsp;in revenue and approximately&nbsp;$19.4 million&nbsp;in operating income.

Unifund Investment Highlights

<ul>
	<li>Significant experience servicing over&nbsp;$25 billion&nbsp;of debt since Unifund&#39;s inception, with over&nbsp;$2 billion&nbsp;in recoveries based on face value of Unifund totals since inception</li>
	<li>Proprietary data analytics platform that drives an efficient identification, credit evaluation and credit monitoring process in real-time</li>
	<li>Debt recovery optimization and modernizing analytics that enhances business intelligence through merging AI and ML solutions with Unifund&#39;s debt collection procedures</li>
	<li>Typically sticky relationships with blue-chip credit issuers that enable repeat transactions and allow for a lower concentration of risk</li>
	<li>Domestic market focus, which we believe reduces business complexity and risk</li>
	<li>Seasoned management team with decades of experience and a successful track record of M&amp;A within the financial services industry</li>
</ul>

Unifund&#39;s Founder and CEO, David Rosenberg, stated, &quot;We are thrilled to join forces with Everest in this business combination. We believe that our expertise in data analytics and machine learning, combined with Everest&#39;s robust financial backing and experience in public company governance, will allow us to further optimize borrowers&#39; lifetime value and offer value-added solutions to our clients across the United States.&quot;

Transaction Summary

Based on current projections, the pro forma enterprise value of the combined company is estimated to be approximately&nbsp;$232 million. This transaction is expected to be supported by a 1.5 million share bonus pool. The bonus share pool is expected to be funded via founder shares held by Everest Consolidator Sponsor, LLC, Everest&#39;s sponsor, as an incentive to retain the targeted&nbsp;$60 million&nbsp;in Everest&#39;s trust account. Pro forma for the transaction and based on current projections, the combined company is expected to have approximately&nbsp;$57 million&nbsp;of cash. Existing equity holders of Unifund are expected to roll&nbsp;100%&nbsp;of their equity holdings into the combined company. The transaction is expected to close as early as the&nbsp;fourth quarter&nbsp;of 2023. Please refer to the&nbsp;Forward Looking Statements&nbsp;section below.

Everest Consolidator Acquisition Corporation Announces Business Combination With Unifund, A Consumer Debt Service Company Focused On Data Science And Analytics

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Latest news for Everest Consolidator (NYSE:MNTN) Stock

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