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United States Steel, Diageo And Other Big Stocks Moving Lower In Friday&#39;s Pre-Market Session

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Ingles Markets, Tesla And Other Big Stocks Moving Lower In Friday&#39;s Pre-Market Session

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Leading cryptocurrencies plunged on Wednesday on fears of a full-blown trade war between the U.S. and Europe.
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>Gains +/-</td>
<td>Price (Recorded at 7:45 p.m. ET)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td>
<td>-4.01%</td>
<td>$84,586.64</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>-5.64%</td>
<td>$2,334.17</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>-3.32%</td>
<td>$0.2024</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
What Happened: Bitcoin sank below $83,000 for the first time in 15 weeks before pairing losses late in the evening. The leading cryptocurrency was down over 21% since its January all-time high.
In the last 24 hours, BlackRock transferred over $160 million in BTC to Coinbase, which were outflows from iShares Bitcoin Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IBIT#NASDAQ">IBIT</a>), according to Arkham Intelligence.
Similarly, Ethereum plunged to an intraday low of $2,255.05, its lowest since Donald Trump's presidential victory.
The continuing price decline was precipitated by reports of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43987636/bitcoin-tumbles-below-85000-amid-president-trumps-eu-tariff-threats">Trump's threats to impose 25%</a> tariffs on the European Union.
Over $760 million was liquidated from the cryptocurrency market in the last 24 hours, with $606 million in long positions erased.
That said, a recovery to $90,500 would liquidate over $1 billion worth of short positions
Bitcoin's Open Interest fell by 5.45% in the last 24 hours and has collapsed by more than 18% since the beginning of February.
The "Extreme Fear" sentiment strengthened, according to the Crypto Fear and Greed Index, fueling concerns of further downsides.
Top Gainers (24-Hours)
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>Gains +/-</td>
<td>Price (Recorded at 7:30 p.m. ET)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Kaito (KAITO)</td>
<td>+43.73%</td>
<td>$2.48</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Story (IP)</td>
<td>+19.36%</td>
<td>$6.83</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Berachain (BERA)</td>
<td>+9.03%</td>
<td>$7.34</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $2.77 trillion, shrinking by 4.91% in the last 24 hours.
Major stock averages snapped a losing streak Wednesday. The S&amp;P 500 gained 0.01% to close at 5,956.06 after four consecutive days of ending in the red. The tech-focused Nasdaq Composite rose 0.26% to end at 19,075.26. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was the outlier, closing 0.43% lower at 43,433.12.
Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) shares rose 3.67% ahead of its fourth-quarter earnings report, boosting the overall sentiment. The AI behemoth reported a <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43991607/nvidia-q4-earnings-highlights-revenue-beat-eps-beat-demand-for-blackwell-is-amazing">higher-than-expected</a> revenue and earnings per share.
See More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-crypto-scanners">Best Cryptocurrency Scanners</a>
Analyst Notes: Widely followed cryptocurrency analyst and investor Rekt Capital noted the formation of Bitcoin's new "CME Gap" between ~$92,700 and ~$94,000
"This offers some confluence to the idea of price revisiting $93,500 at some point in the future as part of a post-breakdown relief rally," the analyst predicted.
CME gaps are the differences in price between the closing price on a given trading day and the opening price on the following trading day on a Bitcoin futures chart.&nbsp;
<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"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BTC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BTC</a> Bitcoin is getting closer to filling the CME Gap that created between $78000 and ~$80700 in November 2024 On this retrace however, Bitcoin has developed a brand new CME Gap between ~$92700 and ~$94000 That new CME Gap is confluent with the Re-Accumulation Range Low… <a href="https://t.co/lDWd6C8nHf">https://t.co/lDWd6C8nHf</a> <a href="https://t.co/8Q58b67uI3">pic.twitter.com/8Q58b67uI3</a>
&mdash; Rekt Capital (@rektcapital) <a href="https://twitter.com/rektcapital/status/1894858387579646277?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 26, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
In a note to Benzinga, Chris Kline, COO and Co-Founder of BitcoinIRA, called Bitcoin's ongoing consolidation phase a "healthy reset."
"Bitcoin has established a more defined trading range following its impressive run to near all-time highs, demonstrating resilience despite short-term fluctuations," Kline added.
The analyst suggested that such periods of measured trading activity typically precede upward momentum.
Photo by Avi Rozen on Shutterstock
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Coverage of Bitcoin, Etherum, Ripple and all the latest digital currencies.

Cryptocurrency

$BTC

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$ETH

IBIT

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Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Plunge Deeper On Trump's Tariff Threats: Analyst Hopeful BTC Will Touch $93,500 In Relief Rally

On Wednesday, Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NFLX#NASDAQ">NFLX</a>) released six months of viewership data, revealing that &#8220;Squid Game&#8221; Season 2 soared to the top in just a few days, while a mix of thrillers, rom-coms, and even a high-profile boxing match captured global audiences.
What Happened: Netflix's latest "What We Watched" report, covering July to December 2024, revealed that subscribers streamed 94 billion hours of content during this period.
Despite being released just days before the year ended, ‘Squid Game' Season 2 led the most-watched shows rankings, amassing 87 million views. Squid Game Season 2 debuted on Dec. 26 and set a new record with <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42751367/netflix-posts-record-debut-with-squid-game-season-2-heres-how-many-people-watched-show">68 million views in its first week</a>.
See Also: <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/media/25/02/43792375/squid-game-fuels-netflixs-dominance-in-south-koreas-booming-streaming-market-report">&#8216;Squid Game&#8217; Fuels Netflix&#8217;s Dominance in South Korea&#8217;s Booming Streaming Market: Report</a>
Following closely behind was ‘The Perfect Couple,' a romantic thriller that garnered 75 million views after its Sept. 5 debut. Ryan Murphy's crime drama ‘Monster: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story' took third place with 70 million views.
Netflix's data also highlighted audience interest across different genres. The British spy thriller ‘Black Doves,' Adam Brody's romcom ‘Nobody Wants This,' and the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson fight—which pulled in 49 million views—all ranked among the most-watched titles.
In the most-watched films category, &#8216;Carry-On,&#8217; released on Dec. 5, topped the list with 137 million views, followed by &#8216;The Union&#8217; (131 million views) and &#8216;Rebel Ridge&#8217; (129 million views).
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It&#8217;s Important: Netflix reported $10.25 billion in revenue <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/43114866/netflix-q4-earnings-record-subscribers-nfl-squid-game-push-past-highest-expectations">for the fourth quarter</a>, a 16% increase year-over-year. This exceeded Wall Street's estimate of $10.11 billion, per Benzinga Pro.
The company gained 18.91 million paid subscribers in the quarter, a 15.9% increase from the previous year. Total paid subscribers reached 301.63 million.
Average revenue per member rose 1% year-over-year.
Price Action: Netflix&#8217;s stock rose 0.40% in after-hours trading to $993.99, following a 1.31% gain earlier on Wednesday, closing at $990.06, per <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Photo by DANIEL CONSTANTE on Shutterstock
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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'Squid Game' Season 2 Took Just Days To Dominate Netflix—Here's What Else Viewers Binge-Watched In The Last Six Months

Restaurant spending is the largest potential source of savings for most couples, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/24/06/39402040/ramit-sethi-says-becoming-a-multimillionaire-is-simple-invest-10-of-your-salary-every-year-with-">financial expert and self-made millionaire Ramit Sethi</a>.
&#8220;For 90% of the people I talk to, food — whether eating out or ordering in — is the biggest category where there&#8217;s money to free up and redirect into something that matters more,&#8221; <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/19/self-made-millionaire-90-percent-of-people-need-to-stop-wasting-so-much-money-in-this-category.html">Sethi told CNBC</a>.
The <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38627546/i-will-teach-you-to-be-rich-author-ramit-sethi-became-a-self-made-millionaire-he-now-shares-his-simp">author and Netflix host</a> identified a host of factors that make dining expenses particularly difficult to control. &#8220;Food is emotional — buying dinner is about a lot more than just hunger. It&#8217;s about convenience, impulsivity, reward and more,&#8221; he explained.
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Tracking those expenses proves especially challenging for couples. The spending often happens across multiple payment methods, locations, and circumstances—from workplace lunches to family pizza nights, social outings, and children&#8217;s meal money sent through payment apps.
&#8220;It&#8217;s a mishmash, and it can easily get away from you,&#8221; Sethi said.
In his new book &#8220;Money for Couples,&#8221; Sethi outlined a 10-step program for partners to develop shared financial vision despite differing money perspectives. He recommends couples consolidate restaurant spending on a single shared credit card to improve tracking and visibility.
Several individuals who worked with Sethi shared their strategies for reducing food spending. Mary found a meat delivery service that enabled more home cooking during weeknights, allowing guilt-free weekend dining.&nbsp;
Trending: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/are-you-rich">Are you rich?</a> Here&#8217;s what Americans think you need to be considered wealthy. Lauren, someone who worked with Sethi, created themed potluck dinner parties to capture restaurant ambiance at lower cost. Rosana implemented a twice-weekly cooking schedule with planned leftovers, directing her savings toward credit card debt reduction.
&#8220;We were eating out at least five to six days a week; the only meal we were making at home was breakfast!&#8221; Rosana, another colleague, told Sethi. &#8220;Now, we cook every Wednesday and Sunday and we eat leftovers at least one night, which saves us a ton of money.&#8221;
The financial expert said that changing food habits requires partners to be &#8220;kind and supportive of each other,&#8221; noting that &#8220;changing habits around food can be tricky.&#8221;
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/suze-orman-retirement-bucket">&#8216;Which Bucket Do I Draw From First?&#8217; Suze Orman Explains To 67-Year-Old The Best Order For Tapping Into Her Retirement Accounts</a>
Sethi recommends couples start with honest conversations about spending patterns, &#8220;what are you spending too much on? Where can you cut back?&#8221;
His approach focuses on identifying &#8220;invisible spending&#8221; that occurs without conscious decision-making. By bringing food expenses into awareness, couples can redirect funds toward priorities that bring greater satisfaction than convenience meals.
&#8220;The more you have open, honest conversations about these things, the easier it will be to spend meaningfully,&#8221; Sethi said.
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Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) CEO Jensen Huang said Wednesday that next-generation artificial intelligence models need &#8220;100 times more compute&#8221; than earlier versions, citing new reasoning approaches that process information step by step.
What Happened: &#8220;The amount of computation necessary to do that reasoning process is 100 times more than what we used to do,&#8221; Huang <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/26/nvidia-ceo-huang-says-next-generation-ai-will-need-more-compute.html">told</a> CNBC following the company&#8217;s record-breaking <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43991607/nvidia-q4-earnings-highlights-revenue-beat-eps-beat-demand-for-blackwell-is-amazing">fourth-quarter earnings report</a>.
The chipmaker reported $39.3 billion in revenue for the quarter, up 78% year-over-year and exceeding analyst expectations of $38.05 billion. Data center revenue, which includes Nvidia&#8217;s market-leading GPUs for AI workloads, surged 93% to $35.6 billion, now representing over 90% of total revenue.
Huang specifically mentioned DeepSeek&#8217;s R1, OpenAI&#8217;s GPT-4 and xAI&#8217;s Grok 3 as models utilizing reasoning processes that require substantially more computing power. This comes despite a 17% stock drop in January triggered by concerns that DeepSeek had found ways to achieve better AI performance with lower infrastructure costs.
&#8220;DeepSeek was fantastic,&#8221; Huang said. &#8220;It was fantastic because it open-sourced a reasoning model that&#8217;s absolutely world class.&#8221;
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/02/43987636/bitcoin-tumbles-below-85000-amid-president-trumps-eu-tariff-threats">Bitcoin Tumbles Below $85,000 Amid President Trump&#8217;s EU Tariff Threats</a>
Why It Matters: The company has faced challenges in China due to export restrictions, with Huang noting that Nvidia&#8217;s percentage of revenue from China has fallen by about half. He added that Nvidia&#8217;s GB200 chip, sold in the United States, can generate AI content 60 times faster than versions sold to China under export controls.
Looking ahead, Nvidia projects first-quarter revenue of $43 billion, exceeding analyst expectations of $41.75 billion. Huang emphasized strong demand for the company&#8217;s new Blackwell AI supercomputers, which achieved &#8220;billions of dollars in sales in its first quarter.&#8221;
&#8220;Demand for Blackwell is amazing as reasoning AI adds another scaling law – increasing compute for training makes models smarter and increasing compute for long thinking makes the answer smarter,&#8221; Huang said.
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Image Via Shutterstock 
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Equities

Jensen Huang Says 'DeepSeek Was Fantastic:' Next-Gen Models Demand 100x More Compute As Nvidia Smashes Earnings Records

The U.S. stock market had a mixed session today, with the Nasdaq Composite leading gains, rising about 50 points to close Wednesday at 19,075.26. The S&amp;P 500 edged up slightly, finishing nearly flat with a 0.01% gain at 5,956.06, while the Dow dipped 0.43% to 43,433.12.
These are the top stocks that gained the attention of retail traders and investors throughout the day:
NVIDIA Corporation&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>)
NVIDIA shares rose by 3.67% to close at $131.28. The stock hit an intraday high of $133.73 and a low of $128.49. The 52-week range stands at $75.61 to $153.13. In after-hours trading, Nvidia shares fell almost 1.5% to $129.32. The company reported strong fourth-quarter financial results, beating both revenue and EPS estimates. The <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43991607/nvidia-q4-earnings-highlights-revenue-beat-eps-beat-demand-for-blackwell-is-amazing">demand for Blackwell</a> was highlighted as particularly impressive.
MARA Holdings&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>)
MARA shares closed slightly higher, up 0.28% at $12.45. The stock&#8217;s intraday high was $12.87 and the low was $12.21. The 52-week range is $12.05 to $34.09. MARA stock shot up nearly 7.5% in after-hours trading. The digital asset company reported record revenue, net income, and Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) holdings in its <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43993028/mara-holdings-q4-earnings-highlights-record-revenue-net-income-bitcoin-holdings-hit-44893-btc">fourth-quarter earnings</a>.
Snowflake Inc.&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SNOW#NYSE">SNOW</a>)
Snowflake shares rose 1.20% to close at $166.19. The stock&#8217;s intraday high was $170.01 and the low was $164.80. The 52-week range is $107.13 to $235.66. Snowflake shares rose over 9% to $181.25 in the after-hours trading. The company beat fourth-quarter estimates and announced the expansion of its <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/02/43991826/snowflake-beats-q4-estimates-expands-microsoft-partnership-to-include-openai-models">partnership with Microsoft</a> to include OpenAI models.
AppLovin Corporation&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/APP#NASDAQ">APP</a>)
AppLovin shares dropped 12.22% to close at $331. The stock&#8217;s intraday high was $343.17 and the low was $288.92. The 52-week range is $57.4 to $525.04. The company&#8217;s stock was hit by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/02/43981217/applovin-stock-drops-on-multiple-short-reports-allegations-of-copying-meta-creating-smoke-and-mirrors-game">multiple short reports</a>, with allegations of copying Meta and creating a &#8216;smoke and mirrors&#8217; game.
Tesla Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>)
Tesla shares fell 3.96% to close at $290.80. The stock&#8217;s intraday high was $309 and the low was $288.04. The 52-week range is $138.8 to $488.54. A researcher suggested that the EV maker is <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/tech/25/02/43967968/tesla-unlikely-to-deliver-500000-evs-in-a-quarter-in-2025-says-researcher-doesnt-seem-possible-this-year-either">unlikely to deliver 500,000 vehicles</a> in a quarter in 2025 due to brand sentiment issues.
Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock.com
Prepare for the day&#8217;s trading <a href="https://editorial.benzinga.com/wp-admin/Premarket%20Movers%20&amp;%20News">with top premarket movers and news</a> by Benzinga.
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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>

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Nvidia, MARA Holdings, Snowflake, Applovin, And Tesla: Why These 5 Stocks Are On Investors' Radars Today

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) is shaking things up when it comes to executive pay. The company recently approved a plan to boost top executives' bonuses from 75% of their base salaries to as much as 200%.&nbsp;
According to a recent <a href="https://www.sec.gov/ix?doc=/Archives/edgar/data/1326801/000132680125000021/meta-20250213.htm">SEC filing</a>, the goal is to better align executive compensation with company priorities and industry standards. But the timing is raising eyebrows—just a week before announcing these pay increases, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/startups/25/01/43084473/mark-zuckerbergs-900k-hand-made-1-watch-steals-the-spotlight-as-meta-ends-u-s-fact-checking-partnerships">Meta</a> laid off 3,600 employees, or about 5% of its workforce.
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Pay Raises at the Top, Layoffs Down Below</h2>
Meta's board defended the move, saying that before this change, executive compensation was well below that of other tech giants.&nbsp;
The company said in the filing that its executive pay was at or below the 15th percentile compared to similar roles at peer companies. The bump to 200% will bring their compensation to around the 50th percentile, making it more competitive in the industry, the filing added.&nbsp;
The announcement comes as many former employees are still processing recent job cuts. Meta said it let go of workers based on performance, but some of those affected are pushing back on that explanation.&nbsp;
A former content manager <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7294825272653094912/">shared on LinkedIn</a> that she had consistently received positive feedback, was never placed on a performance improvement plan, and wasn't given clear expectations before losing her job.
Trending: Can you guess how many Americans successfully retire with $1,000,000 saved?<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/1milsaved"> The percentage may shock you</a>.
Meta isn't alone in making these kinds of decisions. Other tech giants have followed a similar playbook—Microsoft (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) approved a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/technology/microsoft-ceo-nadellas-2024-pay-rose-63-79-mln-stock-awards-2024-10-24/">63% raise for CEO Satya Nadella</a> shortly after laying off 1,900 employees in its gaming division.&nbsp;
On top of that, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/meta-approves-bonuses-executives-amid-layoffs-2025-2">Business Insider reported</a> last week that Meta has also reduced the value of annual employee stock options by 10%, despite its stock performing well. That's a big deal since many employees rely on stock-based compensation as a key part of their earnings.
Not surprisingly, industry experts are divided on whether these pay increases are justified. Some argue that competitive compensation is necessary to attract and keep top talent, especially as companies like Meta invest heavily in artificial intelligence and other growth sectors. According to <a href="https://www.ajg.com/using-executive-compensation-data-to-retain-talent/">Gallagher's CEO and Executive Compensation Trends report</a>, making sure executive pay is in line with industry benchmarks is crucial for stability at the leadership level.
See Also: Many are using retirement income calculators to check if they&#8217;re on pace —<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-do-i-calculate-my-retirement-income-adv"> here&#8217;s a breakdown on what&#8217;s behind this formula.</a>
Others warn that growing pay gaps between executives and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/startups/25/02/43681931/googles-ai-ambitions-spark-cost-cuts-over-25000-employees-offered-buyouts-as-company-focuses-on-speed-and-efficiency">employees</a> can cause major problems. A report from the <a href="https://www.esgdive.com/news/ceo-worker-pay-gap-rising-bad-for-business-report/699590/">Institute for Policy Studies and the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center</a> found that extreme pay disparities can lower productivity and increase turnover.&nbsp;
Public sentiment also leans against these widening gaps—according to a <a href="https://justcapital.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/JUST-Capital_Worker-CEO-Pay-Survey-Analysis_May-2022-min.pdf">Just Capital poll</a>, 87% of Americans believe the growing difference between CEO and worker pay is a problem.
Even with the controversy, Meta is doing well financially. In its <a href="https://s21.q4cdn.com/399680738/files/doc_financials/2024/q4/Meta-12-31-2024-Exhibit-99-1-FINAL.pdf">Q4 2024 earnings report</a>, the company posted a 21% year-over-year revenue increase, hitting $48.4 billion and exceeding Wall Street expectations. The company credited <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/02/43903135/ais-19-9-trillion-impact-could-create-the-first-trillionaire-but-mark-cuban-says-it-wont-be-musk-or-bezos">AI</a>-driven improvements in advertising and product innovation for the growth.&nbsp;
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MSFT

Meta Boosts Executive Bonuses To 200% As It Slashes 5% Of Workforce—Laid-Off Employees Call It 'Unfair'

Jensen Huang envisions Nvidia Corporation's (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) legacy as a transformative force in technology, one that will be remembered for making an "extraordinary impact" on industries beyond gaming.
What Happened: Last month, during an interview with Cleo Abram, Huang was asked that after he is gone, how would he like the world to describe him and Nvidia?
"Very simply, they made an extraordinary impact," Huang said in response, reflecting on Nvidia's rise to becoming one of the most consequential technology companies in the world.
He highlighted the company's commitment to providing cutting-edge computing power to businesses, researchers, and developers across diverse fields.
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Huang also pointed to Nvidia's role in revolutionizing digital biology, material sciences, robotics, and autonomous driving.
"When we look back in a few years&#8230; we'll realize that the whole field of digital biology and life sciences has been transformed. Our whole understanding of material sciences has completely been revolutionized," he said.
The CEO hopes that future generations will recognize Nvidia's influence in shaping cutting-edge industries, stating, "There's this company almost at the epicenter of all of that&#8230; and it happens to be the company that you grew up playing games with."
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
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Why It's Important: Nvidia's transformation from a gaming GPU company to a global leader in artificial intelligence, data centers, and high-performance computing is nothing short of remarkable.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/education/25/01/43140861/if-you-invested-1000-in-nvidia-stock-at-ipo-heres-how-much-youd-have-today-2">Founded in 1993</a>, Nvidia initially focused on graphics processing units (GPUs) for gaming, but its deep investments in AI and machine learning have propelled it into cloud computing, autonomous vehicles, and enterprise AI applications.
This strategic evolution has made Nvidia the second-largest company by market cap in 2025 at $3.215 trillion, despite a 4.18% decline from 2024, which ended at $3.355 trillion.
The company's meteoric rise has been marked by staggering growth, having surged from just $17.73 billion in 2015 to over $1.223 trillion by 2023, representing a 235.88% year-over-year increase in 2023 alone.
While it faced a sharp decline in 2022, dropping by 50.47%, the rebound in 2023 and 2024 reaffirmed its dominance in the AI and semiconductor industries.
Price Action: Nvidia&#8217;s stock fell 1.23% in after-hours trading to $129.67 after rising 3.67% earlier on Wednesday, closing at $131.28, according to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Image via Shutterstock
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Jensen Huang Once Disclosed How He Wants Nvidia And Him Remembered: 'Very Simply…'

President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Wednesday requiring all federal agencies to have a representative from Elon Musk&#8217;s Department of Government Efficiency, marking a significant expansion of the billionaire&#8217;s influence over government operations.
What Happened:&nbsp;The executive order mandates that each federal agency appoint a DOGE representative to oversee spending and ensure transparency,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2025/02/26/trump-order-federal-agencies-doge-representative-00206359">Politico reports</a>. These representatives will work alongside agency leadership to monitor all expenditures, requiring managers to provide written justifications for payments and implement new systems for tracking expenses.
The order also freezes most government credit cards for 30 days and requires monthly spending reports to be submitted to DOGE administrator&nbsp;Amy Gleason. This information will be made public, except for certain law enforcement and intelligence activities.
&#8220;To ensure Government spending is transparent and Government employees are accountable to the American public,&#8221; the order states, outlining the responsibilities of DOGE representatives.
This move is part of a broader efficiency project led by Trump and Musk, which has already resulted in the termination of numerous federal contracts and the dismissal of thousands of public-sector workers.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/02/43994686/will-investors-push-back-against-trumps-massive-borrowing-plans">Will Investors Push Back Against Trump&#8217;s Massive Borrowing Plans?</a>
Why It Matters:&nbsp;The expansion of DOGE&#8217;s influence comes at a time when the effectiveness of Trump and Musk&#8217;s cost-cutting measures is being questioned. Despite claims of billions in savings,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/25/02/43972234/trump-and-elon-musks-cost-cutting-measures-fail-to-curb-rising-us-government-spending-report">government spending continues to rise</a>, primarily due to increasing expenditures on health and retirement programs, as well as growing interest payments.
The initiative has faced significant challenges, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://in.benzinga.com/25/02/43962278/elon-musks-doge-staffers-resign-refuse-to-dismantle-critical-public-services-white-house-hits-back-saying-trump-wont-be-stopped-by-protests-and-lawsuits">resignation of over 20 civil service employees</a>&nbsp;from DOGE, who cited concerns about dismantling critical public services. This setback, coupled with ongoing court challenges, has raised questions about the long-term viability of the administration&#8217;s approach to government reform.
Public opinion also appears to be mixed on Musk&#8217;s role in government. A recent Emerson College poll found that only 41% of voters approve of Musk&#8217;s performance at DOGE, with 45% disapproving. The poll also revealed limited support for some of DOGE&#8217;s more controversial proposals, such as eliminating the US Agency for International Development and the Department of Education.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the administration&#8217;s approach, stating, &#8220;Anyone who thinks protests, lawsuits, and lawfare will deter President Trump must have been sleeping under a rock for the past several years.&#8221;
Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock.com
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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>

Politics

General

Elon Musk's Influence Over The Government Set To Increase, Trump Orders All Federal Agencies To Appoint A DOGE Commissar

SJW Gr (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SJW#NASDAQ">SJW</a>) is looking for FY2025 Adj EPS of $2.90-$3.00 vs $2.95 analyst estimate..

Guidance

SJW Gr Sees FY2025 Adj EPS $2.90-$3.00 vs $2.95 Est

SJW Gr (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SJW#NYSE">SJW</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $0.74 per share which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $0.55 by 34.55 percent. This is a 25.42 percent increase over earnings of $0.59 per share from the same period last year. The company reported quarterly sales of $197.82 million which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $187.48 million by 5.52 percent. This is a 15.46 percent increase over sales of $171.34 million the same period last year.

Earnings

Earnings Beats

SJW Gr Q4 Adj $0.74 Beats $0.55 Estimate, Sales $197.82M Beat $187.48M Estimate

Market observers warn an expanding U.S. budget deficit and aggressive trade policies under President Donald Trump could test investors&#8217; appetite for government debt, despite campaign promises <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43587245/tariffs-are-the-only-way-to-fund-tax-cuts-without-deficit-expansion-argues-expert-as-it-takes-center-stage-in-donald-trumps-economic-plan">to lower borrowing costs</a>.
Treasury yields have fluctuated since Trump&#8217;s election, initially spiking to 4.8% before settling at 4.6%, according <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/0259de87-9488-404d-b418-cdb26a2a8f89">to the Financial Times</a>. Investors now balance inflation concerns against fears that new tariffs could slow economic growth.
The <a href="https://www.cbo.gov/system/files/2025-01/60870-Outlook-2025.pdf">Congressional Budget Office projects</a> the government deficit will reach $1.9 trillion, or 6.2% of GDP, by Sept. 30. It could grow to $2.7 trillion by 2035, far exceeding the 50-year average deficit of 3.8%.
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&#8220;The investment community in general is certainly uncertain, and perhaps nervous, but it&#8217;s not obvious whether they should be more worried about recession or inflation,&#8221; David Kelly, chief global strategist at JPMorgan Asset Management, told the Financial Times.
House Republicans <a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-republicans-budget-blueprint-trump-tax-cuts-ff2bddf31f4e7cb0928139072392a091">have proposed tax cuts potentially reaching $4.5 trillion</a>, alongside a $4 trillion debt ceiling increase. The <a href="https://www.crfb.org/press-releases/house-budget-allows-too-much-debt">Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget estimates</a> the changes could add $2.8 trillion to the deficit through 2034.
International investors have already shown signs of hesitation. Japan and China, the largest foreign Treasury holders, <a href="https://ticdata.treasury.gov/resource-center/data-chart-center/tic/Documents/slt_table5.html">reduced their positions throughout 2024.</a> Foreign investors sold $50 billion in long-term Treasuries in December alone, the highest amount since May 2021, according to the Financial Times.
&#8220;Is the debt financeable? It is, until it isn&#8217;t,&#8221; Mark Sobel, former Treasury official and U.S. chair of think-tank Official Monetary and Financial Institutions Forum, said.
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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent faces pressure to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/02/43529306/tariffs-are-a-means-to-an-end-bessent-defends-trade-strategy-pushes-growth-plan">maintain market confidence while pursuing expansionary policies</a>. However, analysts suggest U.S. debt retains advantages through market liquidity and the dollar&#8217;s reserve currency status.
The Federal Reserve&#8217;s quantitative tightening program, reducing its Treasury holdings since mid-2022, adds another variable as the government potentially increases debt issuance, the Financial Times reported.
&#8220;The scale and scope of the fiscal deficit could be quite large and could be relatively long term,&#8221; Ed Al-Hussainy, rates analyst at Columbia Threadneedle Investments, told the Financial Times. &#8220;That&#8217;s the main thing that could be damaging for the rates market.&#8221;
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Will Investors Push Back Against Trump's Massive Borrowing Plans?

Citigroup analyst Steven Enders maintains Intuit (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTU#NASDAQ">INTU</a>) with a Buy and lowers the price target from $760 to $726.

Price Target

Analyst Ratings

INTU

Citigroup Maintains Buy on Intuit, Lowers Price Target to $726

Maxim Group analyst Tom Forte maintains Beyond (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BYON#NYSE">BYON</a>) with a Buy and lowers the price target from $26 to $16.

BYON

Maxim Group Maintains Buy on Beyond, Lowers Price Target to $16

Ladenburg Thalmann analyst Paul Fremont upgrades Spire (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SR#NYSE">SR</a>) from Sell to Buy and announces $83 price target.

Upgrades

Ladenburg Thalmann Upgrades Spire to Buy, Announces $83 Price Target

Lake Street analyst Eric Martinuzzi maintains Backblaze (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BLZE#NASDAQ">BLZE</a>) with a Buy and lowers the price target from $12 to $11.

BLZE

Lake Street Maintains Buy on Backblaze, Lowers Price Target to $11

US Physical Therapy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/USPH#NYSE">USPH</a>) reported quarterly earnings of $0.51 per share which missed the analyst consensus estimate of $0.69 by 26.09 percent. This is a 13.56 percent decrease over earnings of $0.59 per share from the same period last year. The company reported quarterly sales of $180.45 million which beat the analyst consensus estimate of $174.77 million by 3.25 percent. This is a 16.57 percent increase over sales of $154.80 million the same period last year.

Earnings Misses

USPH

US Physical Therapy Q4 Adj $0.51 Misses $0.69 Estimate, Sales $180.45M Beat $174.77M Estimate

Lake Street analyst Ben Klieve initiates coverage on Blade Air Mobility (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BLDE#NASDAQ">BLDE</a>) with a Buy rating and announces Price Target of $6.5.

Initiation

BLDE

Lake Street Initiates Coverage On Blade Air Mobility with Buy Rating, Announces Price Target of $6.5

Barclays analyst Trevor Young downgrades ZipRecruiter (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ZIP#NYSE">ZIP</a>) from Overweight to Equal-Weight and lowers the price target from $10 to $6.

Downgrades

Barclays Downgrades ZipRecruiter to Equal-Weight, Lowers Price Target to $6

If you've recently grabbed a coffee at a kiosk without speaking to anyone or scanned your groceries without a cashier, you're already experiencing the quiet revolution of automation. It might seem minor now, but <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/startups/25/01/43101102/elon-musk-the-richest-man-in-the-world-is-estimated-to-earn-over-23-million-every-single-hour-of-the-day-heres-how-hes-spending-it">according to Elon Musk</a>—founder of SpaceX, CEO of Tesla (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>), and owner of X —these small shifts are just the start.
Back in 2017 at the World Government Summit, Musk famously said about universal basic income, "I don't think we're going to have a choice." It wasn't a political stance or even his personal preference—it was Musk realistically predicting the future. With artificial intelligence becoming increasingly advanced, he sees a world where jobs traditionally done by humans rapidly vanish.
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But fast-forward a few years, Musk's vision has evolved. During an appearance at the 2024 VivaTech conference in Paris, he didn't just double down on universal income—he took it further. Musk now anticipates a scenario where society doesn't settle for basic income, but instead adopts something far more ambitious: a "high universal income."
"In a benign scenario <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/24/05/39044740/probably-none-of-us-will-have-a-job-elon-musk-predicts-massive-job-losses-due-to-ai">probably none of us will have a job</a>," Musk explained, emphasizing optimism despite the disruption. "But in that benign scenario, there will be universal high income—not universal base income—and there will be no shortage of goods or services."
That shift—from "basic" to "high" universal income—is critical. Musk believes that AI and automation will drive down the cost of goods and dramatically boost productivity, creating abundance. In other words, everyone will theoretically have access to whatever they need, and poverty as we know it could dramatically diminish.
But here's the catch: Musk sees another serious problem emerging, and it's not economic—it's psychological.
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Will Automation Leave Us Feeling "Useless"?</h2>
As appealing as abundant income might sound, Musk is concerned about the meaning we draw from our work. In a future where robots and AI systems outperform us at almost everything, he worries about human dignity, identity, and fulfillment.
"The harder challenge is how do people then have meaning," Musk said. "If you're not needed, if there's not a need for your labor, how do you find meaning? Do you feel useless?"
It's a troubling question. Employment, for most people, isn't just about money—it's about self-worth, social connections, and personal growth. Losing this could create a crisis of meaning, even in a world of abundance.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">AI and the Future of Work</h2>
Despite these deep concerns, Musk is largely optimistic about AI's impact. "I think the benign scenario is probably the most likely—probably 80% likely if you ask my opinion," he said. "Everyone will have access to as much in the way of goods and services as they would like."
His <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/startups/25/01/43335267/some-employees-survive-but-a-whole-lot-dont-says-elon-musks-biographer-about-his-demon-mode-in-which-hes-coldly-brutal-to-people">vision of the future workplace</a> is similarly bold. Work won't vanish altogether, but it'll be optional. Musk describes a world where working becomes more of a hobby or passion project than a necessity. "Long term … any job that somebody does will be optional. If you want to do a job as kinda like a hobby, you can do a job, but otherwise, the AI and robots will provide any goods and services you want."
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<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Could Your Career Soon Become Optional?</h2>
Whether you're on board with Musk's predictions or skeptical, it's clear AI is already causing real disruption in the workplace. According to a <a href="https://www.brookings.edu/articles/generative-ai-the-american-worker-and-the-future-of-work/">Brookings Institution report</a> last fall more than 30% of all workers could soon find at least half of their current job tasks taken over by generative AI.
And it's not just about job security. Workers are feeling the strain in other ways, too. A <a href="https://www.grantthornton.com/insights/press-releases/2024/november/employee-burnout-continues-to-surge-as-mental-and-emotional-stress-mount">Grant Thornton study</a> last year found that 32% of employees reported their mental well-being worsened in the past year, while 30% saw improvement, and 38% remained about the same.
Musk's statements underline something profound: the conversation about AI and automation isn't simply about economics. It's about human purpose, identity, and what we value beyond money.
As we move into this uncertain, automated future, Musk's message is clear: universal income—perhaps a high universal income—might soon become inevitable. But the real challenge might not be figuring out how to pay for it. Instead, we may have to find entirely new ways of defining our worth in a world where machines do almost everything for us.
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'I Don't Think We're Going to Have a Choice': Elon Musk Predicts Universal Income Will Eventually Be 'High'—But Fears People Will Feel 'Useless'

Dynamic Aerostructures, which makes high-tech parts for U.S. fighter jets and SpaceX rockets, has <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/bankruptcy">filed for bankruptcy</a>.
What Happened: According to <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-26/aero-parts-maker-for-stealth-bomber-spacex-files-for-bankruptcy?sref=TBDibEcD">Bloomberg</a>, the Valencia, California-based company plans to auction itself off in a court-supervised sale.
Dynamic is owned by a private equity firm, Endeavour Capital. Dynamic&#8217;s operating unit, Forrest Machining, LLC (aka FMI Aerostructures) was <a href="https://endeavour.com/portfolio/dynamic-aerostructures-llc/">purchased</a> by Endeavour Capital in 2021. 
The company blamed quality-control issues, contracts and inflation-driven inventory costs for the financial nosedive. 
CEO Eric Ellis insists it's still "business as usual" while they search for a buyer, with an April 7 bid deadline set for potential suitors.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/01/43098271/canoo-files-bankruptcy-stock-falls-nasa-walmart-dod-usps">EV Startup Canoo Files For Bankruptcy After NASA, USPS, Walmart Partnerships Bear Little Fruit</a>
Why It Matters: The company is saddled with $55 million in debt. In addition to SpaceX, the company is also a key supplier for Blue Origin, Boeing Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BA#NYSE">BA</a>), Lockheed Martin Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMT#NYSE">LMT</a>), and Northrop Grumman Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NOC#NYSE">NOC</a>), including making parts for the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.
The company&#8217;s situation also illustrates the challenging record of private equity and venture capital-backed companies. In 2024, PE-backed companies made up nearly 16% of the 694 total U.S. bankruptcy filings, per <a href="https://www.transacted.io/private-equity-portfolio-bankruptcies-hit-record-high-in-2024">Transact.io</a>, citing S&amp;P Capital data.
That's the highest annual tally since 2010.
Now Read:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/asset-sales/25/02/43811409/nikola-files-for-bankruptcy-seeks-auction-for-sale-of-its-assets">Nikola Files For Bankruptcy, Seeks Auction For Sale Of Its Assets</a></li>
</ul>
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