Quantum Exponential Group Stock (OTC: QEGPF)

Latest news for Quantum Exponential Group (OTC:QEGPF) Stock

Quantum Exponential Group PLC is engaged in identifying investment opportunities in the quantum technology sector. Its investments include quantum communications, quantum sensing, quantum metrology, and quantum computing software and components.

QUANTUM EXPONENTIAL GROUP by QUANTUM EXPONENTIAL GROUP PLC.

Quantum Exponential Group PLC

Shares of Cal-Maine Foods Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CALM#NASDAQ">CALM</a>) rose sharply in today's pre-market trading after the company posted better-than-expected <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/25/01/42862269/cal-maine-foods-stock-climbs-after-strong-q2-results-eps-beat-revenues-beat">results for its second quarter</a>.
The company said it set a quarterly record for total dozens sold and specialty dozens sold. It also announced a cash dividend of approximately $1.49 per share..
Cal-Maine shares jumped 3.8% to $107.60 in the pre-market trading session.
Here are some other stocks moving in pre-market trading.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Gainers</h3>
<ul>
<li>Sana Biotechnology, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SANA#NASDAQ">SANA</a>) gained 220.6% to $5.29 in pre-market trading after the company announced positive clinical trial results from its type 1 diabetes study of islet cell transplantation without immunosuppression.</li>
<li>EON Resources Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EONR#NYSE">EONR</a>) gained 144.6% to $1.96 in pre-market trading after surging 13% on Tuesday.</li>
<li>Blue Hat Interactive Entertainment Technology (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BHAT#NASDAQ">BHAT</a>) rose 69.9% to $0.1954 in pre-market trading after jumping 28% on Tuesday.</li>
<li>JBDI Holdings Limited (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JBDI#NASDAQ">JBDI</a>) rose 68.1% to $1.19 in pre-market trading.</li>
<li>Conduit Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CDT#NASDAQ">CDT</a>) rose 35.1% to $0.1270 in pre-market trading after jumping 30% on Tuesday.</li>
<li>Solid Biosciences Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SLDB#NASDAQ">SLDB</a>) gained 22.7% to $4.81 in pre-market trading after the company announced FDA clearance of its IND application for a dual-route gene therapy to treat Friedreich&#8217;s Ataxia.</li>
<li>Graphex Group Limited (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GRFX#NYSE">GRFX</a>) gained 23.3% to $0.37 in pre-market trading after falling 13% on Tuesday.</li>
<li>SRM Entertainment, Inc.  (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SRM#NASDAQ">SRM</a>) gained 21.2% to $0.83 in pre-market trading.</li>
<li>Bowman Consulting Group Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BWMN#NASDAQ">BWMN</a>) gained 12.2% to $27.99 in pre-market trading. Bowman secured a $1.5 million contract with Nebraska DOT for on-call engineering services.</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Losers</h3>
<ul>
<li>XTI Aerospace, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XTIA#NASDAQ">XTIA</a>) fell 49.1% to $0.0581 in pre-market trading. XTI Aerospace priced its $20 million offering of 363,636,364 shares of common stock at a price of $0.055 per share.</li>
<li>DatChat, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DATS#NASDAQ">DATS</a>) fell 30.5% to $6.19 in pre-market trading after jumping around 356% on Tuesday.</li>
<li>DarioHealth Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DRIO#NASDAQ">DRIO</a>) shares fell 28.1% to $1.10 in pre-market trading after surging 85% on Tuesday.</li>
<li>Algorhythm Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIME#NASDAQ">RIME</a>) fell 26% to $0.1680 in today's pre-market trading after climbing 57% on Tuesday.</li>
<li>American Rebel Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AREB#NASDAQ">AREB</a>) fell 24.7% to $2.10 in pre-market trading after jumping around 42% on Tuesday.</li>
<li>SRIVARU Holding Limited (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SVMH#NASDAQ">SVMH</a>) dipped 23.8% to $0.0640 in pre-market trading after jumping 81% on Tuesday.</li>
<li>AmpliTech Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMPG#NASDAQ">AMPG</a>) shares fell 23.1% to $2.79 in pre-market trading after dipping 9% on Tuesday.</li>
<li>Hoth Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HOTH#NASDAQ">HOTH</a>) shares tumbled 22.4% to $1.77 in pre-market trading. Hoth Therapeutics shares jumped 178% on Tuesday after the company announced safety results from its Phase 2a trial, showing that 100% of patients in Cohort 1 achieved the primary efficacy endpoint.</li>
<li>SEALSQ Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LAES#NASDAQ">LAES</a>) shares dipped 19.9% to $5.73 in pre-market trading after declining around 8% on Tuesday.</li>
<li>Rigetti Computing, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RGTI#NASDAQ">RGTI</a>) declined 17.9% to $15.10 in pre-market trading after dipping more than 5% on Tuesday.</li>
</ul>
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Why Cal-Maine Foods Shares Are Trading Higher By 4%; Here Are 20 Stocks Moving Premarket

Stifel analyst Annabel Samimy initiates coverage on Structure Therapeutics (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GPCR#NASDAQ">GPCR</a>) with a Buy rating and announces Price Target of $50.

News

Price Target

Initiation

Analyst Ratings

GPCR

Stifel Initiates Coverage On Structure Therapeutics with Buy Rating, Announces Price Target of $50

Stifel analyst Annabel Samimy initiates coverage on Altimmune (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ALT#NASDAQ">ALT</a>) with a Buy rating and announces Price Target of $18.

Stifel Initiates Coverage On Altimmune with Buy Rating, Announces Price Target of $18

Bluesky, a social media platform rivaling Elon Musk's X, is reportedly approaching a valuation of $700 million.
What Happened: Bluesky is nearing a $700 million valuation in a new funding round led by Bain Capital Ventures, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/x-competitor-bluesky-valuation-new-funding-round-2025-1">reported</a> Business Insider, citing three sources familiar with the deal.
The platform's interface resembles a simplified version of X, positioning itself as a safer, more idealistic alternative. Last year, Bluesky introduced several new features, such as hashtags, direct messaging, video sharing, and trending topics.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/technicals/24/12/42509206/soundhound-ai-soars-over-700-short-squeeze-potential-has-traders-talking?itm_source=parsely-api">SoundHound AI Soars 700%: Short Squeeze Potential Has Traders Talking</a>
The new funding will push Bluesky to find a profitable model. The platform currently operates without ads. In 2023, Bluesky stated its intention to avoid relying on advertising to support its business.
Why It Matters: The surge in Bluesky&#8217;s user base is part of a broader trend of users migrating from X, formerly Twitter to alternative platforms, following Donald Trump&#8217;s presidential victory.
Bluesky has seen its user base skyrocket from 3 million to 25.9 million in 2024.
Subscribe to the <a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a> to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Its growth is also marked by the popularity of high-profile accounts, such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who became the first user to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/12/42421291/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-aoc-hits-1-million-followers-with-top-bluesky-account-mark-cuban-gains-popularity-jack-dorsey-notably-absent">surpass 1 million followers</a> on the platform.
This trend is also highlighted by the success of Meta Platforms Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) Threads, which last month reached <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/24/12/42525426/threads-reaches-100-million-daily-active-users-as-meta-capitalizes-on-exodus-from-elon-musks-x-to-alternative-platforms">100 million daily active users</a>.
Looking ahead, Bluesky is planning to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42608667/bluesky-plans-to-build-its-own-payment-platform-and-it-could-take-12-months-says-coo-rose-wang-subscriptions-to-launch-early-next-year">introduce a payment platform</a> and subscription services, as noted by COO Rose Wang in a December interview.
This move aims to align the company&#8217;s financial incentives with those of its users, creators, and developers, potentially providing a sustainable revenue model.
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech">following this link</a>.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Social Media

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Elon Musk-Owned X's Rival Bluesky Valued At $700 Million After Explosive Growth Post Trump Victory: Report

Macro Economic Events

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Economics

Mortgage Rate (GBP) For December 7.50% Vs. 7.59% Prior

PONY

Pony.ai Announced That It Plans To Provide Driverless Transportation Services At The Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA), One Of The World's Busiest Airports

Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) CEO Satya Nadella showcased the company&#8217;s artificial intelligence initiatives in Indian agriculture, highlighting a broader push into AI technology <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42801720/microsoft-to-invest-80-billion-in-ai-data-centers-for-fiscal-2025">backed by an $80 billion investment planned for fiscal 2025</a>.
What Happened: During a visit to the Agricultural Development Trust, Baramati in Maharashtra, India, Nadella observed how local farmers are leveraging Microsoft&#8217;s AI tools to optimize crop yields and combat climate challenges. 
The initiative, part of Microsoft&#8217;s &#8220;Farm of the Future&#8221; project, has shown promising early results with sugar cane yields increasing 30-40% and sucrose content rising 20%.
&#8220;It was great to meet the team at ADT Baramati today, who are using our AI tools to help farmers grow healthier, more sustainable harvests,&#8221; Nadella wrote on X.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">It was great to meet the team at ADT Baramati today, who are using our AI tools to help farmers grow healthier, more sustainable harvests. <a href="https://t.co/8vB8vkelDs">https://t.co/8vB8vkelDs</a>
&mdash; Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) <a href="https://twitter.com/satyanadella/status/1876877914324476183?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
The agricultural initiative utilizes Microsoft&#8217;s Azure Data Manager for Agriculture platform, combining data from weather stations, soil sensors, and satellite imagery to provide farmers with actionable insights through a mobile app called Agripilot.ai.
Why It Matters: This development aligns with Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates&#8217; vision for AI in agriculture. Gates, who owns 275,000 acres of farmland in the United States, has been advocating for <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/real-estate/24/07/39797332/bill-gates-owns-275-000-acres-of-u-s-farmland-his-answer-to-why-hes-buying-so-much-of-it-might-surpr">AI adoption in farming practices</a>.
During a recent visit to India, Gates praised the country&#8217;s innovation in digital infrastructure and its application in agriculture, particularly noting how AI and chatbots are delivering personalized farming <a href="https://in.benzinga.com/content/37356117/bill-gates-explores-indias-digital-infrastructure-in-odisha-champions-use-of-ai-in-agriculture">advice to 7.5 million registered farmers</a>.
Microsoft&#8217;s agricultural AI initiative comes as the company plans to invest <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42801720/microsoft-to-invest-80-billion-in-ai-data-centers-for-fiscal-2025">approximately $80 billion in AI data centers</a> during fiscal 2025, with more than half allocated to the United States. 
The investment reflects Microsoft&#8217;s aggressive expansion in AI infrastructure, as the company reported its AI business segment is approaching $10 billion in annual revenue.
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Image Via Shutterstock 
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella Draws Attention To AI-Powered Agriculture For 'Healthier, More Sustainable Harvests' Amid $80 Billion Investment Push

Anthropic, the AI startup behind &#8220;Claude&#8221; backed by Jeff Bezos, is reportedly in advanced discussions to secure $2 billion in funding. This deal could elevate its valuation to $60 billion, positioning it among the top five most valuable U.S. startups.
What Happened: The funding round is reportedly led by&nbsp;Lightspeed Venture Partners, according to sources familiar with the matter. This valuation includes the anticipated $2 billion from the current fundraising efforts. Anthropic&#8217;s valuation last year was $18 billion, led by&nbsp;Menlo Ventures, The Wall Street Journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/tech/ai/ai-startup-anthropic-raising-funding-valuing-it-at-60-billion-19d0605a">reported</a> on Wednesday. 
The AI sector has seen a surge in investment activities, with companies like&nbsp;OpenAI&nbsp;and&nbsp;Elon Musk's xAI&nbsp;raising substantial funds. Investors are optimistic about generative AI&#8217;s potential, despite the financial losses many AI startups face due to high operational costs and fierce competition.
Amazon.com Inc.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) has been a significant backer of Anthropic, committing $4 billion in November. This investment, structured as a convertible note, will convert to equity at the current valuation. Anthropic&#8217;s annualized revenue has reached approximately $875 million, primarily from business sales.
Why It Matters: Anthropic&#8217;s latest fundraising efforts come on the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/41871055/jeff-bezos-backed-anthropic-ai-startup-to-partner-with-palantir-and-aws-for-us-defense-following-meta-and-microsoft">heels of its strategic partnership</a> with&nbsp;Amazon Web Services and Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NASDAQ">PLTR</a>). This collaboration aims to provide its Claude A.I. models to U.S. defense and intelligence agencies. The partnership underscores a growing trend where AI companies are increasingly aligning with government sectors to leverage their technologies for national security purposes.
This move positions Anthropic as a more safety-conscious alternative to competitors like Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>)-backed OpenAI.
Meanwhile, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed that the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42810114/openai-ceo-sam-altman-reveals-company-struggling-with-chatgpt-pro-losses">company is operating at a loss on its $200-per-month</a> ChatGPT Pro subscription plan. While the plan was introduced to generate revenue, it hasn't met profit expectations due to higher-than-anticipated usage.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image via Shutterstock

General

AMZN

PLTR

Jeff Bezos-Backed Anthropic Set To Become One Of The Top 5 US Startups As It Reportedly Eyes $60 Billion Valuation With $2 Billion Funding Round

Piper Sandler analyst Clarke Jeffries maintains Riskified (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RSKD#NYSE">RSKD</a>) with a Overweight and lowers the price target from $7 to $6.

RSKD

Piper Sandler Maintains Overweight on Riskified, Lowers Price Target to $6

Piper Sandler analyst Clarke Jeffries maintains Bentley Systems (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BSY#NASDAQ">BSY</a>) with a Overweight and lowers the price target from $65 to $57.

Piper Sandler Maintains Overweight on Bentley Systems, Lowers Price Target to $57

Leading Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) miners in the U.S. are accumulating BTC as a buffer against growing competition and narrowing profit margins.
What Happened: Firms including&nbsp;MARA Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>),&nbsp;Riot Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIOT#NASDAQ">RIOT</a>), and&nbsp;CleanSpark Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CLSK#NASDAQ">CLSK</a>) have leveraged Bitcoin&#8217;s soaring price,&nbsp;which hit $100,000 last month,&nbsp;to raise over $3.7 billion since November, according to a Financial Times <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/0cfbe43c-7c2a-40bf-8bb7-92f58a9d2389">report </a>on Monday.
These funds have been utilized to fund Bitcoin purchases, often raised through <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42387102/mara-holdings-raises-850-million-in-0-convertible-notes-offering-a-40-premium-over-current-share-price">zero or near-zero coupon convertible notes.</a>
Following in the footsteps of MicroStrategy, MARA, the world&#8217;s biggest Bitcoin mining company, has pivoted toward a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/24/07/g39955751/mara-purchases-100-million-of-bitcoin" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">buy-and-hold strategy</a>, retaining all Bitcoin it mines and periodically making strategic open-market purchases.
Miners such as CleanSpark have also chosen to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/12/42558246/cleanspark-is-outpacing-bitcoin-mining-peers-wednesday-whats-going-on">retain the majority of the Bitcoin mined</a> in recent months.
On-chain data also reflected the behavioral shift. The number of Bitcoins transferred from miner wallets to exchanges fell sharply in the last quarter, coinciding with the cryptocurrency&#8217;s uptrend, according to blockchain analytics firm CryptoQuant.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/08032907/Bitcoin-Miner-to-Exchange-Flow-Total-All-Miners-All-Exchanges-1024x576.png" alt="" class="wp-image-723343" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/08032907/Bitcoin-Miner-to-Exchange-Flow-Total-All-Miners-All-Exchanges-1024x576.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/08032907/Bitcoin-Miner-to-Exchange-Flow-Total-All-Miners-All-Exchanges-300x169.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/08032907/Bitcoin-Miner-to-Exchange-Flow-Total-All-Miners-All-Exchanges-768x432.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/08032907/Bitcoin-Miner-to-Exchange-Flow-Total-All-Miners-All-Exchanges-1536x864.png 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/08032907/Bitcoin-Miner-to-Exchange-Flow-Total-All-Miners-All-Exchanges.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Source: CryptoQuant</figcaption></figure>
MARA was the second-largest corporate holder of Bitcoin, with a stash of 44,893 BTCs, worth $4.3 billion, with Riot bagging the third spot with 17,722 BTCs valued at $1.69 billion, <a href="https://bitcointreasuries.net/">according </a>to bitcointreasuries.net.
See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42735744/pharma-bro-martin-shkreli-predicts-doom-for-michael-saylors-microstrategy-as-stock-dips-below-300-in-after-hours-trading"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42835979/ethereum-co-founder-vitalik-buterin-offloads-nearly-a-million-in-memecoins-to-benefit-charitiesdogecoins-sister-coin-neiro-plunges-3-after-sale">Ethereum Co-Founder Vitalik Buterin Offloads Nearly A Million In Memecoins To Benefit Charities — Dogecoin&#8217;s Sister Coin NEIRO Plunges 3% After Sale</a>
Why It Matters: This strategy is a significant shift in the industry&#8217;s perspective, which has been grappling for&nbsp;the past eight months after&nbsp;the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/what-is-bitcoin-halving">reward for mining Bitcoin halved</a>.
Donald Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/09/41081939/trump-wants-us-to-be-bitcoin-mining-capital-of-the-world-core-scientifics-move-to-buy-chip">pledge</a> that Bitcoin would be &#8220;mined,&nbsp;minted, and made in the U.S.&#8221; has ignited enthusiasm, with MARA CEO Fred Thiel attributing recent momentum to the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/42191142/bitcoin-is-being-sold-into-a-market-with-ample-demand-from-institutions-says-marathon-ceo-fred-thiel">supportive stance</a> of the president-elect.
The rush to purchase&nbsp;more Bitcoin is also a defensive tactic against potential&nbsp;financial pressure from high electricity costs.
Mining costs are on the rise. A <a href="https://coinshares.com/corp/resources/research/bitcoin-mining-report-q3-2024/">report </a>by leading investment firm CoinShares estimated the average cost to produce one Bitcoin in the third quarter of 2024 at $55,950, indicating a 13% increase quarter over quarter. One Bitcoin was trading at $95,995.51 as of this writing.
Additionally, hash rate, the computation power required to solve complex puzzles and create new Bitcoins, hit a new all-<a href="https://cryptoquant.com/asset/btc/chart/network-stats/hashrate?window=DAY&amp;sma=0&amp;ema=0_30&amp;priceScale=log&amp;metricScale=linear&amp;chartStyle=line">time high last week</a>, threatening to drive up expenses even more.
Price Action: Shares of MARA closed 7.20% lower at $19.07 on Tuesday, while RIOT stock fell 3.72% to $12.41. CleanSpark shares closed down 6.30% at $10.71, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA..">data from Benzinga Pro</a>. 
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

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

Cryptocurrency

$BTC

CLSK

MARA

RIOT

US Bitcoin Miners Hoard Apex Crypto To Shield Against Rising Expenses — MARA, Riot Replicate MicroStrategy's Playbook

Piper Sandler analyst Clarke Jeffries upgrades Autodesk (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ADSK#NASDAQ">ADSK</a>) from Neutral to Overweight and raises the price target from $311 to $357.

Upgrades

ADSK

Piper Sandler Upgrades Autodesk to Overweight, Raises Price Target to $357

EVTL

Vertical Aerospace Has Taken Another Significant Step In Its Testing Programme By Successfully Completing Its First Piloted Thrustborne Flight Manoeuvres

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has made a bold prediction regarding the development of artificial general intelligence (AGI), suggesting it will occur during Donald Trump&#8217;s presidency.&nbsp;
What Happened: In an interview with Bloomberg, Altman said that while he doesn't support everything Trump says or thinks, "I do support the United States of America."
Altman, who <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/management/24/12/42485193/sam-altman-to-donate-1m-to-trumps-inauguration-fund-following-zuckerberg-bezos-eager-to-support">contributed $1 million</a> to Trump&#8217;s inaugural fund, also stated that his donation was not an act of allegiance but a demonstration of support for the country.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/01/42818961/jeff-bezos-urged-his-brother-and-sister-to-invest-10000-in-amazon-the-stake-grew-15499900-and-its-now-potentially-worth-1-5-billion">Jeff Bezos Urged His Brother And Sister To Invest $10,000 In Amazon – The Stake Grew 15,499,900% And It's Now Potentially Worth $1.5 Billion</a>
He also stressed the critical nature of AGI development during this period. "I think AGI will probably get developed during this president's term, and getting that right seems really important."
The OpenAI CEO also criticized the CHIPS Act, acknowledging it as a step forward but not as effective as expected. "I don't think the Chips Act has been as effective as any of us hoped."
Subscribe to the <a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a> to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It Matters: During his campaign, Trump strongly <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42420201/trumps-return-threatens-billions-in-us-chip-investment-from-taiwan-samsung">criticized the CHIPS Act</a>, a law passed two years earlier to support domestic manufacturing of semiconductor chips, which are predominantly produced abroad.
Ahead of Trump taking office, the Joe Biden administration is moving quickly to allocate CHIPS funds.
However, in November 2024, it was reported that Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTC#NASDAQ">INTC</a>), the primary recipient of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42157390/intels-federal-chips-grant-shrinks-below-8b-as-biden-administration-recalibrates-chips-act-funding-report">CHIPS Act funding</a>, is expected to receive under $8 billion, a decrease from the $8.5 billion originally announced.
Meanwhile, OpenAI has been making headlines with its impressive growth, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41149788/openai-valuation-soars-to-157b-in-latest-funding-round">securing $6.6 billion last year</a> in funding at a valuation of $157 billion. This funding is intended to boost AI research and expand computing capabilities.
For people who want to invest in OpenAI, Cathie-Wood's ARK Venture Fund offers a unique investment opportunity. This actively managed fund includes both public and private companies. Currently, OpenAI ranks as the fund&#8217;s fourth-largest position, holding 4.24%.
Destiny Tech 100 Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/DXYZ#NYSE">DXYZ</a>) is another platform where OpenAI currently holds the fourth position with 5.1%, following SpaceX, Revolut, and Axiom Space.
Investors can also consider making an indirect investment through Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>). Microsoft has so far invested <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/12/42679515/microsoft-invested-nearly-14-billion-in-openai-but-now-its-reducing-its-dependence-on-the-chatgpt-pa">about $14 billion</a> in OpenAI, giving it a 49% stake in the company.
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech">following this link</a>.
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/25/01/42803280/consumer-tech-news-dec-30-jan-3-apple-stops-selling-iphone-14-iphone-14-plus-iphone-se-trump-seeks-a-political-resolution-of-tiktok-ban-more">Consumer Tech News (Dec 30-Jan 3): Apple Stops Selling iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Plus, iPhone SE, Trump Seeks A ‘Political Resolution' Of TikTok Ban &amp; More</a></li>
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Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

DXYZ

INTC

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Predicts AGI Will Arrive During The Trump Presidency, Says CHIPS Act Not Effective Enough

Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XOM#NYSE">XOM</a>) filed a federal lawsuit Monday against California Attorney General Rob Bonta and environmental groups, alleging defamation of its advanced plastics recycling initiatives, as the oil giant pushes forward with significant investments in recycling technology.
What Happened: Filed in Beaumont, Texas, the lawsuit claims Bonta acted in concert with law firm Cotchett, Pitre &amp; McCarthy, which has connections to Australian billionaire Andrew Forrest&#8217;s Minderoo Foundation. The foundation controls Fortescue, a competitor in low-carbon solutions, Reuters reported.
The legal action comes as Exxon <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42117222/exxonmobil-aims-high-with-200-million-investment-in-cutting-edge-plastic-recycling">advances a $200 million expansion</a> of its advanced recycling capabilities in Texas. The technology breaks down hard-to-recycle plastics at the molecular level for reuse, part of the company&#8217;s broader sustainability strategy.
&#8220;Defendants are repeatedly and publicly attacking ExxonMobil with false accusations of being a &#8216;liar&#8217; and declarations that advanced recycling is a &#8216;myth&#8217; and a &#8216;sham,'&#8221; Exxon stated in its complaint, seeking undisclosed damages and retractions.
Why It Matters: The California Department of Justice defended its position, calling the lawsuit &#8220;another attempt from ExxonMobil to deflect attention from its own unlawful deception.&#8221; This follows Bonta&#8217;s 2023 lawsuit against Exxon over alleged decades-long deception about recycling limitations.
The legal battle unfolds as Exxon pursues <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42444546/2030-roadmap-exxonmobil-to-achieve-54m-barrelsday-production-targets-20-billion-earnings-boost">ambitious growth targets</a>, including a $20 billion earnings boost by 2030 and $30 billion in lower-emissions investments. The company recently announced plans for $20 billion in annual share repurchases for 2025-2026, supported by projected surplus cash of $165 billion.
Wall Street maintains a positive outlook on Exxon, with analysts setting an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/XOM/analyst-ratings">average price target</a> of $127.96, representing a potential upside from current trading levels of around $108. 
The company trades at a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.54 and offers a dividend yield of 3.64%, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.
<figure class="wp-block-image aligncenter size-large is-resized"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/08030331/Screenshot-2025-01-08-at-1.31.49%E2%80%AFPM-1024x376.png" alt="" class="wp-image-723281" style="width:647px;height:auto" /></figure>
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Image via Flickr
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Flickr

Exxon Mobil Sues California AG Over Defamation Of Recycling Efforts, Citing Ties To Competitors

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed an increase in the overall fear level, while the index remained in the &#8220;Fear&#8221; zone on Tuesday.
U.S. stocks settled lower on Tuesday, with the S&amp;P 500 falling more than 1% during the session amid a decline in major tech stocks.
NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) shares dipped 6.2% on Tuesday after hitting a record high level. Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) shares fell over 4% after BofA Securities downgraded the stock from Buy to Neutral, while Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) lost nearly 2% during the session.
On the economic data front, the U.S. trade deficit increased to $78.2 billion in November versus a revised $73.6 billion gap in the previous month and is in line with market estimates. Imports increased 3.4% to $351.6 billion, while exports rose 2.7% to $273.4 billion.
Most sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed on a negative note, with consumer discretionary, communication services, and information technology stocks recording the biggest losses on Tuesday. However, energy and health care stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session higher.
The Dow Jones closed lower by around 178 points to 42,528.36 on Tuesday. The S&amp;P 500 fell 1.11% to 5,909.03, while the Nasdaq Composite dipped 1.89% at 19,489.68 during Tuesday's session.
Investors are awaiting earnings results from UniFirst Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNF#NYSE">UNF</a>), Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AYI#NYSE">AYI</a>) and PriceSmart, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PSMT#NASDAQ">PSMT</a>) today.
At a current reading of 35.7, the index remained in the &#8220;Fear&#8221; zone on Tuesday, versus a prior reading of 37.8.
What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?
The Fear &amp; Greed Index is a measure of the current market sentiment. It is based on the premise that higher fear exerts pressure on stock prices, while higher greed has the opposite effect. The index is calculated based on seven equal-weighted indicators. The index ranges from 0 to 100, where 0 represents maximum fear and 100 signals maximum greediness.
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Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Earnings

Pre-Market Outlook

Trading Ideas

NVDA

PSMT

TSLA

S&P 500 Down Over 1% As Nvidia, Tesla Tumble: Greed Index Remains In 'Fear' Zone

<h3>Companies Reporting Before The Bell</h3>
• UniFirst (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNF#NYSE">UNF</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $2.21 per share on revenue of $606.60 million. 
• Simply Good Foods (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMPL#NASDAQ">SMPL</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.46 per share on revenue of $347.32 million. 
• Helen Of Troy (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HELE#NASDAQ">HELE</a>) is likely to report quarterly earnings at $2.58 per share on revenue of $532.91 million. 
• MSC Industrial Direct Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSM#NYSE">MSM</a>) is likely to report quarterly earnings at $0.73 per share on revenue of $904.59 million. 
• Albertsons Companies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ACI#NYSE">ACI</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.66 per share on revenue of $18.82 billion. 
• Acuity Brands (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AYI#NYSE">AYI</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $3.89 per share on revenue of $956.17 million. 
• AngioDynamics (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ANGO#NASDAQ">ANGO</a>) is expected to report quarterly loss at $0.11 per share on revenue of $70.93 million. 
<h3>Companies Reporting After The Bell</h3>
• Jefferies Financial Gr (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/JEF#NYSE">JEF</a>) is likely to report quarterly earnings at $1.04 per share on revenue of $1.83 billion. 
• Penguin Solutions (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PENG#NASDAQ">PENG</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.39 per share on revenue of $319.99 million. 
• Pricesmart (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PSMT#NASDAQ">PSMT</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $1.29 per share on revenue of $1.24 billion. 
• Greenbrier Companies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GBX#NYSE">GBX</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $1.15 per share on revenue of $849.51 million. 
• Franklin Covey (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FC#NYSE">FC</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.22 per share on revenue of $70.15 million. 
• Saratoga Investment (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SAR#NYSE">SAR</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.84 per share on revenue of $34.90 million. 
• Pure Cycle (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PCYO#NASDAQ">PCYO</a>) is likely to report earnings for its first quarter. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

ANGO

HELE

PCYO

Penguin Solutions, Inc. - Ordinary Shares

PENG

SMPL

Earnings Scheduled For January 8, 2025

CLVT

Clarivate Announced The Release Of The Twelfth Annual Drugs To Watch Report, A Trusted Guide To The Therapies Poised To Redefine The Future Of Healthcare

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO Elon Musk on Tuesday said that Grok chatbot, created by his artificial intelligence startup xAI, is going to be integrated into Tesla vehicles &#8220;soon.&#8221;
What Happened: &#8220;Grok in Teslas is coming soon. So you will be able to talk to your Tesla and ask for anything,&#8221; Musk said in a live stream on social media platform X. 
Tesla confirmed the announcement with its CEO via its X account, dedicated to updates about its Cybertruck.
&#8220;You can ask for anything but I'll only give it to you if I'm in a good mood,&#8221; the company wrote on its Cybertruck profile about Musk&#8217;s announcement. 
<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">You can ask for anything but I'll only give it to you if I'm in a good mood
&mdash; Cybertruck (@cybertruck) <a href="https://twitter.com/cybertruck/status/1876713144698945625?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Why It Matters: Musk said as long back as Nov. 2023 that he would discuss a possible xAI-Tesla partnership with the Tesla board. Grok is now available only to users of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42645821/elon-musks-xai-expands-with-new-chatbot-app">Musk-owned social media platform&nbsp;X</a>.
In December, the xAI announced that it has<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42358400/elon-musks-xai-raises-6b-for-the-2nd-time-this-year-as-it-looks-to-take-the-challenge-to-openai-google-and-jeff-bezos-backed-anthropic"> secured $6 billion in Series C funding</a> from major technology and financial institutions, marking its second major funding round in 2024. Nvidia, AMD, A16Z, Blackrock, Fidelity&nbsp;Management&nbsp;&amp;&nbsp;Research&nbsp;Company, Kingdom&nbsp;Holdings, Lightspeed, MGX, Morgan&nbsp;Stanley, OIA, QIA, Sequoia&nbsp;Capital, Valor&nbsp;Equity Partners and Vy&nbsp;Capital participated in the funding.
Grok 3, xAI&#8217;s new language model, is currently training. Musk said last week that Grok 3 is &#8220;coming soon&#8221; without giving a clearer timeline. 
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link.</a>
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</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

xAI's Grok Chatbot To Be Integrated Into Tesla Vehicles 'Soon,' Says Elon Musk

At CES 2025, Intel unveils new adaptive control solution, next-gen discrete graphics and AWS virtual design environment.

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