Option chain shows key data for Regency Silver's stock options at various strike prices and expiration dates. Traders use this information to analyze potential trades and assess market sentiment for Regency Silver.

Regency Silver (OTC:RSMXF) Stock, Option Chain

Regency Silver Corp is engaged in the identification, evaluation, acquisition and exploration of mineral properties in Mexico and Peru. It has one reportable operating segment which is the exploration and evaluation of exploration and evaluation assets.

Screenshot 2024-04-24 at 5.47.13 PM

Commodities

Markets

PAAS

RSMXF

With Gold At All Time High, Regency Silver Poised To Benefit

Regency Silver Corp. Expands Holdings Near San Dimas Mine, Could Be Poised for Growth in Precious Metals Industry

Movers & Shakers

General

Robert Friedland, an American-Canadian billionaire financier specializing in securing funding for the exploration and development of mineral and energy resources, recently gave a talk about his thoughts on the future of mining.

Regency Silver Corp. Expands Holdings Near San Dimas Mine, Could Be Poised For Growth In Precious Metals Industry

Regency Silver Reports Striking High-Grade Gold At Dios Padre Project In Sonora, Mexico

News

Interview

Gold seems to be all the rage with investors as of late. Often touted as an inflation hedge, gold has seen an upward trend during the unsteady markets of 2023.

REGENCY SILVER CORP by Regency Silver Corp.

Regency Silver Corp

On Thursday, December 26, U.S. markets closed mixed. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose slightly, marking its fifth straight gain despite light trading and higher Treasury yields. The S&amp;P 500 and Nasdaq slipped, breaking recent streaks. Megacap tech stocks faced pressure, though Apple edged closer to a $4 trillion valuation. Seasonal trends and optimism around AI-driven profits continue to support year-end market hopes.
In economic data, U.S. initial jobless claims dropped by 1,000 in the second week of December, reaching 219,000, slightly below market expectations of 224,000.
S&amp;P 500 sectors gained, led by healthcare, financial, and real estate stocks, while consumer discretionary and communication services declined.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.07% and closed at 43,325.80, the S&amp;P 500 closed lower by 0.04% at 6,037.59, and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.05% to finish at 20,020.36.
Asia Markets Today
<ul>
<li>On Friday, Japan&#8217;s Nikkei 225 gained 1.77% and ended the session at 40,277.50, led by gains in the Shipbuilding, Automobiles &amp; Parts, and Chemical, Petroleum &amp; Plastic sectors.</li>
<li>Australia&#8217;s S&amp;P/ASX 200 closed higher by 0.50% at 8,261.80, led by gains in the Gold, Consumer Discretionary and Financials sectors.</li>
<li>India&#8217;s Nifty 50 rose 0.35% to 23,832.45, and Nifty 500 was up 0.10%, closing at 22,453.25, led by gains in the Auto, IT, and Banking sectors.</li>
<li>China&#8217;s Shanghai Composite rose 0.06% to close at 3,400.14, while the Shenzhen CSI 300 slid 0.16%, finishing the day at 3,981.03.</li>
<li>Hong Kong&#8217;s Hang Seng closed the session lower by 0.04% at 20,090.46.</li>
</ul>
Eurozone at 06:00 AM ET
<ul>
<li>The European STOXX 50 was up 0.56%.</li>
<li>Germany&#8217;s DAX rose 0.38%.</li>
<li>France&#8217;s CAC gained 0.56%.</li>
<li>U.K.&#8217;s FTSE 100 was trading higher by 0.08%.</li>
</ul>
Commodities at 06:00 AM ET
<ul>
<li>Crude Oil WTI was trading higher by 0.86% at $70.23/bbl, and Brent was up 0.76% at $73.41/bbl.</li>
<li>Oil prices edged higher, supported by expectations of a stimulus-driven economic recovery in China and declining U.S. crude inventories, but gains were limited by a stronger U.S. dollar.</li>
<li>Natural Gas rose 2.98% to $3.418.</li>
<li>Gold was trading lower by 0.48% at $2,641.16, Silver was down 0.80% to $30.340 and slid 0.28% to $4.1158.</li>
</ul>
U.S. Futures at 06:00 AM ET
Dow futures were down 0.31%, S&amp;P 500 futures declined 0.36%, and Nasdaq 100 futures slid 0.38%.
Forex at 06:00 AM ET
<ul>
<li>The U.S. Dollar Index was down 0.06% to 108.07, USD/JPY fell 0.16% to 157.75, and USD/AUD rose 0.19% to 1.6101.</li>
<li>The U.S. dollar is set for a 7% annual gain, driven by strong growth and cautious Federal Reserve rate cuts, while the yen and euro weakened amid diverging global monetary policies.</li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock

Asia

Emerging Markets

Eurozone

Futures

Forex

ADIV

AGOV

ASHR

BBEU

BOIL

CQQQ

PowerShares DBmmodity Index Optimum Yield Diversified Fund

EEMA

FLAX

CurrencyShares British Pound Sterling Trust

IEMG

IEUR

KraneShares Trust KraneShares S&P Pan Asia Dividend Aristocrats Index ETF

KDIV

SPEM

USDU

PowerShares DB US Dollar Index Bullish Fund

Europe And Asia Markets Gain; Dollar Set For 7% Annual Gain - Global Markets Today While Us Slept

Shares of&nbsp;GameStop Corp&nbsp;(NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GME#NYSE">GME</a>) saw a decline of 2.09% during pre-market hours following an initial surge driven by social media activity as per <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro.</a>
The stock&#8217;s initial rise was triggered by a post from&nbsp;Keith Gill, also known as &#8220;Roaring Kitty,&#8221; who shared a mysterious image on X, formerly known as Twitter. This post, made on Dec. 25, featured a wrapped ‘Christmas Present' and sparked speculation among retail investors, leading to a 7.68% increase&nbsp;in after-hours trading on Robinhood,&nbsp;with shares reaching a peak of $33.50. However, the stock later declined as investors took profits.
Meme stocks like GameStop often gain momentum&nbsp;through viral popularity and speculative&nbsp;trading, which are heavily influenced by social media and active retail communities. While these stocks can offer significant gains, they are also known for their high volatility and the risk of substantial losses.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/12/42638957/warren-buffetts-timeless-advice-if-youre-gonna-do-dumb-things-because-your-stock-goes-down-you-shouldnt-own-a-stock-at-all?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Warren Buffett's Timeless Advice For Investing $10,000: &#8216;If You're Gonna Do Dumb Things Because Your Stock At All&#8217;</a>
Despite the recent surge in activity, GameStop&#8217;s stock holds&nbsp;a consensus price target of&nbsp;$10 from analysts, with&nbsp;Wedbush&nbsp;maintaining this target since Sep. 11. The&nbsp;average price target of $9.33&nbsp;suggests a potential downside of 71.10% from current levels, according to the latest analyst ratings.
The recent social media-driven surge in GameStop shares is reminiscent of the 2021 meme stock phenomenon, where retail investors, fueled by platforms like Reddit, drove up the prices of certain stocks, including GameStop. 
Meme stocks gain their fame through viral popularity and speculative trading, fueled primarily by social media buzz and active retail investor communities. While they can deliver quick, substantial gains, they also carry extreme volatility and the potential for heavy losses.
Read Next:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/insights/options/24/12/42671143/smart-money-is-betting-big-in-smci-options?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Smart Money Is Betting Big In SMCI Options</a></li>
</ul>
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

Pre-Market Outlook

GameStop Shares Dip In Friday's Premarket After Surging Nearly 6% In Last Session, Fueled By Roaring Kitty's 'Christmas Present'

Planemaker Boeing Co (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BA#NYSE">BA</a>) is reportedly witnessing an increased number of its engineers leaving for space companies. 
What Happened: The average tenure of a Boeing engineer has dropped to 12.6 years from 16.4 years over the last decade, the Financial Times <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/5dea45ef-25c7-4b5c-ad8a-9984ec66bf53">reported</a>, citing data from the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace, a union representing 12,000 Boeing engineers. As per union data, the tenure is shortening in every age bracket.
The departure of engineering talent could make it harder for the company to launch a new plane, the report noted, while adding that the struggling plane maker is serving as a good place for space companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin to poach talent from.
While rival space companies continue to aim big and develop new vehicles, Boeing is <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42377203/boeing-chief-lobbyist-ziad-ojakli-leaves-troubled-planemaker-report">yet to announce a new plane</a>, FT noted. 
"Boeing is an airplane company and at the right time in the future, we need to develop a new airplane. But we have a lot of work to do before then," Ortberg said during the company&#8217;s third-quarter earnings call.
Boeing did not immediately respond to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga&#8217;s</a> request for comment.
Why It Matters: Boeing has been struggling since the start of the year when a door panel flew off an Alaska Airlines jet manufactured by the company. 
Later in the year, technical issues were identified with the Starliner spacecraft manufactured by the company, causing space agency NASA to opt out of bringing back the two astronauts who flew on Starliner to the International Space Station on the same spacecraft. The astronauts are now slated to return to Earth on a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft no earlier than March. 
Boeing CEO Kelly Ortberg said in October that Boeing would downsize its workforce by 10%. The layoff is <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/10/41301576/boeing-announces-10-workforce-reduction-amidst-ongoing-struggles-impacting-nearly-17k-employees">expected to impact nearly 17,000 jobs</a>. Ortberg then said that the layoffs are necessary to align with Boeing's financial reality and future recovery plans.
Price Action: Boeing shares closed up 0.6% at $180.38 on Thursday. The stock is down 28.4% year-to-date, according to data from Benzinga Pro. 
Boeing has a consensus price target of $197.85 based on the ratings of 23 analysts tracked by Benzinga. The analysts have a consensus &#8220;buy&#8221; rating on the stock.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="923" height="338" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27060611/image-214.png" alt="" class="wp-image-709030" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27060611/image-214.png 923w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27060611/image-214-300x110.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27060611/image-214-768x281.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 923px) 100vw, 923px" /></figure>
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>
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42668333/tesla-model-x-lucid-gravity-or-rivian-r1s-which-three-row-electric-suv-is-a-better-buy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tesla Model X, Lucid Gravity Or Rivian R1S: Which Three-Row Electric SUV Is A Better Buy?</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Tech

Boeing Engineers Leave Struggling Planemaker For Space Companies: Report

Burford Capital Reveals Issuance Of New Ordinary Shares In Connection With Long Term Incentive Plan

IDYA

IDEAYA Biosciences Says Its Board Of Directors Granted Non-qualified Stock Options To Purchase An Aggregate Of 31,400 Shares Of  Company's Common Stock To A Newly Hired Employee

Management

So-Young International Has Appointed Ms. Gefei Li As COO

BeiGene, Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BGNE#NASDAQ">BGNE</a>, HKEX: 06160, SSE: 688235))), a global oncology company that intends to change its name to BeOne Medicines Ltd., today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved TEVIMBRA&#xAE; (tislelizumab-jsgr), in combination with platinum and fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy, for the first-line treatment of unresectable or metastatic HER2-negative gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (G/GEJ) in adults whose tumors express PD-L1 (≥1).
"Today's FDA approval of TEVIMBRA for the treatment of gastric or gastroesophageal junction cancers in PD-L1 positive adult patients marks a significant step forward in our mission to deliver transformative therapies to patients with cancer," said Mark Lanasa, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Medical Officer, Solid Tumors at BeiGene. "This is the second U.S. approval for TEVIMBRA this year, underscoring its potential to address critical needs in oncology. We remain deeply grateful to the patients, clinicians, and researchers whose commitment and courage have made this progress possible—and we look forward to building on this momentum in 2025."
The additional indication for first-line G/GEJ cancers is based on results from BeiGene's RATIONALE-305 (<a href="https://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fclinicaltrials.gov%2Fstudy%2FNCT03777657&amp;esheet=54171021&amp;newsitemid=20241227403101&amp;lan=en-US&amp;anchor=NCT03777657&amp;index=1&amp;md5=30e9cd81ec8a563b14e02fe5d32103f4">NCT03777657</a>), a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, global Phase 3 trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TEVIMBRA in combination with chemotherapy as a first-line treatment for adult patients with advanced unresectable or metastatic G/GEJ cancer. The study met its primary endpoint and demonstrated a statistically significant and clinically meaningful overall survival (OS) benefit with a median OS of 15.0 months for patients treated with TEVIMBRA in combination with the investigator's choice of chemotherapy compared to 12.9 months for patients treated with placebo plus chemotherapy (n=997; HR: 0.80 [95% CI: 0.70, 0.92]; P=0.0011), resulting in a 20% reduction in the risk of death.
The pooled safety data in the application included 1,972 patients who received TEVIMBRA monotherapy in two randomized open-label, active-controlled studies (RATIONALE-302, BGB-A317-303) and five open-label, single-arm studies (BGB-A317-208, BGB-A317-204, BGB-A317-203, BGB-A317-102, BGB A317_Study_001), which enrolled 307 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and 1,665 patients with advanced or recurrent tumors. The most common Grade 3 or 4 adverse reactions for TEVIMBRA given in combination with chemotherapy were neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, fatigue, hypokalemia, hyponatremia, pneumonia, decreased appetite, rash, lymphopenia, alanine aminotransferase increased, aspartate aminotransferase increased, diarrhea, pneumonitis, and hepatitis.
TEVIMBRA is also approved in the U.S. as monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with unresectable or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) after prior systemic chemotherapy that did not include a PD-(L)1 inhibitor. An additional Biologics License Application (BLA) is under review at the FDA for the first-line treatment of adult patients with locally advanced unresectable or metastatic ESCC.

Government

Regulations

BGNE

BeiGene Gains FDA Nod for TEVIMBRA, Marking Key Progress in Oncology Treatments

Larry Ellison closes out a remarkable year as Oracle Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ORCL#NYSE">ORCL</a>) sees its strongest stock rally since the dot-com era, adding nearly $75 billion to Ellison&#8217;s net worth.
What Happened: Oracle&#8217;s shares have climbed 63% in 2024, significantly outpacing the S&amp;P 500&#8217;s 27% gain. This boost has elevated Ellison&#8217;s net worth to over $217 billion, positioning him just behind&nbsp;Elon Musk&nbsp;and&nbsp;Jeff Bezos&nbsp;in global wealth rankings, according to Forbes, CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/12/26/larry-ellison-net-worth-jumps-on-oracle-gains-as-he-turns-80.html">reported</a> on Friday.
Oracle&#8217;s success is linked to its strategic moves in the AI sector, leveraging its cloud infrastructure technology. Partnerships with companies like OpenAI and Meta have bolstered Oracle&#8217;s market presence. Despite a recent earnings report that fell short of expectations, Ellison remains optimistic about future growth.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/24/12/42678673/michael-jordan-sells-his-massive-luxury-mansion-for-9-5-million-but-it-took-12-years-to-find-a-buyer-and-he-spent-50-million-building-it?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Michael Jordan Sells His Massive Luxury Mansion For $9.5 Million – But It Took 12 Years To Find A Buyer And He Spent $50 Million Building It</a>
Oracle&#8217;s revenue is projected to grow by about 10% in the current fiscal year, marking its second-strongest expansion since 2011. Ellison&#8217;s leadership and strategic partnerships, including recent collaborations with Microsoft and Amazon, are expected to drive further growth.
Why It Matters: The rise in Oracle&#8217;s stock is largely attributed to its strategic positioning in the AI sector.&nbsp;Dan Ives highlighted <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42404918/oracle-positioned-to-benefit-from-enterprise-revolution-says-dan-ives-the-software-phase-of-the-ai-revolution-is-now-here">Oracle&#8217;s potential to benefit</a> from the enterprise software AI revolution. He emphasized Oracle&#8217;s competitive edge in the enterprise space, particularly its cloud infrastructure and software stack.
Despite a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/12/42400723/oracle-q2-earnings-revenue-miss-eps-miss-ai-growth-ellison-says-opportunity-is-unimaginable">recent earnings report</a>&nbsp;that missed expectations, Oracle reported a 9% year-over-year increase in second-quarter revenue. Ellison described the AI growth opportunity as &#8220;unimaginable,&#8221; underscoring the company&#8217;s focus on expanding its cloud and AI capabilities.
Oracle&#8217;s strategic moves and partnerships in AI and cloud technology are expected to continue driving its growth, making it a key player in the evolving tech landscape.
Price Action: Oracle was trading 0.21% lower on Friday during pre-market hours, as per <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro</a>. 
Read Next:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42668043/if-you-gave-your-loved-ones-a-150-bitcoin-christmas-gift-in-2022-itd-be-worth-more-than-what-an-average-american-spends-on-the-holiday-in-2024?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">If You Gave Your Loved Ones A $150 Bitcoin Christmas Gift In 2022, It&#8217;d Be Worth More Than What An Average American Spends On The Holiday In 2024</a></li>
</ul>
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 Flickr

ORCL

Larry Ellison's Wealth Soars By $75B, Trailing Only Elon Musk And Jeff Bezos, As Oracle Posts Its Biggest Stock Rally Since The Dot-Com Era

Leerink Partners analyst Faisal Khurshid maintains Kymera Therapeutics (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KYMR#NASDAQ">KYMR</a>) with a Outperform and maintains $60 price target.

Price Target

Analyst Ratings

KYMR

Leerink Partners Maintains Outperform on Kymera Therapeutics, Maintains $60 Price Target

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Thursday applauded the contribution of German scientists including Wernher von Braun in America&#8217;s space race against China. 
What Happened: &#8220;Indeed. Until they were applied to the US space program, America was losing the space race badly,&#8221; Musk wrote in a post on X. 
Earlier this week, Musk had mourned the shortage of engineering talent in America. 
<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">Indeed. Until they were applied to the US space program, America was losing the space race badly.
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1872174980240462082?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
&#8220;There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent. It is the fundamental limiting factory in Silicon Valley,&#8221; he said. While his companies would prefer to hire Americans, there is a shortage in the country of talented engineers who are motivated in the U.S., he said.
<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">There is a permanent shortage of excellent engineering talent. It is the fundamental limiting factor in Silicon Valley.
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1871956518213656728?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Why It Matters: The U.S. hired several German scientists for the development of its space program including Wernher von Braun after World War 2&nbsp;as part of&nbsp;Operation Paperclip, a secret United States intelligence program. 
A former Nazi party member, von Braun developed the rocket that launched United States&#8217; first space satellite Explorer 1. He was also key to developing the Saturn V launch vehicle which enabled the U.S. to send humans to the Moon under its Apollo program. As of today,&nbsp;the Saturn V remains the only launch vehicle to have carried humans beyond&nbsp;low Earth orbit&nbsp;(LEO).
Musk&#8217;s SpaceX is currently testing and developing its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/39032543/spacex-ceo-elon-musk-says-gigantic-starship-to-get-even-taller-with-3x-more-thrust-than-saturn-v">Starship launch vehicle</a> aimed at taking humans to the Moon and further beyond. 
While NASA is looking forward to landing humans back on the surface of the Moon after a gap of over 50 years with the help of a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42108681/spacex-shows-off-conceptual-version-of-starship-which-will-help-humans-land-back-on-moon-in-over-50-yrs" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">custom version of Starship</a>, Musk is dreaming of taking&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/09/40770222/elon-musk-sets-2026-for-starships-first-uncrewed-mars-mission-targeting-successful-landing" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">humans to the planet Mars</a>&nbsp;aboard Starship.
The company has<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/space/24/12/42477647/elon-musk-reveals-spacexs-new-starship-spacecraft-is-easier-to-manufacture-and-less-susceptible-to-high-heating-ahead-of-7th-test-flight"> completed six flight tests</a> of the Starship to date but none with a payload. 
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>
Read Next:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42697605/byd-offers-discounts-of-up-to-115-on-select-evs-as-year-end-nears">BYD Offers Discounts Of Up To 11.5% On Select EVs As Year End Nears</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

SPACE

Elon Musk Applauds Contribution Of German Scientist Wernher Von Braun To America's Space Program

The cryptocurrency market could experience major volatility following the largest Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) options expiry in history on Friday.
What Happened: According to leading cryptocurrency <a href="https://www.deribit.com/statistics/BTC/metrics/options">derivatives exchange</a> Deribit, Bitcoin options contracts, with nearly $14.38 billion in notional value expired at 3:00 a.m. ET.
This figure accounted for 70% of the total Open Interest for BTC options across different expiration dates.
Options are derivatives that give the buyer of the contract the right to buy or sell the underlying asset at a predetermined price and date. Typically, high Open Interest in options trading indicates that there are many market participants and new money is entering the market.
A call option gives the purchaser the right to buy an asset, while a put option allows them to sell assets at an agreed-upon price. As of this writing, the put/call ratio was 0.61, indicating a bullish sentiment as more traders were betting on price increases.
The next most significant date for traders is set for Jan. 31, when around $5.48 billion worth of options will expire.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42697066/vivek-ramaswamys-strive-applies-for-bitcoin-bond-etf-that-will-track-microstrategys-convertible-securities-market">Vivek Ramaswamy&#8217;s Strive Applies For &#8216;Bitcoin Bond&#8217; ETF That Tracks MicroStrategy&#8217;s Convertible Securities Market</a>
Why It Matters: Talking to Benzinga previously, Deribit&nbsp;CEO&nbsp;Luuk Strijers had <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42655154/84000-is-bitcoins-worst-case-options-trading-firm-ceo-says">flagged $84,000</a> as the "max pain" level for Bitcoin, hinting at Bitcoin&#8217;s potential drop to this level.
Max pain price is the price at which most option holders would experience the biggest financial loss when an option expires.
Additionally, Sean McNulty, director of trading at liquidity provider Arbelos Markets, was <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-12-27/bitcoin-btc-rally-fizzles-as-token-s-record-breaking-year-winds-down?srnd=phx-markets">quoted </a>by Bloomberg as suggesting that the market could become choppy following the expiry.
Price Action: At the time of writing, Bitcoin was exchanging hands at $96,724.39, up 1.43% in the last 24 hours, 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>.
Read Next:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42696957/all-vitalik-buterin-wanted-for-xmas-was-a-hippopotamus-ethereum-co-founder-is-now-the-adoptive-father-of-viral-sensation-moo-deng">All Vitalik Buterin Wanted For Xmas Was A Hippopotamus — Ethereum Co-Founder Is Now The Adoptive Father Of Viral Sensation Moo Deng</a></li>
</ul>
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<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/apis?utm_source=benzinga.com&amp;utm_campaign=article-bottom" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"></a>

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

Cryptocurrency

$BTC

Bitcoin Options Worth Over $14 Billion Expired Today, One Of The Biggest Events In History: Here's What Crypto Investors Should Expect

Shares of Evaxion Biotech A/S (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EVAX#NASDAQ">EVAX</a>) rose sharply in today's pre-market trading after the company applied for a patent for vaccines targeting <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/EVAX/news">Neisseria gonorrhoeae</a>.
Evaxion Biotech shares jumped 62% to $1.37 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>Intrusion Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/INTZ#NASDAQ">INTZ</a>) gained 177% to $1.23 in pre-market trading after surging around 22% on Thursday.</li>
<li>SES AI Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SES#NYSE">SES</a>) gained 79.6% to $2.55 in pre-market trading after gaining 100% on Thursday.</li>
<li>Rail Vision Ltd. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RVSN#NASDAQ">RVSN</a>) shares jumped 56.4% to $1.21 in pre-market trading after jumping 68% on Thursday.</li>
<li>Solid Power, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SLDP#NASDAQ">SLDP</a>) gained 41.5% to $2.76 in pre-market trading after jumping around 30% on Thursday.</li>
<li>Quantum-Si incorporated (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QSI#NASDAQ">QSI</a>) rose 38.2% to $2.97 in pre-market trading after gaining around 65% on Thursday.</li>
<li>AEye, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LIDR#NASDAQ">LIDR</a>) gained 36.7% to $1.75 in pre-market trading after surging around 13% on Thursday.</li>
<li>T Stamp Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IDAI#NASDAQ">IDAI</a>) gained 29.5% to $0.6999 in pre-market trading after gaining more than 21% on Thursday.</li>
<li>Ondas Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ONDS#NASDAQ">ONDS</a>) rose 26.6% to $3.18 in pre-market trading after climbing around 24% on Thursday.</li>
<li>Kingsoft Cloud Holdings Limited (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/KC#NASDAQ">KC</a>) gained 17.7% to $12.01 in pre-market trading after gaining over 14% on Thursday.</li>
</ul>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Losers</h3>
<ul>
<li>Viracta Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VIRX#NASDAQ">VIRX</a>) fell 21.8% to $0.1851 in pre-market trading as the company said its board has initiated a process to explore a broad range of strategic alternatives. The company announced plans to close its ongoing pivotal Phase 2 clinical trial of Nana-val in Relapsed/Refractory EBV + Lymphomas.</li>
<li>Meridian Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MRBK#NASDAQ">MRBK</a>) shares tumbled 20.5% to $11.00 in pre-market trading.</li>
<li>Quest Resource Holding Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QRHC#NASDAQ">QRHC</a>) declined 19.4% to $5.00 in pre-market trading after jumping around 5% on Thursday.</li>
<li>Millennium Group International Holdings Limited (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MGIH#NASDAQ">MGIH</a>) shares dipped 14.5% to $2.5400 in pre-market trading after surging 94% on Thursday.</li>
<li>MicroAlgo Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MLGO#NASDAQ">MLGO</a>) shares fell 10.5% to $2.55 in pre-market trading after surging over 62% on Thursday.</li>
<li>Neuphoria Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NEUP#NASDAQ">NEUP</a>) fell 10.4% to $3.99 in pre-market trading after dipping over 32% on Thursday.</li>
<li>West Bancorporation, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WTBA#NASDAQ">WTBA</a>) shares fell 9.6% to $20.00 in pre-market trading.</li>
<li>LuxUrban Hotels Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LUXH#NASDAQ">LUXH</a>) fell 9.2% to $0.8999 in today's pre-market trading after gaining over 3% on Thursday.</li>
<li>Luokung Technology Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LKCO#NASDAQ">LKCO</a>) dipped 9.1% to $1.69 in pre-market trading after gaining over 8% on Thursday.</li>
<li>Matrix Service Company (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MTRX#NASDAQ">MTRX</a>) fell 8.9% to $11.14 in pre-market trading.</li>
</ul>
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/long-ideas/24/12/42698100/constellium-viracta-therapeutics-and-3-stocks-to-watch-heading-into-friday">Constellium, Viracta Therapeutics And 3 Stocks To Watch Heading Into Friday</a></li>
</ul>

EVAX

IDAI

INTZ

LIDR

LKCO

LUXH

MGIH

MLGO

MRBK

MTRX

NEUP

ONDS

QRHC

RVSN

SLDP

VIRX

WTBA

Why Evaxion Biotech Shares Are Trading Higher By Around 62%; Here Are 20 Stocks Moving Premarket

As the year-end approaches, concerns are mounting over the potential disruption of the traditional &#8220;Santa Claus rally&#8221; in the stock market. Lawrence G. McMillan, a seasoned trader and author, has raised alarms about what he calls the &#8216;Grinch pinch,&#8217; which could impact this seasonal market phenomenon.
What Happened: McMillan analyzed the current state of the stock market in a recent op-ed <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/santa-claus-rally-begins-but-will-the-stock-market-avoid-a-grinch-pinch-b00cd0bb">published </a>in MarketWatch on Friday, focusing on the S&amp;P 500 Index. The index is attempting to rebound from a sharp decline following the U.S. Federal Reserve&#8217;s December meeting. While the VIX has decreased and market indicators appear positive, McMillan warns that the market remains within a broad trading range between 5,870 and 6,100, with notable resistance and support levels.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/12/42638862/kiyosaki-warns-of-global-financial-crisis-protect-your-wealth-by-investing-in-real-assets?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8216;Rich Dad Poor Dad&#8217; Author Robert Kiyosaki Warns Of Global Financial Crisis: &#8216;Invest In Real Assets To Protect Your Wealth by Investing in Real Assets&#8217;</a>
Despite the market entering a bullish seasonal period known as the &#8220;Santa Claus rally,&#8221; McMillan advises investors to remain vigilant. 
The &#8220;Grinch pinch&#8221; refers to potential negative factors that could impede this rally. Although market breadth is improving, new lows on the NYSE still surpass new highs. McMillan suggests maintaining a core bullish position as long as the SPX stays above 5,870.
&#8220;In other words, the outlook for stocks can be quite negative if the market does not rally during this period,&#8221; he said.
Why It Matters: The &#8220;Santa Claus rally&#8221; is a well-documented phenomenon where the stock market tends to deliver gains during the final trading days of December. Historically, the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/education/24/12/42675763/santa-rally-serial-winners-10-stocks-historically-poised-for-big-year-end-gains">S&amp;P 500</a> has gained in 64 out of the last 96 years during the Dec. 24–Dec. 31 window, averaging a 0.85% return. Notably, in 2018, the S&amp;P 500 surged 6.6%, marking its strongest year-end rally on record.
Despite recent declines in U.S. stock futures post-Christmas, analysts remain optimistic about a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42681352/us-futures-tumble-after-christmas-break-but-analysts-still-expect-a-santa-claus-rally">potential Santa Rally</a> into the New Year. The S&amp;P 500 is on track for a robust 20% plus return for the second consecutive year in 2024. With a high probability of no change in interest rates for the upcoming Jan. 31, 2025 decision, the market outlook remains cautiously optimistic.
Price Action: As per <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga Pro,</a> as of Friday pre-market hours, the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) which tracks the S&amp;P 500 has increased by 1.68% in the past five days. During the same time frame, the Invesco QQQ Trust, Series 1 (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>) which tracks the Nasdaq-100 Index has increased by 1.65%. 
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42666635/blackrocks-bitcoin-etf-could-outshine-sp-500-tracking-spy-to-become-top-investment-vehicle-but-it-will-take-a-long-time-says-prominent-analyst?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Blackrock&#8217;s Bitcoin ETF Could Outshine S&amp;P 500-Tracking SPY To Become Top Investment Vehicle But It Will Take A &#8216;Long&#8217; Time, Says Prominent Analyst</a></li>
</ul>
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.
Image via Midjourney

Analyst Color

Expert Warns Of Potential 'Grinch Pinch' Impacting Santa Claus Rally: 'The Outlook For Stocks Can Be Quite Negative'

Discussions around quantum computing have surged since Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) subsidiary Google teased its next-generation chip, &#8220;Willow," sparking interest in equities tied to the technology.
What happened: Shares of Quantum Computing Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QUBT#NASDAQ">QUBT</a>), a company specializing in quantum machine offerings, have soared 157% <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42397333/google-quantum-ais-willow-chip-outsmarts-supercomputers-completing-tasks-in-minutes-that-would-take-10-septillion-years">since the unveil</a>, reaching levels not seen since Jun. 2010. The stock closed at a multi-year high of $25.68 on Dec. 2018.
In doing so, QUBT outperformed the influential "Magnificent 7" cohort and even the red-hot, MicroStrategy Inc. 
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42665539/north-korean-hackers-suspected-presence-triggers-over-500-million-in-outflows-from-crypto-exchange">North Korean Hackers&#8217; Suspected Presence Triggers Over $500 Million In Outflows From Crypto Exchange</a>
Why It Matters: Google's quantum chip, Willow, can perform a standard benchmark computation in less than five minutes, a task that could take the world's fastest supercomputers forever.&nbsp;
The unprecedented speed represented a significant breakthrough in quantum computing, paving the way for <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/content/42641144/atlanta-software-developers-dives-into-quantum-computing-and-willow">practical applications</a> in sectors like drug discovery and energy systems.
Apart from the Willow-induced hype, QUBT stock soared after the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/12/42554980/whats-going-on-with-quantum-computing-qubt-stock">company secured a major contract with NASA</a> for image and data processing support.&nbsp;
Interestingly, while Willow's capabilities signaled a bright prospect for quantum computing and associated investments, concerns about it breaking the cryptographic algorithms had the opposite effect on Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>), the world's largest cryptocurrency.
Bitcoin has dropped 3.6% since the chip unveil, reflecting a divergent trajectory.
While experts <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42455205/will-googles-new-willow-chip-break-bitcoin-some-dismiss-it-as-fantasy-while-others-flag-risk-that-isnt-immediate">have debated</a> whether the threat is immediate, a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42546731/bitcoin-could-require-over-300-days-of-downtime-to-prepare-it-for-the-quantum-era-shows-study-amid-google-willow-chip-concern">study estimated </a>that the network would require over 300 days of downtime to protect against risks from quantum computing.&nbsp;
Price Action: Shares of Quantum Computing rallied 12.6% to close at $19.14 during Thursday's regular session, 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>.
At the time of writing, Bitcoin was exchanging hands at $96,313.62, down 1.75% in the last 24 hours.
Read Next:&nbsp;
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/12/42665334/will-dogecoin-hit-the-widely-anticipated-1-target-in-q1-2025-probably-not-but-musk-led-doge-could-hold-the-key">Dogecoin &#8216;Parabolic Rally&#8217; In 2025 Foreseen By Popular Analyst If &#8216;History Repeats&#8217; Just Like In 2017, 2021</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

$SHIB

$SOL

GOOG

GOOGL

QUBT

Quantum Computing Stock QUBT Has More Than Doubled While Bitcoin Has Dropped Since Google's 'Willow' Reveal: What Does This Mean?

With U.S. stock futures trading lower this morning on Friday, some of the stocks that may grab investor focus today are as follows:
<ul>
<li>Constellium SE (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CSTM#NYSE">CSTM</a>) announced a public offering of common stock. Constellium shares fell 3.4% to $10.00 in the after-hours trading session.</li>
<li>Viracta Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VIRX#NASDAQ">VIRX</a>) said its board has initiated a process to explore a broad range of strategic alternatives. The company announced plans to close its ongoing pivotal Phase 2 clinical trial of Nana-val in Relapsed/Refractory EBV + Lymphomas. Viracta Therapeutics shares dipped 13.9% to $0.2040 in the after-hours trading session.</li>
<li>Evaxion Biotech A/S (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/EVAX#NASDAQ">EVAX</a>) applied for a patent for vaccines targeting Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Evaxion Biotech shares jumped 104.5% to $1.73 in after-hours trading.</li>
</ul>
Check out our <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/premarket/">premarket coverage here</a>
<ul>
<li>The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AREN#NASDAQ">AREN</a>) disclosed that its compliance plan was accepted by the NYSE American. Arena Group shares jumped 17.6% to $1.67 in the after-hours trading session.</li>
<li>Grid Dynamics Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GDYN#NASDAQ">GDYN</a>) will replace Revelyst Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GEAR#NYSE">GEAR</a>) in the S&amp;P SmallCap 600 effective before the opening bell on Thursday, Jan. 2. Grid Dynamics shares jumped 9.7% to $23.11 in after-hours trading.</li>
</ul>
Check This Out:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42684254/top-3-utilities-stocks-youll-regret-missing-in-december"> </a>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42684254/top-3-utilities-stocks-youll-regret-missing-in-december">Top 3 Utilities Stocks You&#8217;ll Regret Missing In December</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Wikimedia

Long Ideas

Trading Ideas

AREN

CSTM

GDYN

GEAR

Constellium, Viracta Therapeutics And 3 Stocks To Watch Heading Into Friday

<h3>Companies Reporting Before The Bell</h3>
<h3>Companies Reporting After The Bell</h3>
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

Earnings

Earnings Scheduled For December 27, 2024

UniFirst Corporation (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNF#NYSE">UNF</a>) will release its first-quarter financial results, before the opening bell, on <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/UNF/earnings">Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025.</a>
Analysts expect the Wilmington, Massachusetts-based company to report quarterly earnings at $2.22 per share, down from $2.37 per share in the year-ago period. UniFirst projects quarterly revenue of $606.95 million, compared to $593.52 million a year earlier, according to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>.
On Oct. 29, Unifirst raised its quarterly cash dividend from 33 cents to 35 cents per share.
UniFirst shares fell 0.4% to close at $176.61 on Thursday.
Benzinga readers can access the latest analyst ratings on the<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/22/09/28888638/exclusive-study-finds-benzinga-analyst-ratings-data-yields-market-beating-strategie"> Analyst Stock Ratings</a> page. Readers can sort by stock ticker, company name, analyst firm, rating change or other variables.
Let's have a look at how Benzinga's most-accurate <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/UNF/analyst-ratings">analysts have rated the company </a>in the recent period.
<ul>
<li>Baird analyst Andrew Wittmann maintained a Neutral rating and raised the price target from $199 to $200 on Oct. 24. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 79%.</li>
<li>UBS analyst Joshua Chan maintained a Neutral rating and increased the price target from $186 to $190 on June 27. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 62%.</li>
<li>JP Morgan analyst Andrew Steinerman maintained an Underweight rating and increased the price target from $170 to $175 on June 27. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 77%.</li>
<li>Barclays analyst Manav Patnaik maintained an Equal-Weight rating and raised the price target from $160 to $180 on Feb. 29. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 76%.</li>
</ul>
Considering buying UNF stock? Here&#8217;s what analysts think:
Read This Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42684254/top-3-utilities-stocks-youll-regret-missing-in-december">Top 3 Utilities Stocks You&#8217;ll Regret Missing In December</a></li>
</ul>

UniFirst Gears Up For Q1 Print; Here Are The Recent Forecast Changes From Wall Street's Most Accurate Analysts

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed some easing in the fear level, while the index remained in the &#8220;Fear&#8221; zone on Thursday.
U.S. stocks settled mixed on Thursday, with the Dow Jones index closing slightly higher during the session. The market was shut on Wednesday for Christmas Day.
Month to date, the S&amp;P 500 gained 0.1%, while the Nasdaq has surged 4.2%, driven by significant gains in Tesla (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) and Apple (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>). The blue-chip Dow, however, fell around 3.5% during the month.
On the economic data front, U.S. initial jobless claims fell by 1,000 from the previous week to a reading of 219,000 during the second week of December, compared to market estimates of 224,000.
Most sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed on a positive note, with healthcare, financial, and real estate stocks recording the biggest gains on Thursday. However, consumer discretionary and communication services stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session lower.
The Dow Jones closed higher by around 29 points to 43,325.80 on Thursday. The S&amp;P 500 fell 0.04% to 6,037.59, while the Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.05% at 20,020.36 during Thursday's session.
What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?
At a current reading of 35.1, the index remained in the &#8220;Fear&#8221; zone on Thursday, versus a prior reading of 34.
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.
Read Next: 
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</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

AAPL

TSLA

Dow Edges Higher In Thin Holiday Trading As Tesla, Apple Surge: Investor Sentiment Improves, But Greed Index Remains In 'Fear' Zone

Recent concerns have emerged regarding a potential slowdown in artificial intelligence (AI) investments by major U.S. tech giants, which could significantly impact the semiconductor industry.
What Happened: Doug Lefever, CEO of&nbsp;Advantest, a leading supplier of chip testing machines for&nbsp;Nvidia Corp.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), has voiced apprehensions about a possible decline in AI spending by prominent U.S. technology firms. Such a downturn could lead to major disruptions in the semiconductor supply chain, Financial Times <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/54c3d188-9c5d-4664-94c4-366207ef9aad">reported</a> on Friday.&nbsp;
Lefever pointed out that companies like&nbsp;Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>),&nbsp;Google&nbsp;by Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>), and&nbsp;Microsoft Corp.&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) have made substantial investments in data centers. A reduction in their spending could cause significant ripple effects due to the current market concentration. Lefever described the potential downturn as possibly &#8220;vicious&#8221; due to cyclical market dynamics.
Conversely, Lefever noted that demand for AI-enabled smartphones is currently sluggish but could surge if a breakthrough application arises. Such a development could lead to a rapid increase in smartphone replacements, significantly impacting the market.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42680592/peter-thiel-once-said-he-would-bet-on-the-reversal-of-silicon-valleys-math-bias-as-ai-continues-to-rise-isnt-that-a-long-overdue-rebalancing-of-our-society?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Peter Thiel Once Said He Would Bet On The Reversal Of Silicon Valley&#8217;s Math Bias As AI Continues To Rise: &#8216;Isn&#8217;t That A Long Overdue Rebalancing Of Our Society&#8217;</a>
Despite these challenges, Advantest remains a dominant player in the semiconductor testing market, with a substantial share and increasing demand for its high-end testing machines. The company has seen its share price soar, driven by the rising complexity and cost of semiconductor chips.
Why It Matters: The potential slowdown in AI investment is a critical concern for the semiconductor industry, which heavily relies on the continuous growth of AI technologies. Logan Weaver, CEO of Surmount AI, highlighted at <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/events/24/12/42268558/the-future-of-investing-with-ai-its-never-been-easier-to-manage-your-portfolio-says-expert">Benzinga&#8217;s Fintech Deal Day</a> how AI is transforming investment management, and empowering consumers with simplified portfolio management tools. This underscores the growing importance of AI in various sectors.
Meanwhile, Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase &amp; Co., emphasized that<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42378125/jamie-dimon-internet-bubble-was-hype-artificial-intelligence-is-real"> AI is not just hype </a>but a real phenomenon with the potential to benefit numerous aspects of life.
Read Next:&nbsp;
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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

MSFT

NVDA

Key Nvidia Supplier Warns AI Spending Slowdown May Trigger 'Vicious' Downturn For Chipmakers

Zeta Global Holdings Corp (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ZETA#NYSE">ZETA</a>), a marketing technology company specializing in AI-powered marketing solutions has outperformed the NYSE Composite index in 2024, while its peers have underperformed the market. Based on its fundamental and technical analysis, should you buy, sell, or hold the stock? Here&#8217;s what analysts are saying. 
Shares of Zeta were up 1.23% at $18.97 per share as of Thursday&#8217;s close. The stock was up 125.83% this year outperforming NYSE Composite, which rose by 14.98%.
Its peers, Freshworks Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/FRSH#NASDAQ">FRSH</a>) was down 27.26%, and Temenos ADR (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TMSNY#OTC">TMSNY</a>) was down 21.52% in the same period.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27010414/Zeta-peer-comparison--1024x576.png" alt="" class="wp-image-708544" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27010414/Zeta-peer-comparison--1024x576.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27010414/Zeta-peer-comparison--300x169.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27010414/Zeta-peer-comparison--768x432.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27010414/Zeta-peer-comparison--1536x864.png 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27010414/Zeta-peer-comparison-.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>
The technical analysis of daily moving averages indicates a short-term bearish trend.
The stock ended at $18.97 apiece on Thursday. This was below its eight and 50-day simple moving average of $19.52 and $21.69, respectively. However, as per <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data, its current stock price was also lower than the 50-day moving average of $24.42, and its 200-day moving average of $24.42.
This implies that the stock is in a downtrend. On the other hand, the relative strength index of 38.38 suggests the stock&#8217;s movement is moderately oversold but still in the neutral zone.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27010622/Zeta-Chart-1024x576.png" alt="" class="wp-image-708548" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27010622/Zeta-Chart-1024x576.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27010622/Zeta-Chart-300x169.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27010622/Zeta-Chart-768x432.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27010622/Zeta-Chart-1536x864.png 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27010622/Zeta-Chart.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/market-summary/24/12/42680125/nvda-could-go-up-to-170-in-q1-after-breaching-145-level-as-traders-turn-bullish-on-jensen-huangs-ai-giant">NVDA Could Go Up To $170 In Q1 After Breaching $145 Level As Traders Turn Bullish On Jensen Huang&#8217;s AI Giant</a> 
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Two Of Zeta&#8217;s Clients Merge</h3>
Zeta Global stands to benefit from Omnicom&#8217;s acquisition of Interpublic. David A. Steinberg, the co-founder, chairman, and CEO of Zeta, in a statement on Dec. 9 said that &#8220;We are proud of our extensive relationships with the top Holdcos, including both Omnicom and IPG, and believe that today's announcement is a positive one for the industry and Zeta. Like everyone else, we will be watching closely as this progresses and offer support as needed.&#8221;
During its investor summit, Zeta said it can leverage the combined entity&#8217;s vast data infrastructure and enhanced financial strength. This presents opportunities for Zeta to deepen AI-powered customer insights, expand scale and reach and accelerate growth.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">New Acquisition By Zeta</h3>
Zeta Global&#8217;s acquisition of LiveIntent is projected to contribute "Vast data assets, direct channel capabilities and premium publisher network to the Zeta Marketing Platform. The integration of LiveIntent into the ZMP will expand gross margins while accelerating the shift of our revenue derived from agency customers to direct channels,&#8221; added Steinberg in a statement dated Oct. 8, 2024. This data foundation will further position Zeta to capitalize on the combined Omnicom-Interpublic entity, offering solutions to this major client segment.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">ZETA's Estimated Topline And Bottomline</h3>
Benzinga&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ZETA/earnings">estimate</a> for the fourth quarter revenue is pegged at $265.73 million, suggesting 26.34% growth from last year&#8217;s topline of $210.32 in the same quarter.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ZETA/earnings"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="415" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27010715/Zeta-global-revenue-1024x415.png" alt="" class="wp-image-708549" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27010715/Zeta-global-revenue-1024x415.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27010715/Zeta-global-revenue-300x122.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27010715/Zeta-global-revenue-768x311.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27010715/Zeta-global-revenue.png 1194w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>
The consensus <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ZETA/earnings">estimate</a> for earnings in the fourth quarter is pegged at 21 cents per share, as compared to 16 cents in the same quarter of the previous fiscal, suggesting a 31.25% increase from the prior year&#8217;s actual.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ZETA/earnings"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="411" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27010112/Zeta-global-EPS-1024x411.png" alt="" class="wp-image-708538" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27010112/Zeta-global-EPS-1024x411.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27010112/Zeta-global-EPS-300x120.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27010112/Zeta-global-EPS-768x308.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27010112/Zeta-global-EPS.png 1213w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></a></figure>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Zeta Has Higher Liquidity To Meet Obligations</h3>
The company had a current ratio of 3.319 at the end of the third quarter, exceeding the industry average of 2.16, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data. This ratio, indicating a robust ability to meet short-term obligations, has surged 67.7% from the previous quarter.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42681797/should-you-buy-or-sell-this-nvidia-rival-analysts-weigh-in-as-technicals-signal-a-downtrend">Should You Buy or Sell This Nvidia Rival? Analysts Weigh In As Technicals Signal A Downtrend</a> 
What Are Analysts Saying: According to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com">Benzinga</a>, Zeta has a consensus &#8216;hold&#8217; with a price target of $32.59 based on the ratings of 17 analysts.
The highest price target out of all the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ZETA/analyst-ratings">analysts</a> tracked by Benzinga is $45 issued by Craig-Hallum with a &#8216;buy&#8217; rating on Nov. 12, 2024. Analyst Jason Kreyer highlights Zeta Global&#8217;s strong performance, driven by the successful LiveIntent acquisition and cross-selling opportunities. Analyst is positive on the deepening penetration within the existing $100 billion plus customer base by replicating successful high-spend customer relationships.
Goldman Sachs analyst Gabriela Borges initiated coverage on Zeta with a &#8216;neutral&#8217; rating and announced a price target of $30 apiece. The note highlighted key medium-term risks. Including a possibility of its proprietary data&#8217;s value erosion as data accessibility and evolving consumer preferences may diminish, requiring continuous innovation. Strong 2024 performance, partly driven by one-time events, may make year-over-year comparisons challenging in 2025. Also, according to the analyst stricter privacy laws pose a long-term risk to Zeta&#8217;s data-driven business model, as evidenced by recent underperformance amid industry scrutiny.
The lowest target price was maintaining a &#8216;neutral&#8217; from Credit Suisse was adjusted to $9.5 from $12 per share on Aug. 4, 2022. The average price target of $38.67 between Goldman Sachs, RBC Capital, and Needham implies a 105.13% upside for Zeta.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ZETA/analyst-ratings"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="948" height="361" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27005852/Zeta-ANR.png" alt="" class="wp-image-708535" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27005852/Zeta-ANR.png 948w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27005852/Zeta-ANR-300x114.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/27005852/Zeta-ANR-768x292.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 948px) 100vw, 948px" /></a></figure>
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