Schwab Strategic Trust Schwab Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF (ARCA: SMBS)

Latest news for Schwab Strategic Trust Schwab Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF (ARCA:SMBS)

Schwab Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

Schwab Strategic Trust Schwab Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

Pony.ai has already introduced paid robotaxi rides to and from Beijing Daxing International Airport and to and from Beijing South Railway Station. The simultaneous expansion in Guangzhou's city center and its key transit hubs represents another milestone in the Company's commercialization of autonomous mobility.

News

PONY

Pony.ai Launches First Robotaxi Service Connecting Guangzhou's City Center To Airport And Railway Station

Integrating advanced data analytics into clinical practice to improve patient care

Philips And Mass General Brigham Collaborate To Unify Medical Data With AI For Smarter Clinical Decisions

Macro Economic Events

Econ #s

Economics

U.K. Services Purchasing Managers Index Preliminary For February 51.1 Vs. 50.8 Est.; 50.8 Prior

U.K. Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index Preliminary For February 46.4 Vs. 48.5 Est.; 48.3 Prior

U.K. Composite Purchasing Managers' Index Preliminary For February 50.5 Vs. 50.5 Est.; 50.6 Prior

Amid escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and China, Apple Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) CEO Tim Cook is said to have met President Donald Trump.
What Happened: Citing an anonymous source, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-02-20/apple-s-tim-cook-meeting-with-trump-as-tariffs-threaten-iphones">Bloomberg </a>reported a possible meeting between Cook and Trump at the White House. The purpose of the meeting, however, remains undisclosed.
The escalating trade war between the US and China has put Apple in a tricky situation. The Trump administration&#8217;s&nbsp;10% tariff on Chinese goods&nbsp;could potentially hinder Apple&#8217;s efforts to revive its sluggish iPhone sales.
Moreover, China, Apple&#8217;s largest manufacturing hub, is contemplating an investigation into the company&#8217;s&nbsp;policies and the fees it&nbsp;charges app developers. 
Also, this month,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/02/43554574/apple-faces-mounting-pressure-from-uk-government-to-grant-spying-access-to-encrypted-data-of-users-worldwide">Apple faced pressure</a>&nbsp;from the U.K. government to create a backdoor for accessing the encrypted data of its users worldwide. 
This meeting with President Trump could be seen in the context of tariffs and privacy-related concerns from the U.K.
Apple did not immediately respond to <a href="http://pro.benzinga.com">Benzinga&#8217;s</a> request for comment. 
SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/personal-finance/25/02/43856927/billionaire-blackrock-ceo-larry-fink-says-people-are-saving-too-much-and-not-investing-enough-to-retire-with-dignity">Billionaire Blackrock CEO Larry Fink Says People Are Saving Too Much And Not Investing Enough To &#8216;Retire With Dignity&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: The tariffs imposed by the Trump administration raised concerns over the impact on the pricing of Apple products. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43839627/apple-may-hike-iphone-prices-by-9-due-to-trumps-tariffs-says-bank-of-america">Analysts at the Bank of America</a>&nbsp;securities have suggested that Apple may need to increase iPhone prices by 9% to counter the tariffs. 
The iPhone maker tried to shift its supply chain from China to India and Vietnam. While India is a major assembling hub for iPhones, Vietnam is a major hub for AirPods. However, the Chinese government is setting obstacles to this shift and has resorted to tightening controls on advanced equipment and critical materials. Additionally, the reciprocal tariffs on India announced by Trump have also become a cause of concern for the Tim Cook-led company.
Post-election, Cook had expressed his willingness to engage with the Trump administration. However, the two have previously had disagreements over Apple&#8217;s privacy policies, with Trump insisting that Apple should do more to assist federal law enforcement in accessing encrypted phones. Apple has consistently opposed such requests citing potential dangers from hackers. 
Despite these challenges, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/02/43873396/apple-stock-has-run-up-over-10-in-a-month-jim-cramer-says-iphone-maker-is-ramping-and-the-credit-goes-to-chinese-subsidies">Apple&#8217;s stock has surged over 10%</a> in the past month, with CNBC's Jim Cramer attributing the momentum to the Chinese government&#8217;s national consumer subsidy programs that also cover Apple products.
<ul>
<li>READ MORE: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43867210/rivian-automotive-q4-earnings-highlights-revenue-beat-eps-beat-2025-guidance-truly-transformational-product-r2-coming">Rivian Automotive Q4 Earnings Highlights: Revenue Beat, EPS Beat, 2025 Guidance, R2 Update</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Equities

Markets

Tech

AAPL

Apple CEO Tim Cook Reportedly Meets Trump As Tariff Impact Looms On iPhone Sales And Company's China Strategy

Eurozone Services Purchasing Managers Index Preliminary For February 50.7 Vs. 51.5 Est.; 51.3 Prior

HCOB Eurozone Composite Purchasing Managers Index Preliminary For February 50.2 Vs. 50.5 Est.; 50.2 Prior

Eurozone Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index Preliminary For February 47.3 Vs. 46.9 Est.; 46.6 Prior

Jensen Huang, CEO of&nbsp;Nvidia Corporation&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), addressed investor concerns regarding the necessity of massive AI infrastructure spending during a virtual event uploaded on Thursday. 
What Happened: Huang addressed the DeepSeek-led sell-off of the Nvidia shares and said, that investors misinterpreted the DeepSeek&#8217;s AI advancements. The pre-recorded event, produced by Nvidia partner DDN, was part of the launch of DDN&#8217;s new software platform, Inifinia.
The major reason for the sell-off was due to investors questioning the need for massive AI infrastructure expenditure by Big Tech firms, particularly&nbsp;if models can be trained with lesser computing power. This is a result of DeepSeek&#8217;s advancements in AI, which investors may have misunderstood, triggering a significant market reaction.
The Nvidia Chief clarified that the industry still demands significant computing power for post-training methods, which enable AI models to generate predictions or reach conclusions after training. He emphasized that as these methods diversify and expand, the demand for Nvidia&#8217;s computing power will also increase.
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NVDA

Nvidia Stock Had A Bad Week After DeepSeek Unveiled Its New Model In January—Now CEO Jensen Huang Says Investors Are Misreading AI's Future Impact: 'Obviously, That Paradigm Is Wrong'

President Donald Trump and Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk have reignited decades-old discussions about the U.S. government&#8217;s gold holdings at Fort Knox, as the precious metal&#8217;s prices reach historic highs above $2,940 per ounce.
What Happened: Musk initiated the conversation on social media Saturday, questioning the status of the gold reserves and calling for a &#8220;live video walkthrough&#8221; of the facility. Trump escalated the matter Wednesday, announcing plans to inspect the fortress-like depository. 
&#8220;We hope everything&#8217;s fine with Fort Knox, but we&#8217;re going to go to Fort Knox&#8230;to make sure the gold is there,&#8221; Trump said, adding, &#8220;If the gold isn&#8217;t there, we&#8217;re going to be very upset.&#8221;
<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">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;We&#39;re going to go to Fort Knox — the fabled Fort Knox — to make sure the gold is there.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/nFKlTDGXaO">pic.twitter.com/nFKlTDGXaO</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1892420940220313900?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
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The U.S. Bullion Depository at Fort Knox currently holds 147.3 million troy ounces of gold, representing approximately 59% of the Treasury&#8217;s total reserves, according <a href="https://www.usmint.gov/learn/tours-and-locations/fort-knox?srsltid=AfmBOorAKfMwGFU3cNWbLEtFSJ31roUnftZ9i27yKhJKN5E3djpNF2s3#accordion-d08d17b2a7-item-13f72f12ff">to</a> the U.S. Mint. At current market prices, these holdings are valued at approximately $434 billion.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/02/43872745/bitcoin-breaches-98k-ethereum-dogecoin-flat-as-sec-relaxes-crypto-enforcement-top-analysts-are-focused-on-this-level-for-a-potential-btc-upside">Bitcoin Breaches $98K, Ethereum, Dogecoin Flat As SEC Relaxes Crypto Enforcement: Top Analysts Are Focused On This Level For A Potential BTC Upside</a>
Why It Matters: The renewed interest in Fort Knox comes amid a broader surge in gold prices, driven by geopolitical tensions and economic uncertainty. Goldman Sachs recently raised its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/specialty-etfs/25/02/43858757/bullion-boom-gold-etfs-gain-as-geopolitical-storm-fuels-surge">year-end gold target</a> to $3,100 per ounce, citing increased central bank purchasing activity.
The U.S. maintains the world&#8217;s largest government gold reserves, with 8,133 metric tons – more than double Germany&#8217;s holdings, according <a href="https://www.gold.org/goldhub/data/how-much-gold">to</a> the World Gold Council. The Kentucky facility, constructed in the 1930s, was strategically located inland to protect against potential foreign attacks during World War II.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently dismissed speculation about revaluing the nation&#8217;s gold holdings, stating that &#8220;all the gold is there&#8221; and extending an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/specialty-etfs/25/02/43858757/bullion-boom-gold-etfs-gain-as-geopolitical-storm-fuels-surge">open invitation to senators for verification</a>.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/25/02/43872677/alibaba-cfo-toby-xu-touts-5-drop-in-share-count-thanks-to-aggressive-buybacks-as-jack-ma-founded-company-basks-in-stellar-q3-results">Alibaba CFO Toby Xu Touts 5% Drop In Share Count Thanks To Aggressive Buybacks As Jack Ma-Founded Company Basks In Stellar Q3 Results</a></li>
</ul>
Image Via Shutterstock
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Commodities

Trump Plans Fort Knox Gold Inspection As Prices Soar Past $2,940: 'If The Gold Isn't There...'

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk on Thursday said that preparations must start already for deorbiting the International Space Station (ISS), ahead of the timeline decided by space agency NASA. 
What Happened: &#8220;It has served its purpose. There is very little incremental utility,&#8221; Musk said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. &#8220;Let&#8217;s go to Mars,&#8221; the billionaire said, calling for a human-operated base on Mars instead of the low Earth orbit. 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">It is time to begin preparations for deorbiting the <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a>. It has served its purpose. There is very little incremental utility. Let's go to Mars.
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1892621691060093254?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;The decision is up to the President, but my recommendation is as soon as possible,&#8221; Musk said while also recommending that the station be deorbited two years from now, or in 2027. 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">The decision is up to the President, but my recommendation is as soon as possible. I recommend 2 years from now.
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1892627928921329862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Current Plans For ISS: The ISS&nbsp;is operated by space agencies from the U.S., Europe, Japan, Canada, and Russia. All countries except Russia have committed to operating the station until 2030.&nbsp;The station has spent about 25 years in orbit and over 270 astronauts have visited it to date. 
NASA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39574766/spacex-overtakes-ula-in-military-space-missions-as-vulcan-centaur-rocket-experiences-delays" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">chose SpaceX</a>&nbsp;to develop and deliver the U.S. Deorbit vehicle (USDV) to deorbit the space station and ensure a lack of risk to populated areas in late June. SpaceX will develop the deorbit spacecraft under the contract valued at $843 million and NASA will take ownership afterward and operate it through the mission. 
The space agency previously said that the deorbit spacecraft would move the station out of orbit and into a remote area of an ocean at the end of its operations around 2030.
Both the spacecraft and the station are expected to break up through the process of re-entry into Earth's atmosphere. Any remnants will subsequently fall harmlessly into the ocean as part of the plan. 
Musk&#8217;s Mars Vision: Musk has often talked about landing humans on the surface of Earth&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39521319/elon-musk-envisions-building-space-station-on-moon-after-spacex-bags-nasa-contract-to-build-iss-deor">neighboring planet Mars</a>. SpaceX&#8217;s Starship launch vehicle, with which he intends to accomplish the dream, is in the testing and development phase. 
Musk last year said that the first Starships will&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39567836/spacex-ceo-elon-musk-picks-terminus-for-mars-first-starship-enabled-city-after-just-4-test-flights" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">head to Mars in two years</a>&nbsp;once the next Earth-Mars transfer window opens.
The first launches to Mars in 2026, Musk then said, will not have a crew onboard and will be aimed at testing the flight&#8217;s ability to land intact on Mars.
&#8220;If those landings go well, then the first crewed flights to Mars will be in 4 years,&#8221; Musk wrote, pegging the first crewed Starship flights to the neighboring planet for 2028.
According to the billionaire, humans stand a risk of extinction on Earth due to risks like nuclear war or natural annihilation.
"Having two planets means that all our eggs are not in one basket. From there, we can extend to other star systems," Musk said <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/space/25/02/43840887/spacex-ceo-elon-musk-says-making-mars-self-sustaining-will-take-up-to-half-a-century-will-require-10-earth-mars-transfer-windows">earlier this week.</a>
Check out more of Benzinga'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/general/space/25/02/43874743/elon-musks-spacex-starships-8th-test-flight-could-launch-as-early-as-feb-26">Elon Musk-Led SpaceX Likely To Undertake Starship&#8217;s 8th Test Flight On Feb 26: Here&#8217;s What We Know</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

SPACE

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk Calls For Deorbiting Space Station Ahead Of Timeline In 2027: 'Let's Go To Mars'

Vipshop Holdings Limited (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VIPS#NYSE">VIPS</a>) will release its fourth-quarter financial results, before the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/vips/earnings">opening bell, on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025.</a>
Analysts expect the Boston, Massachusetts-based company to report quarterly earnings at $5.39 cents per share, down from $5.79 per share in the year-ago period. Vipshop projects quarterly revenue of $32.07 billion, compared to $34.67 billion a year earlier, according to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>.
On Nov. 19, Vipshop reported third-quarter sales of $2.95 billion, down by 9.2% year-on-year, which topped the Wall Street view of $2.91 billion.
Vipshop shares fell 0.3% to close at $14.53 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/vips/analyst-ratings">analysts have rated the company</a> in the recent period.
<ul>
<li>Citigroup analyst Alicia Yap maintained a Buy rating and cut the price target from $18 to $17 on Nov. 20, 2024. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 60%.</li>
<li>Benchmark analyst Fawne Jiang reiterated a Hold rating on Nov. 20, 2024. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 72%.</li>
<li>Barclays analyst Jiong Shao initiated coverage on the stock with an Overweight rating and a price target of $19 on Nov. 6, 2024. This analyst has an accuracy rate of 70%.</li>
</ul>
Considering buying VIPS stock? Here&#8217;s what analysts think: 
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="584" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/21034647/image-176-1024x584.png" alt="" class="wp-image-792595" style="width:584px;height:auto" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/21034647/image-176-1024x584.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/21034647/image-176-300x171.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/21034647/image-176-768x438.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/21034647/image-176.png 1106w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
Read This Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43864993/top-3-health-care-stocks-you-may-want-to-dump-in-february">Top 3 Health Care Stocks You May Want To Dump In February</a></li>
</ul>

Earnings

Trading Ideas

VIPS

Vipshop Gears Up For Q4 Print; Here Are The Recent Forecast Changes From Wall Street's Most Accurate Analysts

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed a decline in the overall market sentiment, while the index remained in the &#8220;Neutral&#8221; zone on Thursday.
U.S. stocks settled lower on Thursday, with the Dow Jones index falling around 450 points during the session.
Walmart Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WMT#NYSE">WMT</a>) shares fell around 6.5% on Thursday following the release of quarterly results. Walmart said it sees first-quarter FY26 sales growth of 3% – 4% in CC and adjusted EPS of $0.57 – $0.58 against an estimate of $0.64. For FY26 Walmart expects sales to grow 3% – 4% in CC and an adjusted EPS of $2.50 – $2.60, below the $2.76 estimate.
On the economic data front, initial jobless claims increased by 5,000 from the prior week to 219,000 in the week ending Feb. 15, versus estimates of 215,000. The Philadelphia Fed Manufacturing Index fell to 18.1 in February from 44.3 in the previous month
Most sectors on the S&amp;P 500 closed on a negative note, with financial, consumer discretionary and consumer staples stocks recording losses on Thursday. However, energy and real estate stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session higher.
The Dow Jones closed lower by over 450 points to 44,176.65 on Thursday. The S&amp;P 500 fell 0.43% to 6,117.52, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.47% at 19,962.36 during Thursday's session.
Investors are awaiting earnings results from Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TDS#NYSE">TDS</a>), United States Cellular Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/USM#NYSE">USM</a>), and Brady Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRC#NYSE">BRC</a>) today.
What is CNN Business Fear &amp; Greed Index?
At a current reading of 45.1, the index remained in the &#8220;Neutral&#8221; zone on Thursday, versus a prior reading of 46.7.
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: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43864993/top-3-health-care-stocks-you-may-want-to-dump-in-february">Top 3 Health Care Stocks You May Want To Dump In February</a></li>
</ul>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Pre-Market Outlook

Dow Tumbles 450 Points As Walmart Shares Plunge: Investor Sentiment Declines, Fear & Greed Index In 'Neutral' Zone

Germany Services Purchasing Managers Index Preliminary For February 52.2 Vs. 52.4 Est.; 52.5 Prior

Germany Manufacturing Purchasing Managers Index Preliminary For February 46.1 Vs. 45.4 Est.; 45.0 Prior

<h3>Companies Reporting Before The Bell</h3>
• Brady (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BRC#NYSE">BRC</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $1.03 per share on revenue of $359.20 million. 
• SES AI (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SES#NYSE">SES</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.20 per share on revenue of $361.90 million. 
• Atmus Filtration Techs (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ATMU#NYSE">ATMU</a>) is likely to report quarterly earnings at $0.53 per share on revenue of $399.24 million. 
• AdvanSix (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ASIX#NYSE">ASIX</a>) is expected to report quarterly loss at $0.37 per share on revenue of $377.15 million. 
• Vipshop Holdings (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VIPS#NYSE">VIPS</a>) is likely to report quarterly earnings at $0.72 per share on revenue of $4.42 billion. 
• Arbor Realty Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ABR#NYSE">ABR</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.39 per share on revenue of $86.28 million. 
• Oil States International (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/OIS#NYSE">OIS</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.05 per share on revenue of $173.33 million. 
• United States Cellular (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/USM#NYSE">USM</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $1.70 per share on revenue of $964.70 million. 
• Telephone and Data (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TDS#NYSE">TDS</a>) is likely to report quarterly loss at $0.23 per share on revenue of $1.26 billion. 
• Balchem (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BCPC#NASDAQ">BCPC</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $1.11 per share on revenue of $239.96 million. 
• Federal Agricultural (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AGM#NYSE">AGM</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $4.17 per share on revenue of $92.81 million. 
• Uniti Group (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/UNIT#NASDAQ">UNIT</a>) is projected to report quarterly earnings at $0.33 per share on revenue of $295.37 million. 
• Sunstone Hotel Invts (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SHO#NYSE">SHO</a>) is estimated to report quarterly earnings at $0.14 per share on revenue of $215.79 million. 
• TXNM Energy (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TXNM#NYSE">TXNM</a>) is likely to report quarterly earnings at $0.30 per share on revenue of $496.05 million. 
<h3>Companies Reporting After The Bell</h3>
• Hawaiian Electric Indus (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HE#NYSE">HE</a>) is expected to report quarterly earnings at $0.34 per share on revenue of $1.16 billion. 
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

ASIX

ATMU

BCPC

TXNM

UNIT

Earnings Scheduled For February 21, 2025

As the precious metal nears the $3000 per ounce mark, all focus shifts to gold. As this expert highlights that the yellow metal is a portfolio &#8220;essential,&#8221; he adds that &#8220;fiscal dominance&#8221; could be a trigger for its divergence from inverse correlation with real yields.
What Happened: Despite trading flat at $2,930.62 per ounce, down 0.31% as of the publication of this article, gold has been testing the $3,000 level after hitting fresh records.
The metal&#8217;s 52-week range lies between $2,015.55 and the latest record high of $2,954.97.
Gold has given similar returns to the S&amp;P 500 index since 2020 while having a lower volatility, explains Jurrien Timmer, the director of global macro at Fidelity Investments. &#8220;Gold remains an essential component of a diversified portfolio in a regime in which bonds might remain impaired,&#8221; he added
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Gold has been a big winner for the past few years, keeping up and even beating equities. It's quite a performance for an asset that often gets lamented for not providing a cash flow. Since 2020, gold has produced almost the same return as the S&amp;P 500 while having a lower… <a href="https://t.co/khS02bvDbJ">pic.twitter.com/khS02bvDbJ</a>
&mdash; Jurrien Timmer (@TimmerFidelity) <a href="https://twitter.com/TimmerFidelity/status/1892606891789811996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Timmer also noted gold&#8217;s traditional inverse correlation with real yields has broken down recently. He said that likely due to &#8220;fiscal dominance&#8221; and geopolitical factors like central bank gold purchases.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Gold is now testing the $3,000 level as the global money supply is perking up again and real yields are coming down. Valuing gold has been a challenge these past few years, breaking their age old pattern of mimicking the inverse of real yields. The chart below shows a steady… <a href="https://t.co/MWYi5TV6Wa">pic.twitter.com/MWYi5TV6Wa</a>
&mdash; Jurrien Timmer (@TimmerFidelity) <a href="https://twitter.com/TimmerFidelity/status/1892632560163029319?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 20, 2025</a></blockquote>
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See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43839198/reduce-deficits-and-debt-full-stop-says-this-economist-as-trump-mulls-doge-dividend-by-giving-away-20-of-its-savings-to-public">&#8216;Reduce Deficits And Debt… Full Stop,&#8217; Says Craig Shapiro As Trump Mulls &#8216;DOGE Dividend&#8217; By Giving Away 20% Of Its Savings To Public</a>
Why It Matters: Meanwhile, during the ongoing four-day 2025 Conservative Political Action Conference, Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO Elon Musk addressed the gold at Fort Knox and said, &#8220;It&#8217;s the public&#8217;s gold. It&#8217;s your gold. I think you have a right to see it.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43847433/trump-approval-rating-declines-in-february-unpopular-domestic-and-foreign-policy-ideas">President</a> Donald Trump added during his speech, &#8220;We&#8217;re going to open the doors and inspect Fort Knox,&#8221; He continued, &#8220;I don&#8217;t want to open it and find the cupboards are empty,&#8221;
According to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, an audit is conducted annually and confirms that all the gold is accounted for and present, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/fort-knox-gold-reserves-elon-musk-338bebb56885c142feaa0ff383c9ba37">reported</a> AP. 
Since 1937, Fort Knox has secured U.S. gold. It now also functions as the Army&#8217;s human resources command and the site of its largest yearly training.
Price Action: The SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) and Invesco QQQ Trust ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/QQQ#NASDAQ">QQQ</a>), which track the S&amp;P 500 index and Nasdaq 100 index, respectively, fell on Thursday. SPY was 0.42% lower at $610.38, and QQQ was also down 0.42% to $537.23, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a> data.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/02/43844926/quantum-computing-stocks-rgti-qubt-ionq-qbts-cheer-microsofts-majorana-1-launch-satya-nadella-calls-it-a-physics-and-fabrication-breakthrough">Quantum Computing Stocks RGTI, QUBT, IONQ, QBTS Cheer Microsoft&#8217;s &#8216;Majorana 1&#8217; Launch: Satya Nadella Calls It A &#8216;Physics And Fabrication Breakthrough&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
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Schwab Asset Management to Launch the Schwab Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF

The Schwab Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF (SMBS) Starts Trading

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Schwab Asset Management&#xAE;, the asset management arm of The Charles Schwab Corporation, today announced the launch of the Schwab Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMBS#NYSE">SMBS</a>). The first day of trading is expected to be on or about November 19.With an expense ratio of 0.03%, the Schwab Mortgage-Backed Securities ETF is priced in line with the lowest-priced peer ETFs based on the U.S. Mortgage Lipper category1. The ETF will provide simple access to investment-grade mortgage-backed securities issued and/or guaranteed by U.S. government agencies. It is designed to serve as part of a diversified portfolio.

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