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Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowing for investment purposes) in financial instruments, such as swap agreements, securities of the Index, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that track the Index and other financial instruments that provide daily leveraged exposure to the Index or to ETFs that track the Index, which, in combination, provide returns consistent with the Funds investment objective. The financial instruments in which the Fund most commonly invests are swap agreements and futures agreements which are intended to produce economically leveraged investment results.

Direxion Daily MSCI Emerging Markets ex China Bull 2X Shares

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Trading Emerging Market Catalysts With Direxion&#39;s Daily MSCI Emerging Markets Ex China Bull 2X Shares

Direxion Shares ETF Trust Direxion Daily MSCI Emerging Markets ex China Bull 2X Shares

Elon Musk has requested the attorneys-general of California and Delaware to mandate an auction of a substantial portion of OpenAI&#8217;s stake.
What Happened: Musk&#8217;s legal representative, Marc Toberoff, reached out to the top legal officers of the states on behalf of major AI investors, advocating for an open bidding process, <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/596dddb3-0607-44b9-b565-9c0d62e49b9f">reported</a> Financial Times on Thursday.
However, OpenAI has no intention of conducting such an auction, the report noted, citing according to a source familiar with the company&#8217;s position.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/01/42904409/elon-musk-hosts-x-spaces-with-afds-alice-weidel-after-successfully-endorsing-trump-share-views-on-nuclear-power-and-future-of-europe-with-far-right-german-leader">Elon Musk Hosts X Spaces With Afd&#8217;s Alice Weidel After Successfully Endorsing Trump: Share Views On Nuclear Power And Future Of Europe With Far Right German Leader</a>
Musk&#8217;s legal team contends that an auction is essential to ensure the non-profit receives maximum value for its assets. Sources suggest that the non-profit&#8217;s stake in the proposed public benefit corporation could be worth billions.
The attorneys general have not yet responded to Musk&#8217;s request.
Subscribe to the <a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a> to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It Matters: The dispute originates from OpenAI&#8217;s shift from a non-profit to a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42712683/openai-lays-out-its-for-profit-transition-plans-says-it-must-evolve-to-advance-its-agi-mission">for-profit entity</a>, a transition Musk has opposed. The Sam Altman-led company plans to become a public benefit corporation, requiring the non-profit to relinquish control over its operations.
Earlier, the &#8220;Godfather of AI,&#8221; Geoffrey Hinton, expressed <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/education/25/01/42778778/elon-musk-gets-support-from-godfather-of-ai-geoffrey-hinton-in-battle-against-openai">support for Musk&#8217;s stance</a>. Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) has also backed Musk, arguing that OpenAI should not convert assets developed under its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42495758/elon-musk-finds-an-unlikely-ally-in-mark-zuckerbergs-meta-in-his-fight-against-sam-altmans-openai">non-profit status for private gain</a>.
OpenAI&#8217;s valuation soared to $157 billion last year. The AI startup has received about $14 billion in investment from Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTF#NASDAQ">MSTF</a>).
Image via Wikimedia Commons
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech">following this link</a>.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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Elon Musk Pushes California, Delaware Attorneys-General To Force OpenAI Stake Auction Amid Bitter Legal Battle With Sam Altman

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BBJP

WisdomTree Trust Japan Total Dividend Fund

Reported Earlier, Japan Household Spending (MoM) For November 0.4% Vs. -0.9% Est.; 2.9% Prior

Reported Earlier, Japan Household Spending (YoY) For November -0.4% Vs. -0.6% Est.; -1.3% Prior

Ford Motor Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/F#NYSE">F</a>) unveiled two new Mustang variants Thursday in Detroit, showcasing American performance innovation while the automaker&#8217;s stock trades near its 52-week low of $9.49.
What Happened: The Mustang GTD Spirit of America celebrates 60 years of Mustang achievements and becomes the most powerful street-legal Mustang ever, delivering 815 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque with a top speed of 202 mph. 
Ford hasn't disclosed prices for specific Mustang GTD editions, but the base model starts at around $325,000.
The special edition features distinctive red and blue racing stripes mimicking Mustang&#8217;s original 1964 Tribar logo, along with exposed carbon fiber aerodynamic elements and Performance White bodywork.
In a separate announcement, Ford partnered with RTR Vehicles to introduce the Mustang RTR, marking only the second time in Mustang history that Ford has co-developed a performance model with an external partner. 
The RTR variant, based on the EcoBoost platform, incorporates Mustang Dark Horse components and technology derived from Formula Drift championships.
&#8220;Mustang GTD is the pinnacle of Mustang performance,&#8221; said Mustang GTD Brand Manager Jim Owens. The model pays tribute to Craig Breedlove, who broke both 500- and 600-mile-per-hour land speed barriers in the 1960s.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/01/42890496/cybertruck-was-my-hero-today-says-ross-gerber-after-teslas-truck-allowed-him-to-navigate-california-wildfires-in-safety">&#8216;Cybertruck Was My Hero Today,&#8217; Says Ross Gerber After Tesla&#8217;s Truck Allowed Him To Navigate California Wildfires In Safety</a>
Why It Matters: These performance-focused launches come as Ford faces market challenges, with its stock down 17.74% over the past year. Recent analyst coverage reflects mixed sentiment, with Jefferies setting a $9 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/F/analyst-ratings">price target</a>, while the consensus among 27 analysts stands at $14.01. 
The company maintains a price-to-earnings ratio of 11.07 and offers a 6.16% dividend yield, with a market capitalization of $38.67 billion.
Jim Baumbick, Ford&#8217;s vice president of Product Development, emphasized the company&#8217;s commitment to performance diversity: &#8220;From Mustang GTD to Mustang Dark Horse to the new Mustang RTR, there&#8217;s a high-performance pony for every Mustang fan and customer.&#8221;
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Image Via Shutterstock
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Equities

Ford Debuts Limited-Edition Mustang GTD Spirit Of America, New RTR Performance Model Amid Stock Pressure

Ignoring recent downsides, a popular cryptocurrency trader on Thursday reiterated their bullish forecast for Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>) this year.
What Happened: Trader Tardigrade, noted for recognizing patterns and forecasting price movements, expressed confidence that the dog-themed cryptocurrency will reach the $1 milestone sooner or later.
&#8220;Retracement often occurs before a massive spike,&#8221; the trader stated, urging their followers not to read too much into the ongoing correction.
Dogecoin hit a yearly peak of $0.46 in Dec. 2024 but has since dropped nearly 30%. Over the last month, the coin was down 16%.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dogecoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dogecoin</a> is on its way to the $1 benchmark &#x1f525; Retracement often occurs before a massive spike &#x1f680;<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DOGE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DOGE</a> &#x1f525; <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24DOGE&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$DOGE</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ckugdeusm2">pic.twitter.com/Ckugdeusm2</a>
&mdash; Trader Tardigrade (@TATrader_Alan) <a href="https://twitter.com/TATrader_Alan/status/1877327472238407881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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In a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/42895962/dogecoin-plummets-another-6-but-traders-remain-upbeat-why">separate analysis</a>, Trader Tardigrade set price targets of $2 for the 2025 cycle and $8 for 2028, advising long-term holding of DOGE for substantial gains.
That said, Trader Tardigrade was not alone in the bullish optimism. Another widely followed analyst, Javon Marks expected DOGE to continue a &#8220;massive&#8221; bull cycle.
&#8220;All Time Highs in another near +120% move can be coming in any moment now and even then, could have much, much more to go&#8230;,&#8221; Marks made a bold prediction.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Just checked and <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24DOGE&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$DOGE</a> (Dogecoin) still looks well positioned to continue in yet another massive bull cycle showcase &#x26a1;&#xFE0F;! All Time Highs in another near +120% move can be coming in any moment now and even then, could have much, much more to go&#8230; <a href="https://t.co/QjzgO8ghnn">https://t.co/QjzgO8ghnn</a> <a href="https://t.co/X8hPKbBPBS">pic.twitter.com/X8hPKbBPBS</a>
&mdash; JAVON&#x26a1;&#xFE0F;MARKS (@JavonTM1) <a href="https://twitter.com/JavonTM1/status/1877392070991557078?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
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See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42735744/pharma-bro-martin-shkreli-predicts-doom-for-michael-saylors-microstrategy-as-stock-dips-below-300-in-after-hours-trading"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/42890745/us-government-granted-permission-to-liquidate-65-billion-in-bitcoin-seized-from-silk-road-case-report">US Government Silk Road Bitcoin Holdings Drop To 0 Amid Report DOJ Approved To Sell $6.5 Billion Worth Of Crypto</a>
Why It Matters: These bullish outlooks stood in stark contrast to some other analyses that foresaw a potential dip in Dogecoin&#8217;s value. 
Renowned Dogecoin analyst Kevin <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42866225/notable-crypto-analyst-foresees-potential-dip-in-dogecoin-price">expressed a bearish sentiment</a> on Dogecoin, stating, "If BTC doesn't bounce, then this probably has lower to go before finding a bottom."
Derivatives traders were positioned long for Dogecoin. Over 82% of traders on Binance expected the leading meme coin to rebound in the days ahead, <a href="https://www.coinglass.com/LongShortRatio">according </a>to the Long/Short Ratio.
Morever, popular blockchain analytics firm IntoTheBlock gave a &#8220;Mostly Bullish&#8221; <a href="https://app.intotheblock.com/">signal </a>for the cryptocurrency at the time of writing, as opposed to &#8220;Mostly Bearish&#8221; for Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) and Cardano (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/ada/usd">ADA</a>).
Price Action: At the time of writing, Dogecoin was exchanging hands at $0.3264, down 3.87% 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.." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data from Benzinga Pro</a>. Year-to-date, the coin was up 0.55%, compared to nearly 273% in gains in 2024.
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Coverage of Bitcoin, Etherum, Ripple and all the latest digital currencies.

Cryptocurrency

$ADA

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$ETH

DOGE

Dogecoin Has Dropped 16% Over A Month, But This Trader Is Confident The Meme King Will Hit $1 In 2025

The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected President-elect Donald Trump&#8216;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42878172/trump-asks-supreme-court-to-block-hush-money-sentencing-constitutionally-intolerable-risk-trump-lawyers-say">emergency bid to delay sentencing</a> in his New York hush-money case, setting the stage for Friday&#8217;s proceedings in a 5-4 decision.
Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court&#8217;s three liberals in denying Trump&#8217;s request to postpone sentencing for 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-appeal-12f9e883b71d8c37178b0ea32193e8c4">reported</a> the Associated Press. The charges stem from an alleged $130,000 payment to adult film actor Stormy Daniels.
The majority found sentencing wouldn&#8217;t unduly burden the presidential transition, as Judge Juan Merchan has indicated he won&#8217;t impose jail time, fines, or probation.
Trump&#8217;s attorneys argued for immunity as president-elect and claimed some trial evidence violated last summer&#8217;s Supreme Court immunity ruling. The Manhattan District Attorney&#8217;s office countered that delaying the hourlong virtual hearing was unnecessary.
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Image via Flickr
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Supreme Court Denies Trump's Bid To Delay Sentencing In Stormy Daniels Hush Money Case

Internal documents from Meta Platforms, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>) reportedly indicate a policy designed to protect high-spending advertisers from automated content moderation.
What Happened: The documents from 2023 reveal that Meta implemented &#8220;guardrails&#8221; to protect top advertisers, <a href="https://www.ft.com/content/92552cd1-c42a-4bbc-9068-413c62a9b018">reported</a> Financial Times.
These measures included suppressing automated detections based on advertising spend, with some accounts being reviewed manually instead.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/25/01/42822625/big-techs-date-with-antitrust-alphabet-meta-amazon-brace-for-legal-showdowns-in-2025">Big Tech&#8217;s Date With Antitrust: Alphabet, Meta, Amazon Brace For Legal Showdowns In 2025</a>
A group termed &#8220;P95 spenders,&#8221; spending over $1,500 daily, were noted as exempt from standard advertising restrictions, the report noted.
Meta&#8217;s spokesperson, Ryan Daniels, refuted the report, stating it was &#8220;simply inaccurate&#8221; and based on a selective interpretation of the documents.
Meta acknowledged using &#8220;higher spend&#8221; as a guardrail due to the potential impact of mistakenly removing high-reach ads.
The company maintained that all advertisers are subject to the same standards, with no exemptions from its rules, the report stated.
Meta did not immediately respond to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga's</a> request for comments.
Subscribe to the <a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a> to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It Matters: Advertising is a significant revenue source for Meta, contributing nearly $135 billion in 2023.
In October 2024, Meta reported <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/10/41637326/meta-platforms-q3-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-beat-daily-actives-up-5-strong-momentum-in-ai">third-quarter revenue</a> of $40.59 billion, surpassing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/calendars/earnings">analyst expectations</a> of $40.29 billion. Ad impressions rose by 7% compared to the previous year, while the average price per ad increased by 11% year-over-year.
This revelation comes at a time when <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42851889/meta-ditches-fact-checking-for-community-notes-zuckerberg-says-opportunity-to-restore-free-expression">Meta is shifting its content moderation strategy</a>. Earlier this week, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced a move towards a Community Notes style of moderation, similar to Elon Musk&#8217;s X.
This change follows a report that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42802321/metas-facebook-instagram-ads-promote-illegal-gun-silencers-report">Meta&#8217;s platforms were promoting illegal gun silencers</a>, despite policies against such ads.
Price Action: Meta&#8217;s stock fell by 1.16% on Thursday and dropped an additional 0.34% in after-hours trading, settling at $608.64. Despite the dip, the company&#8217;s shares have risen by 3.58% year-to-date, according to data from <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">Benzinga Pro</a>.
Image via Shutterstock
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech">following this link</a>.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/social-media/25/01/42833727/dana-white-wanted-elon-musk-mark-zuckerberg-in-cage-fight-now-hes-on-metas-board-of-directors">Dana White Wanted Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg In Cage Fight, Now He&#8217;s On Meta&#8217;s Board Of Directors</a>
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Meta Documents Reveal Secret Policy Protecting Big-Spender Advertisers From Automated Content Moderation: Report

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has issued a subpoena to cryptocurrency exchange&nbsp;Coinbase&nbsp;(NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COIN#NASDAQ">COIN</a>) regarding its association with the prediction platform Polymarket, according to a Thursday report.
What Happened: The CFTC is seeking &#8220;general customer information&#8221; related to Polymarket, a Polygon (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">POL</a>)-based forecasting platform that is not legally permitted to offer its services in the U.S., Decrypt reported, citing a source familiar with the matter.
Additionally, Eric Conner, an angel investor and well-known Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) advocate, shared an email from Coinbase on X alerting users about the CFTC&#8217;s request. The email suggested that Coinbase &#8220;may be required to send information&#8221;&nbsp;to the CFTC, depending on&nbsp;legal proceedings&nbsp;that could occur within the&nbsp;next week.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Biden&#39;s CFTC is subpoenaing customer info from <a href="https://twitter.com/coinbase?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@coinbase</a> in their case against <a href="https://twitter.com/Polymarket?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Polymarket</a> <a href="https://t.co/YlCdUPwHs7">pic.twitter.com/YlCdUPwHs7</a>
&mdash; eric.eth (@econoar) <a href="https://twitter.com/econoar/status/1877127622137676224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 8, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42735744/pharma-bro-martin-shkreli-predicts-doom-for-michael-saylors-microstrategy-as-stock-dips-below-300-in-after-hours-trading"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/42890745/us-government-granted-permission-to-liquidate-65-billion-in-bitcoin-seized-from-silk-road-case-report">US Government Silk Road Bitcoin Holdings Drop To 0 Amid Report DOJ Approved To Sell $6.5 Billion Worth Of Crypto</a>
Coinbase and the CFTC didn&#8217;t immediately respond to Benzinga&#8217;s request for confirmation. The story will be updated when they respond.
A subpoena is a written order issued by a court, attorney, or administrative agency, asking an entity to appear in court or comply with other legal processes. A motion to quash may be made to request that a subpoena be rejected.
Why It Matters: Polymarket has been under scrutiny for some time now. The platform attracted eyeballs during the election season last year when several accounts operated by a single person placed huge wagers on Donald Trump, sparking manipulation fears.
CEO Shayne Coplan <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/10/41553484/polymarket-ceo-shayne-coplan-defends-platform-calls-it-a-reality-check-amid-rising-scrutin">defended the platform</a> amid rising scrutiny, emphasizing its non-partisan nature and its role in providing unbiased, market-driven predictions. Notably, Coplan&#8217;s residence was <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/41959476/fbi-raids-polymarket-ceo-over-crypto-betting-platforms-us-activities-he-fires-back-in-the-face-of-adversity-we-build">raided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation</a> after the election. 
The raid was part of a Justice Department investigation into allegations that Polymarket allowed U.S.-based users to place bets in violation of regulatory agreements. 
Price Action: Shares of Coinbase <a href="https://robinhood.com/us/en/stocks/COIN/">fell </a>0.43% in Robinhood&#8217;s overnight trading to $258.88.
Image via Flickr/ Ivan Radic
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Disclaimer:&nbsp;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.<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/apis?utm_source=benzinga.com&amp;utm_campaign=article-bottom" rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank"></a>

$POL

COIN

Coinbase Subpoenaed Over Polymarket Involvement, Federal Agency Seeks Customer Information

Japanese semiconductor testing equipment maker Advantest Corp. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ATEYY#OTC">ATEYY</a>) has emerged as a key beneficiary of the artificial intelligence boom, with its stock showing a remarkable 0.93 correlation coefficient with NVIDIA Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) over the past three years, highlighting its strategic position in the AI chip supply chain.
What Happened: The company, which controls approximately 50% of the global chip testing market, has outpaced its primary competitor Teradyne Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TER#NASDAQ">TER</a>), which holds roughly 30% market share, <a href="https://asia.nikkei.com/Business/Tech/Semiconductors/This-rising-Japanese-chip-stock-has-a-close-correlation-with-Nvidia">reported</a> Nikkei Asia on Friday. This leadership position strengthened notably since 2022, coinciding with the surge in generative AI development.
In his 2025 New Year&#8217;s message, Advantest Group CEO Douglas Lefever emphasized the company&#8217;s growth trajectory, stating that &#8220;demand for AI chips will continue to increase&#8221; as semiconductor complexity rises. 
This outlook is supported by the company&#8217;s financial projections, with consolidated net profit expected to grow 96% to 122 billion yen ($813 million) for the fiscal year ending March 2025.
The company&#8217;s system-on-chip (SoC) testing equipment division, crucial for evaluating advanced AI processors, is forecasted to generate 324 billion yen ($2.1 billion) in sales, representing a 32% increase and accounting for over half of the projected consolidated revenue.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/01/42904377/tesla-bull-gary-black-warns-against-inflated-optimus-robot-assumptions-get-pounded-each-time-i-try-to-right-size-expectations">Tesla Bull Gary Black Warns Against Inflated Optimus Robot Assumptions: Get Pounded Each Time &#8216;I Try To Right-Size Expectations&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: Advantest&#8217;s commitment to innovation is reflected in its R&amp;D spending, which reached 13% of sales in fiscal 2024, surpassing industry peers. The company&#8217;s R&amp;D efficiency ratio of 3.02 demonstrates strong returns on these investments.
While trading at over 60 times forward earnings, analysts remain bullish. &#8220;It is difficult to imagine a sudden drop in demand,&#8221; notes Shoichiro Kamisaki of Tokai Tokyo Intelligence Laboratory, though potential risks include U.S. restrictions on chip exports to China. 
However, Nomura Securities analyst Atsushi Yoshioka indicates the company&#8217;s relatively low exposure to the Chinese market mitigates these concerns, according to the report.
Price Action: Advantest Corp&#8217;s stock is trading at 10,390 Japanese Yen ($65.68) on Friday, marking a gain of 5.23% for the day. Over the past year, the stock has surged significantly, rising by 108.80%.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42904004/google-and-boeing-contribute-1m-each-to-trumps-inauguration-fund-youtube-to-livestream-event">Google And Boeing Contribute $1M Each To Trump&#8217;s Inauguration Fund: YouTube To Livestream Event</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.

ATEYY

NVDA

Nvidia's AI Growth Boosts Advantest's Strategic Position In AI Chip Supply Chain, Stock Shows Strong Correlation With Jensen Huang-Led Tech Giant

Elon Musk, tech mogul and head of the incoming "Department of Government Efficiency," celebrated the surprising appearance of an iconic DOGE meme in the U.S. Senate on Thursday.
What happened: During a recent speech, Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), chair of the Senate DOGE Caucus, placed a canvas of DOGE overtaking Washington, D.C., a variant of a meme that has gained cult status among Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>) supporters.
The &#8220;DOGE Storm&#8221; as it&#8217;s popularly referred to, is used to indicate growing adoption and price rallies.
"So, I would invite anyone in this body, and everyone who may be watching at home who has ideas, to join this conversation and our movement—because DOGE is inevitable," Ernst said, emphasizing the importance of the newly established department.
Musk shared portions of the speech on X, using the U.S. national flag as an emoji.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">&#x1f1fa;&#x1f1f8;&#x1f1fa;&#x1f1f8; <a href="https://t.co/Ry4Qye9t2Z">https://t.co/Ry4Qye9t2Z</a>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1877242474231427194?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42735744/pharma-bro-martin-shkreli-predicts-doom-for-michael-saylors-microstrategy-as-stock-dips-below-300-in-after-hours-trading"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/42890745/us-government-granted-permission-to-liquidate-65-billion-in-bitcoin-seized-from-silk-road-case-report">US Government Silk Road Bitcoin Holdings Drop To 0 Amid Report DOJ Approved To Sell $6.5 Billion Worth Of Crypto</a>
Ernst will work with the so-called DOGE department, led by Musk and Republican politician Vivek Ramaswamy, to regulate <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/11/41927289/trump-appoints-elon-musk-and-vivek-ramaswamy-to-lead-doge-targeting-bureaucracy-and-65-trillion-federal-spending-we-will-not-go-gently">federal overspending</a> and reduce regulations.&nbsp;
Musk has been a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/education/25/01/42794433/if-you-invested-1000-in-dogecoin-when-elon-musk-acquired-twitter-heres-how-much-youd-have-now">passionate supporter of the DOGE</a> meme coin, and the acronym for the upcoming government department reflects this affinity.
Price Action: Meanwhile, DOGE, the cryptocurrency, failed to lift on these developments. At the time of writing, it traded at $0.326, down 4.56% 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>.
Image Via Pixabay
Read Next:&nbsp;
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42890191/trump-themed-nfts-launch-on-bitcoin-network-for-first-timeheres-what-you-should-know">Trump-Themed NFTs Debut On Bitcoin Network — One Card Gets Listed At $1.9 Million</a></li>
</ul>

Elon Musk Cheers 'DOGE' Storm As Iconic Dogecoin Meme Associated With Department Of Government Efficiency Appears On Senate Floor

On Thursday, Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO Elon Musk stirred controversy by hosting a live discussion on X with Alice Weidel, co-leader of Germany&#8217;s far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party.
What Happened: During the conversation, which lasted nearly 75 minutes, Musk expressed strong support for the AfD, stating that &#8220;only the AfD can save Germany.&#8221;
The duo covered various topics including illegal immigration, education, and immigration. Musk and Weidel shared similar views on reducing German bureaucracy and energy policy.
&#8220;Germany is the only industrial country that unplugged the nuclear power plant,&#8221; Weidel stated, adding, &#8220;You don&#8217;t need to be very smart to encounter that you cannot run an industrial country with just wind and solar.&#8221;
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42902095/elon-musk-linked-to-liverpool-purchase-will-billionaire-turn-back-on-manchester-united-buy-team-co-owned-by-lebron-james">Elon Musk&#8217;s Father Hints At Son&#8217;s Interest In Liverpool, But Will Billionaire Bypass Manchester United For LeBron&#8217;s Team?</a>
Musk immediately said that he is a &#8220;big fan of solar energy,&#8221; but agreed with Weidel&#8217;s point from Germany&#8217;s perspective saying, the solution must be multi-faceted. &#8220;I think it was tragic for Germany to shut down the nuclear power plant. They&#8217;re very well designed.&#8221;
The conversation also delved deeply into topics such as Douglas Adams, Schopenhauer, the meaning of life, and potential solutions to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
They also discussed the war in Ukraine, with Musk suggesting that President-elect Donald Trump could quickly resolve the conflict, though he was vague on specifics.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://t.co/wEGXEhT4ue">https://t.co/wEGXEhT4ue</a>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1877412961754501184?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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AfD has been classified as a right-wing extremist party by the German intelligence, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/jan/09/elon-musk-heaps-praise-on-afd-alice-weidel-during-live-talk-on-x">noted</a> The Guardian.
Why It Matters: Following his involvement in Trump&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics">election win</a>, Musk has been making headlines in European politics.
He faces allegations of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/12/42732904/elon-musk-blasted-as-intrusive-and-presumptuous-for-trying-to-influence-german-elections-toward-far-right-party">attempting to influence</a> Germany&#8217;s upcoming election on Feb. 23. Friedrich Merz, leader of Germany's largest opposition party, previously criticized Musk's interference as "intrusive and presumptuous."
The tech mogul's influence on Europe's largest economy has surged, particularly with Tesla's Gigafactory in Grünheide, near Berlin. The upcoming election could impact policies that may benefit Tesla.
Tesla&#8217;s Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg, the only one of its kind in Europe, plays a critical role in the production of Model Y vehicles and battery systems. By November 2024, the factory had produced over 400,000 Model Y vehicles, which were delivered to 37 countries, alongside more than 500,000 drive units.
However, Musk&#8217;s political ambitions have extended beyond Germany. He has also <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/25/01/42756928/musks-political-ambitions-take-root-in-europe">voiced support</a> for Reform U.K., a British populist party led by Nigel Farage.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/25/01/42900737/stephen-king-slams-elon-musks-h-1b-visa-stance-musk-thinks-smart-immigrants-can-stay-the-rest-of-you-washing-dishes-get-lost">Stephen King Slams Elon Musk&#8217;s H-1B Visa Stance: &#8216;Musk Thinks Smart Immigrants Can Stay – The Rest of You Washing Dishes … Get Lost&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Politics

TSLA

Elon Musk Hosts X Spaces With Afd's Alice Weidel After Successfully Endorsing Trump: Share Views On Nuclear Power And Future Of Europe With Far Right German Leader

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) investor Gary Black cautioned against setting unrealistic expectations for the company&#8217;s Optimus robot program on Thursday, sparking debate about the electric vehicle maker&#8217;s valuation metrics and growth prospects.
What Happened: Black, managing partner of The Future Fund LLC, calculated that Tesla&#8217;s planned production of 500,000 Optimus robots by 2027 would add approximately $0.70 to earnings per share, assuming a $30,000 average selling price and 20% gross margin. This would supplement his projected core EPS of $7.70 for that year.
The analysis drew pushback from Dave Lee, host of Dave Lee on Investing, who argued that successful Optimus deployment would dramatically increase Tesla&#8217;s price-to-earnings multiple due to growth potential rather than just incremental earnings.
Black defended his conservative stance, pointing to Tesla&#8217;s recent market performance. &#8220;TSLA has underperformed for the past three years because expectations were too high,&#8221; Black wrote on X, noting that Tesla shares gained 12% compared to the Nasdaq 100&#8217;s 36% rise during that period.
&#8220;Every time I try to right-size expectations, I get pounded on by TSLA uberbulls for being too cautious, when in reality even my forecasts have been too bullish over the past three years,&#8221; Black wrote. 
<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">One can clearly see this in TSLA FY'25 and FY'26 earnings estimates, which have come down -39% and -45% over the past 12 months, as the market figured out TSLA's long-term projection of 50% compounded volume growth was too high. Every time I try to right-size expectations, I get… <a href="https://t.co/YkURbaUHnS">pic.twitter.com/YkURbaUHnS</a>
&mdash; Gary Black (@garyblack00) <a href="https://twitter.com/garyblack00/status/1877456270455878128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/01/42902354/betting-markets-see-strong-jobs-growth-yet-goldman-sachs-forecasts-a-slowdown-how-can-traders-profit">Betting Markets See Strong Jobs Growth, Yet Goldman Sachs Forecasts A Slowdown: How Can Traders Profit?</a>
Why It Matters: The debate follows CEO Elon Musk&#8216;s announcement that Tesla aims to produce <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39880470/elon-musk-pushes-back-optimus-timeline-says-teslas-humanoid-robot-will-hopefully-be-available-for-ot">several thousand Optimus robots in 2025</a>, scaling to 50,000-100,000 units in 2026 and potentially 500,000 in 2027.
Bank of America analyst John Murphy recently valued Tesla&#8217;s Optimus segment between $14 billion and $95 billion in his sum-of-parts analysis, representing just 2% of Tesla&#8217;s total estimated value. Murphy sees greater potential in Tesla&#8217;s robotaxi and Full Self-Driving capabilities, which he estimates could comprise <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/25/01/42856115/tesla-analyst-on-high-stakes-future-optimus-robotaxi-fsd-have-potential-but-execution-risks-loom">over 75% of the company&#8217;s future value</a>.
&#8220;If investors want TSLA stock to stop underperforming, they need to stop pressuring analysts to push estimates ever higher,&#8221; Black emphasized, citing that Tesla&#8217;s fiscal 2025 and 2026 earnings estimates have declined by 39% and 45% respectively over the past year.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/startups/25/01/42903410/regulatory-woes-subscriber-declines-falling-oil-prices-were-buying-buffett-bets-big-on-563m-worth-of-underdogs">&#8216;Regulatory Woes? Subscriber Declines? Falling Oil Prices? We&#8217;re Buying!&#8217; Buffett Bets Big On $563M Worth Of Underdogs</a></li>
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Image Via Shutterstock 
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Tesla Bull Gary Black Warns Against Inflated Optimus Robot Assumptions: Get Pounded Each Time 'I Try To Right-Size Expectations'

Leading cryptocurrencies mounted losses on Thursday as investors remained cautious ahead of the release of a crucial jobs report
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>Gains +/-</td>
<td>Price (Recorded at 7:30 p.m. ET)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td>
<td>-2.54%</td>
<td>$92,600.34</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>-3.22%</td>
<td>$3,220.17</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>-5.10%</td>
<td>$0.3237</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
What Happened: Bitcoin fell to an intraday low of $91,220 late afternoon before recouping some losses by evening. The leading cryptocurrency has declined nearly 10% since the highs of $102,000 earlier in the week.
The report of the Justice Department <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/42890745/us-government-granted-[%E2%80%A6]date-65-billion-in-bitcoin-seized-from-silk-road-case-report">getting approval to sell $6.5 billion in Bitcoin </a>and on-chain movements created panic in the market, although it was yet to be confirmed the sale happened.
The extended slump triggered a fresh wave of liquidations, with nearly $285 million in upside bets getting evaporated in the last 24 hours.
That said, more than 68% of traders on Binance were betting on Bitcoin's rebound, according to the Long/Short ratio.
A reversal to $100,000 will liquidate nearly $780 million in short positions.
The market sentiment slipped into the "Neutral" zone from "Greed," according to the Crypto Fear &amp; Greed Index, as traders lowered risk appetite.
Top Gainers (24-Hours)
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>Gains +/-</td>
<td>Price (Recorded at 7:30 p.m. ET)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>BitTorrent New (BT)</td>
<td>+3.68%</td>
<td>$0.000001168</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Kaia (KAIA)</td>
<td>+3.19%</td>
<td>$0.2108</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Litecoin (LTC)</td>
<td>+1.48%</td>
<td>$102.64</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $3.23 trillion, falling by 2.54% in the last 24 hours.
Stock futures slipped in overnight trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average Futures fell 183 points, or 0.43%, as of 7:44 p.m. EDT.&nbsp; Futures tied to the S&amp;P 500 dropped 0.58%, while Nasdaq 100 Futures lost 0.73%.
Investors were gearing up for the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/25/01/42881085/is-labor-market-cooling-or-raising-fed-concerns-what-to-watch-in-fridays-jobs-report">December jobs report</a>, due on Friday, to determine the Federal Reserve's next moves on monetary policy.
The New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq were closed on Thursday in observance of a National Day of Mourning for former President Jimmy Carter. Markets will resume trading on Friday.
See More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-crypto-scanners">Best Cryptocurrency Scanners</a>
Analyst Notes: Popular blockchain analytics firm CryptoQuant stated that Bitcoin was yet to reach a cycle top, according to analysis of the Market Value to Realized Value indicator.
"MVRV metric reached the value of 3 at the market tops in the past two cycles, whereas it currently stands at 2.14… it can be said that Bitcoin is preparing to move towards the top price of this cycle," CryptoQuant added.
<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">100-day moving average of MVRV: Bitcoin has not yet reached the top price of this cycle "MVRV metric reached the value of 3 at the market tops in the past two cycles, whereas it currently stands at 2.14… it can be said that Bitcoin is preparing to move towards the top price of… <a href="https://t.co/YlNLQwgE3w">pic.twitter.com/YlNLQwgE3w</a>
&mdash; CryptoQuant.com (@cryptoquant_com) <a href="https://twitter.com/cryptoquant_com/status/1877346597501022612?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Michaël van de Poppe, another widely followed cryptocurrency analyst, noted that the altcoin season was yet to begin, citing the Altcoin Season Index.
"However, as the number drops sub 50, it provides a tremendous opportunity to accumulate your altcoins," Van De Poppe added. "It&#8217;s bull market year."
At the time of the X post, the indicator showed a reading of 47.
<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">Altseason indicator says: It&#39;s not an altseason! However, as the number drops sub 50, it provides a tremendous opportunity to accumulate your <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Altcoins?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Altcoins</a>. It&#39;s bull market year. <a href="https://t.co/BfXm4pyzeW">pic.twitter.com/BfXm4pyzeW</a>
&mdash; Michaël van de Poppe (@CryptoMichNL) <a href="https://twitter.com/CryptoMichNL/status/1877432402034725084?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 9, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Photo by Igor Faun on Shutterstock
Read Next:    
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/42901382/man-who-accidentally-threw-away-8000-bitcoin-hard-drive-suffers-new-kick-in-the-teeth-as-uk-court-dismisses-his-claim">Man Who Accidentally Threw Away 8,000 Bitcoin Hard Drive Suffers New &#8216;Kick In The Teeth&#8217; As UK Court Dismisses His Claim</a></li>
</ul>

Movers

Trading Ideas

$BTC

Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Slip Ahead Of Key Jobs Data Release: Top Analyst Remains Positive On 2025 — 'It's Bull Market Year'

Alphabet Inc&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) search engine arm Google and aerospace leader Boeing Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BA#NYSE">BA</a>) have each pledged a donation of $1 million to the inaugural committee of President-elect Trump. This move aligns them with other prominent corporations in supporting the forthcoming inauguration event on Jan. 20.
What Happened: Both Google and Boeing validated their respective $1 million donations to the inaugural committee, <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/5077817-google-boeing-donate-trump-inauguration/">reported</a> The Hill. 
Karan Bhatia, Google's global head of government affairs and public policy, expressed, &#8220;Google is pleased to support the 2025 inauguration, with a livestream on YouTube and a direct link on our homepage. We're also donating to the inaugural committee.&#8221;
Boeing also confirmed its contribution, stating, &#8220;We&nbsp;are pleased to continue Boeing's&nbsp;bipartisan tradition of supporting U.S.&nbsp;Presidential Inaugural Committees.&#8221; The company has a history of backing past presidential inaugural committees.
Other corporations, such as Meta, Amazon, and Uber, have also contributed to Trump&#8217;s inaugural fund. Toyota and Ford have each donated $1 million. Several top executives, including Google&#8217;s Sundar Pichai and Amazon&#8217;s Jeff Bezos, have met with the President-elect at his Florida residence, Mar-a-Lago.
These meetings and contributions suggest a shift among some corporations aiming to establish a stronger relationship with the incoming President as he prepares to take office later this month.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/25/01/42901026/jimmy-carters-funeral-5-living-presidents-attend-family-colleagues-share-warm-humorous-stories">Jimmy Carter&#8217;s Funeral: 5 Living Presidents Attend; Family, Colleagues Share Warm, Humorous Stories</a>
Why It Matters: This recent wave of corporate support for the incoming administration is not without precedent. As reported by Benzinga in December, Amazon&#8217;s Bezos <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/tech/24/12/42479253/jeff-bezos-amazon-pledges-1-million-to-trumps-inaugural-event-following-in-the-footsteps-of-mark-zuckerberg-and-meta">pledged $1 million</a> to the inaugural event, following Meta&#8217;s similar contribution. 
Additionally, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/management/24/12/42485193/sam-altman-to-donate-1m-to-trumps-inauguration-fund-following-zuckerberg-bezos-eager-to-support">Sam Altman</a>, CEO of OpenAI, announced his $1 million donation, citing support for Trump&#8217;s efforts to advance the U.S. in the artificial intelligence sector.
Earlier this month, Apple&#8217;s CEO Tim Cook also reportedly donated $1 million to the inauguration, viewing it as an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/management/24/12/42485193/sam-altman-to-donate-1m-to-trumps-inauguration-fund-following-zuckerberg-bezos-eager-to-support">important American tradition</a> and a gesture of unity. These donations reflect a broader trend of tech and corporate leaders seeking to foster a positive relationship with the incoming administration.
Image via Shutterstock
Did You Know?
<ul>
<li>Congress Is Making Huge Investments. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/gov-trades">Get Tips On What They Bought And Sold Ahead Of The 2024 Election With Our Easy-to-Use Tool</a></li>
</ul>
This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/shivdeep-dhaliwal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shivdeep Dhaliwal</a>

General

GOOG

GOOGL

Google And Boeing Contribute $1M Each To Trump's Inauguration Fund: YouTube To Livestream Event

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) and Alibaba Group Holdings Ltd (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) are two of the biggest names in e-commerce. While they may seem similar, their approaches, business models, and strategies are quite different.
What Happened: In 2017, during an interview with Andrew Ross Sorkin at Davos, Jack Ma explained the core difference between Amazon and Alibaba.
"Amazon is more like an empire. Everything they should control themselves, by themselves," Ma said.
Alibaba's "philosophy is to empower others to sell, empower others to service, make sure the other people are more powerful than us."
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/25/01/42900858/apple-announced-iphone-18-years-ago-today-changing-the-smartphone-industry-forever-heres-how-much-youd-have-now-if-you-invested-1000-back-then">Apple Announced iPhone 18 Years Ago Today, Changing The Smartphone Industry Forever. Here&#8217;s How Much You&#8217;d Have Now If You Invested $1,000 Back Then</a>
Amazon's model is asset-heavy. The company controls the entire supply chain, from warehouses to logistics, even owning airplanes for faster deliveries.
Alibaba doesn't own warehouses or logistics companies. Instead, it relies on a network of partners—small businesses, service providers, and logistics firms.&nbsp;
"Using Internet technology, we can make every company become Amazon," Ma stated adding that Alibaba empowers its partners so they can compete with bigger players like Microsoft Corporation or IBM.
Subscribe to the <a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a> to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
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Why It's Important: Amazon makes most of its money through direct product sales, subscription services like Prime, and its cloud computing arm, Amazon Web Services.
Alibaba earns its revenue differently. It charges sellers for advertising, transaction fees, and additional services. Its model leans heavily on enabling transactions rather than direct sales.
Amazon currently has a market capitalization of $2.335 trillion, making it the world's fifth most valuable company in the world.
In the last quarter, Amazon's net sales <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/10/41664778/amazon-q3-earnings-highlights-revenue-beat-eps-beat-q4-guidance-new-kindles-significantly-outperfor">reached $158.9 billion</a>, marking an 11% year-over-year increase and surpassing the Street consensus estimate of $157.2 billion, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/?utm_source=BZprocontent103124&amp;t=be2bearmibe3na1">Benzinga Pro</a>.
North American sales rose 9% to $95.5 billion, international sales grew 12% to $35.9 billion, and AWS saw a 19% increase, generating $27.5 billion in revenue.
Alibaba is worth $199.15 billion today. The e-commerce giant posted fiscal <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/11/42006281/alibaba-q2-earnings-revenue-beats-forecast-cloud-and-international-sales-shine-free-cash-flow-falls-amid-strategic-investments">second-quarter 2024</a> revenue of $33.70 billion, reflecting a 5% year-over-year increase and surpassing the analyst consensus estimate of $33.47 billion.
Revenue from the international commerce retail segment increased by 35% year-over-year, reaching $3.65 billion. Meanwhile, the Cloud Intelligence Group recorded a 7% year-over-year growth, bringing in $4.22 billion.
Image via Shutterstock
Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech">following this link</a>.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

AMZN

BABA

Jack Ma Once Said Amazon Is More Like An Empire While Alibaba Empowers Others: How These Two Retail Giants Charted Very Different Paths

<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/11/41884428/warren-buffetts-166-billion-warning-to-wall-street-has-hit-a-fever-pitch-and-the-financial-world-cant-afford-to-ignore-it">Warren Buffett's</a> Berkshire Hathaway has turned heads once again. While the company ended the third quarter of 2024 with a jaw-dropping $320 billion in cash and short-term Treasury bills, signaling caution in an overheated market, recent SEC filings reveal something unexpected.&nbsp;
According to Barron's, Berkshire has invested $563 million into Occidental Petroleum, Sirius XM and VeriSign. Occidental Petroleum took the lion's share of the investment, with Berkshire spending $405 million to increase its stake to 28.2% or 264.2 million shares.&nbsp;
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<li>Deloitte's fastest-growing software company partners with Amazon, Walmart &amp; Target – <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/mode-mobile-2">Many are rushing to grab 4,000 of its pre-IPO shares for just $0.26/share!</a></li>
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This makes Berkshire one of Occidental's largest shareholders. According to the Energy Information Administration, despite U.S. crude oil production hitting an all-time high of 13.46 million barrels per day in October, Occidental's stock has been battered, down 24% this year.
Analysts have noted that such investments reflect confidence in the energy sector&#8217;s recovery. For instance, Ben Cook from Hennessy Energy Transition Investor suggests that supportive commodity prices and solid earnings in well-positioned companies indicate growth potential in the energy sector.&nbsp;
Sirius XM was next on the list. Berkshire added $113 million to its holdings, owning around 35% of the satellite radio and streaming company. Sirius XM has had its struggles, with subscriber numbers falling and fierce competition from digital streaming giants like Spotify.&nbsp;
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/qnetic-2">This 12,000 RPM Spinning Battery With Over $100 Million In LOIs Could Be The Missing Link For Green Energy — Here&#8217;s Why Early Investors Are Flocking To Invest Before Funding Closes</a>
Yet the company has been investing in podcasts and restructuring its shares to appeal to investors. Analyst Jeff Wlodarczak from Pivotal Research commented on the situation, stating, &#8220;The stock is laughably cheap unless you think the business is falling apart.&#8221;
He believes that while Sirius XM doesn&#8217;t have much of a growth story, the business is durable and should generate ample free cash flow. Wlodarczak suggests that the company consider boosting the dividend by 50% in the fourth quarter.
In late December 2024, Berkshire acquired an additional 377,736 shares for approximately $73.95 million, bringing its total ownership to 13,193,349 or 13.7% of the outstanding shares.&nbsp;
Trending: It&#8217;s no wonder Jeff Bezos holds over $70 million in art — <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/masterworks">this alternative asset has outpaced the S&amp;P 500 since 1995, delivering an average annual return of 11.4%. Here&#8217;s how everyday investors are getting started.</a>
Simply Wall Street says VeriSign's stock has slipped 1.0% this year, partly due to regulatory woes. However, the company remains a powerhouse in domain name registry services, boasting <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/startups/24/12/42296660/from-a-friends-kitchen-to-1m-sales-i-congratulate-you-kevin-oleary-says-after-tasting-the-cookies">impressive profit margins – </a>88% gross and 71% operating in the last quarter of 2024.&nbsp;
Interestingly, these investments come at a time when the broader market has been soaring. The S&amp;P 500 hit 57 all-time highs in 2024, as reported by Motley Fool and briefly surpassed the 6,000 mark.
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<li>If there was a new fund backed by Jeff Bezos offering a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/arrived-private-credit-fund">7-9% target yield with monthly dividends would you invest in it</a>?</li>
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Startups

'Regulatory Woes? Subscriber Declines? Falling Oil Prices? We're Buying!' Buffett Bets Big On $563M Worth Of Underdogs

Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>) began enforcing its global return-to-office policy on Monday, but there have been some exceptions reported. 
Several Amazon locations have delayed the return to office due to lack of space and workers in some European countries appear to have more flexible working arrangements than<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41394784/amazon-aws-ceo-stands-firm-on-5-day-office-policy-opponents-can-head-for-the-exit-door-there-are-oth"> their U.S. counterparts. </a>
Lack Of Space: Amazon's mandatory five-day in-office policy announced last September went into effect this Monday. According to a Business Insider <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-list-shows-locations-where-full-rto-plan-delayed-2025-1">report</a>, some office locations have maintained the company&#8217;s previous policy, which requires only three days a week in the office due to a lack of space.&nbsp;
Read More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/25/01/42900817/quantum-stocks-regetti-computing-ionq-d-wave-poised-to-open-higher-after-nvidia-ceo-comments-drove-huge-losses">Quantum Stocks Regetti Computing, IonQ, D-Wave Poised To Open Higher After Nvidia CEO Comments Drove Huge Losses</a>
According to documents viewed by Business Insider, some of the locations maintaining the three-day in-office policy include Miami, Brooklyn, Sacramento, Santa Clara and Austin in the U.S.; Hamburg and Munich in Germany, Beijing and Shenzhen in China and Bangalore, India. 
An Amazon spokesperson reportedly told Business Insider on Tuesday that buildings were ready for a majority of its employees on that day.
EU Exceptions: A separate Business Insider <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-return-to-office-flexible-work-europe-us-rto-2025-1">report</a> stated internal documents revealed Amazon workers in the U.K. can apply to work from home for up to two days a week due to the country's flexible working regulations that went into effect last year.  
The outlet also reported employees in the Netherlands can still follow Amazon's previous guidance for three days in the office while it enters discussions with its works council, a group representing the employees. 
The policies in the U.K. and Netherlands contrast the five-day in-office policies in place for other Amazon employees. The company's "Flexible Work Arrangement&#8221; policy for the U.S. says Amazon &#8220;may grant exceptions for work arrangements&#8221; to staff &#8220;who are in good standing on a case-by-case basis.&#8221;
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy has promoted the in-office work policy as a way for employees to&nbsp; "invent, collaborate and be connected" and has suggested that those who oppose it may consider other employment options.
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Photo: Shutterstock

Large Cap

Amazon Workers Return To Office With Some Exceptions Reported

Broadcom (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 36.91% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 49.39%. Currently, Broadcom has a market capitalization of $1.06 trillion. 
Buying $100 In AVGO: If an investor had bought $100 of AVGO stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $761.37 today based on a price of $228.11 for AVGO at the time of writing.
<h3>Broadcom's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1736464509_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

AVGO

$100 Invested In Broadcom 5 Years Ago Would Be Worth This Much Today

Taiwan Semiconductor (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 10 years by 14.32% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 25.68%. Currently, Taiwan Semiconductor has a market capitalization of $1.07 trillion. 
Buying $1000 In TSM: If an investor had bought $1000 of TSM stock 10 years ago, it would be worth $9,839.43 today based on a price of $206.28 for TSM at the time of writing.
<h3>Taiwan Semiconductor's Performance Over Last 10 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2025/1736463635_0.png" alt="comp_fig" />
Finally -- what's the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.
This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

$1000 Invested In This Stock 10 Years Ago Would Be Worth This Much Today

XRP Token (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/xrp/usd">XRP</a>) from Ripple has been one of the top gainers in the cryptocurrency sector and could be benefiting from the 2024 election won<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/41778425/bitcoins-all-time-high-a-groundbreaking-milestone-and-strong-post-election-rally-coming-ex"> by Donald Trump.</a>
Ripple Labs executives have also met with Trump, prompting optimism for its future. Here's a look back at another president connected to Ripple and how much investors could have made buying the token at the time.
What Happened: Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse recently <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/25/01/42865935/trump-meets-top-ripple-executives-ceo-says-strong-start-to-2025-as-technicals-favor-xrp-bulls">posted a photo</a> of himself and Ripple Chief Legal Officer Stuart Alderoty with Trump on social media platform X.
"Great dinner last night with Donald Trump &amp; Stuart Alderoty. Strong start to 2025!" Garlinghouse tweeted with the photo.
XRP, like many cryptocurrencies, has soared since Trump's win. While XRP has not returned to all-time highs set back in early 2018, the cryptocurrency is up over 300% in the last year.
Garlinghouse<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/25/01/42808375/ripple-ceo-celebrates-trumps-impact-on-crypto-industry-says-34th-of-companys-new-hires-us-based"> also recently disclosed</a> 75% of Ripple's job openings are based in the U.S., a strong contrast to where the company's hiring practices were over the past four years. The CEO also said that more U.S. deals had been signed in the last six weeks of 2024 than in the previous six months of the year.
Ripple executives sound optimistic about the new White House administration and are letting investors and holders know that Trump could be good for the company and its token, with Garlinghouse labeling the "Trump bull market" as helping turn the cryptocurrency market around.
"Say what you want, but the ‘Trump effect' is already making crypto great again — through his campaign, and in the administration's day 1 priorities."
While Trump becoming president could be good for cryptocurrencies and also help end Ripple's legal battles with the SEC, he's not the first former president to show support for Ripple.
It may be hard to imagine given the climate for cryptocurrency at the time, but in 2018, Ripple was able to book former President Bill Clinton as a keynote at its Swell Conference. Ripple <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180731005717/en/President-Bill-Clinton-Keynotes-Ripple%E2%80%99s-Swell-Conference-2018">announced </a>the speaker booking in July 2018 and Clinton's speech was given on Oct. 1, 2018.
Clinton talked about numerous topics during his keynote interview with a former advisor, while also highlighting the potential of blockchain, saying there were "staggering" possibilities for the technology, as <a href="https://techcrunch.com/2018/10/01/a-former-u-s-president-walks-into-a-blockchain-conference/">reported </a>by TechCrunch. 
"This whole blockchain deal has the potential it does only because it is applicable across national borders (and) income groups," Clinton said.
Clinton warned that the cryptocurrency industry should not get ahead of itself or financial and social inequalities could be magnified.
"The more the benefits materialize, the more you have to be careful about it."
Read Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42470335/if-you-invested-1000-in-xrp-token-when-ashton-kutcher-surprised-ellen-degeneres-with-4m-charity-donation-heres-how-much-youd-have-today"> If You Invested $1,000 In XRP Token When Ashton Kutcher Surprised Ellen DeGeneres With $4 Million Charity Donation, Here&#8217;s How Much You&#8217;d Have Today</a>
Investing $1,000 in XRP: Clinton's speech may have served as more of a validation for XRP and Ripple than anything, as the former president devoted a minimal amount of his keynote to talking about blockchain.
Still, getting a former president to come to a cryptocurrency conference in 2018 was a big deal and could have been a time for investors to recognize how early things were in terms of validation and public adoption.
XRP traded at a high of $0.6023 on Oct. 1, 2018, when Clinton gave his speech.
A $1,000 investment at the time could have purchased 1,660.30 XRP. Today, the $1,000 investment would be worth $3,785.48, based on a price of $2.28 at the time of writing. This represents a return of 278.5% since Clinton's speech.
For comparison, the same $1,000 invested in the SPDR S&amp;P 500 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>), which tracks the S&amp;P 500 stock index, would have returned less over the same time period.
The $1,000 investment in the SPY could have purchased 3.79 shares at the time, which would be worth $2,234.17 at the time of writing, up 123.7%.
While there is no guarantee that XRP will continue going up in 2025, a new White House administration considered to be pro-crypto could continue the momentum and build upon what one former president once said about the "staggering" possibilities of the blockchain.
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Photo: Clinton: photo by Peter Serocki; both photos via Shutterstock

Education

$XRP

If You Invested $1,000 In XRP Token When Bill Clinton Spoke At Ripple Conference, Here's How Much You'd Have Today

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