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Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) has approved the marketplace app of Epic Games, the creator of &#8220;Fortnite,&#8221; for iPhones and iPads in Europe. This move comes amid a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39646883/fortnite-maker-epic-games-accuses-apple-of-blocking-its-game-store-launch">continuing conflict</a> between the two tech behemoths.
What Happened: Apple&#8217;s approval follows accusations from Epic Games that Apple was hindering its attempts to launch a games store on Apple devices. 
The tech giant stated that the dispute is centered around&nbsp;the Epic Sweden AB Marketplace&nbsp;and is not related to Epic&#8217;s Fortnite app, which Apple has already approved, reported Reuters.
Epic Games had earlier alleged that Apple had <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39646883/fortnite-maker-epic-games-accuses-apple-of-blocking-its-game-store-launch">twice rejected its application&nbsp;to launch</a> the Epic Games&nbsp;Store due to similarities in&nbsp;the design of certain buttons&nbsp;and labels with those used by Apple&#8217;s App Store.&nbsp;
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&#8220;Apple&#8217;s rejection is arbitrary, obstructive,&nbsp;and in violation of the&nbsp;DMA (Digital Markets Act), and&nbsp;we&#8217;ve shared our concerns with&nbsp;the European Commission,&#8221; Epic said in a series of posts on X.
Why It Matters: The European Commission, which began an investigation into Apple&#8217;s app validation processes and alternative app store sideloading last month, has yet to comment on the issue. 
The feud between Apple and Epic Games began in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/gaming/23/12/36210791/how-did-epic-games-showdown-with-google-differ-from-apple-ceo-tim-sweeney-says-it-was-like-ice-and">2020 when Epic claimed that&nbsp;Apple&#8217;s practice</a> of charging up&nbsp;to 30% commissions on in-app&nbsp;payments on its iOS devices violated U.S. antitrust laws.
Earlier this year, Apple proposed changes to its App Store policies to comply with specific directives of the DMA, which came into effect in March. These changes permitted alternative app stores on iPhones and allowed users to opt out of using the in-app payment system.
However, Apple introduced a &#8220;core technology fee,&#8221; which many developers <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/01/36805331/apples-alternative-app-store-model-in-the-eu-could-potentially-cost-meta-others-millions-of-dollars">have criticized as exploitative</a>.
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39564817/apple-rejects-metas-ai-integration-proposal-ex-employee-accuses-iphone-maker-of-chemical-exposure-an?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple Rejects Meta&#8217;s AI Integration Proposal, Ex-Employee Accuses iPhone-Maker Of Chemical Exposure And More: This Week In Appleverse</a></li>
</ul>
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.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

News

Tech

Media

AAPL

Apple Approves Epic Games' Marketplace App In Europe Amid Ongoing Feud

Nvidia Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) has received a rare downgrade from New Street Research, with the analyst citing concerns about the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39412234/nvidias-rise-resembles-dot-com-boom-era-but-former-cisco-ceo-says-things-are-different-this-time">stock&#8217;s overvaluation</a>.
What Happened: New Street Research analyst Pierre Ferragu downgraded Nvidia&#8217;s stock from buy to neutral, citing that the stock is "getting fully valued" after a remarkable 161% surge this year to date. The stock had previously seen a gain of almost 240% in 2023.
Ferragu expressed doubt about any additional upside, stating that it would only materialize in a bull case, which is not yet certain. He also warned of a potential risk of derating if the current outlook remains unchanged.
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Despite the AI frenzy, Ferragu notes that there is a normalization when it comes to demand for Nvidia's AI-oriented graphics processing units, or GPUs.
"When you listen to clients of Nvidia, we see demand is completely in line with expectations," said Ferragu in an interview with CNBC.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/07/39646688/tech-bull-shares-top-stock-picks-for-second-half-of-2024-after-ai-fueled-rally-do-y">Tech Bull Shares Top Stock Picks For Second Half Of 2024 After AI-Fueled Rally: Do You Own These Stocks?</a>
Despite the downgrade, Nvidia remains the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/07/39640232/jim-cramer-shuns-this-stock-but-it-has-left-nvidia-super-micro-biting-the-dust-on-one-year-returns">second-best performer</a> among S&amp;P 500 components this year, trailing Super Micro Computer Inc., another AI investor favorite. The company&#8217;s market capitalization has increased by almost $1.9 trillion, briefly making it the world&#8217;s largest company.
Why It Matters: The recent surge in the U.S. stock market, largely driven by the promise of artificial intelligence, has drawn comparisons to the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s.
This has raised concerns about <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/07/39589689/ai-boom-spurs-nvidia-led-us-stock-market-rally-experts-draw-parallels-with-dotcom-bubble-no-one-">another overvaluation scenario</a>, as the market is currently dominated by a small group of tech giants, with Nvidia among the top performers.
Despite the downgrade, New Street Research is positive on both Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Ltd. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSMC#NYSE">TSMC</a>), citing their growth trends and valuations.
AMD and TSMC are &#8220;the best names to own in the group, offering strong upside in both in our base and high scenarios,&#8221; New Street said in a note, adding that among other stocks with AI exposure, Broadcom Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>), Arista Networks Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ANET#NYSE">ANET</a>), and Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MU#NASDAQ">MU</a>) all &#8220;remain attractively valued.&#8221;
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has been offloading the company's stock, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/07/39611550/nvidia-ceo-jensen-huang-sells-over-29m-worth-of-shares-as-companys-stock-shoots-up-155-in-2024-a">selling over $29 million worth of shares</a> amid the 161% surge in 2024.
This rise has led to Nvidia&#8217;s market value exceeding $3 trillion, underscoring the company&#8217;s dominant position in the tech industry.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">"For the first time, we think Nvidia might not exceed expectations," says Newstreet Research's <a href="https://twitter.com/p_ferragu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@p_ferragu</a> on his decision to downgrade Nvidia to neutral. "When you listen to clients of Nvidia, we see demand is completely in line with expectations." <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24NVDA&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$NVDA</a> <a href="https://t.co/r7NqJ4rW5a">pic.twitter.com/r7NqJ4rW5a</a>
&mdash; Last Call (@LastCallCNBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/LastCallCNBC/status/1809369947484594317?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39644569/key-nvidia-supplier-sk-hynix-to-get-further-boost-from-ai-demand-even-after-90-stock-surge-goldman-s">Key Nvidia Supplier SK Hynix To Get Further Boost From AI Demand Even After 90% Stock Surge, Goldman Sachs And Citi Predict</a>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Analyst Color

Equities

Downgrades

Markets

Analyst Ratings

ANET

AVGO

NVDA

TSMC

Nvidia Gets Rare Downgrade Over Concerns That Demand Is Normalizing 'In Line With Expectations:' Stock 'Getting Fully Valued'

Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO Elon Musk on Friday teased making a robot resembling TARS from the Christopher Nolan movie Interstellar, in addition to its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39327644/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-eyes-25-trillion-market-cap-with-optimus-bot-admits-to-being-pathologically-opti">humanoid robot Optimus.</a>
What Happened: &#8220;Maybe Tesla should built it. Would be so cute,&#8221; Musk wrote on X. The CEO was responding to a video of a functional, walking TARS replica. 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Maybe Tesla should built it. Would be so cute.
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1809380365464723964?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Musk is currently attempting to make Tesla a robotics, AI, and sustainable energy company in addition to an automaker with an increased push toward diverse fields such as robotics, energy storage, and autonomous driving. The company is already developing a humanoid robot by the name of Optimus.
Optimus, however, is very different from TARS. While the fictional robot has a cuboidal structure with moving cuboidal parts, Optimus resembles a human with moving hands capable of performing tasks around a factory. 
Two Optimus bots are currently employed in Tesla's Fremont factory, taking cells off the end of the production line and placing them in containers, Musk confirmed in early June. 
Why It Matters: During Tesla's annual shareholder meeting in June, Musk said that there will be at least <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39246781/elon-musk-thinks-humanoid-robots-will-one-day-exceed-human-population-from-nvidias-project-gr00t-to" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">one humanoid robot</a> for every person in the world in the future, implying a total humanoid robot population of at least 10 billion or more, of which the EV company will have a significant share.
&#8220;While autonomous vehicle is a $5-$7 trillion market cap situation, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39327644/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-eyes-25-trillion-market-cap-with-optimus-bot-admits-to-being-pathologically-opti">Optimus is a $25 trillion market cap situation</a>,&#8221; Musk, who is known to over-hype his company&#8217;s products, then said. The CEO himself admitted that he is &#8220;pathologically optimistic&#8221; but delivers in the end.
Following a major hardware revision by the end of this year or early next year, Tesla expects to commence limited production of the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39307242/tesla-says-optimus-bots-are-now-performing-autonomous-tasks-at-its-factory-3-years-after-introductio">Optimus to work in its factories</a> and test its capabilities, the CEO added.
Tesla also plans to unveil its dedicated robotaxi product on Aug. 8. The CEO, in April, said that dedicating to autonomous driving is a &#8220;blindly obvious move&#8221; for Tesla.
&#8220;Even if I got kidnapped by aliens tomorrow, Tesla&nbsp;will&nbsp;solve autonomy, maybe a little slower, but it would solve autonomy for vehicles at least,&#8221;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38397845/tesla-will-solve-autonomy-even-if-i-got-kidnapped-by-aliens-tomorrow-says-elon-musk-as-he-reveals-ta" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Musk said</a>&nbsp;at the company's first-quarter earnings call. &#8220;If somebody doesn&#8217;t believe Tesla is going to solve autonomy, I think they should not be an investor in the company.&#8221;
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 More:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39646347/tesla-hints-cybertruck-was-most-sold-ev-truck-in-us-in-q2-but-elon-musks-company-has-not-released-da">Tesla Hints Cybertruck Was Most Sold EV Truck In US In Q2, But Elon Musk&#8217;s Company Has Not Released Data To Back It Up</a></li>
</ul>
Image made via photos on Shutterstock

TSLA

Tesla CEO Elon Musk Considers Building Replica Of TARS From Interstellar In Addition To Optimus: 'Would Be So Cute'

Amid growing <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39625294/2024-election-betting-odds-react-to-biden-debate-disaster-trump-odds-hit-all-time-high-kam">calls for his withdrawal</a> from the 2024 presidential race, President Joe Biden has defended his recent poor debate performance, attributing it to exhaustion and cold, rather than a serious health condition.
What Happened: In his first interview since the debate, Biden <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/exhausted-bad-episode-biden-doubles-debate-explanations-abc/story?id=111695168">told</a> ABC News&#8217; George Stephanopoulos on Friday, that he felt terrible before the event.
&#8220;It was a bad episode. No indication of any serious condition. I was exhausted.&#8221;
Stephanopoulos questioned the timing, noting&nbsp;that Biden had spent six&nbsp;days at Camp David preparing&nbsp;for the debate. Biden revealed that&nbsp;he thought he had COVID-19.&nbsp;
&#8220;Because&nbsp;I was sick, I was&nbsp;feeling terrible. A matter of&nbsp;fact, the doc was with&nbsp;me — I asked if&nbsp;they did a COVID test&nbsp;because I was trying to&nbsp;figure out what's wrong,&#8221; Biden said. However, the test came back negative.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39638437/edward-snowden-reminds-americans-about-origins-of-the-fourth-of-july-holiday-shooting-at-the-governm?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Edward Snowden Reminds Americans About Origins Of The Fourth Of July Holiday: &#8216;Shooting At The Government&#8217;</a>
The president also refuted claims that he had&nbsp;listened back to the debate and accused former President Donald Trump of lying 28 times during the event. 
Why It Matters: During the debate, Biden&#8217;s&nbsp;soft and raspy voice and&nbsp;his struggle to complete sentences raised concerns about his health. The White House initially attributed his performance to a cold, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39610890/biden-blames-jet-lag-for-subpar-debate-performance-i-decided-to-travel-around-the-world-a-couple-tim">later blaming it on recent foreign travel</a>.
Biden&#8217;s poor performance in the debate has led to increased speculation about his 2024 re-election bid. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39563725/biden-widely-criticized-over-debate-performance-but-poll-also-points-to-concerning-signs-for-trump">A recent poll</a> revealed a decline in voters' confidence in Biden‘s mental and physical fitness. Despite this, Biden remains committed to the presidential race, even as calls <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/07/39653056/trump-vs-biden-former-president-retakes-lead-in-2024-election-poll-after-debate-more-voters-see-">for him to step down have grown.</a>
His performance has been attributed to a series of missteps by his top advisors, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39566647/joe-bidens-disastrous-debate-performance-blamed-on-bad-preparation-what-a-bad-decision-to-send-him-o">including a lack of rest and poor preparation</a>. Biden himself has previously attributed his lackluster performance to jet lag from his recent overseas trips.
&#8220;I didn&#8217;t have my best night, but the fact is that you know, I wasn&#8217;t very smart. I decided to travel around the world a couple times, going through around 100 time zones … before … the debate,&#8221; he said last week.
Read Next:&nbsp;
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39611479/odds-of-kamala-harris-replacing-joe-biden-as-democratic-presidential-candidate-raised-by-c?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Odds Of Kamala Harris Replacing Joe Biden As Democratic Presidential Candidate Raised By Crypto Bettors, Memecoin Themed On Her Surges 126%</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Politics

Biden Dismisses Health Concerns, Defends Poor Debate Performance Amid Calls To Withdraw From 2024 Race: 'It Was A Bad Episode. No Indication Of Any Serious Condition. I Was Exhausted'

President Joe Biden took to X, formerly Twitter, on Friday to congratulate Keir Starmer on becoming the new <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39640147/keir-starmer-to-become-uk-prime-minister-as-labour-wins-big-over-rishi-sunaks-conservatives-mohamed">U.K. Prime Minister</a>.
What Happened: &#8220;Congratulations to Prime Minister Keir Starmer on becoming Prime Minister of the United Kingdom,&#8221; Biden wrote in a post on X. &#8220;I look forward to our shared work in support of freedom and democracy around the world, and to further strengthening the special relationship between our two countries.&#8221;
This is the first reaction from Biden on X to the U.K.&#8217;s newly elected prime minister.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Congratulations to Prime Minister Keir Starmer on becoming Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. I look forward to our shared work in support of freedom and democracy around the world, and to further strengthening the special relationship between our two countries.
&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1809278569480126549?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
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According to a statement from the White House, Biden also spoke with Starmer on Friday and the two leaders reiterated their continued support for Ukraine against Russia. They also affirmed their commitment to working with the leaders of Northern Ireland to create and sustain economic growth and opportunities.
Why It Matters: Keir Starmer-led Labour Party bagged a historic win in the 2024 <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/eurozone/24/05/39048040/uk-election-how-it-works-and-which-markets-could-be-affected">U.K. General Elections</a> over the outgoing Prime Minister&nbsp;Rishi Sunak-led Conservative Party.
The electorate not only handed the party a resounding win after more than ten years of Conservative governance but also the monumental task of revitalizing a stagnant economy and a disillusioned nation.
&#8220;We said we would turn the page, and we have. Today we start the next chapter. begin the work of change, the mission of national renewal, and start to rebuild our country,&#8221; Starmer said in his victory speech to supporters in London. Starmer also promised to put &#8220;country first, party second&#8221; in his victory speech.
Starmer will attend the NATO Summit in Washington D.C. next week. Biden and Starmer will meet in person then. 
Related Link:
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/specialty-etfs/24/07/39649841/united-kingdom-stocks-etfs-to-watch-after-keir-starmer-labour-party-win">United Kingdom Stocks, ETFs To Watch After Keir Starmer, Labour Party Win</a></li>
</ul>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a> and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photos courtesy: Shutterstock and Flickr

Global

Biden Congratulates Keir Starmer On Becoming UK Prime Minister: 'Look Forward To Our Shared Work...'

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said on Friday that the fifth flight of its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39455125/spacex-gambled-with-starships-reentry-method-says-senior-exec-there-was-still-a-chance-that-this-wou">ambitious Starship launch vehicle </a>will be in the next 4 weeks. For the next test, the company is expected to attempt landing Starship&#8217;s booster back at Starbase instead of splashing it down in the Gulf of Mexico like last time.
What Happened: &#8220;Flight 5 in 4 weeks,&#8221; Musk said on X, formerly Twitter, pegging the next Starship launch around for around Aug. 2.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Flight 5 in 4 weeks <a href="https://t.co/K7pfdujrqx">https://t.co/K7pfdujrqx</a>
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1809381756199661879?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2024</a></blockquote>
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SpaceX <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39226248/elon-musk-outlines-future-starship-goals-after-successful-fourth-flight-test">last launched Starship</a> in the first half of June. During the test, the two stages of the vehicle &#8211; the Starship spacecraft and the Super Heavy booster &#8211; separated and the booster subsequently had a soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico.
The spacecraft ignited its engines and went into space, made a controlled re-entry to Earth, and had a soft splashdown in the Indian Ocean. The entire flight lasted one hour and six minutes from launch. The key object of the flight was to re-enter Earth and the mission achieved it while withstanding damage to the vehicle.
The flights before accomplished less. While the spacecraft failed to reach space in the first flight, it reached space and exploded in the second test flight. During the third flight test, the spacecraft broke apart when re-entering Earth's atmosphere from space.
The goal for the next test flight, however, is to catch the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39543299/spacex-preparing-to-catch-starship-booster-at-starbase-during-next-test-flight-instead-of-splashing">booster back at Starbase</a> using the launch tower's mechanical arms, marking a significant demonstration of Starship&#8217;s reusability.
Why It Matters: SpaceX is currently looking to ensure full reusability for its Starship rocket. Reuse of rockets, the company believes, is integral to bringing down the costs of spaceflight as the most cost is taken up in building the launch vehicle.
Starship is touted as the world's most powerful launch vehicle, standing 121 meters tall and weighing approximately 5,000 tonnes. SpaceX is expected to have at least six test flights of the Starship this year, as per CEO&nbsp;Elon Musk‘s latest estimate from March.&nbsp;
NASA is currently relying on the success of Starship to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/23/12/36296253/51-years-since-apollo-17-elon-musk-urges-humanity-to-surpass-moon-visit-as-civilizational-high-water" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">land humans back on the moon</a>&nbsp;as part of its Artemis program. The last crewed lunar mission occurred in 1972 with Apollo 17. Since then, no crew has traveled beyond low-Earth orbit.
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 More:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39639542/palantir-chair-peter-thiel-praises-elon-musks-risk-taking-ability-regrets-not-investing-in-tesla-the">Palantir Chair Peter Thiel Praises Elon Musk&#8217;s Risk-Taking Ability, Regrets Not Investing In Tesla: &#8216;There&#8217;s Something About Risk He Knows That We Don&#8217;t&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Photo via Shutterstock

SPACE

Elon Musk Pegs Fifth Starship Launch For First Week Of August: SpaceX Expected To Attempt A Booster Landing This Time

President Joe Biden reaffirmed his determination to continue his presidential bid, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39627704/kamala-harris-reportedly-emerges-as-top-choice-to-replace-the-president-in-2024-election-biden-says">despite mounting concerns</a> within his party about his ability to secure another term.
What Happened: During the <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/biden-dismisses-concerns-mental-fitness-hed-drop-lord/story?id=111695174">interview</a> with ABC News, Biden, 81, described his debate against former President Donald Trump as a &#8220;bad episode.&#8221; He admitted to being &#8220;exhausted&#8221; and unprepared for the debate.
When asked if he was being realistic in his belief that he could beat Trump, Biden responded, &#8220;I don&#8217;t think anyone is more qualified.&#8221; He dismissed the widening polls between the two candidates as inaccurate.
Despite growing concerns from elected Democrats, Biden remained firm in his belief that he was the candidate to beat Trump in the November election.
He was also questioned about whether he would drop out if fellow Democrats in Congress said he was hurting their re-election chances in November. Biden responded, &#8220;If the Lord Almighty comes out and tells me that I might do that.&#8221;
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/01/36795199/trumps-mental-health-in-decline-amid-mounting-legal-woes-says-george-conway-he-knows-deep-down-that?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump&#8217;s Mental Health In Decline Amid Mounting Legal Woes: George Conway</a>
When asked about his health, Biden said he was feeling terrible on the night of the debate and had a bad cold. He insisted that he was not frail and that he had a cognitive test every single day.
Earlier on Friday, Biden told a crowd in a fiery speech in Madison that some Democrats were <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39613299/democrats-want-biden-to-quit-push-this-candidate-as-better-fit-to-rival-trump-in-2024-presidential-r">trying to push him out of the race</a> in the wake of the debate with Trump. However, he said during the interview that senior Democrats would not ask him to step aside.
Why It Matters: Biden&#8217;s determination to continue his presidential bid comes amid a growing push from within his party for him to step down. The latest Morning Consult poll, conducted after the first presidential debate, saw <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/07/39653056/trump-vs-biden-former-president-retakes-lead-in-2024-election-poll-after-debate-more-voters-see-">Trump retake his lead</a>.
Former Obama administration official, Van Jones, has indicated that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39638455/obama-era-official-says-democrats-discussing-how-to-replace-biden-full-scale-panic-behind-the-scenes">Democrats are privately considering the replacement of President Biden</a>. Jones disclosed that the internal discussion among Democrats is focused on "how" to replace Biden, not "whether". He added that the Democrats defending Biden publicly are having "completely different" discussions behind closed doors.
Despite the growing calls for his withdrawal, Biden <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39640413/im-not-going-anywhere-biden-rebuffs-calls-for-withdrawal-from-presidential-election-during-fourth-of">reiterated his commitment to stay in the race</a> during the Fourth of July celebrations. As he mingled with guests, a voice called out for him to "Keep up the fight."
Read Next:
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/23/09/34563432/mike-pence-recalls-joe-bidens-job-advice-im-very-proud-of-the-relationship-i-had-with-president-trum?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mike Pence Recalls Joe Biden&#8217;s VP Advice: &#8216;Very Proud Of Relationship With Trump&#8217;</a>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

Biden Asserts He Is Not Pulling Out Of Presidential Race, Says Only 'Lord Almighty' Could Force Him

CJET

Trading Halt: Halted at 7:50:00 p.m. ET - Trading Halt: Halt News Pending

WEX (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WEX#NYSE">WEX</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 15 years by 30.84% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 43.72%. Currently, WEX has a market capitalization of $7.44 billion. 
Buying $100 In WEX: If an investor had bought $100 of WEX stock 15 years ago, it would be worth $23,055.84 today based on a price of $177.53 for WEX at the time of writing.
<h3>WEX's Performance Over Last 15 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1720215026_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.

Trading Ideas

If You Invested $100 In This Stock 15 Years Ago, You Would Have $23,000 Today

Blackstone (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BX#NYSE">BX</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 10 years by 3.57% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 14.51%. Currently, Blackstone has a market capitalization of $92.14 billion. 
Buying $100 In BX: If an investor had bought $100 of BX stock 10 years ago, it would be worth $380.79 today based on a price of $122.60 for BX at the time of writing.
<h3>Blackstone's Performance Over Last 10 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1720215021_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.

Here's How Much You Would Have Made Owning Blackstone Stock In The Last 10 Years

Calls for President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/06/39540588/joe-bidens-debate-performance-triggers-democratic-panic-biden-sounds-hoarse-looks-tired-and-is-babbl">to step down</a> ahead of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/2024-electionhttps://www.benzinga.com/topic/2024-election">the 2024 election</a> and make way for another candidate, such as Vice President Kamala Harris, have grown. Yet, Biden remains vocally committed to the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39628794/biden-vs-trump-new-poll-shows-president-still-very-much-in-race-despite-debate-fiasco-but-final-outc">presidential race as of Friday</a>.
Meanwhile, the latest Morning Consult poll, conducted after the first presidential debate, saw Ex-President and presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump retake his lead.
What Happened: The new <a href="https://pro.morningconsult.com/trackers/2024-presidential-election-polling">poll </a>of nationally registered voters shows the following results, with the results from <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/06/39538536/trump-vs-biden-2024-presidential-candidates-tied-ahead-of-first-debate-abortion-hits-high-for-be">the June 25 poll</a> in parentheses:
<ul>
<li>Joe Biden: 43% (44%)</li>
<li>Donald Trump: 44% (44%)</li>
<li>Someone Else: 8% (8%)</li>
<li>Don't Know: 5% (4%)</li>
</ul>
Of the Democratic voters polled, 87% have Biden as their top pick. That&#8217;s in line with the previous poll. Eighty-nine percent of Republican voters polled have Trump as their top pick, which is in line with the previous poll.
Independent voters, who could decide the election, selected their 2024 pick as follows, with the June 25 results in parentheses:
<ul>
<li>Joe Biden: 33% (34%)</li>
<li>Donald Trump: 37% (37%)</li>
<li>Someone Else: 18% (18%)</li>
<li>Don't Know: 12% (11%)</li>
</ul>
Read Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/06/39558557/kamala-harris-defends-bidens-slow-start-at-debate-with-strong-finish-clinton-newsom-obama-race-t"> Kamala Harris Defends Biden&#8217;s &#8216;Slow Start&#8217; At Debate With &#8216;Strong Finish&#8217;: Clinton, Newsom, Obama Race To Support President</a>
Why It's Important: After <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/07/39620336/biden-contemplates-future-in-2024-race-after-poor-debate-showing-report">the recent debate performance</a>, Biden could lose support in election polls and the next Morning Consult poll could show a much different result.
While Biden only trails by one percentage point in the latest Morning Consult poll, his campaign won't like several findings.
<ul>
<li>68% of voters say Biden is too old for the presidency, compared to 64% before the debate. </li>
<li>Among Democratic voters, 50% said Biden was too old, up seven percentage points from before the debate.</li>
<li>The poll found that only 35% of voters consider Biden to be in good health, compared to 41% before the presidential debate.</li>
<li>63% of Democratic voters see Biden in good health, compared to 75% before the debate.</li>
<li>When asked if Biden is mentally fit, 37% of voters said yes, compared to 43% before the debate. </li>
<li>Among Democratic voters, 68% said Biden is mentally fit, down from 77% before the debate.</li>
</ul>
Biden being mentally fit hit the lowest score for all voters and Democrats since polling began in 2020.
For a ninth consecutive week, Biden's net favorability rating has been ahead of Trump's, marking Biden's longest streak since April 2023.
However, voters were 31 points more likely of having heard, read or seen something negative than positive about Biden after the debate. This marked Biden's worst buzz rating since tracking for the 2024 election began in November 2022.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/07/39625833/who-gets-the-fundraising-money-if-joe-biden-drops-out-of-2024-election">Who Gets The Fundraising Money If Joe Biden Drops Out Of 2024 Election?</a></li>
</ul>

Trump Vs. Biden: Former President Retakes Lead In 2024 Election Poll After Debate, More Voters See Incumbent As 'Too Old'

Permian Resources (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PR#NYSE">PR</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 5.07% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 18.36%. Currently, Permian Resources has a market capitalization of $10.40 billion. 
Buying $1000 In PR: If an investor had bought $1000 of PR stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $2,235.38 today based on a price of $16.06 for PR at the time of writing.
<h3>Permian Resources's Performance Over Last 5 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1720213227_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.

Here's How Much You Would Have Made Owning Permian Resources Stock In The Last 5 Years

Amkor Tech (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMKR#NASDAQ">AMKR</a>) has outperformed the market over the past 20 years by 2.25% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 10.58%. Currently, Amkor Tech has a market capitalization of $9.86 billion. 
Buying $100 In AMKR: If an investor had bought $100 of AMKR stock 20 years ago, it would be worth $758.71 today based on a price of $40.06 for AMKR at the time of writing.
<h3>Amkor Tech's Performance Over Last 20 Years</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1720213223_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.

AMKR

Here's How Much $100 Invested In Amkor Tech 20 Years Ago Would Be Worth Today

Dozens of high-power business leaders, including Walmart Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/WMT#NYSE">WMT</a>) heir Christy Walton, have <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39641760/biden-vs-trump-incumbent-trails-by-widest-margin-in-this-election-cycle-but-more-than-half-unenthusi">signed a letter </a>to President Joe Biden asking him to give up his re-election bid, while praising his time in the Oval Office.
The letter, which was obtained by Bloomberg and signed by 168 executives and billionaires, credit Biden, 81, with "rescuing our democracy from the deepest threats it has known since the Civil War." 
But the letter, which came from the Leadership Now Project, also encouraged Biden to step aside by telling him, "to ensure that legacy is cemented, we ask that you pass the torch of leadership to the next generation of Democratic leaders by ending your reelection bid," Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-07-05/a-14-billion-walmart-heir-joins-novogratz-urging-biden-to-exit?srnd=homepage-americas&amp;sref=TBDibEcD">reported.</a>
Also Read: <a href="https://drupal-cloudfront.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39601856/anthony-scaramucci-predicts-major-crypto-gains-if-biden-wins-election">Anthony Scaramucci Predicts Major Crypto Gains if Biden Wins Election</a>
Other signatories include Michael Novogratz, CEO of Galaxy Investment Partners,&nbsp;and&nbsp;Paul Tagliabue, former commissioner of the National Football League.
Walton, 75, is worth about $14 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The philanthropist is the widow of John T. Walton, the second son of Walmart Inc. founder Sam Walton.
 Walton, Novogratz and Tagliabue haven't donated to Biden's re-election campaign, Bloomberg reported.
The letter, which also told Biden that &#8220;nothing short of American democracy is at stake this November,&#8221; has come after Leadership Now <a href="https://www.leadershipnowproject.org/statement-a-new-nominee-to-protect-democracy">published </a>an unsigned statement on Wednesday that said business leaders have &#8220;heard from many individuals who share our deep concerns about the present course but fear speaking out.&#8221;
&#8220;But speaking out is our duty in a democracy and the time to do it is now,&#8221; Leadership Now said in its statement.
&#8220;We call on others to join us in making this urgent call.&#8221;
Leadership Now pointed to Biden&#8217;s performance in his June 27 debate with former President Donald Trump in requesting that the president give up his campaign for a second term.
&#8220;What we witnessed Thursday night in the presidential debate was deeply concerning,&#8221; the organization said.
&#8220;Donald Trump repeatedly lied, preyed on our worst fears and grievances, and refused to commit to accepting the 2024 election results. Unfortunately, President Biden failed to effectively make the case against Trump, and we now fear the risk of a devastating loss in November.&#8221;
Read Now:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39638541/trumps-unfounded-claims-kamala-harris-stir-controversy-shes-so-bad-shes-so-pathetic">Trump&#8217;s Unfounded Claims About Kamala Harris Stir Controversy: &#8216;She&#8217;s So Bad, She&#8217;s So Pathetic&#8217;</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

Biden Should Step Aside, Say Business Leaders Including Walmart Heir

June&#8217;s Bureau of Labor Statistics jobs report <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/07/39646053/mixed-picture-for-fed-june-payrolls-rise-more-than-expected-unemployment-rate-ticks-up-wage-grow">shows unemployment rising</a>, signaling a continued slowing in the U.S. economy. 
University of Pennsylvania Wharton professor Jeremy Siegel reacted to the data, recommending the Federal Reserve to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/07/39648975/fed-needs-to-frontload-interest-rate-cuts-say-4-economists-labor-markets-cooling-">cut interest rates</a> in response.
What Happened: Siegel <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/video/2024/07/05/we-are-in-a-slowing-economy-says-whartons-jeremy-siegel.html">appeared</a> on CNBC on Friday afternoon to discuss Friday&#8217;s &#8220;weak report.&#8221;
&#8220;I think it&#8217;s really time for Fed Chairman [Jerome] Powell to tee up in the July meeting a cut in September, and maybe another one in November,&#8221; Siegel said. &#8220;I think inflation is definitely under control and I don&#8217;t want to see this slowing economy turn into something worse.&#8221;
Siegel referenced economist Claudia Sahm&#8216;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/24/07/39649271/us-close-to-recession-warning-as-june-jobs-report-shows-rising-unemployment">leading &#8220;Sahm Rule&#8221;</a> as a means to predicting recessions. The threshold is met when the three-month moving average of the&nbsp;unemployment rate rises by 0.5% or more relative to the minimum of the three-month averages from the previous 12 months. 
June&#8217;s figure is very close to approaching the 0.50%. A recession still should not be considered likely, Siegel says, especially if a September rate cut by the Federal Reserve would forestall a recession.
&#8220;Why not be preemptive? The commodity market is under control, all the others are under control. We&#8217;ve talked so long about the fact that if they used realistic shelter costs in their CPI, they [inflation indicators] would be much lower than what they have now. I think he [Powell] can afford to bring us a more normal Fed Funds Rate in relationship to those long rates&#8230;&#8221;
Why it Matters: The market is currently predicting a 77% chance for a September interest rate cut with additional cuts possible in November, <a href="https://www.cmegroup.com/markets/interest-rates/cme-fedwatch-tool.html">according</a> to the CME Group. 
Also Read:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/07/39650506/magnificent-7-stocks-propel-s-p-500-nasdaq-100-to-record-highs-as-jobs-data-fuels-rate-cut-bets-">Magnificent 7 Stocks Propel S&amp;P 500, Nasdaq 100 To Record Highs As Jobs Data Fuels Rate Cut Bets; Gold Miners Rally: What&#8217;s Driving Markets Friday?</a></li>
</ul>

Economics

Wharton's Jeremy Siegel Implores Jerome Powell To Signal September Rate Cuts: 'We Are In A Slowing Economy'

Grown Rogue International Inc.(CSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GRIN#CSE">GRIN</a>) (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GRUSF#OTC">GRUSF</a>) has entered a secured drawdown promissory note agreement with ABCO Garden State, LLC, a New Jersey licensed cultivator. As of Friday, July 5th, Grown Rogue owns 44% of ABCO, with an option to acquire an additional 26% of ABCO, subject to regulatory approval.
On May, 31, Grown Rogue, obtained licensing approval with the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission (CRC) and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/06/39188107/craft-cannabis-co-grown-rogue-expands-in-this-booming-east-cost-weed-market-via-new-acquisition" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">closed its first option to acquire 44% of ABCO</a>.
&#8220;As we reach the final stages of Phase I construction, this additional capital will be used to finish construction and provide the necessary working capital to become operational," stated Obie Strickler, CEO of Grown Rogue. "Our Phase I work has included many of the necessary improvements required to accelerate Phase II completion such as full panel installation, the purchase of on-site HVAC equipment, and the fulfillment of fire safety requirements.&#8221;
The news comes on the heels of the company reorganizing shares to keep<a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/06/39489016/craft-weed-company-grown-rogue-reorganizes-shares-to-keep-its-foreign-private-issuer-status-in-t" rel="noreferrer noopener"> its foreign private issuer status in the US</a>.
Read Also: <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/05/39088512/grown-rogue-reports-record-q1-revenue-ceo-calls-these-two-states-primary-growth-drivers" rel="noreferrer noopener">Grown Rogue Reports Record Q1 Revenue, CEO Calls These Two States &#8216;Primary Growth Drivers&#8217;</a>
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Key Takeaways</h2>
<ul>
<li>Grown Rogue will lend up to $3,000,000 to ABCO under the note agreement to support ongoing construction and working capital as ABCO ramps up its operations. On June 25, 2024, Grown Rogue advanced $500,000 to ABCO, representing the first drawdown.</li>
<li>The note has preferential repayment, and interest on the outstanding principal will accrue at 10.5% per annum.</li>
<li>The note, including all accrued and unpaid interest, shall be due and payable on June 25, 2025.</li>
</ul>
&#8220;Phase I remains substantially on schedule and on budget, with final occupancy approvals expected later this month and sales anticipated to commence in the fourth quarter," Strickler continued. "Phase II construction is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2025, with sales anticipated to commence in the second quarter of 2025. With both Phases complete and a total flowering canopy of ~16,000 square feet, we expect to be producing in excess of 1,000 pounds of whole flower per month in New Jersey.&#8221;
New Jersey's Attractive Potential
According to the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission, the state reported over $800 million in cannabis sales in 2023, growing more than 44% year-over-year. The fourth quarter sales reached a record with $220 million in sales, growing 7% sequentially. Furthermore, the state's recreational cannabis revenue topped $201 million in early 2024, a substantial rise from the previous year. This boost comes as the number of dispensaries jumped from 24 to 130 within a year, putting New Jersey on track to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/06/39271024/new-jerseys-cannabis-market-excels-as-new-york-continues-to-face-setbacks" rel="noreferrer noopener">becoming a billion-dollar market</a>.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Price Action</h2>
Grown Rogue shares traded 48.87% lower at 65 cents per share at the time of writing Monday after the close.
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/06/39193860/the-green-garden-state-all-you-need-to-know-about-new-jerseys-cannabis-market" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Green Garden State: All You Need To Know About New Jersey&#8217;s Cannabis Market</a></li>
</ul>
To keep on top of what is happening with cannabis stocks and everything across the industry, join us at the 19th Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference, coming to Chicago this Oct. 8-9.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/benzinga-capital-conference-cannabis-fall-2024-tickets-858948065787?aff=oddtdtcreator" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Get your tickets now</a> before prices go up by following&nbsp;<a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/benzinga-capital-conference-cannabis-fall-2024-tickets-858948065787?aff=oddtdtcreator" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">this link</a>.
Photo: Courtesy of Kyrylo Vasyliev via Shutterstock

Cannabis

CSE:GRIN

Grindrod Shipping Holdings Ltd Ordinary Shares

GRIN

GRUSF

Craft Weed Company Bets On New Jersey Market, Now Owns 44% Of This State-Licensed Cultivator

Financial giants have made a conspicuous bearish move on Mastercard. Our analysis of options history for Mastercard (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MA#NYSE">MA</a>) revealed 11 unusual trades.
Delving into the details, we found 36% of traders were bullish, while 45% showed bearish tendencies. Out of all the trades we spotted, 5 were puts, with a value of $168,886, and 6 were calls, valued at $664,821.
<h3>Expected Price Movements</h3>
Analyzing the Volume and Open Interest in these contracts, it seems that the big players have been eyeing a price window from $320.0 to $540.0 for Mastercard during the past quarter. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Development</h3>
Looking at the volume and open interest is an insightful way to conduct due diligence on a stock.
This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Mastercard's options for a given strike price.
Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of Mastercard's whale activity within a strike price range from $320.0 to $540.0 in the last 30 days. 
<h3>Mastercard Option Volume And Open Interest Over Last 30 Days</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1720212594_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Biggest Options Spotted:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>MA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$45.95</td>
<td>$43.0</td>
<td>$44.5</td>
<td>$480.00</td>
<td>$293.7K</td>
<td>970</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/20/25</td>
<td>$11.35</td>
<td>$10.55</td>
<td>$10.55</td>
<td>$540.00</td>
<td>$168.8K</td>
<td>149</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>12/20/24</td>
<td>$8.25</td>
<td>$8.1</td>
<td>$8.25</td>
<td>$500.00</td>
<td>$59.4K</td>
<td>2.4K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">21</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>12/20/24</td>
<td>$34.6</td>
<td>$34.25</td>
<td>$34.55</td>
<td>$440.00</td>
<td>$51.8K</td>
<td>67</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">16</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>MA</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>12/20/24</td>
<td>$34.45</td>
<td>$33.15</td>
<td>$33.8</td>
<td>$440.00</td>
<td>$50.6K</td>
<td>67</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">1</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Mastercard</h3>
Mastercard is the second-largest payment processor in the world, having processed close to over $9 trillion in volume during 2023. Mastercard operates in over 200 countries and processes transactions in over 150 currencies.
After a thorough review of the options trading surrounding Mastercard, we move to examine the company in more detail. This includes an assessment of its current market status and performance.
<h3>Present Market Standing of Mastercard</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a trading volume of 2,219,374, the price of MA is down by -0.47%, reaching $446.07.</li>
<li>Current RSI values indicate that the stock is may be approaching overbought.</li>
<li>Next earnings report is scheduled for 20 days from now.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Expert Opinions on Mastercard</h3>
Over the past month, 1 industry analysts have shared their insights on this stock, proposing an average target price of $525.0.
<ul>
<li>An analyst from Evercore ISI Group has decided to maintain their Outperform rating on Mastercard, which currently sits at a price target of $525. </li>
</ul>
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Mastercard, <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> gives you real-time options trades alerts.

Options

Spotlight on Mastercard: Analyzing the Surge in Options Activity

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on ConocoPhillips (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COP#NYSE">COP</a>).
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with COP, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
So how do we know what these investors just did? 
Today, <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?utm_source=insights">Benzinga</a>'s options scanner spotted 8 uncommon options trades for ConocoPhillips.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 62% bullish and 12%, bearish.
Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 2 are puts, for a total amount of $58,000, and 6 are calls, for a total amount of $403,009.
<h3>Expected Price Movements</h3>
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $100.0 to $115.0 for ConocoPhillips over the last 3 months. 
<h3>Analyzing Volume &amp; Open Interest</h3>
In today's trading context, the average open interest for options of ConocoPhillips stands at 2488.4, with a total volume reaching 1,746.00. The accompanying chart delineates the progression of both call and put option volume and open interest for high-value trades in ConocoPhillips, situated within the strike price corridor from $100.0 to $115.0, throughout the last 30 days.
<h3>ConocoPhillips Call and Put Volume: 30-Day Overview</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1720212589_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Significant Options Trades Detected:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th>Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>COP</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>07/19/24</td>
<td>$1.01</td>
<td>$1.0</td>
<td>$1.01</td>
<td>$115.00</td>
<td>$101.0K</td>
<td>6.5K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>COP</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>12/18/26</td>
<td>$27.95</td>
<td>$23.55</td>
<td>$27.01</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$81.0K</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>0</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>COP</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>07/19/24</td>
<td>$1.09</td>
<td>$0.96</td>
<td>$1.02</td>
<td>$115.00</td>
<td>$72.9K</td>
<td>6.5K</td>
<td>1.0K</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>COP</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>08/02/24</td>
<td>$2.92</td>
<td>$2.89</td>
<td>$2.9</td>
<td>$113.00</td>
<td>$64.9K</td>
<td>28</td>
<td>2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>COP</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>06/18/26</td>
<td>$27.5</td>
<td>$23.8</td>
<td>$23.8</td>
<td>$100.00</td>
<td>$47.6K</td>
<td>20</td>
<td>0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About ConocoPhillips</h3>
ConocoPhillips is a US-based independent exploration and production firm. In 2023, it produced 1.2 million barrels per day of oil and natural gas liquids and 3.1 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas, primarily from Alaska and the Lower 48 in the United States and Norway in Europe and several countries in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East. Proven reserves at year-end 2023 were 6.8 billion barrels of oil equivalent.
Following our analysis of the options activities associated with ConocoPhillips, we pivot to a closer look at the company's own performance.
<h3>ConocoPhillips's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>Currently trading with a volume of 4,187,539, the COP's price is down by -1.93%, now at $112.55. </li>
<li>RSI readings suggest the stock is currently is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.</li>
<li>Anticipated earnings release is in 27 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Expert Opinions on ConocoPhillips</h3>
A total of 1 professional analysts have given their take on this stock in the last 30 days, setting an average price target of $147.0.
<ul>
<li>An analyst from B of A Securities has revised its rating downward to Buy, adjusting the price target to $147. </li>
</ul>
Trading options involves greater risks but also offers the potential for higher profits. Savvy traders mitigate these risks through ongoing education, strategic trade adjustments, utilizing various indicators, and staying attuned to market dynamics. Keep up with the latest options trades for ConocoPhillips with <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> for real-time alerts.

ConocoPhillips's Options Frenzy: What You Need to Know

Investors with a lot of money to spend have taken a bullish stance on Viking Therapeutics (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/VKTX#NASDAQ">VKTX</a>).
And retail traders should know.
We noticed this today when the trades showed up on publicly available options history that we track here at Benzinga.
Whether these are institutions or just wealthy individuals, we don't know. But when something this big happens with VKTX, it often means somebody knows something is about to happen.
So how do we know what these investors just did? 
Today, <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/?utm_source=insights">Benzinga</a>'s options scanner spotted 10 uncommon options trades for Viking Therapeutics.
This isn't normal.
The overall sentiment of these big-money traders is split between 40% bullish and 40%, bearish.
Out of all of the special options we uncovered, 2 are puts, for a total amount of $67,500, and 8 are calls, for a total amount of $800,845.
<h3>Predicted Price Range</h3>
Taking into account the Volume and Open Interest on these contracts, it appears that whales have been targeting a price range from $49.0 to $130.0 for Viking Therapeutics over the last 3 months. 
<h3>Volume &amp; Open Interest Development</h3>
Looking at the volume and open interest is an insightful way to conduct due diligence on a stock.
This data can help you track the liquidity and interest for Viking Therapeutics's options for a given strike price.
Below, we can observe the evolution of the volume and open interest of calls and puts, respectively, for all of Viking Therapeutics's whale activity within a strike price range from $49.0 to $130.0 in the last 30 days. 
<h3>Viking Therapeutics 30-Day Option Volume &amp; Interest Snapshot</h3>
<img src="https://www.benzinga.com/files/images/story/2024/1720212584_0.png" alt="Options Call Chart" />
<h3>Biggest Options Spotted:</h3>

<table>
<thead>
<tr>
<th>Symbol</th>
<th>PUT/CALL</th>
<th>Trade Type</th>
<th>Sentiment</th>
<th>Exp. Date</th>
<th>Ask</th>
<th>Bid</th>
<th>Price</th>
<th>Strike Price</th>
<th>Total Trade Price</th>
<th>Open Interest</th>
<th style="text-align: right;">Volume</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>VKTX</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$8.5</td>
<td>$8.3</td>
<td>$8.3</td>
<td>$70.00</td>
<td>$207.5K</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">283</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VKTX</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>NEUTRAL</td>
<td>01/17/25</td>
<td>$8.5</td>
<td>$7.9</td>
<td>$8.25</td>
<td>$70.00</td>
<td>$206.2K</td>
<td>1.6K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">33</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VKTX</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>TRADE</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$17.3</td>
<td>$14.1</td>
<td>$14.7</td>
<td>$75.00</td>
<td>$147.0K</td>
<td>434</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">2</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VKTX</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BEARISH</td>
<td>07/19/24</td>
<td>$0.65</td>
<td>$0.55</td>
<td>$0.65</td>
<td>$65.00</td>
<td>$69.9K</td>
<td>4.6K</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">8</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>VKTX</td>
<td>CALL</td>
<td>SWEEP</td>
<td>BULLISH</td>
<td>01/16/26</td>
<td>$6.5</td>
<td>$5.4</td>
<td>$6.5</td>
<td>$130.00</td>
<td>$58.5K</td>
<td>398</td>
<td style="text-align: right;">10</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

<h3>About Viking Therapeutics</h3>
Viking Therapeutics Inc is a healthcare service provider. The company specializes in the area of biopharmaceutical development focused on metabolic and endocrine disorders. The company's clinical program pipeline consists of VK2809, VK5211, VK0214 products. VK2809 and VK0214 are orally available, tissue and receptor-subtype selective agonists of the thyroid hormone receptor beta. VK5211 is an orally available, non-steroidal selective androgen receptor modulator.
After a thorough review of the options trading surrounding Viking Therapeutics, we move to examine the company in more detail. This includes an assessment of its current market status and performance.
<h3>Viking Therapeutics's Current Market Status</h3>
<ul>
<li>With a volume of 1,472,257, the price of VKTX is up 2.64% at $51.8. </li>
<li>RSI indicators hint that the underlying stock is currently neutral between overbought and oversold.</li>
<li>Next earnings are expected to be released in 19 days.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Professional Analyst Ratings for Viking Therapeutics</h3>
3 market experts have recently issued ratings for this stock, with a consensus target price of $105.0.
<ul>
<li>An analyst from HC Wainwright &amp; Co. downgraded its action to Buy with a price target of $90. </li>
<li>Maintaining their stance, an analyst from Truist Securities continues to hold a Buy rating for Viking Therapeutics, targeting a price of $120. </li>
<li>An analyst from Morgan Stanley has revised its rating downward to Overweight, adjusting the price target to $105. </li>
</ul>
Options are a riskier asset compared to just trading the stock, but they have higher profit potential. Serious options traders manage this risk by educating themselves daily, scaling in and out of trades, following more than one indicator, and following the markets closely.
If you want to stay updated on the latest options trades for Viking Therapeutics, <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a> gives you real-time options trades alerts.

VKTX

Spotlight on Viking Therapeutics: Analyzing the Surge in Options Activity

The global cryptocurrency markets are trading lower, Friday, amid Mt Gox repayments, Germany transferring Bitcoin and a spike <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39652199/impact-of-mt-gox-germany-sales-on-bitcoin-lettuce-hands-are-flushed-out">in short liquidations.</a>
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>Price</td>
<td>Gains +/-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td>
<td>$56,499</td>
<td>-3%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>)</td>
<td>$2,984.6</td>
<td>-4.9%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>)</td>
<td>$134.7</td>
<td>+0.9%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)</td>
<td>$0.1041</td>
<td>+-3.2%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/shib/usd">SHIB</a>)</td>
<td>$0.00001457</td>
<td>-3.9%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
Notable Statistics:
<ul>
<li>IntoTheBlock data noted Bitcoin reflecting strength in key metrics, with 14.8% growth in large transaction volumes and a 259.7% surge in exchange netflows. Transactions greater than $100,000 also increased in a single day.</li>
<li>Coinglass data pointed to short liquidations at their highest level ($132 million) since May 20. In the past 24 hours, 206,505 traders were liquidated, the total crypto liquidations stood at $582.02 million.</li>
<li>Whale Alert <a href="https://x.com/whale_alert/status/1809296484078174655">data</a> indicated that a dormant address that has 20 BTC, worth $1.1 million, just got activated after 11.1 years.</li>
</ul>
Notable Developments:
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39648069/mt-gox-begins-repaying-creditors-after-decade-long-wait">Mt. Gox Begins Repaying Creditors After Decade-Long Wait</a>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39639117/crypto-billionaire-justin-sun-offers-to-buy-bitcoin-off-market-from-german-government-to-m">Crypto Billionaire Justin Sun Offers To Buy Bitcoin Off-Market From German Government To Minimize Price Impact, Lawmaker Slams Authorities For Selling</a>
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39638873/bitcoin-bull-mike-novogratz-brings-up-reagan-amid-question-mark-hanging-over-bidens-candid">Bitcoin Bull Mike Novogratz Brings Up Reagan Amid Question Mark Hanging Over Biden&#8217;s Candidacy: &#8216;Power Is A Strange Drug&#8217;</a> <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39639419/amid-bitcoin-crash-peter-schiff-forecasts-prolonged-bear-market-dont-say-i-didnt-warn-you-">Amid Bitcoin Crash, Peter Schiff Forecasts Prolonged Bear Market: &#8216;Don&#8217;t Say I Didn&#8217;t Warn You HODLers&#8217;</a>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/events/digital-assets/"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="300" height="250" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/27091545/Benzinga-conference.gif" alt="Benzinga future of digital assets conference" class="wp-image-267246" /></a></figure>
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Top Losers:</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>Price</td>
<td>Gains +/–</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Core (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">CORE</a>)</td>
<td>$0.8809</td>
<td>-16.5%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>ORDI (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">ORDI</a>)</td>
<td>$27.89</td>
<td>-14.3%</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Arbitrum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/">ARB</a>)</td>
<td>$0.6221</td>
<td>-12.3%</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<figcaption class="wp-element-caption"> Trader Notes: Fred Krueger in his latest prediction highlighted how the Bitcoin equation could tip into an epic short squeeze. He <a href="https://x.com/dotkrueger/status/1809291475634778373">added</a> "An unknown, but probably massive number of BTC shorts will need to be covered in the next few weeks." Notable crypto trader Flow Horse revealed that he made money by shorting in the last two days as he had a $52,000 target. </figcaption></figure>
<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">I would be surprised if we moved much lower than this region before a bounce. 52k was my target for this break, and we tagged 53s. Made a lot of money shorting the last 2 days and feel kind of high from it while also having no exposure, sitting at 4% off trading account ATHs.… <a href="https://t.co/lXrdRVW746">pic.twitter.com/lXrdRVW746</a>
&mdash; HORSE (@TheFlowHorse) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheFlowHorse/status/1809261425732334050?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Cryptoquant founder &amp; CEO Ki Young Ju <a href="https://x.com/ki_young_ju/status/1809293501084909592">says</a> the government-seized Bitcoin being sold is overestimated and suggests not letting this ruin trades.
In another tweet, Young Ju <a href="https://x.com/ki_young_ju/status/1809254974443954403">predicted</a> that the bull cycle will continue early next year. He added, "For those trading in spot, it would be wise to DCA while keeping in mind that it could drop to $47,000 from here."
Read Next:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39649941/bitcoin-down-7-in-7-days-led-by-second-largest-liquidation-event-trader-points-to-demand-w">Bitcoin Down 7% In 7 Days, Led By Second-Largest Liquidation Event: Trader Points To &#8216;Demand Wall&#8217; At </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/39649941/bitcoin-down-7-in-7-days-led-by-second-largest-liquidation-event-trader-points-to-demand-w">$47,000</a></li>
</ul>
Photo: Shutterstock

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