Author: PAZAMBA

Trade uncertainty due to the Trump administration’s ongoing trade wars has resulted in decreasing volumes for smaller U.S. ports as importers and exporters adjust supply chain timings. Ports like Oakland, Jacksonville, New Orleans, and Panama City are seeing reduced trade activity, with Oakland reporting a 10.1% decrease month-over-month in June.

CEO of tech company Astronomer, Andy Byron, stepped down following a scandal that led to $7.3 million in bets on prediction markets, with odds of resignation peaking at 80%. The controversy led to considerable trading volumes on prediction markets Kalshi and Polymarket.

Trump Media and Technology Group has amassed around $2 billion in Bitcoin and related assets, contributing largely to President Trump’s net worth. The trend towards cryptocurrency appears to be benefiting Trump Media’s shares, which surged as high as 9% on Monday.

Analyst Jim Cramer shared his top 10 stock market observations, noting major moves from companies such as Block, Verizon, DoorDash, and Amazon. Cramer also highlighted potentially profitable developments such as Trump’s new spending bill and the EBITDA-strong second-quarter earnings for Verizon.

In preparation for the trading week, investors are advised to watch for factors such as the ramping up of earnings season, increasing tension between the White House and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, an impending tariff deadline, Alaska Airlines’ recent IT outage, and possible cyberattacks on key businesses and government agencies. Recent developments, such as Trump’s crypto-supportive legislation and Microsoft’s cyberattack warnings, could create ripples affecting a range of sectors and companies.

In today’s financial news, Domino’s Pizza is achieving growth in the restaurant industry as it targets discounts and deals to both overlap market share from competitors and appeal to low-end consumers. Despite missing Wall Street’s projected earnings due to a $27.4 million charge on its investment in its China licensee, Domino’s reported a notable increase in sales, especially from the introduction of its stuffed crust pizza and its $9.99 “Best Deal Ever” promotion. These strategies have led to a 3.4% growth in Q2 U.S. similar store sales, beating estimates of a 2% rise. However, Domino’s shares dipped by more than 2% during Monday’s afternoon trading.

In the stocks market, Bruker lost around 12% after announcing disappointing Q2 guidance, while Block had an 8% surge as it prepares to join the S&P 500 before trading begins on July 23rd, replacing Hess that has been bought out by Chevron. Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals dropped nearly 12%, just as Cleveland-Cliffs rose by 13% after announcing expected reduced capital expenditures and administrative expenses for the year, overriding its Q2 loss. Verizon rose by 5% when its Q2 earnings were released, revealing that the company’s earnings exceeded expectations, and Dollar Tree gained 2.2% after an upgrade to overweight from Barclays.

Regarding AI development, Melius has advised Apple to consider acquiring AI startup Perplexity, predicting that the move would cause a surge in Apple’s shares if the firm started charging users for a $200 annual subscription for using the AI-powered search engine.

In other news, Figma’s IPO may value the design software company at around $16 billion, as it released an updated IPO prospectus on Monday stating its expectation to sell 37 million shares at $25-$28 each. If achieved, Figma and its shareholders might raise $1 billion.

Lastly, Subway has appointed Burger King veteran Jonathan Fitzpatrick as its new CEO, effective July 28. Prior to his appointment, Fitzpatrick spent over a decade at automotive services provider Driven Brands and also had a stint as Burger King’s chief brand and operations officer. This news follows a long search for Subway’s new CEO after the retirement of previous CEO John Chidsey.

This week has seen mixed results in the stock market. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 142.30 points or 0.32%, settling at 44,342.19 after reports that President Trump pushed for increased tariffs on the European Union. On the other hand, the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite posted weekly gains, rising by 0.6% and 1.5% respectively.

The main gainers this week were PepsiCo and United Airlines, both of which saw shares climb after beating earnings estimates. Meanwhile, Nvidia gained 4% in the tech sector, adding to the upward trajectory of the Nasdaq. Tesla and Alphabet also experienced a positive week in anticipation of excellent results from their upcoming earnings reports.

Netflix, however, slid 5% following announcements that its operating margin in the latter half of this year will likely be lower than the first half. Other underperformers included Wells Fargo and BlackRock, whose shares fell due to disappointing earnings news. The drop in shares of 3M and American Express also contributed to the Dow’s downward trend.

Inflation fears decreased, pushing consumer sentiment to its highest level since February. However, ongoing uncertainty around President Trump’s tariffs and lofty valuations remain obstacles for the market.

Solid economic data and robust earnings from many companies provided a boost to investor confidence. Approximately 83% of the 12% of S&P 500 companies that have reported results so far have beaten estimates.

Going forward, investors will monitor incoming earnings reports and economic data, along with the potential impact of the proposed tariffs on the EU, as calls for federal rate cuts grow more nuanced.

The Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) and the S&P 500 (^GSPC) edged towards record highs this week despite tariff-related tensions and the reportedly impending dismissal of Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell by President Trump. The Nasdaq Composite rose slightly to attain a new record while both the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) fell by 0.3%.

Following last week’s gains, the Nasdaq Composite increased by more than 1.6% and the S&P 500 rose by about 0.7%, leaving the Dow Jones almost flat. The S&P 500 stands at 6,263.70 following an increase of 0.32%. Meanwhile, the Nasdaq Composite added 0.26% to close at 20,730.49, marking its ninth record close of the year, while the Dow Jones added 231.49 points, or 0.53%, ending at 44,254.78.

Major losers in the stock market this week include Netflix, whose Q2 results failed to impress the market, leading to a drop in the company’s stocks. In contrast, American Express, Bank of America, Johnson & Johnson, Morgan Stanley, and Goldman Sachs all enjoyed a rise in their stocks following their strong Q2 results.

This week also saw fashion brand Burberry’s stocks rise in London as it reported a smaller-than-anticipated drop in sales, indicating progress under the new CEO Joshua Schulman’s turnaround plan. This resulted in retail revenues falling by 6% to £433m for the 13 weeks to June 28, a deceleration in the downturn of Burberry’s sales. However, the S&P 500 is currently expected to report a growth in earnings of 5.6% compared to the same quarter last year.

While President Trump has strongly criticized Powell’s management of the Federal Reserve, he has denied reports suggesting imminent plans to dismiss Powell. Banks and large financial institutions have generally opposed this potential move, stating their belief that Powell’s management of the Fed has been effective.

Stock market on Friday closed slightly lower with the Dow down by 0.42%, S&P 500 down by 0.54%, and Nasdaq down by 0.71%.

Texas Roadhouse’s stock fell roughly 8% due to increasing beef inflation. Despite this, Bank of America raised its price target on the steakhouse to $219 from $203, expecting long-term growth.

Sarepta Therapeutics shares plunged by over 30% as FDA flagged safety concerns regarding its gene therapy, Elevidys. Sarepta’s stock has fallen over 87% this year.

Talen Energy’s share price surged 23% after the company announced its acquisition of two power plants for $3.5 billion. Invesco shares also jumped by 12% due to structural changes in its popular trust. Conversely, Netflix shares dipped by 4% after a warning regarding lower margins for the second half of the year due to higher content and marketing costs.

Abbott Laboratories shares went up after an upgrade from Jefferies, considering that Thursday’s 8.5% sell-off was “too punitive” and the outlook headwind as temporary.

In the crypto market, Ether climbed higher by 4% to $3,578.67 as President Trump signed the GENIUS Act stablecoin legislation, while bitcoin price slipped by 1%.

In other news, lawmakers also passed a second, broader crypto market structure bill, the CLARITY Act, which will now go to the Senate.

Amprius Technologies, a firm that manufactures lithium-ion batteries for drones and high-altitude pseudo satellites, has seen its stocks surge by over 187% in 2025. William Blair has upgraded Amprius’ stock to outperform due to an increased focus on drones in the Trump administration’s defense strategy, with the increased demand potentially leading to large purchase orders.

In other news, the S & P 500 climbed to a new all-time high on Friday due to a flurry of strong earnings reports. Netflix experienced a slight drop in shares (over 2%) following its Q2 revenue and EPS beat, while 3M’s revenues and adjusted EPS of $2.16 exceeded market expectations, triggering a 2% rise in its stock. American Express also reported robust revenue and adjusted EPS, leading to a 1% uptick in its shares.

Looking at pre-market trading, Netflix, American Express, Chevron, Sarepta Therapeutics, Interactive Brokers, Schlumberger, and Charles Schwab are making headlines. Netflix’s shares fell 2% following a warning about lower future operating margin, while Chevron’s shares soared 3% after winning a dispute over Hess’s offshore oil assets. Interactive Brokers saw its shares advance 5% after reporting Q2 results that beat top and bottom-line estimates.

In analyst calls, Nvidia, Microsoft, and Tesla were reiterated as buy, Apple as outperform, Chipotle was upgraded to outperform and Barclays was downgraded to neutral.

Finally, Chevron has completed its $53 billion acquisition of Hess, after winning a legal dispute with Exxon Mobil over offshore oil assets in Guyana. The acquisition victory led to a 2% rise in Chevron’s shares during pre-market trading.

Stocks were higher on Thursday as the market continued to navigate through the second quarter earnings season. Tech and industrial sectors buoyed the S&P 500, but the index was weighed down by real estate and health care. Dow Jones and NASDAQ numbers are not provided in the information.

Bristol Myers Squibb and Pfizer have announced plans to offer their blood-thinning medication Eliquis directly to consumers through their Eliquis 360 support program at a 40% discount to the current list price. This news has not affected the Bristol Myers stock price. Contrarily, Abbott Laboratories, a health-care company, saw its stocks fell due to disappointing forward guidance despite recording an increase in Q2 revenue.

Nvidia shares, driven by strong growth in AI trade, are predicted to increase to $200. Chipmaking giant Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company recently lifted its 2025 sales outlook to 30% growth, contributing to Nvidia’s positive outlook.

On another note, Starbucks has been downgraded to an underperform sell rating from hold at Jeffries, leading to potential concerns for investors. However, the company’s prove is expected to experince upswing if it drops to the $80s.

Looking at banks, the six biggest U.S. banks have reportedly generated about $39 billion in Q2 profit, exceeding expert predictions and jumping more than 20% from their earnings the previous year. Analyst Mike Mayo noted that the fears of a recession have largely disappeared.

Contrastingly, although United Airlines managed to beat EPS for the second quarter, it missed revenue estimates due to weaker demand and fares for domestic-coach class travel. In response, the carrier revised its full-year earnings forecast, settling it in the middle of two previously provided scenarios.

Finally, President Donald Trump dispelled rumors that he was planning to drop Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, which slightly swayed market trends, but then stocks recovered after his denial.

In today’s stock market news, several companies saw significant movement. Steven Madden’s stock jumped 5% following an upgrade from Citi. Lucid Group saw an impressive 31% surge after an announcement about its planned deployment of 20,000 vehicles through Uber’s platform. Elevance Health’s shares fell 16% after missing Q2 earnings expectations, but Monarch Casino & Resort, GE Aerospace, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing, and Sarepta Therapeutics all exceeded expectations and saw their stocks surge. Meanwhile, shares of Sonic Automotive and Group 1 Automotive fell after JPMorgan downgraded them, and Abbott Laboratories’ stock also declined following a weak Q3 guidance.

Senator Elizabeth Warren has introduced a new bill targeting price gouging by large companies amidst rising prices due to increased tariffs and inflation. The Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2025, if passed, would make price gouging illegal and give power to the Federal Trade Commission and state attorneys general to litigate against market power abuses.

McDonald’s saw positive outcomes from the reintroduction of its Snack Wrap, which helped their third-quarter sales. Despite expectations for a sluggish August, analysts anticipate that the product will continue to drive traffic and boost sales.

Lastly, GE Vernova shares are being sold despite an anticipated strong Q2 report. This move is largely due to concern that the strong performance of the stock might lead to substantial profit-taking when the company reports its earnings.

Shares of online firearms retailer GrabAGun, backed by Donald Trump Jr., tanked by more than 20% in its first day of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), despite a high-profile trading debut. Meanwhile, the S&P 500 experienced volatility after rumors that President Trump planned to fire Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. These rumors were later denied by the President, stabilizing the market.

In other financial news, Goldman Sachs reported better-than-expected results for the second quarter and projected a positive outlook for Wall Street dealmaking. Goldman Sachs shares fluctuated but were hovering around breakeven. The bank reported earnings of $10.91 per share and revenue of $14.58 billion, leading experts to recommend that any pullbacks in the stock should be seen as a buying opportunity.

Elsewhere, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell by 0.98% due to inflation fears and the first round of second-quarter bank earnings, while the S&P 500 also followed suit, falling by 0.4%. However, the Nasdaq Composite managed to rise 0.18% to reach an all-time high, boosted by a 4% gain in shares of Nvidia.

Regarding loser stocks, crypto stocks experienced a hit after three bills aimed at regulating cryptocurrency failed in the House of Representatives. This caused Bitcoin to fall below $117,000 and the stablecoin issuer Circle and crypto exchange Coinbase to drop 4.5% and 1.5% respectively.

Finally, there were severe worries that a move by President Trump to oust Fed Chair Jerome Powell could lead to destabilization in global markets, potentially causing a collapse in the dollar and US bonds. Despite pushback by Trump on these reports, the US dollar index dropped by nearly 0.8% due to fear of the potential fallout.

Dow, S&P, and Nasdaq numbers were not provided in the articles.

In stock news, notable losers included Morgan Stanley with its shares falling 3.6% despite beating second-quarter estimates. SolarEdge Technologies saw its shares decrease by over 8% after a downgrade from JPMorgan due to the stock’s recent outperformance. ASML’s stock dropped approximately 10% following the warning that it may see no growth in 2026 due to macroeconomics and geopolitics.

On the other hand, there were several prominent gainers. Johnson & Johnson’s shares rose more than 6% following second-quarter results that beat estimates. BitMine Immersion Technologies saw its shares surge 15% after Peter Thiel disclosed a 9% stake in the company through his venture capital fund Founders Fund.

In the crypto market, ether treasury stocks were the largest gainers, including SharpLink jumping 26% and Bit Digital gaining 16%. Bitcoin proxies also advanced, with MicroStrategy up more than 2% and Mara Holdings rising nearly 7%.

Shares of Bank of America increased 2% after its earnings per share for the second quarter beat consensus forecasts. Goldman Sachs shares slipped less than 1% even though second-quarter earnings overshot Street predictions. Commvault Systems shares rose more than 2% after an upgrade from Guggenheim to buy from neutral.

For the oil and gas sector, Coterra Energy might face another trim with U.S. oil prices down over 1% and Jim Cramer advising investors to “keep track of oil.” Disney saw a price target hike to $138 per share from $120 from UBS.

President Donald Trump denied plans to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, calling it “highly unlikely” unless he has to leave for fraud.

In other crypto news, Bitmine’s shares surged after Peter Thiel disclosed a 9% stake through his venture capital firm Founders Fund. Ethereum’s price also continued its rally, up more than 4% Wednesday.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang sold another 225,000 shares of the chipmaker, totaling about $37 million, as part of a plan for Huang to sell up to 6 million shares of the company.

In the US stock market, the crypto sector was hit after crypto-related bills failed to pass a key procedural vote in the House of Representatives, causing shares of Circle, Coinbase, and MARA Holdings to slide. Circle stocks dropped 5%, while Coinbase and MARA Holdings slipped about 2% each. However, it is essential to note that Circle still maintains a sixfold increase from its IPO price. These companies’ stocks took a hit following the House of Representatives’ failure to extend votes on anticipated crypto-related bills. The GENIUS Act aims to set national stablecoin regulations and to establish a path for issuing regulated digital dollars by private companies.

MP Materials’ stock could witness a surge following the Pentagon’s announcement to secure access to the US’s critical minerals to oppose China’s market dominance. The Defense Department agreed to buy a direct equity stake in MP Materials, making the US government its largest shareholder. This action is part of a broader strategy to boost critical mineral production in the US.

Jim Cramer suggests industrial AI data center stocks are making a comeback, naming Eaton and Dover as top plays in the data center trade. Cramer notes that demand for these centers continues to grow due to significant AI-related investments and developments. He also mentions Nvidia shares advanced by 4% following the announcement of filing applications to sell its H20 chips to China.

Ritholtz Wealth Management CEO, Josh Brown, sees the recent earnings reports from JPMorgan and Citigroup in a positive light. Despite shares of JPMorgan falling around 0.8% in afternoon trading, Brown calls it a “forever position,” showing long-term faith in the bank’s performance. Meanwhile, Citigroup’s shares rallied more than 4%, bringing its year-to-date gain close to 30%.

Today’s stock market showed varied numbers, with the Dow falling by 436 points (0.98%), the Nasdaq jumping by 0.18%, and the S&P 500 losing 0.4%. Goldman Sachs has advised investors to avoid certain stocks during this earnings season, with Hershey, Victoria’s Secret, and eBay among the mentioned companies.

The market witnessed a surge in Nvidia’s stock, which climbed by 4% after the US government allowed it to sell H20 chips in China. Citigroup’s shares rose by 3% following a second-quarter EPS and revenue beat. Conversely, Wells Fargo’s shares dropped by 5% after it lowered its net income guidance for 2025, overshadowing its better-than-expected Q2 profits. Other stocks that fell included JPMorgan Chase and BlackRock, which declined due to NII miss and quarterly revenue miss, respectively.

Other notable movers included First Solar, whose shares rose by 6%, and Newmont, whose shares dropped by 8% after its CFO left the company. Other major movers included CoreWeave whose stock jumped by 8% following a $6 billion commitment to building a new AI data center.

Nvidia’s clearance to sell its H20 chips to China has led some analysts to increase their price forecasts for the stock, with Melius Research predicting a possible rise to a $5 trillion market value. Other analysts, however, advised caution and reiterated their previous ratings and price targets.

AI startup Windsurf has been acquired by artificial intelligence company Cognition AI Inc, in reaction to Windsurf losing its CEO and several senior employees to Google. The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. This move comes as tech companies globally compete to retain and acquire top talent. Cognition’s AI coding agent, Devin, is helping engineers build faster software and prior to these events, Cognition was valued at close to $4 billion.

Rocket Lab saw a surge in its stocks by 8% on Monday. This significant rise is attributed to its series of successful rocket launches coupled with a deal signed with the European Union. So far in 2025, Rocket Lab’s stock is up by 63%, after having a six-fold surge in 2024.

Bitcoin surged to new highs overnight, hitting above $120,000 for the first time early Monday morning. This surge is attributed to the record inflow into bitcoin ETFs. ETFs linked to bitcoin recorded $1.18 billion inflows, their best performance so far this year. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives is about to review new bills aiming to regulate the digital asset industry.

Shares of Chinese autonomous vehicle company, Pony AI, have been tipped to rise drastically as the company beefs up its robotaxi production. According to analysts from Bank of America and Goldman Sachs, Pony AI’s stock could easily double with the anticipated expansion of its fleet. The company plans to increase its robotaxi fleet to 1,000 units by the end of 2025. Should this occur, analysts predict that Pony AI’s stock could appreciate by up to 104%.

Notably, bitcoin hit a significant high, marking a resurgence in its cyclical and secular uptrends. Stocks with high exposure to the cryptocurrency marketplace like MicroStrategy (Strategy) (MSTR) and Coinbase (COIN) have experienced significant rallies. Katie Stockton, Fairlead Strategies, projects Bitcoin could reach $134,500 mid-term. The breakouts in the cryptocurrency market are deemed technical catalysts indicating long-term exposure.

Jim Cramer disagreed with Morgan Stanley’s downgrade of CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity firm, considering its recent dip as a chance for buying. Despite being downgraded to equal weight, CrowdStrike’s stock showed resilience, trading at around $477. Meanwhile, concerns over the company’s high valuation have emerged due to investors’ lofty expectations. In the housing market, one-third of the largest 100 markets are seeing a decline in prices, caused by a rising inventory and high mortgage rates. The trend suggests further falls in prices across more markets. On the restaurant industry, the two names where Jim Cramer stands firm following Melius’s initiations are Starbucks and Texas Roadhouse. Despite Melius starting coverage on Starbucks with a ‘sell’ rating, Cramer disagreed and showed support for Starbucks’ CEO Brian Niccol’s ongoing improvements to the chain. Conversely, Texas Roadhouse was initiated with a ‘buy’ rating by Melius, being described as a “rare” traffic-driven growth story. Stock market leader Nvidia continued to stay strong despite concerns related to Beijing. Stocks to watch include Kenvue, which has seen an increase in its premarket shares by over 3% after CEO Thibaut Mongon was removed and Kirk Perry was appointed as interim CEO. Melius Research has started coverage of McDonald’s and Starbucks with sell ratings but favors Yum! Brands, Texas Roadhouse, Restaurant Brands, and Dutch Bros. Home goods producer Procter & Gamble was downgraded by Evercore ISI from ‘buy’ to ‘hold’. Lastly, Citi encouraged investors to buy shares in the industrial manufacturing company Dover, despite President Trump’s recent threats of tariffs potentially impacting its European revenue.

The stock market closed lower this week with escalating trade war tensions and series of tariff rates hike announced by President Trump. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slid by 279.13 points to 44,371.51 on Friday and ended the week with a 1% loss. The S&P 500 ended 0.33% down at 6,259.75 on Friday with a weekly loss of 0.3%, whereas the Nasdaq Composite lost 0.22% on Friday and marked a 0.1% weekly loss, ending at 20,585.53.

Stocks took a hit after President Trump threatened Canada with a 35% tariff and hinted at higher tariff rates across the board. He also indicated potential tariffs between 15%-20% on remaining countries. Despite trade developments, S&P 500 reached a new record gaining 0.3% on Thursday and similarly Nasdaq finished higher by 0.1%. No significant updates regarding the European Union tariffs were made, adding to the market’s uncertainty.

Shares of Toyota Motor and Honda Motor suffered a decline, dropping 4% and 3.9% respectively, after President Trump shared a series of posts indicating new tariffs on imported goods. Tech giants including Apple and Alphabet also suffered a more than 1% loss.

Despite increasing trade tensions, The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite hit new milestones on Thursday with S&P 500 gaining 0.27% to finish at 6,280.46, and Nasdaq closing 0.09% up at 20,630.67. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 192 points to conclude at 44,650.64.

Despite President Trump instituting a 50% U.S. tariff on imported copper and a 50% tariff on Brazil, US markets have sustained and progressed to record highs. Artificial intelligence’s positive impact on the market resulted in Nvidia shares gaining nearly 2% higher and becoming the first public company valued at $4 trillion.

Another significant loser was Tesla, dropping nearly 7% after CEO Elon Musk announced his intention to form a new political party named the “America Party.” Investors were displeased with Musk’s political interests, alleging that it negatively impacted Tesla’s brand and sales.

Looking ahead, the upcoming earnings season, alongside key inflation data, will be critical for investors to navigate the current market conditions.

U.S. stocks saw a significant rise this week with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) increasing by almost 0.5% to end at 44,458.30 points. The S&P 500 (^GSPC) and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) also had substantial gains of 0.6% and 0.9% respectively, closing at fresh records of 6,280.46 and 20,611.34.

AI chipmaker Nvidia (NVDA) was a standout performer, its stock surging to cross the $4 trillion market cap to be the most valuable company in history. However, it ended slightly below the milestone by the close of the week. Other tech stocks including Meta Platforms, Microsoft and Alphabet also saw significant gains reflecting a rejuvenated interest in the artificial intelligence theme.

However, not all news was positive this week. Tesla (TSLA) stock experienced a nearly 7% drop after CEO Elon Musk announced the formation of a new political party, the “America Party.”

President Trump’s increased trade-related rhetoric took center stage this week. He ramped up tariff threats, announcing new rates ranging from 20% to 30% on countries like the Philippines, Libya, Algeria, and Iraq. In addition, Trump threatened to impose a 50% tariff on copper and up to 200% duties on pharmaceuticals.

Still, tariffs did not seem to dampen the market significantly, as the market saw them as potential leverage for deal-making. Market focus remains on potential trade pacts with bigger US trading partners such as the EU, India, and Canada. Jobless claims dropped slightly, decreasing by 5,000 from the previous week to 227,000.

UBS has compiled a list of high-quality dividend stocks, including Dick’s Sporting Goods, McDonald’s, and Bank of America. Dick’s Sporting Goods’ dividend of 2.26% is seen as an attractive option despite a nearly 7% reduction in total returns year to date. McDonald’s, yielding 2.37%, has seen a 4% increase in total returns so far this year despite a 3.6% drop in U.S. same-store sales. Bank of America recently increased its dividend to 28 cents per share and has seen a 7% increase in its stock this year.

Amazon, seen as an excellent “catch-up” trade to the market with a year-to-date increase of 2.8%, is recommended as a good “pair trade” versus Walmart. According to Morgan Stanley, Amazon’s shares could reach $300, representing a 35% upside, due to the more manageable impact of tariffs and potential growth in its Amazon Web Services cloud business.

In the tech sector, Nvidia’s shares continue to rise following a historic week in which it became the first company to hit a $4 trillion market cap. Meanwhile, Starbucks stock dipped slightly despite Stifel’s price target increase to $105 from $92.

Companies making significant moves include Penn Entertainment, Robinhood, and Levi Strauss. Penn Entertainment saw a drop of more than 5% on account of weak regional gaming revenue data, while Robinhood’s shares rose by 1.5%. Levi Strauss saw a 10% increase in its stock after second-quarter results exceeded expectations.

Meme stocks remain popular among retail investors, with Goldman Sachs’ retail favorite basket hitting an all-time high. Avis Budget Group and Aeva Technologies are among the top-performers, with Q2 increases of 123% and 440% respectively. Robinhood and Coinbase, which are included in Bespoke Investment Group’s retail risk appetite basket, also reached record highs.

This information is only for informational purposes and does not constitute financial, investment, tax, or legal advice or a recommendation to buy any security or other financial asset. Consider seeking advice from your own financial or investment advisor before making any financial decisions.

Tom Lee’s Fundstrat Granny Shots US Large Cap ETF is emerging as one of the most popular and successful stock funds of the year, with $1.5 billion in assets under management only eight months after its launch. The funds stocks include energy, cybersecurity, global labor suppliers, and companies impacted by millennials. Top portfolio holdings include Robinhood, Oracle and Advanced Micro Devices.

A recent Urban Institute analysis suggested that the number of Social Security retirement benefits early claimants will increase in 2025. The changes may lead to benefit cuts, as delaying retirement can increase benefits significantly. However, having a ‘bridge strategy’ to fund the interim years while delaying Social Security can benefit some retirees.

In the world of technology, Nvidia became the first $4 trillion company. While there are no obvious headwinds for Nvidia, some traders are looking to book profits as a precaution. Meanwhile, Levi – following a better-than-expected quarter – saw its stock jump more than 6.5%.

Cryptocurrency Bitcoin reached record highs over $118,000 due to exchange-traded funds tied to the cryptocurrency seeing their biggest day of inflows of the year.

Finally, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang sold 225,000 shares worth $36.4 million. Despite this sale, Huang’s net worth has increased to around $143 billion, putting him on par with Warren Buffett.

Jim Cramer noted Wall Street opening lower on Friday following President Trump announcing additional tariffs on Canada.

Microsoft’s and Amazon’s share price targets were increased by financial analysts from JPMorgan, while Starbucks’ target was hiked by Stifel analysts. Morgan Stanley raised its price on cybersecurity stock Cloudflare.

The S&P 500 index saw a surge today, despite concerns about tariffs on copper imports and President Trump’s proposed 50% tariff on Brazilian imports starting August 1st. However, the Nasdaq underperformed, with noticeable pullback from technology stocks like Netflix and Meta Platforms. AWS (Amazon Web Services) announced that they have developed an in-house solution for the cooling needs of Nvidia’s next-generation AI chips, which could have a positive impact on both Nvidia and Amazon shares.

Tesla shares gained 5% following CEO Elon Musk’s announcement that the company is expanding its robotaxi service area and will add xAI’s chatbot Grok to its vehicles.

Delta Air Lines saw a 12% increase in share prices after reinstating its 2025 profit outlook, while shares of Brazilian stocks fell following President Trump’s tariff announcement. WK Kellogg saw a 30% jump in share prices after agreeing to a buyout from Ferrero. AMD stocks moved 2% higher on an upgrade to buy at HSBC, and Byrna Technologies shares rose 5% ahead of Q2 results.

The Pentagon announced an agreement to buy $400 million of preferred stock in rare earth miner MP Materials, causing its shares to surge by 50%. The investment comes as part of an effort to reduce U.S. dependence on China for rare earth imports.

Finally, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives raised his outlook for Palantir and identified it as a top software stock to play the AI revolution. Palantir shares have seen a 90% increase this year, with a new 12-month price target of $160, representing a 12% upside.

1. Delta shares surged by 11% after reinstating its 2025 profit outlook due to the company’s stronger-than-expected summer travel season forecast. CEO Ed Bastian revealed that bookings had stabilized after a lag earlier this year. The Delta’s report led to a surge in shares in other airlines as well. Delta reported Q2 earnings per share of $2.1, higher than the $2.05 expected, and a revenue of $15.51 billion, also slightly higher than the forecasted $15.48 billion.

2. According to Stephens, certain companies may soon be included in the S&P 500, a development that virtually always ensures a bump in these companies’ share prices. These potential candidates include Interactive Brokers, Emcor Group, Vertiv Holdings, Ferguson Enterprises, Trade Desk, Reddit, Pinterest, Carvana, Flutter Entertainment, and Cheniere Energy.

3. Goldman Sachs issued buy ratings on several AI-affiliated businesses, including Nvidia, Broadcom, Cadence Design Systems, and Synopsys. The firm believes these companies, tied to ongoing AI-related spending, are not yet fully valued by the market. Nvidia and Broadcom both have price targets of $185 and $315, indicating a potential upside of more than 13% for each stock.

4. Jim Cramer encourages investors to buys shares in Costco following strong June sales. He argues that, despite political tariff uncertainty, the retailer could be a good target for preserving wealth against inflation. U.S. core comparable sales for Costco rose 5.5% in the month ending on July 6, and although slightly lower than Wall Street expectations, sales were above buy-side predictions. Though Costco’s stock dipped by 0.5% on Thursday, Cramer still believes it’s a good move, predicting a share price target of $1,100.

5. After a 50% U.S. copper tariff was confirmed, mining companies in the U.K., including Anglo American, Antofagasta, and Rio Tinto, saw share prices leap, driving the FTSE 100 to a record high. The U.S. decision to impose duties on copper imports, though causing short-term market discord, could potentially be advantageous to mining producers. The demand for copper is expected to continue unabated due to the U.S. being unable to adequately raise production levels in the short term. This rise in copper prices should primarily benefit U.S.-based mining companies. European mining firms have not fared as well despite rallying commodity prices, with expectations of global growth marred by U.S. tariff uncertainty and varying economic signals from China.