Daily News Round Up
Wednesday, 09 Jul 2025
- Escalating Trade Tensions Create Market Uncertainty: President Trump’s renewed tariff threats, expanded to include copper and affecting multiple nations, are introducing volatility into equity markets. While initial reactions were muted, the potential for wider trade disruptions and inflationary pressures remains a significant concern, particularly for sectors reliant on global supply chains. Goldman Sachs anticipates tariff impacts to be reflected in Q2 earnings. (FMP, Barrons)
- Economic Resilience Signals Potential for Delayed Fed Cuts: Despite ongoing inflation concerns and rising tariffs, indicators suggest underlying economic strength. The junk bond market remains optimistic, and U.S. banks are cautiously optimistic about loan growth, counterbalancing fears of a recession. This resilience, coupled with lingering inflation, reduces the likelihood of immediate, aggressive monetary easing by the Federal Reserve, potentially tempering equity market gains. (Market Watch, Barrons)
- AI Remains a Key Catalyst, Despite Export Control Challenges: Demand for AI infrastructure continues to drive investment, exemplified by Meta’s substantial stake in EssilorLuxottica to accelerate AI-powered wearables. However, China’s ambition to circumvent U.S. export controls on AI chips underscores the geopolitical complexities and potential supply chain vulnerabilities within this critical sector. Super Micro Computer’s expansion into Europe is a direct response to increasing regional demand. (FMP, FMP)
- Corporate Earnings & Strategic Shifts Drive Stock Specific Movements: Several companies experienced notable stock movements based on earnings updates, strategic decisions, and M&A considerations. AES Corp. surged on potential takeover interest, while Mobileye rebounded after strong preliminary Q2 results. Dow Inc. announced asset closures aimed at EBITDA improvement, and Vertical Aerospace saw its stock decline following a public offering. Recent S&P 500 corporate guidance points to Q2 earnings growth. (FMP, FMP)
- Consumer Sentiment & Spending Show Mixed Signals: Despite modest positive signals from the New York Fed’s consumer expectations survey, recent data suggests a potential slowdown in consumer spending. A surprising drop in consumer credit borrowing, coupled with weakness in small business sentiment, especially regarding employment and capital expenditures, indicates emerging headwinds in the consumer discretionary sector. Increased tariff costs are also impacting retail pricing and supply chains. (PYMNTS, Seeking Alpha)
What happened yesterday?
Macro
Economic Growth: The fast pace of monthly US corporate bankruptcies extended into June and put 2025 on track to be one of the busiest years for filings in more than a decade. S&P Global Market Intelligence recorded 63 new bankruptcy filings from certain public and private companies in June, down from a revised count of 64 in May. (Seeking Alpha)
Economic Growth: The U.S. junk bond market is sending an optimistic message about the economy, despite market volatility around tariffs. (Market Watch)
Economic Growth: Key characteristics of a recession include slides in gross domestic product growth, rising unemployment, decreased consumer spending and a fall in industrial production. (Fox Business)
Economic Growth: U.S. banks may be slowly turning a corner in the second half of the year after a nervous first six months of 2025. Despite fears that tariffs could slow economic activity, banks remain cautiously optimistic about a pickup in sluggish loan growth. (Investopedia)
Economic Growth: Markets have reached all-time highs after equities staged a huge rally in Q2 after a rough start in the early days of April. Evolving tariff and trade policies remain a key concern for investors as are tepid economic growth and sticky inflation levels. (Seeking Alpha)
Inflation: The deflation in producer prices came worse than the expected 3.2% drop in a Reuters poll, marking the biggest fall since July 2023, according to LSEG data. (CNBC)
Inflation: The June Survey of Consumer Expectations by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, released Tuesday (July 8), found at least some optimism on inflation, where price increases are still likely to be elevated, but at a slowing pace. (PYMNTS)
Inflation: Overall consumer credit rises by $5.1 billion, half what was expected. (Market Watch)
Inflation: A flood of economic data will keep traders occupied next week, with both the consumer price index (CPI) and producer price index (PPI) readings for June due out, in addition to the Fed’s Beige Book and retail sales data. (Schaeffers Research)
Inflation: Inflation expectations moderated for the second consecutive month, according to the New York Fed’s June Survey of Consumer Expectations. (Barrons)
Inflation: The New York Fed’s Survey of Consumer Expectations shows that respondents in June saw inflation at 3% 12 months from now — the same level it was in January. While the headline inflation outlook eased, respondents still expect higher prices in several key individual categories. (CNBC)
Interest Rates: Economists will be reading the minutes of the Federal Reserve’s June meeting to get a sense of what might have to happen in order for the central bank to cut interest rates in September. (Market Watch)
Interest Rates: The minutes cover the details of the Fed’s June 17-18 policy meeting, where officials signaled two interest-rate cuts by year-end. (Barrons)
International relations: Asian equity markets were largely rangebound on Wednesday, influenced by mixed signals from the U.S. and China. U.S. President Trump extended tariffs to copper and pharmaceutical imports, initially slated for July 9, now delayed to August 1. China’s CPI for June showed a slight beat, but the Producer Price Index (PPI) contracted for 33 consecutive months, reaching its lowest point since July 2023.
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) unexpectedly held rates steady on Tuesday, surprising traders who had anticipated a third 25-basis point cut for 2025. This impacted Australian equities, particularly mining stocks, alongside proposed copper tariffs.
Key market indices:
* Shanghai Composite: +0.2%
* CSI 300: +0.2%
* Hang Seng Index: -0.9%
* South Korea’s KOSPI: +0.2%
* Japan’s TOPIX: +0.3%
* Nikkei 225: Flat
* Australia’s ASX 200: -0.3%
* Singapore’s Straits Times Index: +0.2%
* India’s Gift Nifty 50 Futures: Flat open expected.
* S&P 500 Futures: Flat (FMP)
International relations: On Tuesday, the S&P 500 edged lower amid concerns over President Trump’s renewed tariff agenda. The Dow Jones Industrial Average declined by 0.4%, the S&P 500 slipped 0.1%, and the NASDAQ Composite ticked up 0.03% as of 4:00 p.m. ET (20:00 GMT). Trump announced he will not extend the August 1 deadline for reciprocal tariffs, previously delayed from July 9. He unveiled letters detailing increased U.S. import tariffs on 14 nations: 25% on South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, and Kazakhstan; 30% on South Africa; 32% on Indonesia; 35% on Bangladesh; and 36% on Thailand. These new duties do not affect existing tariffs on automobiles, steel, or aluminum. Wolfe Research estimates the tariffs could generate $54 billion in annual government revenue. A deal was finalized with Vietnam last week, and India and the European Union were excluded from the new tariffs, potentially signaling trade deals with those partners are nearing completion. (FMP)
International relations: China is reportedly planning to install over 115,000 Nvidia AI chips across dozens of data centers, primarily in remote provinces like Xinjiang, to support AI model development comparable to DeepSeek or OpenAI. These Nvidia chips, specifically the A100 and H100 models, are banned from export to China since 2022 without a U.S. license. U.S. officials estimate approximately 25,000 banned Nvidia chips are currently in China. Despite the restrictions, Nvidia remains central to global AI compute. The plan represents a strategic focus by President Xi Jinping on AI and core technologies, but sourcing strategies remain unclear, and the plan’s feasibility is questionable due to U.S. export controls acting as a decisive bottleneck. (FMP)
International relations: Trump’s copper tariffs and weak China producer prices weigh on the Hang Seng Index, pressuring tech and EV stocks amid US-China trade tensions. (FXEmpire)
International relations: Global financial markets are becoming ‘desensitised’ to U.S President Donald Trump’s tariffs package, according to CGS International Securities Group chief executive Carol Fong. (Reuters)
International relations: While South Korean imports to the U.S. face 25% tariffs, the same as Trump promised in April, the rate on Japan has been raised by 1 percentage point to 25%. Both Japan and South Korea saw first-quarter gross domestic product contract on a quarter-on-quarter basis. (CNBC)
International relations: A weakening U.S. dollar could result in decreased American demand for European goods. From January to June, the euro experienced a 15% increase against the dollar, climbing from 102 to 117. (Seeking Alpha)
International relations: The longer term case for USD depreciation is very strong; however, the U.S. dollar could surprise and appreciate in the second half of 2025. Specifically, the re-establishment of reciprocal tariffs is likely to cause a global recession, which benefits the U.S. dollar. (Seeking Alpha)
Labour: NFIB small business sentiment index came in slightly lower and inline with expectations at 98.6. Two such areas with notable weakness were employment and capital expenditures. (Seeking Alpha)
Policy: Deutsche Bank analysts predict an elevated risk of financial market turmoil beginning in summer 2025, specifically highlighting August as a historically volatile period, referencing the 2024 yen carry trade unwind and 2015 Greek eurozone exit fears. The VIX Index has shown sharp spikes in Q3. Concerns stem from thin market liquidity, potential tariff shocks starting August 1 impacting 14 countries, and the impact of a recently signed U.S. tax-and-spend package expected to inflate the U.S. budget deficit. Analysts caution that continued fiscal expansion could raise yields and inflation expectations, potentially causing bond market stress, though they suggest it would require a “bigger shock” than policy can fix to cause lasting turmoil. (FMP)
Policy: President Trump has achieved much of his agenda, leaving the fate of the economy squarely in his hands. (NYTimes)
Policy: Kevin Hassett has emerged as a serious contender to succeed Jerome Powell, posing a possible threat to Kevin Warsh, an early favorite for the post. (WSJ)
Policy: Former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh said the U.S. economy could grow tremendously, but “bad” policies from the Federal Reserve are keeping it from doing so. (Fox Business)
Policy: President Donald Trump on Tuesday said Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell to resign immediately, and renewed his calls for the central bank to lower interest rates. (Fox Business)
Policy: On July 4, President Trump signed into law the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The most notable aspects of the new legislation include the continuation of the lower corporate and individual tax rates established under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed during President Trump’s first term. (ETF Trends)
Policy: Equity valuations are forging new all-time highs, as markets continue to price in lofty expectations – particularly for growth stocks amidst secular AI demand. Yet the recently enacted $3.4T tax and spending bill is poised to raise fiscal deficits by as much as $3.3T over the next 10 years. (Seeking Alpha)
Policy: U.S. President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell should resign immediately. (Reuters)
Policy: White House economist Stephen Miran said President Donald Trump’s tariffs could raise prices, but suggested that was highly unlikely. “Rare events happen. (CNBC)
Policy: H1 2025 was defined by heightened policy uncertainty, volatile trade moves, and a surprising US dollar weakness, all weighing on consumer and investor confidence. Despite tariff threats and trade volatility, I expect the Trump administration to ultimately moderate, favoring broad but less severe tariffs to avoid economic damage. (Seeking Alpha)
Trade: Bitcoin prices rose 0.4% to $108,720.20 as of 02:25 ET (06:25 GMT) on Wednesday. President Donald Trump announced a 50% levy on imported copper and plans for additional duties on semiconductors and pharmaceuticals. The U.S. also sent letters to 14 countries notifying them of sharply higher tariffs taking effect August 1, including 25% tariffs on goods from Japan and South Korea, and up to 40% duties on select other nations. These actions have amplified concerns of a renewed global trade war. Crypto Week begins July 14 and anticipates the push forward of at least three major crypto regulation bills addressing stablecoin oversight, digital asset market structure, and SEC vs. CFTC jurisdiction. Analysts expect Bitcoin to remain rangebound until regulatory clarity is achieved. (FMP)
Trade: On Wednesday, gold prices declined in Asian trade. Spot gold fell 0.2% to $3,294.88/oz, while gold futures (September) slipped 0.4% to $3,303.20/oz. Platinum futures decreased 1.1% to $1,376.35/oz, and silver futures rose slightly to $36.838/oz. U.S. copper futures surged 2.6% to $5.6457/pound, reaching a record high of $5.8955/pound on Tuesday, following President Trump’s proposal of a 50% tariff on imported copper. London Metal Exchange (LME) copper futures fell 1.6% to $9,644.45/ton. The Federal Reserve has warned that tariffs could add upward pressure on inflation. (FMP)
Trade: Goldman Sachs has raised its baseline expectation for U.S. copper import tariffs from 25% to 50%, citing President Trump’s trade rhetoric. The bank anticipates a front-loaded spike in copper shipments before the tariff implementation. This policy shift, effective around August 1, is expected to benefit domestic producers like Freeport-McMoRan (FCX) but may increase costs for downstream industries. The move is predicted to create a period of price instability and margin compression for import-dependent manufacturers, impacting sectors including energy infrastructure, EVs, and semiconductor manufacturing. (FMP)
Trade: Trump administration weighs tariffs of up to 100% on ship-to-shore cranes made in China that are widely used at U.S. ports. (WSJ)
Trade: Instead of treating tariffs as part of a broader trade policy, President Trump views them as a valuable weapon he can wield on the world stage. (NYTimes)
Trade: President Trump indicated multiple countries would be contacted Wednesday regarding trade (WSJ)
Trade: The fear of job losses is rippling through Bangladesh’s garment hubs as U.S. President Donald Trump’s 35% tariff on the South Asian nation threatens orders from its main export market and crimps the country’s biggest industry. (Reuters)
Trade: The president also decided to send out letters as a way to keep the pressure up. (WSJ)
Trade: A gauge of U.S. used vehicle prices sold at wholesale auctions that proved predictive ahead of the inflation surge following the COVID pandemic is climbing again, last month notching its largest annual increase in nearly three years. (Reuters)
Trade: U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Tuesday that another batch of tariff letters was close to going out, followed by “a general letter” that would cover trading partners that didn’t get their own missives. (Market Watch)
Trade: The price of copper soared to its best day in history Tuesday, climbing to a record high. (Investors Business Daily)
Trade: President Trump on Tuesday vowed to not back down on his new Aug. 1 deadline on tariffs — but Wall Street isn’t convinced. (Market Watch)
Trade: Goldman Sachs Research expects that tariff impacts will start reflecting in Q2 earnings for S&P 500 companies. Customers to pay most costs. (Investors Business Daily)
Trade: The broader market’s relative apathy has been surprising, given the rise in tariff levels and trade uncertainty impacting $3.2 trillion in U.S. imports. (Barrons)
Trade: Terminal tariffs: More than a quarter of Americans fear the economy will “never” return to its pre-tariff levels, according to a new poll. A survey of 2,000 U.S. adults found 29% believe the economy has permanently shifted due to tariffs. (New York Post)
Industry
Consumer Goods: Signs of rising credit risk and a dimming outlook for performance propelled the consumer discretionary sector to the top of S&P Global Market Intelligence’s quarterly analysis of US public sector risk. In the second quarter, consumer discretionary led all other sectors on the number of rating downgrades issued for companies over the three-month period. (Seeking Alpha)
Energy: Solar, renewable energy stocks tumble after President Trump issues executive order to end green energy subsidies. (Investors Business Daily)
Retail: U.S. clothing retailers and footwear companies are facing heightened tariff exposure after the White House said it would put levies on more than a dozen nations, including several Asian countries like Vietnam and Indonesia, that supply large volumes of textiles to U.S. companies. Those levies range roughly from 25% to 40%. (Reuters)
Corporate
AAR Corp: AAR Corp. (NYSE:AIR) has been awarded an $85 million firm-fixed-price contract with economic price adjustment from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) for shipping and storage containers, shelters, and related accessories. The contract, administered by the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support in Philadelphia (Contract Number: SPE8ED-25-D-0003), is structured as an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract with a 1-year base period and 4 option years, extending through July 2026. The contract serves the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and select civilian agencies, procured through a sole-source process under 10 U.S. Code 3204 (a)(1). (FMP)
AES Corporation: AES Corporation (NYSE:AES), a renewable energy company, experienced a 15% stock jump following reports it is considering strategic options, including a potential sale. The stock has declined nearly 50% over the past two years, despite the company holding an enterprise value near $40 billion. Multiple global private equity firms and infrastructure investors are exploring acquisition possibilities, driven by AES’s renewable energy portfolio including wind, solar, battery storage, and green hydrogen. A potential takeover would be one of the largest leveraged buyouts in history and could spark further M&A activity within the utilities and renewable sector. (FMP)
Albertsons Companies, Inc.: Kelly Bania from BMO Capital set a price target of $25 for NYSE:ACI on July 8, 2025, representing a potential 12.08% increase from the then-price of $22.31. Albertsons is expected to report first-quarter earnings of 54 cents per share on July 15, down from 66 cents per share last year, with revenue increasing slightly to $24.69 billion from $24.27 billion. ACI shares rose 3.7% to $22.74 on Monday and currently trade at $22.28, a 2.04% decrease ($0.47 drop) with a daily trading volume of 1,396,392 shares. The stock’s 52-week range is $17 to $23.20, and its market capitalization is approximately $12.8 billion. (FMP)
Apple Inc: Apple Inc. is reportedly in discussions to acquire exclusive U.S. broadcasting rights for Formula 1, potentially competing with Disney’s ESPN, whose current contract expires next year. Apple’s interest follows the global gross of over $300 million for its Formula 1 film. Apple already holds streaming rights for Major League Soccer (MLS) and Major League Baseball’s Friday night games. Industry analysts anticipate the new Formula 1 deal will exceed ESPN’s current agreement of $85 million/year. The talks signal Apple’s continued push into media and entertainment, amid maturing iPhone sales. (FMP)
Bank of America: Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) has committed over $3.5 million to fire recovery initiatives in Los Angeles. A $1 million contribution supports small businesses, with $400,000 allocated via CDFIs for technical coaching and low-cost microloans. The bank established a temporary mobile center after the destruction of two financial centers in Altadena and the Pacific Palisades and plans to rebuild permanent facilities. Over 2,000 safe deposit box clients have been reunited with their possessions. On July 7, 2025, HSBC downgraded Bank of America’s rating from Buy to Hold, with the stock price at $48.66; today, the stock reached a high of $47.79. The bank serves approximately 69 million consumer and small business clients in the U.S. (FMP)
Ciena Corporation: Ciena Corporation (NYSE:CIEN) has experienced an 8.17% monthly gain, but a 1.22% decline over the last 10 days. Analysts project a 23.34% increase in the stock price, with a target price of $96.67. The company holds a Piotroski Score of 8, indicating strong financial fundamentals. (FMP)
Dow Inc.: Dow Inc. (NYSE:DOW) plans to close three upstream assets in Europe – an ethylene cracker in Böhlen, Germany, chlor-alkali and vinyl assets in Schkopau, Germany, and a basic siloxanes plant in Barry, U.K. – by the end of 2027. The company anticipates these closures will contribute $200 million in EBITDA by 2029, but will incur $500 million in cash costs over the next four years. BMO Capital downgraded DOW’s rating to “Cautious,” however, the stock currently trades at $28.77, a $1.29 increase, with a daily trading range of $27.67 to $29.61. Over the past year, the stock has ranged from a high of $55.97 to a low of $25.06. Dow’s market capitalization is approximately $20.34 billion, with a trading volume of 13.34 million shares. (FMP)
Kuaishou Technology / Bilibili Inc: Bernstein initiated coverage of Kuaishou Technology and Bilibili Inc. (NASDAQ:BILI) with Outperform ratings, anticipating a structural shift towards video-based digital media consumption. Kuaishou has a price target of HK$75 and is expected to see an EBITDA inflection through ad innovations and AI tools. Bilibili has a price target of $28 and is projected to achieve 20%+ annual earnings growth, fueled by mobile games and AI-powered advertising. Bernstein forecasts the sector’s ad share will increase by approximately 1.5% annually due to the “videolisation of the Internet.” AI-enhanced ad targeting is expected to boost cost-per-mille (CPM) rates. (FMP)
MarketAxess: MarketAxess facilitated over $1 trillion in total credit trading volume in the second quarter of 2025, a 20% increase from the previous year. Rates trading volume reached $2 trillion, a 55% increase year-over-year. High-yield and Eurobonds credit segments grew by 25% year-over-year, while emerging markets saw a 20% rise in average daily volume. Fees per million (FPM) for total credit decreased by 7%, and total rates FPM by 12%. As of July 8, 2025, UBS reiterated a “Buy” rating with the stock trading at $219.99, currently priced at $219.27, reflecting a 1.21% decrease ($2.68). The stock’s 52-week range is $186.84 to $296.68, and MarketAxess has a market capitalization of $8.22 billion, with a trading volume of 151,086 shares. (FMP)
MarketAxess Holdings Inc.: UBS analyst Alex Kramm set a price target of $295 for MarketAxess (NASDAQ:MKTX), indicating a potential increase of 34.32% from its current price of $218.63. In Q2 2025, MarketAxess achieved over $1 trillion in total credit trading volume, a 20% year-over-year increase, and $2 trillion in rates trading volume, a 55% year-over-year increase. Despite a 7% decline in total credit fees per million (FPM) and a 12% decline in total rates FPM, high-yield and Eurobonds credit segments increased by 25% year-over-year, and emerging markets saw a 20% rise in average daily volume. The stock traded today between $218.39 and $221.25, with a 52-week range of $186.84 to $296.68, a market capitalization of approximately $8.2 billion, and a trading volume of 245,737 shares on the NASDAQ exchange. (FMP)
Meta Platforms: Meta Platforms acquired a nearly 3% stake in EssilorLuxottica, valued at roughly €3 billion ($3.52 billion). Meta may increase its holdings to as much as 5% in the near future. The investment supports Meta’s focus on AI-powered wearable technology, exemplified by the Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses launched in 2023 and the new Oakley Meta HSTN smart glasses. EssilorLuxottica, which owns brands like Ray-Ban, Oakley, and Persol, provides Meta with a distribution footprint and manufacturing capabilities. Meta aims to blend AI deeply into daily life and capture the intersection of fashion and functionality. (FMP)
Mobileye Global Inc / Intel: Mobileye Global Inc. (NASDAQ:MBLY) shares rebounded 5% on Wednesday after preliminary Q2 results showed estimated revenue of $502M-$506M, representing a year-over-year (YoY) growth of 14-15% compared to $439M in Q2 2023. Adjusted operating income is projected to be $98M-$104M, up from $79M YoY. Intel (NASDAQ:INTC) announced a secondary offering of 45 million Class A shares, with a 30-day option to purchase an additional 6.75 million shares. Mobileye will repurchase $100 million of its shares from Intel at the offering price, and Intel will convert 50 million Class B shares to Class A shares (without immediate sale). The company cited rising demand for EyeQ system-on-chip products and inventory normalization by Tier 1 automotive suppliers as growth drivers, while remaining cautious about macroeconomic risks and tariff volatility. (FMP)
Okta / Autodesk / CrowdStrike: Okta, Autodesk, and CrowdStrike are the three software stocks that benefit the most from the new tax law, according to Morgan Stanley. (Barrons)
Rallybio Corporation: Rallybio Corporation (NASDAQ:RLYB) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company trading at $0.3092, with a target price of $0.5967, suggesting a potential growth of approximately 92.99%. Investing in Rallybio involves risks related to regulatory approvals and clinical trial outcomes. PMV Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ:PMVP), a peer, currently trades at $1.20 with a target price 35.88% below its current market price. (FMP)
ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW): Morgan Stanley maintains an Equal-Weight rating for ServiceNow (NYSE:NOW) with a price of $1,019.99 on July 8, 2025. The current stock price is $1,022.98, a decrease of $12.03 (1.16%) from its daily high of $1,037.95. ServiceNow’s year trading range is $678.66 to $1,198.09, with a daily range of $1,011.50 to $1,037.95. The average brokerage recommendation (ABR) is 1.31, between Strong Buy and Buy, with 83.3% (35 out of 42 firms) recommending Strong Buy and 7.1% (3 firms) recommending Buy. ServiceNow has a market capitalization of approximately $211.9 billion and a daily trading volume of 1,457,097 shares. (FMP)
Super Micro Computer Inc: Super Micro Computer Inc. (SMCI) is expanding its European operations due to escalating regional demand for AI infrastructure, building on existing manufacturing facilities in the Netherlands and planning expansion to other parts of Europe. The company, known for high-performance servers utilizing Nvidia chips, anticipates continued global demand for AI compute capabilities in the coming years. SMCI stock is up roughly 63% year-to-date but down nearly 60% from its early-2024 peak. The company delayed its 2024 financial report, successfully filing it in February 2025. Analysts remain optimistic due to Super Micro’s strong positioning in the AI infrastructure supply chain, particularly as a supplier of GPU-dense servers. The move to boost AI server production in Europe aims to diversify manufacturing away from Asia and reduce supply chain risks. (FMP)
Tesla Inc / Palantir / Amazon / Alphabet Inc / Nvidia: Tesla (TSLA) topped Charles Schwab’s STAX report for June 2025 as the most bought stock among retail investors, driven by anticipation of a robotaxi debut in Austin. The stock attracted buyers after a 20% dip, considered a volatility trade. Palantir (PLTR) ranked second, following a 10% price drop and a subsequent dip from $145 to $130. Amazon (AMZN) held third place for the third consecutive month, rebounding from April lows, though buying slowed near four-month highs. Alphabet (GOOGL) finished fourth, seeing increased interest after dipping into negative territory. Circle Internet Group (CIRC), a new IPO, experienced a five-fold increase followed by a correction. Nvidia (NVDA) was the top sell for the second consecutive month, coinciding with its reaching all-time highs in late June. (FMP)
Uber Technologies Inc: Bank of America Securities rates Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:UBER) as “Buy,” increasing the price target from $97 to $115. Uber’s stock price is currently $97.52, up 0.84 (0.87%) from a daily low of $95.11 to a daily high of $97.60 – its highest price in the past year. The company’s market capitalization is approximately $203.93 billion, with a trading volume of 17.74 million shares. U.S. Uber drivers are projected to earn $42 billion by 2025, with $5.7 billion from tips, potentially leading to $1 billion in tax savings due to policy changes. (FMP)
Vertical Aerospace: Vertical Aerospace (NYSE:EVTL) shares decreased by 22% after announcing a $60 million underwritten public offering of ordinary shares, with a $9 million over-allotment option. The proceeds will be used for research & development expenses, testing and certification expansion, and general corporate purposes/working capital. Deutsche Bank Securities and William Blair are the joint bookrunners. The equity offering is viewed negatively by investors due to potential dilution, particularly given the company’s pre-commercial stage and challenging funding environment for aerospace startups. (FMP)
