Baxter International Stock Jumps After Earnings Beat, But Novum Pump Risk Still Hangs Over 2026
Baxter reported first-quarter adjusted earnings of 36 cents per share on $2.7 billion revenue, topping Wall
Oil Prices Surge: Trump’s Iran Standoff Sends Brent Past $126 as Gas Hits $4.30
Brent crude briefly topped $126 a barrel Thursday, a four-year high, as traders reacted to a prolonged Strait of Hormuz shutdown and possible new U.S. military action against Iran. U.S. gasoline rose
Bitcoin’s $84 Billion Satoshi Mystery Is Back — And Adam Back Says the Clues Don’t Add Up
Bitcoin traded near $76,000 Thursday as new claims about Satoshi Nakamoto’s identity resurfaced. Adam Back, CEO of Blockstream, disputed the documentary “Finding Satoshi,” which uses early mining patterns to estimate Satoshi’s holdings at 1.1 million coins, now worth about $84 billion. Actor Ben McKenzie said the ongoing mystery fuels crypto’s story.
Spirit Airlines Bailout Deadline: Trump’s $500 Million Rescue Stalls While Flights Keep Running
Spirit Airlines postponed its bankruptcy hearing as talks over a possible U.S. government rescue continued and no financing motion was filed. Flights remain operational and tickets are still being sold. The proposed bailout could give Washington up to a 90% stake after bankruptcy, but creditor resistance persists. The White House said options are under review, while other carriers are seeking broader relief.
Dow Jones Today: Caterpillar Sparks 700-Point Rally as Wall Street Shrugs Off Oil Shock
The Dow Jones Industrial Average surged nearly 700 points midday Thursday, driven by a 10% jump in Caterpillar shares after strong quarterly results. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq rose modestly as tech stocks lagged. U.S. GDP grew at a 2% annual rate, but inflation data remained above the Fed’s target, limiting rate-cut expectations. Industrials outperformed, while some major tech firms fell on capex concerns.
Dow Jumps 700 Points as US Stock Market Today Shrugs Off Oil Shock and Chases Best Month Since 2020
The Dow Jones rose 1.48% to 49,584.97 by midday Thursday, outpacing the S&P 500 and Nasdaq as strong corporate earnings pushed major indexes toward their best monthly gains since 2020. First-quarter GDP grew at a 2.0% annual rate, while the core PCE price index climbed 4.3%. The Federal Reserve held rates steady, citing persistent inflation. Alphabet’s Google Cloud revenue surged 63%, while Meta and Microsoft announced large AI-driven spending plans.
Hertz Stock Surges on Uber Robotaxi Deal as Oro Mobility Steps Out of the Shadows
Hertz shares surged over 20% Thursday after it launched Oro Mobility, an affiliate set to manage Uber’s robotaxi and human-driven fleets in key U.S. markets. Oro will support Uber’s autonomous program with Lucid vehicles using Nuro self-driving tech, starting in the San Francisco Bay Area later this year. Hertz traded at $6.80, up $1.20; Uber fell 38 cents to $74.09. Hertz reports first-quarter results May 7.
Royal Caribbean Stock Jumps After Earnings Beat. The Fuel Bill Still Cut Its 2026 Outlook
Royal Caribbean cut its 2026 adjusted profit forecast to $17.10–$17.50 a share, citing higher fuel costs. First-quarter net income rose to $941 million, with adjusted earnings beating analyst estimates. Bookings rebounded after a March-April slowdown linked to geopolitical events. Shares climbed 8.7% to $276.06 in late morning trading.
Xerox Holdings Stock Soars After Q1 Revenue Beat, but the Lexmark Bill Is Still Showing
Xerox shares surged 43% Thursday after first-quarter revenue hit $1.85 billion, topping forecasts, driven by the Lexmark acquisition. The company posted a net loss of $105 million and an adjusted loss of 43 cents per share, wider than expected. Print segment revenue jumped 31%, while IT Solutions fell 5%. Xerox reaffirmed its 2026 outlook but reported higher interest expenses tied to acquisition debt.
Ford Motor Company’s $1.3 Billion Tariff Refund Lifts Outlook, But the F-150 Problem Still Bites
Ford Motor Co raised its 2026 profit forecast after booking a $1.3 billion expected tariff refund, lifting its adjusted EBIT outlook to $8.5–$10.5 billion. First-quarter revenue rose 6% to $43.3 billion, with net income at $2.5 billion. F-150 production dropped 12% in Q1 after supplier fires, and inventory fell 38% year-on-year in April. Ford still expects $1 billion in net tariff costs this year.
Morgan Stanley’s Bitcoin ETF Is Pulling Cash as BlackRock’s IBIT Stumbles
Morgan Stanley’s new bitcoin fund took in $10.8 million on April 29 as U.S. spot bitcoin ETFs saw $137.6 million in outflows, according to Farside Investors. BlackRock’s IBIT lost $54.7 million that day and $166.9 million over three days. MSBT, launched April 8, charges a 0.14% annual fee, undercutting IBIT’s 0.25%. IBIT still leads with $65.2 billion in net inflows, far above MSBT’s $194 million.
Quanta Services Stock Surges After Earnings Beat: The $48.5 Billion Backlog Driving the Move
Quanta Services reported first-quarter revenue of $7.87 billion, beating estimates and raising its 2026 outlook. Net income rose to $220.6 million, with adjusted EPS at $2.68. Backlog hit a record $48.5 billion, driven by electric infrastructure demand. Shares jumped $71.30 to $699.90 in Thursday trading.
Social Security’s $4 Million Question: Can the S&P 500 Beat a 2033 Benefits Cliff?
A retiree’s claim that Social Security payroll taxes could have grown to $4 million in the S&P 500 has renewed debate over the system’s structure. The Social Security Administration projects its main trust fund will be depleted by 2033, with incoming revenue covering 77% of benefits. The fund invests only in government securities, not stocks. The payroll tax rate is set at 12.4% of earnings up to $184,500 in 2026.
Everspin Technologies Stock Surges After $40 Million Defense MRAM Deal Puts Growth Back in View
FatPipe shares jumped 18% to $2.92 Thursday after the company announced expanded access to its SD-WAN and cybersecurity products through public-sector procurement channels. The move follows a VeloCloud replacement program targeting customers of Arista Networks’ SD-WAN business. Trading volume reached 42.2 million shares. Investors remain cautious over execution and customer concentration risks.
Why Huachen AI Parking (HCAI) Stock Is Surging: Tiny Float, Reverse Split and Nasdaq Risk
Huachen AI Parking shares surged as much as 135% in heavy Nasdaq trading Thursday, triggering four volatility halts. No new company filings or press releases explained the spike. The rally follows a 1-for-30 reverse stock split effective April 13, which sharply reduced the share count. Trading volume reached 34 million shares, far above the average of 727,390.
Altria Stock Jumps 7% After Marlboro Maker Beats Q1 Forecasts on Price Hikes
Altria posted adjusted earnings of $1.32 per share and net revenues of $5.43 billion for the quarter, beating analyst estimates. Higher prices offset falling cigarette volumes, with domestic shipments down 2.4%. Shares rose about 7% in late-morning trading. CEO Billy Gifford is set to step down in mid-May.
Mastercard Earnings Beat Wall Street, But April Cross-Border Slowdown Hits Stock
Mastercard shares fell 2.7% Thursday despite first-quarter profit and revenue beating estimates, as investors reacted to slower April cross-border spending growth. Adjusted earnings reached $4.60 per share on $8.4 billion revenue. Cross-border volume growth dropped to 9% in April from 13% in Q1, with travel-linked growth at just 2%. Operating expenses rose 13%, including a $202 million restructuring charge.
Why Viavi Solutions Stock Is Surging After a Big Earnings Beat
Viavi Solutions shares surged about 20% in early U.S. trading after fiscal third-quarter revenue rose 42.8% to $406.8 million, beating estimates. Adjusted earnings reached 27 cents per share, above forecasts. The company projected fourth-quarter revenue of $427 million to $437 million. GAAP profit declined from a year earlier and cash flow was negative for the quarter.
Gold or Oil? History Shows Which Hedge Protects Capital When Inflation Fear Returns
Brent crude hit $126.41 a barrel, its highest since March 2022, before falling to $113.89 as the U.S.-Iran war shut the Strait of Hormuz. Spot gold rose 2.2% to $4,639.26 an ounce. U.S. PCE inflation climbed 3.5% year-on-year in March. The Federal Reserve kept rates steady at 3.50%-3.75% on Wednesday.
Nvidia Isn’t Over. But Marvell Is the Quiet AI Chip Name Analysts Can’t Ignore
Marvell Technology shares rose about 3% Thursday after Big Tech firms signaled AI spending would exceed $700 billion this year. Nvidia slipped 1.6% but announced a $2 billion investment in Marvell and a partnership on AI infrastructure. Marvell reported record fiscal 2026 revenue of $8.2 billion, while Nvidia posted $215.9 billion for the year. Google is in talks with Marvell to develop two new AI chips.
Is the AI Stock Rally Over? 3 Warning Signs Investors Should Watch This Week
Meta Platforms shares fell nearly 10% and Microsoft dropped over 3% Thursday as investors reacted to rising AI costs and capital spending, despite strong earnings. Alphabet gained almost 6% after Google Cloud posted its best growth quarter. Nvidia and other chip stocks also traded lower. Meta raised its 2026 capex forecast and is considering a major bond sale to fund AI infrastructure.
Plug Power Stock Slides After Big Rally as May 11 Earnings Test Cash-Burn Plan
Plug Power shares fell 7% to $3.17 Thursday morning, erasing part of Wednesday’s 12.5% surge. The drop comes ahead of first-quarter results due May 11, as investors weigh a Clear Street price-target hike against ongoing cash burn. Plug was recently chosen to supply a 275-megawatt electrolyzer system for a Canadian project.
HP’s HyperX Launch Puts Gaming Back in Focus as HPQ Stock Tries to Recover
HP Inc. unveiled new HyperX gaming accessories Thursday, including the Clutch Talon controller ($159.99) and Cloud Stinger 3 headsets (from $49.99), alongside updated NGENUITY software. The launch comes as HP’s Personal Systems revenue rose 11% to $10.3 billion last quarter, while printing fell. Shares rose 0.3% to $20.21. Interim CEO Bruce Broussard is leading the company after Enrique Lores stepped down in February.
Lemonade Stock Falls After Q1 Beat — Why Investors Are Still Watching Profitability
Lemonade reported first-quarter revenue up 71% to $258 million and a net loss of $35.8 million, narrower than a year ago. Shares fell 1.3% to $55.27 in early trading. The insurer raised 2026 guidance and reaffirmed its target for positive adjusted EBITDA in the fourth quarter. In-force premium rose 32% to $1.33 billion, while gross loss ratio improved to 62%.
Zoom Sets Earnings Date as AI Growth and Margins Move Back Into Focus
Zoom will report first-quarter fiscal 2027 earnings on May 21 after the market closes. The stock rose 5.07% Wednesday to $95.76, just below its 52-week high, after a Vanguard unit disclosed a 5.05% passive stake. Last quarter, revenue climbed 5.3% to $1.247 billion. Investors await updates on AI strategy and enterprise growth.
FuelCell Energy Stock Jumps as AI Power Boom Puts FCEL Back in Play
FuelCell Energy shares jumped 37% Wednesday, trading near a one-year high at $13.64 premarket Thursday, as investors bet on fuel-cell demand for AI data centers. Rival Bloom Energy reported Q1 revenue up 130% to $751.1 million and will supply up to 2.45 GW of fuel cells to Oracle’s Project Jupiter. FuelCell’s January-quarter revenue rose 61% to $30.5 million but it posted a net loss of $26.1 million.
America’s Credit Split Is Getting Worse: TransUnion Data Shows Who Is Being Squeezed
TransUnion reported a sharper split in U.S. consumer credit, with 15 million more borrowers in the super-prime tier since 2019, while near-prime and subprime borrowers face rising debt-to-income ratios. Bankcard balances hit $1.12 trillion in Q1, and personal loan originations reached 7.6 million in Q4, both up from a year earlier. Mortgage delinquencies of 60 days or more rose to 1.57%.
PennyMac Investor Probe Deepens After 33% Stock Plunge: What PFSI Holders Need To Know
Rosen Law Firm said it is preparing a class action for PennyMac Financial Services investors after the company’s January earnings disclosure triggered a 33.3% one-day stock drop. Schall Law Firm launched a separate investigation into possible false or misleading statements. PennyMac’s servicing segment pretax income fell to $37.3 million from $157.4 million in the prior quarter. The company reports first-quarter results May 5.
US Dollar Drops as GDP Miss and Core PCE Jump Cloud Fed Cut Bets
The U.S. dollar fell Thursday after first-quarter GDP growth missed forecasts and core inflation accelerated, complicating the Federal Reserve’s rate outlook. The Dollar Index dropped 0.59% to 98.33, with the dollar hitting session lows against the yen after Japanese officials hinted at intervention. The Fed held rates steady Wednesday but showed division over future cuts. U.S. GDP grew at a 2.0% annualized rate, while core PCE inflation jumped to 4.3%.
QUALCOMM Incorporated (QCOM) Stock Jumps as AI Data-Center Bet Offsets Weak Forecast
Qualcomm shares rose 10.3% premarket Thursday after CEO Cristiano Amon said the smartphone market had bottomed and highlighted progress in data-center chips. Fiscal Q2 revenue fell 3% to $10.6 billion, with handset revenue down 13% but automotive up 38%. The Q3 forecast missed Wall Street estimates. Qualcomm expects chip sales to Chinese handset makers to recover after Q3.
Eli Lilly Raises 2026 Forecast as Mounjaro, Zepbound Sales Keep Weight-Loss Boom Alive
Eli Lilly raised its 2026 revenue forecast by $2 billion after first-quarter sales jumped 56% to $19.8 billion, driven by Mounjaro and Zepbound, which brought in $12.8 billion. Adjusted earnings reached $8.55 per share. The company cited strong demand but noted lower realized prices and competition from Novo Nordisk remain risks. Foundayo, Lilly’s new oral GLP-1 pill, launched in April but was not included in the quarter’s results.
Caterpillar Earnings Beat: AI Data Center Power Demand Drives a Q1 Surprise for CAT Stock
Caterpillar reported adjusted profit of $5.54 per share, beating estimates, as sales rose 22% to $17.4 billion in the first quarter. Power-generation sales jumped 41%, driven by demand from data centers. The company expects $2.2–$2.4 billion in tariff costs this year. Shares rose nearly 5% in premarket trading.
Gas Prices Hit $4.30: Why America’s Oil Boom Isn’t Saving Drivers
U.S. gasoline prices hit $4.30 a gallon Thursday, the highest since 2022, as the Iran war and refinery issues drove up crude costs. Brent crude briefly topped $126 a barrel before settling at $121.90. U.S. crude output reached a record 13.6 million barrels per day last year, but high exports and falling inventories tightened supplies. Michigan saw prices jump to $4.58 amid regional refinery problems.
Microsoft Corporation’s $190 Billion AI Bet Is the Number Wall Street Can’t Ignore
Microsoft set a $190 billion budget for its 2026 AI expansion and forecast Azure growth above Wall Street expectations, but warned of sharply higher data-center costs. Fiscal third-quarter revenue rose 18% to $82.9 billion, with net income up 23% to $31.8 billion. Shares dipped 1.1% to $424.46 in premarket trading. Microsoft ended its exclusive deal to sell OpenAI models, opening the door for OpenAI to work with rivals.
Amazon Stock Rises on AWS AI Growth — Why AMZN’s Cloud Beat Matters Now
Amazon Web Services reported 28% revenue growth to $37.6 billion, its fastest in 15 quarters, pushing Amazon shares up 1.4% early Thursday. First-quarter net sales rose 17% to $181.5 billion, with net income at $30.3 billion, boosted by gains from Anthropic. Amazon forecast second-quarter sales of $194–$199 billion. Google Cloud grew 63% to $20 billion, outpacing AWS’s growth rate.
Why Intel Stock Hit a Record: Google AI Chip Report Puts Foundry Turnaround in Focus
Intel shares hit a record $94.75 early Thursday, up 12%, after reports that Google may use Intel’s EMIB packaging for next-generation AI chips. Intel Foundry posted $5.42 billion in Q1 revenue but lost $2.44 billion. Apple is also evaluating Intel’s 18A-P process for M-series chips, according to TrendForce. Google and Intel recently announced a multiyear partnership on AI and cloud infrastructure.