Lleidanetworks Serveis Stock (OTC: LLEIF)

Lleidanetworks Serveis Stock (OTC:LLEIF), Trade Ideas

Lleidanetworks Serveis Telematics SA offers services as a telecommunications operator. The company provides registered eCommunications, SMS (short message service) solutions, electronic notification, contracting, and data validation services. It serves various industries including banking, call centers, financial services, utilities, real estate, insurance agents and brokers, legal services, temporary employment agencies, and government. Its segment comprises SMS Commercial, SMS Wholesale, and SAAS. The majority of sales by business line is through ICX Wholesale Solutions. Geographically, the majority of revenue is generated nationally.

LLEIDANETWORKS SERVEIS by Lleidanetworks Serveis Telematics S A

Lleidanetworks Serveis Telematics SA

Elon Musk&#39;s artificial intelligence startup, xAI, is poised to reach a valuation of $20 billion, surpassing initial expectations, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/startups/24/05/38593193/elon-musks-xai-valued-at-18-billion-in-latest-funding-round-as-musk-looks-to-take-on-80-billion-open">as investor interest continues to surge</a>.
What Happened: As <a href="http://nypost.com/2024/05/10/business/elon-musks-xai-could-be-valued-at-higher-than-expected-20b-as-investor-demand-surges-sources/">reported</a> by The New York Post, Musk&#39;s xAI, the technology behind the Grok chatbot, is projected to raise between $7 billion and $8 billion. This valuation surpasses Bloomberg&#39;s earlier report of $6 billion at an $18 billion valuation this week.
The founder of Tesla Inc., SpaceX, Neuralink&nbsp;and Boring, Musk has urged investors to transfer funds by the end of Friday, marking the conclusion of the first funding round. The investment demand has been substantial, leading some investors to request a second close to contribute additional funds.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38778728/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-criticizes-biden-administrations-spending-efficiency-on-ev-charging-infrastructu">Tesla CEO Elon Musk Criticizes Biden Administration&#39;s Spending Efficiency On EV Charging Infrastructure: &#39;Government Is &hellip; Not Efficient At Spending&#39;</a>
A key factor propelling this demand is Musk&#39;s persuasive argument that he can harness Tesla&#39;s computing power to support xAI. Reportedly, the electric vehicles utilize only 10% of their computing power. While some funding has originated from the Middle East, Musk has abstained from accepting money from China, including Hong Kong.
Despite previous denials of capital raising for xAI, Musk disclosed plans for a fundraiser in a regulatory filing last year, indicating xAI&#39;s intention to raise at least $1 billion through an equity offering.
Why It Matters: The higher-than-expected valuation of xAI is a testament to Musk&#39;s reputation as a tech visionary and the potential of AI technology. The overwhelming investor interest underscores the market&#39;s confidence in Musk&#39;s ability to leverage Tesla&#39;s underutilized computing power for xAI&#39;s benefit. However, Musk&#39;s decision to reject funding from China, a major global player in AI, could have implications for xAI&#39;s future growth and global market reach.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38759440/elon-musk-gets-another-vote-of-confidence-from-twitter-co-founder-jack-dorsey-elon-made-the-right-ch">Elon Musk Gets Another Vote Of Confidence From Twitter Co-Founder Jack Dorsey: &#39;Elon Made&hellip;The Right Choice&#39;</a>
This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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Elon Musk's AI Startup Could Reach A Whopping $20 Billion Valuation, Exceeding Initial Expectations

In a recent private fundraiser, President Joe Biden has characterized his predecessor, Donald Trump, as &quot;clearly unhinged&quot;, attributing this change to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38702573/biden-vs-trump-an-emerging-trend-among-this-demographics-could-severely-handicap-one-candidate-poll">Trump&#39;s loss in the 2020 election.</a>
What Happened: According to a <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/11/politics/biden-trump-unhinged-seattle/index.html">CNN report</a>, Biden made these comments at a private fundraiser in Seattle. &quot;It&#39;s clear that &hellip; when he lost in 2020, something snapped in him,&quot; Biden expressed to his supporters. &quot;He&#39;s not only obsessed with losing in 2020, he&#39;s clearly unhinged.&quot;
Despite Biden&#39;s evaluation, he predicts a tight competition in the forthcoming November election. &quot;We feel good about the state of the race, but we know the race is close,&quot; Biden stated, citing recent polls.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38776544/trumps-niece-says-this-could-be-a-big-blow-to-ex-presidents-narcissistic-need-for-attention-right-no">Trump&#39;s Niece Says This Could Be A Big Blow To Ex-President&#39;s &#39;Narcissistic Need For Attention&#39;: &#39;Right Now The Only Thing We Can Really Do...&#39;</a>
A poll conducted by SSRS for CNN last month indicates Trump maintaining a steady lead over Biden, with 49% support among registered voters in a direct contest.
Amid Trump&#39;s hush money trial, Biden has maintained&nbsp;a busy schedule with policy speeches and campaign events, frequently targeting the former president.
The fundraiser took place at the residence of former Microsoft executive Jon Shirley in Medina, Washington, just outside Seattle. Biden wrapped up his remarks by promising donors, &quot;I&#39;ll try my best not to disappoint you.&quot;
Why It Matters: This incident underscores the ongoing tension between the two political figures. Biden&#39;s remarks highlight his perception of Trump&#39;s mental state following the 2020 election loss. The upcoming election is expected to be a close race, and these comments could potentially impact voter sentiment. Furthermore, Trump&#39;s ongoing legal issues and Biden&#39;s active campaign schedule could also influence the election outcome.
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/05/38776943/donald-trump-says-nikki-haley-not-under-consideration-for-vp-role-amid-rumors-i-wish-her-well">Donald Trump Says Nikki Haley &#39;Not Under Consideration&#39; For VP Role Amid Rumors: &#39;I Wish Her Well&#39;</a>
This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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Politics

General

Joe Biden Calls Donald Trump 'Clearly Unhinged' At Private Fundraiser: 'When He Lost In 2020, Something Snapped In Him'

If you're struggling with what to get your mom for Mother's Day this year, a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-give-stock-as-a-gift">gift of stock </a>is one item to consider.
What Happened: Mother's Day is being celebrated today, May 12. While many will get their mom flowers and a card, another option could be buying shares of some of the most valuable and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/01/36701851/s-p-500-shatters-records-the-top-performing-stocks-in-january-2024">most well-known companies.</a>
Mother's Day was <a href="https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/mothers-day" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">designated</a> an official holiday by then President Woodrow Wilson in 1914 and is celebrated on the second Sunday of May. Last year, Mother's Day was celebrated on May 14, 2023. Here's a look at how an investment in three of the largest publicly traded companies at that time would be worth now. 
Related Link: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38775035/mothers-day-2024-heartfelt-ways-to-make-moms-day-special-no-matter-the-distance">Mother&#8217;s Day 2024: Heartfelt Ways To Make Mom&#8217;s Day Special, No Matter The Distance</a>
Investing $100 Each In Apple, Microsoft And Tesla:&nbsp;Investing $100 in each of the three popular stocks during Mother&#8217;s Day 2023 could have bought the following share amounts:
Apple Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>): 0.5745 shares
Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>): 0.3219 shares
Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>): 0.5638 shares
The three investments would be worth the following values today based on the closing share prices from Friday, May 10, 2024. The totals do not include dividends.
Apple: $105.16
Microsoft: $133.50
Tesla: $94.98
The total investment in those three stocks on Mother's Day last year would be worth $333.64 today, representing a return of 11.2%. This marks an increase from <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/education/23/05/32376023/if-you-bought-your-mom-100-in-apple-microsoft-and-tesla-stocks-for-mothers-day-last-year-heres-">the 7% gain</a> on the same three stocks from Mother's Day 2022 to Mother's Day 2023. It trails the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/22/05/27062809/if-you-bought-your-mom-100-in-apple-microsoft-and-tesla-stock-for-mothers-day-last-year-heres-how-mu">return of 17.8%</a> on the same stocks from Mother's Day 2021 and Mother's Day 2022.
Of course, if your mother pays attention to the stock market or has caught wind of the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/02/37288423/nvidia-spikes-to-2-trillion-market-cap-as-fomo-drives-traders-into-stock-the-journe">gains in artificial intelligence stocks, </a>she might be wondering why you didn't buy her NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) stock for Mother's Day last year.
A $100 investment in Nvidia stock last Mother's Day could have bought 0.3475 shares. That same investment would be worth $312.33 today and up 212.3%. The $100 investment would be worth nearly as much as $100 investing in Apple, Microsoft and Tesla over the same time period combined.
While flowers might not last forever,&nbsp;stock investments for your mom can often hold or gain value over time.
This article was previously published by Benzinga and has been updated.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/05/38599545/apple-q2-earnings-beats-muted-forecast-on-services-mac-strength-installed-base-at-fresh-record-cupe">Apple Q2 Earnings Beat Muted Forecast On Services, Mac Strength: Installed Base At Fresh Record, Cupertino Announces Massive $110B Buyback</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

Education

AAPL

MSFT

NVDA

TSLA

If You Bought Your Mom $100 In Apple, Microsoft And Tesla Stock For Mother's Day Last Year, Here's How Much She'd Have Now

The stock trading activity of members of Congress continues to be a hot topic in the world of investing with potential conflicts of interest and inside information <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/congress-trading">leading to outsized gains.</a>
One member of Congress is advocating for a ban on stock trading by members of Congress while also disclosing dozens of trades. So what gives?
What Happened: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/ro-khanna">Representative Ro Khanna</a> (D-Calif.) recently disclosed multiple stock purchases and sales in a filing on May 7.
The trades, which occurred in April, mostly involve transactions ranging from $1,000 to $15,000, with some trades listed at higher ranges., <a href="https://unusualwhales.com/politics/insider_trades?ticker=&amp;search=KHANNA">according </a>to Unusual Whales.
A sale of the iShares Russell 2000 ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/IWM#NYSE">IWM</a>) valued at $250,000 to $500,000 was the largest reported in the filing. GE Aerospace (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GE#NYSE">GE</a>) was another large transaction with a sale valued at $50,000 to $100,000.
The big question mark is what the transactions are and who made them.
"Are @RepRoKhanna calls to ban stock trading genuine? He disclosed 25 pages worth of stock trading today to include covid vaccine makers, big banks, FOX, and Tesla. He would probably claim his portfolio is ‘managed by outside advisors' if questioned as many members of Congress do," <a href="https://twitter.com/congresstrading/status/1788275846576308394">tweeted</a> CongressTrading.
The tweet received a response from Khanna.
"Thanks for engaging and happy to chat. My wife and I do not trade and those disclosures are part of a diversified trust managed by a third party like an index fund. I am for banning members from trading," Khanna said.
CongressTrading followed up with a comment for the congressman.
"Congress has access to non-public information and the ability to make laws. Despite your claim you don't direct trading, you can still propose laws that benefit the individual stocks you own, which is a conflict, and damages public trust."
Khanna replied to the comment, elaborating more about his investments.
"My wife's holdings prior to marriage are so diversified it is effectively like an index fund. But I agree with you on a ban &amp; pushing for a vote on the Trust Act. My votes against defense budgets &amp; for holding corporations accountable show my independence."
Benzinga reached out to Khanna but did not hear back.
Related Link: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/01/36459015/10-best-stock-traders-in-congress-in-2023-spoiler-nancy-pelosi-is-back-on-the-list">10 Best Stock Traders In Congress In 2023 (Spoiler: Nancy Pelosi Has Reentered The Chat)</a>
Why It's Important: Khanna recently <a href="https://twitter.com/RepRoKhanna/status/1785764621091061849">called</a> for a vote on a ban of stock trading by members of Congress with a message to his colleagues.
"Don't come to Congress if you want to make a profit," Khanna said.
Khanna added that Americans are frustrated with members of Congress because too many are trading stocks. He urged House Speaker Mike Johnson to bring a bipartisan bill to ban members of Congress from trading stocks for a vote.
The congressman also referenced the efforts of several websites that track congressional trading, including Unusual Whales, Quiver Quant, and Capitol Trades.
"Let's ban members of Congress from trading stock."
Khanna's latest stock filing was shared on Unusual Whales and <a href="https://www.capitoltrades.com/politicians/K000389">Capitol Trades.</a> Quiver Quant <a href="https://www.quiverquant.com/congresstrading/politician/Ro%20Khanna-K000389?">shows</a> no trading activity for the congressman.
Whether the trades disclosed by Khanna are part of a trust managed by a third party, the timing could play into the hands of anyone speaking out about Congress being allowed to trade while in office. Some may find it challenging to take the congressman&#8217;s call for a ban seriously, given that he is still reporting trades himself. 
Photo: Shutterstock

Congressman Calls For Ban On Stock Trading In Congress, Yet Discloses 25 Pages Of Trades. What Is Going On?

Roses are red, violets are blue, flowers are overrated, does Mom want crypto from you?
If you're struggling with what to get your mom for Mother's Day, a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/crypto">gift of cryptocurrency</a> is an option.
Here's a look back at the historical returns of several cryptocurrencies on Mother's Day last year.
What Happened: The <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/01/36514679/wall-street-enters-the-crypto-age-sec-issues-historic-approval-of-spot-bitcoin-etfs">approval of Bitcoin ETFs</a> by the SEC earlier this year has brought more attention to the cryptocurrency sector and led to rebounding prices.
This means that, if you bought you mom crypto for Mother's Day last year, she might be extra happy to see you this year.
Certainly, flowers and a card are always a thoughtful option for Mother&#8217;s Day and offer a more stable gift choice compared to the periods of high volatility often seen in the cryptocurrency market.
Mother's Day was designated an official holiday by President Woodrow Wilson in 1914 and is celebrated on the second Sunday of May. Last year, Mother's Day was celebrated on May 14, 2023. Here's a look at how an investment and gift in three leading cryptocurrencies at that time would be worth now.
Related Link: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38775035/mothers-day-2024-heartfelt-ways-to-make-moms-day-special-no-matter-the-distance">Mother&#8217;s Day 2024: Heartfelt Ways To Make Mom&#8217;s Day Special, No Matter The Distance</a>
Investing $100 in Bitcoin, Dogecoin, Ethereum: Here's how much a $100 investment in each of Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>), Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>) and Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) could have bought on May 14, 2023.
Bitcoin: 0.0037 BTC
Dogecoin: 1,377.75 DOGE
Ethereum: 0.0548 ETH
Investing $100 in each cryptocurrency last Mother's Day would be worth the following based on prices at the time of writing:
Bitcoin: $226.33
Dogecoin: $199.60
Ethereum: $160.67
A $300 gift consisting of the three well-known cryptocurrencies would be worth $586.60 today, a gain of 95.5%.
Compare that return to a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/23/05/32380160/if-you-bought-your-mom-100-in-bitcoin-dogecoin-and-ethereum-last-mothers-day-heres-how-muc">loss of 33.4%</a> from Mother's Day 2022 to Mother's Day 2023 and a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/22/05/27062747/if-you-bought-your-mom-100-in-bitcoin-dogecoin-and-ethereum-for-mothers-day-last-year-here">loss of 51%</a> from Mother's Day 2021 to Mother's Day 2022.
Of course those who bought their moms cryptocurrency back on Mother's Day 2020 would have a different story to tell.
A $100 investment each in Bitcoin, Dogecoin and Ethereum on Mother's Day 2020 would have been able to buy the following amounts and now would be worth the following:
Bitcoin: 0.0104 BTC, $636.16
Dogecoin: 38,270.19 DOGE, $5,544.28
Ethereum: 0.4727 ETH, $1,385.89
The $300 investment or gift to mom on Mother's Day 2020 would be worth $7,566.33 today and up 2,422.1%. 
This article was previously published by Benzinga and has been updated.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/05/38749745/if-you-invested-1-000-in-bitcoin-when-donald-trump-said-the-cryptos-value-was-based-on-thi">If You Invested $1,000 In Bitcoin When Donald Trump Said The Crypto&#8217;s Value Was &#8216;Based On Thin Air,&#8217; Here&#8217;s How Much You&#8217;d Have Now</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

Coverage of Bitcoin, Etherum, Ripple and all the latest digital currencies.

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If You Bought Your Mom $100 In Bitcoin, Dogecoin And Ethereum Last Mother's Day, Here's How Much She'd Have Today

Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/BABA#NYSE">BABA</a>) shares have been on a broad consolidation move since bottoming in late October 2022. The company is still reeling from <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/21/11/24212220/chinese-regulators-at-it-again-tech-stalwarts-including-alibaba-tencent-and-baidu-fined-3-4m-for-vio">the impacts of regulatory clampdowns</a> and lackluster domestic economic growth. As the Jack Ma-founded company prepares to release its fourth-quarter results Tuesday before the markets open, here&#8217;s a look at how the company is positioned for the near- and medium-term.
Protracted Downturn: From a peak market cap of $858.50 billion in late October 2022, Alibaba&#8217;s valuation has plummeted. As of Friday&#8217;s close, its market cap was at $194.79 billion. The decline began when the Chinese government initiated a crackdown on mega-cap tech companies, citing concerns that their significant growth granted them monopolistic power.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="468" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/12054620/image-60-1024x468.png" alt="" class="wp-image-333832" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/12054620/image-60-1024x468.png 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/12054620/image-60-300x137.png 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/12054620/image-60-768x351.png 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/12054620/image-60.png 1185w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>
Source: Y Charts
It all started with Ma taking on the Chinese Communist regime by criticizing banking regulations, a day after Alibaba&#8217;s sister concern Anti Financial priced its initial public offering. Repercussions soon followed. The company was slapped with a hefty $2.8 billion in fine on the grounds of engaging in monopolistic practices and the Ant IPO was soon shelved. Ma entered a self-imposed exile, leaving his trusted lieutenant Daniel Zhang to manage affairs in his absence.
What started as an onslaught on Alibaba spread to other big techs as well.
To make matters worse, despite the re-opening after the COVI-19 pandemic, the Chinese economy continued to reel under subpar economic growth and a deflationary environment.
Alibaba also faced competition from a breed of smaller social commerce companies, which integrate social interactions and e-commerce, offering personalized content recommendations, user-generated content and influencer endorsements.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-chinese-stocks">Best Chinese Stocks</a>
Resuscitation Efforts: Alibaba&#8217;s turnaround efforts included a decision in March 2023 to splinter the company into six businesses: its core Alibaba domestic e-commerce business, Cainiao logistics business, Aliyun cloud computing business, international e-commerce, a digital-services business and a small media group.
In June, however, the company&#8217;s leadership baton was passed on to Eddie Wu, one of the co-founders. Zhang was relegated to the role of heading the company&#8217;s cloud business. Subsequently, in September, Zhang stepped down from all his roles in Alibaba. Under the new leadership, this splintering strategy was reversed. The plan to IPO the cloud business was abandoned in November, and earlier this year, the company also scrapped the Cainiao IPO plan, opting instead to acquire the remaining 36% stake it did not already own.
Q4 Expectations: Analysts, on average, expect the company to earn $1.41 per share on revenue of $30.42 billion. This compares to the year-ago&#8217;s $1.50 per share and $29.15 billion.
Alibaba&#8217;s Taobao online shopping and Tmall B2C online retail platforms may have seen a strong sequential increase in gross merchandise value, <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-05-10/tencent-alibaba-steam-ahead-after-shaking-off-regulatory-restraints?embedded-checkout=true&amp;sref=TBDibEcD">reported</a> Bloomberg.
China reported a year-over-year growth rate of 5.3% for the March quarter, surpassing the consensus estimate, although consumer spending did not show significant improvement.
Alibaba recently intensified its focus on generative AI, a cutting-edge technology that has seen widespread adoption. Last week, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38732816/alibabas-new-ai-model-claims-to-beat-openais-gpt-4-in-language-skills">the company released Qwen2.5, the latest iteration of its family of large-language models</a> called Tongyi Qianwen. 
&#8220;The Qwen family has been deployed by over 90,000 enterprise users via Model Studio since the AI development platform launched in June last year,&#8221; Ali Cloud said in a statement.
Alibaba&#8217;s NYSE-listed ADRs ended Friday&#8217;s session up 0.73% at $80.02, according to <a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/lxquj26b2sag">Benzinga Pro data.</a>
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38732816/alibabas-new-ai-model-claims-to-beat-openais-gpt-4-in-language-skills">Alibaba&#8217;s New AI Model Claims to Beat OpenAI&#8217;s GPT-4 in Language Skills</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

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BABA

Alibaba Q4 Earnings Due Tuesday: Spotlight On E-Commerce Business, Cloud Business, AI Initiatives

Tesla Inc CEO Elon Musk, on Friday, criticized the Biden administration&#8217;s spending efficiency, after reports that the government&#8217;s $7.5 billion capital allocation to help <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38541246/tesla-ceo-elon-musk-says-supercharger-network-will-still-grow-but-at-a-slower-pace-for-new-locations">build EV charging stations</a> across the country resulted in only seven operational ones as of March.
What Happened: The Washington Post, in March, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2024/03/28/ev-charging-stations-slow-rollout/">reported</a> that only seven EV charging stations are operational across four states despite the administration allocating $7.5 billion to help build 500,000 EV charging stations in the country by 2030 more than two years ago.
In November 2021, Biden signed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The law included $7.5 billion in EV charging infrastructure, of which $5 billion was allocated to individual states. 
&#8220;Wow. I'm starting to think that the government is … not efficient at spending,&#8221; Musk responded to the report on Friday. 
<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'm starting to think that the government is … not efficient at spending &#x1f4a1;
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1789081244988489906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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Why It Matters: Musk&#8217;s Tesla has its own fast charging network. As of the end of the first quarter, the company had over 6000 supercharger stations around the globe and over 57,000 connectors. Earlier this year, the company also opened over 15,000 of its superchargers across North America to non-Tesla EV owners.
Earlier this week, Musk said that the company would spend over<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38757383/elon-musk-announces-500m-investment-in-teslas-supercharger-network-expansion-in-2024"> $500 million to expand its network this year</a>, not including operation costs, and create thousands of new chargers. This is despite the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38516190/elon-musk-cracks-whip-harder-2-more-senior-tesla-execs-reportedly-exit-as-ceo-demands-absolutely-har">departure of the supercharger segment&#8217;s head </a>Rebecca Tinucci last month on the heels of the company&#8217;s decision to lay off over 14,000 of its global workforce. The company also intends to lay off about 500 people from Tinucci&#8217;s supercharger group and reassign others. 
Check out more of Benzinga's Future Of Mobility coverage by&nbsp;<a href="http://www.benzinga.com/topic/mobility" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38774207/elon-musk-says-tesla-was-the-only-car-company-attacked-after-16-protesters-were-taken-into-custody-i">Elon Musk Says &#8216;Tesla Was The Only Car Company Attacked&#8217; After 16 Protesters Were Taken Into Custody In Berlin: &#8216;There Is More To This Than Meets The Eye&#8217;</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

Tech

Tesla CEO Elon Musk Criticizes Biden Administration's Spending Efficiency On EV Charging Infrastructure: 'Government Is … Not Efficient At Spending'

The week has been a whirlwind of tech news, with major developments in augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI), and stock market trends. From Stanford&#8217;s groundbreaking AR glasses to Palantir&#8217;s impressive earnings report, let&#8217;s dive into the top stories of the week.
Stanford&#8217;s Slimmer AR Glasses
Researchers at Stanford University have made waves in the world of AR with their new prototype glasses. These glasses, unlike the bulky Apple Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) Vision Pro, are slim and light, resembling an everyday pair of glasses. The team has developed an AI-assisted holographic imaging technology that projects realistic, full-color, moving 3D images at varying depths. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38760802/stanford-researchers-unveil-ar-glasses-prototype-resembling-everyday-pair-of-glasses-contrasting-bul">Read the full article here.</a>
Palantir&#8217;s &#8216;Golden Buying Opportunity&#8217;
Despite a pullback after Q1 earnings, Palantir Technologies (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PLTR#NYSE">PLTR</a>) has caught the attention of bullish analyst Daniel Ives of Wedbush. Ives lauded Palantir&#8217;s performance, which exceeded revenue expectations for the second quarter, and saw the pullback as a golden buying opportunity. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/05/38668003/wedbushs-dan-ives-smells-golden-buying-opportunity-in-palantirs-pullback-after-q1-e">Read the full article here.</a>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38698828/elon-musk-gets-community-noted-on-x-after-claiming-there-are-known-vulnerabilities-in-signal-messagi?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Gets Community Noted On X After Claiming There Are &#8216;Known Vulnerabilities&#8217; In Signal Messaging</a>
AI&#8217;s Threat to Jobs and the Economy
Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI and creator of ChatGPT, has expressed serious concerns about the potential economic upheaval that AI can cause. Altman emphasized the need for more serious discussions about AI's impact on the economy, particularly in terms of potential job displacement. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38725610/chatgpt-creator-sam-altman-feels-its-a-massive-massive-issue-that-we-dont-take-ais-threat-to-jobs-an">Read the full article here.</a>
The &#8216;Fourth Industrial Revolution&#8217;
Wedbush analyst Dan Ives has reiterated his belief that the world is in the early stages of a fourth industrial revolution, led by NVIDIA Corporation&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>) CEO Jensen Huang, the &#8216;Godfather of AI&#8217;. Ives highlighted that AI investment is accelerating under Huang&#8217;s leadership. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38720217/wedbush-analyst-dan-ives-says-the-world-is-in-early-stages-of-a-fourth-industrial-revolution-and-it">Read the full article here.</a>
Nvidia: The &#8216;De Facto AI Standard&#8217;
Goldman Sachs has revised its 12-month price target for Nvidia Corporation, citing the company&#8217;s sustained demand for AI servers and an improving supply chain landscape. Nvidia&#8217;s significant year-to-date outperformance has led analysts to praise it as the &#8216;de facto AI standard for the foreseeable future&#8217;. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/05/38670071/nvidia-is-de-facto-ai-standard-for-the-foreseeable-future-goldman-sachs-analyst-rev">Read the full article here.</a>
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/05/38696261/prominent-apple-bull-reveals-surprise-takeaway-from-apples-ipad-launch-tim-cooks-ai?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Prominent Apple Bull Reveals Surprise Takeaway From Apple&#8217;s iPad Launch: Tim Cook&#8217;s AI Ambitions</a>
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Stanford's Apple Vision Pro Challenger AR Glasses, AI's Economic Impact And More: This Week In Artificial Intelligence

As the week unfolded, several significant stories emerged, including Chinese President Xi Jinping&#8216;s vow to remember a tragic event, a new poll indicating a tie between Joe Biden and Donald Trump in the 2024 election, and a key swing state favoring Biden. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Nikki Haley also made headlines for their political moves.
Xi Jinping Says He Would &#8216;Never Forget&#8217; NATO&#8217;s Bombing Of Chinese Embassy 25 Years Ago: &#8216;Will Never Allow Such Tragic History To Repeat Itself&#8217; 
President Xi Jinping has pledged to remember the NATO bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade, a tragic event that occurred 25 years ago. This statement was made during Xi&#8217;s European tour, which included visits to France, Hungary, and Serbia. The bombing led to the deaths of three Chinese journalists and sparked anti-US protests across China.
President Xi&#8217;s comments were published in Serbia&#8217;s oldest daily newspaper, Politika, on Tuesday. The timing of his visit to Serbia coincides with the 25th anniversary of the bombing.
Read the full article <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38668133/xi-jinping-says-he-would-never-forget-natos-bombing-of-chinese-embassy-25-years-ago-will-never-allow">here</a>.
Trump Vs. Biden: 2024 Election Poll Shows Tie Broken — Which Candidate Gains Support From His Party, Independent Voters? 
A new poll indicates a tie between Joe Biden and Donald Trump in the 2024 election. The two candidates have been the frontrunners for months and are the betting favorites in the November election.
Read the full article <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/05/38718471/trump-vs-biden-2024-election-poll-shows-tie-broken-which-candidate-gains-support-from-his-party-">here</a>.
Biden Vs. Trump: Key Swing State Voters Give Big Lead To One Candidate, Despite Ranking Him Down On Critical Election Issues 
Despite ranking lower on critical election issues, President Joe Biden has secured a substantial lead over his presumptive opponent Donald Trump in Wisconsin, a crucial swing state. In a head-to-head matchup, Biden secured the support of 50% of the respondents, while Trump received a more modest 44% support, as per the Quinnipiac University poll of registered voters.
Read the full article <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38753402/biden-vs-trump-key-swing-state-voters-give-big-lead-to-one-candidate-despite-ranking-him-down-on-cri">here</a>.
Marjorie Taylor Greene Wraps Up Marathon Meeting With Mike Johnson, Marking Pivotal Moment In Ouster Vote Drama: &#8216;I Have Been Patient, I Have Been Diligent, I Have Been Steady
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) held a lengthy meeting on Monday, indicating a potential resolution to the ongoing tension over Greene&#8217;s motion to oust Johnson. The two Republicans convened for nearly two hours on Monday, sparking speculation that they are working towards a deal to prevent a floor action on Greene&#8217;s resolution to remove Johnson from power.
Read the full article <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38658856/marjorie-taylor-greene-wraps-up-marathon-meeting-with-mike-johnson-marking-pivotal-moment-in-ouster">here</a>.
Nikki Haley Said To Be Wooing More Top Donors But Leaves Trump Support Up In The Air For Now 
Nikki Haley, the former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, is set to meet her top donors next week. Despite this, she does not have immediate plans to endorse former President Donald Trump for the 2024 election.
Read the full article <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38752266/nikki-haley-said-to-be-wooing-more-top-donors-but-leaves-trump-support-up-in-the-air-for-now">here</a>.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38719664/trump-disapproves-marjorie-taylor-greenes-bid-to-oust-house-speaker-mike-johnson-shes-got-fight-but?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump Disapproves Marjorie Taylor Greene&#8217;s Bid To Oust House Speaker Mike Johnson: &#8216;She&#8217;s Got Fight&#8230;But</a>
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Xi Jinping Vows To 'Never Forget' Nato's Bombing, Trump Vs. Biden Polls, And More: Weekend Politics Round-Up

It was an eventful week in the crypto world, with former President Donald Trump expressing his support for the industry, Charles Hoskinson accusing President Joe Biden of stifling the American crypto industry, and Trump&#8217;s pledge to enable crypto donations for his 2024 campaign. Here&#8217;s a roundup of the top crypto stories from the weekend.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Donald Trump Says &#8216;you Better Vote&#8217; For Him If You&#8217;re Pro-Crypto: But Has He Always Been &#8216;fine With It&#8217;?</h3>
Former U.S. President Donald Trump made a surprising endorsement of cryptocurrency, declaring it a significant election issue. This move is in stark contrast to President Joe Biden&#8216;s perceived unfamiliarity with the crypto world.
In a series of video clips uploaded by Frank Degods, a notable NFT creator and influencer, Trump expressed his support for the crypto industry. &#8220;I&#8217;m fine with it,&#8221; Trump stated, adding, &#8220;If you like crypto in any form… if you&#8217;re in favor of crypto you&#8217;d better vote for Trump.&#8221;
Read the full article <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/05/38736514/donald-trump-says-you-better-vote-for-him-if-youre-pro-crypto-but-has-he-always-been-fine-">here</a>.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Cardano Founder Charles Hoskinson Says Voting For Biden Is A &#8216;Vote Against American Crypto Industry&#8217;</h3>
Charles Hoskinson, the founder of Cardano (ADA/USD), has accused President Joe Biden of actively working to stifle the Bitcoin BTC/USD and cryptocurrency industry in the United States.
Hoskinson, in a video posted on social media platform X on Thursday, criticized the Biden administration for its alleged efforts to "destroy the American cryptocurrency industry," reported Cointelegraph.
Read the full article <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/05/38753994/cardano-founder-charles-hoskinson-says-voting-for-biden-is-a-vote-against-american-crypto-industry">here</a>.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Trump Pledges To &#8216;Make Sure You Can&#8217; Donate Using Crypto To His 2024 Campaign — Unwittingly Sends Memecoin Parodying Biden Surging</h3>
Former President Donald Trump delivered a notable endorsement of cryptocurrencies during a campaign speech on Wednesday and unwittingly sent a meme coin inspired by his arch-political rival surging after commenting on the digital token.
In a video shared on X by non-fungible token influencer Frank DeGods, Trump can be seen addressing a large crowd at an NFT event at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida, saying, "Can we donate to the Trump campaign using crypto? I believe the answer is yes."
Read the full article <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/05/38723503/trump-pledges-to-make-sure-you-can-donate-using-crypto-to-his-2024-campaign-unwittingly-se">here</a>.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Lose Ground, Cannot Back Up Friday&#8217;s ETF Flows Inflows: &#8216;Bitcoin Is The Escape Hatch&#8217;</h3>
Cryptocurrency markets could not continue their uptrend initiated by surprisingly strong ETF data last week on Monday. 
Major cryptocurrencies including Bitcoin, Dogecoin, and Ethereum traded lower on Monday as of 4 p.m. Eastern Time.
Read the full article <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/05/38654240/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-lose-ground-cannot-back-up-fridays-etf-flows-inflows-bitcoin-is-">here</a>.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Kevin O&#8217;Leary Responds To Cathie Wood&#8217;s Bitcoin Prediction: &#8216;The U.S. Economy Would Have To Collapse&#8217;</h3>
Cathie Wood, CEO of asset management firm Ark Invest, is known for making outlandish projections about the future of cryptocurrencies. While these predictions would make any investor in the tokens much wealthier, there are some very strong assumptions behind the predictions that have a very low probability of actually occurring.
Wood has made several predictions about Bitcoin, raising the price target each time. At the start of the year, Wood noted that Ark&#8217;s &#8220;base case&#8221; for Bitcoin would be $600,000. This prediction was raised to as high as $3.8 million by 2030. Kevin O&#8217;Leary, however, believes it is not a good speculation. 
Read the full article <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/05/38759895/kevin-oleary-responds-to-cathie-woods-bitcoin-prediction-the-u-s-economy-would-have-to-col">here</a>.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/05/38723503/trump-pledges-to-make-sure-you-can-donate-using-crypto-to-his-2024-campaign-unwittingly-se?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump Pledges To &#8216;Make Sure You Can&#8217; Donate Using Crypto To His 2024 Campaign — Unwittingly Sends Memecoi</a>
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Trump's Pro-Crypto Stance, Cardano Founder Slamming Biden, Kevin O'Leary On Cathie Wood's Bitcoin Prediction: Top Crypto Stories This Week

It&#8217;s been a whirlwind week for Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>), with significant developments ranging from record-breaking iPhone sales to the launch of new iPad models. The tech giant has been making headlines, and even Elon Musk has chimed in on the action. Let&#8217;s dive into the week&#8217;s top stories.
Record April Revenue for iPhone Manufacturer
Apple&#8217;s largest iPhone manufacturer, Hon Hai Precision Industry Co. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HNHPF#OTC">HNHPF</a>), also known as Foxconn, reported its highest-ever April revenue. The Taiwanese company, responsible for manufacturing the majority of Apple&#8217;s smartphones, saw a 19% surge in monthly revenue to $15.8 billion in April, a record high for the month. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/05/38641338/apples-largest-iphone-manufacturer-reports-its-best-ever-april-revenue-amid-stronger-iphone-dema">Read the full article here.</a>
iPhone 15 Pro Max: Best Selling Smartphone in Q1 2024
Despite a global slump in iPhone sales, Apple&#8217;s top-tier iPhone 15 Pro Max emerged as the best-selling device in the first quarter of 2024. The iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro followed closely, claiming the second and third positions, respectively. This marks a continuation of Apple's dominance in the smartphone market. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38645070/apple-springs-a-surprise-as-its-top-tier-iphone-15-pro-max-bags-best-selling-smartphone-tag-in-q1-20">Read the full article here.</a>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38725610/chatgpt-creator-sam-altman-feels-its-a-massive-massive-issue-that-we-dont-take-ais-threat-to-jobs-an?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ChatGPT Creator Sam Altman Feels It&#8217;s A &#8216;Massive, Massive Issue&#8217; That We Don&#8217;t Take AI&#8217;s Threat To Jobs And Economy &#8216;Seriously Enough&#8217;</a>
New iPad Pro and iPad Air 6 Launched
Apple unveiled the highly-anticipated iPad Air 6 and iPad Pro after a gap of 18 months at the &#8220;Let Loose&#8221; event. The iPad Air now comes in two screen sizes for the first time, while the iPad Pro boasts the new M4 chip, jumping directly from the M2. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38673436/apple-launches-ipad-pro-with-m4-chip-oled-display-at-999-ipad-air-6-now-comes-in-two-sizes-for-the-f">Read the full article here.</a>
Apple&#8217;s AI Ambitions Revealed
Prominent tech analyst Gene Munster observed a &#8220;surprise takeaway&#8221; from Apple&#8217;s iPad launch event &#8211; the unveiling of the M4 chip. Munster believes this development indicates Apple's growing speed in updating its silicon and its focus on making hardware a competitive advantage in the field of artificial intelligence (AI). <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/05/38696261/prominent-apple-bull-reveals-surprise-takeaway-from-apples-ipad-launch-tim-cooks-ai">Read the full article here.</a>
Elon Musk Questions Apple&#8217;s R&amp;D Spend
Following the launch of Apple&#8217;s new iPad models, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk raised questions about Apple's huge research and development investment. Musk responded to a meme comparing Apple's $30 billion R&amp;D spend in 2023 to the marginal improvement in the thickness of its new 11-inch iPad Pro. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38689467/elon-musk-isnt-sure-apples-showed-its-entire-30b-r-d-prowess-with-new-ipads-maybe-they-have-some-sec">Read the full article here.</a>
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/05/38698335/joe-biden-set-to-unveil-microsofts-3b-ai-data-center-plan-on-same-wisconsin-land-where-trump-tried-t?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Joe Biden Set To Unveil Microsoft&#8217;s $3B AI Data Center Plan On Same Wisconsin Land Where Trump Tried To Execute His Mega Foxconn Fantasy</a>
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
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HNHPF

Apple's Week Of Breakneck Developments: Chart-Topper iPhone, New iPads And Elon Musk's Curiosity

Given the work schedule most of us have today,&nbsp;it's&nbsp;not unsurprising that we forget a lot of days that should&nbsp;be celebrated&nbsp;with utmost enthusiasm. One of those days is&nbsp;Mother's&nbsp;Day – the&nbsp;one&nbsp;day where we get to make our mothers feel special. So, when you forget to buy a gift for your mom on her special day, that feels like a&nbsp;major&nbsp;slip-up…&nbsp;and the guilt&nbsp;doesn't&nbsp;help.
So here are five simple yet heartfelt surprises that I planned for my mother to make her ordinary day extraordinary:
Breakfast In Bed: Because Breaking The Routine Is The Perfect Kickstart
It's usually our mothers who prepare the morning meals and get ready everything so that other family members and start their day on a positive note. So, on Mother's Day, you can try to break the routine and prepare a delicious surprise for her.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11063520/DALL%C2%B7E-2024-05-11-16.05.07-A-cozy-and-heartwarming-horizontal-scene-of-breakfast-in-bed-for-Mothers-Day.-The-setting-is-a-bright-and-airy-bedroom-with-soft-morning-light-stream-1024x585.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-333635" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Representational image of a mother getting breakfast in bed&#x7C; Image generated using Dall-E</figcaption></figure>
DIY Spa Day: Because Who Doesn't Like To Get Pampered From Time To Time
Our mothers handle everything. Whether your mother is a homemaker or goes to the office, more often than not, she is too busy worrying about others and forgets to take care of herself. So, a simple, relaxing, at-home spa treat can be the perfect surprise for her.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11064450/DALL%C2%B7E-2024-05-11-16.13.56-A-serene-and-elegant-horizontal-scene-of-a-DIY-spa-day-for-a-hardworking-mother.-The-setting-is-a-cozy-living-room-transformed-into-a-spa-area-with-a-1-1024x585.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-333638" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Representational image of a mother getting DIY spa treatment&#x7C; Image generated using Dall-E</figcaption></figure>
Trip Down Memory Lane: Because Revisiting Memories Can Bring Laughter And Tears
In the modern world, how many of us get to speak to our mothers at length about topics that make them laugh? So, this Mother's Day, prepare a new photo album of old memories or revisit any old family video to reminisce about the cherished time you both have spent together. And maybe, this sentimental journey can give some idea about what to plan for the coming years.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11065014/DALL%C2%B7E-2024-05-11-16.19.43-A-nostalgic-and-emotional-horizontal-scene-depicting-a-trip-down-memory-lane.-The-setting-is-a-cozy-living-room-with-warm-soft-lighting.-A-middle-age-1024x585.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-333639" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Representational image of a mother and daughter revisiting old memories&#x7C; Image generated using Dall-E</figcaption></figure>
Handwritten Letter: Because Nothing Can Beat The Classics 
I know that we all have become used to messaging each other and handwritten letters are almost extinct, but some things are timeless. Pour your heart out in a beautiful handmade paper, express your love and gratitude to her, and this piece of paper will be her most treasured possession ever.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11065406/DALL%C2%B7E-2024-05-11-16.23.34-A-serene-and-intimate-horizontal-scene-depicting-the-crafting-of-a-handwritten-letter.-In-a-cozy-corner-of-a-living-room-filled-with-soft-ambient-ligh-1024x585.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-333640" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Representational image of a daughter writing a handwritten letter to her mother&#x7C; Image generated using Dall-E</figcaption></figure>
Quality Time Together: Because No Gift Is Bigger Than You
Out of all the things in the world, if there's one gift for which there is no substitute for a mother, it is quality time with her kids. So, on this special day, try spending some quality time and doing some activities together. You can watch a movie together, bake something, go to her favorite restaurant, or simply have a conversation over a cup of hot mocha, there's nothing more dear to her than you.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11065810/DALL%C2%B7E-2024-05-11-16.27.39-A-heartwarming-horizontal-scene-showing-a-mother-and-her-adult-children-enjoying-quality-time-together-on-Mothers-Day.-The-setting-is-a-warm-and-cozy-1024x585.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-333641" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Representational image of a mother spending quality time with her kids&#x7C; Image generated using Dall-E</figcaption></figure>
Photo generated using Dall-E

I Forgot To Bring A Mother's Day Gift For My Mom — So I Planned These 5 Surprises To Make Her Day Extra Special

Los Angeles is known for its glitz and glamor. From window shopping to catching a glimpse of Hollywood stars, the City of Angels shines bright and can drive anyone giddy with excitement, especially tourists. But you can do all that and much more without breaking the bank.
In fact, there are several things you can do for free when you're lost in Los Angeles. From free hikes to concerts and treating your eyes to art, the City of Angels can be easy on the pocket.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Free Concerts Throughout Summer</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="585" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034536/LA-1-1024x585.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-333563" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034536/LA-1-1024x585.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034536/LA-1-300x171.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034536/LA-1-768x439.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034536/LA-1-1536x878.jpg 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034536/LA-1.jpg 1792w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Representational image of a concert &#x7C; Image generated using Dall-E</figcaption></figure>
Los Angeles has free concerts throughout the summer, from June to September. You can catch up on Grand Performances in Downtown L.A., or Off The 405 at Getty Center, and the Summer Sounds Outdoor in West Hollywood.
After all, who doesn't love a great concert that's also free?
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Explore The Arts District</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="585" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034602/LA-2-1024x585.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-333564" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034602/LA-2-1024x585.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034602/LA-2-300x171.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034602/LA-2-768x439.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034602/LA-2-1536x878.jpg 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034602/LA-2.jpg 1792w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Representational image of the Arts District &#x7C; Image generated using Dall-E</figcaption></figure>
If you're an art lover, L.A. is one of the good places to be. The Arts District in Downtown L.A. has dozens of murals and galleries showing off the local vibe.
You can also visit the Institute of Contemporary Art Los Angeles if you run out of murals to admire.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Get The Venice Vibe In LA</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="585" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034623/LA-3-1024x585.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-333565" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034623/LA-3-1024x585.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034623/LA-3-300x171.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034623/LA-3-768x439.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034623/LA-3-1536x878.jpg 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034623/LA-3.jpg 1792w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Representational image of the Venice Beach Boardwalk &#x7C; Image generated using Dall-E</figcaption></figure>
You don't have to go all the way to Italy to get a glimpse of Venice, you can do so in L.A., thanks to the iconic Venice Beach Boardwalk. Like other parts of the city, you'll find some more art here, too.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Visit The Walt Disney Concert Hall</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="585" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034655/LA-4-1024x585.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-333566" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034655/LA-4-1024x585.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034655/LA-4-300x171.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034655/LA-4-768x439.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034655/LA-4-1536x878.jpg 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034655/LA-4.jpg 1792w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Representational image of the Walt Disney Concert Hall &#x7C; Image generated using Dall-E</figcaption></figure>
If you're in L.A., you should take advantage of the free 90-minute guided tour of the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall, too. You can also opt for a self-guided audio tour, and take it up at your pace and leisure. The choice is yours.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Hike At Griffith Park</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="585" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034724/LA-5-1024x585.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-333567" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034724/LA-5-1024x585.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034724/LA-5-300x171.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034724/LA-5-768x439.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034724/LA-5-1536x878.jpg 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034724/LA-5.jpg 1792w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Representational image of the Griffith Park &#x7C; Image generated using Dall-E</figcaption></figure>
Get your heart pumping and your hike cravings satisfied at Griffith Park. Soak in the breathtaking views of the 4,210-acre terrain that's perfect for hikes, picnics, and more.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Bonus: Hit The Beach</h3>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="585" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034752/LA-6-1024x585.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-333568" srcset="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034752/LA-6-1024x585.jpg 1024w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034752/LA-6-300x171.jpg 300w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034752/LA-6-768x439.jpg 768w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034752/LA-6-1536x878.jpg 1536w,https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11034752/LA-6.jpg 1792w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Representational image of a beach &#x7C; Image generated using Dall-E</figcaption></figure>
If you're in L.A., you should check out the beaches in Malibu and Venice. From the surfers to quirky sidewalk performers, to bike trails and more, L.A.'s beaches attract 50 million visitors every year and that's for a good reason.
Photo courtesy: Unsplash

Entertainment

Travel

Explore Los Angeles For Free: From Arts To Beaches And More, Five Must-Do Activities In The City Of Angels

Jim Cramer, in his latest CNBC Investing Club &#8220;Morning Meeting&#8221; livestream, highlighted a chip stock that is poised for a significant upturn.
What Happened: On Friday, Cramer, the host of CNBC&#8217;s &#8220;Mad Money,&#8221; noted that despite the market&#8217;s overbought status, there are still opportunities for investors to capitalize on. Chip stocks, which had a down day on Thursday, saw a broad increase in the final session of the week. This was largely due to the robust April sales figures of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSM#NYSE">TSM</a>), a major chipmaker, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2024/05/10/cramer-chip-stock-not-on-anyones-radar-but-about-to-break-out-here.html">reported</a> CNBC.
The company&#8217;s monthly business update indicated a sustained demand for artificial intelligence chips. This development led to a rise in the shares of Nvidia (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NVDA#NASDAQ">NVDA</a>), a key customer of TSMC and a leading AI chip designer, by 1.2% on Friday.
He suggested that it might be time to consider trimming strong performers, such as Procter &amp; Gamble (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PG#NYSE">PG</a>), which reached a new all-time high on Friday.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/05/38752150/who-saw-this-coming-elon-musks-starlink-projected-to-rake-in-6-6b-revenue-this-year?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Who Saw This Coming? Elon Musk&#8217;s Starlink Projected To Rake In $6.6B Revenue This Year As Users Flock To</a>
Another chip stock that Cramer highlighted was Broadcom (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AVGO#NASDAQ">AVGO</a>), which also has an AI chip business. Despite it not being on anyone&#8217;s radar, Cramer believes that Broadcom is about to break out. The stock, which was trading at around $1,330 per share on Friday, might need to be trimmed when it reaches $1,400 per share.
"Broadcom is not an anybody's radar screen … but Broadcom is going to break out here, and that's the one we may have to trim next when that gets to $1,400 [per share]," Cramer said.
On the other hand, Alphabet (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) was the worst-performing stock in Friday&#8217;s session, with a 1.1% decline. This was attributed to various factors, including a report by Bloomberg News that Alphabet was in talks to acquire HubSpot, a provider of customer management relationship software and other marketing tools.
Why It Matters: Cramer&#8217;s insights into the chip market are particularly noteworthy given his previous comments on the sector. In March, he <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/03/37886816/jim-cramer-says-hed-rather-buy-nvidia-a-hundred-points-higher-than-this-ai-stock">expressed a strong preference for Nvidia</a> over other AI stocks, emphasizing the company&#8217;s potential for growth. 
Nvidia has also been making significant strides in the tech industry. The company recently unveiled its highly anticipated next GPU, Blackwell, at its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37809836/nvidia-reveals-blackwell-gpu-highlights-partnerships-with-top-companies-at-gtc-the-whole-industry-is" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">GTC artificial intelligence</a> event. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang also highlighted the past, present and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37803088/nvidia-gtc-2024-ceo-huang-highlights-the-past-present-and-future-of-ai-a-new-industry-has-emerged" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">future of AI</a> at the event, emphasizing the emergence of a new industry.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38729359/hertz-customer-fumes-after-car-rental-company-charges-him-277-for-refueling-tesla-and-refuses-to-rei?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Hertz Customer Fumes After Being Billed $277 For &#8216;Refueling&#8217; Tesla, Car-Rental Company Says It Will Refund &#8216;Erroneous&#8217; Charge (UPDATED)</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

Markets

AVGO

GOOGL

Amid Nvidia Craze, Jim Cramer Sees A Chip Stock 'Not On Anyone's Radar' About To Break Out: Here's What He Said

Every year, there are very few occasions when we get the chance to express our love toward our parents, and Mother's Day is one of them. This year, instead of simply buying flowers (which is always a good idea), consider gifting something more unique and thoughtful to your mother.&nbsp;
Here are five gift ideas that will definitely make your mom feel truly loved and appreciated:&nbsp;
Subtle Birthstones: Jewelry With A Touch Of Personalization&nbsp;
While jewelry is a popular gift item, it doesn't always have to be something expensive or big. A piece of subtle birthstone jewelry, whether it's a necklace or an earring, is not only timeless but also something that your mom will cherish forever.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11095709/DALL%C2%B7E-2024-05-11-19.26.48-A-minimalist-horizontal-image-showcasing-a-very-subtle-piece-of-birthstone-jewelry.-The-focus-is-on-a-fine-silver-chain-necklace-with-a-tiny-unobtru-1024x585.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-333676" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Representational image of a subtle piece of jewelry &#x7C; Image generated using Dall-E</figcaption></figure>
Luxurious Home Fragrances: Perfect For Destressing And Feel Good Environment&nbsp;
Home fragrances are not something that you would want to gift to your mother. However, once you transform her living space into a tranquil oasis, somewhere she can be surrounded by good comforting scents, the smile on her face will be worth the risk.&nbsp;
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11095920/DALL%C2%B7E-2024-05-11-19.28.38-A-luxurious-and-serene-horizontal-scene-depicting-a-living-room-transformed-into-a-tranquil-oasis-by-home-fragrances.-The-focus-is-on-a-beautifully-ar-1024x585.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-333677" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Representational image of a living room transformed into a tranquil oasis &#x7C; Image generated using Dall-E</figcaption></figure>
Homemade Coupon Book: Why Stop At Just One Gift&nbsp;
If you are looking for a last-minute gift idea, creating a homemade coupon book is your best bet. Give your mother coupons that she can redeem anytime in exchange for treats and favors from you. You can write anything on these coupons such as an impromptu movie night, a day off from chores, a day of pampering, or a breakfast in bed.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11100154/DALL%C2%B7E-2024-05-11-19.31.31-A-creative-and-colorful-horizontal-scene-showing-a-homemade-coupon-book-as-a-unique-gift.-The-focus-is-on-a-beautifully-crafted-coupon-book-open-to-d-1024x585.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-333678" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Representational image of a homemade coupon book &#x7C; Image generated using Dall-E</figcaption></figure>
Online Class Or Workshop: Because Learning Never Stops
Our parents are gradually getting old, but that does not mean they don't have the same passion to learn something new. Encourage your mother to enroll in a new online class or workshop of her choosing. Whether she is interested in painting, gardening, photography, or cooking, the world is her oyster.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11100337/DALL%C2%B7E-2024-05-11-19.33.25-A-vibrant-and-inspiring-horizontal-scene-depicting-a-mother-engaged-in-an-online-class-or-workshop.-The-setting-shows-a-middle-aged-Hispanic-woman-sit-1024x585.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-333679" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Representational image of a mother taking online class&#x7C; Image generated using Dall-E</figcaption></figure>
Fitness Subscription Box: Prioritize Her Health And Wellness&nbsp;
Self-care boxes are all good and mushy, but if you want to actually give your mother something that will help her prioritize overall well-being, gift a fitness subscription box. You can fill this box with workout gear, fitness accessories, healthy snacks, and educational resources like access to online workout classes, fitness magazines, and more.
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://editorial-assets.benzinga.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/11100449/DALL%C2%B7E-2024-05-11-19.34.07-A-dynamic-and-motivational-horizontal-scene-showcasing-a-fitness-subscription-box-designed-for-health-and-wellness.-The-setting-features-a-fitness-sub-1-1024x585.webp" alt="" class="wp-image-333681" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Representational image of a fitness subscription box&#x7C; Image generated using Dall-E</figcaption></figure>
Image Via Shutterstock

This Mother's Day Want To Surprise Your Mom In Style? 5 Gift Ideas That Will Make Her Day Memorable

Max Fu, the visionary CEO behind 9 Lives Interactive, is redefining the landscape of web3 gaming with his groundbreaking title, Nyan Heroes.&nbsp;In a recent interview, Fu shared insights into the game&rsquo;s ambitious vision and its remarkable journey in the gaming industry.
<h4>Shaping the Future with Nyan Heroes</h4>
Nyan Heroes, a team-based hero shooter, features small cats piloting giant mechs. The game combines traditional gaming elements with the innovative use of blockchain technology, aiming to create a unique and engaging experience for players. Fu&#39;s vision is clear: &ldquo;We want to establish ourselves as one of the flagship games in Web3, specifically for the high-end, mid-core to hardcore gamer vertical.&quot;
The game has already made significant strides in capturing the attention of gamers worldwide.
&ldquo;We recently had our pre-alpha demo launch through Epic Games ... We ended up in the top 30 most played games globally on the Epic Play Store which was amazing,&rdquo; Fu recounted.
This achievement places Nyan Heroes alongside industry giants, showcasing its potential to revolutionize gaming standards.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38469868/kind-hosts-massive-126k-attendee-web3-online-party-in-pixels">Kind Hosts Massive 126K-Attendee Web3 Online Party In Pixels</a>
<h4>Integration of Blockchain Technology</h4>
Integrating blockchain into Nyan Heroes is not just a technical decision but a strategic move to enhance player ownership and engagement. Fu explained his personal motivation for adopting blockchain, drawing from his childhood experiences with collecting cards.
&ldquo;It unlocks this subconscious feeling that this is yours...that is really powerful,&rdquo; he said.
This nostalgic element is central to Fu&rsquo;s philosophy of giving players a sense of permanent ownership over their digital assets, a novelty in today&rsquo;s ephemeral gaming landscapes.
<h4>Challenges and Opportunities</h4>
However, integrating blockchain into gaming is not without challenges. Fu elaborated on the difficulty of appealing to diverse user bases with different expectations.
&ldquo;The challenge...is figuring out how we can appeal or capture the attention of two divergent user bases,&rdquo; Fu admitted, highlighting the balancing act required to cater to both traditional gamers and web3 enthusiasts.
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38115997/exclusive-foonie-magus-founder-unveils-apeirons-vision-and-launch-of-aprs">EXCLUSIVE: Foonie Magus Founder Unveils Apeiron&#39;s Vision And Launch Of APRS</a>
<h4>Commitment to Social Causes</h4>
Beyond technological innovations, Nyan Heroes is committed to making a real-world impact. The game studio has donated over $350,000 to animal rescue organizations, reflecting Fu&rsquo;s personal passion for cat welfare.
&ldquo;This is something that is obviously very close to my heart...we&#39;ve donated over $350,000 to the cause so far,&rdquo; Fu shared, emphasizing the game&rsquo;s role in supporting charitable causes.
<h4>Looking Ahead</h4>
As Nyan Heroes continues to develop and expand, Fu remains optimistic about its future and the broader impact it can have on the gaming industry. With a vision that combines high-quality gameplay, innovative technology&nbsp;and social responsibility, Fu&rsquo;s Nyan Heroes is set to be a significant player in the evolving narrative of modern gaming.
Nyan Heroes&rsquo; unique combination of engaging gameplay, cutting-edge technology&nbsp;and a commitment to social impact positions it as a standout project in the crowded web3 space, promising an exciting future ahead under Max Fu&#39;s leadership.
<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EBewUVKAX0M?si=vWqse3Tz0oTOtoax" width="560"></iframe>

Gaming

Interview

EXCLUSIVE: Max Fu's Nyan Heroes: Pioneering the Next Frontier in Web3 Gaming

Reports suggest that South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, who <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37505302/nikki-haley-to-withdraw-from-2024-presidential-race-paves-way-for-trumps-gop-victory-report">withdrew from the 2024 Republican primary</a> in early March after Super Tuesday, may be back in the spotlight, though not necessarily for the top job in the country.
What Happened: Former President Donald Trump&#8217;s campaign actively considered the former South Carolina governor for the vice presidency, Axios <a href="https://www.axios.com/2024/05/11/trump-moves-haley-off-blacklist-2024-election">reported</a> on Saturday, citing two people familiar with the matter. Despite chilly relations between the two, Trump could give the nod if he were convinced Haley could help him secure a win in the 2024 presidential race, help him escape a prison sentence and cover his many legal bills, the report said.
Republicans close to both sides reportedly feel that it is in their best interest to reconcile despite their divergent views on several key issues and their bitter fight in the primaries.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/05/38753402/biden-vs-trump-key-swing-state-voters-give-big-lead-to-one-candidate-despite-ranking-him-down-on-cri">Biden Vs. Trump: Key Swing State Voters Give Big Lead To One Candidate, Despite Ranking Him Down On Critical Election Issues</a>
Why It&#8217;s Important: Trump&#8217;s team may have been swayed by Haley&#8217;s fundraising prowess, the report said, adding that the former president&#8217;s campaign has not been as successful as his Democratic rival&#8217;s on that front. Trump is confronting the possibility of paying millions of dollars in fines due to his numerous federal and state lawsuits.
Additionally, the inclusion of Haley in Trump&#8217;s team could assist the presidential hopeful in gaining support from a demographic segment where he currently lacks significant influence, as per the report. The former U.S. representative to the U.N. had huge support from college-educated GOP voters during her campaign and even after she dropped out.
Supporting this argument are the results of the GOP primary election held in Indiana this week, where Haley captured over 21% of the votes despite officially being out of the contention. The state permitted Democrats and independents to participate in the GOP primary.
Haley&#8217;s decision to become Trump&#8217;s running mate could be pivotal, as the Republican voter base may view unfavorably her refusal to endorse Trump if he loses the Nov. 5 election, according to the report. Such a move could potentially hinder any future presidential campaign by her.
Incidentally, in a Truth Social <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/112423102502717689">post</a>,Trump quashed the rumors, saying, &#8220;Nikki Haley is not under consideration for the V.P. slot, but I wish her well!&#8221;
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Amazing stuff here. <a href="https://t.co/UkKEAZ1ys1">pic.twitter.com/UkKEAZ1ys1</a>
&mdash; Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) <a href="https://twitter.com/maggieNYT/status/1789314173563777128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 11, 2024</a></blockquote>
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A separate Wall Street Journal report citing a person close to Haley <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/elections/nikki-haley-is-huddling-with-donors-and-wont-endorse-donald-trump-yet-052d3d0f">said</a> that she will meet with about 100 of her biggest donors on Monday and Tuesday in Charleston, South Carolina and thank them. She, however, isn&#8217;t planning to discuss her political future or encourage them to give to other campaigns.
The former South Carolina governor is attending a retreat in Charleston, S.C., on Monday and Tuesday to thank about <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/01/36861163/citadel-ceo-ken-griffin-backs-nikki-haley-with-5m-super-pac-donation">100 of her biggest donors, </a>a person close to Haley told The Wall Street Journal. She isn't expected to discuss her political future or encourage them to give to other campaigns.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/best-penny-stocks">Best Penny Stocks</a>
Photo: Shutterstock

Donald Trump Says Nikki Haley 'Not Under Consideration' For VP Role Amid Rumors: 'I Wish Her Well'

Canadian Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/csiq#NASDAQ">CSIQ</a>) reported first-quarter 2024 earnings of 19 cents per share, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 34 cents. However, the bottom line declined 84% from the first-quarter 2023 reported figure of $1.19 per share.
<h3>Revenues</h3>
Canadian Solar reported revenues of $1.33 billion in the first quarter, which surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.2%. However, the top line declined 21.9% from the year-ago quarter&#39;s figure of $1.70 billion. This decrease was primarily due to a decline in the average selling price for CSIQ&#39;s modules.
<div class="chart_embed">
<h3>Canadian Solar Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise <a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/chart/CSIQ/price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart?icid=chart-CSIQ-price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart"> <img alt="Canadian Solar Inc. Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise" src="https://staticx-tuner.zacks.com/images/charts/cd/1715340524.png" style="height:265px; width:577px" title="" /> </a></h3>
Canadian Solar Inc. price-consensus-eps-surprise-chart | Canadian Solar Inc. Quote
</div>
<h3>Operational Update</h3>
Solar module shipments in the quarter totaled 6.3 gigawatts (GW), which came within the company&#39;s earlier announced guidance range of 6.1-6.4 GW. This includes 236 megawatts of the company&#39;s utility-scale solar power projects. Total module shipments increased 4% on a year-over-year basis. 
Canadian Solar&#39;s gross margin was 19% in the quarter, which remains at the high end of the 17%-19% guidance range. The gross margin improved 30 basis points year over year, driven by lower manufacturing costs and a higher margin contribution from battery energy storage solutions sales. 
Total operating expenses were $204 million, up 18.6% year over year. 
Depreciation and amortization charges were $110 million, up from the $68 million recorded in the year-ago period. The increase was due to the company&#39;s continued investments in vertical integration and incremental capacity expansion.
<h3>Financial Update</h3>
As of Mar 31, 2024, Canadian Solar&#39;s cash and cash equivalents totaled $2.08 billion, up from $1.94 billion on Dec 31, 2023. 
Long-term borrowings as of Mar 31, 2024 were $1.59 billion, up from $1.27 billion on Dec 31, 2023.
<h3>Q2 Guidance</h3>
For the second quarter of 2024, Canadian Solar expects total module shipments in the range of 7.5-8.0 GW, including approximately 100 MW of module shipments for its projects. 
Total revenues are expected in the range of $1.5-$1.7 billion. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for second-quarter sales is pegged at $2.08 billion, much higher than the company&#39;s guided range. 
The company expects gross margin to be between 16% and 18%. 
Total battery energy storage shipments by CSI Solar in the second quarter are expected between 1.4 gigawatt-hours (GWh) and 1.6 GWh.
<h3>Zacks Rank</h3>
Canadian Solar currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).
<h3>Recent Solar Releases</h3>
Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/enph#NASDAQ">ENPH</a>) reported first-quarter 2024 adjusted earnings of 35 cents per share, highlighting a 74.5% decline from $1.37 reported in the prior-year quarter. The bottom line also lagged the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 42 cents per share by 16.7%. 
ENPH&#39;s first-quarter revenues of $263.3 million missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $284 million. The top line also declined 63.7% from the prior-year quarter&#39;s reported figure of $726 million. 
Sunnova Energy (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/nova#NYSE">NOVA</a>) reported a first-quarter 2024 loss of 57 cents per share, highlighting an improvement from the loss of 70 cents per share reported in the prior-year quarter. The bottom line also came in narrower than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 79 cents per share. 
NOVA&#39;s first-quarter revenues of $160.9 million missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $198 million. The top line also slipped 0.5% from the prior-year quarter&#39;s reported figure of $161.7 million. 
SolarEdge Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/sedg#NASDAQ">SEDG</a>) reported a first-quarter 2024 adjusted loss of $1.90 per share, wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of $1.58. The bottom line also deteriorated from the prior-year quarter&#39;s reported earnings of $2.90 per share. 
The company&#39;s quarterly revenues of $204.4 million surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 4.9%. However, the top line declined 78.3% from the year-ago quarter&#39;s figure of $943.9 million.
<a href="https://www.zacks.com/stock/news/2271997/canadian-solar-csiq-q1-earnings-beat-revenues-fall-y-y?cid=CS-BENZ-FT-analyst_blog|earnings_article-2271997">To read this article on Zacks.com click here.</a>

Earnings Beats

Penny Stocks

Guidance

Small Cap

CSIQ

ENPH

NOVA

SEDG

Canadian Solar Q1 Earnings Beat, Revenues Fall Y/Y

<div>The EBITDA losses keep piling up quarter after quarter at Uber Freight, but President Lior Ron offered nothing but optimism in an earnings preview interview, saying the integration between the legacy digital brokerage with Transplace is mostly complete and its future is looking up.</div>

Uber (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/uber#NYSE">UBER</a>) Freight's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization for the first quarter, released Wednesday as part of the parent company's earnings report, showed a loss of $21 million. That is $2 million better than the first quarter of 2023 but worse than every other quarter of 2023 as well as the fourth quarter of 2022. In 2022's third quarter, Uber Freight posted positive EBITDA of $1 million, the only quarter it has ended up in the black on an EBITDA basis.

Among other highlights in the quarterly earnings report, Uber Freight's revenue declined 8% to $1.28 billion, down from $1.4 billion. That revenue was flat sequentially.

Uber Freight announced its acquisition of Transplace in 2022, bringing together a leading provider of transportation management system technology with the digital brokerage. Despite the continued EBITDA losses, Ron said in the interview that the progress envisioned when the acquisition was made is on track. <script type="text/javascript">
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"We are the largest transportation management and TMS provider in the industry" Ron said, measuring that by what he said was $18 billion of freight under management.

And even though the losses are growing rather than retreating, Ron said he likes where Uber Freight is now. "More than half the business has a very stable and growing revenue stream" he said. "It is more a SaaS (software-as-a-service)-like business that is completely separate from the ebbs and flows of marketplace pricing that brokerages are exposed to."

<h2 id="h-highlighting-the-differences-with-convoy">Highlighting the differences with Convoy</h2>

Prior to the collapse of digital brokerage Convoy last year, it was hard not to think of that company without immediately thinking of Uber Freight as the leading pair of digital brokerages. Ron acknowledges it but bristles at the comparison and pushes back quickly.

He again referred to the SaaS analogy and said Uber Freight's model "has nothing to do with pricing going up or pricing going down." <script type="text/javascript">
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As a result of the transportation management capabilities of Transplace, Ron said, Uber Freight has a 96% retention rate with TMS customers. The relationships that develop as a result of that are "much more strategic with big Fortune 500 companies than any broker can ever aspire to because you are essentially their trusted logistics adviser." Being able to "upsell" various services through the capabilities for the legacy Transplace business "is not comparable to any broker" Ron said.

Those ties with a wider variety of shippers due to TMS capabilities and more midmarket truckload carriers because of the wide adoption of the Uber Freight platform, Ron said, mean Uber Freight can reduce its exposure to the larger enterprise customers, "who are going to be the most demanding in a market cycle like this one."

Asked if the structure of Uber Freight could be viewed as the brokerage activities of the company primarily supporting the transportation management activities, with the latter more of the company's core, Ron demurred and said the two businesses are supporting each other.

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<h2 id="h-the-level-of-integration">The level of integration</h2>

He said Uber Freight is "80% integrated" and "it's playing out exactly or even exceeding our expectations." He conceded there was no firm way to measure that 80%, but that it largely meant "we've done a lot of the hard stuff and we still have a lot of opportunity here."

"We've built the largest virtual fleet in the industry" Ron said, putting the number of truck owners who have downloaded the Uber Freight app at more than 2 million. "The market will continue to be more efficient as we continue to tap into the long tail of supply."

Uber Freight announced its acquisition of Transplace in 2022, bringing together a leading provider of TMS technology with the digital brokerage. Despite the continued EBITDA losses, Ron said the progress envisioned when the acquisition was made is on track.

In the interview prior to this month's earnings report, he said being part of a public company helps give Uber Freight "the ability to control our own destiny and invest for the long term while of course balancing the short-term needs of the business."

A public company's ability to access capital can be seen in the TMS technology investment announced last fall, Ron said, and going further back, in the $2.25 billion it spent to acquire Transplace. <script type="text/javascript">
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Uber Freight announced last fall major improvements to its suite of offerings, driven by technology including AI. In a press briefing held at the same time as Uber Freight's Deliver user conference, Ron said the efforts led Uber Freight to "really reimagine what would it mean to mobilize the TMS system and take that to the next level." He said that the user interface was "super intuitive and super easy to use."

Ron hinted during his latest interview that new announcements of technological advances may be coming within weeks.

"It's really thinking about how to build a single carrier engagement platform so they can tap into the network" he said of what might be coming soon. What both sides of the divide between the carriers using the Uber Freight app and the shippers securing that capacity and using the Uber Freight TMS want is "volume and opportunities" he said. 

It's been awhile since questions were raised about whether Uber Freight fit in the Uber portfolio. It's not an afterthought, but a transcript of the Wednesday call with analysts shows no questions on the call about Uber Freight.

Ron said recent hires out of key competitors show the parent company is committed to Uber Freight. Those hires include Dan Annunziata out of C.H. Robinson (NASDAQ: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/chrw#NASDAQ">CHRW</a>). When Greenbriar Equity took a $500 million stake in Uber Freight in 2020, Ron declared at the time that Uber Freight was "here for the long haul."

The post <a href="https://www.freightwaves.com/news/more-ebitda-losses-at-uber-freight-but-ron-touts-brokerage-tms-integration">More EBITDA losses at Uber Freight but Ron touts brokerage-TMS integration</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.freightwaves.com">FreightWaves</a>.

CHRW

UBER

More EBITDA Losses at Uber Freight but Ron Touts Brokerage-TMS Integration

<div>The regulation-driven purchase of commercial electric trucks carry a lot of unknowns. One of the biggest is their residual value, or how much they will be worth as trade-ins.</div>

Rich Mohr, senior vice president of North America ChargePoint, said the past is a prelude for what is happening with first-generation electric trucks.

<h2 id="h-depreciating-electric-trucks-to-scrap-value">Depreciating electric trucks to scrap value</h2>

"Three years ago, the biggest risk around fleets adopting electric vehicles was the residual value and the [anticipated] life of those vehicles" Mohr told me. "Every single fleet [was] depreciating these things down to nothing because we have no clue what they're going to be worth."

<img alt="" src="https://www.freightwaves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/09/051024-TT117-ChargePoint-LD-fleet-1200x675.png" />

Determining the residual value of electric vehicles takes several production cycles and contributes to slow adoption. (Photo: ChargePoint)

The same situation applied to electric cars until recently. Enough used EVs are showing up in Carvana towers, CarMax and dealer lots that establishing residuals is getting easier as shoppers are revealing what they're willing to pay. <script type="text/javascript">
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A lot of early adopters of EVs got stuck financially when they wanted to trade in their cars. The same could happen with early adopters of Class 4-8 electric trucks. Class 1-3 trucks have some protection because of a larger secondary customer base.

"I expected the residual values of electric vehicles to fall dramatically in the first-, second- and third-generation production cycles" Mohr said. "The cost of that vehicle to produce in the first two generations is going to be the highest. Any commercial OEM that's producing an electric vehicle is still in that first generation of production or just entering into the second generation." 

<h2 id="h-meaningful-residual-setting-for-electric-trucks-3-to-4-years-out">Meaningful residual setting for electric trucks 3 to 4 years out</h2>

Longer purchase cycles — typically four to seven years — for trucks suggests meaningful residual-setting market data on current purchases is three or four years out.

"Who knows right now?" Mohr said. <script type="text/javascript">
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"If the vehicles really get the lifecycle that we expect them to, really get the maintenance costs we're anticipating and really get the [expected] lower fuel costs, there's no transportation manager that's going to say ‘I don't want the vehicle'."

But anecdotal evidence is mounting that costs associated with using electric trucks are higher than projected. The latest comes from Ryder System Inc. (NYSE: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/r#NYSE">R</a>) — Mohr's former employer — which looks at the costs of converting. 

We'll take a closer look at that study next week in Truck Tech with Karen Jones, Ryder's executive vice president, chief marketing officer and head of new product development.

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For more with Mohr, click on this week's "Catching up with …" video segment below. For his take on other electrification subjects, keep reading.

<div><iframe height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/lq3T_-hk8vs?feature=oembed" width="500"></iframe></div>

Rich Mohr, senior vice president of North America ChargePoint

<h2 id="h-commercial-truck-charging-at-home-is-a-thing">Commercial truck charging at home is a thing</h2>

The slow rollout of electric truck charging infrastructure is leading some electric fleet operators to let drivers charge at home and get reimbursed for their electricity. ChargePoint wants to be, ahem, a conduit to this.

"My ultimate goal was to work with current fleets without them having to abandon their own fleet software, their own TMS [Transportation Management System], their own maintenance system, their own telematics" Mohr said. 

Companies shouldn't pay extra "just because they added an electric vehicle with a whole other independent system."

Mohr spent 19 years in a variety of roles, including chief technology officer, at Ryder before moving to ChargePoint in February 2021, where he initially led global fleet operations. <script type="text/javascript">
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<h2 id="h-keeping-track-of-charging-costs">Keeping track of charging costs</h2>

"I never wanted to come over to ChargePoint and say ‘I've got to invest all this stuff,'" he said. That's why ChargePoint software can facilitate reimbursement for home or depot charging and, increasingly, on-route public charging.

The $650 million-plus Greenlane public truck charging joint venture by Daimler Truck North America, BlackRock Climate Infrastructure and NextEra Energy Inc. will likely be a catalyst for Class 8 on-route charging.

Home charging is limited to Class 2 or Class 3 vehicles capable of recharging on a 240- or 110-volt circuit. ChargePoint can integrate with popular fuel cards or create a reimbursement record for the fleet.

"It should work just like it does [for] unleaded [gasoline] or diesel vehicles" Mohr said. "Whether it goes through WEX or whether we have to report to the company the reimbursement, we don't care. It just has to work. I want it to be as quick and painless as possible to get an EV."

<h2 id="h-mohr-public-charging-uptime-reliability-better-than-people-think">Mohr: Public charging uptime reliability better than people think </h2>

While the charging infrastructure for commercial trucks is in its infancy, reports of spotty or worse reliability for public charging stations for passenger vehicles gets cited as a factor in the slowing adoption of electric vehicles.

Mohr doesn't see it. He points to investments by ChargePoint and its competitors like EVgo, Electrify America, Blink and others.

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"I think the whole network is getting better in the U.S." he said. "The utilization of the current network and our roaming partners is at an all-time high because more vehicles are using the network. <a href="https://www.evgo.com/"> </a>

Still, Mohr acknowledges public uptime reliability trails the 99% uptime of chargers in ChargePoint's direct control. Service level agreements are impacted by what operators cannot see.

"You can't pick up on every cracked screen and every cut cable" he said. "If the SIM card is down on the network's down, the payment [system is] broken or there's zero energy charge, we file tickets and repair those chargers right away.

"If it's in a multifamily parking garage and I can't get a service technician in there because a property manager won't reply, I can't just barge into the facility and cut power off at the panel."

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<h2 id="h-planned-arizona-hydrogen-hub-could-shrink">Planned Arizona Hydrogen hub could shrink </h2>

Fortescue Future Industries has renamed Nikola's former hydrogen hub Arizona Hydrogen. But the 80 megawatt project to make green hydrogen from electrolyzers faces downsizing because rules under consideration by the Biden Administration could drive costs dramatically higher.

<img alt="" src="https://www.freightwaves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/09/051024-TT117-Fortescue-Arizona-Hydrogen.jpg" />

Rendering of the planned 80-megawatt green hydrogen hub in Buckeye, Arizona. (Image: Fortescue)

"I support the Biden Administration's goal to produce hydrogen in a way that prioritizes sustainability. However [the tax credit], in its current form, is a straitjacket on the industry and works against the Biden Administration's own climate goals" Andrew Forrest, Fortescue executive chair and founder, said in a May 3 statement.

<img alt="" src="https://www.freightwaves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/09/051024-Fortescue-Executive-Chair-Andrew-Forrest-1200x800.jpg" />

Andrew Forrest, executive chair and founder of Fortescue Future Industries, speaks at the soil turning for the Arizona Hydrogen hub. (Photo Fortescue)

Australia-based Fortescue originally partnered with Nikola on the hydrogen hub in Buckeye, Arizona. Cash-strapped Nikola sold its interest to Fortrescue, a major iron ore and green energy producer, for $24 million in July 2023. 

Nikola in February restructured an agreement with Norway-based hydrogen equipment Nel, which will become Fortescue's supplier of electrolyzers, including some delivered to Nikola in 2020. Nikola received about $11 million for the equipment. It paid more than $30 million.

The 158-acre Arizona Hydrogen facility is part of Fortescue's $550 million investment in making green hydrogen in the U.S. Arizona Hydrogen expects to produce up to 11,000 tons of liquid green hydrogen annually, significantly contributing to the decarbonization of the heavy-duty on-road transportation sector.

<h2 id="h-truck-tech-episode-no-65-daimler-marries-autonomous-and-electric-truck-technologies">Truck Tech episode No. 65: Daimler marries autonomous and electric truck technologies</h2>

<div><iframe height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ow3z13Win7I?list=PLVi2PdlRdiSpjv3WSrEwb-j4qH7ezOEEs" width="500"></iframe></div>

Joanna Buttler, head of Daimler Truck Global Autonomous Technology Group

<h2 id="h-briefly-noted">Briefly noted …</h2>

Motiv Power Systems is calling out its success in the electric step van market, claiming 10 of the top 20 medium-duty fleets nationwide and a 45% market share in California. The company also has completed delivery of 55 electric trucks to Purolator, the first Canadian courier to launch fully electric curbside delivery trucks nationally.

<img alt="" src="https://www.freightwaves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/09/051024-TT117-Motiv-Purolator-1200x800.jpg" />

Motiv Power Systems Autonomous says it has 45% of the electric step van market in California and recently completed a 55-truck delivery to Purolator in Canada. (Photo: Motiv Power Systems)

Vehicle lidar maker Luminar will take a $6 million to $8 million charge to cover the cost of laying off 20% — or at least 147 employees, according to TechCrunch — of its workforce. 

Amazon is deploying the first of a dozen Volvo VNR Electric trucks operated by J.B. Hunt in California's ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, charging them at an offsite Forum Mobility depot. Another 38 VNRs will carry packages between Amazon facilities.

Speaking of the VNR Electric, 4 Gen Logistics is now operating 41 of the Class 8 battery-powered trucks it ordered from Volvo in 2022.

<img alt="" src="https://www.freightwaves.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/09/051024-TT117-4-Gen-Volvo-VNR-Electric-trucks-1200x675.jpg" />

4 Gen Logistics is now operating 41 Volvo VNR Electric trucks in California. (Photo: Volvo Trucks North America)

<h2 id="h-healthy-payday">Healthy payday</h2>

Finally this week, Paccar Inc. CEO Preston Feight had a really nice year. His total compensation, including $5.2 million in long-term incentive cash, totaled nearly $21 million. The average salary of Paccar's 30,000 employees was $93,387. Feight earned 224 times as much as the typical worker.

Separately on Tuesday, Feight sold 33,850 Paccar shares at a weighted average price of $106.177, totaling nearly $3.6 million. He also exercised options at a price of $61.26 per share, amounting to about $2.2 million. Feight still directly holds 154,430 Paccar shares.

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