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Ross Gerber, CEO of Gerber Kawasaki Wealth, supports Tesla Inc.&#8216;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) strategy shift post-Q1 results, while Dan Ives praised Elon Musk&#8216;s leadership. Despite a revenue dip, Tesla&#8217;s shares rise on new model plans.
What Happened: Despite Tesla&#8217;s disappointing Q1 results, Gerber is optimistic about the company&#8217;s future. He shared his thoughts on Tesla&#8217;s new direction in an interview with CNBC&#8217;s Last Call. 
&#8220;As long as Tesla shareholders are fine with a much less profitable version of the company then this vision works fine,&#8221; Gerber said. &#8220;There&#8217;s a difference between owning a Tesla, buying a Tesla and being a shareholder,&#8221; Gerber added.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">&quot;As long as <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24TSLA&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$TSLA</a> shareholders are fine with a much less profitable version of the company then this vision works fine,&quot; says <a href="https://twitter.com/GerberKawasaki?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GerberKawasaki</a> following <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tesla?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tesla</a>&#39;s Q1 results. &quot;There&#39;s a difference between owning a Tesla, buying a Tesla and being a shareholder.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/FDKQSu8uoV">pic.twitter.com/FDKQSu8uoV</a>
&mdash; Last Call (@LastCallCNBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/LastCallCNBC/status/1782912002660172252?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Meanwhile, Dan Ives, an analyst at Wedbush, praised Tesla CEO&#8217;s leadership. He said, &#8220;Tesla needed an adult in the room, and Elon Musk was the adult in the room.&#8221;
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">&quot;Tesla needed an adult in the room, and <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a> was the adult in the room,&quot; says <a href="https://twitter.com/DivesTech?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@divestech</a> as shares of Tesla surge following a renewed push for affordable models. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24TSLA&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$TSLA</a> <a href="https://t.co/triAAGBwuq">pic.twitter.com/triAAGBwuq</a>
&mdash; Last Call (@LastCallCNBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/LastCallCNBC/status/1782910640677331119?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Tesla <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38390883/tesla-q1-earnings-highlights-ev-giant-misses-wall-street-estimates-makes-cost-cuts-invests-in-ai-sp">reported</a> a 9% year-over-year revenue drop to $21 billion in Q1, missing the Street&#8217;s consensus estimate of $22.15 billion. Despite this, the company&#8217;s shares surged after announcing plans to accelerate the launch of new models, including more affordable options and a next-generation platform.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38348301/bitcoin-halving-elon-musks-dogecoin-tweet-solanas-rise-and-more-this-week-in-cryptocurrenc?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin Halving, Elon Musk&#8217;s Dogecoin Tweet, Solana&#8217;s Rise And More: This Week In Cryptocurrency</a>
Gerber had previously voiced concerns about Tesla&#8217;s future, predicting a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38372928/tesla-isnt-growing-investor-ross-gerber-predicts-bad-q1-earnings-and-pokes-holes-in">challenging earnings report</a> and questioning the company&#8217;s growth strategy. However, he now seems to be on board with the new direction Tesla is taking.
Why It Matters: The recent surge in Tesla&#8217;s stock price despite the &#8220;ugly&#8221; Q1 results can be attributed to the company&#8217;s announcement of an <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38394792/tesla-stock-surges-despite-ugly-q1-results-heres-why">accelerated new model launch</a>. This shift in strategy seems to have won over prominent investor Ross Gerber, who had previously expressed concerns about Tesla&#8217;s growth strategy.
Gerber&#8217;s support for Tesla&#8217;s new direction comes after he <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/04/38306906/tesla-boards-credibility-at-stake-with-56b-elon-musk-pay-package-vote-says-ross-gerber-super-gra">questioned the credibility of the Tesla board</a> in a recent interview. His latest comments indicate a shift in sentiment, suggesting that Tesla&#8217;s strategic changes have the potential to reshape the company&#8217;s future.
The statement from Ives is a significant turnaround from his previous criticism of Musk. Just a week ago, Ives had demanded <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/04/38262559/the-street-wants-and-needs-answers-from-elon-musk-on-tesla-layoffs-dan-ives-demands-rationale-fo">answers from Musk regarding Tesla&#8217;s layoffs</a>. He had called for a clear rationale for the cost-cutting measures, especially in light of a challenging quarter for the electric vehicle giant.
Price Action: In after-hours trading, Tesla shares surged by 13.38%, currently priced at $144.61, reflecting a 1.80% increase from Tuesday&#8217;s close. Despite these fluctuations, Tesla&#8217;s shares have experienced a year-to-date decline of 41.79%, according to the data&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">from Benzinga Pro</a>.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38339431/general-motors-and-ford-are-facing-the-same-challenge-as-they-run-back-to-gas-powered-trucks?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">General Motors And Ford Are Facing The Same Challenge As They Run Back To Gas-Powered Trucks</a>
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TSLA

Tesla's Strategic Pivot Post-Q1 Gets A Thumbs Up From Ross Gerber, Wedbush's Dan Ives Lauds Elon Musk's Leadership

Tesla Inc. (NASDA: TSLA) CEO&nbsp;Elon Musk hinted at the possibility of the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37949165/tesla-hiring-another-key-role-for-optimus-humanoid-robot-could-highly-anticipated-launch-be-nearing">company&#8217;s humanoid robot</a>, Optimus, being available for sale&nbsp;externally by the end of&nbsp;2025.
What Happened: On Tuesday, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38390883/tesla-q1-earnings-highlights-ev-giant-misses-wall-street-estimates-makes-cost-cuts-invests-in-ai-sp">during Tesla&#8217;s first-quarter conference call</a>, Musk was asked about the current status of Optimus and when mass production is expected to commence. 
In response, the entrepreneur revealed that the company is making significant progress with Optimus and anticipates limited production to begin by the end of 2024, with external sales potentially starting by the end of 2025.
&#8220;We are able to do&nbsp;simple factory tasks or at&nbsp;least, I should say, factory&nbsp;tasks in the lab. We&nbsp;do think we will have Optimus in limited production in&nbsp;the natural factory itself, doing&nbsp;useful tasks before the end&nbsp;of this year. And then&nbsp;I think we may be&nbsp;able to sell it externally&nbsp;by the end of next&nbsp;year. These are just guesses,&#8221; Musk said during the call.
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The Tesla CEO also highlighted the potential significance of Optimus, stating, &#8220;I think Optimus will be&nbsp;more valuable than everything else&nbsp;combined. Because if you&#8217;ve got&nbsp;a sentient humanoid robots that&nbsp;is able to navigate reality&nbsp;and do tasks at request, there is no meaningful limit&nbsp;to the size of the&nbsp;economy.&#8221;
Why It Matters: This announcement comes on the heels of Tesla&#8217;s&nbsp;first-quarter financial results, which showed a 9% year-over-year decrease in revenue, missing the Street consensus estimate, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/feature/newsfeed?gspk=bHVrZWphY29iaTUzNDg&amp;gsxid=tdEE0VrK8Jeg&amp;ref=lukejacobi5348" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data from Benzinga Pro.</a> 
The company stated that revenue was affected by decreased average selling prices and reduced vehicle deliveries during the quarter.
Meanwhile, last month Musk spoke about the cost efficiency of manufacturing Optimus, stating that it costs the company only half as much as making a car. At the time, Musk verified to a user on X, formerly Twitter, that initially, the Optimus will be <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37950895/elon-musk-says-cost-of-making-an-optimus-is-half-that-of-manufacturing-a-tesla-ev-despite-complexity">priced between $25,000 and $30,000</a>, with subsequent reductions over time.
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Check out more of Benzinga's Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38349837/elon-musk-agrees-every-american-household-will-have-a-1-000-per-month-home-robot-in-7-years-time?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Agrees Every American Household Will Have A $1,000-Per-Month Home Robot In 7 Years&#8217; Time</a>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Tech

Elon Musk Says Tesla Optimus Humanoid Robot Might Be Available Externally By The End Of Next Year: Here's The Progress Report

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Economics

Reported Earlier, Australia Trimmed Mean Consumer Price Index (QoQ) (Q1) 1.0% Vs. 0.8% Est.; 0.8% Prior

Reported Earlier, Australia Consumer Price Index (QoQ) (Q1) 1.0% Vs. 0.8% Est.; 0.6% Prior

Reported Earlier, Australia Consumer Price Index (YoY) (Q1) 3.6% Vs. 3.4% Est.; 4.1% Prior

Crypto trader Kevin has shared his bullish outlook on Dogecoin&#8217;s (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>) performance against Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>), noting the cryptocurrency&#8217;s consolidation in the golden pocket and its position above all bull market up trending moving averages.
What Happened: On Tuesday, Kevin, formerly known as OG_Yomi On X, posted his analysis of the <a href="https://twitter.com/Kev_Capital_TA/status/1782950223863599319">#Dogecoin vs #BTC</a> chart. He observed that Dogecoin is currently consolidating in the golden pocket while sitting above all bull market up trending MA&#8217;s. He expressed optimism about Dogecoin&#8217;s potential to outperform Bitcoin if it can maintain its current position.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">If we take a close look at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Dogecoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Dogecoin</a> vs <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BTC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BTC</a> chart we&#39;re currently consolidating in the golden pocket while sitting above all bull market up trending MA&#39;s. This is a very good sign if we can hold it in terms of seeing <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DOGE?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DOGE</a> out performing BTC from here on out. Send this dog… <a href="https://t.co/Nvd2LBzETu">pic.twitter.com/Nvd2LBzETu</a>
&mdash; Kevin (@Kev_Capital_TA) <a href="https://twitter.com/Kev_Capital_TA/status/1782950223863599319?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
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See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38348301/bitcoin-halving-elon-musks-dogecoin-tweet-solanas-rise-and-more-this-week-in-cryptocurrenc?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bitcoin Halving, Elon Musk&#8217;s Dogecoin Tweet, Solana&#8217;s Rise And More: This Week In Cryptocurrency</a>
Notably, Dogecoin has already outperformed Bitcoin in terms of year-to-date gains. The meme coin has given 82.8% gains so far in 2024, while Bitcoin has returned 57.5% in the same period.
Why It Matters: Kevin&#8217;s tweet comes in the wake of a recent Benzinga article in which Yomi shared his insights on Dogecoin&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38241856/dogecoins-road-to-the-golden-cross-crypto-analyst-shares-his-take-on-bull-market-milestone">anticipated Golden Cross</a>. Despite two consecutive red weeks causing a slight deviation, the cryptocurrency is still several weeks of upward price action away from achieving this bull market milestone.
Moreover, a pseudonymous cryptocurrency trader, Vapor, recently predicted that at <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38383807/trader-predicts-at-least-3-meme-coins-above-100b-market-cap-heres-which-coins-benzinga-fol">least three meme coins</a> will achieve a market cap above $100B, as noted in a Benzinga report. This growing prominence of meme coins in the digital asset space underscores Kevin&#8217;s bullish outlook on Dogecoin.
Price Action: At the time of writing, Dogecoin traded 1.9% higher at $0.16, while Bitcoin was down by 0.2% at $66,613.80, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/feature/newsfeed?gspk=bHVrZWphY29iaTUzNDg&amp;gsxid=tdEE0VrK8Jeg&amp;ref=lukejacobi5348">data from Benzinga Pro.</a>
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Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38387650/dogecoin-and-elon-musk-in-one-animation-but-this-trader-suggests-to-short-doge-at-0-18-to-?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dogecoin And Elon Musk In One Animation But This Trader Suggests To Short DOGE At $0.18 To $0.20</a>
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Coverage of Bitcoin, Etherum, Ripple and all the latest digital currencies.

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$DOGE

Dogecoin Could Outperform Bitcoin Thanks To Consolidation In The Golden Pocket, Says Trader: 'This Is A Very Good Sign'

Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) has announced a timeline for the production of its electric semi-truck, with the first vehicles expected to roll out from a new factory by 2026.
What Happened: During the company&#8217;s first-quarter earnings call on Tuesday, Lars Moravy, Vice President of Vehicle Engineering, revealed the plans for the Tesla Semi.
Moravy stated that the engineering for the semi-truck is being finalized to enable high-volume production, drawing from the company&#8217;s fleet and pilot fleet experiences, including those with PepsiCo (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PEP#NASDAQ">PEP</a>). The construction of a factory in Reno has already commenced.
Moravy said that the first &#8220;external customers&#8221; are expected in 2026.
The Tesla Semi is a fully electric semi-truck with advanced safety features, a long range, and a spacious interior designed for maximum visibility.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/04/38349246/should-have-sold-our-entire-tsla-position-says-fund-manager-following-ev-giants-coordinated-global-p?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8216;Should Have Sold Our Entire $TSLA Position,&#8217; Says Fund Manager, Following EV Giant&#8217;s Coordinated Global Price Cuts Over Weekend</a>
Why It Matters: The Tesla Semi has been making significant strides in recent times. In January, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/01/36796670/pepsico-says-its-tesla-semi-surpassed-1-000-miles-in-single-day-haul">PepsiCo revealed</a> that its Tesla Semi had covered over 1,000 miles in a single day, demonstrating the truck&#8217;s capabilities and efficiency.
In April, Tesla&#8217;s Senior Manager of Semi truck engineering, Dan Priestley, endorsed the Environmental Protection Agency&#8217;s (EPA) stricter Phase-3 emission standards for <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/04/38039010/tesla-semi-ready-to-replace-diesel-trucks-says-unit-head-as-he-cheers-epas-tough-new-standards">heavy-duty vehicles</a>, asserting that the Tesla Semi is ready to replace diesel trucks.
Despite <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38394792/tesla-stock-surges-despite-ugly-q1-results-heres-why">disappointing Q1 results</a>, Tesla&#8217;s stock surged after the company announced plans to accelerate the launch of new models. This includes the Tesla Semi, which is now set to enter production ahead of schedule.
Price Action: According to the data&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">from Benzinga Pro</a>, Tesla shares are currently priced at $144.61, reflecting a 1.80% increase from Tuesday's closing price. Notably, in after-hours trading, the stock surged by 13.38%. However, despite these fluctuations, Tesla's shares have experienced a year-to-date decline of 41.79%.
Image Via Shutterstock
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38367087/tesla-q1-earnings-preview-is-ev-giant-no-longer-a-growth-stock-analysts-cautious-wa?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tesla Q1 Earnings Preview: Is EV Giant No Longer A &#8216;Growth Stock?&#8217; Analysts Cautious, Want Answers About Robotaxis, Model 2</a>
Editor&#8217;s Note: The headline of this article has been updated for clarity and accuracy.
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Tesla Unveils Timeline For Scaling Up Electric Semi-Truck Production, First Units From New Factory To 'External Customers' By 2026

Tesla and SpaceX CEO&nbsp;Elon Musk&nbsp;has expressed his admiration for Japanese video games, citing them as untainted by &#8220;woke DEI lies.&#8221;
What Happened: On Tuesday, Musk took to&nbsp;X, formerly Twitter, and replied to meme shared by social media user who goes by the handle &#8220;Rothmus&#8221; on platform. He said,&nbsp;&#8220;Games from Japan are still&nbsp;good, because they don't ruin&nbsp;the art with woke DEI&nbsp;lies.&#8221;
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Games from Japan are still good, because they don't ruin the art with woke DEI lies
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1782827990185046382?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
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However, not everyone agreed with Musk&#8217;s statement. A user pointed out that Japanese developers have started self-censoring to cater to Western audiences. They also highlighted the issue of Western localizers rewriting game scripts to include &#8220;woke ideology&#8221; in Japanese games.
<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/22/05/27341015/elon-musk-endorses-this-recent-hit-video-game-as-most-beautiful-art-he-has-ever-seen">Musk&#8217;s appreciation for Japanese</a> video games is not new. In May 2022, he&nbsp;praised the hit video game &#8220;Elden Ring&#8221;&nbsp;as featuring the &#8220;most beautiful art&#8221; he had ever seen. Developed by Japanese studio FromSoftware, the game was released for all major gaming platforms.
Why It Matters: Musk&#8217;s recent comments on &#8220;woke DEI lies&#8221; are in line <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/01/36772215/elon-musk-calls-dei-extremely-anti-semitic-and-dangerous-in-conversation-with-ben-shapiro">with his previous criticisms</a> of diversity, equity, and inclusion or DEI initiatives. In January earlier this year, he&nbsp;branded the DEI agenda as &#8220;extremely anti-Semitic&#8221; and &#8220;dangerous&#8221;&nbsp;during an interview with&nbsp;Ben Shapiro. 
The tech billionaire has also been vocal about his opposition to DEI policies in the corporate world,&nbsp;accusing companies like Disney of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/02/36972002/elon-musk-charges-disney-with-institutionalized-racism-and-sexism-over-leaked-inclusion-sta">institutionalized racism and sexism</a>.
Despite the controversy surrounding his views, Musk&#8217;s influence in the gaming industry has been significant. His endorsement of &#8220;Elden Ring&#8221; in 2022 reportedly led to a surge in the game&#8217;s popularity and sales.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
Check out more of Benzinga's Future Of Consumer Tech by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link.</a>
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38370806/elon-musk-calls-social-security-the-biggest-ponzi-scheme-ever-maybe-ai-and-robots-will-save-it?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Calls Social Security The Biggest Ponzi Scheme Ever: &#8216;Maybe AI And Robots Will Save It&#8217;</a>
This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Gaming

Elon Musk Likes Games Originating From This Country Because Because They Haven't Been Corrupted By 'Woke DEI Lies'

At the close of Tuesday&#8217;s trading session, key U.S. stock indices showed gains, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbing 0.7% to reach 38,503.69, the S&amp;P 500 increasing by 1.2% to 5,070.55, and the Nasdaq also experiencing a rise of 1.6% to hit 15,969.64.
These are the top stocks that gained the attention of retail traders and investors through the day:
Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>)
Tesla&#8217;s stock rose by 1.80%, closing at $144.61. The stock&#8217;s intraday high was $147.26, with a low of $141.11. The 52-week high and low are $299.29 and $138.80, respectively. The Elon Musk-led company reported first-quarter revenue of $21.0 billion, a 9% year-over-year decrease, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38390883/tesla-q1-earnings-highlights-ev-giant-misses-wall-street-estimates-makes-cost-cuts-invests-in-ai-sp">missing the Street consensus</a> estimate. 
Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/META#NASDAQ">META</a>)
Meta Platforms saw a 2.92% increase, closing at $495.78. The intraday high and low were $498.76 and $488.97, respectively, with a 52-week range of $531.49 to $207.13. Analysts expect the company to report <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38387398/meta-platforms-q1-earnings-preview-marginally-cautious-ai-opportunity-could-prove-f">first-quarter revenue</a> of $36.16 billion. 
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38376705/doge-shiba-and-other-memecoins-fueling-mass-adoption-of-bases-l2-network-coinbase-e?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dogecoin, Shiba Inu And Other Memecoins Fueling Mass Adoption Of Base&#8217;s L2 Network, Coinbase Exec Says: &#8216;</a>
Enphase Energy Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ENPH#NASDAQ">ENPH</a>)
Enphase Energy&#8217;s stock rose by 2.62%, ending the day at $113.41. The intraday high was $116.1, and the low was $109.65. The 52-week high and low are $228.36 and $73.49, respectively. The company reported <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38391465/enphase-energy-q1-earnings-revenue-eps-come-in-below-estimates-amid-softening-us-demand">first-quarter revenue</a> of $263.3 million, missing the consensus estimate. 
Texas Instruments Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TXN#NASDAQ">TXN</a>)
Texas Instruments saw a 1.22% increase, closing at $165.42. The intraday high and low were $166.9 and $162.46, respectively, with a 52-week range of $188.12 to $139.48. The company reported <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38390554/texas-instruments-q1-earnings-eps-beat-revenue-beat-despite-decline-across-all-end-markets">first-quarter revenue of $3.66 billion</a>, beating the consensus estimate. 
Rivian Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIVN#NASDAQ">RIVN</a>)
Rivian Automotive&#8217;s stock rose by 2.84%, closing at $9.04. The stock&#8217;s intraday high was $9.24, with a low of $8.69. The 52-week high and low are $28.06 and $8.26, respectively. The company announced a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/04/38380242/rivians-earth-day-offer-trade-in-your-gas-powered-car-and-get-up-to-5k-off-on-r1-ev">discount of up to $5,000</a> on qualifying new R1 models when customers trade in select gas-powered vehicles.
Photo by Jirapong Manustrong on Shutterstock
Prepare for the day&#8217;s trading <a href="Premarket Movers &amp; News">with top premarket movers and news</a> by Benzinga.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/04/38350014/elon-musk-reacts-to-teslas-pricing-debate-only-a-fool-thinks?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Reacts To Tesla&#8217;s Pricing Debate: &#8216;Only A Fool Thinks ….&#8217;</a>
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ENPH

RIVN

Tesla, Meta Platforms, Enphase Energy, Texas Instruments, Rivian: Why These 5 Stocks Are On Investors' Radars Today

The U.S. Senate has passed a bill that could lead to the ban or sale of&nbsp;TikTok, marking a significant development <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38372058/analyst-predicts-tiktok-shutdown-in-us-by-next-year-ahead-of-senate-vote-will-not-operate-here">in the ongoing debate over</a> the app&#8217;s Chinese ownership.
What Happened: The Senate voted 79-18 in favor of the bill, which is part of a larger funding package providing aid to Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2024/04/23/tiktok-ban-senate-vote-sale-biden/">reported</a>&nbsp;The Washington Post on Tuesday.&nbsp;The bill now awaits President&nbsp;Joe Biden&#8216;s signature, who has said he will sign the bill into law on Wednesday.
Once signed, the bill will give TikTok&#8217;s parent company,&nbsp;ByteDance,&nbsp;nine months to sell the&nbsp;app or face a national&nbsp;ban, with the possibility of a 90-day extension by the President.
The legislation, which <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38322987/tiktoks-ticking-clock-meta-snap-stocks-climb-as-us-ban-bill-vote-nears">has bipartisan support</a>, is&nbsp;the most significant threat to&nbsp;TikTok&#8217;s U.S. operations, with over 170 million users in the country. Lawmakers have expressed concerns about the app&#8217;s Chinese ownership structure potentially <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/23/03/31479124/lawmakers-accuse-tiktok-of-being-national-security-threat-call-for-ban">compromising American data security</a>, a claim disputed by TikTok.
TikTok is expected to challenge&nbsp;the bill, setting the stage for a high-stakes legal battle. "It is unfortunate that the House of Representatives is using the cover of important foreign and humanitarian assistance to once again jam through a ban bill that would trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans,&#8221; the platform <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38353060/us-tiktok-ban-bill-would-trample-on-free-speech-rights-of-170m-americans-says-social-media-giant">said in a statement&nbsp;last week</a>.
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Why It Matters: The bill&#8217;s passage comes after years of scrutiny over TikTok&#8217;s ties to its Chinese parent company. The app previously proposed a plan, Project Texas, to safeguard U.S. data by storing it with American tech giant&nbsp;Oracle. However, this did not deter lawmakers from pursuing legislation to grant&nbsp;the executive branch power to&nbsp;restrict the platform.
Notable figures, including former President&nbsp;Donald Trump&nbsp;and&nbsp;Elon Musk, have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38368049/trump-reverses-tiktok-ban-stance-accuses-biden-of-favoring-zuckerbergs-meta-doing-it-to-help-faceboo">opposed the potential ban</a>, citing concerns about free speech and national security. Meanwhile,&nbsp;Nikki Haley, former U.S. Ambassador to the UN, has <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/24/04/38350596/former-gop-hopeful-nikki-haley-joins-calls-for-tiktok-ban-to-stop-infiltration-of-chinese-communist">supported the ban to prevent</a> the Chinese Communist Party&#8217;s influence on American society.
Analyst Dan Ives believes that Microsoft and Oracle could <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38358239/microsoft-and-oracle-could-be-tiktoks-likely-buyers-but-real-winners-would-be-mark-">emerge as the real winners</a> by acquiring TikTok, with Meta Platforms Inc.&#8217;s Mark Zuckerberg and Alphabet Inc.&#8217;s Sundar Pichai also benefiting from the situation.
Photo by XanderSt on Shutterstock
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38370806/elon-musk-calls-social-security-the-biggest-ponzi-scheme-ever-maybe-ai-and-robots-will-save-it?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Calls Social Security The Biggest Ponzi Scheme Ever: &#8216;Maybe AI And Robots Will Save It&#8217;</a>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Social Media

Media

Biden Set To Sign TikTok Ban Into Law After Senate Passes Bill Supported By GOP, Democrats

Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) shares are on the rise, despite the company&#8217;s disappointing Q1 results. The electric vehicle giant&#8217;s stock surged after it announced plans to speed up the launch of new models.
What Happened: Phil LeBeau, a CNBC correspondent covering the automotive and aviation sectors, described Tesla&#8217;s Q1 results as &#8220;ugly.&#8221; However, the company&#8217;s shares soared following its announcement of an accelerated new model launch.
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">&quot;Let&#39;s be honest, it was ugly,&quot; says <a href="https://twitter.com/Lebeaucarnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Lebeaucarnews</a> after <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24TSLA&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$TSLA</a> posted Q1 results. But shares are surging&#8230; here&#39;s why. <a href="https://t.co/cA7TH15oD5">pic.twitter.com/cA7TH15oD5</a>
&mdash; Last Call (@LastCallCNBC) <a href="https://twitter.com/LastCallCNBC/status/1782912167974436915?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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Tesla <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38390883/tesla-q1-earnings-highlights-ev-giant-misses-wall-street-estimates-makes-cost-cuts-invests-in-ai-sp">stated</a>, &#8220;We have updated our future vehicle line-up to accelerate the launch of new models ahead of our previously communicated start of production in the second half of 2025.&#8221; This includes more affordable models and a next-generation platform. 
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38390883/tesla-q1-earnings-highlights-ev-giant-misses-wall-street-estimates-makes-cost-cuts-invests-in-ai-sp?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tesla Q1 Earnings Highlights: EV Giant Misses Wall Street Estimates, Makes Cost Cuts, Invests In AI, Spee</a>
The company&#8217;s shareholder letter on Tuesday also mentioned the development of a next-gen vehicle. Tesla acknowledged that this update might result in less cost reduction than previously expected but would allow for a more efficient increase in vehicle volumes during uncertain times.
Why It Matters: Despite the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38390883/tesla-q1-earnings-highlights-ev-giant-misses-wall-street-estimates-makes-cost-cuts-invests-in-ai-sp">disappointing Q1 results</a>, Tesla&#8217;s stock has been on the rise. The company&#8217;s Q1 revenue of $21.0 billion was 9% lower than the previous year and missed the Street consensus estimate of $22.15 billion.
Automotive revenue was $17.38 billion in the quarter, down 13% year-over-year. Services and other revenue of $2.29 billion rose 25% year-over-year.
The company said revenue was impacted by lower average selling prices and lower vehicle deliveries in the quarter.
Earnings per share were 45 cents in the quarter, which missed a Street consensus estimate of 51 cents per share.
Price Action: According to the data <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">from Benzinga Pro</a>, Tesla shares are currently priced at $144.61, reflecting a 1.80% increase from Tuesday&#8217;s closing price. Notably, in after-hours trading, the stock surged by 13.38%. However, despite these fluctuations, Tesla&#8217;s shares have experienced a year-to-date decline of 41.79%.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/04/38384714/whats-going-on-with-trump-media-technology-stock-on-tuesday?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">What&#8217;s Going On With Trump Media &amp; Technology Stock On Tuesday?</a>
Image Via Shutterstock 
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 The GPT-4-based Benzinga Neuro content generation system exploits the 
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Earnings

Earnings Misses

Global

Tesla Stock Surges Despite 'Ugly' Q1 Results: Here's Why

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) is reportedly set to launch a&nbsp;Calculator app&nbsp;for the iPad, a long-awaited feature, with the upcoming iPadOS 18.
What Happened: The new app&nbsp;is expected to be unveiled&nbsp;during the opening keynote of&nbsp;Apple&#8217;s annual <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/04/38362506/apples-next-big-leap-how-ai-software-and-wwdc-announcements-could-fuel-growth">developers conference WWDC</a>&nbsp;on June 10,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.macrumors.com/2024/04/23/calculator-app-for-ipad-rumor/">reported</a> MacRumors, citing a source familiar with the matter. The app will be available for all iPad models compatible with the software update.
The absence&nbsp;of an official Calculator app&nbsp;on the iPad has been&nbsp;a subject of humor on social media, with users eagerly anticipating&nbsp;its arrival. In the meantime,&nbsp;iPad users have been using third-party calculator apps from the App Store.
If the reports are true, Cupertino would be introducing the app on <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/01/36814939/if-you-invested-1000-in-apple-when-the-ipad-was-launched-14-years-ago-heres-how-much-youd-have-t">iPads after 14 years of launching</a> the device. 
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/entertainment/24/04/38345826/get-your-popcorn-ready-6-fresh-releases-to-stream-this-weekend-on-netflix-hulu-and-disney?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple In Talks With Google To License Gemini AI Models For Future iPhones: Report</a>
Last week, it was reported that macOS 15 will&nbsp;feature a revamped Calculator app&nbsp;with the integration of Notes&nbsp;app, a resizable window, a&nbsp;sidebar that lists recent calculations,&nbsp;and more. It is speculated&nbsp;that the updated Mac app&nbsp;will be based on the&nbsp;new iPad app.
The first beta of iPadOS&nbsp;18 is expected to be&nbsp;released immediately following the WWDC&nbsp;keynote, with the update set for a widespread release in September.
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It Matters: This development comes on the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38382312/apple-sets-date-for-special-event-after-18-month-pause-new-ipads-expected-on-may-7">heels of Apple&#8217;s announcement of a&nbsp;special event</a>, where it is expected to unveil new iPads. The tech giant has started sending out invitations to a &#8220;special Apple Event&#8221; on May 7, at 7 AM PT/10 AM ET. 
This event is anticipated to focus on the new iPad models, as indicated by the image on the invite, which features the Apple Pencil.
Apple&#8217;s reported launch of new iPad Pro and iPad Air models could end a nearly 18-month drought. The launch is set to include new 11-inch and 13-inch OLED iPad Pro models, an enlarged 12.9-inch iPad Air, and updated Magic Keyboard and Apple Pencil accessories.
Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock.com
Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Consumer Tech coverage by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link</a>.&nbsp;
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/03/37724059/vivek-ramaswamy-weighs-in-on-tiktok-debate-suggests-senate-bill-to-ban-tech-giants-from-sharing-user?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Apple Fails To Dismiss Lawsuit Claiming AirTags Are Weapon Of Stalkers: ‘Determination Cannot Be Made At This Early Stage&#8217;</a>
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

AAPL

At Last! Apple To Finally Introduce Calculator App For iPad After 14 Years: Report

The trend of Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) whales accumulating the cryptocurrency appears to have halted, according to a popular analyst. 
What Happened: On Tuesday, Ali Martinez, took to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, to alert the community about the cessation of Bitcoin accumulation by whales. Martinez&#8217;s post was accompanied by a chart of the accumulation trend score, an indicator of the on-chain accumulation behavior of large entities.
As the accumulation trend score has now dropped to zero, Martinez believes this indicates that whales are either distributing or not accumulating Bitcoin at current levels.
&#8220;#Bitcoin accumulation trend score has dropped to zero, indicating that whales are distributing or not accumulating $BTC at the current levels!&#8221; Ali wrote.
<a href="https://twitter.com/ali_charts/status/1782811923664277687/photo/1"></a>
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> accumulation trend score has dropped to zero, indicating that whales are distributing or not accumulating <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> at the current levels! <a href="https://t.co/zynub6w9o6">pic.twitter.com/zynub6w9o6</a>
&mdash; Ali (@ali_charts) <a href="https://twitter.com/ali_charts/status/1782811923664277687?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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The Accumulation Trend Score is a measure that shows how much Bitcoin different entities are acquiring or selling on-chain. It combines two factors: the size of the entities&#8217; Bitcoin holdings (their participation score) and whether they&#8217;re getting more coins or selling them over the last month (their balance change score). 
A score closer to 1 suggests that larger entities or a significant portion of the network are accumulating Bitcoin, while a score closer to 0 indicates they&#8217;re selling or not acquiring more. This helps us understand the size and behavior of market participants in terms of Bitcoin accumulation over the past month, <a href="https://academy.glassnode.com/indicators/accumulation-trend-score">according</a> to Glassnode Academy.
Whales are typically large holders of Bitcoin, and their accumulation or distribution behavior can significantly impact the market. This shift in their behavior could potentially signal a change in the market&#8217;s direction.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38377888/holding-6-ethereum-eth-could-make-you-a-millionaire-according-to-cathie-wood?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Holding 6 Ethereum (ETH) Could Make You A Millionaire, According to Cathie Wood</a>
Why It Matters: The news of Bitcoin whales halting their accumulation comes at a time when the cryptocurrency&#8217;s future value is a topic of much debate. Despite a recent pullback, a Standard Chartered analyst has predicted a more than <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38369340/bitcoin-to-more-than-double-in-value-to-150k-by-year-end-says-standard-chartered-analyst-w">100% increase in Bitcoin&#8217;s value</a> by the end of 2024. This forecast, combined with the whale behavior, could indicate a significant shift in the market&#8217;s dynamics.
Additionally, the BRICS nations are exploring the use of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38385726/brics-eye-stablecoins-cbdc-bridge-to-advance-financial-integration">stablecoins and CBDCs</a> to reduce their reliance on the U.S. dollar, potentially impacting the global cryptocurrency market. Meanwhile, meme coins are gaining traction, with a trader predicting that at least three meme coins will <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38383807/trader-predicts-at-least-3-meme-coins-above-100b-market-cap-heres-which-coins-benzinga-fol">surpass a $100 billion</a> market cap.
However, some traders have expressed concerns about the current state of the market, with one warning that the market is overvalued and <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38365501/crypto-greed-almost-at-all-time-high-but-prices-are-not-warns-trader-this-cycle-is-kinda-c">the current cycle</a> may not be as favorable as the previous one.
These developments, combined with the change in whale behavior, suggest that the cryptocurrency market may be on the verge of a significant shift.
Price Action: According to the data <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard">from Benzinga Pro</a>, Bitcoin is currently priced at $66,843, marking a 0.64% increase over the past 24 hours. Impressively, it has surged by 51.33% since the beginning of the year.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38383807/trader-predicts-at-least-3-meme-coins-above-100b-market-cap-heres-which-coins-benzinga-fol?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trader Predicts &#8216;At Least 3 Meme Coins Above $100B Market Cap&#8217;: Here&#8217;s Which Coins Benzinga Followers Liked The Most</a>
Image Via Pixabay 
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 Engineered by 
 Benzinga Neuro, Edited by 
 
 <a href="None" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="color: #225aa9;text-decoration: none"> 
 Kaustubh Bagalkote</a> 
 
 
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 The GPT-4-based Benzinga Neuro content generation system exploits the 
 extensive Benzinga Ecosystem, including native data, APIs, and more to 
 create comprehensive and timely stories for you. 
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Bitcoin Whales Stop Accumulation, Start Distributing King Crypto: What Does This Mean For The Market

On Tuesday, Cathie Wood&#8217;s Ark Invest continued its aggressive buying of Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) shares, despite the electric vehicle giant&#8217;s earnings miss.
The TSLA Trade
Ark Invest purchased a total of 29,230 shares of Tesla across its ARK Innovation ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKK#NYSE">ARKK</a>), ARK Autonomous Technology &amp; Robotics ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKQ#BATS">ARKQ</a>), and ARK Next Generation Internet ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKW#NYSE">ARKW</a>). The purchase came after <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38390883/tesla-q1-earnings-highlights-ev-giant-misses-wall-street-estimates-makes-cost-cuts-invests-in-ai-sp">Tesla&#8217;s Q1 earnings report</a> revealed a year-over-year revenue drop of 9%, missing Wall Street&#8217;s consensus estimate.
The value of the Tesla shares purchased by Ark Invest, based on the closing price of $144.68 on Tuesday, amounts to approximately $4.3 million. This move follows <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/04/38368840/cathie-woods-ark-invest-seizes-tesla-dip-acquires-over-17m-in-shares-ahead-of-q1-results-zoom-st">Ark Invest&#8217;s acquisition of over $17 million in Tesla shares</a> the previous day, ahead of the first quarter results announcement.
Other Key Trades:
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38347033/bound-by-courtroom-rules-donald-trump-is-doing-something-uncommon-for-his-public-persona-staying-sil?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Bound By Courtroom Rules, Donald Trump Is Doing Something Uncommon For His Public Persona: Staying Silent</a> 
<ul>
<li>Ark Fintech Innovation ETF (ARKF) sold shares of StoneCo Ltd (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/STNE#NASDAQ">STNE</a>). </li>
<li>ARKF also offloaded 1,205 shares of Twilio Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TWLO#NYSE">TWLO</a>). Both ARKK and ARKQ sold a significant number of shares in 2U Inc (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TWOU#NASDAQ">TWOU</a>). </li>
<li>ARKW also sold a smaller amount of Twilio and 2U Inc shares.</li>
</ul>
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/04/38390883/tesla-q1-earnings-highlights-ev-giant-misses-wall-street-estimates-makes-cost-cuts-invests-in-ai-sp?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Tesla Q1 Earnings Highlights: EV Giant Misses Wall Street Estimates, Makes Cost Cuts, Invests In AI, Speeds Launch Of New Models</a>
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Cathie Wood's Ark Invest Remains Bullish Despite Tesla's Q1 Earnings Slip, Revenue Drop — Buys $4.3M in EV Maker Stock

Owner of X, Elon Musk, has reacted to a Republican congressman&#8217;s revelation that he is being threatened with a fine for not deleting a video from his social media account.
What Happened: On Tuesday, Rep.&nbsp;Marjorie Taylor Greene&#8216;s&nbsp;(R-Ga.) ally, Rep.&nbsp;Thomas Massie&nbsp;(R-Ky.) took to X, formerly&nbsp;Twitter, to share his experience with&nbsp;the &#8220;House Sergeant at Arms.&#8221; 
Massie said that he was warned of a $500 fine if he did not delete a video post. &#8220;Instead of fining democrats for waving flags, the House Sergeant at Arms just called and said I will be fined $500 if I don't delete this video post,&#8221; he said, adding, Rep.&nbsp;Mike Johnson&nbsp;(R-La.) &#8220;really wants to memory hole this betrayal of America.&#8221;
The video in question was posted on Sunday, showed&nbsp;several U.S. House Representatives waving&nbsp;Ukraine&#8217;s flag. At the time, Massie&#8217;s caption read,&nbsp;&#8220;This is the U.S. House&nbsp;of Representatives under the direction&nbsp;of Speaker Mike Johnson. Democrats&nbsp;are celebrating his total capitulation&nbsp;with no victory for securing&nbsp;our border.&#8221;
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38288858/elon-musk-says-bring-it-on-after-russian-space-chief-touts-amur-rocket-says-it-can-be-reused-up-to-5?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Says &#8216;Bring It On&#8217; After Russian Space Chief Touts Amur Rocket, Says It Can Be Reused Up To 5X More Than SpaceX&#8217;s Falcon 9</a>
Musk, in response to Massie&#8217;s post, asked, &#8220;You can be fined for posting a video?&#8221;
Massie, in turn, questioned the authority of the House to demand the removal of a video from his congressional account. He also raised concerns about the House &#8220;Sergeant at Arms&#8221; monitoring his social media account for potential infractions.
&#8220;The uniparty is big mad at me for exposing them on several votes and for asking the Speaker to resign. The Speaker, his staff, or one of his allies in our conference is probably directing the Sergeant at Arms to do this,&#8221; Massie said. 
<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">You can be fined for posting a video?
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1782880249820438853?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Subscribe to the&nbsp;<a href="https://bztechtrends.beehiiv.com/subscribe" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Tech Trends newsletter</a>&nbsp;to get all the latest tech developments delivered to your inbox.
Why It Matters: Massie&#8217;s latest statements are in line with his previous public stance against Speaker Johnson. He had joined forces with <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38284071/marjorie-taylor-greene-bid-to-oust-speaker-mike-johnson-joined-by-thomas-massie-its-a-clusterf-k">Greene in her campaign to remove Johnson</a> following the Speaker&#8217;s decision to bring multiple foreign aid bills to the floor.
The video posted by Massie on Sunday along with Greene&#8217;s demand for Johnson's resignation came after the House&#8217;s endorsement of a $95 billion foreign aid package, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38349699/marjorie-taylor-greene-says-mike-johnsons-speakership-is-over-after-house-passes-ukraine-aid-package">earmarking $61 billion for Ukraine</a> and neighboring allies. 
Despite his earlier reluctance to bring such a bill to the House floor, Johnson sided with Democrats in pushing the bill forward. It now awaits final approval in the Senate.
Meanwhile, Speaker Johnson has brushed aside the threat of being ousted as &#8220;absurd&#8221; and has asserted his refusal to step down even though beside Massie, Rep. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) has also <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38351863/marjorie-taylor-greene-insists-motion-to-vacate-mike-johnsons-speakership-is-inevitable-do-the-right">openly backed Greene&#8217;s proposal</a>.
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Check out more of Benzinga&#8217;s Future Of Consumer Tech by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/consumer-tech" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">following this link.</a>
Read Next:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38268298/when-elon-musk-met-jack-ma-and-instantly-regretted-it?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">&#8216;When Elon Musk Met Jack Ma And Instantly Regretted It&#8217;</a>
This content was partially produced with the help of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Benzinga Neuro</a>&nbsp;and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Politics

Elon Musk Reacts To Marjorie Taylor Greene's Ally Revelation Of Fine Threat By House Authorities: Mike Johnson Removing Traces Of 'Betrayal of America'

In the lead-up to the 2024 elections, EMILY&#8217;s List, a pro-abortion rights organization, has issued a warning to 14 potential Republican VP candidates for their hardline stance on abortion.
What Happened: EMILY&#8217;s List is focusing on 14 Republicans who are believed to be on former President Donald Trump&#8217;s VP shortlist for his 2024 run. The group has previously used this strategy to target vulnerable House Republicans, especially in swing districts, by drawing attention to their abortion records, <a href="https://thehill.com/homenews/4616530-abortion-rights-group-knocks-possible-trump-vp-picks-extremism/">reported</a> The Hill.
In a press release, EMILY&#8217;s List declared, &#8220;Abortion is on the ballot this year like never before, so for the first time in EMILYs List history the 2024 ‘On Notice' list focuses on Trump's ‘Veepstakes' pool to send a clear message to voters.&#8221; The organization stressed that regardless of Trump&#8217;s VP choice, the GOP ticket poses a significant threat to reproductive rights in the U.S.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38348277/trump-vs-biden-nationwide-poll-shows-key-issue-decidedly-tilts-equation-in-favor-of-one-candidate?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Trump vs. Biden: Nationwide Poll Shows Key Issue Decidedly Tilts Equation In Favor Of One Candidate</a>
EMILY&#8217;s List President Jessica Mackler reinforced this message, stating, &#8220;A Trump presidency will mean a national abortion ban is on the menu, and whichever extremist he picks as his running mate will not change that.&#8221; The group named 14 Republican individuals for its 2024 &#8220;On Notice&#8221; list, including Ben Carson, Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.), Rep. Elise Stefanik (N.Y.), Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), and others.
The group also added a 15th mystery potential VP candidate to the list, stating that whoever Trump chooses, they will support his extreme anti-abortion agenda.
Why It Matters: Abortion has emerged as a key issue for the 2024 election, with <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/04/38213007/trumps-changing-stance-on-abortion-arizona-ruling-bring-2024-election-topic-front-and-center-how">Trump often taking credit</a> for the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022. 
Since then, about a third of states have banned the procedure in almost all circumstances. Trump&#8217;s stance on abortion has been criticized as the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38153724/trump-has-taken-most-unfavorable-political-position-on-abortion-says-ex-bush-strategist">&#8220;worst possible political position&#8221;</a> by Matthew Dowd, a strategist for President George W. Bush. 
Furthermore, former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38038951/hillary-clinton-blasts-trump-for-appointing-judges-that-overturned-legal-abortion-were-witnessing-th">blamed Trump</a> for the fallout from the reversal of Roe v. Wade.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38356833/liz-cheney-says-trump-doing-everything-possible-to-postpone-jan-6-case-beyond-election-deep-flaws-in?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Liz Cheney Says Trump &#8216;Doing Everything Possible&#8217; To Postpone Jan. 6 Case Beyond Election: &#8216;Deep Flaws In Character…Make Him Unfit To Serve As President&#8217;</a>
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General

Trump VP Pool, Including A Mystery Candidate, Put On Notice By Anti-Abortion Group: 'GOP Ticket Poses A Significant Threat'

A delegation from North Korea, led by the cabinet minister for international trade, is visiting Iran. This visit comes amid long-standing suspicions of covert military ties between the two nations.
What Happened: Yun Jong Ho, the North Korean minister for external economic relations, led a delegation to Iran, departing from Pyongyang by air on Tuesday, according to a Reuters report on Wednesday. The North&#8217;s KCNA news agency did not provide additional details about the visit.
Both North Korea and Iran have been under scrutiny for potentially collaborating on ballistic missile programs, including the sharing of technical expertise and production components. In February, Reuters reported that Iran had supplied a significant number of ballistic missiles to Russia for use in its conflict with Ukraine.
North Korea is also suspected of supplying Russia with missiles and artillery, despite denials from both countries. Yun Jong Ho, who has previously worked on North Korea&#8217;s relations with Syria, has been actively involved in the country&#8217;s growing exchanges with Russia, leading a delegation to Moscow earlier this month.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38368085/what-happens-if-trump-gets-convicted-will-he-go-to-prison-heres-how-it-likely-to-play-out?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">What Happens If Trump Gets Convicted? Will He Go To Prison? — Here&#8217;s How It&#8217;s Likely To Play Out</a>
Why It Matters: This visit comes at a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East. Earlier this month, the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/asia/24/04/38316947/us-intensifies-economic-pressure-on-iran-in-response-to-attack-on-israel-we-will-continue-to-deploy">U.S. imposed new sanctions on Iran</a> following an unprecedented attack on Israel. Iran&#8217;s Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) capabilities, particularly the Shahed variant, were implicated in the attack.
Shortly after, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/04/38334504/israel-strikes-iranian-air-base-tehran-downplays-attack-as-blinken-calls-for-calm-oil-pric">Israel launched a targeted airstrike</a> near an Iranian military airbase in retaliation for an earlier attack. Despite this, Iran assured there would be no further retaliatory measures, stabilizing oil prices that had surged above $90 a barrel.
Amid these tensions, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38267600/amid-iran-israel-tensions-china-affirms-support-for-tehran-strengthens-ties">China affirmed its support for Iran</a>, signaling a continuation of strong bilateral ties. China&#8217;s top diplomat expressed readiness to work with Iran across various sectors, further complicating the geopolitical landscape.
Photo by Alexander Khitrov on Shutterstock
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38348258/marjorie-taylor-greene-takes-step-back-in-effort-to-remove-speaker-mike-johnson-but-blasts-him-as-a?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marjorie Taylor Greene Takes Step Back In Effort To Remove Speaker Mike Johnson But Blasts Him As &#8216;A Lame Duck&#8217;</a>
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Kim Jong Un's Minister Who Worked On North Korea's Syria Relations Visits Iran Amid Festering Middle-East Tensions

The endorsement of Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) by former President Donald Trump has done little to deter conservative rebels from their mission to oust him. Despite Trump&#8217;s support, key figures like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) continue to voice their dissatisfaction.
What Happened: Trump&#8217;s backing of Johnson was made public during a radio interview with John Fredericks on Monday. 
The ex-president said, &#8220;It's not like he can go and do whatever he wants to do. I think he's a very good person,&#8221; Trump said following his time in court in New York on Monday. &#8220;I think he's trying very hard.&#8221;
However, this endorsement has not appeased those seeking Johnson&#8217;s removal. Greene, the originator of the current motion-to-vacate resolution, expressed her dissatisfaction on social media, stating, &#8220;Complete surrender is not acceptable and will not be tolerated.&#8221;
Similarly, Massie criticized Johnson again on Tuesday, insisting on no &#8220;complete &amp; total surrender.&#8221; He also expressed his disappointment with the current state of the U.S. House, calling it &#8220;downright embarrassing.&#8221;
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38357333/elon-musk-reacts-to-tucker-carlson-saying-theres-ton-of-evidence-that-aliens-live-among-us-with-6000?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Elon Musk Reacts To Tucker Carlson Saying There&#8217;s &#8216;Ton Of Evidence&#8217; That Aliens Live Among Us: &#8216;With 6000 Satellites Orbiting Earth, I Think I Would Know&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: This rebellion against Johnson follows his decision to advance a $95 billion foreign aid package, including $61 billion for Ukraine and regional partners. Greene had previously called for <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38349699/marjorie-taylor-greene-says-mike-johnsons-speakership-is-over-after-house-passes-ukraine-aid-package">Johnson&#8217;s resignation</a> after the House passed the aid package, accusing him of betraying Republican voters. She threatened to initiate a vote for his removal if he didn't step down.
Trump had previously <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38230714/trump-throws-support-behind-mike-johnson-amid-marjorie-taylor-greenes-ouster-threat-hes-doing-a-very">expressed his support</a> for Johnson during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago. Despite Trump&#8217;s efforts to quell the rift, Greene has <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38237873/marjorie-taylor-greene-isnt-backing-down-on-criticism-of-house-speaker-despite-donald-trumps-efforts">remained unyielding</a> in her criticism of Johnson.
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38348258/marjorie-taylor-greene-takes-step-back-in-effort-to-remove-speaker-mike-johnson-but-blasts-him-as-a?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marjorie Taylor Greene Takes Step Back In Effort To Remove Speaker Mike Johnson But Blasts Him As &#8216;A Lame Duck&#8217;</a>
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Trump's Endorsement Fails To Quell Marjorie Taylor Greene's Conservative Rebellion Against Speaker Mike Johnson: 'Complete Surrender Is Not Acceptable'

In the early stages of the hush money trial, Donald Trump&#8217;s defense lawyer, Todd Blanche, appears to be losing credibility with the presiding judge.
What Happened: Judge Juan Merchan expressed skepticism during a hearing on Tuesday, April 23, when Blanche suggested that Trump was making efforts to adhere to a court-ordered gag order. The judge reportedly told Blanche, &#8220;You&#8217;re losing all credibility,&#8221; <a href="https://www.msnbc.com/deadline-white-house/deadline-legal-blog/trump-gag-order-trial-judge-merchan-todd-blanche-rcna148977">reported</a> MSNBC.
Merchan&#8217;s dissatisfaction arose from Blanche&#8217;s inability to respond to his inquiries during the hearing. The judge did not immediately decide whether Trump&#8217;s remarks against witnesses and jurors contravened his order. Following the hearing, the trial&#8217;s first witness, David Pecker, returned to the stand for direct examination by the prosecution.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38368085/what-happens-if-trump-gets-convicted-will-he-go-to-prison-heres-how-it-likely-to-play-out?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">What Happens If Trump Gets Convicted? Will He Go To Prison? — Here&#8217;s How It&#8217;s Likely To Play Out</a>
The diminishing credibility of Trump&#8217;s lawyer could have significant implications for the trial. Judges&#8217; daily decisions on matters such as witnesses, evidence, and scheduling can greatly influence a case, particularly if the jury perceives a judge&#8217;s dissatisfaction with a lawyer, according to the report.
Why It Matters: The trial, which began on Monday, is <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/04/38366379/trump-committed-conspiracy-to-undermine-the-integrity-of-a-presidential-election-prosecution-all">centered on allegations</a> that Trump committed a &#8216;conspiracy to undermine the integrity of a presidential election.&#8217; Pecker, former National Enquirer publisher, was a key witness, testifying about his role in <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/general/politics/24/04/38392485/david-pecker-testifies-to-national-enquirer-buying-stories-that-could-damage-donald-trump-potent">purchasing and suppressing stories</a> to benefit Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Moreover, Trump has been accused of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38368871/trump-allegedly-violated-gag-order-10-times-will-hush-money-judge-show-leniency-on-contempt-charges">violating a gag order multiple times</a>, leading to the hearing where Blanche&#8217;s credibility was questioned. If found in violation, Trump could face penalties ranging from a warning to a fine or even a short jail term.
Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock.com
Read Next: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/04/38351863/marjorie-taylor-greene-insists-motion-to-vacate-mike-johnsons-speakership-is-inevitable-do-the-right?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Marjorie Taylor Greene Insists &#8216;Motion To Vacate&#8217; Mike Johnson&#8217;s Speakership Is Inevitable</a>
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