Wharf Real Est Investment Stock (OTC: WRFRF)

Wharf Real Est Investment (OTC:WRFRF) Stock, Quote.Headers.trade-ideas

Wharf spun off Wharf Real Estate Investment Co in November 2017. It is a leading property investor with a focus in prime retail assets in Hong Kong. Rental income from two flagship assets Harbour City and Times Square account for around 80% of revenue. The balance is made up of The Murray hotel, a suburban mall in Plaza Hollywood, two offices in Central CBD. The group also holds two malls in Singapore and a mixed-development in Suzhou. Wharf was originally a shipping company but transformed into a property developer and investor in the 1960s by redeveloping its unused industrial assets, many located in city-center and waterfront locations. The Harbour City site was previously wharfs, and the Times Square site was a tram depot in the 1970s. Wheelock holds a 45% stake in Wharf REIC.

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MARA Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MARA#NASDAQ">MARA</a>) more than doubled its market valuation over the last three months, powered by gains in the apex cryptocurrency and its gradual pivot toward the Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) &#8220;Standard."
What happened: Shares of the leading Bitcoin mining company closed at a 9-month high of $27.42 last Friday. The rally brought the firm&#8217;s market capitalization to an all-time high of $8.825 billion.
At Monday's close, MARA was valued at $8.24 billion, reflecting an addition of $4.31 billion since Sept. 6, or 109%. During this time, the stock price has nearly doubled from $13.37 to $25.63.
Interestingly, its gains in this period have surpassed those of other major miners, including Riot Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RIOT#NASDAQ">RIOT</a>) and Core Scientific Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CORZ#NASDAQ">CORZ</a>), which grew by 89% and 72%, respectively.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/12/42281825/tom-lee-predicts-sp-500-to-hit-6300-bitcoin-to-surpass-100k-by-year-end-says-trump-carrying-a-big-stick-can-be-effective">Tom Lee Predicts S&amp;P 500 To Reach 6,300, Bitcoin To Break $100K By Year-End, Says Trump&#8217;s Tariffs Can Be Effective &#8216;Negotiating Tools&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: The gains have coincided with Bitcoin's rally, which has gained 70% since Sept. 6.&nbsp;
Furthermore, MARA significantly expanded its Bitcoin stockpile in the period, growing it from 25,945 to 34,794, an addition of 8,849, <a href="https://bitcointreasuries.net/entities/marathon">according </a>to data from bitcointreasuries.net.&nbsp;
MARA was the second-largest corporate holder of Bitcoin as of this writing and was strongly replicating market leader MicroStrategy Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSTR#NASDAQ">MSTR</a>) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/11/42186167/michael-saylors-microstrategy-convertible-notes-to-buy-bitcoin-offer-no-interest-so-why-are-investors-rushing-to-buy-them">playbook</a> of using interest-free debt to acquire more of the digital asset.
The company announced <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42265676/mara-targets-btc-and-debt-buybacks-with-new-700m-convertible-notes-offering-mstrs-michael-saylor-says-it-is-a-company-on-the-bitcoin-standard">another private offering of $700 million</a> of zero-coupon convertible senior notes Monday after completing a $1 billion offering of 0% convertible senior notes in November.
MicroStrategy co-founder Michael Saylor referred to MARA as the company on the "Bitcoin Standard."
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24MARA&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$MARA</a> is a company on the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> Standard. <a href="https://t.co/bk8dBbQaqM">https://t.co/bk8dBbQaqM</a>
&mdash; Michael Saylor&#x26a1;&#xFE0F; (@saylor) <a href="https://twitter.com/saylor/status/1863552025415364956?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Price Action: At the time of writing, Bitcoin was trading at $95,953.94, down 1.02% in the last 24 hours, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA..">data from Benzinga Pro</a>. 
Shares of MARA closed 6.53% lower at 25.63 during Monday's regular trading session. The stock has a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/MARA/analyst-ratings">consensus price target </a>of $23.83 based on the ratings of 17 analysts.
Image via Mara
Read Next:&nbsp;
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Michael Saylor Says MARA On The 'Bitcoin Standard' As Company Doubles Market Cap, Stock Price In Last 3 Months

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ARK Invest said in November that artificial intelligence-powered digital wallets could revolutionize e-commerce, potentially driving nearly $9 trillion in global online spending by 2030 through the integration of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/retail-sales/24/12/42257325/ai-revolutionizes-black-friday-shopping-as-online-sales-reach-new-heights">Large Language Models into payment platforms</a>.
What Happened: The Cathie Wood-led firm&#8217;s latest research suggests that AI &#8220;purchasing agents&#8221; embedded in digital wallets like Shopify Inc&#8216;s (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SHOP#NYSE">SHOP</a>) Shop Pay, Cash App owned by Block Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SQ#NYSE">SQ</a>), and Apple Inc.&#8217;s (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AAPL#NASDAQ">AAPL</a>) Apple Pay could transform the traditional one-click checkout into a streamlined one-query purchase experience.
This development comes as major tech companies, including Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOGL#NASDAQ">GOOGL</a>) (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GOOG#NASDAQ">GOOG</a>) and Amazon.com Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMZN#NASDAQ">AMZN</a>), are rapidly advancing their AI shopping capabilities.
ARK&#8217;s research suggests AI purchasing agents could disrupt Google and Amazon&#8217;s dominance by automating product comparisons and purchase decisions, reducing reliance on search engines and marketplaces.
Klarna&#8216;s integration with Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/MSFT#NASDAQ">MSFT</a>) backed OpenAI technology demonstrates early adoption of this trend, with its shopping assistant combining search and aggregation based on user preferences.
&#8220;Digital wallets helmed by purchasing agents could increase their share of global e-commerce purchase volume from 50% in 2023 to 72% by 2030,&#8221; according to Ark Invest&#8217;s analysis. 
The firm projects that if 10% of global AI agent spending occurs through digital wallets with a 5% lead generation fee, these AI purchasing agents could generate $43 billion for digital wallet providers.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/12/42281825/tom-lee-predicts-sp-500-to-hit-6300-bitcoin-to-surpass-100k-by-year-end-says-trump-carrying-a-big-stick-can-be-effective">Tom Lee Predicts S&amp;P 500 To Reach 6,300, Bitcoin To Break $100K By Year-End, Says Trump&#8217;s Tariffs Can Be Effective &#8216;Negotiating Tools&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: Recent market developments support this trajectory. Amazon&#8217;s AI shopping assistant Rufus, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/07/39755563/amazon-expands-ai-shopping-assistant-rufus-to-all-us-customers-as-prime-day-approaches">launched nationwide in July</a>, has already demonstrated the potential of AI in e-commerce by helping customers with product details, recommendations, and comparisons. 
Meanwhile, Google&#8217;s reported development of &#8220;Project Jarvis,&#8221; an AI system designed to handle shopping and travel bookings, suggests <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/10/41562574/google-is-working-on-an-ai-system-named-jarvis-to-handle-your-search-shopping-and-flight-booking-nee">growing competition in this space</a>.
The impact of AI on e-commerce was particularly evident during Black Friday 2024, when online sales reached $10.8 billion, marking a 10.2% increase from 2023. Retailers using AI chatbots saw a 1,800% increase in website traffic and a 9% higher conversion rate compared to those without AI integration, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/retail-sales/24/12/42257325/ai-revolutionizes-black-friday-shopping-as-online-sales-reach-new-heights">according to Salesforce data</a>.
Ark Invest emphasizes that success in this space will require digital wallet providers to balance personalization with user privacy and trust. The firm suggests that similar to credit card rewards programs which distributed $40 billion in rewards in 2022, digital wallets will need to offer compelling incentives to drive adoption.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42281410/cathie-wood-slams-delaware-judge-as-activist-over-elon-musks-56b-pay-plan-block-tesla-warns-of-shareholder-rights-crisis-amid-appeal">Cathie Wood Slams Delaware Judge As &#8216;Activist&#8217; Over Elon Musk&#8217;s $56B Pay Plan Block, Tesla Warns Of Shareholder Rights Crisis Amid Appeal</a></li>
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Image Via Shutterstock 
Disclaimer:&nbsp;This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

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Cathie Wood-Led Ark's Prediction: AI Will Turn Digital Wallets Into $9 Trillion E-Commerce Powerhouses — Google, Amazon Dominance Set For Disruption?

The expectations of a U.S. strategic Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) reserve have skyrocketed following Donald Trump's presidential victory, with the cryptocurrency sector firmly behind the ambitious idea.
Trump <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/40001426/trump-aims-to-make-us-crypto-capital-of-the-planet-well-get-it-done">called for a strategic national Bitcoin stockpile</a> at a conference earlier this year, while also advocating against selling state-owned Bitcoin stash.
While nothing concrete has come from Trump since this advocacy, his Republican colleagues, especially Sen. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wy.), have proposed legislation, called the BITCOIN Act, to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/42080839/cynthia-lummis-says-strategic-bitcoin-reserve-could-take-shape-soon-after-trump-raises-his-hand-and-is-sworn-in">purchase one million Bitcoins</a> over five years.
Individuals connected to the digital assets industry have given a thumbs up to the idea.
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The For And Against Debate</h2>
Joe McCann, founder and CEO of cryptocurrency hedge fund Asymmetric, told Benzinga that the move could position the U.S. as a "leader in crypto."
McCann said that if the reserve gains more buzz and moves closer to reality, it's likely to spur Bitcoin's increase significantly.&nbsp;&nbsp;
"The market is already somewhat anticipating the potential impact, but I don't think a lot of people have "priced in" the idea that if this were to actually pass [BITCOIN Act], other countries would also want to acquire a percentage of the total Bitcoin supply for their reserves, driving even more demand."&nbsp;
See Also:<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/06/39359780/dogecoin-shiba-inu-floki-are-dino-coins-says-trader-he-likes-these-3-other-meme-coins-as-b?itm_source=parsely-api"> </a><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42259408/michael-saylor-says-bitcoin-could-boost-microsofts-valuation-by-nearly-5-trillion-and-add-584-to-the-stock-by-2034">Michael Saylor Says Bitcoin Could Boost Microsoft&#8217;s Valuation By Nearly $5 Trillion And Add $584 To The Stock By 2034</a>
However, critics like Peter Schiff have slammed the idea, predicting that such a move would end in the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/41886523/peter-schiff-us-bitcoin-reserve-could-destroy-dollar-predicts-its-highly-unlikely-to-happen">dollar&#8217;s devaluation and hyperinflation</a>, as the government would have to print more money to buy more Bitcoin.
In defense, Lummis has maintained that the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/42121376/strategic-bitcoin-reserve-wouldnt-require-new-taxpayer-dollars-says-sen-cynthia-lummis">government won't have to spend</a> "any new dollars" to fund the purchases. Instead, it could use the Federal Reserve-held gold certificates, currently valued at 1970s prices, update them to the fair market value, and then sell them to buy Bitcoin.&nbsp;
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Will Your Bitcoin Holdings Be At Risk?</h2>
Another lesser-talked-about aspect of a potential reserve is whether it'd give the federal government supreme authority on holding Bitcoin, given the asset's limited supply. And whether, in an emergency situation, the government would enact something similar to Franklin D. Roosevelt&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/commodities/11/11/2111274/the-gold-investors-biggest-risk">Executive Order 6102</a> of 1933, which required Americans to surrender a large portion of their gold holdings to the Federal Reserve.&nbsp;
"Bitcoin is an entirely different animal from gold. It is not tied to our monetary system like gold was in 1930," Neil Bergquist, CEO of Seattle-headquartered cryptocurrency exchange Coinme, said.&nbsp;
"Seizing an individual&#8217;s Bitcoin would be a logistically and legally complex operation since it is on a decentralized blockchain, and such confiscation actions would likely be determined illegal," he argued.&nbsp;
Denis Sklyarov, CEO and co-founder of decentralized physical infrastructure company WiFi Map, also agreed with the view that Bitcoin's digital, decentralized nature would make such an endeavor as difficult.
"Additionally, legal and cultural shifts in the U.S. over the past century emphasize financial freedom and personal property rights, making such a sweeping confiscation almost impossible under current laws," he added.
McCann took a middle ground, saying that the government would encourage people to sell Bitcoin voluntarily rather than forcing them to surrender.&nbsp;
"If the U.S. were to establish a strategic Bitcoin Reserve, it might use tax breaks or premium buy-back programs as carrots instead of sticks," he remarked.
Bettors on the popular prediction market platform Polymarket <a href="https://polymarket.com/event/will-trump-create-a-national-bitcoin-reserve-in-his-first-100-days?tid=1732081430039">priced in</a> a 29% possibility of Trump creating a Bitcoin reserve in the first 100 days of his presidency as of this writing. 
Price Action: At the time of writing, Bitcoin was exchanging hands at $96,474.28, down 0.29% in the last 24 hours, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA..">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.&nbsp;
Read Next:&nbsp;
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42258934/dogecoin-bounces-9-after-bernie-sanders-views-align-with-elon-musks-doge-department">Dogecoin Bounces 9% After Bernie Sanders&#8217; Views Align With Elon Musk&#8217;s &#8216;DOGE&#8217; Department</a></li>
</ul>

Exclusives

Can Your Bitcoin Be Confiscated If Trump Establishes A National Reserve? Analyst Says Government Can Employ Carrot-And-Stick Policy

On Monday, Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller indicated he is &#8220;leaning toward&#8221; supporting an interest rate cut at the central bank&#8217;s December meeting while acknowledging recent inflation data has raised concerns about price pressures stalling above the Fed&#8217;s 2% target.
What Happened: Speaking at the American Institute for Economic Research Monetary Conference in Washington, D.C., Waller emphasized that monetary policy remains restrictive even after 75 basis points of cuts since September. He expects rate reductions to continue over the next year until reaching a more neutral policy stance.
&#8220;Based on the economic data in hand today and forecasts that show inflation will continue on its downward path to 2% over the medium term, at present I lean toward supporting a cut to the policy rate at our December meeting,&#8221; Waller said.
The comments come amid mixed signals from recent economic data. While GDP grew at a 2.8% annual pace in the third quarter of 2024, manufacturing activity continues to show slight deterioration. The labor market remains strong with unemployment at 4.1%, though wage growth has moderated to below 4% annually.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/12/42281825/tom-lee-predicts-sp-500-to-hit-6300-bitcoin-to-surpass-100k-by-year-end-says-trump-carrying-a-big-stick-can-be-effective">Tom Lee Predicts S&amp;P 500 To Reach 6,300, Bitcoin To Break $100K By Year-End, Says Trump&#8217;s Tariffs Can Be Effective &#8216;Negotiating Tools&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: Waller&#8217;s dovish stance contrasts with more cautious <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/econ-s/24/11/41944635/inflation-on-track-but-fed-may-go-slowly-on-interest-rate-cuts-experts-say">comments from other Fed officials</a>. Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari recently suggested the central bank could hold rates steady if inflation data comes in hotter than expected before the December meeting.
After six consecutive months of easing, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/11/41938762/october-inflation-rate-rises-to-2-6-as-expected-december-interest-rate-cut-remains-uncertain">the annual inflation rate</a>, as measured by the Consumer Price Index, reversed course in October, climbing to 2.6% as expected.
The Fed&#8217;s policy decisions carry heightened significance following President-elect Donald Trump&#8216;s recent victory. Wharton economist Jeremy Siegel argued that Fed Chair Jerome Powell&#8216;s previously accommodative policies contributed to inflation pressures that <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/24/11/41898939/trump-should-thank-jerome-powell-for-election-win-says-whartons-jeremy-siegel-his-overly-easy-policy-during-the-biden-administration-causing-all-that-inflation">influenced the election outcome</a>.
Gordon Johnson, CEO of GLJ Research, criticized the Fed&#8217;s focus on asset prices, arguing its <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42088394/economist-gordon-johnson-slams-federal-reserve-for-asset-owner-centric-policies-says-fed-needs-to-focus-on-the-real-economy-over-stock-markets">policies have exacerbated</a> wealth inequality. &#8220;Fed needs to focus on the actual economy and if the economy does well, the stock market will be fine,&#8221; Johnson said.
According to the CME FedWatch Tool, 75.1% of traders expect the Fed to cut interest rates by 25 basis points at the Dec. 18 meeting.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42281410/cathie-wood-slams-delaware-judge-as-activist-over-elon-musks-56b-pay-plan-block-tesla-warns-of-shareholder-rights-crisis-amid-appeal">Cathie Wood Slams Delaware Judge As &#8216;Activist&#8217; Over Elon Musk&#8217;s $56B Pay Plan Block, Tesla Warns Of Shareholder Rights Crisis Amid Appeal</a></li>
</ul>
Image via Flickr
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Federal Reserve

Federal Reserve's Christopher Waller Signals December Rate Cut, Predicts Inflation's 'Downward Path To 2%'

Meme coin inspired by adorable baby hippo &#8220;Moo Deng&#8221; skyrocketed on Monday after America's largest cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase added it to its listing roadmap.
What happened: Moo Deng (MOODENG), based on Solana (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/sol/usd">SOL</a>), pumped 84% in the last 24 hours, <a href="https://coinmarketcap.com/currencies/moo-deng-solana/">according </a>to CoinMarketCap.
The coin's trading volume exploded 720% to $1.09 billion, while its market cap touched an all-time high of $660 million.
MOODENG resisted a broader drop in the meme coin market, with Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>) and Shiba Inu (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/shib/usd">SHIB</a>) falling 7% and 5.58%, respectively, in the last 24 hours.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/global/24/12/42281825/tom-lee-predicts-sp-500-to-hit-6300-bitcoin-to-surpass-100k-by-year-end-says-trump-carrying-a-big-stick-can-be-effective">Tom Lee Predicts S&amp;P 500 To Reach 6,300, Bitcoin To Break $100K By Year-End, Says Trump&#8217;s Tariffs Can Be Effective &#8216;Negotiating Tools&#8217;</a>
The rally came after Coinbase announced that it would add the meme coin to its listing roadmap.&nbsp;
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">Assets added to the roadmap today: Moo Deng (MOODENG)<a href="https://t.co/rRB9d3hSr2">https://t.co/rRB9d3hSr2</a>
&mdash; Coinbase Assets &#x1f6e1;&#xFE0F; (@CoinbaseAssets) <a href="https://twitter.com/CoinbaseAssets/status/1863600476077347065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
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An exchange listing helps boost the liquidity of a token and exposes it to a larger market. It also improves the coin's legitimacy, which would otherwise trade with less liquidity on decentralized markets.
The meme coin is themed around the viral baby hippo, who has been melting the hearts of social media users and attracting long queues at the Thailand Zoo where she is housed.
Price Action: At the time of writing, MOODENG was trading at $0.6191, up 88% in the last 24 hours, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA..">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.&nbsp;
Read Next:&nbsp;
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/12/42278398/bitcoin-miner-cleanspark-reports-fy24-earnings-shares-climb">Bitcoin Miner CleanSpark Reports FY24 Earnings, Shares Climb</a></li>
</ul>

$DOGE

$SHIB

$SOL

Crypto Themed After Baby Hippo 'Moo Deng' Leaves Dogecoin, Shiba Inu In The Dust, Zooms 84% After Coinbase Announces Listing Plans

Renowned economist Peter Schiff, on Monday, questioned the government&#8217;s plans to set up a strategic Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) reserve, pointing out the lack of support in Congress.
What Happened: Schiff took to X to comment on the proposed legislation for a national Bitcoin stockpile. He noted that, apart from Senator&nbsp;Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), who <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/40087880/cynthia-lummis-unveils-strategic-bitcoin-reserve-legislation-this-is-our-louisiana-purchas">introduced the bill</a>, and Rep.&nbsp;Ro Khanna&nbsp;(D-Calif.), the bill has failed to garner any co-sponsors or significant attention among lawmakers.
&#8220;The bill to establish a &#8220;strategic&#8221; Bitcoin reserve gets lots of attention among the HODL crowd on X, but not so much on Capitol Hill. The bill has no co-sponsors,&#8221; Schiff 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">The bill to establish a &quot;strategic&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> reserve gets lots of attention among the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HODL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HODL</a> crowd on X, but not so much on Capitol Hill. The bill has no co-sponsors. Other than <a href="https://twitter.com/CynthiaMLummis?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CynthiaMLummis</a> herself, the only other member of Congress who has expressed support is <a href="https://twitter.com/RoKhanna?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RoKhanna</a>.
&mdash; Peter Schiff (@PeterSchiff) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeterSchiff/status/1863738672706695456?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Indeed, details of the bill listed on the official Congress website showed Lummis as the primary sponsor, with no co-sponsors as of this writing. 
See Also:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42275232/leveraged-microstrategy-etfs-are-playing-with-fire-experts-warn">Leveraged MicroStrategy ETFs Are Playing With Fire, Experts Warn</a>
President-elect Donald Trump <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/07/40001426/trump-aims-to-make-us-crypto-capital-of-the-planet-well-get-it-done">advocated for a strategic national Bitcoin stockpile</a> at a conference earlier this year, and his victory last month has boosted expectations of it becoming a reality.
However, nothing concrete has come from Trump since this advocacy, although Lummis <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/42121376/strategic-bitcoin-reserve-wouldnt-require-new-taxpayer-dollars-says-sen-cynthia-lummis">continues to aggressively sell the idea</a>.
The bill, called the BITCOIN Act, outlines the purchase of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/42080839/cynthia-lummis-says-strategic-bitcoin-reserve-could-take-shape-soon-after-trump-raises-his-hand-and-is-sworn-in">one million Bitcoin</a> over five years by the Treasury Department and holding it for at least 20 years unless used to retire outstanding federal debt.
Why It Matters: Previously, Schiff had warned that such a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/41886523/peter-schiff-us-bitcoin-reserve-could-destroy-dollar-predicts-its-highly-unlikely-to-happen">move could lead to an economic catastrophe</a>. He suggested that the government would have to continuously increase its Bitcoin holdings, potentially triggering a market crash as investors cash out.
He added that the exercise would end up severely devaluing the dollar, leading to hyperinflation.
On the other hand, proponents like Galaxy Digital CEO Michael Novogratz <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/41952244/michael-novogratz-bitcoin-reserve-could-push-price-to-500000-but-likelihood-is-low">believe it could push Bitcoin prices to unprecedented levels</a>. 
That said, even he maintained that the possibility of such a strategic move is limited, particularly with a divided Congress.
Price Action: At the time of writing, Bitcoin was exchanging hands at $96,027.09, down 1.70% in the last 24 hours, according to <a href="https://pro.benzinga.com/dashboard?_gl=1&#x2A;380nj0&#x2A;_ga&#x2A;MTEyOTAyOTcxMy4xNzEzMzY0NTYy&#x2A;_ga_V7ZK73W7N0&#x2A;MTcxNDk4MzIzMi42LjEuMTcxNDk4OTE0Ni4wLjAuMA.." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">data from Benzinga Pro</a>. 
Image via Shutterstock
Read Next:&nbsp;
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</ul>

Peter Schiff Says The Bitcoin Reserve Bill Gets Plenty Of Attention, But Not On Capitol Hill — Questions Lack Of Co-Sponsors

On Monday, Tom Lee, Chief Investment Officer at Fundstrat Capital, predicted that the S&amp;P 500 tracked by SPDR S&amp;P 500 (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPY#NYSE">SPY</a>) will rally to 6,300 by year-end, citing favorable market conditions and historical patterns that point to continued strength in December.
What Happened: Speaking <a href="https://youtu.be/-pGeJoBHqaE?feature=shared">on</a> CNBC&#8217;s &#8220;Squawk Box,&#8221; Lee outlined four key factors supporting his bullish outlook: strong December seasonality, falling 10-year Treasury yields, contrarian sentiment indicators, and dual market support from both Federal Reserve and presidential policies.
&#8220;December has been up 100% of the time when the market is up more than 10% in the first half of the year during election years,&#8221; Lee said, emphasizing the historical precedent. He noted that the 10-year Treasury yield&#8217;s retreat to 4.1% creates conditions favorable for multiple expansion.
Lee&#8217;s optimistic view extends to cryptocurrency markets, where he projects Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) will surpass $100,000 by year-end, with the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42257250/financial-analyst-says-bitcoin-could-soar-to-250000">potential to reach $250,000 by the end of 2025</a>. His cryptocurrency forecast aligns with recent market momentum, as Bitcoin trades near $95,870, despite recent volatility.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/12/42281558/bitcoin-ethereum-dogecoin-dip-as-investors-get-spooked-by-us-governments-2b-btc-transfer-analyst-says-breakout-above-100k-could-trigger-20-25-correction-in-top-crypto">Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Dip As Investors Get Spooked By US Government&#8217;s $2B BTC Transfer: Analyst Says Breakout Above $100K Could Trigger 20-25% Correction In Top Crypto</a>
Why It Matters: The strategist&#8217;s S&amp;P 500 target stands between competing Wall Street forecasts. Bank of America Securities recently projected the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42276232/bank-of-america-eyes-sp-500-at-6666-in-2025-we-are-expecting-another-good-year-for-equities">index will reach 6,666 by the end of 2025</a>, representing a 10% increase from current levels. The S&amp;P 500 closed at 6,047.15 on Monday, marking continued momentum in the broader market rally.
Lee addressed concerns about proposed tariffs under President-elect Donald Trump&#8216;s administration, suggesting they could serve as effective negotiating tools without significantly hampering corporate profits. 
&#8220;It's a reminder that carrying a big stick can be effective. Tariffs have proven to be useful negotiating tools, leading to proactive responses from other countries. Overall, I don't believe the administration would pursue policies that harm corporate profits, so the net result will likely be pro-business,&#8221; Lee said.
&#8220;The Fed&#8217;s goal is to reduce capital costs for homeowners, mortgages, and small businesses,&#8221; Lee said, explaining how lower yields could benefit the broader economy despite concerns about potential economic weakness.
Read Next: 
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/equities/24/12/42281410/cathie-wood-slams-delaware-judge-as-activist-over-elon-musks-56b-pay-plan-block-tesla-warns-of-shareholder-rights-crisis-amid-appeal">Cathie Wood Slams Delaware Judge As &#8216;Activist&#8217; Over Elon Musk&#8217;s $56B Pay Plan Block, Tesla Warns Of Shareholder Rights Crisis Amid Appeal</a></li>
</ul>
Image Via Shutterstock 
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

Global

ETFs

Tom Lee Predicts S&P 500 To Reach 6,300, Bitcoin To Break $100K By Year-End, Says Trump's Tariffs Can Be Effective 'Negotiating Tools'

President-elect Donald Trump has reiterated his opposition to the acquisition of United States Steel Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/X#NYSE">X</a>) by Japan&#8217;s Nippon Steel Corp. (OTC:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/NPSCY#OTC">NPSCY</a>) in a Truth Social post on Monday. 
What Happened: Trump stated his intention to prevent the deal, emphasizing his commitment to strengthening U.S. Steel through tax incentives and tariffs.
Trump&#8217;s post read, &#8220;I am totally against the once great and powerful U.S. Steel being bought by a foreign company, in this case Nippon Steel of Japan. Through a series of Tax Incentives and Tariffs, we will make U.S. Steel Strong and Great Again, and it will happen FAST! As President, I will block this deal from happening. Buyer Beware!!!&#8221;
His comments come amid ongoing discussions about the $14.1 billion acquisition, which Nippon Steel aims to finalize by the year&#8217;s end. The deal faces resistance from various fronts, including unions and the current Biden administration.
Nippon Steel <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/m-a/24/11/41806893/nippon-steel-remains-confident-in-14b-us-steel-deal-despite-trumps-resistance-there-can-be-construct">remains optimistic</a> about the deal, arguing that it will benefit the U.S. economy by creating jobs and enhancing competitiveness against China&#8217;s steel industry.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/11/42253555/microstrategys-imminent-inclusion-in-nasdaq-100-could-reportedly-spark-up-to-2b-in-fund-inflows?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">MicroStrategy&#8217;s Imminent Inclusion In Nasdaq 100 Could Reportedly Spark Up To $2B In Fund Inflows</a>
Why It Matters: Trump&#8217;s stance on the Nippon Steel deal highlights his anticipated policies, which could impact international trade relations. Analysts suggest that his return to the White House may lead to increased support for the domestic steel industry through deregulation and tariffs.
Nippon Steel&#8217;s takeover of U.S. Steel <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/m-a/24/11/41806893/nippon-steel-remains-confident-in-14b-us-steel-deal-despite-trumps-resistance-there-can-be-construct">faces criticism</a> from lawmakers and the United Steelworkers union, who are concerned about job security. The potential failure of the deal could also have broader implications for Japanese companies&#8217; future acquisitions in strategic sectors.
Trump&#8217;s election victory has already stirred market reactions, with analysts predicting a positive response for steel equities due to potential tariffs on Chinese and Mexican steel.
Image via Shutterstock
Did You Know?
<ul>
<li>Congress Is Making Huge Investments. <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/gov-trades">Get Tips On What They Bought And Sold Ahead Of The 2024 Election With Our Easy-to-Use Tool</a></li>
</ul>
This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/shivdeep-dhaliwal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shivdeep Dhaliwal</a>

NPSCY

Trump Says He Will Make US Steel 'Great Again' Through Tariffs, Cautions Nippon Steel: 'Buyer Beware!'

On Monday, Cathie Wood&#8217;s Ark Invest made significant moves in its portfolio, notably involving Spotify Technology SA (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>) and Pinterest Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PINS#NYSE">PINS</a>).
The Spotify Trade
Ark Invest&#8217;s Ark Fintech Innovation ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKF#NYSE">ARKF</a>) and ARK Next Generation Internet ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ARKW#NYSE">ARKW</a>) ETFs offloaded shares of Spotify Technology SA (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SPOT#NYSE">SPOT</a>). The ARKF ETF sold 2,408 shares, while the ARKW ETF sold a more substantial 7,614 shares. Based on Spotify&#8217;s closing price of $480.27 on the day of the trade, the total value of the sold shares amounts to approximately $4.8 million.
This move comes days after Spotify&#8217;s recent launch of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/11/42195174/spotify-introduces-marketing-tools-for-audiobook-authors">Spotify for Authors</a>, a new set of tools aimed at authors and publishers who distribute their audiobooks on its platform. Furthermore, <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/insights/options/24/11/41811361/spotlight-on-spotify-technology-analyzing-the-surge-in-options-activity">a surge in options activity</a> was observed for Spotify, indicating a bullish stance from investors with significant capital.
The Pinterest Trade
Conversely, Ark Invest&#8217;s ARKF and ARKW ETFs bought shares of Pinterest Inc (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/PINS#NYSE">PINS</a>). The ARKF ETF purchased 37,519 shares, and the ARKW ETF acquired a whopping 118,619 shares. Given Pinterest&#8217;s closing price of $30.43 on the day of the trade, the total value of the purchased shares is approximately $4.7 million.
This purchase follows Pinterest&#8217;s third-quarter earnings report, which revealed a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/11/41827920/pinterest-q3-earnings-revenue-beat-eps-miss-soft-guidance-ai-investments-paying-off-and-more">revenue beat, an EPS miss, and soft guidance</a>. Despite the mixed results, Pinterest&#8217;s investments in AI appear to be paying off, with total revenue up 18% YoY and global monthly active users increasing by 11% YoY.
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cryptocurrency/24/12/42258934/dogecoin-bounces-9-after-bernie-sanders-views-align-with-elon-musks-doge-department?itm_source=parsely-api" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Dogecoin Bounces 9% After Bernie Sanders&#8217; Views Align With Elon Musk&#8217;s &#8216;DOGE&#8217; Department</a>
Other Key Trades:
<ul>
<li>Wood&#8217;s Ark purchased 4,012 shares of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMD#NASDAQ">AMD</a>) for its ARKF fund. The transaction was valued at $569,944.</li>
<li>ARKG sold stock of Senti Biosciences Inc (SNTI) and shares of Butterfly Network Inc (BFLY)</li>
<li>ARKG bought shares of Absci Corp (ABSI) and shares of Pacific Biosciences of California Inc (PACB). ARKX sold shares of Garmin Ltd (GRMN).</li>
</ul>
Image via Benzinga YouTube and Unsplash
Read Next: 
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This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/shivdeep-dhaliwal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shivdeep Dhaliwal</a>

ARKF

ARKW

PINS

SPOT

Cathie Wood's Monday Moves: $4.8M Spotify Stock Sale Meets $4.7M Pinterest Shopping Spree

Leading cryptocurrencies corrected Monday after the U.S. government moved nearly $2 billion in Bitcoin to new addresses.
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>Gains +/-</td>
<td>Price (Recorded at 7:45 p.m. ET)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>)</td>
<td>-1.56%</td>
<td>$95,870.15</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Ethereum (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/eth/usd">ETH</a>) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>-1.58%</td>
<td>$3,641.51</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Dogecoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/doge/usd">DOGE</a>)&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
<td>-4.99%</td>
<td>$0.4231</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
What Happened: The world's largest cryptocurrency dipped to an intraday low of $94,600 after on-chain data showed the outward movement of around 19,800 BTCs, worth $1.92 billion, confiscated from the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/topic/silk-road">online black market Silk Road</a>, from the address linked to the U.S. government.
Analytics firm Arkham said that the stash was split into two wallets, from where about 10,000 BTCs, or $963 million, were moved to cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase.
<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">ALERT: US GOVERNMENT MOVING $1.92B BTC TO NEW ADDRESS Address: bc1q0av33ktzrkjps8exjex5gtv98vx225uqmzhspm <a href="https://t.co/JSELsjFg5T">pic.twitter.com/JSELsjFg5T</a>
&mdash; Arkham (@arkham) <a href="https://twitter.com/arkham/status/1863623883422679160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
The resultant FUD gripped the larger market, pushing Ethereum to fall below $3,600 until dip buying sparked a comeback.
The correction triggered nearly $600 million in liquidations in the last 24 hours, with about $425 million in bullish bets getting wiped out.
Bitcoin's Open Interest (OI) dropped by 1.41% in the 24-hour period, while the Long/Shorts Ratio fell further, signaling the dominance of bearish positions in the derivatives market.
Owing to the FUD, the "Extreme Greed" sentiment fell marginally from 80 to 76 in the last 24 hours, per the Cryptocurrency Fear &amp; Greed Index.
Top Gainers (24-Hours)
<figure class="wp-block-table"> 
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Cryptocurrency</td>
<td>Gains +/-</td>
<td>Price (Recorded at 7:45 p.m. ET)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Kaia (KAIA)</td>
<td>+53.04%</td>
<td>$0.3972</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Hedera (HBAR)</td>
<td>+48.41%</td>
<td>$0.3138</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Chainlink (LINK)</td>
<td>+31.53%</td>
<td>$24.97</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</figure>
The global cryptocurrency market capitalization stood at $3.47 trillion, following a slight decrease of 0.31% in the last 24 hours.
Stocks spiked to record highs to kickstart 2024's last trading month. The S&amp;P 500 closed 0.24% higher at 6,047.15, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite surged 0.97%, ending at 19,403.95.
Investors parsed encouraging macroeconomic data Monday, as the Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42270045/us-manufacturing-output-tops-forecasts-in-november-is-the-sectors-crisis-over">rose from October's 46.5% to 48.4% in November</a>, beating analyst expectations of 47.5%. This marked the slowest contraction in the manufacturing sector since June.
This next focus will be on the crucial monthly jobs report for November, slated for Friday.
See More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-crypto-scanners">Best Cryptocurrency Scanners</a>
Analyst Notes: A widely followed cryptocurrency analyst, going by the pseudonym Wolf, projected a sharp correlation for Bitcoin after it broke the $100,000 milestone.
"A breakout above $100,000 would trigger retail FOMO, only to be followed by a 20-25% correction. This kind of structure is something we've seen just a few months ago and is typical in crypto markets," the analyst emphasized.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">A breakout above 100k would trigger retail FOMO, only to be followed by a 20-25% correction. This kind of structure is something we've seen just a few months ago and is typical in crypto markets. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> <a href="https://t.co/VBguEosE6B">pic.twitter.com/VBguEosE6B</a>
&mdash; Wolf &#x1f43a; (@IamCryptoWolf) <a href="https://twitter.com/IamCryptoWolf/status/1863656542718882123?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Cryptocurrency analyst and trader Ali Martinez noted a decline in on-chain activity for the Bitcoin network, with daily active addresses, transaction volume, and whale activity cooling down over the past week.
"We need a spike in these metrics to confirm a continuation of the uptrend," Ali stated.
<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"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Bitcoin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Bitcoin</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24BTC&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$BTC</a> daily active addresses, transaction volume, and whale activity have slowed down over the past week. We need a spike in these metrics to confirm a continuation of the uptrend. <a href="https://t.co/DHhP3FTwd7">pic.twitter.com/DHhP3FTwd7</a>
&mdash; Ali (@ali_charts) <a href="https://twitter.com/ali_charts/status/1863644579418808496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Photo by CMP_NZ on Shutterstock
Read Next:    
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/12/42277090/crypto-related-shares-fall-today-whats-going-on">Crypto-Related Shares Fall Today: What&#8217;s Going On?</a></li>
</ul>

$ETH

Bitcoin, Ethereum, Dogecoin Dip As Investors Get Spooked By US Government's $2B BTC Transfer: Analyst Says Breakout Above $100K Could Trigger 20-25% Correction In Top Crypto

A Delaware judge&#8217;s decision to void Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/TSLA#NASDAQ">TSLA</a>) CEO Elon Musk&#8216;s $56 billion compensation package for a second time has ignited strong criticism from prominent technology leaders and investors, highlighting growing concerns about Delaware&#8217;s <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42279851/elon-musk-56b-pay-package-rejected-by-judge-again-tesla-analyst-says-a-soap-opera-playing-out-in-delaware">corporate governance framework</a>.
What Happened: Cathie Wood, CEO of Ark Invest, condemned Delaware Chancery Court Judge Kathaleen McCormick&#8216;s ruling, calling her an &#8220;activist judge&#8221; and arguing that shareholders&#8217; voting rights were being undermined. The package had received overwhelming shareholder approval twice, most recently with 77% support in June 2023.
<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">Based on her <a href="https://twitter.com/TSLA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TSLA</a> ruling, DE Judge McCormick is an activist judge at its worst. No judge has the right to determine CEO compensation. Shareholders voted twice, overwhelmingly each time, to ratify <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a>'s 2018 performance-based pay package. She will lose this fight in Supreme… <a href="https://t.co/cnby3pD2vd">https://t.co/cnby3pD2vd</a>
&mdash; Cathie Wood (@CathieDWood) <a href="https://twitter.com/CathieDWood/status/1863742043362824674?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
&#8220;This ruling, if not overturned, means that judges and plaintiffs&#8217; lawyers run Delaware companies rather than their rightful owners – the shareholders,&#8221; Tesla&#8217;s official account posted on X, formerly Twitter, announcing plans to appeal the decision.
<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">A Delaware judge just overruled a supermajority of shareholders who own Tesla and who voted twice to pay <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@elonmusk</a> what he's worth.  The court's decision is wrong, and we're going to appeal. This ruling, if not overturned, means that judges and plaintiffs' lawyers run Delaware…
&mdash; Tesla (@Tesla) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tesla/status/1863730393930735634?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
The controversial ruling also drew criticism from influential tech figures. Y Combinator co-founder Paul Graham suggested this could end Delaware&#8217;s status as the default incorporation state for startups, while Sequoia partner Shaun Maguire highlighted the $345 million in attorney fees awarded to the plaintiffs&#8217; lawyers, contrasting it with the blocked compensation package.
<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">It used to be automatic for startups to incorporate in Delaware. That will stop being the case if activist judges start overruling shareholders. <a href="https://t.co/Z5cb1wn8tN">https://t.co/Z5cb1wn8tN</a>
&mdash; Paul Graham (@paulg) <a href="https://twitter.com/paulg/status/1863737832818479385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">A Delaware Judge just blocked Elon's ~$56B Tesla pay package And simultaneously awarded $345m in compensation to the LAWYERS who sued to block the original pay package I recommend all future companies to incorporate outside of Delaware <a href="https://t.co/oSEbuI98Ho">pic.twitter.com/oSEbuI98Ho</a>
&mdash; Shaun Maguire (@shaunmmaguire) <a href="https://twitter.com/shaunmmaguire/status/1863716730281119932?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
Future Fund LLC Managing Partner Gary Black expressed confidence in Tesla&#8217;s grounds for appeal, citing the two shareholder votes supporting Musk&#8217;s compensation plan. &#8220;The DE Supreme Court has a reputation for being moderate and pragmatic,&#8221; Black noted, suggesting limited market impact due to the expected nature of the decision.
<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"> 
<div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">This decision was expected so I doubt we'll see too much reaction tomorrow. We've been saying this would happen for months &#8211; see my pinned tweet. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%24TSLA&amp;src=ctag&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">$TSLA</a> has strong grounds for getting McCormick's decision overturned on appeal &#8211; namely two shareholder votes, one in 2018 and one in… <a href="https://t.co/b7mYGWwoHB">pic.twitter.com/b7mYGWwoHB</a>
&mdash; Gary Black (@garyblack00) <a href="https://twitter.com/garyblack00/status/1863736185090191494?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
</figure>
See Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42276232/bank-of-america-eyes-sp-500-at-6666-in-2025-we-are-expecting-another-good-year-for-equities">S&amp;P 500 At 6,666 In 2025? Bank Of America Predicts &#8216;Another Good Year For Equities&#8217;</a>
Why It Matters: McCormick&#8217;s ruling cited &#8220;fatal flaws&#8221; in Tesla&#8217;s defense, including issues with post-trial evidence and proxy statement misstatements. The judge maintained that the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42279851/elon-musk-56b-pay-package-rejected-by-judge-again-tesla-analyst-says-a-soap-opera-playing-out-in-delaware">board was influenced by Musk</a> when adopting the original 2018 plan, which included ambitious milestones that Tesla ultimately achieved.
The compensation package, the largest ever for a U.S. corporate executive, would be worth over $100 billion at current share prices. While Musk remains the world&#8217;s richest person with an estimated net worth of $343 billion, the ongoing legal battle creates uncertainty for Tesla investors and raises broader questions about shareholder rights versus judicial <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42279851/elon-musk-56b-pay-package-rejected-by-judge-again-tesla-analyst-says-a-soap-opera-playing-out-in-delaware">oversight in corporate governance</a>.
Price Action: Tesla&#8217;s stock closed at $357.09 on Monday, gaining 3.46% for the day. In after-hours trading, the stock dipped 1.23%. Year-to-date, Tesla shares have surged 43.74%, according to <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/pro/">data from Benzinga Pro</a>.
Read Next: 
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<li><a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42281220/intel-cleanspark-super-micro-computer-upstart-tesla-why-these-5-stocks-are-on-investors-radars-today">Intel, Cleanspark, Super Micro Computer, Upstart, Tesla: Why These 5 Stocks Are On Investors&#8217; Radars Today</a></li>
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Image Via Pixabay
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.

TSLA

Cathie Wood Slams Delaware Judge As 'Activist' Over Elon Musk's $56B Pay Plan Block, Tesla Warns Of Shareholder Rights Crisis Amid Appeal

Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/AMAT#NASDAQ">AMAT</a>) shares closed higher by 4.9% to $183.26 Monday following the Biden administration's announcement of expanded export controls targeting <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/24/12/42265847/biden-targets-china-with-new-chip-restrictions-nvidia-slides">China's semiconductor industry</a>.
The new restrictions, aimed at limiting China's access to advanced chipmaking technologies, are expected to redirect global demand for semiconductor manufacturing equipment toward companies like Applied Materials, a leader in this space.
What To Know: Applied Materials, headquartered in Santa Clara, California, is one of the world's largest suppliers of materials engineering solutions used to produce virtually every advanced semiconductor. 
The company's expertise spans deposition, etching, metrology and inspection technologies essential for creating chips used in AI, data centers and advanced memory applications.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/economics/macro-economic-events/24/12/42273932/tech-stocks-rise-apple-tops-record-highs-dollar-surges-bitcoin-falls-to-95000-whats-driving-markets-monday">Tech Stocks Rise, Apple Tops Record Highs, Dollar Surges, Bitcoin Falls To $95,000: What&#8217;s Driving Markets Monday?</a>
The latest U.S. measures add 140 Chinese entities to an export blacklist, tightening the flow of high-end chipmaking tools. This includes a broadened scope of restrictions on advanced tools critical for fabricating cutting-edge chips.
Applied Materials, whose tools are pivotal in manufacturing next-generation semiconductors, stands to benefit as global semiconductor firms outside of China ramp up production to fill the gap left by sanctioned Chinese players.
What Else: Furthermore, the sanctions align with agreements between the U.S., Japan and the Netherlands, shielding companies like Applied Materials from competition in certain restricted markets. This could bolsters the company's market position as it serves key global customers.
The geopolitical shift away from Chinese suppliers is likely to increase demand for Applied Materials' equipment, particularly in regions like Taiwan, South Korea and the United States, where investments in semiconductor manufacturing are surging.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42273230/stellantis-market-value-halves-in-2024-why-ceo-tavares-exit-could-take-things-from-bad-to-worse">Stellantis Market Value Halves In 2024: Why CEO Tavares&#8217; Exit Could Take Things From Bad To Worse</a>
Investors can gain exposure to&nbsp;AMAT by&nbsp;investing&nbsp;in the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/SMH#NASDAQ">SMH</a>).
<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How To Buy AMAT Stock</h2>
By now you're likely curious about how to participate in the market for Applied Materials &#8211; be it to purchase shares, or even attempt to bet against the company.
Buying shares is typically done through a brokerage account. You can find a list of <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/best-stock-trading-platforms">possible trading platforms here.</a> Many will allow you to buy ‘fractional shares,' which allows you to own portions of stock without buying an entire share. For example, some stock, like Berkshire Hathaway, or Amazon.com, can cost thousands of dollars to own just one share. However, if you only want to invest a fraction of that, brokerages will allow you to do so. 
In the the case of Applied Materials, which is trading at $183.0 as of publishing time, $100 would buy you 0.55 shares of stock.
If you're looking to bet against a company, the process is more complex. You'll need access to an options trading platform, or a broker who will allow you to ‘go short' a share of stock by lending you the shares to sell. The process of shorting a <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/money/how-to-short-a-stock">stock can be found at this resource.</a> Otherwise, if your broker allows you to trade options, you can either buy a put option, or sell a call option at a strike price above where shares are currently trading &#8211; either way it allows you to profit off of the share price decline.
According to data from&nbsp;<a href="https://benzinga.grsm.io/register174">Benzinga Pro</a>, AMAT has a 52-week high of $255.89 and a 52-week low of $144.57.

AMAT

What's Going On With Applied Materials Shares?

U.S. markets saw mixed results on Monday: the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 0.3% to 44,782, the S&amp;P 500 edged up 0.2% to 6,047.15, and the Nasdaq climbed nearly 1% to close at 19,403.95.
These are the top stocks that gained the attention of retail traders and investors throughout the day:
Intel Corporation
Intel&#8217;s stock dipped 0.50% to close at $23.93, with an intraday high of $25.48 and a low of $23.44. The stock&#8217;s 52-week range is between $51.28 and $18.51. Intel&#8217;s CEO, Pat Gelsinger, announced his retirement, reportedly under pressure from the board due to dissatisfaction with the company&#8217;s progress. Intel has <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42275410/intel-ceo-pat-gelsinger-forced-out-by-board-analysts-cheer-potential-strategy-shift-this-move-opens-the-door">appointed</a> David Zinsner and Michelle Johnston Holthaus as interim co-CEOs during the search for a new leader.
CleanSpark Inc.
CleanSpark shares rose by 1.18%, closing at $14.52. The stock reached an intraday high of $15.4 and a low of $14.11, with a 52-week high of $24.72 and a low of $6.41. The company reported its fiscal year 2024 earnings, showing a revenue increase of 125% year-over-year. Despite missing analysts&#8217; estimates, CleanSpark <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/news/earnings/24/12/42278398/bitcoin-miner-cleanspark-reports-fy24-earnings-shares-climb">ended the quarter</a> with 8,049 Bitcoin (CRYPTO: <a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/btc/usd">BTC</a>) and $122.2 million in cash. CleanSpark continues to focus on its Bitcoin mining operations.
Super Micro Computer Inc.
Super Micro Computer&#8217;s stock surged by 28.68%, closing at $42. The stock hit an intraday high of $44.15 and a low of $35.32, with a 52-week range from $122.90 to $17.25. The rise followed the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/trading-ideas/movers/24/12/42268387/super-micro-computer-stock-is-surging-today-whats-behind-the-move">completion of a review</a> by an independent special committee, which found no basis for the concerns raised by the company&#8217;s former auditor. Super Micro reassured investors about its governance and transparency.
Upstart Holdings Inc.
Upstart&#8217;s stock fell 14.47% to $67.39, with an intraday high of $75.50 and a low of $66.88. The stock&#8217;s 52-week high is $86.07, and the low is $20.60. Analysts <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42272073/sofi-tech-could-become-american-express-of-fintech-analyst-says">express caution</a> about fintech lenders, suggesting better entry points post-earnings. Upstart faces challenges amid changing market conditions and investor sentiment.
Tesla Inc.
Tesla&#8217;s stock gained 3.46%, closing at $357.09. The stock reached an intraday high of $360 and a low of $351.15, with a 52-week range of $361.92 to $138.8. A Delaware judge <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/12/42279851/elon-musk-56b-pay-package-rejected-by-judge-again-tesla-analyst-says-a-soap-opera-playing-out-in-delaware">rejected</a> Tesla CEO Elon Musk&#8217;s $56 billion pay package from 2018, despite shareholder approval. The compensation plan included challenging milestones for Musk to achieve. Tesla continues to navigate legal and financial hurdles.
Prepare for the day&#8217;s trading&nbsp;<a href="https://editorial.benzinga.com/wp-admin/Premarket%20Movers%20&amp;%20News">with top premarket movers and news</a>&nbsp;by Benzinga.
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This story was generated using <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/benzinga-neuro">Benzinga Neuro</a> and edited by <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/author/shivdeep-dhaliwal" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Shivdeep Dhaliwal</a>

CLSK

INTC

SMCI

UPST

Intel, Cleanspark, Super Micro Computer, Upstart, Tesla: Why These 5 Stocks Are On Investors' Radars Today

MYNZ

Trading Halt: Halted at 7:50:00 p.m. ET - Trading Halt: Halt News Pending

The Pentagon announced Monday the latest arms package for Ukraine totaling $725 million, the largest since a $1 billion package in April. The arms package will include the second shipment of antipersonnel mines that President Joe Biden<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/commodities/24/11/41873103/trump-reportedly-urges-russian-president-to-deescalate-war-with-ukraine-heres-how-crude-oil-wti-futures-are-reacting"> authorized.</a>
According to a Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-12-02/us-to-announce-725-million-arms-package-for-ukraine-including-mines?sref=TBDibEcD">report</a>, the latest arms package will also include air defense missiles and Javelin, TOW and AT-4 anti-armor weapons, counter-drone munitions, 155mm artillery shells and "equipment to protect critical national infrastructure," according to the Department of Defense.
Read More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/new-etfs/24/12/42270723/new-conservative-etf-aims-to-invest-in-sp-500-without-dei-were-going-to-deliver-that-mandate">New Conservative ETF Aims To Invest In S&amp;P 500 Without DEI: &#8216;We&#8217;re Going To Deliver That Mandate&#8217;</a>
Last week, the White House asked Congress to provide an additional $24 billion in security assistance which it is seeking to designate as "emergency spending." The Biden administration requested $8 billion for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative to finance weapons contracts with U.S. defense contractors with the remaining $16 billion to be used for replenishing U.S. weapons stocks.
Major General Patrick Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters "We understand the urgent situation in Ukraine and the president's direction and will continue to do everything we can to ensure that Ukraine is getting the aid that it needs."
Why It Matters: Government and military contracting companies, including General Dynamics Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/GD#NYSE">GD</a>), may benefit from the latest arms package to Ukraine. Specifically, the Javelin weapon system is produced by the Javelin Joint Venture, a partnership between Lockheed Martin Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/LMT#NYSE">LMT</a>) and RTX Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/RTX#NYSE">RTX</a>) subsidiary Raytheon.  
Investors can gain exposure to the broader aerospace and defense industry through ETFs that invest in U.S. government and military contractors including the iShares U.S. Aerospace &amp; Defense ETF (BATS:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/ITA#BATS">ITA</a>) and the SPDR S&amp;P Aerospace &amp; Defense ETF (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XAR#NYSE">XAR</a>). 
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Photo: Shutterstock

Government

Sector ETFs

iShares Dow Jones US Aerospace & Defense Index Fund

US Announces $725 Million Arms Package For Ukraine

The national average price of gas has fallen for the seventh straight week to $3 per gallon, the lowest level since May 2021. The price of gas has fallen slightly, 0.6 cents from last week, and is 23.2 cents<a href="https://www.benzinga.com/24/12/42262225/asia-gains-across-markets-europe-mixed-oil-rises-on-china-activity-dollar-strengthens-global-markets-today-while-us-slept"> lower than a year ago. </a>
According to data from GasBuddy, more than 100,000 stations now offer gas at $2.99 per gallon or less. The median gas price is $2.93 per gallon with the top 10% of stations averaging $4.16 per gallon and the bottom 10% of stations averaging $2.40 per gallon.&nbsp;
Read More: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/etfs/new-etfs/24/12/42270723/new-conservative-etf-aims-to-invest-in-sp-500-without-dei-were-going-to-deliver-that-mandate">New Conservative ETF Aims To Invest In S&amp;P 500 Without DEI: &#8216;We&#8217;re Going To Deliver That Mandate&#8217;</a>
"Millions took to the road for Thanksgiving, and while some regions, like the Great Lakes, saw gas prices rise just in time for travel, most of the nation saw prices hold mostly stable or decline slightly as the national average remains near the lowest level we've seen since 2021," said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.&nbsp;
Oil Prices: Oil prices per barrel have held in a tight range in the upper $60s over the past week, as tensions continue between Russia and Ukraine, a tenuous peace deal in the Middle East, and economic slowdown in China, among other factors.&nbsp;
Looking Ahead: OPEC members will likely consider extending the current production cuts for another month. However, there is some uncertainty ahead if President-elect Donald Trump increases sanctions on Iran, and potentially Venezuela, or adds tariffs on Canadian crude.
"While the potential impacts from tariffs are something to watch, they would have no effect until late January, if implemented at all. For this week, all eyes will be on the previously delayed OPEC+ meeting on Thursday. If they begin to restore oil production, oil prices could soften to the mid-$60s [per barrel]," De Haan said.&nbsp;
Oil Investments: Investors looking for exposure to the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/content/42093973/traders-are-flocking-back-to-oil-whats-fueling-the-optimism">oil market</a> could invest in individual oil companies like Exxon Mobil Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XOM#NYSE">XOM</a>), ConocoPhillips (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/COP#NYSE">COP</a>) and Chevron Corp. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/CVX#NYSE">CVX</a>).&nbsp;
Commodity oil ETFs track the price of crude oil using futures contracts and include the United States Oil Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/USO#NYSE">USO</a>) which tracks the price of West Texas Intermediate crude oil.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Equity oil ETFs invest in stocks of oil-related companies with one popular example being the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/XLE#NYSE">XLE</a>), which holds large-cap U.S. energy companies. 
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Photo: Engin Akyurt from Pixabay

Large Cap

Commodities

Travel

Gas Prices Fall For 7th Straight Week To $3 Per Gallon, Reaching 2021 Levels

Health Canada is set to reduce spending on its <a href="http://benzinga.com/cannabis">cannabis</a> program by CA$20.5 million ($14.6 million) over the next three years. This move is part of the federal government&#8217;s &#8220;Refocusing Government Spending&#8221; initiative aimed at saving CA$15.8 billion over five years.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Canada's Cannabis Program Suffers Largest Spending Cuts</h3>
The planned cuts are the largest within Health Canada&#8217;s contributions to the budgetary goal. Reductions include CA$4.7 million in 2024-2025, CA$7.5 million in 2025-2026 and CA$8.3 million in 2026-2027 and ongoing. Other affected areas are pharmaceutical drugs programs and management and oversight services.
In budget 2023, the government announced measures to scale back spending to pre-pandemic levels, <a href="https://stratcann.com/news/more-than-20-million-in-cuts-to-health-canadas-cannabis-program-over-next-three-years/">according</a> to StratCann. Documents tabled in the House of Commons revealed cuts to various federal programs, including affordable housing and the Department of National Defence. This information emerged in response to a question from NDP MP Peter Julian.
<ul>
<li>Get Benzinga&#8217;s exclusive analysis and the top news about the cannabis industry and markets daily in your inbox for free. Subscribe to our newsletter <a href="https://newsletteremail.benzinga.com/subscribe">here</a>. If you&#8217;re serious about the business, you can&#8217;t afford to miss out.</li>
</ul>
A <a href="https://www.pbo-dpb.ca/en/publications/RP-2324-024-C--refocusing-government-spending-in-2023-24--recentrer-depenses-gouvernementales-2023-2024#pb!sd">report</a> by the Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer outlined CA$500 million in announced reductions on consulting, professional services and travel for 2023-24. StratCann notes the report identified CA$179,000 in savings from Health Canada&#8217;s cannabis program, stating it would not impact service levels.
<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Budget Cuts Raise Workforce Concerns Amid Industry Struggles</h3>
However, <a href="https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/federal-union-warns-government-widening-the-net-to-reduce-spending-1.7103218">according</a> to CTV News Ottawa, the Public Service Alliance of Canada expressed concerns that slashed budgets could potentially impact workforce stability and service delivery.
Read Also: <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/government/regulations/24/11/42146896/exclusive-how-equa-tackles-stigma-in-cannabis-insurance-with-tailored-solutions">EXCLUSIVE: How EQUA Tackles Stigma In Cannabis Insurance With Tailored Solutions</a>
Furthermore, these federal cuts come at a challenging time for <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/analyst-ratings/analyst-color/24/10/41599546/canadas-cannabis-market-goes-cold-pot-prices-hit-bottom-why-top-producers-are-losin">Canada&#8217;s legal cannabis industry</a>. Leaders in the sector <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/08/40591338/canadas-cannabis-growth-slowed-due-to-federal-gov-inaction-key-industry-leader-says">have criticized federal inaction on policy reforms</a>, which has allowed the <a href="https://www.benzinga.com/markets/cannabis/24/08/40558227/cannabis-sales-in-canada-decline-sharply-whats-behind-the-drop">illicit market to thrive and legal sales to decline</a>.&nbsp;
Statistics Canada reported a 2.8% drop from May to June 2024 and an 8.2% year-over-year decrease. Falling flower prices, while competitive against illicit alternatives, have further squeezed profit margins.
Omar Khan, a key figure at High Tide Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/stock/HITI#NASDAQ">HITI</a>), expressed frustration with the government&#8217;s lack of engagement in an <a href="https://nationalpost.com/opinion/provinces-lead-way-on-cannabis-reform-while-feds-dither">article</a> published in late August. He criticized the absence of federal leadership, considering it has left the sector vulnerable.
As Canada approaches its next federal election in 2025, without decisive measures, the potential of its <a href="http://benzinga.com/topic/canada-cannabis">legal cannabis sector</a> may remain unrealized.
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Cannabis

HITI

Health Canada Cuts $14.6M From Cannabis Program Amid Federal Austerity

Wharf Real Estate Investment: Expecting A Better 2024 (Rating Upgrade)

Analyst Sam Wong from Jefferies maintained a Buy rating on Wharf Real Estate Investment Co (WRFRF – Research Report) and keeping the price target a...

Wharf Real Estate Investment Co: A Strong Buy on Positive Rental Reversion and Strategic Growth Initiatives

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