Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) – Tesla settled a lawsuit regarding a fatal Autopilot accident before the high-profile trial. The company faces legal and reputational challenges amidst promoting autonomous driving technology. Despite Elon Musk’s optimism, critics question the feasibility of self-driving cars. In other news, Tesla founder Martin Eberhard expressed regret over the cancellation of plans for a low-cost car, citing intense competition in China. Initially committed to affordable electric vehicles, Tesla now focuses on luxury models.
JPMorgan Chase (NYSE:JPM) – JPMorgan Chase’s board has identified potential successors for CEO Jamie Dimon, paving the way for a leadership transition at America’s largest bank. At 68, Dimon has led the bank for over 18 years, becoming a prominent figure in American business. Potential candidates include Jennifer Piepszak and Marianne Lake. The succession is gaining attention on Wall Street, as other banks also undergo leadership changes. Meanwhile, in his annual letter to shareholders, Dimon praised the economic power and leadership of the US, invoking “freedom and justice for all.” He highlighted American exceptionalism and addressed issues such as succession, foreign policy, and banking regulation. He also criticized the political delays in US natural gas projects and those advocating for halting oil and gas projects as “wrong” and “extremely naive.” He supported LNG exports as an economic benefit and realpolitik goal.
General Motors (NYSE:GM) – Cruise, General Motors’ autonomous vehicle unit, plans to resume testing its robotaxis with safety drivers in Phoenix, Arizona. The company aims to rebuild trust and plans a gradual return to the streets this year.
HSBC (NYSE:HSBC) – HSBC is selling its business in Argentina, taking a $1 billion loss, to Grupo Financiero Galicia. This move is part of the bank’s strategy to simplify and focus on Asia, reallocating capital to markets like India and China.
Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) – The recent behavior of the US stock market suggests that investors are starting to envision a scenario of sustained economic growth rather than a gradual slowdown. Morgan Stanley strategists highlighted that robust economic data and strengthened inflation reports are influencing this change in perspective.
Bank of America (NYSE:BAC) – Since its launch in 2018, over 42 million Bank of America customers have used the virtual financial assistant Erica more than 2 billion times. Erica facilitates transfers, bill payments, and mobile banking operations, and also assists Merrill Lynch clients in trading and monitoring investments. In July last year, 37 million customers had already used the assistant, emphasizing the importance of mobile banking services to customer preferences.
Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) – EG Morse, co-head of Goldman Sachs’ China business, will retire after 16 years with the company. His departure follows others from global investment banks in China, who are recalibrating their approaches amid geopolitical tensions and a decline in transactions. Morse led the bank’s expansion into Chinese business since 2022.
UBS Group AG (NYSE:UBS) – UBS is seeking to fully acquire its platform in China, offering its stake in the Credit Suisse venture in exchange for shares from the Beijing government. The proposal comes amid global banks’ exits from the country and regulatory uncertainties, with Citadel Securities also vying for the acquisition.
Tradeweb Markets (NASDAQ:TW) – Tradeweb plans to acquire Institutional Cash Distributors (ICD) for $785 million, aiming to expand its offering to corporate treasury professionals. Established in 2003, ICD facilitates short-term investments for large corporations, covering almost 17% of the S&P 100 index. The transaction, expected in the second half of 2024, will be internally funded. Tradeweb remains one of the few electronic trading platforms in the bond market, serving a range of clients from asset managers to financial institutions.
Bain Capital (NYSE:BCSF) – Bain Capital sold its stake in Axis Bank at 1,071 rupees per share, totaling $429 million. The final price, near the lower end of the initial range, represents a 0.5% discount to the stock’s closing.
Blackstone (NYSE:BX) – Blackstone is finalizing a deal to acquire skincare company L’Occitane International SA in a private transaction valued at $5.55 billion, according to Bloomberg News. The deal’s structure has not been disclosed. Billionaire Reinold Geiger, owner of L’Occitane, may join Blackstone.
Target (NYSE:TGT) – Target is implementing TruScan technology at its self-checkout registers to combat theft. Sensors and cameras alert shoppers about unscanned items, helping to reduce theft and product shortages. Other retailers are also adopting similar measures to address security issues.
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) – Apple pleasantly surprised investors on Monday by recording its highest growth in Mac unit shipments in at least two years, with a 14.8% increase in the first quarter, according to IDC. The company also gained market share, reaching 8.1%. Financial results will be announced on May 2nd.
Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) – Amazon and Temu see potential in Central and Eastern Europe, where growth is expected, but Allegro maintains leadership with a broad range of services. Both are challenging Polish e-commerce leader Allegro, with Amazon focusing on local video content and Temu betting on affordable fashion.
Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) – Malaysia has urged Meta’s Facebook and TikTok to increase surveillance on their platforms due to a rise in harmful content. There was a significant increase in cases referred in the first three months of 2024 compared to the entire previous year. The move aims to restrict sensitive content, including ethnic and religious issues.
Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL) – Alphabet, the parent company of Google, is considering acquiring marketing software company HubSpot, despite potential regulatory objections. Experts suggest this would not restrict competition but would face antitrust scrutiny.
Boeing (NYSE:BA) – Relatives of victims from fatal accidents involving the Boeing 737 MAX are pressuring US authorities for criminal actions against the company. The January 5th air explosion of a Boeing 737 MAX 9 operated by Alaska Airlines (NYSE:ALK) raised concerns about Boeing’s compliance with a previous agreement. Meetings with the Department of Justice are scheduled to address the matter.
United Airlines (NASDAQ:UAL) – United Airlines announced on Monday the postponement of two new international routes due to FAA certification pauses following safety incidents. The routes between Tokyo and Cebu, and Newark and Faro were affected. The FAA has increased its oversight of United following a series of incidents.
Spirit Airlines (NYSE:SAVE) – Spirit Airlines reached an agreement with Airbus (USOTC:EADSY) to delay all aircraft deliveries planned from the second quarter of 2025 until 2026 and plans to lay off about 260 pilots to save money. The carrier faces financial challenges and aims to reduce its capacity to increase profitability.
Bloom Energy (NYSE:BE) – Bloom Energy, a fuel cell manufacturer, will receive up to $75 million in federal tax credits for its Fremont, California plant as part of the Biden administration’s $4 billion tax credits to promote clean energy and reduce industrial greenhouse gas emissions.
Shell (NYSE:SHEL) – A Bloomberg Opinion article revealed that Shell is considering “all options,” including moving its listing from London to New York, according to CEO Wael Sawan. Sawan announced that if the valuation gap persists until mid-2025, the move is not ruled out.
BP plc (NYSE:BP) – BP anticipates robust upstream production and trading performance to offset negative impacts from lower oil and gas prices and the devaluation of the Egyptian currency, which could reduce profits by $1.2 billion in the first quarter of 2024. BP shares rose up to 2% in pre-market trading on Tuesday, boosted by this update. The company expects higher upstream oil and gas production and strong refining margins, predicting positive results. The upcoming first-quarter results will be the first under new CEO Murray Auchinloss, following Bernard Looney’s departure in September 2023.
Maxeon Solar Technologies (NASDAQ:MAXN) – Maxeon Solar Technologies released its preliminary fiscal fourth-quarter results, forecasting a $32 million loss compared to a $20 million profit in the previous year. The company expects revenue of $229 million, down from $324 million the previous year. For the first quarter, Maxeon’s revenue forecast is $186 million, lower than analysts’ estimates of $242.5 million, resulting in an 8.1% drop in shares during pre-market trading.
Applied Materials (NASDAQ:AMAT) – Applied Materials, a leading US semiconductor equipment manufacturer, is considering delaying or abandoning a $4 billion research facility in Silicon Valley due to lack of government funding. The Biden administration withdrew financial support due to high demand for funds from the Chips and Science Act.
SoFi Technologies (NASDAQ:SOFI) – The total compensation for Anthony Noto, CEO of SoFi Technologies, increased by more than 40% in 2023, mainly driven by the rise in the value of his stock awards, totaling $18.3 million compared to $12.9 million in 2022. SoFi shares rose 116% in 2023, after a 71% decline in 2022, but fell 22% in 2024 following an announced capital increase.
Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO) – Broadcom shares doubled over the last year, driven by investments in artificial intelligence (AI). Deutsche Bank analyst Ross Seymore predicts further growth, highlighting the recent acquisition of VMware and the expansion of the AI customer base. He reinstated a buy recommendation with a target price of $1,500.
Harmonic (NASDAQ:HLIT) – Harmonic shares fell more than 6% in pre-market trading on Tuesday after announcing it completed its review of the video business without proceeding with a transaction, citing market conditions unfavorable for its value creation goals. CEO Patrick Harshman will retire in June, to be succeeded by Nimrod Ben-Natan. The company will now focus on cost reduction and profitable growth.
Trump Media & Technology Group (NASDAQ:DJT) – Trump Media & Technology Group’s share value decreased by -1.45% in Tuesday’s pre-market. The shares of the parent company of the social media site Truth Social fell 8.4% on Monday and have seen a 28% decline over the last five days.
Novo Nordisk (NYSE:NVO), Catalent (NYSE:CTLT) – Novo Nordisk re-submitted a request to the FTC for approval to acquire Catalent for $16.5 billion. The deal aims to boost production of the weight loss drug Wegovy. After discussions with the FTC, the company refiled the request to provide more time for the authorities.