Benzinga

Cathie Wood’s Ark Invest made a series of major portfolio moves, shifting away from Tesla while increasing exposure to Circle and Alibaba. The firm sold more than 70,000 Tesla shares across two ETFs, a sale worth just over $30 million. The reduction came as Tesla faces a slowdown in China, where October sales dropped sharply and year-to-date deliveries remain below last year’s pace. Ark has been trimming its Tesla position throughout the week, signaling caution as the company works through market pressure and rising competition. At the same time, Ark made a sizable purchase of Circle stock, adding more than 316,000 shares across its funds. Circle recently reported a strong jump in quarterly profits, though its stock slid as investors questioned how sustainable that momentum might be. Ark also boosted its position in Alibaba, buying shares across three ETFs. The company has been gaining renewed investor interest as it leans deeper into artificial intelligence, cloud services, and rapid delivery logistics. Additional trades included selling stakes in Iridium Communications, SoFi Technologies, and Exact Sciences, while adding shares of Twist Bioscience. The moves highlight Ark’s continued rotation toward companies tied to digital infrastructure and next-generation technology, while taking profits or reducing exposure in areas facing short-term headwinds.

At the Benzinga Fintech Day & Awards 2025, experts revealed a powerful truth: the options market predicts the future better than the stock market. Brent Kochuba, founder of SpotGamma, said options flow today is so dominant that it can reveal upcoming market events before they happen — from CPI data to earnings moves and even government shutdowns. Mat Cashman of the The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) Industry Council called 2025’s options contract volume “absurd” compared to a decade ago, while Anthony Rousseau of TradeStation said 0DTE options are empowering a new generation of educated retail traders. Even if you don’t trade options, understanding options flow gives you a front-row seat to market sentiment. Because as Kochuba put it: “The options market is a prediction market.”

President Donald Trump’s proposal for a 50-year mortgage is sparking strong pushback, including from some of his most vocal political allies. The plan is meant to lower monthly payments for buyers, but critics warn it creates bigger problems than it solves. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene quickly rejected the idea, saying the policy would trap families “in debt for life.” She argued that the long-term loan would delay ownership, slow equity growth, and leave homeowners paying for decades without real financial progress. Greene suggested alternatives that focus on the housing supply itself. She called for stopping large corporations from buying single-family homes to use as rentals and for eliminating capital gains taxes on primary home sales so owners keep more equity when they sell. Economists also see concerns. Analysts note that 50-year mortgages shift most early payments toward interest rather than principal, delaying equity building compared with a traditional 30-year loan. They warn that buyers would pay far more over the life of the loan and that extended terms could push home prices higher by increasing demand without increasing available homes. The debate highlights a deeper question: whether affordability should be addressed through creative financing or through structural changes to the housing market.

Kevin O’Leary is sounding the alarm on President Donald Trump’s proposed 50-year mortgage, arguing that it would make homeownership harder, not easier. He says the problem isn’t the structure of the loan but the end of an unusual era of cheap borrowing that Americans grew used to. For more than two decades, mortgage rates sat between 3.8% and 4.5%, far below historical norms. O’Leary says those days are gone, and with inflation still elevated, rates are unlikely to fall back to those levels. He believes stretching mortgages to 50 years only delays the inevitable. Buyers would pay enormous interest over time and build equity extremely slowly. For many Americans buying a home around age 40, he says the math means “you will never own the house.” Economist Justin Wolfers supports that view. He says a 50-year loan would likely carry a higher interest rate than a 30-year mortgage, which means very little real savings on monthly payments. Criticism is also coming from Trump’s own party. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene said longer mortgages keep people “in debt for life” and argued for policies that address investor ownership of single-family homes. O’Leary’s message is that the affordability crisis won’t be solved by longer loans. In his view, they simply push today’s problems further into the future while offering homeowners almost no meaningful financial relief.

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General Motors has officially started production of the new Chevrolet Bolt EV, its most affordable electric model, even as the company slows broader EV efforts. The refreshed Bolt is being built at GM’s Fairfax plant in Kansas and is expected to reach dealerships in January. The model starts at $28,995 and comes with major upgrades over the previous generation. It offers faster 150kW charging, NACS port support, a 255-mile range, and 9.6kW vehicle-to-load capability. Power comes from a new 65 kWh LFP battery supplied by CATL, marking a shift toward lower-cost, durable battery chemistry. The launch arrives during a difficult period for GM’s EV strategy. The company has laid off more than 3,400 workers across facilities in Michigan and Ohio, including over 1,200 at its Detroit EV plant and more than 550 at the Ultium battery plant. GM executives have also acknowledged a broader cooling in EV demand. CFO Paul Jacobson said competitors were cutting prices aggressively, forcing the company to reset expectations. The company recorded a $1.6 billion charge tied to EV operations, including $1.2 billion related to capacity changes and another $400 million tied to contract cancellations. Despite these challenges, GM is moving forward with the Bolt EV, betting that an affordable, practical electric model still has a place in the evolving market.

America Could Lose AI Race Against China Due To Power Crunch, Goldman Says https://vist.ly/4e8fa

U.S. stock futures are moving higher heading into Thursday, and several major companies are set to draw investor attention. Disney is scheduled to report earnings before the opening bell, with Wall Street expecting $1.04 per share on revenue of $22.75 billion. Shares inched higher in after-hours trading as investors looked ahead to updates on the company’s streaming and parks businesses. Cisco is also in focus after reporting stronger-than-expected results for its fiscal first quarter. Revenue came in at $14.88 billion and adjusted earnings reached $1.00 per share, topping estimates on both fronts. The company also raised its full-year outlook, sending shares up more than 7% after hours. Applied Materials will release quarterly results after the close, with analysts expecting earnings of $2.10 per share on revenue of $6.67 billion. Shares slipped slightly in extended trading as the market waited for semiconductor and chip-equipment commentary. SoundThinking delivered disappointing third-quarter results and lowered its full-year sales guidance, pushing the stock down more than 11% after hours. JD.com is set to report before the bell, with expectations of 34 cents per share in earnings on revenue of $41.33 billion. Shares were little changed in extended trading as investors prepared for the latest read on Chinese consumer demand.

Most couples wonder if they’re saving enough for retirement, but few know how they compare to others. The Federal Reserve’s latest data shows the average household has $334,000 saved for retirement, but the median—what most families actually have—is only $87,000. Savings vary widely by age. The median balance for people aged 45 to 54 is $115,000, and for those nearing retirement between 55 and 64, it’s $185,000. That means half of all households entering retirement have less than $200,000 saved. Financial firms like T. Rowe Price say most couples will need far more. For a household earning $100,000, that’s about $1 million by age 65. Those earning $200,000 should aim for $2.2 million. The numbers can feel overwhelming, but they highlight how much rising costs, healthcare, and longer life spans have reshaped retirement planning. Experts say most couples fall behind because of life’s expenses—raising kids, paying mortgages, and supporting aging parents. The good news is there’s still time to catch up by increasing contributions, delaying retirement, or downsizing to reduce costs. In the end, the goal isn’t to hit an arbitrary number. It’s to save enough to live comfortably on your own terms, without comparing your progress to anyone else’s.

Social media isn’t just shaping opinions anymore—it’s shaping wallets. A new survey from Empower found that 57% of Americans have made a financial move because of something they saw online. That includes purchases, investments, or even opening credit cards. Another 73% said social media has changed how they spend, save, or invest. Gen Z feels it the most. Nearly 70% admit to financial FOMO, or fear of missing out, while scrolling through their feeds. Many say it pushes them to spend on travel, dining, and experiences, but it’s not all negative. Some users say it motivates them to invest, save, or pay off debt after seeing others share success stories. Two-thirds of respondents also use social media for financial education, from budgeting tips to side hustle ideas. For many, it’s a mix of inspiration and pressure. About 57% say social media makes them more hopeful about their finances, while 18% of Gen Z also admit it makes them anxious or self-conscious. Whether it’s crypto investments, new savings goals, or big-ticket splurges, financial FOMO is now a defining feature of how Americans manage money—and it’s not slowing down anytime soon.