Tesla’s ( TSLA ) first-quarter 2025 financial report painted a troubling picture: vehicle deliveries dropped 13% year-over-year, total revenue declined 9% to $19.34 billion, and net income plunged 39%.  Automotive revenue was hit hardest, falling 20% amid deteriorating global EV demand, intensifying price competition, and a stale vehicle lineup. EPS slid to $0.27, missing Wall Street estimates by a wide margin. Gross margin contracted to 16.3%, a sign of growing pressure from price cuts used to fend off rivals, particularly in China. From peak levels, Tesla’s quarterly net income is down 77%, and sales are 25% off their highs. Operating profit has plunged 90% from the $3.9 billion achieved in late 2022. By any metric, it was a dismal quarter. Compared to its peers in the so-called “Magnificent Seven,” Tesla now stands alone in its decline. Meta ( META ), Microsoft ( MSFT ), Alphabet ( GOOG ), Nvidia ( NVDA ), Apple ( AAPL ), and Amazon ( AMZN ) are all either at or near peak s...

First Solar Inc. ( FSLR ) led a surge in U.S.-based solar companies Tuesday after the Trump administration finalized steep new tariffs stemming from a trade investigation initiated during the Biden presidency. The Commerce Department finalized duties that could reach as high as 3,521%, targeting manufacturers in Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, and Malaysia for dumping subsidized products in the American market. First Solar, which helped spearhead the complaint, saw its shares climb over 10% in early trading. The move represents a significant victory for domestic manufacturers, long embattled by low-cost competition supported by foreign subsidies. Other U.S.-based solar names, including Hanwha Q Cells and smaller players like T1 Energy, also posted notable gains. “This is a decisive victory for American manufacturing,” said Tim Brightbill, counsel for the coalition of U.S. producers that initiated the probe. The ruling underscores years-long allegations that Chinese solar firms used Southe...

Financial markets are rattled as the Trump administration intensifies its global trade war, triggering widespread volatility across asset classes. U.S. stocks and bonds fluctuated sharply, while the dollar index tumbled for a fourth straight session, underscoring investor anxiety amid mounting geopolitical and economic uncertainty. After the S&P 500 slumped over 2% on Monday, equity futures rose modestly in overnight trading, but underlying tension remains. The dollar extended its slide to a 15-month low as the Federal Reserve’s independence came under threat, with President Trump escalating criticism of Fed Chair Jerome Powell and pushing for immediate interest rate cuts. Investors fear any move to prematurely remove Powell could erode confidence in U.S. monetary policy and the dollar's position as the global reserve currency. Treasuries, traditionally a haven, showed only modest demand, while gold surged to a record $3,444 an ounce, and the yen outperformed its G-10 peers, si...

Netflix ( NFLX ) shares surged Monday morning, climbing more than 2% in early trading, after the streaming giant reported a stellar first-quarter earnings performance. The broader market lagged behind amid renewed U.S.–China trade concerns and political volatility in Washington, but Netflix powered through, defying macroeconomic headwinds and reaffirming its position as a resilient force in entertainment. The company reported $6.61 in earnings per share, beating consensus estimates by 95 cents—a quarterly EPS beat unmatched in more than two years. Revenue came in at $10.54 billion, a 12.5% year-over-year increase and $40 million above forecasts. Operating income rose 27% to $3.3 billion, with margins expanding to 32%, well ahead of internal targets. Analysts say the results ease concerns about consumer pullback following recent price hikes in key markets. Netflix's guidance for the second quarter includes revenue growth of 15% (17% on a currency-neutral basis) and an operating marg...

UnitedHealth Group Inc. ( UNH ) suffered its worst trading day in over two decades on Thursday. Company's shares plummeted more than 22% after missing first-quarter earnings expectations and sharply cut its 2025 profit outlook. The decline, which erased roughly $140 billion in market value, dragged the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 1.2% and sent tremors through the broader healthcare sector. The health insurance behemoth reported adjusted earnings of $7.20 per share, falling short of the $7.29 anticipated by analysts, while revenue climbed to $109.6 billion—a 10% year-over-year increase but still under the $111.6 billion Wall Street forecasted. More damaging, however, was UnitedHealth's slashed forecast for 2025 earnings. The company now expects adjusted earnings of $26 to $26.50 per share, down sharply from its prior guidance of $29.50 to $30 per share. It marks a rare and significant reset for a company that had beaten top-line expectations in 17 of the previous 18 quarte...

United Airlines ( UAL ) beat first-quarter expectations with adjusted earnings of $0.91 per share, topping analyst estimates of $0.74. Revenue hit a record $13.2 billion, a 5.4% year-over-year increase, marking the company’s strongest Q1 performance in five years. Despite a 3.8% dip in domestic revenue, United’s focus on premium international routes paid off: high-margin premium cabin revenue rose 9.2%, while international revenue per seat-mile jumped 8.5% on Pacific routes and 4.7% on Atlantic routes. The carrier’s premium strategy—bolstered by a revamped Polaris business class and increased investment in loyalty programs—helped drive margin growth. First-quarter adjusted pre-tax margin climbed to 3.6%, up from negative 0.6% a year earlier. Total revenue per available seat mile (RASM) rose 0.5%, even as capacity expanded nearly 5%. Two Scenarios, One Strategy In a rare move that underscores the economic uncertainty plaguing the markets, United issued dual forecasts for full-year 2025....

Shares of Nvidia ( NVDA ) plunged more than 7% Wednesday.  The drop came after the semiconductor powerhouse revealed it will take a $5.5 billion charge in its fiscal first quarter, stemming from unexpected U.S. export restrictions on its AI chips bound for China. The disclosure, made in a late Tuesday filing, marks a sharp escalation in the ongoing chip war between Washington and Beijing — and puts Nvidia’s China strategy under intense scrutiny. The U.S. Commerce Department informed Nvidia earlier this month that its H20 chips — specifically designed to comply with previous export restrictions — will now require a license for shipment to China, Hong Kong, and Macau. According to analysts, those licenses are unlikely to be granted. The move effectively halts a revenue stream worth billions and underscores how geopolitical crossfire continues to reshape the landscape for AI and semiconductor players. The H20 chips were developed as a workaround to U.S. regulations imposed during the ...