MARKET RECAP

Yesterday: Stocks fell Wednesday as hotter-than-expected inflation data raised concerns about delayed Fed rate cuts, with energy and real estate stocks leading losses. Bond yields climbed as markets adjusted rate expectations, while investors now await key economic data and Fed commentary for further direction.

On Our Radar: After dissecting this morning’s producer price index, analysts will next turn to retail sales data. On the earnings front, streaming platform Roku will disclose its financial results after the close later today.

TOP STORY

Powell To Congress: Fed 'Not There Yet' On Inflation, CPI 'Above Every Forecast,' US Debt Path 'Unsustainable'

Powell signaled that inflation progress is still insufficient for rate cuts, warning that fiscal challenges and potential tariffs could complicate the economic outlook.

Here’s how these headwinds could shape markets—and where investors might find opportunities.

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Globavend Inks Deal With Australia’s Largest Airline To Speed Up E-Commerce Deliveries

Australia’s e-commerce market is booming, but same-day and next-day delivery, while in demand, isn’t always happening down under. A big reason is the vast distances between cities and rural areas. Shipping products can take days, not hours, in this vast country. 

Globavend Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: GVH), a global e-commerce platform, is aiming to change that thanks to a new deal with Australia’s largest airline. 

Through what is called a block agreement, Globavend will be able to ship customers goods on airplanes throughout Australia, speeding up delivery times and potentially boosting revenue for its customers. That, in turn, could drive growth for this logistics company, too. After all, it’s offering customers an integrated approach to shipping. To learn more about the arrangement and Globavend, click here. 

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FIVE ZINGERS

High Jump: Leading cryptocurrencies saw sizable gains in value on Wednesday following higher-than-expected inflation data. Read which digital assets are attracting significant attention.

Sugar High: Coffee chain Dutch Bros saw its shares shoot dramatically higher in after-hours trading. Discover the media personality helping to drive the rally.

Crystal Ball: Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev outlined a vision for prediction markets, framing them as a key pillar of the future information ecosystem. Read why he's so excited about the innovation.

Holding Strong: Wedbush analyst Dan Ives remains bullish on Tesla despite growing concerns over CEO Elon Musk's political ambitions. Learn why he believes the EV maker can get over the hump.

Chopping Wood: The Cathie Wood-led Ark Invest continued to point its crosshairs at Palantir, selling shares of PLTR stock. Here's what's actually on the investor's buy list.

SPECIAL OFFER

C-Suite Buy Of The Week: Bank On It With Big Bets From Top Insiders

Editor’s Note: Every Thursday, Benzinga Edge members receive the C-Suite Buy of the Week, a report by Tim Melvin detailing the insider buying that, unlike most, is actually worth paying attention to. Here’s a sneak peek at last week’s:

Tell me you hate making money without actually saying you hate making money.

That is an easy one. Just say things like, ‘Bank stocks are boring.’ Perhaps one might quip, ‘Bank stocks are too hard to understand.’ Or too risky. Or irrelevant in the age of technology. Or in cahoots with global central banks to join Pinky and the Brain in a quest for global domination.

I have been investing in small banks for decades. Once you learn the rules of successful banking stock investing, it can be a wildly profitable endeavor. Historically, it has been a low beta, high alpha strategy.

Now, banks are emerging from the darkness, and the opportunity is more significant than it has been in years. The Biden administration was not kind to the banking industry. The term started with Saule Omarova’s nomination to a key regulatory post. Ms. Omarova grew up under the Soviet system and was pretty sure they had some good ideas about how to run a banking system. It ended with Biden appointees trying to hold US banks to much higher capital restrictions than those faced by European and Asian banks, creating what would have been a significant disadvantage had it been implemented. In between, it killed or delayed almost every bank deal that crossed its desk.

SPECIAL OFFER

Sprott Launches Silver-Focused ETF – What's Driving Interest In The Precious Metal?

While the performance of U.S. large-cap equities captured the attention of investors in 2024, returning 25.02%, silver’s performance for the year was in a similar vicinity, returning 20.58%. The top-of-mind value proposition of precious metals, such as gold and silver, is their ability to protect against inflation, volatility and geopolitical uncertainty. However, in the case of silver, there are also new industrial developments and broader macroeconomic changes that have been driving its value. For investors seeking direct exposure, the Sprott Silver Miners & Physical Silver ETF (SLVR) offers a unique pure-play approach. Explore the trends shaping silver’s future and how SLVR can fit into your portfolio.

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