A podcast discussion analyzing earnings and investment potential of four major Chinese companies: PDD Holdings, Baidu, Weibo, and iQiyi, with contrasting bullish and bearish perspectives on their growth, profitability, and market challenges.

Two senior U.S. lawmakers have called on the SEC to delist 25 Chinese companies from U.S. stock exchanges, citing national security concerns over alleged military ties.

The live commerce platforms market is expected to grow rapidly, driven by the integration of e-commerce and social media, which is creating more engaging and interactive shopping experiences for consumers. The market is being fueled by technological advancements, such as AR/VR and AI-powered features, as well as increasing smartphone penetration and consumer disposable income.

Major U.S. index futures jumped early Thursday as Nvidia Corp.’s (NASDAQ:NVDA) earnings provided a shot in the arm for the market. A couple of market-moving economic data on the job market and the manufacturing sector and a Federal Reserve official’s speech could also affect the day’s trading. Given the confounding rate outlook, the focus is likely to be squarely on these numbers to understand their implications for the Fed funds rate. A market strategist pointed to historical seasonal strength around May-end through early July. Futures Performance (+/-) Nasdaq 100 +0.95% S&P 500 +0.59% Dow +0.14% R2K +0.18% In premarket trading on Thursday, the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSE:SPY) climbed 0.56% to $532.82 and the Invesco QQQ ETF (NASDAQ:QQQ) traded up 0.91% at $459.95 according to Benzinga Pro data. Cues From Previous Session U.S. stocks ended Wednesday’s session weaker, dragged by the minutes of the May Federal Open Market Committee meeting that suggested the central bank is resigned to the idea of staying “higher for longer.” As rate-cut bets unraveled, bond yields nudged up, creating additional selling pressure. Investors also preferred to remain cautious ahead of Nvidia’s earnings. The averages opened on a narrowly mixed note and hugged the unchanged line until the afternoon. After declining sharply following the release of the minutes, they made good some of their losses by late trading and yet ended lower for the day. Barring healthcare, industrial, and IT stocks, all other S&P 500 sector classes ended in the red. The major indices all settled off their all-time highs, although the Nasdaq Composite managed to hit an intraday high. Index Performance (+/-) Value Nasdaq Composite -0.18% 16,801.54 S&P 500 Index -0.27% 5,307.01 Dow Industrials -0.51% 39,671.04 Russell 2000 -0.79% 2,081.71 Insights From Analysts: Carson Group’s Ryan Detrick on Wednesday shared a chart to suggest the market could go another leg ...Full story available on Benzinga.com

Ratings for Weibo (NASDAQ:WB) were provided by 4 analysts in the past three months, showcasing a mix of bullish and bearish perspectives. The table below summarizes their recent ratings, showcasing the evolving sentiments within the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months. Bullish Somewhat Bullish Indifferent Somewhat Bearish Bearish Total Ratings 1 0 2 1 0 Last 30D 0 0 0 1 0 1M Ago 0 0 0 0 0 2M Ago 1 0 1 0 0 3M Ago 0 0 1 0 0 Analysts provide deeper insights through their assessments of 12-month price targets, revealing an average target of $10.47, a high estimate of $11.50, and a low estimate of $9.80. This current average has decreased by 16.24% from the previous average price target of $12.50. Deciphering Analyst Ratings: An In-Depth Analysis A clear picture of Weibo's perception among financial experts is painted with a thorough analysis of recent analyst actions. The summary below outlines key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets. Analyst Analyst Firm Action Taken Rating Current Price Target Prior Price Target Alex Poon Morgan Stanley Lowers Underweight $10.00 $11.00 Timothy Zhao Goldman Sachs Announces Neutral $10.60 - Zhijing Liu UBS Lowers Buy $11.50 $12.90 Charlene Liu HSBC Lowers Hold $9.80 $13.60 Key Insights: Action Taken: Analysts respond to changes in market conditions and company performance, frequently updating their recommendations. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise' or 'Lower' their ...Full story available on Benzinga.com

Top Wall Street analysts changed their outlook on these top names. For a complete view of all analyst rating changes, including upgrades and downgrades, please see our analyst ratings page. Piper Sandler cut the price target for Globant S.A. (NYSE:GLOB) from $290 to $238. Piper Sandler analyst Arvind Ramnani reiterated an Overweight rating. Globant shares fell 0.3% to close at $177.73 on Thursday. See how other analysts view this stock. Baird slashed the price target for BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ:BMRN) from $104 to $72. Baird analyst Joel Beatty downgraded the stock from Outperform to Neutral. BioMarin Pharmaceutical shares fell 4.3% to close at $76.97 on Thursday. See how other analysts view this stock. Morgan Stanley cut Weibo Corporation (NASDAQ:WB) price target from $11 to $10. Morgan Stanley analyst Alex Poon downgraded the stock from Equal-Weight to Underweight. Weibo shares rose 4.4% ...Full story available on Benzinga.com

When Weibo Corp (NASDAQ: WB) reported mixed fourth-quarter results, the recovery in its advertising revenues was softer than anticipated in 2023. The company now seems headed for incremental sales and margin pressure this year, according to Goldman Sachs. The Weibo Analyst: Timothy Zhao downgraded the rating for Weibo from Buy to Neutral, while reducing the price target from HK$133 (US$17.10) to HK$83 (US$10.60). The Weibo Thesis: The company’s revenue recovery was impacted by weaker household consumption and stiff content competition, ...Full story available on Benzinga.com

In the preceding three months, 4 analysts have released ratings for Weibo (NASDAQ:WB), presenting a wide array of perspectives from bullish to bearish. Summarizing their recent assessments, the table below illustrates the evolving sentiments in the past 30 days and compares them to the preceding months. Bullish Somewhat Bullish Indifferent Somewhat Bearish Bearish Total Ratings 1 0 2 1 0 Last 30D 0 0 1 0 0 1M Ago 1 0 1 0 0 2M Ago 0 0 0 0 0 3M Ago 0 0 0 1 0 The 12-month price targets assessed by analysts reveal further insights, featuring an average target of $10.47, a high estimate of $11.50, and a low estimate of $9.80. This current average represents a 20.98% decrease from the previous average price target of $13.25. Breaking Down Analyst Ratings: A Detailed Examination The perception of Weibo by financial experts is analyzed through recent analyst actions. The following summary presents key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets. Analyst Analyst Firm Action Taken Rating Current Price Target Prior Price Target Timothy Zhao Goldman Sachs Announces Neutral $10.60 - Zhijing Liu UBS Lowers Buy $11.50 $12.90 Charlene Liu HSBC Lowers Hold $9.80 $13.60 Miranda Zhuang B of A Securities Announces Underperform $10.00 - Key Insights: Action Taken: In response to dynamic market conditions and company performance, analysts update their recommendations. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise', or 'Lower' their stance, it signifies their reaction to recent ...Full story available on Benzinga.com

Editor’s note: This story has been corrected to reflect that Fisker is reportedly considering bankruptcy, but has not filed for bankruptcy. Traders received a cold shower on Thursday as hopes for a rate cut were dashed, with February’s Producer Price Index (PPI) inflation figure significantly exceeding expectations, adding to concerns raised by robust consumer inflation data earlier in the week. During morning trading hours in New York, major U.S. equity indices turned negative, driven by a sharp increase in U.S. Treasury yields. The 30-year Treasury note yields rose by 9 basis points to 4.44%, marking the highest level since late February. The iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond ETF (NASDAQ:TLT), the world’s largest bond ETF, declined by 1.4%, poised for its sixth consecutive day of losses, marking the longest losing streak since last August. Traders tempered their expectations for rate cuts, now anticipating only an 80-basis-point reduction by year-end, equating to just three cuts of 25 basis points each. Market-implied probabilities of a rate cut by June decreased from nearly 70% to 62%, according to the CME Group ...Full story available on Benzinga.com

While the top- and bottom-line numbers for Weibo Corporation (WB) give a sense of how the business performed in the quarter ended December 2023, it could be worth looking at how some of its key metrics compare to Wall Street estimates and year-ago values.

As traders harbor hopes that the Federal Reserve will take down interest rates in the first half of the year, the broader trend is to the upside amid occasional minor corrections. Stock futures are pointing up on Thursday. The February producer price inflation and retail sales data could direct traders’ sentiment for the day, and if these pan out in line with expectations, the broader market could resume their climb. Bond yields, however, tell a different story, and have been on an uptrend in recent sessions. Cues From Previous Session: The lack of any major catalyst kept sentiment subdued on Wednesday, with tech stocks serving as drags. The major averages opened on a mixed note, with the Nasdaq Composite and the S&P 500 Index declining, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average was higher at the open. The former two indices languished mostly below the unchanged line before ending lower, while the Dow held above the unchanged line for a majority of the session before ending modestly higher. The 30-stock blue-chip average received support from a strong rally in 3M Co. (NYSE:MMM) after the company announced a new CEO. IT, real estate, healthcare, and consumer discretionary stocks experienced weakness, while energy and material stocks were among the biggest gainers. Index Performance (+/-) Value Nasdaq Composite -0.54% 16,177.77 S&P 500 Index -0.19% 5,165.31 Dow Industrials +0.10% 39,043.32 Russell 2000 +0.30% 2,071.71 Analyst Color: Delving into the reasons behind the market’s optimism since the October 2023 lows, Morgan Stanley’s Lisa Shalett said easy financial conditions and excitement about AI are driving the surge, despite persistently high rates and negative earnings revisions. The analyst, however, cautioned against investors pinning much hope on these going forward. Liquidity infusion into the financial system from banks, money markets, and government stimulus programs that more than offset Fed tightening may finally be drying up and excess savings cushions are nearing exhaustion, she said. Shalett viewed that ...Full story available on Benzinga.com