Stocks Surge as Market Bounces Back From Sell-Off; Bitcoin Jumps Above $92,000

Biggest S&P 500 Movers on Tuesday

April 22, 2025 06:28 PM EDT

Advancers

Equifax (EFX) shares logged the day’s top performance in the S&P 500, surging 13.8% after the consumer credit rating agency reported better-than-expected sales and adjusted profits for the first quarter. The information provider noted that the strong performance came despite headwinds in its U.S. mortgage and hiring businesses. Equifax also increased its quarterly dividend and announced a $3 billion share repurchase program.
Shares of First Solar (FSLR) jumped 10.5% after the U.S. government announced significant antidumping duties on equipment from four Southeast Asian countries that have historically accounted for the majority of solar panel and cell imports. The move could create upward pressure on solar panel pricing in the U.S. without affecting First Solar’s capacity.
Pentair (PNR), a provider of water treatment solutions, also topped analysts’ expectations with its first-quarter sales and profits, and its shares gained 9.2%. Although revenue slipped year over year, Pentair achieved earnings growth and margin expansion, and the CEO highlighted the company’s adaptability and resilience in mitigating tariff impacts.

Decliners

Northrop Grumman (NOC) shares plunged 12.7%, falling the furthest of any S&P 500 stock, after the aerospace and defense technology firm missed quarterly sales and profit estimates. The results included a $477 million loss on Northrop’s B-21 bomber program, reflecting higher materials and production costs. The lackluster results weighed on other stocks in the defense sector, with shares of aviation peer RTX (RTX) dropping 9.8%.
Oilfield service giant Halliburton (HAL) indicated that tariffs and slumping oilfield activity could affect its second-quarter performance. The company indicated that its customers are assessing options for their production activities moving forward as they react to the uncertain economic environment and slumping crude oil prices. Halliburton shares fell 5.6%.
Kimberly-Clark (KMB) shares slipped 1.5% after the Kleenex maker reduced its annual profit forecast, citing a $300 million cost impact in 2025 related to tariffs imposed by the Trump administration. Although the paper products company manufactures the majority of its products domestically, it suggested that the current trade environment would affect its global supply chains.

-Michael Bromberg

Tesla Results Fall Well Short of Expectations

April 22, 2025 05:23 PM EDT

Tesla (TSLA) on Tuesday reported first-quarter results that missed analysts’ expectations.

The electric vehicle maker reported adjusted earnings of $0.27 per share on revenue of $19.34 billion, down from earnings of $0.45 per share on $21.3 billion in revenue a year ago, well below analysts’ forecasts compiled by Visible Alpha.

Analysts have warned that CEO Elon Musk’s involvement in the Trump administration is likely hurting Tesla, as sales have fallen in a number of key markets for the EV maker to start the year.

“Uncertainty in the automotive and energy markets continues to increase as rapidly evolving trade policy adversely impacts the global supply chain and cost structure of Tesla and our peers,” the company said in Tuesday’s release. “This dynamic, along with changing political sentiment, could have a meaningful impact on demand for our products in the near-term.”

Tesla said the Trump administration’s current tariff plans will have a “relatively larger impact” on its renewable energy business compared to the automotive side, and the company said it is “taking actions to stabilize the business in the medium to long-term and focus on maintaining its health.”

Tesla didn’t offer a fresh outlook for the full year in its first-quarter earnings release, saying the company plans to do so when it reports second-quarter results.

“While we are making prudent investments that will set up both our vehicle and energy businesses for growth, the rate of growth this year will depend on a variety of factors, including the rate of acceleration of our autonomy efforts, production ramp at our factories and the broader macroeconomic environment” the company wrote. “We will revisit our 2025 guidance in our Q2 update.”

Tesla shares wavered between slight gains and losses in extended trading after the report was released, after gaining 4.6% in Tuesday’s session. The stock has lost about 40% of its value since the start of the year.

Investors were eagerly awaiting comments from CEO Elon Musk during the earnings call at 5:30 p.m. ET.

-Aaron McDade

Mining Stocks Have Room to Rise as Gold Surges, Jefferies Says

April 22, 2025 04:40 PM EDT

As gold prices keep hitting record highs, Jefferies analysts said shares of companies that mine the precious metal could still have room to rise.

The price of gold briefly crossed $3,500 per ounce Tuesday, setting a record for the second day in a row. At about $3,390 per ounce in recent trading, the precious metal has risen nearly 30% so far in 2025. Gold is “the only true safe haven left,” Jefferies analysts told clients Tuesday, amid worries about a U.S. trade war with China and President Donald Trump’s recent comments attacking Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. 

However, gold mining stocks haven’t all caught up to the rally, Jefferies said. The current prices of mining stocks would suggest a gold price of about $2,500 per ounce, the analysts said, well below the current level. The analysts pointed to Barrick Gold (GOLD) as a possible “catch-up” candidate, and raised their price targets for several other miners including Agnico Eagle (AEM) and Alamos Gold (AGI).

Meanwhile, Bank of America Securities lifted its targets for Barrick, Agnico, and Alamos, along with Newmont (NEM), whose shares have jumped nearly 50% this year.

Newmont is due to report first-quarter earnings Wednesday, with Agnico expected a day later. Alamos and Barrick are set to follow on April 30 and May 7, respectively.

-Andrew Kessel

Nvidia-Backed CoreWeave Jumps as Analysts Launch Coverage

April 22, 2025 03:27 PM EDT

CoreWeave (CRWV) shares surged Tuesday as several analysts launched coverage of the artificial intelligence play with price targets suggesting they see gains for the stock.

Shares of the cloud computing company backed by Nvidia (NVDA) were up 10% in Tuesday afternoon trading, near their initial public offering price of $40, and down from their April 2 record close at $61.36.

Jefferies analysts on Tuesday initiated coverage with a “buy” rating and a price target of $51, as they said CoreWeave could be “well positioned to capture” growing demand for AI compute. Analysts from Bank of America, Mizuho, and JPMorgan also issued “buy” ratings, with price targets of $42, $46, and $43, respectively.

However, JPMorgan analysts cautioned they expect the stock could “provide a wild, lumpy, volatile ride, requiring a risk tolerance that may not exist for most investors.”

Several analysts noted risks tied to CoreWeave’s AI-centric business, and the fact that CoreWeave’s revenue is highly concentrated, with Microsoft (MSFT) accounting for more than half of its revenue last year.

Analysts from Citi gave CoreWeave a “neutral” rating and $43 price target, calling it a “high risk” investment where they “would like to see a few quarters play out before getting off the sidelines.” Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank analysts were also “neutral” on the stock, with price targets of $46 and $45, respectively

-Aaron McDade

Where Traders Bet Tesla Stock is Headed After Earnings

April 22, 2025 02:56 PM EDT

Tesla (TSLA) is set to report first-quarter earnings after the bell, and investors are hoping results can jolt the stock out of its recent malaise. 

Options pricing suggests traders are expecting Tesla stock to move roughly 11% in either direction in the days after Tuesday’s report. Based on Tuesday afternoon’s share price of about $240, that would put Tesla stock between $214 and $264 on Friday. 

A double-digit post-earnings move wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for Tesla, one of the more volatile mega-cap stocks. After its four most recent quarterly reports, the company has seen its stock move 12.3% on average.

Shares soared nearly 22% in October when the company beat earnings estimates and CEO Elon Musk said the company was “on track” to begin producing a model costing less than $30,000 this year. 

A lot has changed since October. President Donald Trump’s tariffs could derail Musk’s low-cost model plans. Trump’s 25% duty on all foreign cars and car parts is expected to significantly increase the cost of all automobiles—even Tesla’s, which are assembled in the U.S. with some foreign parts. 

Musk may have to answer to investors concerned that his involvement with the White House is both distracting him from leading Tesla and damaging the brand. Tesla dealerships have become a regular target of anti-Trump protests, and international sales have plummeted amid a global backlash to Musk’s political interventions. 

Tesla’s first-quarter deliveries fell short of analysts’ estimates, which had already been lowered since the start of the year. 

-Colin Laidley

Halliburton Hurt by ‘Recent Pressures on the Energy Macro’

April 22, 2025 01:51 PM EDT

Shares of Halliburton (HAL) fell Tuesday after the oilfield services company reported first-quarter profit that came in well short of analysts’ estimates.1

The Houston-based firm reported earnings per share (EPS) of $0.24, down sharply from $0.68 a year ago and below the $0.60 Visible Alpha consensus. Adjusted EPS of $0.60 matched and revenue of $5.42 billion beat projections.

CEO Jeff Miller said the company faced “recent pressures on the energy macro,” but that the firm’s “consistent focus on technology, collaboration, and service quality execution create value for our customers and drive long-term success for Halliburton and its shareholders.”

Asked about tariffs on the earnings call, CFO Eric Carre said, “We have reasonable visibility of what is going to happen in Q2, and that is about an impact of $0.02 to $0.03,” on earnings per share, according to a transcript provided by AlphaSense.

“In terms of the overall impact, we need a bit more clarity and stability in the structure of tariffs so that we can really understand what levers we can pull and then what the overall outcome is going to be,” Carre said.

Halliburton’s stock was down more than 6% in recent trading and was among the biggest S&P 500 decliners. Shares have lost nearly a quarter of their value in 2025.

-Aaron Rennie

Equifax Pops on Strong Results, Stock Buyback Plan

April 22, 2025 12:33 PM EDT

Shares of Equifax (EFX) soared Tuesday as the rating service for borrowers topped quarterly profit and sales estimates, announced a new stock buyback program and raised its dividend.

The company reported first-quarter adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.53, with revenue increasing 4% year-over-year to $1.44 billion. Both topped Visible Alpha forecasts.

Equifax said the performance came even with “headwinds” from the U.S. Mortgage and Hiring markets. U.S. Mortgage unit revenue was up 7%, Verification Services sales added 5%, and sales at the Workforce Solutions division were 3% higher.

The company said because of its strong free cash flow and balance sheet, its board approved a new $3 billion share repurchase plan that’s to run for four years. In addition, Equifax boosted its quarterly dividend to $0.50 per share from $0.39.

Equifax shares were up nearly 15% in recent trading, leading S&P 500 gainers. Despite today’s advance, Equifax shares continue to trade in negative territory year-to-date.

-Bill McColl

Tesla Shares Surge Ahead of Earnings Report

April 22, 2025 12:02 PM EDT

Tesla (TSLA) shares climbed Tuesday ahead of the company’s first-quarter earnings report, which is due after the closing bell.

Shares of the electric vehicle maker were up close to 5% in recent trading, though the stock has lost more than 40% so far in 2025 amid lagging sales and a backlash to CEO Elon Musk’s political activities.

Longtime Tesla bull Dan Ives of Wedbush said ahead of the report that the company faces a “code red situation” if Musk doesn’t step back from his work in the Trump administration and refocus on Tesla.

Tesla dealerships have been the subject of protests and vandalism in recent weeks, with reports indicating sales have fallen in China and in Europe.

Earlier this month, Tesla reported first-quarter delivery numbers that fell short of Wall Street’s expectations. The company delivered 336,681 vehicles and produced 362,615 in the quarter, down from 386,810 deliveries and 433,371 vehicles produced a year ago.

Additionally, Reuters reported last week that Tesla has paused shipments of parts from China for its semi trucks and Cybercab autonomous taxi because of the Trump administration’s tariffs, potentially delaying production and release of the vehicles.

-Andrew Kessel

3M Stock Soars on Strong Earnings Report

April 22, 2025 11:29 AM EDT

3M (MMM) shares jumped Tuesday as the multinational manufacturing conglomerate posted better-than-expected results and discussed how the Trump administration’s tariffs may affect future performance.

The maker of Post-it Notes and personal protective equipment reported first-quarter adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.88 on revenue that slipped 1% year-over-year to $5.95 billion but also topped Visible Alpha consensus estimates.

The gains were driven by a 2.5% increase in sales to $2.75 billion at the Safety & Industrial segment. Sales were up 1.1% to $1.82 billion at the Transportation & Electronics group, and 0.3% higher to $1.12 billion at the Consumer division.

CEO William Brown said that the company faced a “dynamic environment,” and that 3M remained focused “on improving the fundamentals in the business, building a new performance culture and advancing our strategic priorities while leveraging our extensive global network and significant U.S. footprint.”

3M reiterated its full-year adjusted EPS guidance of $7.60 to $7.90, but added a note about what it called “additional tariff sensitivity,” which it said could cut that by $0.20 to $0.40 per share.

Shares of 3M were up more than 7%, leading gainers in the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The stock moved into positive territory for the year with today’s surge and has gained nearly 50% over the past 12 months.

-Bill McColl

GE Aerospace Stock Rises as Q1 Results Top Estimates

April 22, 2025 10:20 AM EDT

GE Aerospace (GE) shares rose Tuesday morning after the company’s first-quarter results came in above expectations.

The engine manufacturer reported adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.49 on revenue of $9.94 billion. Analysts had expected $1.26 and $9.77 billion, respectively, according to estimates compiled by Visible Alpha.

GE Aerospace affirmed its full-year guidance, including adjusted EPS of $5.10 to $5.45.

“The macroeconomic dynamics we are operating in today require us to take a number of strategic actions, such as controlling costs, and leveraging available trade programs,” GE Aerospace CEO Larry Culp said. “Based on what we know today, these actions, along with our solid first quarter and commercial services backlog of over $140 billion, enable us to maintain our full-year guidance.”

The company said it plans to mitigate the impact of tariffs by “optimizing operations, leveraging existing programs and strategies, taking measures to control cost, and implementing pricing actions.”

The company last month announced plans to invest nearly $1 billion in its U.S. factories and supply chain this year, roughly double what it spent on them in 2024.

GE Aerospace shares were up 4% at around $185 in recent trading. They have gained more than 10% since the start of the year, despite tumbling earlier this month amid concerns over the impact tariffs could have on all three former General Electric divisions.

Analysts remain bullish on GE Aerospace a year after it split from GE Vernova (GEV). All 10 brokers tracked by Visible Alpha rate the stock a “buy,” with an average price target of $224.90.

-Aaron McDade

Dollar Index Levels to Watch After It Slumped to 3-Year Low

April 22, 2025 09:41 AM EDT

The U.S. dollar index (DXY) rose Tuesday after hitting a three-year low yesterday amid investor concerns about tariffs, the economic outlook and possible threats to Federal Reserve independence.

President Trump on Monday ramped up his criticisms of Fed Chair Jerome Powell and demanded that the central bank cut rates immediately. The latest comments came after Trump last week said Powell’s “termination cannot come fast enough,” while White House economic advisor Keven Hassett said the president is evaluating ways to possibly dismiss Powell.

Investors fear that a move by Trump to remove Powell before the end of the Fed chief’s term in May 2026 could undermine confidence in the U.S. dollar and the country’s dominant role in global financial markets.

After breaking out from a descending triangle last October, the U.S. dollar index rallied for several months but ran into selling pressure as it approached its 2022 high. Since that time, the index has trended sharply lower, recently falling below the pattern’s lower trendline to confirm a bull trap, a trading event that lures investors into buying before the market makes a sudden reversal to cause losses.

However, while the relative strength index (RSI) confirms bearish momentum, the indicator has moved into oversold territory, increasing the likelihood of near-term bounces.

Investors should watch crucial support levels on the U.S. dollar index’s chart around 95 and 90, while also monitoring key resistance levels near 101 and 107.

The index was at 98.62 this morning, after moving as low as 97.92 on Monday, its lowest level since March 2022.

Read the full technical analysis piece here.

-Timothy Smith

Verizon Sinks as Phone Subscriber Losses Exceed Forecasts

April 22, 2025 08:57 AM EDT

Verizon Communications (VZ) stock fell in premarket trading Tuesday after a wider-than-estimated drop in phone subscribers outweighed first-quarter results that topped analysts’ expectations.

Verizon posted adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $1.19 on operating revenue of $33.49 billion. Analysts polled by Visible Alpha expected $1.15 and $33.33 billion, respectively.

The company reported retail postpaid phone net losses of 289,000 subscribers. Analysts were expecting a net loss of about 218,000 subscribers.

Last month, Verizon Chief Revenue Officer Frank Boulben said at a conference that new subscriber figures in the quarter were “probably going to be soft,” although he affirmed the company’s forecast for wireless service revenue to grow by 2% to 2.8% this year.

Verizon affirmed its full-year guidance, as the telecommunications giant said it “remains confident” in its ability to meet its full-year goals, though the current forecasts do not “reflect any assumptions regarding the potential impacts of the evolving tariff environment.”

Verizon shares were down about 5% in recent trading. Through Monday’s close, the stock was up more than 7% since the start of 2025.

-Aaron McDade

Major Stock Index Futures Rise

April 22, 2025 08:57 AM EDT

Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average were up 0.7%

S&P 500 futures added 0.7%.

Nasdaq 100 futures also tacked on 0.7%.