Category: Market News

Banking giant JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE:JPM) could provide a detailed look at the health of the American economy and consumer and have a big impact on several ETFs when the company reports second-quarter financial results Tuesday before market open.

Here are the earnings estimates from analysts, what experts are saying ahead of the report and the key items to watch.

Earnings Estimates: Analysts expect JPMorgan to report second-quarter revenue of $44.17 billion, down from $50.99 billion, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

The company has beaten analyst estimates for revenue in more than 10 straight quarters.

Analysts expect the company to report second-quarter earnings per share of $4.48, up from $4.40 in last year’s second quarter. The company has beaten analyst estimates for earnings per share in more than 10 straight quarters.

Read Also: JPMorgan, Citi To Kick Off Bank Earnings As Wall Street Sees Profit Boom

What Experts Are Saying: JPMorgan is one of several large financial institutions that will report quarterly financial results this week.

“The sector itself has been outperforming the S&P 500, experiencing new all-time highs and has been a leading sector in the most recent market rebound,” Freedom Capital Markets Chief Global Strategist Jay Woods said in a weekly newsletter.

Because banks have passed the Fed’s stress test with “flying colors,” Woods expects increased growth or potential M&A activity.

“There is hope that a banking renaissance is on the horizon and maybe this quarter will give a more rosy outlook than more recent forecasts,” he adds.

Here are recent analyst ratings on JPMorgan & Chase:

• Truist: Maintained Hold rating, raised price target from $280 to $290
• Evercore ISI Group: Maintained Outperform rating, raised price target from $280 to $298
• Citigroup: Maintained Neutral rating, raised price target from $250 to $275

Key Items to Watch: Woods notes five of the top holdings from the SPDR Select Sector Fund – Financial (NYSE:XLF).

JPMorgan is the second-largest holding in the ETF at 10.87% of assets. The ETF could be highly volatile during a week of multiple earnings releases and the pressure of JPMorgan’s report.

Another ETF that could be impacted is the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF (NYSE:DIA). JPMorgan is the 11^th largest holding in the ETF that tracks Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Investors and analysts will closely watch JPMorgan for several items in the quarterly results. These include overall revenue, investment banking, Consumer & Community Banking and Commercial & Investment Bank. Such business segments can exhibit growth or a decline in revenue, and possibly gauge the overall health of the American economy.

Another critical factor is commentary from CEO Jamie Dimon regarding the firm’s future and the banking sector. Dimon offered warnings about geopolitics, tax reform, tariffs, inflation and volatility after the company’s first-quarter results. Investors and analysts will be looking to see if Dimon remains concerned or turns optimistic.

Price Action: JPMorgan stock is up 0.4% to $287.94 on Monday versus a 52-week trading range of $190.90 to $296.40. JPMorgan stock is up 20% year-to-date in 2025.

The SPDR Select Sector Fund- Financial ETF is up 8.9% year-to-date in 2025.

Read Next:

• How To Earn $500 A Month From JPMorgan Stock Ahead Of Q2 Earnings

Image: Shutterstock

Big bank earnings season kicks off Tuesday, July 15, with key industry heavyweight JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM), Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) and Wells Fargo Corp. (NYSE:WFC) headlining a crucial reporting day for financials, as Wall Street eyes a rebound in quarterly profits fueled by stronger net interest income and healthy capital markets activity.

Here’s what to expect as the second-quarter 2025 numbers roll in before the bell.

Bank Profits Growth Expected

Wall Street expects a strong quarter for major banks, with JPMorgan Chase & Co. forecast to deliver earnings per share (EPS) of $4.48 in the second quarter, a modest 1.8% increase from $4.40 a year ago. Revenue is projected at $44.17 billion, reflecting a pullback from last year’s $50.2 billion.

Citigroup is expected to post more robust growth, with EPS projected to rise 6.6% year over year to $1.62 from $1.52. Revenue is also expected to improve slightly to $20.89 billion, up 3.9% from last year’s Q2.

Wells Fargo is forecast to earn $1.40 per share, a 5.3% increase over the prior-year quarter. Revenue is expected to remain flat at $20.78 billion, indicating stable core banking performance despite macroeconomic headwinds.

BlackRock Inc. (NYSE:BLK), although not a traditional bank, is poised for a solid performance in asset management, with EPS expected to reach $10.80, representing a 4.2% increase over last year. Revenues are projected to be $5.34 billion, representing an 11% increase.

Other names in focus include Bank of New York Mellon Corp. (NYSE:BK), expected to post EPS of $1.76 on $4.83 billion in revenue, and State Street Corp. (NYSE:STT), which is projected to earn $2.37 per share on $3.35 billion in revenue—both reflecting ongoing resilience in custody and asset servicing segments.

Bank Name	Estimated EPS	Estimated Revenue
JPMorgan Chase	4.48	$44.17B
Citigroup	1.62	$20.89B
Wells Fargo	1.40	$20.78B
BlackRock	10.80	$5.34B
Bank of New York Mellon	1.76	$4.83B
State Street	2.37	$3.35B

Banks To Step Up Shareholder Returns

The positive earnings outlook follows banks passing the Federal Reserve’s June stress tests with ease, prompting widespread dividend hikes.

The median dividend per share across major banks rose 7%, with standouts like Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE:GS) lifting its quarterly payout 33% to $4.00.

JPMorgan raised its dividend by 7% to $1.50 and authorized a massive $50 billion stock buyback program.

Citigroup boosted its dividend by 7% and continues its $20 billion multi-year repurchase plan.

Analyst Views: Where’s The Opportunity?

Goldman Sachs analyst Richard Ramsden said Wells Fargo and Bank of America Corp. (NYSE:BAC) offer the best earnings upside for investors heading into 2026.

He sees Bank of America’s net interest income (NII) growing 7% annually through 2026, outperforming large bank peers, driven by stronger loan growth, favorable asset sensitivity and lower deposit costs. “We view BAC’s current ~1.5x 2026E price-to-tangible book value as attractive,” Ramsden said.

For Wells Fargo, the recent removal of its asset cap opens the door to deposit growth, capital markets expansion and cost savings. Ramsden believes these factors could boost earnings by as much as 19% and push return on tangible common equity (ROTCE) to as high as 17.3%.

Bank of America analyst Ebrahim Poonawala echoed bullish sentiment, saying the sector could see “positive EPS revisions and further stock re-rating” if capital expenditures and client activity pick up.

He flagged Citigroup, Wells Fargo, and Goldman Sachs as offering the best risk-reward among money center banks.

What’s At Stake For Investors?

With the Financial Select Sector SPDR Fund (NYSE:XLF) up more than 8% year-to-date, bank stocks have already benefited from a more stable rate environment and strong capital positions.

However, any surprises in loan demand, expense growth, or trading revenue could quickly swing sentiment.

Tuesday’s results will set the tone for the rest of earnings season and could determine whether banks still have room to run, or whether Wall Street has already priced in the rebound.

Read now:

• Bank Of America Loves These 8 Stocks For Third Quarter—And Says To Dump These 2 Fast

Antero Resources (NYSE:AR) has outperformed the market over the past 5 years by 52.64% on an annualized basis producing an average annual return of 66.73%. Currently, Antero Resources has a market capitalization of $11.24 billion.

Buying $100 In AR: If an investor had bought $100 of AR stock 5 years ago, it would be worth $1,288.07 today based on a price of $36.15 for AR at the time of writing.

Antero Resources’s Performance Over Last 5 Years

Finally — what’s the point of all this? The key insight to take from this article is to note how much of a difference compounded returns can make in your cash growth over a period of time.

This article was generated by Benzinga’s automated content engine and reviewed by an editor.

No gainer in today’s Pre-market session.

Losers

Symbol	Name	Price	Change ($)	Change (%)	Volume
(NYSE:XLP)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Consumer Staples	80.4100	-0.400	-0.50	1.0K
(NYSE:XLV)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Health Care	134.6660	-0.524	-0.39	15.8K
(NYSE:XLK)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Technology	254.9200	-0.930	-0.37	22.2K
(NYSE:XLI)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Industrial	149.7782	-0.422	-0.29	697
(NYSE:XLF)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Financial	52.0500	-0.110	-0.22	298.1K
(NYSE:XLE)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Energy Select Sector	88.9700	-0.160	-0.18	88.4K
(NYSE:XLU)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Utilities	82.3900	-0.060	-0.08	2.4K
(NYSE:XLC)	The Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund	105.9300	-0.080	-0.08	842
(NYSE:XLY)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Consumer Discretionary	221.3100	-0.120	-0.06	1.1K

Pulled from Benzinga Pro data this sector movers alert provides traders with a compiled way to read macro-level market trends. Investors garner a particular interest in sector movers to better determine sectors that are over- or under-performing to make better investing decisions on exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or individual tickers in those sectors.

For more information on sector movers, click here.

With U.S. stock futures trading lower this morning on Monday, some of the stocks that may grab investor focus today are as follows:

• Wall Street expects Fastenal Co. (NASDAQ:FAST) to report quarterly earnings at 28 cents per share on revenue of $2.07 billion before the opening bell, according to data from Benzinga Pro. Fastenal shares gained 1% to $43.70 in after-hours trading.
• Analysts are expecting FB Financial Corp. (NYSE:FBK) to have earned 88 cents per share on revenue of $136.32 million after the closing bell. FB Financial shares slipped 0.02% to $43.21 in the after-hours trading session.
• Datavault AI Inc. (NASDAQ:DVLT) shares rose sharply in after-hours trading on Friday after the company entered into a licensing deal with IBM for program subscriptions. Datavault AI shares jumped 26.1% to $0.8938 in the after-hours trading session.

Check out our premarket coverage here

• After the markets close, Equity Bancshares Inc. (NASDAQ:EQBK) is projected to post quarterly earnings at 89 cents per share on revenue of $60.46 million. Equity Bancshares shares fell 1.1% to close at $42.93 on Friday.
• Analysts expect Simulations Plus Inc. (NASDAQ:SLP) to post quarterly earnings at 7 cents per share on revenue of $20.88 million after the closing bell. Simulations Plus shares gained 2.8% to $17.44 in after-hours trading.

Check This Out:

• Top 3 Real Estate Stocks That May Fall Off A Cliff This Month

Photo via Shutterstock

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed a slight decline in the overall market sentiment, while the index remained in the “Extreme Greed” zone on Friday.

U.S. stocks settled lower on Friday, a day after the S&P 500 notched a fresh record high. Wall Street recorded losses last week, with the Dow Jones falling 1% and the S&P down by 0.3%.

President Donald Trump signaled a more aggressive trade stance. Trump last week announced a 35% tariff on Canadian imports starting Aug. 1 and blanket duties of 15% to 20% on most other trading partners.

WD-40 Co. (NASDAQ:WDFC) posted better-than-expected earnings for its third quarter, while sales missed estimates.

Most sectors on the S&P 500 closed on a negative note, with financial, health care and materials stocks recording the biggest losses on Friday. However, energy and consumer discretionary stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session higher.

The Dow Jones closed lower by 279 points to 44,371.51 on Friday. The S&P 500 fell 0.33% to 6,259.75, while the Nasdaq Composite slipped 0.22% to 20,585.53 during Friday’s session.

Investors are awaiting earnings results from Fastenal Co. (NASDAQ:FAST), FB Financial Corp. (NYSE:FBK) and Simulations Plus Inc. (NASDAQ:SLP) today.

What is CNN Business Fear & Greed Index?

At a current reading of 75.3, the index remained in the “Extreme Greed” zone on Friday, versus a prior reading of 75.7.

The Fear & Greed Index is a measure of the current market sentiment. It is based on the premise that higher fear exerts pressure on stock prices, while higher greed has the opposite effect. The index is calculated based on seven equal-weighted indicators. The index ranges from 0 to 100, where 0 represents maximum fear and 100 signals maximum greediness.

Read Next:

• Top 3 Real Estate Stocks That May Fall Off A Cliff This Month

Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

No gainer in today’s Pre-market session.

Losers

Symbol	Name	Price	Change ($)	Change (%)	Volume
(NYSE:XLI)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Industrial	149.4419	-1.298	-0.87	11.6K
(NYSE:XLB)	Materials Select Sector SPDR	91.6600	-0.610	-0.67	3.0K
(NYSE:XLF)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Financial	52.3700	-0.340	-0.65	484.6K
(NYSE:XLK)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Technology	255.5600	-1.420	-0.56	34.3K
(NYSE:XLRE)	Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (The)	41.4250	-0.185	-0.45	2.4K
(NYSE:XLV)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Health Care	135.7707	-0.549	-0.41	15.4K
(NYSE:XLY)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Consumer Discretionary	220.4900	-0.880	-0.40	2.3K
(NYSE:XLC)	The Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund	106.3000	-0.400	-0.38	1.1K
(NYSE:XLE)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Energy Select Sector	88.4100	-0.320	-0.37	38.3K
(NYSE:XLU)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Utilities	82.2900	-0.280	-0.34	2.4K
(NYSE:XLP)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Consumer Staples	80.8400	-0.270	-0.34	8.0K

Pulled from Benzinga Pro data this sector movers alert provides traders with a compiled way to read macro-level market trends. Investors garner a particular interest in sector movers to better determine sectors that are over- or under-performing to make better investing decisions on exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or individual tickers in those sectors.

To read more about sector movers, click here.

U.S. payment processors are shifting their focus toward faster, more convenient, and secure digital payment solutions. Key trends driving this transformation include the growth of real-time payments and the broader use of digital wallets and mobile transactions.

The industry is undergoing rapid growth and transformation as “Buy Now, Pay Later” (BNPL) and cryptocurrency payments gain momentum.

BNPL allows consumers to divide purchases into manageable installments, while crypto payment gateways let merchants accept digital currencies.

Key players in the sector, including Visa (NYSE:V), surged over 13% year-to-date compared to Mastercard’s (NYSE:MA) by over 7%. The S&P 500 Information Technology Sector Index (which includes both stocks) gained 10% during the period.

Also Read: Mastercard, PayPal Partner To Offer Consumers More Payment Control

Visa and Mastercard stocks surged over 10-13% in the last three months, lagging the index’s 27% gains. PayPal stock is down 13% year-to-date despite gaining 23% in the last three months.

Morgan Stanley and Jefferies cited concerns for PayPal over tariffs, Apple’s (NASDAQ:AAPL) competitive threat, and a slowdown in branded checkout growth. They warned that PayPal’s exposure to China cross-border transactions could face pressure from new tariffs and regulatory changes.

Visa and Mastercard face intense competition from American Express (NYSE:AXP), Discover, UnionPay, and PayPal (NASDAQ:PYPL) in the payment processing space. PayPal challenged Visa and Mastercard early on by delivering a more convenient and user-friendly solution for online payments, especially for peer-to-peer transfers and small online merchants.

PayPal’s success in digital payments helped accelerate the shift toward online and mobile transactions, pushing Visa and Mastercard to evolve and innovate in response.

Visa and Mastercard also compete with Capital One (NYSE:COF), Stripe, and many fintech startups specializing in digital payments.

Visa And Mastercard’s Latest Quarterly Results

Visa beat expectations in the second quarter, reporting EPS of $2.76 and revenue of $9.59 billion (up 9.2%), slightly ahead of analyst estimates despite a mixed macro backdrop.

RBC’s Daniel Perlin noted solid U.S. payment volumes and strong value-added services growth. Perlin highlighted three positives: steady consumer spending, 22% year-over-year growth in value-added services revenue, which highlights Visa’s expanding revenue base beyond consumer transactions, and Visa’s new $30 billion share buyback plan.

Despite minor cross-border softness, Visa kept its full-year 2025 guidance unchanged, with management ready to adapt as needed; Perlin slightly raised his fiscal 2025 EPS estimate to $11.30.

Mastercard beat first-quarter estimates with $7.25 billion in revenue (up 14%) and adjusted EPS of $3.73, driven by solid pricing and acquisitions.

JPMorgan analyst Tien-tsin Huang cited strong organic growth, resilient volumes, and solid execution despite calendar and macro headwinds.

Huang highlighted better-than-expected revenue yield, aided by pricing and FX volatility, and noted Mastercard’s broad-based strength, even as cross-border volumes decelerated slightly off a strong fourth-quarter base.

Mastercard maintained full-year guidance and forecasted mid-teens revenue growth for second-quarter, with Huang raising EPS estimates for fiscal 2025 to $15.90 and for fiscal 2026 to $18.60, supported by diversified, premium growth and pricing actions that help cushion against macro pressure.

How Visa And Mastercard Stack Up Against Each Other?

On March 21, JP Morgan’s Tien-tsin Huang highlighted Visa leads the payments industry in scale, with higher transaction volume, revenue, and operating margins. However, Mastercard has consistently outpaced Visa in growth, with faster revenue and earnings expansion driven by gains in emerging markets and diversified revenue streams.

Huang noted both Visa and Mastercard as strong performers, highlighting their robust cash flows and commitment to shareholder returns through aggressive buybacks. In 2024, both stocks rose over 20%, in line with the broader market.

Huang highlighted that Visa has pulled ahead in early 2025, benefiting from investor interest in U.S. growth stocks and fading regulatory concerns. He also pointed out that Mastercard trades at a higher valuation, reflecting its stronger growth trajectory. While Mastercard’s growth premium appears justified, Huang noted growing appeal in Visa’s relative value and improving risk profile.

Regulatory Probe

On May 23, European Union antitrust regulators launched a probe into fees charged by Visa and Mastercard, questioning their impact on financial institutions servicing retailers.

Regulators surveyed market participants to assess the fees imposed through Visa and Mastercard networks as EU officials explored ways to reduce reliance on foreign payment providers.

European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde underscored the urgency to cut dependence on U.S. card networks, according to sources cited by Bloomberg. Visa and Mastercard stocks fell following the news, as both firms face legal and regulatory challenges over their global fee structures.

Crypto Payments

On June 13, American Express partnered with Coinbase (NASDAQ:COIN) to launch the Coinbase One Card, a metal credit card that offers up to 4% cashback in Bitcoin, available exclusively to Coinbase One subscribers starting fall 2025.

Mastercard powers Gemini’s competing crypto credit card, offering up to 4% Bitcoin rewards on purchases like gas and rideshare, with no annual or foreign transaction fees. Both card networks are deepening their presence in crypto payments, supporting products that let users earn digital assets through everyday spending.

By enabling crypto rewards cards, American Express and Mastercard are helping traditional payments converge with the growing demand for digital currency use and adoption.

Trump Policies

On June 19, analysts warned the GENIUS Act could intensify competition for Visa and Mastercard as it lays the groundwork for regulated stablecoin payments in the U.S.

Mark Hines of Herrick Lake Investments said companies like Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) and Stripe could quickly adopt stablecoins, bypassing traditional card networks and offering lower transaction fees. Hines predicted that Visa and Mastercard may face slower growth and fee pressure as stablecoins emerge as viable alternatives for online payments. Despite Trump’s push for swift House approval, some analysts, like Rebound Capital, believe stablecoins still have a long runway before materially disrupting major payment processors.

With Visa, Mastercard, and American Express handling $28 trillion in annual volume, any shift toward stablecoin adoption could eventually impact their dominance, especially if the market grows to the projected $3.7 trillion by the decade’s end.

Other Macroeconomic Events

On June 24, Bank of America Securities analysts flagged rising price sensitivity and macro concerns as potential headwinds for Visa and Mastercard’s cross-border volumes. Both stocks declined 4% in the last 30 days.

The analysts found that 47% of global travelers plan to alter their travel plans over the next year, up from 44% in April, posing risks to international spending.

Analysts estimate that about 10% of travelers may cancel or switch to domestic trips, which could impact Visa and Mastercard’s high-margin cross-border revenue.

While both companies still report stable trends, analysts caution that prolonged weakness in global travel—especially U.S. inbound—could pressure future growth.

Price Actions: At the last check on Friday, MA stock was down 0.54% at $560.50, and V is down 0.53%.

Read Next:

• Amex Still King Of Premium Credit Cards — But Chase, Capital One Are Closing In Fast: Analyst

Photo via Shutterstock

Plug Power Inc (NASDAQ:PLUG) shares are moving lower Thursday after rallying more than 25% on Wednesday. Here’s a look at what’s going on.

What To Know: Plug Power has announced that it issued a warrant for the offer and sale of up to 31.5 million shares of common stock by Yorkville, the selling stockholder.

The warrant was issued pursuant to a secured debenture purchase agreement dated April 28. The registration does not guarantee that any shares will be sold. Plug Power will not receive any proceeds from shares sold by the selling stockholder, but the company will receive proceeds related to any cash exercise of the warrant. Plug Power provided the update in a prospectus dated July 9.

The news comes after Plug shares ripped higher on Wednesday after the company announced a new multi-year enhanced supply agreement with a leading U.S.-based industrial gas company and longtime hydrogen partner. The agreement extends the companies’ strategic relationship through 2030.

“This expanded agreement supports our mission to build on our already robust and resilient hydrogen network in the U.S. As we continue to scale our applications business and build long-term partnerships with customers, reliable supply and cost efficiency are critical,” said Andy Marsh, CEO of Plug Power.

“This contract is a win for Plug, our customers, our suppliers and our margin profile. The immediate cost reduction complements our progress this year with Project Quantum Leap, focused on cost optimization and cash flow improvement.”

How To Buy PLUG Stock

Besides going to a brokerage platform to purchase a share – or fractional share – of stock, you can also gain access to shares either by buying an exchange traded fund (ETF) that holds the stock itself, or by allocating yourself to a strategy in your 401(k) that would seek to acquire shares in a mutual fund or other instrument.

For example, in Plug Power’s case, it is in the Industrials sector. An ETF will likely hold shares in many liquid and large companies that help track that sector, allowing an investor to gain exposure to the trends within that segment.

PLUG Price Action: Plug Power shares were down 4.40% at $1.70 at the time of publication Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro.

Read Next:

• ‘I Would Disappear’: Politician Who Fled Communist China Says ‘They Want Me To Shut Up’ About China’s ‘Soft Power Invasion’ of U.S. Water, Farmland

Photo: courtesy of Plug Power.

Gainers

Symbol	Name	Price	Change ($)	Change (%)	Volume
(NYSE:XLB)	Materials Select Sector SPDR	92.00	0.22	0.23	1.3K
(NYSE:XLK)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Technology	258.32	0.49	0.19	45.8K
(NYSE:XLY)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Consumer Discretionary	219.27	0.32	0.14	416
(NYSE:XLI)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Industrial	150.00	0.10	0.06	3.9K

Losers

Symbol	Name	Price	Change ($)	Change (%)	Volume
(NYSE:XLE)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Energy Select Sector	87.6975	-0.362	-0.42	49.8K
(NYSE:XLC)	The Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund	106.6682	-0.392	-0.37	707
(NYSE:XLU)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Utilities	81.6400	-0.260	-0.32	4.2K
(NYSE:XLF)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Financial	52.2700	-0.130	-0.25	273.3K
(NYSE:XLP)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Consumer Staples	80.6542	-0.166	-0.21	22.4K
(NYSE:XLRE)	Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (The)	41.3700	-0.030	-0.08	527
(NYSE:XLV)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Health Care	135.4400	-0.050	-0.04	3.8K

Pulled from Benzinga Pro data this sector movers alert provides traders with a compiled way to read macro-level market trends. Investors garner a particular interest in sector movers to better determine sectors that are over- or under-performing to make better investing decisions on exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or individual tickers in those sectors.

To read more about sector movers, click here.