President Donald Trump is preparing to sign a new executive order that could significantly reshape retirement investing in the U.S.

The directive would push to allow alternative assets, including private equity, real estate, and cryptocurrencies, to be included in 401(k) retirement accounts, signaling a strategic policy win for industries seeking access to the $12.5 trillion defined-contribution market.

Quoting sources, Bloomberg reported that the executive order will instruct the Department of Labor to revisit existing rules that govern retirement accounts under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

Specifically, the department will assess how alternative assets can be responsibly incorporated into asset allocation funds, while also reviewing the fiduciary implications for plan administrators.

The order is expected to direct Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer to coordinate with the Treasury Department, the SEC, and other financial regulators to explore potential rule changes.

The SEC will be tasked with improving access to private assets for those participating in self-directed retirement plans.

This move marks the Trump administration’s most aggressive step yet to expand access to private markets through retirement portfolios.

Also Read: US Tariffs On Asian Mining Rigs Slow Bitcoin Growth As Firms Eye Canada, Domestic Production

A similar policy had been introduced during Trump’s first term, allowing for private equity in retirement plans, but was rolled back under the Biden administration.

Asset managers, both traditional and alternative, see this as a new opportunity to tap into defined-contribution plans, especially as institutional investors like pensions and endowments face allocation limits in private equity due to slow exits and fewer deals.

Advocates say opening 401(k)s to non-traditional investments offers workers more options and potentially higher returns.

However, critics warn of increased risk, less liquidity, and higher fees, all of which could expose employers to legal challenges.

The backdrop to this policy change also includes Trump’s increasing embrace of cryptocurrency.

In recent months, he’s signed the first federal legislation to regulate stablecoins, appointed David Sacks as the White House’s inaugural crypto and AI czar, and launched initiatives like a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve.

He has also eased regulatory pressure on major crypto firms by pausing investigations and enforcement actions.

Trump’s personal involvement in crypto ventures has added over $600 million to his net worth, according to Bloomberg estimates, with projects ranging from digital collectibles to tokenized ecosystems.

Read Next:

• Altura Joins Kuvi.ai To Enable AI Agents In Blockchain Gaming

Photo: mkarco on Shutterstock.com

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed some improvement in the overall market sentiment, while the index remained in the “Neutral” zone on Wednesday.

U.S. stocks settled higher on Wednesday, with the Nasdaq Composite gaining more than 1% during the session as upbeat corporate earnings and renewed investor optimism outweighed concerns over escalating trade tensions.

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) led the charge among mega-cap names, jumping around 5% after the White House unveiled a new $100 billion manufacturing investment plan aimed at boosting domestic production.

Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:UBER) reported better-than-expected fiscal second-quarter 2025 results on Wednesday. McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE:MCD) posted better-than-expected second-quarter financial results.

On the economic data front, the volume of mortgage applications in the US increased by 3.1% from the previous week during the final week of July, compared to a 3.8% decline from the prior period.

Most sectors on the S&P 500 closed on a positive note, with consumer discretionary, information technology and consumer staples stocks recording the biggest gains on Wednesday. However, health care and energy stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session lower.

The Dow Jones closed higher by around 81 points to 44,193.12 on Wednesday. The S&P 500 rose 0.73% to 6,345.06, while the Nasdaq Composite jumped 1.21% to 21,169.42 during Wednesday’s session.

At a current reading of 55.2, the index remained in the “Neutral” zone on Wednesday, versus a prior reading of 53.9.

What is CNN Business Fear & Greed Index?

Investors are awaiting earnings results from Eli Lilly And Co. (NYSE:LLY), ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) and Block Inc. (NYSE:XYZ) today.

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 2 Industrials Stocks That May Plunge In August

Photo via Shutterstock

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

• Wall Street expects Eli Lilly And Co. (NYSE:LLY) to report quarterly earnings at $5.53 per share on revenue of $14.39 billion before the opening bell, according to data from Benzinga Pro. Eli Lilly shares rose 1% to $753.53 in after-hours trading.
• Analysts are expecting ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) to have earned $1.40 per share on revenue of $14.63 billion for the latest quarter. The company will release earnings before the markets open. ConocoPhillips shares rose 0.3% to $93.39 in after-hours trading.
• Corning Inc. (NYSE:GLW) shares gained in Wednesday’s after-hours session after the company announced an expanded partnership with Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) to make precision glass for Apple products. Corning shares surged 5.5% to $67.50 in the after-hours trading session.

Check out our premarket coverage here

• Airbnb Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB) reported upbeat financial results for the second quarter on Wednesday after the bell. Airbnb expects third-quarter revenue of $4.02 billion to $4.1 billion. The company expects year-over-year growth of Nights and Experiences booked to be “relatively stable” in the third quarter compared to the second quarter. Airbnb shares dipped 5.9% to $122.74 in the after-hours trading session.
• Analysts expect Block Inc. (NYSE:XYZ) to post quarterly earnings of 68 cents per share on revenue of $6.25 billion after the closing bell. Block shares rose 0.1% to $76.20 in after-hours trading.

Check This Out:

• Top 2 Industrials Stocks That May Plunge In August

Photo via Shutterstock

Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) shares dropped after the company released its fiscal third-quarter 2025 results. While adjusted earnings per share (EPS) surpassed analyst expectations, the company’s total revenue fell slightly short of projections.

For the quarter, Disney reported adjusted EPS of $1.61, beating the consensus estimate of $1.47. However, revenue grew by just 2% year-over-year to $23.65 billion, slightly missing the $23.72 billion analyst forecast. The company’s performance was driven by its Experiences business.

The direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming businesses, including Disney+ and Hulu, reached a combined operating income of $346 million on revenue of $6.2 billion, an increase of 6% year-over-year. The quarter concluded with 183 million total Disney+ Core and Hulu subscriptions, a sequential increase of 2.6 million. Disney+ Core paid subscribers increased by 1.8 million to 128 million.

Also Read: Can Disney’s Experiences Segment Truly Bring The Magic Back For Investors?

Revenue for the Entertainment segment, which encompasses traditional TV networks, DTC streaming, and films, saw a modest 1% increase to $10.7 billion. In contrast, the Sports segment, primarily consisting of ESPN, saw revenue decline by 5% to $4.3 billion. Disney’s Experiences segment, which includes theme parks and consumer products, proved to be a strong performer, with revenue climbing 8% to $9.09 billion.

The company’s traditional Linear Networks business declined, with revenue falling 15% year-over-year to $2.3 billion. Consolidated operating income for the quarter grew 8% to $4.6 billion. This was led by the Experiences segment’s $2.5 billion, followed by the Sports segment’s $1.04 billion and the Entertainment segment’s $1.02 billion. Disney also demonstrated strong cash flow generation, with quarterly operating cash flow up 41% year-over-year to $3.7 billion and free cash flow rising over 52.7% to $1.9 billion.

Sports Content Deals

In a series of strategic moves to boost its sports offerings, Disney announced an equity-for-assets deal where its ESPN unit will take over the NFL Network, NFL RedZone, and NFL Fantasy. The agreement grants the NFL a 10% stake in ESPN, and ESPN will integrate these assets into its digital and DTC platforms, while also gaining rights to three additional NFL games annually. To maintain the NFL Network’s seven-game slate, four existing ESPN games will be moved to the channel.

Furthermore, ESPN and TKO Group’s World Wrestling Entertainment have entered a five-year, $1.6 billion agreement that gives ESPN exclusive U.S. streaming rights to many of WWE’s premium events, including WrestleMania and SummerSlam, beginning in 2026. The Wall Street Journal reported that ESPN will pay $325 million annually for the deal, which “significantly exceeds WWE’s current $900 million contract with Peacock.” These events will be featured on ESPN’s new $29.99 per month service, launching this fall, with select coverage also airing on ESPN’s cable channels. This deal follows WWE’s recent $5 billion, 10-year deal with Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) for its weekly show “Raw.”

CEO Robert A. Iger highlighted the company’s forward momentum, stating that Disney is advancing in streaming with the upcoming launch of ESPN’s direct-to-consumer service, new plans with the NFL, and the integration of Hulu into Disney+, creating a uniquely comprehensive streaming offering. He also noted that Disney is undertaking more global expansions in its parks and experiences division than at any other point in its history.

CFO Hugh Johnston attributed the quarter’s performance to the success of the streaming business on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” noting the unit’s recent turnaround from losing $1 billion per quarter to building a solid financial foundation. He added that streaming growth is now helping to offset the long-declining traditional TV segment and that Walt Disney World delivered its biggest third quarter ever, with strong attendance in Orlando. Despite wider concerns about consumer health, Johnston said Disney continues to see solid spending from its customer base.

Outlook

Disney raised its fiscal 2025 adjusted EPS projection to $5.85, an 18% increase over fiscal 2024, up from a previous forecast of $5.75 and ahead of the $5.78 analyst consensus estimate.

The company reiterated its expectation for double-digit operating income growth in the Entertainment segment and revised its outlook for the Experiences segment to 8% operating income growth (from 6%-8%).

The Sports segment’s operating income is now projected to grow by 18%, an increase from the prior 13% forecast. For the fiscal fourth quarter, Disney expects a “modest increase in Disney+ subscribers” compared to the third quarter.

Price Actions: DIS stock is trading lower by 2.35% to $115.54 at last check Wednesday.

Read Next:

• Fox Delivers Blockbuster Quarter, Powered By Super Bowl And Streaming Surge

Photo by kovop via Shutterstock

Gainers

Symbol	Name	Price	Change ($)	Change (%)	Volume
(NYSE:XLE)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Energy Select Sector	86.2000	0.690	0.80	86.2K
(NYSE:XLU)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Utilities	86.7509	0.361	0.41	5.6K
(NYSE:XLY)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Consumer Discretionary	219.6200	0.710	0.32	2.5K
(NYSE:XLF)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Financial	51.8500	0.150	0.29	101.7K
(NYSE:XLK)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Technology	260.8199	0.700	0.26	32.4K
(NYSE:XLV)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Health Care	132.7090	0.209	0.15	5.3K
(NYSE:XLI)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Industrial	150.9400	0.130	0.08	2.5K
(NYSE:XLRE)	Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (The)	41.8100	0.030	0.07	1.5K
(NYSE:XLP)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Consumer Staples	80.5200	0.050	0.06	9.6K

No loser in today’s Pre-market session.

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.

The CNN Money Fear and Greed index showed some decline in the overall market sentiment, while the index moved to the “Neutral” zone on Tuesday.

U.S. stocks settled lower on Tuesday, with the Nasdaq Composite falling more than 100 points during the session.

Shares of Inspire Medical Systems, Inc. (NYSE:INSP) dipped more than 32% on Tuesday after the company reported worse-than-expected second-quarter GAAP EPS results and cut its FY25 guidance below estimates.

Multiple analysts downgraded the stock following the report. Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) reported better-than-expected second-quarter results and raised its FY 2025 adjusted EPS guidance above estimates.

Despite the macro drag, Palantir Technologies Inc. (NASDAQ:PLTR) delivered a standout performance. The artificial intelligence-driven software company exceeded Wall Street’s revenue and earnings forecasts, sending its stock up around 8%.

On the economic data front, the US trade deficit shrank to $60.2 billion in June versus a revised $71.7 billion gap in the previous month and versus estimates of a $61.6 billion shortfall. The ISM Services PMI declined to 50.1 in July from 50.8 in the previous month, compared to estimates of 51.5.

Most sectors on the S&P 500 closed on a negative note, with communication services, information technology and utilities stocks recording the biggest losses on Tuesday. However, materials and consumer discretionary stocks bucked the overall market trend, closing the session higher.

The Dow Jones closed lower by 62 points to 44,111.74 on Tuesday. The S&P 500 fell 0.49% to 6,299.19, while the Nasdaq Composite dipped 0.65% to 20,916.55 during Tuesday’s session.

Investors are awaiting earnings results from McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE:MCD), Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:UBER) and Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) today.

What is CNN Business Fear & Greed Index?

At a current reading of 54.5, the index moved to the “Neutral” zone on Tuesday, versus a prior reading of 56.6.

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 2 Health Care Stocks You May Want To Dump In Q3

Photo via Shutterstock

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

• Wall Street expects McDonald’s Corp. (NYSE:MCD) to report quarterly earnings at $3.14 per share on revenue of $6.68 billion before the opening bell, according to data from Benzinga Pro. McDonald’s shares rose 0.3% to $299.75 in after-hours trading.
• Analysts are expecting Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:UBER) to have earned 62 cents per share on revenue of $12.46 billion for the latest quarter. The company will release earnings before the markets open. Uber shares rose 1.2% to $90.48 in after-hours trading.
• Super Micro Computer Inc. (NASDAQ:SMCI) reported worse-than-expected fourth-quarter financial results and cut its FY26 sales guidance. Super Micro reported fourth-quarter net sales of $5.76 billion, up from $4.6 billion in the third quarter and $5.4 billion in last year’s fourth quarter. Net sales missed a Street consensus estimate of $5.88 billion, according to data from Benzinga Pro. Super Micro Computer shares dipped 16.3% to $47.93 in the after-hours trading session.

Check out our premarket coverage here

• Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD) reported mixed financial results for the second quarter after the market closed on Tuesday. AMD reported second-quarter revenue of $7.69 billion, beating analyst estimates of $7.41 billion, according to Benzinga Pro. The company reported second-quarter adjusted earnings of 48 cents per share, missing estimates of 49 cents per share. AMD shares fell 6.3% to $163.25 in the after-hours trading session.
• Analysts expect Walt Disney Co. (NYSE:DIS) to post quarterly earnings at $1.47 per share on revenue of $23.72 billion before the opening bell. Walt Disney shares rose 0.5% to $118.90 in after-hours trading.

Check This Out:

• Top 2 Health Care Stocks You May Want To Dump In Q3

Photo via Shutterstock

Media giant The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) could show how consumer spending has been impacted in items like going to the movies, paying for streaming and taking long vacations when the company reports third-quarter financial results before the market opens Wednesday.

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

Earnings Estimates: Analysts expect Disney to report third-quarter revenue of $23.72 billion, up from $23.16 billion in last year’s third quarter, according to data from Benzinga Pro.

The company has beaten analyst estimates for revenue in four straight quarters and in six of the last 10 quarters overall.

Analysts expect Disney to report earnings per share of $1.47, up from $1.39 in last year’s third quarter. The company has beaten analyst estimates for earnings per share in eight straight quarters and nine of the last 10 quarters overall.

Read Also: Disney’s ‘Elio’ Posts Worst Pixar Opening: Here’s Why Media Giant Likely Isn’t Worried

What Experts Are Saying: Disney’s stock performance over the last year with shares up over 35% is not lost on Freedom Capital Markets Chief Global Strategist Jay Woods.

“Disney shares continue their major turnaround and have a chance to take it to another level when they report this Wednesday,” Woods said in a weekly newsletter. “As the company looks for CEO Bob Iger‘s replacement, he continues to work diligently before handing the reins over to his successor.”

Woods said Disney stock has reversed its major downtrend and could take things “to a whole new level.”

The market strategist said the $115 to $117 level was an old high and former support level in June.

“Let’s see if it can hold again into earnings.”

Woods said if this level fails to hold, Disney stock could retrace back to the $108 to $110 level.

Looking further out, Woods said the five-year weekly chart shows Disney stock struggling to break resistance back to 2022.

“If shares can gap higher then there is much room to run with upside targets over the next three months near $150.”

Bank of America Securities analyst Jessica Reif Ehrlich highlighted Disney’s Experiences segment ahead of the earnings report.

The analyst maintained a Buy rating with a $140 price target ahead of earnings.

Ehrlich said Disney’s Experiences segment is seeing improvement in operating income and could be a highlight if it shows strength with the opening of rival theme park Epic Universe from Universal, as well as with Disney’s heavy investment in new cruise ships.

Ehrlich also highlighted Disney’s strength in advertising, thanks to its sports investments, and the likelihood that the company will gain streaming subscribers in the third quarter.

Rosenblatt analyst Barton Crockett highlighted Disney’s theme parks and streaming strength in a recent investor note.

The analyst maintained a Buy rating and raised the price target from $135 to $140.

“So much is strong right now, that if we avoid a recession we believe estimates can move up, and the multiple, too,” Crockett said.

The analyst said concerns that Epic Universe could slow down Disney theme park traffic in Florida have been minimized. Crowds have been “muted” at Epic since the May 22 opening, and Disney has indicated that bookings for Walt Disney World are up year over year.

Crockett said Walt Disney World bookings were up 4% year-over-year for the third quarter and up 7% year-over-year for the fourth quarter, based on Disney’s commentary from the second quarter earnings call. The analyst also highlights the company’s cruise ship segment, which is expected to add more ships and revenue opportunities later this year.

“Disney is the most advanced of media conglomerates in transitioning its TV audiences to streaming.”

Crockett said theme parks, streaming, and movie success can help offset any concerns about the company’s linear networks.

Key Items to Watch: Disney’s streaming figures will be among the items to watch, with investors and analysts looking to see how many subscribers the company has for Disney+ and for Hulu.

Investors and analysts will also be looking to hear more, like an official launch date, for the standalone improved ESPN streaming app. The company previously announced it would release the app in the fall with a starting price of $29.99 monthly.

Disney is likely to highlight the upcoming NCAA College Football and NFL seasons, as well as the strong advertising support for these key live events.

On the film side, Disney has had both hits and misses in theaters this year. Investors and analysts will likely be looking to hear how the company is balancing these results and ensuring it produces blockbuster films that perform strongly in theaters and on its streaming platforms.

DIS Price Action: Disney stock is flat at $119.31 on Tuesday versus a 52-week trading range of $80.10 to $124.69. Disney stock is up 7.7% year-to-date in 2025.

Read Next:

• Disney’s 3 Marvel Movies In 2025 May Have Anything But ‘Fantastic’ Box Office Performance

Image: Shutterstock

On Tuesday, Pfizer Inc. (NYSE:PFE) reported second-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings of 78 cents, compared to 60 cents a year ago, beating the consensus of 57 cents.

Pfizer’s sales jumped 10% year over year to $14.70 billion, above the consensus of $13.41 billion, reflecting an operational increase of 10%.

The operational increase was primarily driven by an increase in revenues for the Vyndaqel family, Comirnaty, Paxlovid, Padcev, Eliquis, and several other products across categories, despite the unfavorable impact of higher manufacturer discounts resulting from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) Medicare Part D Redesign.

Also Read: Pfizer Faces $1 Billion IRA Reform Hit As Analysts Expect Flat 2025 Outlook

Heart drug Vyndaqel family sales increased 21% operationally, to $1.62 billion.

Comirnaty sales were $381 million, up 95% operationally, and Paxlovid sales were up 71% operationally to $427 million.

Cancer drug Padcev sales jumped 38% to $542 million.

Blood thinner Eliquis revenues increased 6% operationally to around $2 billion.

The company’s revenue growth was offset by lower sales from its breast cancer drug, Ibrance, of $1.05 billion, down 8% operationally.

The drug had a lower U.S. net price largely due to the impact of higher manufacturer discounts from provisions of the Inflation Reduction Act that redesign Medicare Part D benefits, as well as generic competition and the timing of shipments in certain international markets.

Outlook

Pfizer reaffirms its 2025 revenues guidance of $61 billion—$64 billion, compared to the consensus of $62.42 billion. T

he company raises its 2025 adjusted earnings per share guidance from $2.80-$3.00 to $2.90-$3.10, compared to the Wall Street estimate of $3. The revised outlook includes a one-time impact of approximately 20 cents related to the 3SBio transaction.

Pfizer adds that the guidance absorbs the impact of the currently imposed tariffs from China, Canada, and Mexico, as well as potential price changes this year based on the letter received on July 31 from President Trump.

Cost-Cutting Initiatives

Pfizer said it is on track to deliver approximately $7.7 billion in anticipated overall savings (approximately $7.2 billion of net cost savings). Approximately $4.5 billion of overall net cost savings from Pfizer’s ongoing cost realignment program are expected to be achieved by the end of 2025.

The company is on track to deliver anticipated R&D reorganization cost savings of approximately $500 million to be fully realized by the end of 2026.

The first phase of the Manufacturing Optimization Program is on track to deliver approximately $1.5 billion in net cost savings by the end of 2027, with initial savings anticipated in the latter part of 2025.

Price Action: PFE stock is up 4.12% at $24.50 at the last check on Tuesday.

Read Next:

• BP Maintains Outlook, Hikes Dividend, And Rolls Out $750 Million Share Buyback

Photo via Shutterstock

Gainers

Symbol	Name	Price	Change ($)	Change (%)	Volume
(NYSE:XLK)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Technology	263.570	1.280	0.48	40.3K
(NYSE:XLI)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Industrial	151.437	0.317	0.20	859
(NYSE:XLY)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Consumer Discretionary	219.010	0.380	0.17	3.1K
(NYSE:XLRE)	Real Estate Select Sector SPDR Fund (The)	41.710	0.070	0.16	676
(NYSE:XLU)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Utilities	87.390	0.070	0.08	4.5K
(NYSE:XLC)	The Communication Services Select Sector SPDR Fund	108.210	0.050	0.04	3.5K

Losers

Symbol	Name	Price	Change ($)	Change (%)	Volume
(NYSE:XLV)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Health Care	132.54	-0.47	-0.36	7.2K
(NYSE:XLE)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Energy Select Sector	85.27	-0.13	-0.16	42.2K
(NYSE:XLF)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Financial	51.88	-0.03	-0.06	90.6K
(NYSE:XLP)	SPDR Select Sector Fund – Consumer Staples	80.54	-0.01	-0.02	1.8K

Pulled from Benzinga Pro data the above sector movers alert assists traders in understanding macro-level trends and market variations. Traders will look for sector movers providing information on sectors that are over- or under-performing, deriving these results into investing decisions on exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or individual tickers in those sectors.

For more information on sector movers, click here.