Benzinga

Jerome Powell shook things up at the Fed's press conference, and the market didn't take it well! 😱 Stocks took a dive, the dollar surged to a 2-year high, and even Bitcoin wasn’t safe, dropping 5.5%! Major indices tanked: 🔴Dow: -1,123 pts 🔴S&P 500: -178 pts 🔴Nasdaq: -3.6% The Fed lowered rates by 0.25%, but fewer rate cuts in 2025 had investors in panic mode. Powell described this as a “new phase” for monetary policy, and it definitely showed in the market's reaction. The fear gauge (VIX) jumped 58%! Investors are on edge with the future of interest rates. 💹 Oh, and Powell shot down any idea of the Fed buying Bitcoin. 🚫💰

🚫TikTok ban set for Jan 19, 2025: What’s at stake?🚫 TikTok is facing a U.S. ban, and it could have a massive impact. On January 19, 2025, the platform could be banned after a federal appeals court upheld the ban decision from President Biden. The clock is ticking for TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, to divest from Chinese ownership – or the app’s gone! ⏰ This ban would hit millions of small businesses, creators, and users hard. TikTok generated $24.2 billion for the U.S. economy in 2023, with small businesses alone earning $15 billion through organic reach and ads. Think food and beverage, health and wellness, and service sectors—they’re hooked! Small business owners like Felicia Jackson (who made $300K in just 2 days!) and Desiree Hill (a mobile mechanic who expanded big-time) have credited TikTok for their growth. 📈 But it’s not just businesses—creators are facing an existential crisis. Many, like Shira, rely on TikTok for their livelihoods, and the ban could wipe out millions in earnings. With over 7 million SMBs relying on TikTok to reach new customers, this could have ripple effects across the U.S. economy. If the ban goes through, small businesses alone could lose $1 billion in revenue in just one month! 😳 TikTok isn’t going down without a fight—they’ve filed an emergency motion to delay the ban and are pushing hard to protect the voices and opportunities the platform provides. What do you think about the potential TikTok ban? 

Salesforce is going all-in on AI! 🤖💼 The cloud giant plans to hire 2,000 new employees to sell its AI products, driven by strong demand for its enterprise AI solutions. 📈 CEO Marc Benioff shared the exciting news, revealing that there were 9,000 referrals for just 2,000 positions! 😱 This hiring spree comes as Salesforce gears up to launch Agentforce 2.0 in February 2025, a next-gen AI platform that’s already making waves. It’s helping businesses automate everything from customer support to sales lead nurturing – 32,000 conversations a week, with human intervention needed for only 5,000! 🔥 The AI push is part of Salesforce’s big vision to deploy a billion AI agents within a year! Major players like Accenture and Indeed are already on board, using the tech to cut hiring time by 50%. With Agentforce 2.0 on the horizon, Salesforce is positioning itself as a leader in enterprise AI automation. Can Microsoft compete with this AI revolution? 👀

Steve Jobs on why great products matter most: When companies let sales and marketing overshadow product vision, they lose the craftsmanship, passion, and customer focus that made them great in the first place. A powerful reminder to always put innovation and quality first. 🚀💡

Broadcom $AVGO, known for powering everything from data centers to wireless communications, plays a critical role in the AI revolution. Its innovative technologies are fueling the backbone of next-gen AI systems, cloud computing, and network infrastructure. What bulls say: 🐂 Broadcom's AI revenue skyrockets to $12.2B in FY24 (+220%), now 41% of semiconductor sales. With 56% margins & 51% revenue growth, Broadcom shines in AI and infrastructure. What bears say: 🐻 Challenges ahead: Wireless decline, delayed deals, and $70B debt could stall momentum. 📊 Analyst Rating: BUY 🔎 Last Price: $229.20 (-8.32%) Where do you stand? 🧐 Bullish or bearish on Broadcom?

Warren Buffett isn’t afraid to speak his mind – especially when it comes to the unfair tax system that benefits the wealthy (including himself!). In 2012, he made headlines when he revealed his secretary, Debbie Bosanek, paid nearly DOUBLE the tax rate he did! 🤯 Buffett's effective tax rate was just 17.4% because his income comes from capital gains (which are taxed less), while Debbie, like many working-class Americans, was paying almost 36%. He didn’t blame the wealthy individuals who paid lower taxes, but rather the system that allowed it to happen. 💸 Buffett has been pushing for change ever since, advocating for the "Buffett Rule" – a proposal to implement a minimum 30% tax on incomes over $1M. While Congress blocked it, he’s not backing down, calling for fairer taxes for everyone. He’s even gone so far as to say that the tax system is like a war, where the ultra-wealthy have the "nuclear bomb" in the form of lobbyists and influence. His message is clear: The wealthy should pay more. 📊

How often does a lawyer conducting M&A due diligence end up as CEO of the company? That’s exactly what happened with Mohaimina Haque, Esq., who made history as Tony Roma's first female CEO in its 50+ year legacy. After helping broker the sale of the iconic restaurant chain to Equity Investors of New England in 2021, Mina took the reins in 2024, bringing her unique expertise as a corporate lawyer and entrepreneur. Under her leadership, Tony Roma’s is on a mission to reinvent itself. Known for its legendary BBQ ribs, the brand is modernizing—from scaling down restaurant sizes to exploring global expansion. With a presence in Dubai, Berlin, Kuala Lumpur, and beyond, Mina is bridging nostalgia with innovation to win over new generations. 💡 What sets her apart? Mina’s legal background brings a razor-sharp focus to contracts, vendor relationships, and cost savings. She’s determined to avoid the pitfalls that plagued industry peers like TGI Fridays and Red Lobster. On the horizon: - Global expansion opportunities 🌍 - Partnerships with private equity or VC firms (any takers for that $10-20M ballpark?) 💼 - A startup mindset driving team collaboration and efficiency 🚀 As challenges loom—like immigration policies impacting workers or supply chain pressures—Mina stays optimistic, blending her legal savvy with a belief in advocacy and resilience. Tony Roma’s isn’t just surviving; it’s crafting a comeback story. Will you be following this transformation?

🚀 AI at work: Friend or Foe? Artificial intelligence is shaking up the workplace, and workers are feeling all the feels. On the bright side, nearly a third of employees say AI is boosting their skills, and 47% believe it’ll open doors to exciting new job opportunities. Tools like generative AI are even fueling hopes for a 4-day workweek, with two-thirds of workers convinced it could be just as productive as the traditional 40-hour grind. But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows. Around 28% of workers worry AI might end up taking their jobs. Add to that the fact that 42% considered quitting their roles last year, citing low pay, burnout, and the lack of flexibility, and it’s clear that uncertainty looms. What workers want: - 80% say training is key to staying ahead. - Flexibility is nonnegotiable—remote work and work-life balance still top the list. 💡 The Takeaway: AI isn’t going anywhere. It’s all about using it to your advantage—boost your skills, work smarter, and embrace the possibilities! Are you team AI ally or AI anxiety?

Former BitMEX CEO Arthur Hayes is predicting a “harrowing dump” in crypto markets around Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025. Why? Overhyped investor expectations for Trump’s economic miracles will likely clash with the slow pace of real-world change. While Hayes believes Trump’s policies—like weakening the USD to boost U.S. manufacturing—could be bullish for Bitcoin long-term, he warns the short-term could get messy. His firm, Maelstrom, is already trimming crypto positions ahead of January, planning to buy back during the expected dip. The bottom line: patience is key. Hayes is bullish on Bitcoin but says investors shouldn’t underestimate the challenges Trump will face.

📬 Marjorie Taylor Greene wants to sell the USPS! Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is calling for privatizing the U.S. Postal Service, citing its $9.5 billion loss last year and $80 billion in liabilities. She’s rallying support with her committee (DOGE – yes, that’s real) and backing from Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy’s efficiency-focused initiatives. Her take: “Selling the Postal Service is a smart decision to cut waste, fraud, and abuse.” Privatization could mean major changes—like boosting profitable routes but potentially leaving rural areas underserved. FedEx and UPS might step in, but what happens to affordable mail service for millions of Americans? What do you think? Is it time for a shake-up, or does the USPS just need a little TLC?