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At least, that’s what the Volunteers’ pregame attire would suggest.

Cameras captured several players from the ninth-ranked Vols (10-2) enter pregame warmups shirtless at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio — seemingly to dispel the narrative they will be adversely affected by the cold temperatures ahead of the College Football Playoff first-round game at No. 8 Ohio State (10-2).

The temperature on the field was 25 degrees ahead of the 8 p.m. ET matchup, which will determine who advances to play No. 1 Oregon in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal on New Year’s Day.

A few minutes later, the players put on their shirts. According to a rule change passed in 2020, the NCAA requires players to wear shirts that display their jersey numbers during pregame warmups. According to the NCAA, ‘Players without their numeral readily visible must leave the playing enclosure.’

But the message had been sent: The Vols won’t be scared away by the weather in Columbus, in the biggest game of their season so far.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

3 Mins Read

Tom Brady appears to take shot at De’Vondre Campbell, Diontae Johnson

Tom Brady appeared to do something during Saturday’s Pittsburgh Steelers-Baltimore Ravens game that he hasn’t often done during his first season as an NFL broadcaster: he seemingly took a shot at a couple of NFL players in his analysis of Ravens linebacker Kyle Van Noy.

It started when Brady was prompted by his play-by-play counterpart, Kevin Burkhardt, to elaborate on what Van Noy was like as a teammate. Brady offered high praise of Van Noy, who he played with for parts of four seasons with the New England Patriots, and outlined that the 33-year-old played through a painful injury at the beginning of the 2024 NFL season.

‘He broke his eye socket earlier this season,’ Brady said. ‘He basically played with a broken face.’

That’s when Brady appeared to use Van Noy’s resilience to make an example of a couple of other NFL players.

‘I see other guys in the league walking out on their teammates because they don’t want to play,’ Brady quipped.

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Brady didn’t mention any players specifically by name, but he was almost certainly referring to San Francisco 49ers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell and former Ravens wide receiver Diontae Johnson. Both refused to play for their respective teams in recent weeks and each was punished for it.

Campbell’s incident occurred during the 49ers’ Week 15 ‘Thursday Night Football’ game against the Los Angeles Rams. The veteran linebacker was bumped out of the starting lineup by the return of Dre Greenlaw and didn’t play before Greenlaw was hurt in the second half of the contest.

Kyle Shanahan said Campbell was asked to enter the game after the injury. But Campbell refused, and left the field. San Francisco’s coaches and players were upset with Campbell and the team eventually suspended him for its final three games.

Johnson had a similar situation unfold in Baltimore. The team said he refused to play in the Week 13 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles despite the team suffering several receiver injuries in the contest. He was suspended for the team’s Week 15 game before he and the Ravens ultimately decided to part ways ahead of Week 16.

It isn’t clear whether Campbell or Johnson will notice – or care – about Brady’s comments. Neither immediately responded to them on social media platforms, but perhaps Johnson will be asked about them if he lands with a new team before the end of the 2024 NFL season.

What is clear is that Brady doesn’t approve of the actions either player took, and it’s easy to understand why. Brady played 23 NFL seasons, making an NFL-high 333 regular-season starts and a record 48 postseason starts during his career.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

3 Mins Read

Texas gets scare from Clemson before advancing in CFP

No. 5 Texas is moving on in the College Football Playoff but the Longhorns got a bigger scare than expected from No. 12 Clemson.

The Longhorns used a dominant running game and the precision passing of Quinn Ewers to take a comfortable lead in the second half before the Tigers rallied. A long touchdown run by Jaydon Blue and a fourth-and-goal stop righted things as the Longhorns prevailed 38-24.

The Longhorns offense put up 292 yards on the ground with Blue leading the way with 146 yards and two touchdowns. Quintrevion Wisner added 110 yards on 15 carries with two rushing scores. Ewers completed 17 of 24 passes for 202 yards and one touchdown.

Texas advances to face No. 4 seed Arizona State in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 1.

The Longhorns were ahead 31-10 in the third quarter, but Clemson quarterback Cade Klubik responded by throwing for two touchdowns, the second with 11 minutes remaining, to make things interesting. But Blue ran 77 yards for a score two plays later to restore the lead to 14. Texas effectively preserved the win by dropping Keith Adams Jr. for a 1-yard loss from the 1 on fourth down.

The win was the first in the CFP for the Longhorns, who lost in last year’s semifinals to Washington in the Sugar Bowl. This year’s team lost twice in the regular season. Both were decisions to Georgia — the first convincingly at home and the second in overtime of the SEC championship.

BIG MISTAKE: Indiana should never have been in the playoff field

Clemson received the opening kickoff and opened with a 12-play, 75-yard drive that mixed short passes and runs by Klubnik. It ended with Klubnik finding Antonio Williams for a 22-yard scoring pass.

Texas answered immediately with its own 12-play touchdown drive, converting a fourth down inside the Clemson 10 before Wisner found the end zone on a 3-yard run on the ensuing play. On their second possession, Blue would run 38 yards for another touchdown to give the Longhorns their first lead, and Wisner added a 16-yard scoring run midway through the second quarter to put them in control.

The lead for Texas was 28-10 at halftime after Ewers hit Gunner Helm for a 19-yard touchdowns with 28 seconds left in the second quarter. The Longhorns outgained Clemson 289-182 before the break. The 28 points were the most allowed by the Tigers in the first half this season.

Clemson’s three-year absence from the playoff ended when Miami lost in its final regular-season game to Syracuse, sending the Tigers to the ACC title game, and Clemson then defeated SMU with a 56-yard field goal on the final play to earn one of the five spots given to the highest-rated conference champions.

Klubnik finished 26 of 43 for 336 yards and three touchdowns with one interception.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

8 Mins Read

NFL playoff picture: One team clinches, creates AFC intrigue

Every week for the duration of the 2024 NFL regular season, USA TODAY Sports will provide timely updates to the league’s ever-evolving playoff picture − typically starting after Sunday afternoon’s late games and then moving forward for the remainder of the week (through Monday’s and Thursday’s games or Saturday’s, if applicable).

What just happened? What does it mean? What are the pertinent factors (and, perhaps, tiebreakers) prominently in play as each conference’s seven-team bracket begins to crystallize? All will be explained and analyzed up to the point when the postseason field is finalized on Sunday, Jan. 5.

Here’s where things stand with Week 16 of the 2024 season underway:

NFC playoff picture

x – 1. Detroit Lions (12-2), NFC North leaders: After getting stomped by Buffalo on Sunday, they’re now in a three-way tie atop the conference and deadlocked for the division lead following the Vikings’ win Monday night. A Week 7 win over Minnesota and conference record (8-1) that’s one game better than Philly are the tiebreakers currently serving the Lions, who may still need to win out to keep their divisional throne. Remaining schedule: at Bears, at 49ers, vs. Vikings

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x – 2. Philadelphia Eagles (12-2), NFC East leaders: Winners of 10 straight, they could not clinch the division following Washington’s victory in New Orleans but can do so by ousting the Commanders on Sunday afternoon. Still, the Iggles did pull even with Detroit, but they’ll need another Lions slip-up to move into the conference’s top spot. Remaining schedule: at Commanders, vs. Cowboys, vs. Giants

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6), NFC South leaders: They embarrassed the Chargers in Week 15, which means – regardless of Atlanta’s triumph Monday night – the Bucs remain atop the division. Seattle’s loss pushed them up a spot, Tampa Bay with a better record (6-3) in conference games than the Rams (5-5). Remaining schedule: at Cowboys, vs. Panthers, vs. Saints

4. Los Angeles Rams (8-6), NFC West leaders: Win out, and they are division champs. LA overtook the Seahawks on Sunday night by virtue of their Week 9 victory at Seattle. Remaining schedule: at Jets, vs. Cardinals, vs. Seahawks

x – 5. Minnesota Vikings (12-2), wild card No. 1: They clinched a spot Sunday night thanks to Seattle’s loss. Monday’s victory over Chicago means the Vikes control their own fate in the NFC North – win out, and the division is theirs … and, perhaps, the No. 1 seed, too. Remaining schedule: at Seahawks, vs. Packers, at Lions

6. Green Bay Packers (10-4), wild card No. 2: Getting swept by Detroit and losing once already to Minnesota pretty much relegates the Pack to wild-card status. Win this Monday, and they lock into the postseason field … unless other circumstances put them in sooner. Remaining schedule: vs. Saints, at Vikings, vs. Bears

7. Washington Commanders (9-5), wild card No. 3: They barely survived the Saints, but it was enough to keep them alive one more week in the division with the NFC East still technically up for grabs. With a win and some help, the Commanders can punch their playoff ticket Sunday. Remaining schedule: vs. Eagles, vs. Falcons, at Cowboys

8. Seattle Seahawks (8-6), in the hunt: Sunday night’s loss to Green Bay dropped them not only out of the NFC West lead but from the projected field entirely. But, like the Rams, winning out would put Seattle atop the division. Remaining schedule: vs. Vikings, at Bears, at Rams

9. Atlanta Falcons (7-7), in the hunt: Their four-game losing streak is over after they labored past the Raiders on Monday, though it did necessitate a quarterback change. Catch the Bucs, whom the Dirty Birds swept, and they’re back atop the NFC South. A 6-3 mark in NFC games puts them three games ahead of Arizona as it pertains to that tiebreaker. Remaining schedule: vs. Giants, at Commanders, vs. Panthers

10. Arizona Cardinals (7-7), in the hunt: They broke a three-game skid by beating the Patriots but, at this point, probably need the NFC West field to come back to them. Remaining schedule: at Panthers, at Rams, vs. 49ers

11. San Francisco 49ers (6-8), in the hunt: The reigning NFC champs have less than a 1% chance to qualify for postseason, per NFL.com. Been that kind of season. Remaining schedule: at Dolphins, vs. Lions, at Cardinals

12. Dallas Cowboys (6-8), in the hunt: Like the Niners, whom they lost to in Week 8, their postseason hopes are on life support despite Sunday’s win in Charlotte. Remaining schedule: vs. Buccaneers, at Eagles, vs. Commanders

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AFC playoff picture

y – 1. Kansas City Chiefs (14-1), AFC West champions: QB Patrick Mahomes weathered Saturday’s win over Houston, which means K.C. gets the No. 1 seed if Buffalo loses Sunday. One more Chiefs win also guaranteed the AFC’s Super Bowl path will go through Arrowhead. Remaining schedule: at Steelers, at Broncos

y – 2. Buffalo Bills (11-3), AFC East champions: Sunday’s win in Detroit probably does more for their collective psyche than it really does for their playoff positioning right now. Pittsburgh’s loss makes the Bills’ second-place standing in the conference more comfortable … as does a very inviting closing stretch. Remaining schedule: vs. Patriots, vs. Jets, at Patriots

x – 3. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5), AFC North leaders: Rough Saturday. First, They fell out of the running for the No. 1 seed by virtue of Kansas City’s win. Then, Pittsburgh fumbled an opportunity to clinch the division. Looks like they’re in a dogfight the rest of the way with Baltimore, which appears to have the more inviting schedule to close the regular season. The Steelers retain first place in the division – for now – by virtue of a one-game lead over the Ravens in AFC games, i.e., not much at all. Remaining schedule: vs. Chiefs, vs. Bengals

y – 4. Houston Texans (9-6), AFC South champions: They rule a weak division for the second straight year but are just about locked in as the fourth seed … which will mean a tough wild-card matchup. Remaining schedule: vs. Ravens, at Titans

x – 5. Baltimore Ravens (10-5), wild card No. 1: What a Christmas present. They clinched their postseason spot, averted a Pittsburgh AFC North crown, are now very much alive themselves to win the division … and might have recaptured the Super Bowl form they showed earlier in the season. Remaining schedule: at Texans, vs. Browns

6. Los Angeles Chargers (9-6), wild card No. 2: By sweeping the Broncos for the first time in 14 years, they prevented Denver from clinching Thursday while leapfrogging their division rivals and picking up the tiebreaker (by virtue of the sweep). One more win locks Bolts into the field … unless the Colts and Dolphins do it for them by both losing on Sunday afternoon. Remaining schedule: at Patriots, at Raiders

7. Denver Broncos (9-6), wild card No. 3: They had a win-and-in scenario Thursday to stamp their first postseason trip since winning Super Bowl 50 nine years ago. Now, they can’t get in this weekend unless the Colts, Dolphins and Bengals all lose. Still, one more win, and the Broncos advance to the playoffs … though much could be at stake when they head to Cincinnati in Week 17. Remaining schedule: at Bengals, vs. Chiefs

8. Indianapolis Colts (6-8), in the hunt: After Week 15’s loss at Denver, it’s basically over. Remaining schedule: vs. Titans, at Giants, vs. Jaguars

9. Miami Dolphins (6-8), in the hunt: After Week 15’s loss at Houston, it’s basically over. Remaining schedule: vs. 49ers, at Browns, at Jets

10. Cincinnati Bengals (6-8), in the hunt: They won last Sunday, meaning there’s still a faint pulse for a dangerous team many others wouldn’t want to see next month. A 3-6 conference mark keeps them buried behind the Fins and Colts presently. Remaining schedule: vs. Browns, vs. Broncos, at Steelers

NFL playoff clinching scenarios for Week 16

Kansas City clinches AFC’s No. 1 seed with:

Buffalo loss or tie

Denver clinches playoff berth with:

Miami loss or tie + Cincinnati loss or tie + Indianapolis loss or tie

Los Angeles Chargers clinch playoff berth with:

Miami loss or tie + Indianapolis loss or tie

Philadelphia clinches NFC East with:

Win or tie

Green Bay clinches playoff berth with:

Win or tie
Atlanta loss or tie + LA Rams loss or tie
Atlanta loss or tie + Seattle loss or tie

Washington clinches playoff berth with:

Win + Atlanta loss or tie + LA Rams loss or tie
Win + Atlanta loss or tie + Seattle loss or tie
Tie + Atlanta loss + Arizona loss or tie + LA Rams loss or tie + Seattle loss or tie (as long as Rams and Seahawks both don’t tie)

NFL teams eliminated from playoff contention in 2024

x – clinched playoff berth

y – clinched division

***

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

6 Mins Read

Stardust Power Acquires Site, Receives Key Permit And Receives Approval For Major Construction To Commence

Stardust Power Inc.(“the Company” or “Stardust Power”) (NASDAQ: SDST), an American developer of battery-grade lithium products, today announced the completion of the acquisition of its 66-acre site at the Southside Industrial Park in Muskogee, Oklahoma. This key acquisition marks another significant milestone as the Company prepares to commence construction on one of North America’s largest lithium refineries. With the General Permit for Stormwater Discharges from Construction Activities now in place, and subject to finalizing project financing, Stardust Power is now positioned to begin construction.

Caption: Governor of Oklahoma, J. Kevin Stitt, and Founder and CEO, Stardust Power, Roshan Pujari, met December 2, 2024, to discuss the upcoming construction of its lithium refinery in Muskogee, Oklahoma

Stardust Power received this permit from the Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality and has completed its Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP), which incorporates best-in-class management practices to control stormwater discharges during construction and is designed to ensure compliance with environmental standards and minimize potential impacts on the surrounding area. This critical permit allows Stardust Power to commence construction at the site. In the coming weeks, Stardust Power plans to submit the remaining necessary permits, marking the final regulatory steps at this junction. This marks a significant milestone for the Company and its mission to onshore manufacturing of battery grade lithium for US energy independence.

In January 2024, Stardust Power selected Muskogee, Oklahoma for its lithium refinery, citing the state’s central location and excellent access to multi-modal logistics. The site benefits from proximity to the country’s largest inland waterway system, robust road and rail networks, and a skilled workforce rooted in the oil and gas sector. Oklahoma’s leadership in sustainable energy aligns with Stardust Power’s commitment to reducing its carbon footprint. The shovel-ready site near the Port of Muskogee offers key construction and operational advantages, with the potential to speed up timelines. After thorough due diligence, including environmental, technical, cultural, and logistical reviews, the site was confirmed as ideal. It offers a location with an adjacent 40-acre parcel of land which the Company has a right of first refusal for future expansion.

Roshan Pujari, Founder and CEO of Stardust Power, stated, ‘With the land purchase complete and key permitting secured, we are excited to enter the construction phase in Muskogee. This milestone brings us closer to our mission of becoming a leading supplier of American battery-grade lithium. We are deeply grateful for the ongoing support from Governor Stitt, the Department of Environmental Quality, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, the Tulsa Chamber, and the City and Port of Muskogee. Together, we endeavor to create hundreds of high-quality manufacturing jobs and keep Oklahoma at the forefront of America’s energy leadership. While the site’s infrastructure and logistics are outstanding, the true asset of Oklahoma is its people.’

Earlier this year, the City and County of Muskogee established a $27 million Tax Increment Financing (“TIF”) district to support the project. The TIF is expected to fund key infrastructure improvements in the area, including upgrades to industrial roads, rail line rehabilitation, and the replacement of a trestle bridge, improvements that are important to the successful development of the refinery. Stardust Power intends to claim back certain related costs from TIF related to the site, which could reduce overall project costs and improve margins.

About Stardust Power Inc.

Stardust Power is a developer of battery-grade lithium products designed to bolster America’s energy leadership by building resilient supply chains. Stardust Power is developing a strategically central lithium refinery in Muskogee, Oklahoma with the anticipated capacity of producing up to 50,000 metric tons per annum of battery-grade lithium. The Company is committed to sustainability at each point in the process. Stardust Power trades on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol “SDST.”

For more information, visit www.stardust-power.com

Stardust Power Contacts

For Investors:
Johanna Gonzalez
investor.relations@stardust-power.com

For Media:
Michael Thompson
media@stardust-power.com

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release constitute “forward-looking statements.” Such forward-looking statements are often identified by words such as “believe,” “may,” “will,” “estimate,” “continue,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “expect,” “should,” “would,” “plan,” “predict,” “forecasted,” “projected,” “potential,” “seem,” “future,” “outlook,” and similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or trends or otherwise indicate statements that are not of historical matters, but the absence of these words does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. These forward-looking statements and factors that may cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations include, but are not limited to: the ability of Stardust Power to grow and manage growth profitably, maintain key relationships and retain its management and key employees; obtaining the necessary permits and governmental approvals to develop the site; the impact of the TIF on the site development and surrounding areas and infrastructure, and Stardust Power’s ability to benefit from such program; risks related to the uncertainty of the projected financial information with respect to Stardust Power; risks related to the price of Stardust Power’s securities, including volatility resulting from changes in the competitive and highly regulated industries in which Stardust Power plans to operate, variations in performance across competitors, changes in laws and regulations affecting Stardust Power’s business and changes in the combined capital structure; and risks related to the ability to implement business plans, forecasts, and other expectations and identify and realize additional opportunities. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive.

Stockholders and prospective investors should carefully consider the foregoing factors, and the other risks and uncertainties described in documents filed by Stardust Power from time to time with the SEC.

Stockholders and prospective investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which only speak as of the date made, are not a guarantee of future performance and are subject to a number of uncertainties, risks, assumptions and other factors, many of which are outside the control of Stardust Power. Stardust Power expressly disclaims any obligations or undertaking to release publicly any updates or revisions to any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the expectations of Stardust Power with respect thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any statement is based.

Source

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

7 Mins Read

Tech 5: Bitcoin Drops Below US$100,000, Micron Guidance Shakes Investors

Bitcoin surged early in the week before retracting below US$100,000, dampened by a hawkish rate cut from the US Federal Reserve that led to significant drops in both the crypto and stock markets.

Meanwhile, the Nasdaq-100 (INDEXNASDAQ:NDX) welcomed three new companies, and artificial intelligence leader NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA) lost ground to networking giant Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO).

Find out what other key pieces of news made headlines in the tech space this week.

1. Bitcoin drops below US$100,000 on Fed cut

Bitcoin surged above US$107,800 this past weekend, fueled by factors like MicroStrategy’s (NASDAQ:MSTR) recent Bitcoin purchases, and anticipation of an interest rate cut from the Fed.

Bitcoin historically performs well in December, and experts are saying that it’s in ‘Santa Claus mode.’

Adding to the excitement, Strike CEO Jack Mallers hinted on Tim Pool’s podcast that the US government may designate Bitcoin as a reserve asset through the Dollar Stabilization Act. Meanwhile, Digital Chamber founder Perianne Boring pointed to the stock-to-flow model on Fox Business, which predicts Bitcoin could hit US$800,000 by 2025’s end.

The cryptocurrency market kicked off the week at a market cap of US$3.9 trillion, up 0.3 percent in 24 hours.

As open interest neared US$70 billion on Monday (December 16), traders eyed figures between US$120,000 and US$154,000 as Bitcoin’s next target based on bull flag pattern and Fibonacci extension analysis.

Despite the bullish sentiment, Bitcoin experienced volatility on Tuesday (December 17). After retaking US$107,500 overnight and climbing to a new all-time high of US$108,135 following the opening bell, its price quickly sank below US$106,000, triggering around US$1.3 billion in liquidations.

Bitcoin performance, December 14 to 17, 2024.

Chart via CoinGecko.

This brief pullback confirmed a resistance zone between US$108,000 and US$111,000. Rekt Capital attributed this retracement to a typical pattern seen during price discovery phases.

Bitcoin’s volatility continued into Wednesday (December 18), and it declined steadily before and after the Fed’s meeting. The central bank announced a cut of 25 basis points as anticipated, but indicated that future reductions in 2025 may be less aggressive than initially projected. This shift in approach is attributed to recent economic data suggesting that the labor market is cooling and that inflation is stagnating above the Fed’s 2 percent target.

Chair Jerome Powell also asserted that the Fed is not allowed to own Bitcoin, potentially disrupting President-elect Donald Trump’s plan to implement a strategic reserve when he takes office in January.

This caused significant drops throughout the crypto market, with Bitcoin falling 3.75 percent in the two hours following Powell’s address. This was followed by further declines below US$100,000 on Wednesday evening.

Bitcoin performance, December 18 to 20, 2024.

Chart via CoinGecko.

On Thursday (December 19), Bitcoin fell to an intraday low of US$95,700, and the market cap for the crypto sector was down by 6 percent after Wall Street markets wrapped. Ether and Solana recorded losses of over 10 percent, while XRP slid 8.5 percent, reversing gains from earlier in the week ahead of the launch of Ripple’s stablecoin, RLUSD.

Losses extended into Friday morning, with Bitcoin dropping to US$92,245. The fall resulted in a bearish crossover, with over US$1 billion in liquidated positions, according to CoinGlass data.

QCP Capital attributed the losses to overly bullish market positioning and the Fed’s hawkish cut.

After the dip, Bitcoin’s price rebounded and held at around US$97,000 for most of Friday, a strong support zone identified by Glassnode founder Rafael Schultze-Kraft and Bitcoin researcher Axel Adler Jr. Recovery followed US personal consumption expenditures data that showed cooling inflation, easing investor concerns.

2. Micron’s quarterly guidance disappoints

Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU) delivered results for its first fiscal quarter of 2025 after Wednesday’s closing bell, showing an 84 percent year-on-year revenue increase for the period.

“Data center revenue grew over 400 percent year over year and 40 percent sequentially, reaching a record level, with data center revenue mix surpassing 50 percent of Micron’s revenue for the first time,” the company said.

Micron performance, December 17 to 20, 2024.

Chart via Google Finance.

However, its guidance for its second fiscal quarter indicates a downshift in sales.

The company’s Q2 revenue guidance is US$7.9 billion, missing analysts’ expectations of US$7.93 billion. Non-GAAP earnings per share are anticipated to be US$1.26 compared to average projections of US$1.97.

“While consumer-oriented markets are weaker in the near term, we anticipate a return to growth in the second half of our fiscal year,” wrote President and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra in a press release.

“We continue to gain share in the highest margin and strategically important parts of the market and are exceptionally well positioned to leverage AI-driven growth to create substantial value for all stakeholders.”

Shares of Micron opened 13.2 percent lower on Thursday morning and hit US$85 shortly after the market opened. The company is ending the week down over 14 percent.

3. Broadcom surges as NVIDIA stumbles

Broadcom continued its upward trajectory this week, fueled by Friday’s rally. It reached a valuation higher than even NVIDIA, which stumbled into correction territory on Monday.

After a mid-week bump ahead of the Fed’s meeting, NVIDIA ultimately fell with the broader market as Powell signaled a hawkish stance, sinking further into correction territory.

Broadcom and NVIDIA performance, November 20 to December 20, 2024.

Chart via Google Finance.

While NVIDIA remains a powerhouse with a stellar year overall, Broadcom’s superior gains this month could signal a potential shift in the chip landscape, challenging NVIDIA’s dominance.

Shares of NVIDIA were down 7.67 percent on the month as of Friday afternoon, while Broadcom had gained over 35 percent. Its share price rose by nearly 40 percent following the release of its earnings report last week.

Adding to NVIDIA’s woes, reports suggest China is expanding its scrutiny of the company’s acquisitions beyond the 2020 Mellanox deal, potentially casting a shadow over its future growth prospects.

4. Samsung, Texas Instruments finalize Chips Act deal

Samsung Electronics (KRX:5930) and Texas Instruments (NASDAQ:TXN) are the two latest companies to receive government funding via US President Joe Biden’s Chips Act initiative. The deals were finalized on Friday, with Samsung set to receive up to US$4.75 billion and Texas Instruments getting US$1.6 billion.

While Texas Instruments’ final agreement aligns with an initial deal reached in August, Samsung’s funding was significantly reduced. The company stated that it adjusted its investment plan to improve efficiency and that the incentives were determined through negotiations with the US government, but did not provide specific details.

Texas Instruments’ funding will go toward building new chipmaking facilities in Utah and Texas. They will reportedly create 2,000 new company jobs and thousands more employment opportunities in construction and supply management. Samsung will use its award to expand its facilities in Central Texas.

5. Palantir, Axon and MicroStrategy join Nasdaq-100

Nasdaq (NASDAQ:NDAQ) released its annual list of changes to the Nasdaq-100 on Monday, with data analysis and security companies Palantir Technologies (NASDAQ:PLTR) and Axon Enterprises (NASDAQ:AXON) joining the index, along with business intelligence and analytics software firm MicroStrategy.

Palantir secured multiple contracts with the US Department of Defense in 2024, while Axon landed a contract with the Canadian government to supply body-worn cameras to the Royal Canadian Mountain Police in November.

MicroStrategy has been in the news this year due to several Bitcoin acquisitions. Over the weekend, the company acquired another 15,350 Bitcoin for US$1.5 billion. The acquisition was finalized on Sunday (December 15), bringing the company’s total Bitcoin holdings to 439,000. The purchase was funded through share sales under the firm’s at-the-market program. According to its latest filing, MicroStrategy now has US$7.65 billion remaining.

Bloomberg estimates that MicroStrategy’s inclusion on the Nasdaq-100 will add at least US$2 billion in new stock purchases from the various exchange-traded funds that follow the index.

Super Micro Computer (NASDAQ:SMCI), on the other hand, saw its share price open over 14 percent lower on Monday following the news that it will be removed from the Nasdaq-100. It closed the week 0.85 percent higher.

Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

3 Mins Read

Three Big Negatives Overshadow the Uptrends in SPY and QQQ

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SPY and QQQ remain in long-term uptrends, but three big negatives are currently hanging over the stock market. Two negatives are tied to important cyclical groups and the third is reminiscent of summer 2022. The semiconductor business is cyclical and the Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) is one of the weakest industry group ETFs. Housing is an important part of the domestic economy and the Home Construction ETF (ITB) broke down. On top of this, the 10-yr Treasury Yield is breaking out and appears headed back to 5%, just as it did in summer 2022. The charts below tell the story.

The Semiconductor ETF (SOXX) remains in a long-term downtrend. The chart below shows SOXX breaking down in July, forming a rising wedge into October and breaking wedge support at the end of October. Notice how this wedge retraced around 61.8% of the July decline and met resistance near the July support break. This advance was a counter-trend bounce and the wedge break signals a continuation lower. This is negative for semis, and by extension, the Technology sector and QQQ.

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The Home Construction ETF (ITB) failed to hold its late November breakout and reversed its long-term uptrend this month. ITB surged in November with a momentum thrust, similar to the July breakout. The July breakout held and ITB hit new highs in mid October. The November breakout, in contrast, failed as the ETF broke support and the 200-day SMA in December. ITB is in a long-term downtrend, which is negative for housing, and by extension, the Consumer Discretionary sector and the broader market.

The 10-yr Treasury Yield is on the rise as it broke out of a 13 month falling channel, which was in place since November 2023. This breakout targets a move toward the October 2023 high around 5%. The chart below shows the falling channel extending from October 2023 to December 2024. TNX hit the upper line in late November and fell rather sharply into early December. The yield firmed in the 41-42 area (4.1%-4.2%) as a falling flag took shape. TNX broke out of the flag on December 11th and followed through with a channel breakout this week. This move reverses the long-term downtrend and argues for a higher 10-yr Treasury Yield. Much like summer 2022, this could weigh on stocks.

Even though SPY and QQQ are still in long-term uptrends, this negative trifecta will likely weigh on the market. Small-caps and mid-caps were slammed this week and breadth has been deteriorating for a few weeks. Our breadth models at TrendInvestorPro have yet to signal a bear market, but we will watch them closely in the coming days and weeks.

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3 Mins Read

Oversold Conditions Not Always a Friend

Price Momentum Oscillator (PMO)

Nearly all of our charts currently show deeply oversold conditions. While this is usually a good thing, in a market downturn, it isn’t necessarily your friend. As you can guess, we believe that Wednesday’s big decline was the beginning of something more serious. But the question is, “what about oversold conditions?”

One of the Bear Market Rules that we have is this:

Oversold conditions in a bear market — “thin ice”, no solid foundation for price bounces. Bounces can be bull traps.

Now for certain, we aren’t in a bear market (yet), but we have experienced a serious decline that could lead to more. We are certainly susceptible to a bull trap. How oversold are our indicators? Here are the numbers as of the close on Thursday:

The Swenlin Trading Oscillators have reached deeply oversold territory. However, we wouldn’t get overly excited by an upside reversal. Oscillators must oscillate and they want to be on the zero line. Notice that only 7% have price above their 20-day EMA and a mere 5% of stocks have rising momentum!

The ITBM and ITVM are also oversold. They haven’t hit extremes and could accommodate more downside at this juncture. The big problem on this chart is the very few PMO BUY Signals left in the index.

Finally our Bias chart shows the oversold conditions of %Stocks > 20/50EMAs. %Stocks > 200EMA could definitely see more downside as could the Golden Cross and Silver Cross Indexes. Both of those indexes are below their signal line giving us a BEARISH Bias in the intermediate and long terms.

Conclusion: Oversold conditions are welcome in a bull market or bull market move. The market is still near all-time highs and mega-caps could continue to hold things together, but our thought is that these weak internals are coming home to roost. If not now, then January. Watch out for bull traps!

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Technical Analysis is a windsock, not a crystal ball. –Carl Swenlin

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional. Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author, and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity.

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6 Mins Read

AI Boom Meets Tariff Doom: How to Time Semiconductor Stocks

Semiconductors are at a crossroads, with innovation fueling growth and tariffs threatening profits. How might you navigate this potentially volatile landscape and identify opportunities without getting burned?

In 2025, analysts predict AI will drive explosive demand in the semiconductor industry, fueling innovation and revenue growth. At the same time, this optimism is tempered by the new administration’s tariff policies, which threaten to disrupt global supply chains, increase costs, and reshape the competitive landscape for chipmakers.

This tug-of-war between bullish and bearish forecasts is best exemplified by the VanEck Semiconductor ETF (SMH) price action, a reliable proxy for the semiconductor industry. Here’s a weekly chart.

FIGURE 1. WEEKLY CHART OF SMH. Congestion narrowing within a wider trading range may indicate that bulls and bears are in temporary equilibrium, with neither buyers nor sellers showing enough conviction to drive a decisive breakout or breakdown. Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

There’s a narrowing, range-bound movement between its all-time high near $283 and the swing low of $280 (see blue dotted lines). The increasingly tight congestion range over the last three months, as highlighted by the magenta rectangle, suggests increased indecision among bulls and bears. Despite the temporary standstill, semiconductor stocks are outperforming their tech sector peers (see price performance against XLK) by only 29% and the S&P 500 by 51%.

While AI chip demand will likely see significant growth in the future, the effects of tariffs and reshoring may bring sharp and near-term pain to most chipmakers, particularly semiconductor companies that are most reliant on Asian production. Domestic chipmakers with minimal reliance on overseas manufacturing may fare better under these conditions.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at SMH’s top three holdings—NVIDIA Corp. (NVDA), Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSM), and Broadcom Inc. (AVGO)—all of which play a leading role in AI chip development, but have different levels of reliance in the global chip supply chain.

FIGURE 2. PERFCHARTS COMPARING SMH AGAINST ITS TOP THREE HOLDINGS. Note the late jump in AVGO. Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

All three of SMH’s top holdings are outperforming their industry peers with NVDA on top, TSM second, and AVGO third. Understanding that late jump in AVGO might require some context (which we’ll get into later).

NVDA is the world’s AI chip leader.
TSM, is the world’s top chip foundry, and main producer of NVDA’s GPUs.
AVGO is a diversified supplier of data center components which are the backbone of AI infrastructure. Unlike NVDA, its business model is less exposed to reshoring effects.

NVIDIA (NVDA): The AI Semiconductor Leader

Take a look at the rounding top pattern on the daily chart .

FIGURE 3. DAILY CHART OF NVDA. Rounding tops are bearish, but tend to break higher more than 50% of the time. Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

According to Thomas Bulkowski’s Encyclopedia of Chart Patterns, while rounding tops are typically viewed as bearish, more than half the time they break upwards, challenging that assumption. In many cases, the rim on the right is higher than the one on the left. In the case above, the rim is formed by a price bounce off the 100-day simple moving average (SMA).

Both the 100-day and 200-day SMAs are likely to act as strong support unless there is a significant change in the chipmaker’s fundamentals. While NVDA’s uptrend remains intact, momentum seems to be weakening as suggested by the decline in the money flow index (MFI). Keep an eye on this development, especially if it breaks below the 100-day SMA and bounces off the 200-day SMA.

Next, let’s take a look at NVDA’s main chip foundry: TSM.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSM): The Foundry

TSM’s daily chart doesn’t look too different from NVDA’s. Remember, TSM is NVDA’s main chip foundry, and so NVDA is highly dependent on TSM (rather than the other way around).

FIGURE 4. DAILY CHART OF TSM. The stock’s price is chugging along with plenty of support. Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

You can see the difference between the stock’s volatile rise in price against a gradual decline in the RSI. TSM’s recent price action over the last three months has succumbed to this drop in bullish momentum.

The stock is reacting strongly to the 100-day and 200-day SMAs, suggesting a high likelihood of bouncing off these levels again should price continue to decline from the current levels.

Broadcom (AVGO): A More Diversified AI and Semiconductor Play

Broadcom also uses TSM’s foundry services, but it has a few other foundries in Asia and Europe. Because of its wide range of products and its focus on data centers, AVGO is more diversified and less exposed to the same supply chain risks as NVDA. Perhaps this (plus the company’s optimistic 2025 revenue projection) is why its shares have recently outperformed the other two companies above, hitting an all-time high in late December.

Let’s take a look at AVGO’s daily chart.

FIGURE 5. DAILY CHART OF AVGO. The December gap followed strong company guidance. Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

AVGO’s uptrend going back to November 2023 runs a similar course to NVDA and TSM. Its uptrend experienced some moments of volatility yet remained relatively sold. Its price fluctuations also reacted strongly to both the 100-day and 200-day SMAs, finding support with both.

However, unlike our previous examples, momentum as measured by the RSI appears steady and somewhat cyclical. To get a clearer view of momentum with volume, I added the On Balance Volume (OBV) with a 50-day SMA overlay which shows that buying pressure has steadily been increasing, fueling AVGO’s ascent, and culminating in the bullish jump in December.

Whether or not price falls to fill the gap, you might wait for RSI to dip below the 50-line to better time an entry if you’re looking to go long.

At the Close

The semiconductor industry faces a dynamic and uncertain 2025, with AI demand poised to spur growth while tariff talks threaten to reshape global supply chains and profit margins. Keeping an eye on SMH and monitoring its top holdings—NVDA, TSM, and AVGO—for shifts in momentum and action at key levels is critical if you’re looking to time your trades in this promising space.

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.

5 Mins Read

2024’s Big Bang: A Deeper Dive Into the Hindenburg Omen

This week saw the fabled Hindenburg Omen generate its first major sell signal in three years, suggesting the endless bull market of 2024 may soon indeed be ending. Why is this indicator so widely followed, and what does this confirmed signal tell us about market conditions going into Q1? First, let’s break down the conditions that led to this rare but powerful bearish indicator.

Major Tops Tend to Have Consistent Patterns

Strategist Jim Miekka created the Hindenburg Omen in 2010 after analyzing key market tops through market history. What consistent patterns and signals tended to occur leading into these market peaks? He boiled it all down to three key factors which were consistently present:

The broad equity markets are in an uptrend
At least 2.5% of NYSE listings are making a new 52-week high and at least 2.5% are making new 52-week lows on the same day
The McClellan Oscillator breaks below the zero level

One final step involves observing these three conditions occur at least two times within one month. Looking at the chart, we can see that this completed Hindenburg Omen signal has only occurred three times since 2019: in February 2020, going into the COVID peak, in December 2021, just before the 2022 bear market, and in December 2024.

What strikes me about this initial look at the indicator is that from a technical perspective, 2024 and 2021 have been remarkably similar. Both years featured long-term uptrends with minimal drawdowns and low volatility. So does that mean we are heading into another 2022 and a 9-month bear market for stocks? Not necessarily.

Trend-Following Techniques Can Help Improve Accuracy

Switching to a weekly chart, we can bring in much more history to consider. I’ve added red vertical lines to indicate any time we registered a confirmed Hindenburg Omen signal with at least two observations within one month.

Reviewing some of the recent market tops, we can see that this indicator did remarkably well in identifying topping conditions in 2021, 2020, and 2018. Going back even further, you’ll notice signals around the 2007 and 2000 peaks as well. But what about all the other signals that were not followed by a major decline?

People have quipped that the Hindenburg Omen have “signalled ten out of the last five corrections,” referencing the “false alarm” signals that did not actually play out. I would argue that the key with indicators like this is to combine them with trend-following approaches, similar to how I approach bearish momentum divergences.

When I see a bearish divergence between price and RSI or observe any other leading indicators like the Hindenburg Omen flash a sell signal, it doesn’t tell me to blindly take action! What it does tell me is to be on high alert and look for signs of distribution that could serve to confirm a bearish rotation. By patiently waiting for confirmation, we can improve our success rate and take action only when the charts compel us to do so!

S&P 5850 Remains the Level to Watch

So where does that leave us in December 2024? While Wednesday’s post-Fed drop certainly represented a significant short-term distribution pattern, the longer-term trends for the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 are still quite constructive.

The S&P 500 broke below its 50-day moving average this week for the first time since September. And while Wednesday and Thursday both saw the SPX close below the 50-day, Friday’s rally on improved inflation data took the major equity index right back above this key short-term barometer.

SPX 5850 has been my “line in the sand” since the November pullback, and as long as price remains above this threshold, I’m inclined to consider this market innocent until proven guilty. And given the normal end-of-the-year window dressing common with money managers, I would not be surprised if the Magnificent 7 stocks and other large-cap growth names remain strong enough to keep the benchmarks in decent shape into year-end.

But indicators like the Hindenburg Omen certainly have caused me to dust off the bull market top checklist, looking for signs of distribution that would imply further weakness. One of my mentors and long-time StockCharts contributor Greg Morris once quipped, “All new highs are bullish… except the last one.” I’m wondering if that early December high around 6100 may be the last one for a while!

One last thing…

I recently sat down virtually with author and technical analyst Chris Vermeulen to discuss the benefits of following asset flows, the dangers of holding dividend paying stocks during bear markets, how to navigate a potential breakdown in crude oil and energy stocks, and how investing and surfing are more alike than you might think!

RR#6,

Dave

PS- Ready to upgrade your investment process? Check out my free behavioral investing course!

David Keller, CMT

President and Chief Strategist

Sierra Alpha Research LLC

The author does not have a position in mentioned securities at the time of publication. Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity.