The Trump administration attack dog you should pay attention to
Bill Pulte is the director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, tasked with overseeing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via Getty
The Trump administration's loudest attack dog of late holds an unlikely position: director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency.
The FHFA's 37-year old director, Bill Pulte, has been pounding the drums to get Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell fired. He's publicly pressured Powell on social media, he gave Trump a draft letter that would have ordered Powell's firing, and he's tried to establish a pretext Trump could use to fire Powell.
But Pulte has also played a broader role in Trump's retribution campaign. He's used his position to try and get two of Trump's Democratic enemies — Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and New York Attorney General Letitia James — prosecuted for mortgage fraud.
Some of his allies hope this is just the start, and that even bigger things lie in Pulte's future. 'Bill Pulte would be an exceptional pick to run the Federal Reserve,' venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya posted on X last week.
'Attack dog' is an unusual role for the director of the FHFA, who is charged with overseeing Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac — the government-backed companies crucial to the functioning of US mortgage markets. (Vox requested comment from Pulte through the FHFA for this story, but received no response.)
The Logoff
The email you need to stay informed about Trump — without letting the news take over your life. Email (required)
Sign Up
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
But it's a good fit for Pulte. The grandson of the founder of a major home-building company, Pulte has demonstrated a remarkable knack for getting attention and building his public profile. He has 3 million followers on X, and his posts there have started to move markets, according to Bloomberg.
Pulte has his enemies in the administration; the Wall Street Journal recently reported his anti-Powell campaign has 'irritated' some senior officials.
One person is quite happy with him, though. After that Journal story was published, Trump posted that Pulte was doing an 'outstanding job,' and added: 'KEEP MOVING FORWARD, WILLIAM, DON'T LET THE RADICAL LEFT WEAKLINGS STOP YOU!'
Who is Bill Pulte, and how did he get millions of social media followers?
Housing is the Pulte family business. Pulte's grandfather, also named Bill, founded what eventually became one of the largest home-building companies in the US, PulteGroup. The younger Bill was barely done with college when, in 2011, he founded a Michigan-based private equity fund focused on the housing industry. The board included such local luminaries such as Rick DeVos (son of future Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos) and Scott Romney (brother of Mitt Romney).
Grandpa Pulte died in 2018. The following year, then-31-year-old Bill got his first taste of national fame by going viral for giving people money. Pulte gave or offered to give sometimes hundreds of dollars, sometimes thousands or even tens of thousands, and he posted on Twitter about it. He called this 'Twitter Philanthropy.' (He insisted he was not giving away his inheritance money, but rather money he'd independently made.)
Some of the giveaways were for people posting stories about why they needed help, others were purely random — but the common thread was that, if you wanted a shot at the cash, you needed to follow or retweet him on Twitter. (Following him was necessary so he could send you a direct message if you won, he explained.) In July 2019, Pulte said he'd give $30,000 to 'a veteran on Twitter' if President Trump retweeted him, and the president did so.
All this proved highly successful at increasing Pulte's Twitter following, which rose from the low tens of thousands to 2 million in early 2020. But his relationship with the company his grandfather founded deteriorated. He lost his seat on PulteGroup's board of directors, after the board unanimously voted not to renominate him.
The meme stock saga and online feuding
With the novelty of Twitter Philanthropy worn off, Pulte found a new focus for his self-promotion: the meme stock craze.
Pulte particularly cultivated the beleaguered Bed Bath & Beyond investors, many of whom hoped this wealthy and successful philanthropist would somehow find a way to get them back the money they'd lost. In January 2024, Pulte released a statement saying the 'Pulte family' would purchase Bed Bath & Beyond bonds so they could 'demand answers' for wiped-out retail shareholders.
The Pulte Family Charitable Foundation, which he is not involved with, wanted to be excluded from this narrative, and released a statement distancing themselves from him. Pulte fired back with an X post calling his aunt, Nancy Pulte Rickard, who heads the foundation, 'a fake representative of the Pulte Family.' He added that his aunt 'is angry she wasn't in my grandpa's will when I, the namesake, was in the will.'
As it became clear that there would be no miraculous recovery for $BBBY shareholders, Pulte amassed his share of dedicated online haters, who mocked him as 'Ploot' and chronicled what they saw as his strange behavior on subreddits like /r/GME_meltdown. These haters would soon watch agog as Pulte, who they viewed as a 'fraud and weirdo,' suddenly scored a powerful position in the federal government. This, one Redditor wrote, was 'an absolutely wild plot twist.'
Pulte and the Federal Housing Finance Agency
Through all this time, Pulte's public persona hadn't been particularly political. But he figured out a good way to gain entry into Trumpworld — by, again, giving people money. He gave $500,000 to a pro-Trump Super PAC in 2022. He'd also donated to Turning Point USA, the young conservatives' group co-founded by Charlie Kirk. (Kirk is a close ally of Donald Trump Jr.)
After Trump won in November 2024, the New York Post floated Pulte as a potential Housing and Urban Development secretary, quoting a 'source' calling him 'probably overqualified' and stressing those past donations to vouch for his loyalty to Trumpworld.
Trump nominated him for FHFA director instead, and before his confirmation hearings, he deleted tens of thousands of his old tweets, to Senate Democrats' annoyance. Shortly after he was confirmed in March, Pulte posted on X: 'You didn't really think I'd stop tweeting did you'.
The FHFA job is a consequential one. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were placed under government conservatorship during the 2008 financial crisis, but the Trump team is now planning to reprivatize them. It is unclear how involved Pulte is in these discussions (one report claimed he'd been 'largely cut out').
Pulte has, however, been quite quick to use his position to go after Trump's enemies — specifically, James, the New York attorney general, and Sen. Schiff, who have for years been leading figures in Democrat-led investigations of Trump.
Pulte took public credit for the Schiff investigation, posting on X: 'Fannie Mae's Financial Crimes Division concluded that Mr. Schiff has engaged in a sustained pattern of possible Mortgage Fraud.' A confidential Fannie Mae memo alleging misconduct by Schiff — a memo addressed to Pulte — was provided to the Washington Post earlier this month.
Both Schiff and James have denied any wrongdoing and said they are being targeted politically, and it remains to be seen whether DOJ will charge them. Federal prosecutors pursuing complex corruption cases against public officials have long found the mortgage fraud statute to be a useful tool — it's relatively easy to prove, and it carries a steep, 30-year maximum sentence. (According to David Simon, federal prosecutors in Baltimore called it the 'Head Shot.') But it's not yet clear whether they have enough to make and sustain either case.
With Powell having earned Trump's ire for his reluctance to lower interest rates, Pulte started going after him, too. For the past two months, he's been publicly criticizing the Fed chair and urging him to resign.
Since the law only permits Trump to fire Powell 'for cause' — meaning 'inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office' — Pulte has been laying the groundwork for that. He's been arguing that the expensive renovation of the Fed's headquarters is a 'scandal' that merits Powell's firing for misconduct.
'I remain optimistic Jerome Powell will do the right thing, and as early as next week,' Pulte posted Friday on X.
Could Trump be considering replacing Powell with Pulte himself? So far, National Economic Council director Kevin Hassett is said to be the frontrunner. And a Pulte nomination may not be received kindly by the Senate or the markets.
But maybe Pulte can post his way into the job. After all, social media has gotten him this far.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq sink after weak jobs report, Trump's tariff redux
US stocks sank on Friday after President Trump officially hit virtually every US trading partner with sweeping tariff hikes, while the July jobs report showed signs of a labor market slowdown. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) fell more than 500 points, or about 1.1%, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) dropped roughly 1.5%, with the two gauges set for weekly losses. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) sank around 2.1%, on track for its own weekly decline, despite earnings reports from major tech firms that beat expectations. Friday's sell-off followed a losing day for the indexes on Thursday. The retreat in stocks came as the July jobs report released Friday morning showed weaker-than-expected jobs growth, with the economy adding some 73,000 jobs, versus 104,000 expected. The prior two readings were also revised down sharply, indicating the labor market has been slowing down over the past three months. The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2%. The surprise cracks in the labor market will be closely watched by the Federal Reserve, whose preferred inflation gauge on Thursday showed signs of increasing price pressures. The yield on the benchmark 10-year Treasury (^TNX) dived following the jobs data as traders ramped up bets on interest rate cuts this year. Meanwhile, markets assessed the reshaped US trade landscape after Trump on Thursday hit dozens of countries — including crucial partners Taiwan and India — with steep new tariffs. His executive order formally authorized a hike in levies on Canada to 35%, to go into effect on Friday. Most of the other "reciprocal" rates range from 15% to 40% (though the baseline remains 10%) and will be implemented in seven days. The White House also confirmed details of trade agreements negotiated by some trading partners before the Aug. 1 deadline for "Liberation Day" tariffs to hit. But Trump said the implementation of the hiked levies will be pushed back by seven days, opening up scope for more talks. Read more: The latest on Trump's tariffs Also dragging on spirits was disappointment over Amazon's (AMZN) earnings released late Thursday. The performance of its AWS cloud unit failed to live up to lofty expectations set by rivals Google (GOOG, GOOGL) and Microsoft (MSFT), sending its shares down as much as 8%. But Apple (AAPL) erased losses despite results that beat expectations, boosted by surprisingly strong iPhone sales. Trump calls for firing of commissioner of Bureau of Labor Statistics responsible for monthly jobs reports President Trump said he has directed his team to fire Erika McEntarfer, the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, who is responsible for producing the US monthly jobs reports. This comes after July's print showed larger-than-normal revisions for the past two months, indicating that the labor market has been cooling for the past three months. "I was just informed that our Country's 'Jobs Numbers' are being produced by a Biden Appointee, Dr. Erika McEntarfer, the Commissioner of Labor Statistics, who faked the Jobs Numbers before the Election to try and boost Kamala's chances of Victory," Trump wrote on social media. "We need accurate Jobs Numbers. I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY. She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified," he added. "Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can't be manipulated for political purposes. McEntarfer said there were only 73,000 Jobs added (a shock!) but, more importantly, that a major mistake was made by them, 258,000 Jobs downward, in the prior two months. Similar things happened in the first part of the year, always to the negative." Trump has been pressuring the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates. Policymakers this week decided to keep rates steady, with two dissidents voting for a rate cut. Coinbase stock takes a hit as lower crypto volatility slows trading activity Coinbase (COIN) stock plunged 14%, its biggest intraday drop since April, after the crypto platform high flyer's quarterly revenue took a hit from lower trading volume. Revenue for the company's second quarter increased 3.3% year over year to $1.5 billion. Wall Street was expecting a climb to $1.59 billion. Revenue also slowed from $2 billion in the prior quarter. Total trading volume declined 40% in the second quarter as crypto asset volatility declined. Read more here. Dow sinks 600 points, S&P 500 Nasdaq drop to session lows The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) dropped more than 600 points, or 1.4% Friday afternoon, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) fell around 1.7% to touch a session low. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) tumbled more than 2.3%. Most growth sectors were in the red, leading the declines. The sell-off followed a weaker-than-expected jobs report, and after President Trump reshaped the US trade landscape by imposing tariffs on imports from dozens of trading partners around the world. Friday's July jobs report showed weaker-than-expected hiring and larger-than-normal downward revisions to prior months' data, suggesting the labor market has been weakening for months. 'A gamechanger': Economists react to weak July jobs report as rate cut bets Yahoo Finance's Allie Canal reports: Read more here. " Big Tech's AI investments set to spike to $364 billion in 2025 as bubble fears ease Big Tech firms Amazon (AMZN), Alphabet (GOOGL, GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT), and Meta (META) reported that they were set to spend as much as a cumulative $364 billion in their respective 2025 fiscal years, up from their prior estimates of around $325 billion. Investors appeared to shrug off the increase for the most part. Shares of three of the four tech giants spiked following their latest quarterly earnings reports over the past two weeks, which showed the companies broadly outperforming Wall Street's expectations and lifting their capital expenditure forecasts. Meta and Microsoft shares surged roughly 11% and 4%, respectively, in Thursday's trading session, following their quarterly results the prior afternoon. Microsoft's surge briefly pushed the firm's value north of $4 trillion for the first time. Alphabet stock also jumped following its report last week. Amazon was an exception to Wall Street's bullish reception of the capital expenditures changes. Shares fell 8% Friday after the company raised its capital expenditure forecast, but its guidance for operating income at its AWS cloud computing unit was lower than expected, raising questions about its AI plans. Amazon said its $31.4 billion in second quarter capital expenditures was "reasonably representative of our quarterly capital investment rate for the back half of this year," implying it would spend around $118.5 billion in the full fiscal year. Read the full story here. UnitedHealth Group stock drops after appointing new CFO in wake of top leadership change After a year that has seen its share price collapse by more than 50%, UnitedHealth Group (UNH) has swapped out its chief financial officer, Yahoo Finance's Jake Conley and Anjalee Khemlani report. Conley and Khemlani write: Shares of UnitedHealth dropped around 3.4% early Friday. Read the full story here. Manufacturing activity hits a 9-month low Economic activity in the US manufacturing sector hit a nine month low in July. The Institute for Supply Management's (ISM) manufacturing PMI registered a reading of 48% in July, down from June's reading of 49%. Readings above 50 for this index indicate an expansion in activity, while readings below 50 indicate contraction. The manufacturing sector has been in contraction for most of the past two years. 'In July, U.S. manufacturing activity contracted at a faster rate, with declines in the Supplier Deliveries and Employment Indexes contributing as the biggest factors in the 1-percentage point loss of the Manufacturing PMI," Chair of the Institute for Supply Management Susan Spence wrote in the release. Reddit stock soars after Q2 earnings beat Reddit (RDDT) stock soared more than 16% early Friday after the social media platform reported second quarter earnings and revenue that surpassed Wall Street's expectations, with a sunnier than anticipated outlook for its third quarter. The social media's revenue grew 78% to $500 million, its fastest revenue growth in three years, according to the company. That figure was ahead of the $425 million projected by Wall Street analysts tracked by Bloomberg. In its results released late Thursday, Reddit also reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.92, ahead of the estimated $0.72. The company said global daily active users hit 110.4 million in the three months ended June 30, just above the 110 million expected by analysts, according to Bloomberg consensus data. Meanwhile, US daily active users hit 50.3 million, slightly below the 50.5 million expected. Read more about Reddit's latest report here. Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly stocks pop on report of Medicare, Medicaid GLP-1 coverage Shares of Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Eli Lilly (LLY) spiked at the open after the Washington Post reported that the Trump administration is planning to experiment with allowing Medicare and Medicaid to cover weight-loss drugs. A plan obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services stated that state Medicaid programs and Medicare Part D insurance plans can voluntarily choose to cover Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Mounjaro and Zepbound for weight management, the Post reported. It's a signal that the administration is more open to GLP-1 drug coverage, despite reservations from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly stocks both popped 3% in the first 10 minutes of trading. On Thursday, the stocks sold off after President Trump sent a letter to 17 pharma companies demanding that they slash their drug prices in the US. Stocks sink at the open US stocks sank at the market open on Friday after President Trump officially hit virtually every US trading partner with sweeping tariff hikes, and the June jobs report showed signs of a labor market slowdown. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) dropped 0.9%, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) fell around 1%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) sank about 1.4%, on the heels of a losing day for the major US gauges. Treasury yields sink after jobs data as traders price in more aggressive Fed action The big market action after a shocking July jobs report was being seen in the bond market Friday morning. Treasuries were in rally mode as traders moved to price in at least two interest-rate cuts from the Federal Reserve this year. That reversed the moves seen Wednesday after the FOMC meeting, which saw Fed Chair Jay Powell talk down the need for rate cuts. The yield on 2-year Treasury notes fell by more than 17 basis points to as low as 3.78% Friday morning. The yield on 10-year notes fell by nearly 10 basis points to as low as 4.27%. Data from the CME Group showed the odds for a September rate cut from the Fed were as high as 75% following Friday's report. The July jobs report showed the US economy added just 73,000 jobs last month while revisions to the May and June reports showed more than quarter million fewer jobs were added to the economy than previously reported. On Wednesday, odds for a September rate cut from the Fed were just 37%. Just before the release of Friday's jobs report, two Fed governors — Chris Waller and Michelle Bowman — issued statements explaining their decision to vote against the Fed's call to keep interest rates unchanged on Wednesday. Both suggested the US labor market is not as strong as recent data had shown, and that when the labor market turns, it may turn quickly. Waller and Bowman's dissents on Wednesday marked the first time since 1993 that two members of the Fed's Board of Governors voted against a policy action at the same meeting. President Trump, for his part, said Friday morning before the jobs numbers were released the Fed board should "ASSUME CONTROL" as Powell continues to face criticism from the president over his view that interest rates should remain at current levels. Figma stock rises 19% in premarket trade Friday, poised to build on Thursday's 250% rally Figma (FIG) stock looked set to surge again on Friday, rising as much as 19% in premarket trading after shares rocketed higher with a gain of 250% in Thursday's public market debut, Yahoo Finance's Jake Conley reports. Conley writes: Read the full story here. New healthcare jobs continue to lead gains Here's a look at US employment by sector in July. Where hiring picked up: Where hiring declined: US labor market adds 73,000 jobs in July while unemployment rate hits 4.2% Stock futures fell premarket after the July jobs report showed US nonfarm payrolls missed estimates. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures (YM=F) dropped 0.9%, while futures for the S&P 500 (ES=F) fell around 1%. Contracts on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) sank 1.1%. Yahoo Finance's Josh Schafer reports: Read more here. European stocks slide after Trump announces new tariffs European stocks fell on Friday after President Trump confirmed new tariff rates, including a 15% tariff rate on goods from the European Union and a 10% rate for the UK. In London, the benchmark FTSE 100 index (^FTSE) fell 0.5%. The pan-European Stoxx 600 (^STOXX) index shed 0.75%, while Germany's DAX (^GDAXI) dropped 1.89% and the CAC (^FCHI) in Paris declined 2%. In a twist, Trump said the new tariffs will take effect a week from now, instead of today, as was originally telegraphed. Still, global markets were rattled by the latest change to US trade policy. Swiss manufacturers warned Friday that tens of thousands of jobs are at risk after President Trump imposed steep tariffs. European pharmaceutical companies, such as Novo Nordisk (NVO) and AstraZeneca (AZN), were also in the red Thursday and will be stocks to watch Friday after Trump sent a letter to 17 companies, urging them to lower prices. Good morning. Here's what's happening today. Economic calendar: Nonfarm payrolls (July); Unemployment rate (July); Average hourly earnings (July); Average weekly hours worked (July); Labor force participation rate (July); ISM manufacturing (July); S&P Global US manufacturing (July final); Construction spending (June); University of Michigan consumer sentiment (July final) Earnings: Chevron (CVX), Colgate-Palmolive (CL), Exxon Mobil (XOM) Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning: July jobs report on deck: What to expect Trump stuns markets again with latest bid to reshape US trade order Trump: Fed board should assume control if Powell won't cut rates Trump lays out sweeping tariff hikes for dozens of countries Amazon stock sinks as cloud results fail to impress Moderna beats estimates on COVID booster sales, cost cuts Exxon beats profit estimates as output rises despite weak oil prices Chevron beats Wall Street profit estimates with record output Big Tech's AI and core businesses are blurring together This week, investors heard quarterly updates from Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), Microsoft (MSFT), and Meta (META). And in the midst of strong quarterly financial results from Big Tech, a new paradigm is emerging, Yahoo Finance's Hamza Shaban wrote in today's Morning Brief. Hamza writes: Read more here. Chevron beats Wall Street profit estimates with record production Chevron (CVX) beat analyst estimates on Friday for second-quarter profit as record oil and gas production and lower capital expenditure helped the US oil producer boost earnings despite weaker crude prices. Chevron shares were flat in premarket trading. Reuters reports: Read more here. Exxon beats profit estimates with higher production despite weak oil prices Shares in Exxon Mobil (XOM) rose more than 1% before the bell on Friday after the company beat Wall Street estimate for second-quarter profit as higher oil and gas production helped the top US oil producer overcome lower crude prices. Reuters reports: Read more here. Eyes on Figma, day two After a sizzling 250% surge on Thursday IPO day, Figma (FIG) is up another 8% premarket. You are watching the forming of a stock bubble in real time here! I encourage you to read up on the company's not-so-impressive financials this weekend. Trump calls for firing of commissioner of Bureau of Labor Statistics responsible for monthly jobs reports President Trump said he has directed his team to fire Erika McEntarfer, the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, who is responsible for producing the US monthly jobs reports. This comes after July's print showed larger-than-normal revisions for the past two months, indicating that the labor market has been cooling for the past three months. "I was just informed that our Country's 'Jobs Numbers' are being produced by a Biden Appointee, Dr. Erika McEntarfer, the Commissioner of Labor Statistics, who faked the Jobs Numbers before the Election to try and boost Kamala's chances of Victory," Trump wrote on social media. "We need accurate Jobs Numbers. I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY. She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified," he added. "Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can't be manipulated for political purposes. McEntarfer said there were only 73,000 Jobs added (a shock!) but, more importantly, that a major mistake was made by them, 258,000 Jobs downward, in the prior two months. Similar things happened in the first part of the year, always to the negative." Trump has been pressuring the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates. Policymakers this week decided to keep rates steady, with two dissidents voting for a rate cut. President Trump said he has directed his team to fire Erika McEntarfer, the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, who is responsible for producing the US monthly jobs reports. This comes after July's print showed larger-than-normal revisions for the past two months, indicating that the labor market has been cooling for the past three months. "I was just informed that our Country's 'Jobs Numbers' are being produced by a Biden Appointee, Dr. Erika McEntarfer, the Commissioner of Labor Statistics, who faked the Jobs Numbers before the Election to try and boost Kamala's chances of Victory," Trump wrote on social media. "We need accurate Jobs Numbers. I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY. She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified," he added. "Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can't be manipulated for political purposes. McEntarfer said there were only 73,000 Jobs added (a shock!) but, more importantly, that a major mistake was made by them, 258,000 Jobs downward, in the prior two months. Similar things happened in the first part of the year, always to the negative." Trump has been pressuring the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates. Policymakers this week decided to keep rates steady, with two dissidents voting for a rate cut. Coinbase stock takes a hit as lower crypto volatility slows trading activity Coinbase (COIN) stock plunged 14%, its biggest intraday drop since April, after the crypto platform high flyer's quarterly revenue took a hit from lower trading volume. Revenue for the company's second quarter increased 3.3% year over year to $1.5 billion. Wall Street was expecting a climb to $1.59 billion. Revenue also slowed from $2 billion in the prior quarter. Total trading volume declined 40% in the second quarter as crypto asset volatility declined. Read more here. Coinbase (COIN) stock plunged 14%, its biggest intraday drop since April, after the crypto platform high flyer's quarterly revenue took a hit from lower trading volume. Revenue for the company's second quarter increased 3.3% year over year to $1.5 billion. Wall Street was expecting a climb to $1.59 billion. Revenue also slowed from $2 billion in the prior quarter. Total trading volume declined 40% in the second quarter as crypto asset volatility declined. Read more here. Dow sinks 600 points, S&P 500 Nasdaq drop to session lows The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) dropped more than 600 points, or 1.4% Friday afternoon, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) fell around 1.7% to touch a session low. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) tumbled more than 2.3%. Most growth sectors were in the red, leading the declines. The sell-off followed a weaker-than-expected jobs report, and after President Trump reshaped the US trade landscape by imposing tariffs on imports from dozens of trading partners around the world. Friday's July jobs report showed weaker-than-expected hiring and larger-than-normal downward revisions to prior months' data, suggesting the labor market has been weakening for months. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) dropped more than 600 points, or 1.4% Friday afternoon, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) fell around 1.7% to touch a session low. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) tumbled more than 2.3%. Most growth sectors were in the red, leading the declines. The sell-off followed a weaker-than-expected jobs report, and after President Trump reshaped the US trade landscape by imposing tariffs on imports from dozens of trading partners around the world. Friday's July jobs report showed weaker-than-expected hiring and larger-than-normal downward revisions to prior months' data, suggesting the labor market has been weakening for months. 'A gamechanger': Economists react to weak July jobs report as rate cut bets Yahoo Finance's Allie Canal reports: Read more here. " Yahoo Finance's Allie Canal reports: Read more here. " Big Tech's AI investments set to spike to $364 billion in 2025 as bubble fears ease Big Tech firms Amazon (AMZN), Alphabet (GOOGL, GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT), and Meta (META) reported that they were set to spend as much as a cumulative $364 billion in their respective 2025 fiscal years, up from their prior estimates of around $325 billion. Investors appeared to shrug off the increase for the most part. Shares of three of the four tech giants spiked following their latest quarterly earnings reports over the past two weeks, which showed the companies broadly outperforming Wall Street's expectations and lifting their capital expenditure forecasts. Meta and Microsoft shares surged roughly 11% and 4%, respectively, in Thursday's trading session, following their quarterly results the prior afternoon. Microsoft's surge briefly pushed the firm's value north of $4 trillion for the first time. Alphabet stock also jumped following its report last week. Amazon was an exception to Wall Street's bullish reception of the capital expenditures changes. Shares fell 8% Friday after the company raised its capital expenditure forecast, but its guidance for operating income at its AWS cloud computing unit was lower than expected, raising questions about its AI plans. Amazon said its $31.4 billion in second quarter capital expenditures was "reasonably representative of our quarterly capital investment rate for the back half of this year," implying it would spend around $118.5 billion in the full fiscal year. Read the full story here. Big Tech firms Amazon (AMZN), Alphabet (GOOGL, GOOG), Microsoft (MSFT), and Meta (META) reported that they were set to spend as much as a cumulative $364 billion in their respective 2025 fiscal years, up from their prior estimates of around $325 billion. Investors appeared to shrug off the increase for the most part. Shares of three of the four tech giants spiked following their latest quarterly earnings reports over the past two weeks, which showed the companies broadly outperforming Wall Street's expectations and lifting their capital expenditure forecasts. Meta and Microsoft shares surged roughly 11% and 4%, respectively, in Thursday's trading session, following their quarterly results the prior afternoon. Microsoft's surge briefly pushed the firm's value north of $4 trillion for the first time. Alphabet stock also jumped following its report last week. Amazon was an exception to Wall Street's bullish reception of the capital expenditures changes. Shares fell 8% Friday after the company raised its capital expenditure forecast, but its guidance for operating income at its AWS cloud computing unit was lower than expected, raising questions about its AI plans. Amazon said its $31.4 billion in second quarter capital expenditures was "reasonably representative of our quarterly capital investment rate for the back half of this year," implying it would spend around $118.5 billion in the full fiscal year. Read the full story here. UnitedHealth Group stock drops after appointing new CFO in wake of top leadership change After a year that has seen its share price collapse by more than 50%, UnitedHealth Group (UNH) has swapped out its chief financial officer, Yahoo Finance's Jake Conley and Anjalee Khemlani report. Conley and Khemlani write: Shares of UnitedHealth dropped around 3.4% early Friday. Read the full story here. After a year that has seen its share price collapse by more than 50%, UnitedHealth Group (UNH) has swapped out its chief financial officer, Yahoo Finance's Jake Conley and Anjalee Khemlani report. Conley and Khemlani write: Shares of UnitedHealth dropped around 3.4% early Friday. Read the full story here. Manufacturing activity hits a 9-month low Economic activity in the US manufacturing sector hit a nine month low in July. The Institute for Supply Management's (ISM) manufacturing PMI registered a reading of 48% in July, down from June's reading of 49%. Readings above 50 for this index indicate an expansion in activity, while readings below 50 indicate contraction. The manufacturing sector has been in contraction for most of the past two years. 'In July, U.S. manufacturing activity contracted at a faster rate, with declines in the Supplier Deliveries and Employment Indexes contributing as the biggest factors in the 1-percentage point loss of the Manufacturing PMI," Chair of the Institute for Supply Management Susan Spence wrote in the release. Economic activity in the US manufacturing sector hit a nine month low in July. The Institute for Supply Management's (ISM) manufacturing PMI registered a reading of 48% in July, down from June's reading of 49%. Readings above 50 for this index indicate an expansion in activity, while readings below 50 indicate contraction. The manufacturing sector has been in contraction for most of the past two years. 'In July, U.S. manufacturing activity contracted at a faster rate, with declines in the Supplier Deliveries and Employment Indexes contributing as the biggest factors in the 1-percentage point loss of the Manufacturing PMI," Chair of the Institute for Supply Management Susan Spence wrote in the release. Reddit stock soars after Q2 earnings beat Reddit (RDDT) stock soared more than 16% early Friday after the social media platform reported second quarter earnings and revenue that surpassed Wall Street's expectations, with a sunnier than anticipated outlook for its third quarter. The social media's revenue grew 78% to $500 million, its fastest revenue growth in three years, according to the company. That figure was ahead of the $425 million projected by Wall Street analysts tracked by Bloomberg. In its results released late Thursday, Reddit also reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.92, ahead of the estimated $0.72. The company said global daily active users hit 110.4 million in the three months ended June 30, just above the 110 million expected by analysts, according to Bloomberg consensus data. Meanwhile, US daily active users hit 50.3 million, slightly below the 50.5 million expected. Read more about Reddit's latest report here. Reddit (RDDT) stock soared more than 16% early Friday after the social media platform reported second quarter earnings and revenue that surpassed Wall Street's expectations, with a sunnier than anticipated outlook for its third quarter. The social media's revenue grew 78% to $500 million, its fastest revenue growth in three years, according to the company. That figure was ahead of the $425 million projected by Wall Street analysts tracked by Bloomberg. In its results released late Thursday, Reddit also reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.92, ahead of the estimated $0.72. The company said global daily active users hit 110.4 million in the three months ended June 30, just above the 110 million expected by analysts, according to Bloomberg consensus data. Meanwhile, US daily active users hit 50.3 million, slightly below the 50.5 million expected. Read more about Reddit's latest report here. Novo Nordisk, Eli Lilly stocks pop on report of Medicare, Medicaid GLP-1 coverage Shares of Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Eli Lilly (LLY) spiked at the open after the Washington Post reported that the Trump administration is planning to experiment with allowing Medicare and Medicaid to cover weight-loss drugs. A plan obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services stated that state Medicaid programs and Medicare Part D insurance plans can voluntarily choose to cover Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Mounjaro and Zepbound for weight management, the Post reported. It's a signal that the administration is more open to GLP-1 drug coverage, despite reservations from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly stocks both popped 3% in the first 10 minutes of trading. On Thursday, the stocks sold off after President Trump sent a letter to 17 pharma companies demanding that they slash their drug prices in the US. Shares of Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Eli Lilly (LLY) spiked at the open after the Washington Post reported that the Trump administration is planning to experiment with allowing Medicare and Medicaid to cover weight-loss drugs. A plan obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services stated that state Medicaid programs and Medicare Part D insurance plans can voluntarily choose to cover Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Mounjaro and Zepbound for weight management, the Post reported. It's a signal that the administration is more open to GLP-1 drug coverage, despite reservations from Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly stocks both popped 3% in the first 10 minutes of trading. On Thursday, the stocks sold off after President Trump sent a letter to 17 pharma companies demanding that they slash their drug prices in the US. Stocks sink at the open US stocks sank at the market open on Friday after President Trump officially hit virtually every US trading partner with sweeping tariff hikes, and the June jobs report showed signs of a labor market slowdown. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) dropped 0.9%, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) fell around 1%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) sank about 1.4%, on the heels of a losing day for the major US gauges. US stocks sank at the market open on Friday after President Trump officially hit virtually every US trading partner with sweeping tariff hikes, and the June jobs report showed signs of a labor market slowdown. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) dropped 0.9%, while the S&P 500 (^GSPC) fell around 1%. The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC) sank about 1.4%, on the heels of a losing day for the major US gauges. Treasury yields sink after jobs data as traders price in more aggressive Fed action The big market action after a shocking July jobs report was being seen in the bond market Friday morning. Treasuries were in rally mode as traders moved to price in at least two interest-rate cuts from the Federal Reserve this year. That reversed the moves seen Wednesday after the FOMC meeting, which saw Fed Chair Jay Powell talk down the need for rate cuts. The yield on 2-year Treasury notes fell by more than 17 basis points to as low as 3.78% Friday morning. The yield on 10-year notes fell by nearly 10 basis points to as low as 4.27%. Data from the CME Group showed the odds for a September rate cut from the Fed were as high as 75% following Friday's report. The July jobs report showed the US economy added just 73,000 jobs last month while revisions to the May and June reports showed more than quarter million fewer jobs were added to the economy than previously reported. On Wednesday, odds for a September rate cut from the Fed were just 37%. Just before the release of Friday's jobs report, two Fed governors — Chris Waller and Michelle Bowman — issued statements explaining their decision to vote against the Fed's call to keep interest rates unchanged on Wednesday. Both suggested the US labor market is not as strong as recent data had shown, and that when the labor market turns, it may turn quickly. Waller and Bowman's dissents on Wednesday marked the first time since 1993 that two members of the Fed's Board of Governors voted against a policy action at the same meeting. President Trump, for his part, said Friday morning before the jobs numbers were released the Fed board should "ASSUME CONTROL" as Powell continues to face criticism from the president over his view that interest rates should remain at current levels. The big market action after a shocking July jobs report was being seen in the bond market Friday morning. Treasuries were in rally mode as traders moved to price in at least two interest-rate cuts from the Federal Reserve this year. That reversed the moves seen Wednesday after the FOMC meeting, which saw Fed Chair Jay Powell talk down the need for rate cuts. The yield on 2-year Treasury notes fell by more than 17 basis points to as low as 3.78% Friday morning. The yield on 10-year notes fell by nearly 10 basis points to as low as 4.27%. Data from the CME Group showed the odds for a September rate cut from the Fed were as high as 75% following Friday's report. The July jobs report showed the US economy added just 73,000 jobs last month while revisions to the May and June reports showed more than quarter million fewer jobs were added to the economy than previously reported. On Wednesday, odds for a September rate cut from the Fed were just 37%. Just before the release of Friday's jobs report, two Fed governors — Chris Waller and Michelle Bowman — issued statements explaining their decision to vote against the Fed's call to keep interest rates unchanged on Wednesday. Both suggested the US labor market is not as strong as recent data had shown, and that when the labor market turns, it may turn quickly. Waller and Bowman's dissents on Wednesday marked the first time since 1993 that two members of the Fed's Board of Governors voted against a policy action at the same meeting. President Trump, for his part, said Friday morning before the jobs numbers were released the Fed board should "ASSUME CONTROL" as Powell continues to face criticism from the president over his view that interest rates should remain at current levels. Figma stock rises 19% in premarket trade Friday, poised to build on Thursday's 250% rally Figma (FIG) stock looked set to surge again on Friday, rising as much as 19% in premarket trading after shares rocketed higher with a gain of 250% in Thursday's public market debut, Yahoo Finance's Jake Conley reports. Conley writes: Read the full story here. Figma (FIG) stock looked set to surge again on Friday, rising as much as 19% in premarket trading after shares rocketed higher with a gain of 250% in Thursday's public market debut, Yahoo Finance's Jake Conley reports. Conley writes: Read the full story here. New healthcare jobs continue to lead gains Here's a look at US employment by sector in July. Where hiring picked up: Where hiring declined: Here's a look at US employment by sector in July. Where hiring picked up: Where hiring declined: US labor market adds 73,000 jobs in July while unemployment rate hits 4.2% Stock futures fell premarket after the July jobs report showed US nonfarm payrolls missed estimates. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures (YM=F) dropped 0.9%, while futures for the S&P 500 (ES=F) fell around 1%. Contracts on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) sank 1.1%. Yahoo Finance's Josh Schafer reports: Read more here. Stock futures fell premarket after the July jobs report showed US nonfarm payrolls missed estimates. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures (YM=F) dropped 0.9%, while futures for the S&P 500 (ES=F) fell around 1%. Contracts on the tech-heavy Nasdaq 100 (NQ=F) sank 1.1%. Yahoo Finance's Josh Schafer reports: Read more here. European stocks slide after Trump announces new tariffs European stocks fell on Friday after President Trump confirmed new tariff rates, including a 15% tariff rate on goods from the European Union and a 10% rate for the UK. In London, the benchmark FTSE 100 index (^FTSE) fell 0.5%. The pan-European Stoxx 600 (^STOXX) index shed 0.75%, while Germany's DAX (^GDAXI) dropped 1.89% and the CAC (^FCHI) in Paris declined 2%. In a twist, Trump said the new tariffs will take effect a week from now, instead of today, as was originally telegraphed. Still, global markets were rattled by the latest change to US trade policy. Swiss manufacturers warned Friday that tens of thousands of jobs are at risk after President Trump imposed steep tariffs. European pharmaceutical companies, such as Novo Nordisk (NVO) and AstraZeneca (AZN), were also in the red Thursday and will be stocks to watch Friday after Trump sent a letter to 17 companies, urging them to lower prices. European stocks fell on Friday after President Trump confirmed new tariff rates, including a 15% tariff rate on goods from the European Union and a 10% rate for the UK. In London, the benchmark FTSE 100 index (^FTSE) fell 0.5%. The pan-European Stoxx 600 (^STOXX) index shed 0.75%, while Germany's DAX (^GDAXI) dropped 1.89% and the CAC (^FCHI) in Paris declined 2%. In a twist, Trump said the new tariffs will take effect a week from now, instead of today, as was originally telegraphed. Still, global markets were rattled by the latest change to US trade policy. Swiss manufacturers warned Friday that tens of thousands of jobs are at risk after President Trump imposed steep tariffs. European pharmaceutical companies, such as Novo Nordisk (NVO) and AstraZeneca (AZN), were also in the red Thursday and will be stocks to watch Friday after Trump sent a letter to 17 companies, urging them to lower prices. Good morning. Here's what's happening today. Economic calendar: Nonfarm payrolls (July); Unemployment rate (July); Average hourly earnings (July); Average weekly hours worked (July); Labor force participation rate (July); ISM manufacturing (July); S&P Global US manufacturing (July final); Construction spending (June); University of Michigan consumer sentiment (July final) Earnings: Chevron (CVX), Colgate-Palmolive (CL), Exxon Mobil (XOM) Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning: July jobs report on deck: What to expect Trump stuns markets again with latest bid to reshape US trade order Trump: Fed board should assume control if Powell won't cut rates Trump lays out sweeping tariff hikes for dozens of countries Amazon stock sinks as cloud results fail to impress Moderna beats estimates on COVID booster sales, cost cuts Exxon beats profit estimates as output rises despite weak oil prices Chevron beats Wall Street profit estimates with record output Economic calendar: Nonfarm payrolls (July); Unemployment rate (July); Average hourly earnings (July); Average weekly hours worked (July); Labor force participation rate (July); ISM manufacturing (July); S&P Global US manufacturing (July final); Construction spending (June); University of Michigan consumer sentiment (July final) Earnings: Chevron (CVX), Colgate-Palmolive (CL), Exxon Mobil (XOM) Here are some of the biggest stories you may have missed overnight and early this morning: July jobs report on deck: What to expect Trump stuns markets again with latest bid to reshape US trade order Trump: Fed board should assume control if Powell won't cut rates Trump lays out sweeping tariff hikes for dozens of countries Amazon stock sinks as cloud results fail to impress Moderna beats estimates on COVID booster sales, cost cuts Exxon beats profit estimates as output rises despite weak oil prices Chevron beats Wall Street profit estimates with record output Big Tech's AI and core businesses are blurring together This week, investors heard quarterly updates from Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), Microsoft (MSFT), and Meta (META). And in the midst of strong quarterly financial results from Big Tech, a new paradigm is emerging, Yahoo Finance's Hamza Shaban wrote in today's Morning Brief. Hamza writes: Read more here. This week, investors heard quarterly updates from Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), Microsoft (MSFT), and Meta (META). And in the midst of strong quarterly financial results from Big Tech, a new paradigm is emerging, Yahoo Finance's Hamza Shaban wrote in today's Morning Brief. Hamza writes: Read more here. Chevron beats Wall Street profit estimates with record production Chevron (CVX) beat analyst estimates on Friday for second-quarter profit as record oil and gas production and lower capital expenditure helped the US oil producer boost earnings despite weaker crude prices. Chevron shares were flat in premarket trading. Reuters reports: Read more here. Chevron (CVX) beat analyst estimates on Friday for second-quarter profit as record oil and gas production and lower capital expenditure helped the US oil producer boost earnings despite weaker crude prices. Chevron shares were flat in premarket trading. Reuters reports: Read more here. Exxon beats profit estimates with higher production despite weak oil prices Shares in Exxon Mobil (XOM) rose more than 1% before the bell on Friday after the company beat Wall Street estimate for second-quarter profit as higher oil and gas production helped the top US oil producer overcome lower crude prices. Reuters reports: Read more here. Shares in Exxon Mobil (XOM) rose more than 1% before the bell on Friday after the company beat Wall Street estimate for second-quarter profit as higher oil and gas production helped the top US oil producer overcome lower crude prices. Reuters reports: Read more here. Eyes on Figma, day two After a sizzling 250% surge on Thursday IPO day, Figma (FIG) is up another 8% premarket. You are watching the forming of a stock bubble in real time here! I encourage you to read up on the company's not-so-impressive financials this weekend. After a sizzling 250% surge on Thursday IPO day, Figma (FIG) is up another 8% premarket. You are watching the forming of a stock bubble in real time here! I encourage you to read up on the company's not-so-impressive financials this weekend. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
20 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Who will win the White House in 2028? JD Vance favorite, but Dems have better odds
Donald Trump is a little more than halfway through his first year in office, and already people are jockeying for position for the 2028 presidential election. It was about a year ago when Trump overtook Democratic nominee Kamala Harris as the favorite to win the election and he cruised from that point on. The tides have turned once again, and now democrats are favored to win back the White House in 2028. But last July, Harris was the overwhelming favorite to defeat Trump, so things can change in a hurry. According to a Democrat is -110 to win the 2028 Presidential Election. Republicans come in at +100. So while the lead is ever so slight, it is noteworthy that for the first time in about a year, Democrats are favored to win the next presidential election. If you think an independent can win, that's where the real money is. Independents are +2000 to win. 2028 presidential betting odds When it comes to individuals, nobody has really been able to pull away from the pack. Vice President JD Vance remains the top choice on the betting market. He comes in at +250. Trump himself comes in at No. 2 in betting odds at +900. Right now he can't run again, but Vegas believes that could change. On the Democratic side, California Gov. Gavin Newsom and U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are the top two favorites, both coming in at +900. Bettinglectionodds also has their odds. That site has Vance as the favorite to be the next president with a 23.9 percent chance of winning. He's followed by Newsom (8.2 percent), Ocasio-Cortez (6.6 percent), Pete Buttigieg (4.9 percent), Josh Shapiro (3.7 percent), Ron DeSantis (2.5 percent) and Ivanka Trump (2.4 percent) as the favorites. This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: 2028 presidential betting odds: Vance, Trump, Newsom, AOC favorites
CBS News
20 minutes ago
- CBS News
Trump fires Bureau of Labor Statistics commissioner after disappointing job numbers
President Trump ordered his administration to fire the commissioner of labor statistics, Erika McEntarfer, after the July jobs report showed a sharp slowdown in hiring and a steep downward revision to May and June's hiring numbers. "No one can be that wrong? We need accurate Jobs Numbers. I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY," Mr. Trump wrote on social media. He added, "She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified. Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can't be manipulated for political purposes." The president described the latest report, which showed employers in July added a weaker-than-expected 73,000 jobs, as "a shock," adding that the downward revision of 258,000 fewer jobs created in May and June was a "major mistake." —This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
