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President Donald Trump took to social media Friday to criticize China's handling of rare earth mineral exports.
Key Takeaways

• President Donald Trump said he will impose an additional 100% tariff on goods from China starting Nov. 1, reigniting a trade war between the world's two largest economies.
  
• China has leveraged its dominance of the rare earth market as a bargaining chip in trade negotiations with the U.S., which relies heavily on rare earths for its high-tech industries.
  

The U.S.-China trade war flared up again on Friday when President Donald Trump announced an increase in import taxes as part of a dispute over critical "rare earth" minerals that China exports.

In a lengthy social media post early on Friday, Trump questioned the need for an upcoming meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping and threatened new tariffs in retaliation for China's move on Thursday to restrict its exports of rare earth minerals, which are critical to high-tech manufacturing in the U.S. and abroad.

Later that day, he announced that he would raise tariffs on Chinese goods by 100%, reverting them to levels from earlier in the year that had amounted to a near-embargo on trade between the two countries.

The dispute threatened to derail trade negotiations between the world's two largest economies and reignite a trade war that had reached a peak earlier in the year. In May, the two sides agreed to a shaky truce. The two countries lowered their tariffs somewhat while attempting to make a more permanent deal.

How This Affects The Economy

The flare-up in tensions between the U.S. and China could exacerbate a trade war that has already driven up inflation and weakened the job market. Stocks closed sharply lower on Friday as trade tensions resurfaced.

China has been able to use its control of the rare earth market as leverage against the U.S. in the trade dispute. Rare earths such as Neodymium, which is used to make magnets, are crucial for electronics, automobiles, weapons, and other industries. On Thursday, China announced sweeping new restrictions on rare earth exports ahead of a possible meeting between Trump and his Chinese counterpart in South Korea.

"This affects ALL Countries, without exception, and was obviously a plan devised by them years ago," Trump wrote Friday afternoon. "It is absolutely unheard of in International Trade, and a moral disgrace in dealing with other Nations."

The trajectory of U.S.-China trade relations has been volatile since Trump took office for the second time in January. In recent months, the trade wars appeared to settle down, with Trump touting a deal on the ownership of TikTok. But in the latest post, Trump used harsh language, describing China's gaining control over the rare earth market as "a rather sinister and hostile move."

Update, Oct. 10, 2025: This article has been updated to reflect additional information posted by President Donald Trump on social media. A headline on the previous version of this article misidentified the increase in the tariff. It increased by 100%.

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Levi Strauss & Co. offered future guidance that offset strong third-quarter results
Key Takeaways

• Levi Strauss warned that tariffs will negatively affect its results in the fourth quarter.
• The jeans maker said fourth-quarter gross margin would fall and issued a projection for adjusted earnings per share that came in below Wall Street forecasts.
• The outlook offset solid third-quarter results on the top and bottom lines.

Levi Strauss (LEVI) shares dropped as the jeans maker gave a muted current-quarter outlook because of the impact of tariffs.

CFO Harmit Singh told analysts on the company’s third-quarter earnings call that management expects a 100 basis point drop in fourth-quarter gross margin because of the new duties and the effect of a 53rd week in the year, according to a transcript provided by AlphaSense. In addition, the firm sees adjusted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.36 to $0.38, while analysts surveyed by Visible Alpha were anticipating $0.41.

The guidance offset a strong third-quarter financial report. Levi Strauss posted adjusted EPS of $0.34, with revenue increasing 7% to $1.54 billion. Both exceeded estimates. 

Why This Matters to You

Higher tariffs could translate into more expensive Levi’s jeans and other apparel as the company faces margin pressure. While sales remain strong globally, shoppers may notice prices holding steady or rising slightly as Levi manages higher costs.

Sales were up 6% to $806 million in the Americas, 5% to $426 million in Europe, and 12% to $278 million in Asia. Beyond Yoga sales added 2% to $33 million.

The company also boosted its full-year forecasts for adjusted EPS to a range of $1.27 to $1.32 from $1.25 to $1.30, and revenue growth to 3% from 1% to 2%.

Shares of Levi Strauss were down 12% in recent trading but have added 25% year-to-date.

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Chip stocks were among the S&P 500's biggest decliners Friday after President Trump threatened more tariffs against China
Key Takeaways

• The major U.S. equities indexes dropped Friday afternoon, wiping out early gains after President Trump threatened "massive" tariffs against China. 
• Advanced Micro Devices and other chip stocks were among the S&P 500's biggest decliners following the news.
• PepsiCo shares added to yesterday's gains after the soft drink and snacks maker posted better-than-expected results.

The major U.S. equities indexes dropped sharply Friday afternoon, wiping out early gains after President Trump threatened "massive" tariffs on Chinese goods in response to China’s move to tighten rare earths export curbs. The Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all lost over 1%.

China is a leading producer for rare earths that are critical components in a wide range of high-tech products from cars to semiconductors, and chip stocks including Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) and Arm (ARM) were among the S&P 500 and Nasdaq's biggest decliners. Shares of AI favorite Nvidia (NVDA) also turned lower after climbing to a fresh intraday record, with the PHLX Semiconductor Index (SOX) down 4%.

Adding to Qualcomm's (QCOM) woes was a report that Chinese regulators are investigating the chipmaker’s purchase of Israel-based car safety semiconductor manufacturer Autotalks over possible antitrust violations.

Mosaic (MOS) was the worst-performing stock in the S&P 500 after the fertilizer maker reported problems at two of its plants significantly held back production. Shares of Levi Strauss (LEVI) also dropped after the jeans maker said tariffs would negatively impact current-quarter results.

PepsiCo (PEP) shares added to yesterday's gains after the soft drink and snacks maker posted better-than-expected results on higher international demand and strong sales of its healthier drinks in the U.S.

Shares of Applied Digital (APLD) took off as the AI data center firm also beat earnings and revenue forecasts on higher demand for its services, which included a new data center lease agreement with AI computing firm CoreWeave (CRWD).

Gold prices rose, and oil futures sank. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note slid. The U.S. dollar lost ground to the euro, pound, and yen. Most major cryptocurrencies lost ground.

Source: TradingView.com
Key Takeaways

• Nvidia shares hovered near their all-time highs Friday after setting a string of records this week on optimism about artificial intelligence demand.
• The shares recently broke out from a flag pattern on Thursday, signaling potential upside above the stock’s recent trading range.
• The measured move technique forecasts a price target of $204, while bars pattern analysis projects a potential move up to $255.
• Investors should watch major support levels on Nvidia's chart around $184 and $165.

Nvidia (NVDA) shares hovered near their all-time highs Friday after setting a string of records earlier this week on optimism about the artificial intelligence trade.

The AI chipmaker's stock climbed nearly 2% Friday to a fresh intraday high before pulling back in recent trading, after setting closing records Thursday and Wednesday. CEO Jensen Huang told CNBC Wednesday that AI demand has grown "substantially" in the last six months, and that he believes the AI boom is still in its early stages, leaving further room for growth. Sentiment for the stock also got a boost as Nvidia supplier TSMC (TSM) on Thursday posted a 30% year-over-year jump in third-quarter revenue.

Nvidia shares have surged nearly 40% since the start of the year, powering broader stock market gains and sending the company’s market value above $4 trillion, making it the first company in the world to achieve that feat. The stock continues to attract buying interest as its big tech customers spend billions to ramp up their AI capacity.

Below, we take a closer look at the technicals on Nvidia’s chart and identify major price levels worth watching out for.

Flag Pattern Breakout

Nvidia shares broke out from a flag pattern on Thursday, signaling potential upside above the stock’s recent trading range.

Meanwhile, the relative strength index confirms bullish momentum. The indicator also sits well below its June and July peaks, suggesting the stock has further room to trend upwards. Looking ahead, investors could watch for rising trading volume, which would point to institutional accumulation of the chipmaker's stock.

Let’s apply technical analysis to Nvidia’s chart to arrive at two possible upside price targets worth watching, and also identify several major support levels to monitor during future retracements.

Measured Move Price Target

To project a price target using the measured move technique, investors would calculate the distance between the recent trading range’s two trendlines and add that amount to the pattern’s top trendline. In this case, we could add $20 to $184, which would produce a target of $204, about 6% above Thursday’s closing price.

Bars Pattern Analysis Price Target

Investors can also arrive at a higher price target using bars pattern analysis. When applying this to Nvidia’s chart, we extract the price bars comprising the stock’s strong uptrend from May to July and reposition them from the flag pattern’s breakout point. This generates a target of around $255, a move that implies 32% upside from yesterday’s close. We selected this prior trend as it followed an earlier comparable flag on the chart, possibly offering clues as to how a new move higher could take shape.

Major Support Levels to Monitor

During retracements in the stock, investors should keep tabs on the $184 level. Nvidia bulls would likely defend this location near the trading range’s upper trendline, potentially turning it from prior resistance into future support.

Selling below this major level opens the door for a rest of lower support around $165. Investors could seek entry points in this region near several lows that formed on the chart in July and September, which also mark the trading range's lower trendline.

The comments, opinions, and analyses expressed on Investopedia are for informational purposes only. Read our warranty and liability disclaimer for more info.

As of the date this article was written, the author does not own any of the above securities.

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Qualcomm shares have lagged the performance of major tech company stocks in 2025.
Key Takeaways

• Qualcomm's acquisition of Israel-based auto-safety chipmaker Autotalks is said to be under investigation by Chinese regulators.
• Shares of the Qualcomm were down more than 4% in midday trading.

Qualcomm (QCOM) shares declined Friday following news Chinese regulators have opened an antitrust investigation of the chipmaker’s June purchase of Israel-based car safety semiconductor manufacturer Autotalks.

China’s State Administration for Market Regulation wrote in a statement seen by news organizations that it would be looking into whether Qualcomm unlawfully withheld certain details about the acquisition.

Why This Matters to Investors

China's antitrust investigation into Qualcomm’s acquisition of Autotalks puts a spotlight on tensions that could affect U.S.-China trade talks. The investigation may influence Qualcomm’s operations in the region, which could weigh on investor sentiment.

Bloomberg reported that Beijing was targeting Qualcomm as part of an effort to gain leverage ahead of trade talks between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping expected at the end of the month. It noted China has already announced an antitrust probe of Nvidia (NVDA), and has slapped curbs on exports of rare earth and other key minerals to the U.S., as well as limiting imports of soybeans from American farmers.

Qualcomm did not respond to Investopedia's request for comment before publication.

Shares of the company have gained 3% since the start of the year, trailing the performance of tech stocks that have surged amid booming demand for AI.

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Applied Digital reported first-quarter fiscal 2026 revenue that skyrocketed 84%
Key Takeaways

• Applied Digital reported much stronger-than-expected revenue on growing demand for its artificial intelligence data center services.
• The company also extended its lease deal with CoreWeave to provide more power at its North Dakota facility.
• Applied Digital shares have skyrocketed in 2025.

Shares of Applied Digital (APLD) soared more than 20% Friday morning after the artificial intelligence (AI) data center service provider posted better-than-expected sales on rising demand.

Applied Digital reported its first-quarter fiscal 2026 revenue skyrocketed 84% to $64.2 million, $9.6 million more than analysts surveyed by Visible Alpha were looking for. Adjusted loss of $0.03 per share was in line with estimates.

Why This Is Significant

Applied Digital is capitalizing on the AI boom, with strong demand from companies like CoreWeave driving massive revenue growth. The company’s long-term lease agreements and planned campus expansions position it as a key supplier of infrastructure for AI.

Applied Digital also finalized a new lease contract with CoreWeave (CRWV) to provide the cloud computing company with an additional 150 megawatts at its Polaris Forge 1 campus in Ellendale, North Dakota. With the new CoreWeave deal, Applied Digital has about $11 billion in prospective lease revenue over a 15-year period, it said. It also sees the potential for Polaris Forge 1 to continue expanding, with available power expected to exceed 1 gigawatt between 2028 and 2030.

“With hyperscalers expected to invest approximately $350 billion into AI deployment this year, we believe we are in a prime position to serve as the modern-day picks and shovels of the intelligence era," CEO Wes Cummins said.

Applied Digital shares have nearly quintupled year-to-date. 

News of the day for Oct. 10, 2025

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The S&P 500 and Nasdaq are on track to post gains for the week.

Stock futures are pointing to a slightly higher open after major indexes lost ground yesterday; the Bureau of Labor Statistics will bring back employees in order to produce a key inflation report; Nvidia (NVDA) shares are in focus after the AI darling hit a new all-time high; Applied Digital (APLD) stock is soaring on a strong earnings report and announcement of new data center deals; and shares of Levi Strauss (LEVI) are down even as the jeans maker reported better-than-expected earnings and raised its outlook. Here's what you need to know today.

1. Stock Futures Inch Higher, Gold Back Above $4,000

Stock futures are higher this morning as the market looks to rebound from Thursday's downturn. Futures linked to the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the benchmark S&P 500 and the tech-heavy Nasdaq were each up 0.2% recently. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq come into today's session up 0.2% for the week, while the Dow has lost 0.8% over the period. Investors will be keeping a close eye on consumer sentiment data that's slated for release this morning. Gold futures were up about 1%, trading at around $4,010 an ounce, after slipping below the $4,000 threshold on Thursday following several days of record highs. Bitcoin was trading at $121,500, up slightly from its overnight lows. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which influences interest rates on consumer loans, declined to 4.10% from 4.15% yesterday afternoon.

2. Government to Bring Back Furloughed Workers for Inflation Report

Despite a federal government shutdown that is now in its tenth day, the Bureau of Labor Statistics will reportedly bring back some furloughed employees in order to produce the Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation report for September. The Wall Street Journal reported that employees who produce the inflation data are being brought back because the data is used to calculate Social Security payments. The CPI report was originally scheduled for release next Wednesday, though it's unclear when the data will now be released. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been told to stay home as legislators continue to negotiate over the expiring healthcare subsidies that are at the root of the shutdown.

3. Nvidia Shares Gaining After Hitting New High

Shares of Nvidia (NVDA) are poised to add to their record highs following a week of encouraging developments for the AI chipmaker. Bloomberg reported that the U.S. approved the sale of several billion dollars worth of Nvidia AI chip sales to the United Arab Emirates. The deal comes amid progress in negotiations between the U.S. and Saudi Arabia on a chip deal that would include Nvidia, according to a Wall Street Journal report. CEO Jensen Huang earlier this week said that AI has “substantially” boosted demand for computing power, comments that gave the stock a boost. Nvidia shares were up 0.7% in recent premarket trading, after tacking on nearly 2% yesterday. The stock has gained 43% since the start of the year, boosting its market capitalization to around $4.7 trillion, making it the world's most-valuable company by a wide margin.

4. Applied Digital Soars on Earnings Beat, New Deal with CoreWeave

Shares of Applied Digital (APLD) surged in premarket trading after the AI data center builder posted better-than-expected earnings and reported on new deals. The Nvidia-backed firm reported an 84% jump in quarterly revenue to $64.2 million, above the $54.5 million projected by analysts tracked by Visible Alpha. Applied Digital reported an adjusted loss of 3 cents a share, in line with Wall Street analysts' expectations. The firm also said it finalized a new lease agreement with AI infrastructure provider CoreWeave  (CRWV), bringing the total revenue for its North Dakota facility to $11 billion. Applied Digital shares, which had gained 280% so far this year as of yesterday's close, were up nearly 30% before the bell Friday.

5. Levi’s Shares Decline Despite Strong Earnings, Improved Outlook

Shares of Levi Strauss (LEVI) slumped in premarket trading after the jeans maker reported better-than-expected earnings and raised its full-year outlook despite facing continued tariff pressures. Levi’s reported a 7% increase in third-quarter revenue to $1.54 billion, slightly above analysts' consensus view of $1.5 billion. The company reported adjusted earnings per share of 34 cents, above the 31 cents Wall Street had expected. Levi’s also said its now expects 2025 revenue to rise 6% and adjusted EPS to be between $1.27 and $1.32 per share, both above prior estimates. Levi’s raised its estimates despite projecting tariffs of 30% on Chinese imports and 20% on goods from other countries. The stock was down 7.5% recently.

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Shares of Costco rose Thursday after the company reported September sales data.
Key Takeaways

• Retail giant Costco reported September sales showing a rise a bit less upbeat than it reported a year ago. The stock rose Thursday anyway.
• One likely reason why: Investors noted that last year's September sales were higher for reasons associated with port strikes and a hurricane.

Costco stock got a lift on a day when U.S. indexes fell. Strong September sales numbers helped.

Shares of the warehouse retail giant finished Thursday up some 3% to almost $943. The move was helped by September retail sales that rose 5% year-over-year to near $26.6 billion. Investors may have read the news as an encouraging sign about the start to the holiday season, though it's worth noting that September's sales are part of a just-begun fiscal quarter that will be reported in full this December.

Why This Matters to Investors

Investors might've expected a slowdown in September sales growth as bad news for Costco, but the stock rose today. That's at least in part due to the fact that there were reasons for unusually high demand in the year-ago month, and investors took that into account in their evaluation of the latest report.

Costco's (COST) September sales rose 9% in 2024, but investors didn't perceive that slowdown as a bad thing. The company, UBS analysts wrote, "had a tougher comparison from last year when the retailer benefited from a rise in demand as consumers spent around Hurricane Helene and ahead of port strikes." Extended store hours have been seen as giving sales a lift lately.

Shares of Costco have had a bumpy 2025; through Thursday's close, they're up roughly 3% year-to-date. Wall Street analysts are mostly bullish, with Visible Alpha's mean price target at $1,065, about 13% above Thursday's close.

Costco said global same-store sales rose 5.7%; it also introduced a new metric, “digitally-enabled” comparable sales, which includes all sales to members that started through a digital device. That number, the company said, rose more than 26%.

"We see these results as yet another strong showing," UBS wrote.

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Thursday's gains for companies in the mining sector marked a bright spot in an otherwise down day for U.S. stocks
Key Takeaways

• Shares of companies outside of China that produce rare earths and minerals surged Thursday as the country moved to tighten exports.
• The sector has been on a tear recently, as the Trump administration has taken stakes in several strategically significant companies to shore up access for the United States.

Rare earths and mineral miner stocks took off Thursday, adding to their recent gains after China moved to tighten restrictions on related exports from the country.

China's Ministry of Commerce on Thursday expanded licensing requirements for foreign companies to export products containing rare earths critical to producing a wide range of technological products, citing national security reasons.

Shares of USA Rare Earth (USAR) soared 15% and MP Materials (MP) advanced close to 3%. Albemarle (ALB), the world's largest producer of lithium—which is used in electric vehicles—led gains on the S&P 500 Thursday, as shares jumped 5%, and Lithium Americas (LAC) added 2%.

The gains for companies in the mining sector marked a bright spot in an otherwise down day for U.S. stocks, with the major indexes losing ground amid widespread losses as a federal government shutdown continued. (See here to read more reporting from Investopedia on the day's market moves.)

Why This Is Significant

China is a leading producer for many rare earths, which are critical components in a range of products, affecting many industries. When China restricts exports, producers of rare earth minerals elsewhere, and their stock prices, can benefit.

Rare earths and mineral stocks have been on a tear recently, as the Trump administration has taken stakes in several strategically significant companies including Lithium Americas and MP Materials, as part of an effort to shore up America's access and reduce reliance on China, which is a leading producer.

President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to meet for the first time in nearly a year at a summit in South Korea later this month, raising speculation China's move Thursday could be setting the stage for later negotiations.

With Thursday's gains, Lithium Americas shares have gone up over 40% since the start of October alone, while MP Materials has added close to 10%. Albemarle has gained nearly 20% over the same period.

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Delta thinks it will soon get more revenue from premium seats than the main cabin.
Key Takeaways

• Delta expects to make more revenue from premium airfare than the main cabin within a quarter or two, company executives said.
• Airlines are leaning into premium products and cutting capacity in the "coach" section, where they are using promotions to sell tickets.

The main cabin won't be Delta's main source of revenue for much longer.

Revenue from premium airfare will surpass main cabin sales within a quarter or two, Delta Air Lines (DAL) executives said Thursday. Revenue from premium airfare rose 9% year-over-year in the most recent quarter to $5.8 billion, while sales in the main cabin fell 4% to $6.1 billion, Delta said. Its results were the first from the major U.S. airlines.

The figures and forecast reflect changing sources of demand in the airline business. More affluent Americans have been booking trips abroad in better seats, while others cutting back are contributing to sluggish sales in the main cabin, airline executives have said.

"Most of our growth, if not almost all of it, will be in the premium sectors" next year, said President Glen Hauenstein, according to a transcript form AlphaSense.

What This Means for Consumers

Finding more affordable airfare may become harder as carriers cut "coach" capacity. Airlines have been offering promotions on seats in that section, but may no longer need to do so as much as the total supply shrinks.

Delta is focusing more on first-class seats by buying and retrofitting planes to expand its premium portfolio. The carrier expects these seats to remain sought-after and more profitable, Hauenstein said.

"What's changed over the last 10 or 15 years—the premium products used to be loss leaders, and now they're the highest-margin products, and really, in descending order of their premium-ness is their [profit] margin," Hauenstein said.

Corporate travel picked up and sales improved in the main cabin of domestic planes in the third quarter, Hauenstein said. Several airlines have been cutting "coach" capacity in hopes that a reduction will prevent how often sales and promotions are used to sell seats in the main cabin.

Delta's revenue grew 6% year-over-year to $16.67 billion in the latest quarter. It reported better results than expected and told investors Delta expects revenue to grow 2% to 4% year-over-year in the final quarter.

Shares of Delta were up more than 4% on Thursday. They have gained about 17% over the past year.