By: Swarnalata
Published on: May 17, 2025
In today’s trading session on Wealth, a handful of high-profile tickers attracted investor focus across sectors. Energy infrastructure spin-off GE Vernova (GEV) upheld its full-year outlook despite an estimated $300–$400 million drag from U.S. tariffs, signaling operational resilience in the face of escalating trade tensions. Telecommunications giant AT&T (T) also reaffirmed its guidance as the company reported subscriber additions, underscoring confidence in its bundled service strategy amid a challenging macro backdrop. Meanwhile, digital assets took center stage as Bitcoin (BTC-USD) surged above $90,000, propelling related equities such as Coinbase (COIN), MicroStrategy (MSTR), Marathon Digital (MARA) and Robinhood (HOOD) into positive territory. Below, we examine the drivers behind each move and explore what investors should watch next.
GE Vernova, the standalone energy arm of General Electric, delivered robust first-quarter results that exceeded consensus expectations and maintained its prior guidance for fiscal 2025. The company reported net income of $264 million and earnings per share of $0.91, both comfortably ahead of analysts’ forecasts of $0.45 per share. Revenues climbed to $8.03 billion, surpassing the anticipated $7.55 billion, driven by strong performance in electrification and gas-power segments. Despite an anticipated $300–$400 million headwind from newly imposed U.S. tariffs, management emphasized mitigation through pricing actions and cost-optimization programs, reaffirming full-year revenue guidance of $36–$37 billion and free cash flow targets of $2–$2.5 billion. CEO Scott Strazik highlighted the company’s strategic focus on high-margin businesses and supply-chain resilience, while CFO Ken Parks noted a healthy backlog of orders even as the wind segment contends with policy uncertainty. GE Vernova’s shares jumped over 7% on the earnings news, reflecting investor confidence in its ability to navigate tariff and inflationary pressures.
AT&T demonstrated its continued operational stability by topping subscriber growth expectations and reiterating its full-year guidance. In the first quarter of 2025, AT&T added 324,000 net postpaid wireless subscribers, significantly outpacing the FactSet consensus estimate of roughly 258,300 additions. The results were driven by robust demand for bundled offerings—including high-speed fiber internet and 5G mobile services—complemented by attractive trade-in promotions and the launch of its “AT&T Guarantee” bill-credit program for network disruptions. With total revenues up 2% year-over-year to $30.6 billion, the company maintained its adjusted EBITDA and free cash flow guidance for the year, and announced plans to resume share repurchases in the second quarter. CEO John Stankey underscored the firm’s focus on enhancing customer value through convergence strategies and network investments, positioning the company to weather intensified industry competition while pursuing profitable long-term growth.
Bitcoin’s rally past the $90,000 threshold has ignited a wave of enthusiasm across the cryptocurrency sector, with market participants citing a combination of favorable macroeconomic factors and renewed institutional interest. The flagship digital asset climbed above $90,000, approaching its all-time high, as investors sought alternative stores of value amid central bank liquidity measures and inflationary concerns. ETF inflows into Bitcoin futures and spot products have accelerated, while corporate treasuries continue to diversify holdings into digital assets, further reinforcing the bullish narrative. Technical momentum indicators have turned decisively positive, with Bitcoin charting a series of higher highs on increasingly heavy trading volumes. Market analysts posit that sustained price strength could pave the way for broader crypto market rallies, as digital assets regain their status as mainstream portfolio components underpinned by evolving regulatory clarity.
The upward trajectory of Bitcoin has lifted shares of crypto-exposed companies to notable gains during the session. Coinbase Global saw its stock rise, buoyed by momentum around its pending inclusion in the S&P 500 and strong trading volumes on its platform. Strategy’s stock—reflecting MicroStrategy’s Bitcoin-heavy treasury strategy—gained over 8%, mirroring the company’s continued accumulation of the digital asset. Marathon Digital (MARA), one of the largest U.S. Bitcoin miners, posted double-digit percentage gains as miners benefited from higher per-coin revenues. Robinhood (HOOD), the retail brokerage known for its crypto trading offerings, also advanced as increased retail participation and heightened market volatility drove trading commissions and crypto fee revenues. This sector-wide strength underscores the growing correlation between Bitcoin’s price action and the equity performance of related companies.
As markets continue to navigate a complex landscape of macroeconomic headwinds and shifting investor preferences, the resilience demonstrated by GE Vernova and AT&T, coupled with the resurgence of Bitcoin and its affiliated stocks, highlights divergent sources of market leadership. Energy and telecom firms that manage costs and sustain subscriber growth are delivering stability, while digital asset markets are reclaiming their momentum on the back of liquidity and renewed institutional adoption. Investors should monitor tariff developments, regulatory updates in the crypto space, and corporate earnings execution, as these factors will likely shape the next leg of market performance.
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