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Shares of Boeing (BA) jumped Friday, leading Dow Jones Industrial Average gainers, after President Donald Trump named the plane maker the winner of a contract to build the Air Force’s next-generation F-47 fighter jet.

“After a rigorous and thorough competition between some of America’s top aerospace companies, the Air Force is going to be awarding the contract for the next-generation air dominance platform to Boeing,” Trump said, according to a video provided by The Wall Street Journal.

The Air Force later confirmed that it indeed was awarding the Next Generation Air Dominance Platform contract to Boeing. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the Journal reported that “experts say the total research, development and acquisition costs could top $50 billion.”

“We recognize the importance of designing, building and delivering a 6th-generation fighter capability for the United States Air Force,” Boeing Defense, Space & Security CEO Steve Parker said. “In preparation for this mission, we made the most significant investment in the history of our defense business.”

Boing stock was recently up nearly 4%. Shares of Lockheed Martin (LMT) sank more than 5% after the defense contractor lost out to its rival. Lockheed has supplied the Air Force with F-22 Raptor and F-35 fighter jets. The F-47 would replace the F-22, the Journal said.

“While disappointed with this outcome, we are confident we delivered a competitive solution,” a Lockheed spokesperson said in a statement to Investopedia. “We will await further discussions with the U.S. Air Force.”

Super Micro Computer (SMCI) shares surged to lead gains on the S&P 500 Friday, as JPMorgan analysts lifted their rating and price target for the server maker’s stock.

The analysts boosted their rating to “neutral” from “underweight,” and raised their price target to $45 from $35, saying the company is “cycling past filing challenges” after meeting a key deadline to stay listed, and could see growth from strong demand for its servers based on Nvidia’s (NVDA) Blackwell chips.

Supermicro is “on the cusp of benefitting from ramp in Blackwell-based server shipments, which are experiencing significantly higher demand than previous generations,” the analysts wrote in a note Friday. 

Shares finished the day up nearly 8% to over $42 in recent trading, bringing year-to-date gains close to nearly 40%, though they’ve still lost more than half their value over the past 12 months.

Friday’s news marks the latest expression of sentiment from Wall Street regarding a stock that’s been through an eventful few months; few analysts have current ratings, according to Visible Alpha data.

The server maker’s stock has been volatile in the past year, as it faced  accusations of accounting manipulation last August that led to the resignation of the company’s auditor. It narrowly avoided a possible delisting last month after filing belated financial disclosures with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

The analysts at JPMorgan cautioned the company could still face some headwinds, among them an “increasingly competitive AI Servers landscape” that is leading to “aggressive pricing “ and putting pressure on its gross margins. Elevated costs and the prospect of higher interest expenses when the company raises more capital could also present challenges, they said.

Fresh inflation data, housing market data, and earnings from meme stock GameStop (GME) highlight this week’s calendar for investors.

The February Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index is scheduled for Friday, while consumer sentiment reports and data on housing sales and prices are also expected. Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) and gross domestic product (GDP) data also will be in the spotlight this week. New York Fed President John Williams leads a schedule of Federal Reserve official speakers this week. 

Investors are watching for earnings reports from discount retailer Dollar Tree (DLTR), fitness apparel maker Lululemon (LULU), online pet supplies retailer Chewy (CHWY), and nuclear power provider Oklo (OKLO).

Monday, March 24

• S&P Global Flash U.S. PMI (March)
• KB Home (KBH) and Oklo are scheduled to report earnings

Tuesday, March 25

• S&P Case-Shiller Home Price Index (January)
• Consumer confidence (March)
• New home sales (February)
• New York Fed President John Williams is scheduled to deliver remarks
• McCormick & Co. (MKC), GameStop, Core & Main (CNM), Smithfield Foods (SFD), Pony.ai (PONY), and Rumble (RUM) are scheduled to report earnings

Wednesday, March 26

• Durable-goods orders (February)
• Cintas (CTAS), Paychex (PAYX), Dollar Tree, Chewy, Jefferies Financial Group (JEF), and SailPoint (SAIL) are scheduled to report earnings

Thursday, March 27

• Initial jobless claims (Week ending March 22)
• Gross domestic product (third revision) (Q4)
• Advance U.S. trade balance (February)
• Advance retail inventories (February)
• Advance wholesale inventories (February)
• Pending home sales (February)
• Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin is scheduled to deliver remarks
• Lululemon, TD Synnex (SNX), Braze (BRZE), and AAR (AIR) are scheduled to report earnings

Friday, March 28

• Personal consumption expenditures index (February)
• Consumer sentiment (final) (March)
• Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic is scheduled to deliver remarks
• Zspace (ZSPC) is scheduled to report earnings

Fresh Data Due on Inflation, Consumer Sentiment

whUpdated inflation data, consumer sentiment, housing data and comments from Federal Reserve officials lead the schedule of economic indicators released this week.

Friday’s scheduled personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index for February arrives after the January report showed signals that inflation was cooling. But despite recent declines in the cost-of-living measurement, the Fed kept interest rates steady at its meeting last week. The Fed’s recently released projections also had inflation in 2025 rising above the 2.5% annual rate that prices increased in January.

Consumer surveys will also be in focus this week after recent reports have not only shown declining consumer confidence, but also weakening sentiment among small business owners, manufacturers, and homebuilders. The Conference Board’s Consumer Confidence Index on Tuesday follows last month’s sharp decline, while the final March results for the Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index come after it hit a low point.

Several pieces of housing data are due this week, coming as home sales remain slow amid affordability pressures in the housing market. The S&P Case-Shiller home price index for January and new home sales data for February are scheduled to come on Tuesday, while Thursday’s pending home sales data for February is expected to deliver a forward-looking view on housing sales. 

Following Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s comments last week, market watchers are scheduled to hear from New York Fed President John Williams, Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin, and Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic who are expected to deliver remarks during the week.

GameStop, Dollar Tree, Lululemon and More To Report Earnings

Meme stock GameStop’s scheduled earnings report on Tuesday comes after the company turned a profit in its most recent quarterly report, despite posting a decline in revenue. The company’s latest update follows recent reports that the video game retailer is mulling investing in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin (BTCUSD). 

Dollar Tree’s expected earnings on Wednesday come after the low-cost retail chain delivered better-than-expected results in the prior quarter. The company’s report arrives after other discount retailers recently delivered positive financial updates. 

Lululemon is scheduled to report its quarterly earnings on Thursday after it lifted its sales and earnings guidance for the just-ended quarter following a strong holiday sales season. 

Online pet retailer Chewy’s earnings follow its report that it is losing active customers, which came as several high-profile investors, including meme stock hero “Roaring Kitty,” have sold off shares in the company.

Homebuilder KB Home is scheduled to report earnings Monday after it increased home deliveries by 17% in the prior quarter. The company’s results join a slew of housing market data in the week. 

Investors will also likely be looking forward to results this week from spice maker McCormick, Nuclear energy firm Oklo, Uniform and business equipment supplier Cintas, and identity tool provider Sailpoint, among others.

More homeowners are remodeling their residences rather than braving an increasingly pricey housing market, a new report showed.

Remodeling spending is expected to hit $608 billion in 2025, extending a surge that has come amid housing market changes that stemmed from the pandemic, according to a report from Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies. The remodeling market has remained near the high level it hit in 2022, when spending jumped as housing prices soared and people moved in great numbers.

“This extraordinary boom was driven by strong growth in the number of owners undertaking projects and in average spending, bolstered by a healthy labor market, record-high property values, and aging homes in need of investment,” Harvard’s report said.

Remodeling spending has boomed since the pandemic, rising 27% between 2019 and 2023 when adjusted for inflation, the report showed. Meanwhile, Americans are sitting on trillions of dollars of home equity they can use to fund renovations—and buyers are increasingly willing to pay up for renovated propries.

“This remarkable growth is partly attributable to the unique circumstances of the pandemic, including surging homebuying and rental demand along with the increased time at home that both motivated and necessitated property upgrades and maintenance,” the report said.

Older Homes, Older Owners Means More Remodeling 

As housing values soar and high mortgage rates make borrowing more difficult, a greater share of people are choosing to stay in their homes, rather than move, the report noted. The pandemic kicked off a surge in moving as homeowners sought bigger homes and different locations amid work-from-home rules, but Census Bureau data shows homeowner mobility has dropped off sharply since then.

Despite that, the report showed that homeowners continued to invest in remodeling projects— necessary repairs or discretionary upgrades meant to improve a house’s value—as home sales declined and the rental market began to slow in 2022.

Homes are also getting older, with the median age hitting 44 in 2023, according to Harvard. Demographics are also having an impact, with older owners having more to spend on home upgrades. 

“Owners who remain in their homes may be more likely to undertake certain improvements to facilitate longer tenures and address changing needs,” the report said.

For Owners, Remodeling Can Pay Off

Studies show that remodeling could be worth it for homeowners looking to sell. A report from Zillow showed that buyers are willing to pay almost 4% more for a home that is already remodeled, a difference of more than $13,000 on the typical U.S. home.

Listings of remodeled homes also got more attention online, drawing 26% more daily saves and 30% more shares. Meanwhile, buyers said that they would expect to pay 8% less for a home that “needs work.” But while that could mean a savings of as much as $28,000, remodeling costs can quickly eat into those savings, the report noted.

“A remodeled home may come with a higher price tag, but a buyer would get to spread that additional cost over the course of a 30-year mortgage versus paying cash upfront to make similar upgrades themselves,” the report said. 

As home improvement spending has increased over this period, so have costs. The average project spending total jumped to $4,700 per homeowner in 2023, up from $3,300 in 2019, the Harvard report showed. In 2023, the average professional project cost $7,800, while 44% of home improvement projects cost $50,000 or more. 

Americans are trying to save, but new research suggests that many are leaving money on the table.

Nearly 90% of Americans currently save or plan to save for short-term goals, according to a recent Vanguard survey. But more than half are using traditional bank savings accounts or checking accounts, Vanguard said, where average interest rates are roughly 0.41%

Almost 60% say that their savings are earning less than 3% interest, according to the Vanguard survey. That echoed another recent survey from Santander Bank, which found that almost 70% of respondents said they weren’t using higher-rate accounts.

“By leveraging accounts with competitive yields and establishing intentional savings strategies, Americans can make their money work harder,” Andrew Kadjeski, Principal and Head of Brokerage & Investments at Vanguard, said in the report.

There are many high-yield savings accounts currently available, several with interest-rates exceeding 4%.

Many Americans say they hope to change their savings plans soon: Almost 70% of Vanguard respondents said they intend to adjust their plan in the next year, with inflation being the biggest factor. But another report said Americans fell short of their savings goals last year.

Tesla (TSLA) shares surged Friday afternoon, rising a day after Elon Musk told his employees to “hang on.”

The shares, which added over 5% in Friday’s session, still fell for a ninth consecutive week. Tesla has had a rough few months, losing about half their value since hitting a record high in December while facing worries about declining sales, new tariffs, and a backlash to CEO Musk’s political activities.

On Thursday, at an all-hands meeting, Musk told staff to “hang on to your stock,” arguing it’s difficult for Wall Street to fully understand the value of its growth potential tied to advances in autonomous driving and the company’s work on its Optimus humanoid robot, which Musk has previously said could eventually come to represent a larger source of Tesla’s revenue than its vehicles.

“Tesla stock goes up and it goes down, but actually it’s still the same company,” Musk said. “It’s just people’s perception of the future.”

Wedbush analysts called the event a “major and much needed step forward” after calls for Musk to reassure investors after the stock’s recent slide. “We applaud Musk for ‘reading the room’ and showing important hand holding at this key time for employees and investors,” they said.

The Wedbush analysts, among some of the most bullish on Tesla, hold a $550 price target for the stock, well above the average target of $355 compiled by Visible Alpha.

Morgan Stanley analysts, who cut their target to $410 from $430 Thursday, told clients Tesla’s decline in deliveries is “not particularly narrative changing,” and that Tesla remains a “top pick,” citing its potential as a “highly diversified play on AI and robotics.”

UPDATE—March 21, 2025: This article has been updated since it was first published to reflect more recent share price values.

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Reddit (RDDT) co-founder Alexis Ohanian has made millions from his entrepreneurial ventures and investments. Now he’s joining billionaire Frank McCourt’s bid to acquire U.S. operations of China-based social media app TikTok,.

Ohanian joined former Los Angeles Dodgers owner McCourt and his nonprofit Project Liberty’s bid as a strategic advisor specializing in social media, per Reuters.

An investor, entrepreneur and the husband of tennis legend Serena Williams Ohanian has founded multiple venture capital firms and has been an early investor in several successful tech startups. Ohanian has an estimated net worth of $150 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth.

Here’s how Ohanian made his millions.

Reddit

Ohanian co-founded the social media platform Reddit in 2005 with Steve Huffman, who is the current CEO of the company. Ohanian and Huffman were college roommates at the University of Virginia and founded Reddit shortly after graduating. A year after it was founded, Ohanian and Huffman sold Reddit to Condé Nast Publications for an estimated $10 million, according to a series of posts by Ohanian on the social media app X in 2020.

Ohanian left Reddit in 2009 and rejoined in 2014 as executive chairman. Ohanian stepped down in 2020 and asked to be replaced by a Black candidate as a push for diversity in tech. Ohanian was replaced on the board by Michael Seibel, who was the CEO of Y Combinator at the time.

Ohanian said in a post on X from February 2024 that he still had some shares in Reddit from his time as executive chair.

Reddit went public in March 2024 with a valuation of $6.4 billion.

Venture Capital Fund and Other Investments

Ohanian has invested in a host of tech startups, among them 40 unicorns—including Instacart, Coinbase Global (COIN), Hubspot (HUBS), Opendoor Technologies (OPEN), Patreon, and Impossible Foods.

A number of those investments (such as Instacart, Coinbase, and Patreon) were through venture capital firm Initialized Capital, which Ohanian co-founded in 2012 and left in July 2020.

In September 2020, Ohanian founded 776, a VC firm. The firm has nearly $1 billion in assets under management, and is invested in startups such as the crowdfunding platform Kickstarter; LA Golf Club; and YouTube content creator MrBeast‘s snack company Feastables and MrBeast Industries, among others.

Apple’s newest laptop has won some admirers.

Apple (AAPL) earlier this month announced the release of its latest laptop, the M4 MacBook Air, which features its most powerful chip yet. The company said the new MacBook also boasts a new FaceTime camera, improved battery life, more base memory—and a starting price of $999 for the base 13-inch model and $1299 for the 15-inch one.

Investopedia read a selection of reviews to get a sense of early responses to the laptop, which hit stores March 12. Here’s a selection of what we found, along with links to the reviews.

‘Impressively Powerful.’ But Is It ‘Blue Enough’ for You?

Several reviews say the biggest upgrade is the M4 chip, which promises quicker speeds and overall better performance. A Mashable review called it “impressively powerful.” A Wired review said the chip might not be used to its best potential in a MacBook Air, which is fanless. But even while using the laptop for gaming, the model’s temperature never got “unbearable,” said the reviewer.

With the extra power of the M4 MacBook Air comes the ability to support two external displays, a win for people like small business owners and hybrid workers, said Wired’s review. And while a How-To Geek review said the upgraded chip’s capabilities might not be noticeable to everyone, if you have an M1 Air model or older, the jump to M4 would be “a pretty substantial improvement.”

“The M4 MacBook Air is an exceptional entry point into macOS and the Apple ecosystem,” said the How-To Geek review, which said this model is “unequivocally the best consumer laptop in its category.”

The camera, microphone, and speaker quality is also an improvement from previous models, according to 9to5Mac’s review.

Among the qualms reviewers have with the M4 MacBook Air are its lack of ports (all on the left side, plus a headphone jack on the right), and the price for upgraded storage space, which holds true for all Apple laptops, several reviews said. Some argued that the new sky blue color is not “blue enough.”

But The Verge calls the latest Air model “a little more for a little less” which seemed to be the consensus for several reviewers: you get a few new bells and whistles (upgraded chip and memory, a new camera and color option of sky blue, efficient battery) for less than previous models.

Online ticket-reselling platform StubHub on Friday filed a prospectus for listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) after reportedly shelving plans for an initial public offering last summer.

StubHub, which applied to list its common stock on the NYSE under the ticker “STUB,” said in its prospectus that it sold more than 40 million tickets on its marketplace in 2024, with Gross Merchandise Sales (GMS) of $8.68 billion, up 27% year-over-year.

In its Form S-1 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), StubHub reported a 2024 net loss of $2.8 million on revenue of $1.77 billion. In 2023, the company recorded a profit of $405.2 million on revenue of $1.37 billion, it said.

Last July, StubHub reportedly delayed filing for an IPO because of weak market conditions. At the time, The Wall Street Journal said a person close to the deal called it a “tricky time” for companies to go public, and that that the company had been looking to have a roughly $16.5 billion market valuation through the offering.