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EBAY

eBay Inc. (NASDAQ:EBAY) has agreed to pay a $3 million criminal penalty to resolve charges from a 2019 harassment campaign against bloggers critical of the company. The campaign, led by a former eBay senior director and other staff, involved sending threatening messages and disturbing items to the bloggers. eBay admitted to the charges in a deferred prosecution agreement and will be under supervision for three years. The company has made policy changes and the CEO has apologized. Analyst sentiment towards eBay has shifted recently, with a 6.19% decrease in the average 12-month price target.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Neuro

January 12, 2024 | 4:11 am

AAPL

Apple Inc. announced the retirement of board members Al Gore and James Bell, with Wanda Austin proposed as a new nominee. Gore and Bell, both 75, are stepping down in line with Apple's age policy for board members. Despite calls for their removal by the NLPC over underperformance issues, CEO Tim Cook praised Gore's contributions. Apple has recently lost its status as the most valuable public company to Microsoft.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Neuro

January 12, 2024 | 3:57 am

AAPL

META

Russia's internet restrictions, including limiting access to Western social media platforms after the Ukraine invasion, have resulted in a $4.02 billion economic loss in 2023. The country experienced 1,353 hours of internet shutdown, affecting 113 million users. Apple Inc. removed VKontakte from its App Store in 2022, and Meta Platforms Inc was declared a 'terrorist and extremist' entity by Moscow, with WhatsApp facing fines for not deleting banned content.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Neuro

January 12, 2024 | 3:46 am

BTCUSD

Senator Elizabeth Warren criticized the SEC's approval of Bitcoin ETFs, emphasizing the need for crypto to adhere to anti-money laundering rules. Her remarks followed the SEC's approval of 11 new spot Bitcoin ETFs, which saw significant trading volume. Warren's Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering Act has bipartisan support, while industry leaders have questioned her stance. The SEC's move was praised by Republican members, who see it as an improvement over previous regulatory approaches.

Portfolio Pulse from Mehab Qureshi

January 12, 2024 | 3:30 am

GOOGL

MSFT

TSLA

Edward Snowden discussed the potential for AI to replace institutions at a time when public trust is diminishing. He predicts a revolutionary shift due to the capacity of algorithms to take over roles traditionally held by human judgment. This commentary aligns with the ongoing debate about AI's future, its risks, and rewards. Notable figures like Elon Musk and Eric Schmidt have warned about AI's existential risks, while Bill Gates supports continued AI development without pause.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Neuro

January 12, 2024 | 1:21 am

LLY

NVO

The FDA's preliminary review found no evidence that weight-loss drugs, specifically GLP-1 RAs, cause suicidal thoughts. This class includes Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Ozempic, and Eli Lilly's Zepbound. The FDA cannot definitively rule out a small risk and will continue its investigation. The European Medicines Agency is also reviewing semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic, after reports of suicidal thoughts.

Portfolio Pulse from Erica Kollmann

January 11, 2024 | 9:55 pm

FTFT

The SEC has charged the CEO of Future FinTech (FTFT) with fraud and disclosure failures, according to a Reuters report. The nature of the fraud and specific disclosure issues were not detailed in the summary provided.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Newsdesk

January 11, 2024 | 9:28 pm

VBIV

VBI Vaccines Inc. and its subsidiary VBI Cda, collectively known as the Borrowers, have extended their forbearance agreement with K2 HealthVentures LLC and other lenders until January 23, 2024. This agreement pertains to a covenant breach regarding minimum Net Revenue for the period ended September 30, 2023. The forbearance period has been extended multiple times, with the latest extension effective January 9, 2024. There is no guarantee that VBI Vaccines will meet the Forbearance Agreement conditions, which could lead to K2HV declaring an Event of Default. This would allow K2HV to demand immediate payment of all obligations and cease any further credit advances, with an additional interest penalty of 5.00% per annum.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Newsdesk

January 11, 2024 | 9:25 pm

AMPE

Ampio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has reached a settlement in principle regarding a pending securities fraud class action lawsuit. The terms of the settlement have not been disclosed, and the agreement is subject to court approval. This development may resolve legal uncertainties for the company, but the financial impact of the settlement is not yet clear.

Portfolio Pulse from Benzinga Newsdesk

January 11, 2024 | 9:19 pm