Business
business
J. Edward Moreno
1/22/25

Moderna shoots higher on AI hopes

Moderna’s share price spiked up about 10% on Wednesday after Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison said artificial intelligence has the potential to make personalized vaccines to detect and prevent cancer.

Ellison made those remarks at a White House event announcing Stargate, a $500 billion AI infrastructure joint venture. Moderna, while not specifically named by Ellison, is a leading maker of mRNA vaccines and has been developing jabs to treat melanoma, a certain type of skin cancer. The drugmaker has previously said it used AI to develop individualized cancer treatments.

The AI hype also follows a $590 million grant from the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a bird flu vaccine announced Friday after market close. The company, which had struggled to keep up with investor expectations after its Covid vaccine revenue dried up, has seen its stock price shoot up almost 12% in the past week.

This week has also seen an abrupt shift in options market activity. Typically, nearly twice as many puts (options that benefit from a fall in the stock price) tied to Moderna have changed hands relative to calls (the opposite of puts) over the past month.

But call volumes were higher than puts on Tuesday, the first trading day after news of the grant surfaced. In a stark reversal of recent history, nearly 3x as many bullish contracts have traded relative to bearish ones as of 10:35 a.m. ET on Wednesday.

The AI hype also follows a $590 million grant from the Department of Health and Human Services to develop a bird flu vaccine announced Friday after market close. The company, which had struggled to keep up with investor expectations after its Covid vaccine revenue dried up, has seen its stock price shoot up almost 12% in the past week.

This week has also seen an abrupt shift in options market activity. Typically, nearly twice as many puts (options that benefit from a fall in the stock price) tied to Moderna have changed hands relative to calls (the opposite of puts) over the past month.

But call volumes were higher than puts on Tuesday, the first trading day after news of the grant surfaced. In a stark reversal of recent history, nearly 3x as many bullish contracts have traded relative to bearish ones as of 10:35 a.m. ET on Wednesday.

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business
Max Knoblauch
4h

Amazon is testing adding GM electric vans to its EV delivery fleet dominated by Rivian

Rivian may have some competition in its electric delivery van division: Bloomberg reports that Amazon is testing a small number of GM’s BrightDrop vans for its fleet.

According to Amazon, the test currently only includes a dozen of the vehicles. Amazon’s fleet also contains EVs from Ford, Stellantis, and Mercedes-Benz.

GM debuted BrightDrop in 2021, but the vehicles have struggled to sell and piled up on GM lots due to high prices and steep competition. GM began offering up to 40% rebates on the vehicles this year.

The test comes as Rivian struggles through tariffs and the end of EV tax credits. Earlier this year, it lowered its annual delivery outlook by about 13%. As of June, Amazon said it has more than 25,000 Rivian vans across the US. Earlier this week, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said the company is still on track to deliver 100,000 vans to Amazon by 2030 and is “thinking about what comes beyond” that initial target.

GM has sold 1,592 BrightDrop vans through the first half of the year, more than the full-year total it sold in 2024.

Amazon Tests GM EV Delivery Vans in Bid to Meet Climate Goals

Amazon Tests GM EV Delivery Vans in Bid to Meet Climate Goals

GM debuted BrightDrop in 2021, but the vehicles have struggled to sell and piled up on GM lots due to high prices and steep competition. GM began offering up to 40% rebates on the vehicles this year.

The test comes as Rivian struggles through tariffs and the end of EV tax credits. Earlier this year, it lowered its annual delivery outlook by about 13%. As of June, Amazon said it has more than 25,000 Rivian vans across the US. Earlier this week, Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe said the company is still on track to deliver 100,000 vans to Amazon by 2030 and is “thinking about what comes beyond” that initial target.

GM has sold 1,592 BrightDrop vans through the first half of the year, more than the full-year total it sold in 2024.

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Chris Stokel-Walker8h
Claire Yubin Oh
soup season
10h
Shake Shack is launching a French onion soup... burger

The fast-casual chain will be hoping premium upsells can fatten up its profit margins.

Shake Shack French onion soup burger
business
Nia Warfield
9/11/25

Paramount Skydance reportedly preparing an Ellison-backed Warner Bros. Discovery takeover bid, sending shares soaring

Paramount Skydance is preparing a majority cash bid for Warner Bros. Discovery, The Wall Street Journal reported, sending shares of both companies surging. The Journal’s sources say the deal is backed by the Ellison family, led by David Ellison.

WBD shares were up 30% on the report, while Paramount Skydance jumped 8%.

The offer would cover WBD’s entire business — cable networks, movie studios, the whole enchilada. That comes after WBD announced plans last year to split into two divisions: one for streaming and studios, the other for its traditional cable and TV assets. A recent Wells Fargo note gave WBD a price target hike, primarily because the analysts viewed it as a prime takeover candidate.

If the deal goes through, it would bring together HBO, CNN, DC Studios, and Warner Bros.’ film library with Paramount+, Nickelodeon, and MTV, all under one umbrella.

Exclusive | Paramount Skydance Prepares Ellison-Backed Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery

Exclusive | Paramount Skydance Prepares Ellison-Backed Bid for Warner Bros. Discovery

The offer would cover WBD’s entire business — cable networks, movie studios, the whole enchilada. That comes after WBD announced plans last year to split into two divisions: one for streaming and studios, the other for its traditional cable and TV assets. A recent Wells Fargo note gave WBD a price target hike, primarily because the analysts viewed it as a prime takeover candidate.

If the deal goes through, it would bring together HBO, CNN, DC Studios, and Warner Bros.’ film library with Paramount+, Nickelodeon, and MTV, all under one umbrella.

Max Knoblauch
9/10/25
As tariffs take root, August new vehicle prices climb by the most in more than 2 years

According to data from Cox Automotive, 17 vehicle brands raised prices of their new vehicles by more than 3% in August.

Ford Issues Recalls On Some Of Its Mach-E Mustangs And Aviators

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