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TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.Why we love this dealCitizen is a watch brand that’s built its reputation on a combination of quality, style, and innovation. That’s why I’ve personally owned a number of Citizen timepieces over the years (specifically, Eco-Drive models) and will surely own more in the future. Because of a deal we just found at Amazon, you can join me in this endeavor, and do so at a big discount. Amazon is currently selling a Citizen Eco-Drive watch, in titanium no less, at a price that’s even making me wonder if this could be my next piece.The Citizen Eco-Drive Super Titanium Field Watch is on sale for only $241. That’s 46% off the regular price of $450. This might be the perfect price for the perfect watch at the perfect time. If you’ve been on the verge of starting your own personal luxury watch journey, but have been waiting for the right watch, you may have just found it.Citizen Eco-Drive Super Titanium Field Watch, $241 (was $450) at Amazon

Courtesy of Amazon

Shop at AmazonWhy do shoppers love it?Thanks to the aforementioned Citizen foundations of quality, style, and innovation, this watch is a world-beater. Starting with 100 meters of water resistance, you’ll be able to do just about anything with it, and feel confident doing so. Its 100 meters of resistance means you can swim in the pool or ocean without worrying about damaging the watch. What’s more, thanks to the proprietary Citizen Super Titanium case and bracelet, this watch is virtually indestructible yet lightweight. While some people prefer to feel heft on their wrist when spending on a luxury watch, there’s no denying the easy comfort of titanium. Additionally, the industrial-looking Super Titanium finish is five times harder than stainless steel, and that’s not the only benefit. It also has a slightly dark, almost silky finish to it that looks great on the wrist. This brings us into the second benefit of Citizen watches, which is their style.In addition to the beautiful titanium shimmer of the piece, the Weekend Garrison watch also boasts an interesting and attractive dial configuration. The dial has a lovely silvery-gray color that incorporates a larger textured concentric circle around the outside. Over that circle sit Arabic numeral hour markers with the exception of the 3, 6, 9, and 12 o’clock positions, which include dashes and a triangle in the place of numbers, respectively. All hour markers have a luminescent coating that glows in the dark. There is also a subtle minute track around the outside of the dial with red markers at 20-minute intervals. Finally, there is a nicely finished day/date window at the 3 o’clock position that allows you to keep track of your personal calendar. This is a nice feature that most watches at this price point don’t include, and it brings us to the final quality of Citizen timepieces, which is innovation.While the above day/date function of this watch is convenient, it’s hardly the most impressive technical aspect within. The watch is powered by the brand’s vaunted Eco-Drive movement. Eco-Drive watches contain very small solar panels, which are embedded underneath the dial and virtually undetectable to the eye. They collect solar energy throughout the day and store it in a rechargeable battery. That energy is then released through the handset, allowing for constant timekeeping without hand winding or the need to constantly replace the battery. In fact, Eco-Drive models should never need a battery replacement for the entire life of the watch. Related: Citizen’s trendy salmon dial luxury watch is nearly $150 off at AmazonThat’s a big benefit they have over most other quartz-regulated watches, which require regular battery replacements. The only possible downside to an Eco-Drive movement is that if you have a large watch collection and leave an Eco-Drive model in complete darkness for months at a time, it may need a short period of recharging. However, that’s an unlikely scenario for most people. If you buy this watch, you’ll want to wear it as often as possible.Pros and Cons of the Citizen Eco-Drive Super Titanium Field WatchProsWater resistance: The 100 meters of water resistance allows you to swim confidently without fearing internal damageConstruction: Citizen Super Titanium is durable, lightweight, and attractive.Movement: The solar-powered Eco-Drive movement constantly recharges and never needs a battery replacement.ConsLack of heft: Those who tend to equate a feel of heaviness with quality may not like the lightweight feel on the wrist of this watch.Potential charge drain: If not used regularly, the solar charge could drain, requiring a recharge period exposed to sunlight.Amazon shoppers were quite pleased with the Citizen Weekender Garrison model, and shared their pleasure in the reviews. One called it an “excellent timepiece with an understated but handsome design.” They added that it was “tough, and easy to read at a glance.”Shop more deals Citizen Promaster Sea Eco-Drive Dive Watch, $290 (was $475) at AmazonCitizen Eco-Drive Promaster Navihawk, $446 (was $595) at AmazonThe Citizen Eco-Drive Super Titanium Field Watch does not disappoint. In fact, at the current price of just $241, it surpasses all expectations of what affordable luxury can be. Don’t wait too long, though, before putting one in your cart. They’re likely to go quickly at this price, and you’ll want to get yours before time is up.

It didn’t take long for SpaceX (SPCX) to turn from hype to a disappointing IPO. The stock is trading near $161 at the time of writing on Thursday afternoon, July 2, nearly 25% below its highest close of $211.39 on June 16.Many people expected it to become a typical Elon Muskmeme stock, but this quick retreat signaled that tech mega-cap growth stocks aren’t that hot.The company that achieved a historic initial public offering and raised more than $85 billion, according to Forbes, didn’t wait long to make eyebrow-raising moves.SpaceX waited less than two weeks after its IPO to raise $25 billion by selling bonds, as reported by CNBC, and this surely didn’t help improve the sentiment.In a research note shared with me, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives and his team shared their opinion on the SpaceX stock. Notably, this is probably Ives’ last note for Wedbush, as he leaves the firm to launch a merchant bank, according to CNBC.Ives’ thesis is bullish, but he is bullish most of the time, or 81.33%, according to his TipRanks profile, so it’s really not a surprise.Wedbush initiates SpaceX coverageThe team believes SpaceX’s advantage lies in access to three core markets. What they see is Starlink targeting connectivity, Starship targeting space launches, and xAI with its Colossus clusters acting as a hyperscaler.The company’s profitability driver is Starlink.Ives noted that Starlink has only recently begun to gain global telecom and broadband market share and that SpaceX holds less than 1% market share.Related: SpaceX investors may be ignoring troubling trendThe team acknowledged that the company is seeking additional financing options, adding that they believe that this is warranted given the markets it is looking to capitalize on.Analysts said that the reusability of its rockets remains a strategic advantage, and that without it, long-term orbital compute business would not be feasible.Ives initiated coverage of SpaceX stock with an Outperform (Buy) rating and a price target of $190. The price target is based on the sum-of-the-parts valuation model and fiscal year 2028 estimates, and implies an enterprise value of $2.48 trillion.

Wedbush initiated coverage of SpaceX stock with an Outperform (Buy) rating.SpaceX/Unsplash

Morningstar, Susquehanna, and bond markets aren’t thrilled with SpaceXMorningstar equity analyst Nicolas Owens is very bearish on SpaceX, and he values the stock at $63 per share.He believes the IPO price makes sense only in the most optimistic Moonshot scenario, implying the price assumes that scenario is very likely. The Moonshot scenario requires a rapidly reusable Starship and commercially competitive orbital data centers. He concludes that this outlook is very uncertain.Susquehanna initiated coverage of SpaceX (SPCX) with a neutral rating and $170 price target, according to TheFly. More tech stocks:Bank of America resets Intel stock price targetMorgan Stanley resets Nvidia stock forecast after key eventBank of America resets Broadcom stock price target after earningsAnalysts said that the stock’s current valuation “requires premium multiples on very aggressive revenue and EBITDA growth assumptions.” They noted that some of the markets SpaceX operates in are relatively unproven.According to the Financial Times, after obtaining investment-grade credit ratings from three agencies, SpaceX “was priced at the cheap end of this part of the debt universe, but at a meaningfully better level than Oracle.”Oracle (ORCL) is known for its high debt and high capex plans, and has recently said it will increase spending in fiscal 2027, as reported by Reuters.Beating Oracle sets a low bar, and that is exactly why the Financial Times made the comparison.Potential risks for SpaceXHere are some of the downside risks for SpaceX, according to its S-1:Failure or delay in the development of Starship at scaleDifficulties in maintaining the required regulatory approvals for its space-related activitiesChanging laws and regulations could have a negative impact on xAIRelated: Bank of America revamps Sandisk stock price target

BNP Paribas has been one of the few Wall Street firms that is bearish on EV industry leader Tesla. Late last year, the firm initiated coverage with an underperform rating and a $280 price target. BNPP cited unrealistic goals and a bloated valuation as the reasons for the bearish outlook on the industry-leading EV maker. It reiterated its view in April, saying nothing had materially changed about the EV space and Tesla’s place in it. On the other hand, BNPP has been bullish on Rivian, the startup Tesla rival that, at times, has looked on the verge of collapse. Rivian’s goals this year seem much more attainable, so analysts at BNP Paribas are more bullish on the struggling startup EV maker.The firm had a $23 price target on its shares since April. While the firm lowered its price target to $22 per share, according to MarketBeat, it remains well above the average price target of $18.57.On Thursday, Rivian shares jumped as much as 10%, but were trading 8% higher to $18.55 per share at last check. Rivian increases 2026 sales guidanceOn Thursday, July 2, Rivian filed an 8-k update with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. It informed the feds and investors that the company produced and delivered so many vehicles in the second quarter that it is increasing its delivery outlook for the full year.Rivian produced 12,613 vehicles in the preceding three months, while delivering 12,194 vehicles in that time. The delivery results easily topped the company’s internal outlook of between 9,000 and 11,000. As a result, Rivian is increasing its full-year delivery outlook to between 65,000 and 70,000 from its previous view of between 62,000 and 67,000 vehicles delivered. The company also revealed that it will present its full quarterly results after the market close on July 30.

Rivian aims for FSD-like hands-free driving by the end of the year.Kimberly White / Getty Images

BNP Paribas sees big upside for Rivian stockElon Musk has promised investors that Tesla will more than triple its Robotaxi coverage and usher in the humanoid robot revolution by the end of the year. Meanwhile, Rivian’s goals this year seem much more attainable, so analysts at BNP Paribas are more bullish on the struggling startup EV maker.The firm says that although it expects better deliveries, “Rivian’s 2026 will be defined by… the Co.’s ability to offer FSD-like ‘point-to-point’ hands-free driving by year end.”In the meantime, it says the recent $1.25 billion expanded Robotaxi partnership with Uber is enough to push the firm’s expectations for Rivian’s stock to $4 per share.During its Autonomy & AI Day in December, Rivian introduced the Gen 3 Autonomy Computer, its third-generation compute platform, which it says will have the “leading combination of vehicle sensors and inference available in North America.”The Gen 3 Autonomy Computer can process 5 billion pixels per second, thanks to the Rivian Autonomy Processor, its proprietary silicon chip that Rivian claims is among the first multi-chip modules used in high-compute automotive applications.All Rivian vehicle deliveries now come with a 60-day trial of Autonomy+, its hands-free platform.Rivian eyes in-house lidar productionRivian may produce the lidar sensors that enable the self-driving tech it is developing in-house, CEO RJ Scaringe told Reuters recently.Rivian said it plans to include lidar sensors on a version of its R2 vehicle coming later this year, but did not disclose which company would supply them.The company is considering going in-house, possibly through a joint venture, as “all the real choices are coming out of China,” according to Scaringe.“Think ‌of ⁠it as finding a way to structurally ingest the technology,” Scaringe told Reuters. “The advancements in terms of going from the early lidars that I think a lot of us have seen — we see them here — to these much more advanced solid-state lidars, those advancements didn’t happen in the United States. Those advancements happened in China.”Related: Rivian has bad news for hundreds of its workers

TheStreet aims to feature only the best products and services. If you buy something via one of our links, we may earn a commission.Why we love this dealElectronic devices are always inevitably expensive, and although we can understand why, that doesn’t make it any more fun to deal with when we purchase a new tablet or phone and see the price ring up on the screen. Nowadays, electronic devices are an important necessity because they allow us to correspond and connect with others, complete work tasks, browse the web, and, when it’s fun time, stream our favorite shows and listen to music. But just because they’re an expensive shopping category doesn’t mean you have to settle for forking over hundreds of dollars to get a quality device, and Walmart’s latest sale on the Zonko Android 16 Tablet is proof of that.Originally $200, the 10-inch tablet is 56% off during the limited-time Flash deal. You can save $111 and get the tablet along with an accessory bundle for just $89, and if the reviews are any indication, it’s quite the impressive gadget. Zonko Android 16 Tablet, $89 (was $200) at Walmart

Courtesy of Walmart

Shop at WalmartWhy do shoppers love it?With an Android 16 operating system, this tablet is designed to streamline multitasking and offer advanced security and piracy controls. The 10-inch screen has a 1280×800 HD in-plane switching (IPS) display with adaptive brightness that delivers crisp, vibrant visuals and dual speakers that deliver immersive audio for streaming and music purposes as well as meetings and video calls. It also has a low blue light mode for safe, comfortable watching that doesn’t strain your eyes. There are two cameras, a front-facing 8 million pixels (MP) with flash and a rear 13MP camera. Certified with Google Mobile Services (GMS) and pre-installed with Google Play, you instantly get access to a whole plethora of apps as soon as you turn on the device. Ranging from games and social media to productivity tools, the pre-installed apps allow you to enjoy using the tablet for work or play, making it easy to switch between one or the other with the push of a button. The device has 12 gigabytes of random access memory (GB RAM) and 64 GB of storage space. This means it’s a high-speed device that can effortlessly multitask and provide enough room to keep your photos, videos, documents, and other files safe and secure. The 64GB is even expandable up to 512GB if you need more room. With a 6000 milliampere-hour (mAh) battery, the tablet can typically last between 32 to 48 hours total before needing a recharge, although that number decreases with increased daily usage. It has dual-band 2.4G/5G WiFi for an ultra-fast stable internet connection which eliminates the risk or concern for buffering or lagging.Related: Amazon has a 2-in-1 laptop and tablet for just $60 that comes in 3 colorsIt also comes with an accessories bundle which comes with a Bluetooth keyboard, mouse, stylus pen, screen protector, protective case, and charger. What to expect from a $89 tablet: Pros and consProsPowerful battery: The 6000 mAh battery can typically last about one to two days on a full charge with moderate use. Accessories included: With your purchase you get a Bluetooth keyboard, mouse, stylus pen, screen protector, protective case, and charger. Safety features available: The device does have parental controls that you can engage if your children will be using the device. ConsLacks reviews: This tablet only has a handful of reviews from shoppers. Android specific: Because it’s an Android device, you aren’t able to download any Apple apps other than Apple TV or Apple Music. Shoppers really appreciate the value of this tablet, especially considering the fact you get the tablet and accessories bundle for a great price. Set up of the device is very easy and hassle-free, and shoppers say it operates like a “mini desktop computer.” The display is vibrant and the snappy operating system runs at efficient speeds. One shopper called it a “sleek, portable powerhouse” that’s perfect for families and on-the-go use. Shop more deals Aorlym P10 Pro Android 16 Tablet, $110 at WalmartAeezo 10-Inch Tablet, $96 (was $130) at WalmartSta Android 13 Tablet, $110 (was $360) at WalmartTake advantage of this great 56% off sale and pick up the Zonko Android 16 Tablet for yourself to see its full capabilities in real time. 

Mortgage rates have decreased, according to Freddie Mac. The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate is down six basis points to 6.43% — a seven-week low.The average 15-year FRM has declined by five basis points to 5.79%.I may not be buying a home right now, but as a real estate journalist, I took a huge sigh of relief along with all of the hopeful homebuyers out there when I saw that rates had fallen. It’s encouraging to finally be able to report on good news for rates and affordability.So, now that the popular 30-year mortgage rate has inched farther away from 6.5%, what should potential buyers do next? Wait for rates to continue falling, or get the ball rolling on your home-buying journey?Mortgage rates respond to Iran war and Federal ReserveThe U.S. and Iran are making progress toward a peace agreement, and oil prices have decreased over the last week. Brent crude oil now sits at just a little over $70, per Business Insider.Because I’ve been tracking mortgage rates since the conflict in the Middle East began in late February (and long before that in my career), I knew these improvements could be good news for mortgage rates. I still wasn’t convinced that rates would decrease the week of July 3, though.Why? Because of the Federal Reserve.After the June 16-17 FOMC meeting, many experts predicted a federal funds rate hike was in the Fed’s near future, not a cut. The Bank of America even projected three 25-basis-point rate hikes in 2026.Related: Redfin sees shift in housing market, home pricesSentiment about the Federal Reserve was one reason Freddie Mac mortgage rates remained flat the week of June 25. I also monitored daily rate changes from Mortgage News Daily. These were volatile throughout the week, which made me a little nervous.I was cautiously optimistic but fully prepared for rates to be stagnant again the week of July 3. Thankfully, average mortgage rates did end up falling a bit.”Markets have digested the Fed’s more hawkish stance better than expected,” Jeff DerGurahian, chief investment officer and head economist at loanDepot, said in statement. “That’s bringing some relief after fears that rates could push higher following the Fed’s last meeting,” he continued.

The average 30-year mortgage rate is at its lowest point since early May.svetikd / Getty Images

Will mortgage rates continue to decrease?Homebuyers have seen mortgage rates tick down here and there in 2026, only to pop back up again a week or two later.Even though we’re all happy that mortgage rates have decreased, the big question is: Will mortgage rates continue to go down?Will they fall closer to 6%?Now that the U.S. is moving toward peace with Iran and the market is taking the Fed’s attitude in stride, DerGurahian said the main thing to watch is news regarding jobs. In general, mortgage rates tend to decline when jobs data is weaker.More Mortgage Rates:Harsh 6.5% mortgage rates cause stunning housing market changeMortgage rate outlook shifts after inflation updateBank of America sees major housing shift despite high mortgage ratesThe June jobs report, released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on July 2, showed that payrolls came in well under projections. The revised data for April and May also lowered the number of jobs on record.Private payrolls increased by 98,000 in June, according to the ADP National Employment Report, released on July 1. This number was also lower than expected.If jobs data continues to weaken, mortgage rates could keep trending downward. At least for a few weeks.Beyond that, it’s hard to say what rates will do. The next Federal Reserve meeting is July 28-29. Although experts don’t predict that the Fed will hike its rate in July, any messaging from Chairman Kevin Warsh at the meeting could sway home loan rates in one direction or the other.Tips for homebuyers now that rates are down”For homebuyers, the summer may be shaping up to be better than expected,” said DerGurahian. “Now, with oil lower and rates beginning to ease, there is a better chance that we could see rates move toward the low-6% range if the jobs data softens.”This leads to another classic question when mortgage rates decrease: Should you buy now while rates are down, or should you wait for them to fall even more significantly?Everyone’s situation is different. But now that I’ve covered mortgage rates for about six years, I’ve learned some general rules of thumb and tips for people who are concerned about rates.Don’t wait for lower rates to buy. Timing the real estate market is risky, and it rarely works out the way you want. Experts make their best predictions about what mortgage rates will do next, but economic or political circumstances can change unexpectedly. There’s no guarantee that rates will continue to decrease.Begin the home-buying process. If you’re otherwise ready to buy, start shopping for houses now. If interest rates do go down, they could be even lower by the time you’re ready to lock in a rate.Look into a rate float-down program. Some mortgage lenders let you lock in your rate for a certain amount of time (usually 30 or 60 days), but with the option of a rate float-down. If market rates decrease before your rate lock expires, you can ask your lender for a lower rate in exchange for a fee. Navy Federal Credit Union and Newrez are two lenders offering this type of program.Related: Why first-time homebuyers face a stacked deck right now

Micron Technology just delivered the best quarter in its history. However, three days later, a federal courtroom in California turned that story upside down.A class-action lawsuit filed on June 25 accuses Micron (MU), Samsung, and SK Hynix of secretly restricting memory chip supply to inflate prices by as much as 700% since 2022. The timing is particularly painful. Micron’s stock touched an all-time high of $1,255 the same day the suit landed.However, as of July 1, shares had tumbled 16.01% over five trading sessions, sliding $196.72 to close at $1,032.28. The worst single day came on July 1 itself, when Micron dropped by 10.57%, or $122.01, from the prior close of $1,154.29.Investors now have to decide whether there is real legal risk involved, or just a normal pullback after a huge run-up.The fresh DRAM price-fixing lawsuit against MicronA new class action lawsuit, Garciaguirre v. Samsung Electronics, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Judge Noel Wise is assigned to the case, according to Communications Today.Seventeen plaintiffs filed the suit. Most are individual consumers and small businesses.They accuse Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix of coordinating cuts to older DDR3 and DDR4 memory production. Related: Micron Technology’s stock buybacks explainedThey also allegedly claim that the companies shifted that freed-up capacity toward AI memory, known as high-bandwidth memory or HBM, according to Yahoo Finance. HBM sells at a higher price.Micron has denied the allegations. In a statement to Moneywise, the company said it competes vigorously and fairly, in compliance with all applicable laws. Micron said it will defend itself against the claims.Micron, Samsung, and SK Hynix have been down this road beforeThe three companies control roughly 90% of the global DRAM market, and plaintiffs argue that percentage made the alleged supply cuts possible. Samsung and SK Hynix both pleaded guilty to criminal DRAM price fixing in the early 2000s, paying a combined $485 million in fines, Rain Intelligence reported. A nearly identical 2018 lawsuit against the same three companies was dismissed in 2020.

Micron shares fell more than 16% in five sessions after a fresh price-fixing lawsuit.Alexander Sikov / Getty Images

How Micron hit a $1,255 high the same week it got suedThe lawsuit landed days after Micron posted record third-quarter results. Revenue hit $41.46 billion, up from $9.30 billion a year earlier. GAAP net income came in at $28.24 billion, or $24.67 per share, according to an SEC release.More Chip Stocks:After beating Samsung, tech titan files for IPOBank of America strongly resets Micron stock price targetMicron just dethroned Nvidia in one key wayMicron’s HBM output is sold out through 2026. Right now, management can fill only 50% to 66% of customer demand for it.The company also locked in 16 long-term customer agreements this quarter. One of them, signed July 1 with General Motors, covers automotive memory and storage, GlobeNewswire reported.Those deals carry roughly $22 billion in financial commitments that customers cannot walk away from. That’s part of why Micron has leaned harder into buybacks than dividends.Why most analysts are still not backing away from MicronWall Street has mostly shrugged off the lawsuit. Cantor Fitzgerald raised its price target to $2,000 from $1,500 just days before the news broke. The firm called Micron a top pick in the sector, Watcher Guru reported. According to TheStreet, the average 12-month price target is $1,563.93 across 30 analysts, which is well above where shares trade now.The stock’s gains help to explain that confidence. Micron has gained about 263% in 2026, compared with roughly 10% for the S&P 500 over the same stretch. Antitrust cases can also drag on for years without disrupting near-term operations, unless a court orders remedies.What Micron investors should watch nextHere are three things to track from here:If the case survives early motions, internal emails and records will surface. Those documents could support the collusion claim or unravel it.Fourth-quarter guidance. Micron has told investors to expect $49 billion to $51 billion in revenue and roughly $31.00 in adjusted earnings per share. When Micron reports actual results, hitting those numbers would signal that AI memory demand is strong enough to push through the legal noise.SK Hynix’s Nasdaq debut. The rival plans to list on Nasdaq around July 10, Crowdfund Insider reported. The offering could raise close to $29 billion, giving investors a direct alternative to Micron for HBM exposure.None of this proves collusion. It also doesn’t erase Micron’s blowout quarter.However, it does add a real, slow-moving risk on top of a stock already priced for near-perfection. Investors who buy the dip are betting on both stories at once.Related: Buffett’s successor, Greg Abel, doubles down on one AI stock

It’s the Fourth of July weekend! Happy 250th to the Grand Old Republic!May the heat spreading across much of the United States not get to you too much. And one more thing: Enjoy lower gas prices. Maybe not as low as the $2.50 a gallon President Trump was demanding this week — along with a price-gouging probe of oil companies. But gasoline prices at $3.79 per gallon nationally are 17% lower than at their peaks on May 6 and May 20, according to GasBuddy data. And prices are more than 15% lower than the national average seen on Memorial Day weekend, when prices averaged $4.49 a gallon. But, it must be added, prices are still up 34% for the year.The bottom line for drivers: The cost of a 15-gallon fill-up has dropped from $68.49 (at $4.67 a gallon) to $56.85 (at $4.49), a savings of $11.64. I wrote a story earlier this week noting the savings might buy you a Big Mac, fries and a drink.Prices should drift lower at least through the weekend, Patrick DeHaan, GasBuddy’s head of Petroleum Analysis, told TheStreet. “It’s not a bad week for the holidays,” he added.If there is one immediate issue, it will be the heat dome settling over the eastern half of the country with temperatures approaching 100 degrees and high humidity. (New York City was seeing temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit on July 1, with a forecast of 100 degrees or more on July 2.)Millions “will be at risk of either ‘major’ or ‘extreme’ heat-related health issues,” the National Weather Service’s HeatRisk tool said. That may make filling up a gas tank an uncomfortable experience. If you’re going to . . . The prices you will see over the weekend will reflect regional and national trends.Prices will be highest on the West Coast and in many western states, reflecting higher taxes, distribution costs, and charges to try to mitigate environmental concerns. Drivers in California, Hawaii, and Washington will face prices above $5 a gallon.Mono County in rural eastern California has the highest prices, averaging $6.476 a gallon. That reflects the costs of transporting gasoline through the Sierra Nevada mountains to the stations. Neighboring Inyo County has the second-highest price, at about $6.019.San Francisco has the highest average in urban areas at $5.628 per gallon.Drivers in the deep South and some midwestern states have the lowest prices. The lowest prices will be found in Indiana, Oklahoma and Texas, all below $3.30 per gallon.

What it will cost in places you visitI was interested to see what prices in locales people might be visiting for fun this weekend and in July, as the summer driving season typically hits its peak. Prices reflect regional realities and how hard it is to get the gas to the gas station. Gasoline in Park County, Wyo., home to Yellowstone National Park, are averaging about $4.13. Temperatures at the nation’s oldest national park will be in the 70s all weekend, Weather.com says. And nights will be in the 40s.

Visitors watching Old Faithful geyser erupt in Yellowstone National Park.Mario Tama / Getty Images

A gallon of gas in Honolulu will run you $5.43 a gallon, maybe less. A relative bargain compared with San Francisco. In Sevier County, Tenn., by the entrance to Great Smoky Mountain National Park, prices are around $3.21 a gallon. Tennessee is a low-cost state. Heading to Martha’s Vineyard, off the coast of Massachusetts? You’ll probably pay $3.90 a gallon. Fuel has to be shipped by commercial freight ferries or special tank barges.In Orlando, Fla., look for gas at about $3.82 a gallon. And a heat warning.

The risks aheadOnce we get past the weekend, there are risks to the current gas-price picture, GasBuddy’s DeHaan said. The tensions in the Middle East have not abated. President Trump, in fact, has been weighing “a return to all-out war” with Iran, The Wall Street Journal reported on July 1. A renewal of the war would certainly push gas prices higher. For now, at least, he has decided to stick with diplomatic efforts to negotiate a peace with Iran, the Journal said.The U.S. efforts are focusing on getting the Strait of Hormuz open. Iran wants to control it and charge ships millions of dollars to pass through. A second issue is a bit of a surprise. But GasBuddy’s DeHaan said that Russia is experiencing worsening gas shortages, the result of successful Ukrainian missile and drone attacks on Russian oil refineries. Some are even located on the outskirts of Moscow. The situation is so serious, said oil trader John Kilduff, that Russia has to import some of its gasoline, said oil trader John Kilduff in an interview.One last question: Can the President order oil companies to cut gas prices to $2.50? Not really, DeHaan said. Besides, the oil in a gallon of gasoline is maybe 57% of the price.But all that is geopolitics and politics, and this is a special weekend, regardless of your political outlook. So, have fun in the heat. Or not. (A friend suffering in New Hampshire was looking forward to a weekend near the Atlantic Ocean.) Related: U.S. car sales take unexpected turn in tumultuous first half

Bank of America isn’t backing away from Amazon (AMZN) stock after Prime Day.For the most part, investors went into the event looking for cracks. The concerns pertained to deal fatigue, softer shopping baskets, and an evolving sales calendar, making Amazon’s retail momentum look less clean heading into the next quarter.Instead, BofA found plenty in the early readout to stay constructive. Prime Day looked solid, even if the mix pointed to shoppers leaning more toward essentials than splashy discretionary buys. Perhaps an even bigger twist was AWS moving on pricing, adding a cloud angle to what many investors had treated as a retail-only update.Wall Street expected a messy consumer signal, but BofA saw a stronger Amazon setup forming underneath it.What Bank of America saw after Prime DayBank of America analysts feel Amazon’s Prime Day readout was solid enough to support the broader bull case, even if the headline numbers were uninspiring.The bank noted that Amazon did not issue its usual Prime Day press release, but third-party data still pointed to healthy online demand during the promotional window.More AI:Goldman Sachs has blunt message for AI stock investorsMicrosoft CEO sends a blunt warning on AI and the tech ecosystemThe next AI infrastructure race has nothing to do with chipsShoppers appeared active, but the basket looked different. BofA flagged signs that consumers might have leaned more into everyday essentials and groceries, which could keep volume strong while making order values look softer.BofA reiterated its buy rating on Amazon and kept its $310 price target, signaling that the Prime Day data did not hamper its view on the stock. The bank also said Amazon remains on track to slightly beat Street expectations for North America retail growth.So even though Prime Day was not a blowout, it was strong enough to keep the Amazon retail story intact.

Bank of America backed Amazon stock after Prime Day and AWS pricing updates.Noah Berger/Getty Images for Amazon Web Services

The key numbers behind BofA’s Amazon call Prime Day demand looked resilient, with Adobe showing U.S. online retail spend up 9% during the event window.Shopper behavior looked more mixed, as Numerator showed Amazon’s average order value down 11%, hinting at a shift toward essentials.BofA said Amazon appears on track to slightly beat Street expectations for 14% North America retail growth.Timing remains a risk, with BofA estimating $7 billion to $8 billion of sales may have shifted into Q2.AWS added a cloud catalyst after raising prices 20% on select EC2 workloads.
Source: Amazon BofA note shared with TheStreet
Why AWS pricing changes the Amazon debate Another big reason for BofA’s bullishness was AWS, arguably a bigger catalyst.According to BofA, Amazon confirmed a 20% price increase on EC2 Capacity Blocks for machine learning workloads, effective July 1. It’s imperative to note that GPU-linked cloud workloads remain in high demand, where capacity remains tight and AI demand still continues to build.Moreover, the move follows a 15% price increase earlier in January, Business Insider reported, which suggests AWS has room to push pricing in select areas without breaking demand. Additionally, BofA called the latest increase narrow, but still meaningful, estimating it could add 1 to 2 percentage points to second-half AWS growth.BofA’s note underscores AWS’s tremendous strength and its ability to offset some of that investment burden through stronger pricing and stronger revenue growth.The bank also flagged AI model availability, OpenAI-related demand, and Anthropic’s AWS ramp as potential growth drivers. Amazon stock price targets lean on AWS and AIJPMorgan: $330. JPMorgan raised its Amazon target after Q1 2026, according to TheStreet, with AWS, retail strength, and earnings momentum supporting the bull case.Mizuho: $325. Mizuho lifted its Amazon target to $325 from $315, Yahoo Finance reported, citing AWS as a key AI infrastructure backbone.UBS: $304. UBS raised its target to $304 from $301, Investing.com confirmed, pointing to stronger AWS growth expectations and AI-driven infrastructure demand.Morgan Stanley: $300. Morgan Stanley reiterated Amazon as an overweight-rated top AI idea, according to Finviz, saying AWS and retail remain underappreciated GenAI winners.Where BofA sees pressure on Amazon BofA is bullish on Amazon, but the bank identified some clear downside risks. The firm said its estimates and price targets could be up against major duress if we see it under pressure from rising competition, including offline and local retailers that continue to challenge Amazon’s retail share.The note also pointed to cloud risk. If Amazon loses market share to cloud rivals with stronger AI technology, AWS growth and investor confidence could come under pressure. Needless to say, AWS is critical to Amazon’s margin profile and long-term earnings story.Moreover, BofA flagged elevated AWS requirements as a possible margin headwind. At the same time, macroeconomic pressure on consumer spending could hurt retail demand. For some context, Amazon projected about $200 billion in 2026 capital spending, according to Reuters, up from roughly $131 billion in 2025, as it builds out AI infrastructure for AWS. Amazon’s Q1 2026 report showed $44.2 billion in property and equipment purchases during the quarter, while trailing-12-month net purchases rose to $147.3 billion.The firm added that Amazon stock has been highly volatile, and that volatility could increase if economic uncertainty worsens.Related: Nvidia’s workplace culture sends Big Tech a warning

Alphabet, the parent company of Google and YouTube, is the world’s second-largest company by market capitalization, worth more than $4.3 trillion as of mid 2026. The company has generated more than $100 billion in annual profit in recent years, and it’s returned some of this cash to shareholders as dividends.Here’s an overview of Alphabet’s current dividend, its history of dividend payments, and a look at whether the company is likely to increase its dividend any time soon. Alphabet dividend quick factsCurrent quarterly payout:$0.22 per shareCurrent annual payout: $0.88 per shareYield: 0.24%Payout Ratio: 7.68%Frequency: QuarterlyYears of dividend increases: 2*Based on Alphabet’s July 1, 2026 stock price, 2025 earnings, and 12-month total dividends through June 2026.When & how often does Alphabet pay dividends?Alphabet pays a cash dividend on a quarterly basis. It operates on a calendar year basis, and payments are made in March, June, September, and December. When did Alphabet start paying dividends?Even though Alphabet has been a public company since 2004, it didn’t start paying dividends until two decades later. Alphabet announced its first dividend payment in April 2024 and stated that it intended to pay quarterly cash dividends “in the future,  subject to review and approval by the Company’s Board of Directors in its sole discretion.” Its first dividend payment was 20 cents per share, paid on June 27, 2024, to stockholders of record as of June 10, 2024, on each of the company’s Class A, Class B, and Class C shares.The payments came as Alphabet’s net income continued to grow over the years, reaching a record $100 billion in 2024. In 2025, earnings rose nearly a third to $132 million.Related: Does AMD pay dividends? How the chipmaker spends its moneyAlphabet’s dividend history & future prospectsFor its first quarterly dividend, Alphabet paid 20 cents a share in June 2024. Every June since, that quarterly payment has increased by 1 cent, to 21 cents per share starting in June 2025, then to 22 cents per share in June 2026. Should the company continue to follow this pattern, it may increase its quarterly per-share dividend payout to $0.23 in June 2027. More on dividends:Apple’s dividend explained: Yield, history & moreAmazon’s dividends & stock splits: What you need to knowHow much does Home Depot pay in dividends?Who benefits the most from Alphabet’s dividend?Large shareholders tend to benefit the most from dividend payments. In Alphabet’s case, the two largest individual shareholders are the company’s founders, who are among the world’s wealthiest people, with each having a net worth exceeding $260 billion. Only Elon Musk, with a net worth of more than $920 billion, is richer.Based on Alphabet’s 2026 proxy statement, Larry Page owned 389 million shares of Class B common stock, and Sergey Brin owned 358 million shares. Together, they held 89.4% of the Class B shares. Page would have been paid $322 million and Brin $280 million, based on the 2025 annual dividend of 83 cents. Across its three classes of shares, a total of $4.8 billion was paid to Class A shareholders, $703 million to Class B shareholders, and $4.5 billion to Class C shareholders in 2025.What is Alphabet’s payout ratio?In 2025, Alphabet paid a total of 83 cents a share in dividends and posted net income of $10.81 a share. Payout ratio is calculated by dividend per share divided by earnings per share. For 2025, that payout ratio was 7.68%. By comparison, Home Depot’s 2025 payout ratio was 65%.What is Alphabet’s dividend yield?Alphabet’s 12-month dividend yield was 0.24% in early July 2026. That’s based on the 12-month dividend payment of 85 cents through June 2026, and a Class C share price of $357.89. Related: Boeing’s dividend & stock split history explained

Palantir (PLTR) CEOAlex Karp just pitched the company’s next big AI moment as a trust crisis.In a fresh television appearance on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Karp said the AI boom has created a problem most businesses aren’t too eager to say out loud. Investors are chasing bigger models and faster chips. Still, Karp cut through the noise, pointing to an uncomfortable reality about what businesses give up when they hand over their most valuable data and decisions to outside AI providers. Interestingly, this comes as the stock has gained 11% over the past week, potentially signaling a break from the broader downtrend. For perspective, shares are still down 30% year to date and 22% over the past month, according to Seeking Alpha.In a sharp pivot from the typical AI narrative investors have been fed, Karp is reinforcing Palantir’s core pitch that control could become the scarce asset in enterprise AI.That raises the bigger question for investors: Is Palantir riding the AI hype or exposing the weakness beneath it?What Alex Karp said about AI’s trust problem Palantir CEO Karp believes the way AI is being sold may no longer align with what serious customers actually need.In his CNBC appearance, he identified the issue as a trust gap between companies using AI and the frontier labs supplying the models.He argued clients have a “level of discomfort and loss of trust,” especially in sensitive sectors where data, intellectual property, and mission-critical decisions cannot be treated like ordinary software inputs.More AI:Goldman Sachs has blunt message for AI stock investorsMicrosoft CEO sends a blunt warning on AI and the tech ecosystemThe next AI infrastructure race has nothing to do with chipsKarp argues that large language models alone aren’t enough.In battlefield, manufacturing, clinical, and regulated settings, he said companies need an application layer that makes AI “safe and useful and precise.” That is exactly where Palantir has the edge, especially in Ontology, the layer that keeps models useful without letting sensitive data, prompts, or business logic leak outside the enterprise.The bigger concern, in Karp’s telling, is ownership. “Who owns the data?” he asked. “Where is it cached? Are the prompts secure?” Those questions turn the AI debate from a performance race into a control issue.In essence, Karp challenged the entire token-based AI model.If businesses feel they are paying for usage while risking their proprietary edge, Palantir can argue that its value lies not just in access to AI but in control of it.Those concerns aren’t theoretical, either. Cisco’s 2025 Data Privacy Benchmark found that 60% of respondents worry GenAI inputs could be shared with the public or competitors, while 58% worry the tools could harm a company’s legal rights or IP. IBM separately found 97% of organizations with an AI-related security incident lacked proper AI access controls.

Alex Karp says enterprise AI buyers want control over data and models.Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Palantir stock price-target split widensWedbush: $230: Dan Ives kept an outperform rating, arguing Palantir remains a premium AI software asset, despite the pullback.Rosenblatt: $225: Rosenblatt reiterated buy, backing Palantir’s Ontology platform as a durable moat in enterprise AI.Loop Capital: $220: Loop stayed bullish after Q1, citing AI-driven revenue growth and U.S. revenue up 104% year over year.Morgan Stanley: $205: Morgan Stanley pointed to Palantir’s 10th straight quarter of accelerating revenue and raised forecasts.Consensus check: MarketWatch shows a $189.87 average, $200 median, $255 high, and $70 low target.
Sources: Wedbush/MarketBeat, Rosenblatt, Capital.com, Business Insider, MarketWatch
Why the Nvidia deal gives Palantir’s warning more weight Karp went on to discuss the new Nvidia deal, saying it is exactly what Palantir’s technical customers are most looking for: “control over their compute, their models, their data stack, and their alpha.” For some context, Palantir and Nvidia recently announced a deal that centers on an “intelligent engine” that lets U.S. government agencies and critical-infrastructure operators run Nvidia AI and Nemotron open models in sovereign, classified, air-gapped, or sensitive environments. Nvidia described it as using Nemotron open models to deliver mission-specific, sovereign AI for government and critical infrastructure customers.Nvidia brings the AI platform, compute, and open models, while Palantir brings AIP, Ontology, Foundry, and Apollo, the software layer designed to enforce authorization, auditability, and operational control.In many ways, the partnership is a direct answer to Karp’s warning.If companies are worried about where prompts are cached, who controls model weights, and whether proprietary insights migrate into closed models, Palantir is pitching itself as the control layer that keeps AI useful without giving away the crown jewels.What control of the AI stack means for investors For investors, Karp’s argument effectively reframes Palantir’s AI story from software demand to pricing power.Interestingly, I covered UBS’s Karl Keirstead’s comments, who also pointed to Palantir’s pricing power, driven by its profitability and moat. He noted Palantir stock trading at 46x 2027 estimated FCF, but it looks undervalued compared to its 55% three-year CAGR. That strength will only grow if enterprise AI becomes a question of control, and the competition goes beyond model access. Karp argues that Palantir’s demand will likely sit in the layer between raw models and real business operations.It also gives Palantir a way to defend premium valuation multiples if its Ontology becomes a required control system for AI deployment.For perspective, Palantir stock is trading at over 85 times forward non-GAAP earnings, which is 240% higher than the sector median, according to Seeking Alpha. Though it’s changing hands at a sizeable discount to its five-year average, it still carries a lofty valuation. However, the risk is all about execution.Investors need proof that this trust argument translates into larger contracts, faster commercial adoption, and sustained margin strength.Related: Microsoft reportedly makes another brutal workforce move