Market Signal Briefing

Zcash price has struggled to find a clear direction over the past few weeks, despite being up over 600% in the 3-month window. The token is moving sideways even as other parts of the crypto market attempt small rebounds.

This comes despite fresh attention from a high-profile voice in crypto. In a recent interview, Arthur Hayes spoke positively about Zcash’s design.

Still, the ZEC price action shows hesitation despite the near 4% uptick, day-on-day. Traders are now weighing whether this support matters in the short term or if charts will decide first.

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Arthur Hayes Said This About The Privacy ModelArthur Hayes is the co-founder of BitMEX and a well-known crypto market figure. In a recent interview with Kyle Chasse, Hayes explained why his view on privacy coins has changed over time.

He said that while Monero was once seen as the strongest privacy option, new data and upgrades shifted his thinking. Hayes highlighted Zcash’s progress, particularly in shielded transactions and cryptographic improvements.

“That’s one of the reasons why I moved from the Monero camp into the Zcash camp when we talk about privacy coins,” he said, 30 minutes into interview.

What matters here is context. Hayes did not talk about Zcash price targets. He did not say buyers should rush in. His comments focused on technology and design, not market timing.

That distinction explains why the price has not reacted yet.

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Why Zcash Price Has Not Reacted YetDespite the attention from Arthur Hayes, the Zcash price has not moved much. The reason is visible on the chart.

First, a bearish EMA crossover is forming. EMA means exponential moving average. It shows the average price but gives more weight to recent moves.

When the 20-day moves below the 50-day, it usually means short-term sellers are stronger than buyers. Right now, the 20-day EMA is very close to crossing below the 50-day. This keeps traders cautious.

Want more token insights like this? Sign up for Editor Harsh Notariya’s Daily Crypto Newsletter here.

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Bearish Cross Looms: TradingViewSecond, on-balance volume (OBV) is not helping the price. OBV tracks whether volume is flowing in or out. Between December 12 and December 18, the Zcash price trended lower, and OBV also weakened. This indicates that buyers are not yet adding strength. Without a rising OBV, rallies often fail, and downside moves usually do not reverse.

Volume Support Lacks: TradingViewPut together, the picture is clear. The EMA crossover warns of short-term pressure. OBV shows weak follow-through from buyers. This explains why the Zcash price remains stuck and waits for a clear direction.

Arthur Hayes’ comments provide long-term confidence, but charts indicate that traders are waiting for technical evidence. Until buyers step in with volume, the price is likely to remain undecided.

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What Could Decide the Next Zcash Price MoveLarge capital flows provide the clearest clue. The CMF or Chaikin Money Flow indicator has been rising between December 11 and December 18, while the ZEC price corrected. This pattern means larger holders are showing interest even while the prices remain weak.

However, CMF is still below the zero line. That matters. A move above zero often confirms real buying. In past cases, like in early November, the price followed strongly once the CMF crossed that level.

ZEC CMF Rising: TradingViewFor Zcash, the levels are clear. A clean daily close above $434 would show buyers are taking control again. If that happens, the next important zone sits near $516.

Zcash Price Analysis: TradingViewOn the downside, $371 is the first key support. If the price slips below that level, sellers could push it toward $301, where previous buying interest appeared.

Crypto analyst Quantum Ascend has published a weekly-chart “roadmap” for Shiba Inu (SHIB) in a new video, laying out three upside targets for a potential altcoin cycle, while warning that SHIB’s deep multi-year drawdown could cap the move if macro conditions deteriorate.

The Base Case For Shiba Inu Price
In his X post, Quantum Ascend listed “Altseason Targets” as a conservative level (“$0.47 e-8,” as written), a “Primary” target of $0.00014, and a “Blow-Off” target of $0.00035. In the video, the analyst anchored the roadmap to Elliott Wave-style structure and Fibonacci extensions, and emphasized that the bullish path is conditional, not guaranteed.

Starting from SHIB’s 2021 peak and the subsequent collapse, the analyst said the drawdown returned price to a historically meaningful zone: “Count out the five wave moves there pretty cleanly, but since then, nothing but a drawdown… Came back down right into this wave four low.”

From that setup, Quantum Ascend argued the decline can be read as a “crashing pattern” that often resolves with a reversal back toward prior highs.

“So you have your five waves down, and typically what’ll happen, price will roll back up to the fourth wave, and then what it does is it’s going to come take out this fifth wave. This is six, come take out that fifth wave, even if it’s just a little for a wave seven, then it’s done and it turns back the other direction, right? So when we’re looking at it from this perspective, we can see pretty textbook for the level it went to,” the analyst said.

Shiba Inu price analysis | Source: X @quantum_ascend
“So now that you see the case for a new high… we got to start taking these fibs into play here and figure out, all right, where’s some logical price levels for this thing to end up.”

Quantum Ascend then flagged the biggest constraint: SHIB’s magnitude of drawdown relative to prior-cycle behavior. “The one thing that’s stopping me from saying, yep, 100%, we’re going to see new highs, is going back to 2021, price is down 93% at the worst and right now down 92%,” the analyst said.

“Back in 2021, coins that set their highs in 2017 and had a 90% plus drawdown did not set new highs in the 2021 cycle… So this is a four-year range down 90 plus percent. It fits the parameter of some of those other coins that never ended up going off into a new all-time high.”

If that historical analog holds, the analyst said SHIB could be tracing a larger corrective structure rather than a fresh impulse. “If that’s the case, then this count would be five waves up and then we have an A, B into the retracements, and then C would start taking us much lower. That coincides with a recession-depression type feel,” the analyst said, adding: “And I do believe that that is the base case moving forward here… It’s just really important to understand the broader macro climate. Like this Shiba isn’t going unless everything else is lined up.”

The Bullish Case For SHIB Price
Even so, Quantum Ascend laid out upside zones using confluence between broader and nearer-term Fibonacci ranges. The analyst’s stated primary target for an “altseason environment” is the 1.618 Fibonacci extension at roughly $0.00014 which translates to a 1,800% rally from the current price. He added: “My blow-off is going to be a full 4.236 extension here of this range.” The blow-off scenario hits $0.00035, but was presented by him as technically possible but unlikely.

Shiba Inu Fibonacci analysis | Source: X @quantum_ascend
Market-cap math was used as a reality check. “The thing I’ll say about SHIB is it’s at a $4.2 billion market cap right now. That’s pretty big, especially for what it is,” the analyst said, estimating that a move to the conservative area would imply roughly a $25 billion valuation and that the most extreme scenario would push into triple-digit billions. “That is massive getting up there… That’s like a 50x from where we’re at. And at that point, you’re talking 200 billion for a coin that doesn’t really do anything… In no way, shape, or form is this my base case.”

$SHIB | @Shibtoken 📽️

Macro Structure Points to New Highs ↗️

Altseason Targets🎯

➤➤ Conservative: $0.47 e-8

➤➤ Primary: $0.00014 ✅

➤➤ Blow-Off: $0.00035

Here’s the Roadmap👇 pic.twitter.com/nWxQsVtLvv

— Quantum Ascend (@quantum_ascend) December 18, 2025

Despite publishing upside targets, Quantum Ascend stressed exit discipline over maximal upside capture, noting he does not hold SHIB. “I don’t own this coin, but if I did, I would be layered out all in this area [from the 0.5 Fibonacci level at $0.00004699] … I’d be done by the time it got up to that 1.618 Fibonacci at $0.00014,” the analyst said, arguing that “dollar cost averaging both in and out is a great strategy” in a meme-coin trade that ultimately depends on broader liquidity and risk appetite.

At press time, SHIB traded at $0.00000738.

SHIB falls below another crucial support line, 1-week chart | Source: SHIBUSDT on TradingView.com
Featured image created with DALL.E, chart from TradingView.com

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December 19, 2025

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission says some third-party Bitcoin mining hosting deals can amount to securities, according to a federal lawsuit tied to an alleged $48 million fraud involving mining firm VBit Technologies.

In a complaint filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, the SEC accused VBit founder and former CEO Danh C. Vo of misleading thousands of investors.

Regulators claim the company sold unregistered investment contracts linked to hosted Bitcoin mining operations.

Source: SECAt the center of the case are so-called “Hosting Agreements” promoted by VBit between late 2018 and early 2022. The SEC says the contracts were pitched to retail investors as a largely hands-off way to generate passive income through Bitcoin mining.

Why the SEC Says VBit’s Mining Contracts Were SecuritiesBitcoin mining typically involves running specialized computers to validate transactions on the Bitcoin network in exchange for newly minted coins.

The SEC alleges Vo used the technical complexity of the process to promote a turnkey model in which investors were told they owned mining rigs that would be pooled and operated entirely by VBit.

Returns were marketed as proportional to each investor’s share of computing power, or hashrate.

According to the complaint, nearly all of VBit’s customers entered into these Hosting Agreements, which were sold in tiered packages ranging from lower-cost plans to premium offerings that purportedly included up to eight mining rigs.

Investors were encouraged to choose hosted mining rather than operating equipment themselves through discounted pricing, longer contract terms, and promises of steady returns without operational involvement.

The SEC alleges those representations were false. Court filings state that VBit sold far more hosting agreements than it had the mining equipment to support.

In 2020, the company allegedly sold agreements covering more than 3,300 rigs while operating fewer than 1,000.

In 2021, agreements reportedly covered more than 8,400 rigs, while only 1,643 were in operation.

As a result, the hashrate promised to investors could not be delivered.

The agency further alleges that investors never owned or controlled specific mining equipment and were entirely dependent on Vo and VBit’s operations to generate profits.

On that basis, the SEC argues the Hosting Agreements meet the definition of investment contracts under the Supreme Court’s Howey test and therefore should have been registered as securities.

Investors Locked Out as SEC Says Mining Firm Moved Funds OffshoreUnder U.S. law, an arrangement can be deemed a security if investors contribute money to a common enterprise with a reasonable expectation of profits derived primarily from the efforts of others.

The SEC claims VBit’s hosting model satisfies all four elements, placing it within federal securities rules governing registration, disclosure, and anti-fraud protections.

The complaint also accuses Vo of fabricating investor account balances through an online portal that displayed hypothetical mining returns unrelated to actual Bitcoin production.

The bitcoins that were mined were allegedly controlled exclusively by Vo.

The SEC says that between December 2020 and November 2021, Vo transferred approximately $48.5 million of investor funds to personal accounts, distributed millions to family members, and used investor money for cryptocurrency trading.

After learning of the SEC’s investigation in 2021, Vo allegedly left the United States. VBit later announced it had been sold to an entity called Advanced Mining Group, which the SEC describes as a shell company used to maintain the appearance of ongoing operations.

By mid-2022, investors were locked out of their accounts.

The SEC is seeking permanent injunctions, disgorgement, civil penalties, and a ban preventing Vo from serving as an officer or director of a public company. A jury trial has been requested.

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Citi trims crypto stock price targets after bitcoin's disappointing Q4Circle remains the bank's top pick in the sector, with Bullish and Coinbase following. Dec 19, 2025, 4:14 p.m.

Wall Street bank Citigroup refreshed its digital-assets stock coverage to reflect recent across-the-board declines in crypto, but remains constructive on the sector.

"Despite recent token volatility, we remain bullish on digital assets stocks," wrote analysts led by Peter Christiansen, in a Friday report.

STORY CONTINUES BELOW

Issuer of the USDC stablecoin, Circle Financial (CRCL) remains Citi's top pick, with the team reiterating its $243 price target even after the stock's large recent drop to the current $83.60.

Christiansen's next top picks were Bullish (BLSH) and Coinbase (COIN). "We see BLSH in the sweet spot benefiting from rising institutional (particularly in the U.S.) and TradFi participation," he wrote. BLSH's price target was cut to $67 from $77, still sizable upside from the current $44. COIN's price target was held at $505 versus its current $242.

Buy-rated Strategy (MSTR) also received a price target cut following its recent plunge to the $160 area. The new price objective of $325 from $485 previously still suggests about a 100% upside.

The bank also remains positive on bitcoin miner Riot Platforms (RIOT), though cutting its price target to $23 from $28. Riot was recently changing hands at $14.

The team in addition cut its price objective for neutral-rated Gemini (GEMI) to $13 from $16, citing "increasing competitive challenges." Shares were trading at about $11 on Friday morning.

Read more: Bitcoin Weakness Sends a Warning to Stocks, but Liquidity May Soon Turn, Citi Says

AI Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated with the assistance from AI tools and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy and adherence to our standards. For more information, see CoinDesk's full AI Policy.

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Bitcoin earns base case target of $143,000 at Citigroup

2 minutes ago

The Wall Street bank said its bitcoin forecast relies on further crypto ETF inflows and a continued rally in traditional equity markets.

What to know:

Citigroup's base case for bitcoin (BTC) is a rise to $143,000 in 12 months.Analysts highlight $70,000 as key support, with the potential for a sharp rise due to revived ETF demand and positive market forecasts.The bear case sees bitcoin falling to $78,500 amid a global recession, while the bull case predicts a rise to $189,000 due to increased investor demand.Read full story

Bearish noise appears to have dominated crypto social feeds after Bitcoin's failed bounce.

The broader crypto market is reeling under severe bearish pressure while Bitcoin (BTC) trades down 30% from its early October record. Bitcoin did manage to briefly rebound to $90.5K this week before retracing to $84.5K.

This rejection resulted in social media being flooded with bearish talk. But data shows that extreme pessimism can quietly set the stage for rebounds ahead.

A Setup for Reversal?
Analytics platform Santiment found that social media platforms like X, Reddit, and Telegram are seeing a notable increase in bearish terms such as #selling, #sold, #bearish, and #lower, as retail pessimism grows amid increased volatility.

Past market cycles reveal a clear pattern where dominant fear-driven narratives across social platforms tend to emerge near inflection points, thereby creating conditions where patient participants are better positioned than the broader crowd.

At the same time, data cited by Bitcoin Vector reveal that, over the past two years, spikes in the VIX have coincided with sharp Bitcoin corrections that later developed into entry zones, while the broader trend remained bullish. With US inflation data and Bank of Japan guidance ahead, volatility risks remain high. The VIX, on the other hand, is still below fear levels. A spike could pressure Bitcoin further, while contained volatility may point to a local bottom forming.

Beneath the Sell-Off
The current market structure may be evolving beyond Bitcoin’s traditional four-year cycle. A recent report observed that the ongoing cycle is being shaped by structural forces that were largely absent in previous bull markets, which has raised the possibility of a so-called “supercycle.” A major driver is the institutional demand, particularly through spot Bitcoin ETFs, which, though low, have attracted steady inflows from traditional finance rather than short-term speculative traders.

On-chain metrics support this change, as exchange reserves continued to decline, which means that a growing share of supply is being held for longer periods instead of positioned for near-term selling.

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At the same time, Bitcoin’s Spent Output Profit Ratio (SOPR) remains within rational ranges, which indicates a measured profit-taking rather than the euphoric distribution typically seen near cycle tops. Data also points to the maturation of the ecosystem as a whole, including improved infrastructure, custody solutions, and scaling developments that support broader real-world use.

Macro factors further validate this backdrop, as geopolitical uncertainty and expectations of future monetary easing continue to improve BTC’s appeal as a scarce, neutral asset.

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XRP (CRYPTO: XRP) slipping below the $2 mark signals near-term weakness, even as technical indicators begin to hint at a potential buying opportunity.

What Happened: YouTuber Blockchain Backer says XRP's outlook remains difficult to read amid heightened volatility, describing the current environment as a "goblin town" phase defined by sideways price action.

XRP is up about 1.5% over the past 24 hours, trading near $1.86.

It remains down 13.7% over the past month and nearly 49% from its July high of $3.66.

Blockchain Backer argues that this type of consolidation is typical ahead of a major move, but he draws a cautionary parallel to Cardano's (CRYPTO: ADA) 2022 structure.

In that cycle, ADA repeatedly defended support levels before breaking down, eventually sliding to bear-market lows after losing key Fibonacci retracements.

Also Read: Bitcoin To $88,000, Ethereum, Dogecoin Bounce Too, But Why’s XRP Lagging?

What's Next: Blockchain Backer notes XRP has already lost several Fibonacci supports at $2.50, $2.29 and $2.03. If the pattern persists, he sees the next downside target near $1.61.

Not all analysts are bearish. Egrag Crypto believes the recent bounce from $1.83 may have completed a retest, outlining bullish targets at $3.72, $9 and even $27.

Meanwhile, crypto chart analyst Ali Martinez pointed out that XRP is flashing a buy signal on the TD Sequential indicator.

The signal suggests downside momentum may be waning, and a short-term reversal could be forming, a setup that often appears after extended selloffs when sentiment is already bearish and price is near key support.

Read Next:

XRP Slips 9% On The Week, But ETF Inflows Signal Quiet Institutional Accumulation
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Hyundai Group’s headquarters in Seoul has received a threatening email demanding 13 Bitcoins. The email stated that if the demand were not met, there would be an explosion at the Jongno District building and other facilities.

According to South Korea’s police, they received a report about a threat email stating, “If you do not give me 13 Bitcoins, I will blow up the Hyundai Group building at 11:30 AM and then take a bomb to Yangjae-dong and detonate it.”

The email warned of the bomb attack on the Hyundai Group building in Yeonji-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, and the Hyundai Motor Group tower in Yangja-dong, Seocho-gu.

The 13 BTC is worth $1.1 million(KRW 16.4 billion) at current prices.

A rise in bomb threats against ‘Chaebols’ companies
After the report, the Police immediately dispatched special forces and other personnel to both locations and conducted a thorough search. However, no objects suspected of being explosive devices have been found so far, and operations at the sites were gradually normalized.

This incident comes amid a worrying rise in threats against large Korean companies. Recently, the country’s biggest family business, Samsung, also received similar threats. The illegal actor named Samsung Electronics and directly referred to the ‘Chaebol’ Lee Jae-yong, Samsung’s executive chairman.

According to reports, a message posted on Kakao‘s customer service bulletin board claimed, “I will blow up Samsung Electronics’ headquarters in Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, and shoot Chairman Lee Jae-yong with a homemade gun.” 

Additionally, another post appeared in KT‘s online sign-up form. It read, “I installed a homemade bomb at KT’s Bundang building in Jeongja-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam”. That statement triggered immediate concern and led to checks on critical infrastructure.

Kakao’s Jeju headquarters and Pangyo office, as well as Naver, have also received similar threats recently. This similarly caused police to launch an investigation to identify the perpetrators.

South Korea’s authorities have stated that no explosives have been confirmed in all these cases. However, anxiety among employees and local residents has been growing.

Recently, a Nigerian number was tracked to have sent bomb threats after asking for $30,000 in Bitcoin. The number sent the message to three foreign schools in Indonesia, one in North Jakarta and two in South Tangerang.

The sender said they had put bombs in the schools and would set them off in 45 minutes if their ransom demand was not satisfied. They wrote, “A message for EVERYONE.” We have bombs in your school, and if you don’t send us $30,000 to our Bitcoin address within 45 minutes, the bombs will detonate.”

South Korea’s regulators to implement stricter measures by mid-2026
South Korea’s regulatory and enforcement agencies are intensifying efforts to combat crypto crimes. The country is poised to enhance its anti-money laundering (AML) frameworks and address vulnerabilities in the crypto sector. By the middle of 2026, these steps should be finished.

The urgency for these changes has been pushed by high-profile incidents, including a $30 million hack at Upbit. According to the authorities, North Korea’s Lazarus hacking group was responsible for the attack. The breach occurred amid a press event for Naver Corp.’s $10.3 billion acquisition of Upbit’s parent company, Dunamu Inc.

Authorities are investigating the incident, with similarities noted to a 2019 attack also linked to North Korea’s Lazarus. In response, Upbit suspended deposits and withdrawals and pledged to cover the losses using its own assets to protect user funds. 

As reported by Cryptopolitan, North Korea’s illicit actors stole $2.02 billion out of more than $3.4 billion stolen from January through early December this year. This is a 51% increase year-over-year and $681 million more than in 2024, when the threat actors stole $1.3 billion. According to the report, the hackers maximized their theft of assets multiple times.

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Pi Coin price rose slightly for two consecutive days after the developers announced some tweaks to its decentralized exchange and automated market maker tools. 

Summary

Pi Coin price has risen slightly in the past few days.
The developers unveiled some upgrades in the DEX and AMM platform that is in its testnet.
Technical analysis suggests that the token will likely resume the downward trend.

Pi Network (PI) token rose to $0.2070, up by 7% from its lowest level this week. This price remains much lower than the all-time high of ~$3. Its market cap has fallen from a record high of approximately $20 billion to $1.8 billion today.

In a blog post, the developers said that the DEX, AMM, and liquidity tools testnet was going on well. Based on the feedback they received, the developers made some improvements.

For example, they improve the organization and user interface to make trading easier. Additionally, they improved asset pairing in the testnet by introducing Pi-dominated pairs, with Pi as the base currency. 

The goal of the changes to its pairs is to lower price volatility, reduce slippage, reduce manipulation, and make price discovery easier. 

Additionally, the testnet upgrades include domain verification and liquidity-based ranking tokens. 

Pi Core Team hopes to launch the DEX network in 2026. In line with this launch, they will also unveil their token-generation feature that will make it easy for people to introduce new tokens in the network. 

The DEX aspect is one way that the team is aiming to create utility for the network. Other ways include running hackathons and investing in technology companies using the $100 million ecosystem fund.

The team has already invested in CiDi Games and OpenMind as it seeks to boost the network. CiDi Games will introduce games leveraging the Pi token, a move that will give it utility. OpenMind and Pi Network will also collaborate on incorporating AI to the network.

Pi Coin price technical analysis 
Pi Network price chart | Source: crypto.news 
The daily timeframe chart shows that the Pi Network price has been in a downward trend in the past few days, dropping from $0.2805 in November to a low of $0.1945.

A closer look shows that the token formed a double-top pattern at $0.2800 and a neckline at $0.2106. It has now retested the neckline, a pattern known as a break-and-retest.

The token has dropped below the Supertrend indicator and the short-term moving averages. 

Therefore, the most likely scenario is where the token resumes the downtrend and possibly retests the key support level at $0.1500, its lowest level on record.

Solana trades in a tight $117.3–$128.8 band on December 19, hinting that traders are treading carefully. After a roller-coaster few months, the question on everyone’s mind: has SOL finally found solid ground?

With the final weeks of 2025 ahead, technical levels are coming into focus and could heavily influence the short-term Solana price prediction.

Summary

As of December 19, Solana trades between $117.3 and $128.8, reflecting cautious market sentiment after recent volatility.
SOL is hovering near $125.9, recovering slightly from a steep weekly drop of almost 10%, following U.S. CPI data showing slower inflation.
Upside potential targets $160 if support holds, while a break below $125 could trigger a deeper decline toward $120-$110 or even below $100, increasing volatility.

Current market scenario
Currently, Solana (SOL) is hovering near $125.9 as it recovers from a steep decline. The SOL price has declined by almost 10% over the past week, indicating heavy selling. Still, a small daily gain of 0.1% suggests some buyers are starting to test the market again.

SOL 1-day chart, December 2025 | Source: crypto.news
This slight rebound comes after a steep sell-off that pushed SOL down to $117. The move followed U.S. CPI data indicating slower inflation. The crypto market responded cautiously, with traders booking profits and reducing exposure.

Over the past year
Over the past year, SOL has traded between $125 and $250, occasionally breaching the upper bound but always reverting to this range. This price action has confirmed $125 as a significant support level.

Now, with the Solana price hovering right above it, the battle between buyers and sellers is intensifying. Despite solid on-chain activity, momentum indicators are turning weaker, leaving the current SOL outlook dependent on whether this support can hold.

Upside outlook
A solid defense of $125 could give Solana a shot at reaching the $150-$160 area in the near term. That zone has seen extensive trading in the past and could attract sellers taking profits. Any lasting rally would require more substantial volume and greater confidence among buyers.

For now, volume suggests hesitation, so moves higher may stay limited. Even so, staying above $125 keeps the short-term SOL forecast on a more optimistic track.

Downside risks
If Solana can’t hold $125, it could slide even further. Most SOL price outlooks indicate $110- $120 as the next support zone. Break that, and we could see prices drop below $100.

This type of move would likely trigger cascading stop-losses and forced liquidations, thereby increasing market volatility.

Solana price prediction based on current levels
The SOL price prediction currently revolves around whether $125 can hold as support. Strong fundamentals remain the backbone of Solana, but technical stress and market uncertainty are constraining gains. As 2025 comes to a close, watching volume and momentum could provide clues about SOL’s next move.

XRP price could be about to rebound in the near term after forming a bullish engulfing pattern as key catalysts like falling Binance reserves and ETF inflows align.

Summary

XRP price has formed several bullish chart patterns on the daily chart.
The supply of XRP tokens in exchanges has dropped to the lowest level in months.
Spot XRP ETF inflows have continued rising this week.

The Ripple (XRP) token was trading at $1.8885 at press time, up slightly from the intraday low of $1.7758. 

A potential catalyst for the XRP price is third-party data showing that the token’s supply on exchanges has continued to fall.

Data compiled by CryptoQuant indicate that the supply has been in a pronounced downward trend since peaking in October this year. It has now reached its lowest level of the year.

https://twitter.com/InvestWithD/status/2001679191448953281

Falling Binance exchange reserves are significant because it is the largest venue for XRP trading. Data compiled by CMC shows that XRP’s volume in Binance on Friday stood at over $600 million, much more than Upbit’s $355 million.

Declining exchange balances indicate that investors are moving their tokens to cold storage, suggesting they expect the tokens to rebound over time. 

The falling exchange balances is happening at a time when XRP ETF demand remains substantial. Data compiled by SoSoValue indicate that spot XRP ETFs had over $68 million in inflows this week, bringing the cumulative net inflows to $1.06 billion. These inflows brought the total assets to $1.14 billion.

XRP ETF inflows this week were notable, occurring when Bitcoin and Ethereum funds shed assets. Ethereum and Bitcoin ETFs have shed over $568 million and $338 million, respectively.

XRP price technical analysis 
XRP price chart | Source: crypto.news
The daily timeframe chart shows that the XRP price settled at a crucial support level this week. Its lowest level coincided with the lowest points in October and November. 

Ripple price has also formed an inverse head-and-shoulders pattern, a common bullish reversal sign. In this case, its shoulder is the descending trendline that connects the highest swings since October.

A closer look shows that the token has formed a bullish engulfing pattern, consisting of a large bullish candle that fully covers a small bearish one. It is one of the most common bullish reversal signs in technical analysis.

Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many different ways to do both.

Featuring daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, the research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor.

Zacks Premium includes access to the Zacks Style Scores as well.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.

Momentum ScoreMomentum trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.

VGM ScoreIf you want a combination of all three Style Scores, then the VGM Score will be your friend. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, helping you find the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum. It's also one of the best indicators to use with the Zacks Rank.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.

#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.81% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

To have the best chance of big returns, you'll want to always consider stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B, which will give you the highest probability of success. If you're looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, it's important they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.

Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.

A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: Applied Industrial Technologies (AIT - Free Report) Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. is a distributor of value-added industrial products — including engineered fluid power components, bearings, specialty flow control solutions, power transmission products and miscellaneous industrial supplies. These products are mainly sold to original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) customers in Australia, North America, Singapore and New Zealand.

AIT is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of B.

Additionally, the company could be a top pick for growth investors. AIT has a Growth Style Score of A, forecasting year-over-year earnings growth of 4.6% for the current fiscal year.

Three analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2026. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.11 to $10.59 per share. AIT boasts an average earnings surprise of +7.2%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Growth and VGM Style Scores, AIT should be on investors' short list.

Shares of Value Line, Inc. (VALU - Free Report) have gained 3.6% since the company reported its earnings for the quarter ended Oct. 31, 2025. This compares to the S&P 500 index’s 1.7% decline over the same time frame. Over the past month, the stock has gained 8.9% compared with the S&P 500’s 2.9% growth.

For the fiscal second quarter of 2026, Value Line reported earnings per share (EPS) of 60 cents, matching the prior year’s quarter. 

Total publishing revenues of $8.6 million represented a 3.2% decline from the $8.8 million reported in the year-ago period. The drop was driven by decreases in both major revenue streams: investment periodicals and related publications fell to $6.1 million (from $6.2 million), while copyright fees slipped to $2.5 million (from $2.7 million).

Despite the top-line contraction, net income remained essentially flat at $5.68 million, compared to $5.69 million a year earlier.

Investment Performance Supports Bottom LineA key contributor to steady earnings despite lower publishing revenue was a strong performance from Value Line’s equity interests in EAM Trust, which delivered $5.2 million in revenues and profits for the quarter, up from $4.6 million a year ago, an 11.3% increase. This included $4.6 million from the company’s non-voting revenue interest and $0.6 million from its non-voting profits interest.

Additionally, investment gains totaled $1.2 million, flat from the prior year, supported by $0.4 million in unrealized gains on equity holdings. Dividend and interest income remained stable at a combined $0.7 million.

Management CommentaryIn the management discussion section, the company reiterated that Value Line’s core business remains focused on its proprietary investment research and analytics, which are marketed to both retail and institutional clients. The company emphasized its stable business model, supported by long-standing product lines like The Value Line Investment Survey and niche offerings such as the Climate Change Investing Service.

Management highlighted the company's continued reliance on recurring subscription revenue, with most products delivered digitally or in print via annual subscriptions. Though top-line growth has been pressured, the business continues to generate consistent profits, helped by disciplined cost control and income from its EAM Trust investment.

Drivers Behind Headline ResultsA deeper look into the financials shows that total expenses remained relatively flat at $7 million during the quarter. Salaries and employee benefits, the largest expense category, slightly decreased to $3.5 million, while production and distribution costs were steady. This cost discipline helped mitigate the decline in publishing revenue.

Additionally, Value Line’s cash position improved, with cash and cash equivalents rising to $43.6 million, up from $34.1 million six months earlier, aided by strong operating cash flows of $8.5 million in the first half of fiscal 2026. Unearned revenues — an indicator of future subscription fulfillment — stood at $20.3 million, down slightly from $22.3 million in April 2025.

Other DevelopmentsDuring the quarter, Value Line’s board approved a new share repurchase program authorizing up to $2 million in share buybacks. As of Oct. 31, 2025, the company had repurchased 4,194 shares during the quarter, bringing its total treasury stock to 594,672 shares, at an average cost of $26.68 per share. Notably, an additional 14,015 shares were repurchased on Nov. 17, 2025, at $37 per share via a private block offering.

Analyst’s Disclosure:I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

MESA, AZ / ACCESS Newswire / December 19, 2025 / Medical Care Technologies, Inc. (OTC PINK:MDCE) today announced that its first-ever AI-powered mobile application has entered final review stages on both major mobile platforms.

The Company confirmed that its inaugural AI-driven consumer application is currently in Google Play Console Developer Testing and has also entered official testing within Apple's App Store ecosystem, marking a major milestone as the Company approaches the launch of its first mobile app.

This first AI application was developed in the food and nutrition sector, a category chosen for its broad global appeal and wide marketability, as it can be used by most people of cooking age worldwide. Management believes this positioning gives the Company strong revenue potential for its initial AI product while establishing a foundation for future applications.

"Our first AI app targets the food and nutrition space because it's a massive, global market measured in the hundreds of billions of dollars and touches nearly every household," said Marshall Perkins, CEO of Medical Care Technologies. "This gives us immediate scale and revenue potential while we continue developing additional AI-driven health, wellness, and medical pre-screening applications. These are real milestones, real progress, and we're excited about where this positions the Company heading into 2026."

The Company views this launch as the first step in a broader AI strategy that includes future consumer health and wellness applications, as well as more advanced AI-powered medical pre-screening technologies currently under development and testing.

About Medical Care Technologies, Inc.

Medical Care Technologies, Inc. (OTC Pink: MDCE) is a technology company focused on developing artificial intelligence-powered applications across consumer, health, wellness, and medical sectors. The Company is building a scalable AI ecosystem designed to address large, global markets with data-driven solutions.
For more information, visit www.medicalcaretechnologies.com.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially, including platform review outcomes, launch timing, market acceptance, and general business conditions. Medical Care Technologies undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by law.

Contact:

Investor Relations
Medical Care Technologies Inc.
[email protected]
Website: www.mdcestock.com

SOURCE: Medical Care Technologies Inc.

It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several different ways to do both.

The popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.

Zacks Premium includes access to the Zacks Style Scores as well.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics. Just like in school, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on -- that means the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreFor value investors, it's all about finding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value before the broader market catches on. The Value Style Score utilizes ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to help pick out the most attractive and discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreWhile good value is important, growth investors are more focused on a company's financial strength and health, and its future outlook. The Growth Style Score takes projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow into account to uncover stocks that will see long-term, sustainable growth.

Momentum ScoreMomentum trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.

VGM ScoreWhat if you like to use all three types of investing? The VGM Score is a combination of all Style Scores, making it one of the most comprehensive indicators to use with the Zacks Rank. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, which helps narrow down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank is a proprietary stock-rating model that harnesses the power of earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to help investors build a successful portfolio.

#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.81% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

This totals more than 800 top-rated stocks, and it can be overwhelming to try and pick the best stocks for you and your portfolio.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.

Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.

A stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, for instance, even one with Scores of A and B, will still have a declining earnings forecast, and a greater chance its share price will fall too.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: Synchrony (SYF - Free Report) Synchrony Financial, one of the nation’s premier consumer financial services companies, offers a wide range of credit products through a diverse group of national and regional retailers, local merchants, manufacturers, buying groups, industry associations and health and wellness providers. Synchrony Financial focuses on generating financial flexibility for its customers by offering private label credit cards, Dual Card, and general purpose co-branded credit cards, promotional financing and installment lending, and loyalty programs.

SYF is a #3 (Hold) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.

Momentum investors should take note of this Finance stock. SYF has a Momentum Style Score of B, and shares are up 15.8% over the past four weeks.

Two analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2025. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.15 to $9.21 per share. SYF boasts an average earnings surprise of +22.7%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, SYF should be on investors' short list.

It doesn't matter your age or experience: taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for all investors. Luckily, Zacks Premium offers several different ways to do both.

The research service features daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, full access to the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens, all of which will help you become a smarter, more confident investor.

It also includes access to the Zacks Style Scores.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Each stock is given an alphabetic rating of A, B, C, D or F based on their value, growth, and momentum qualities. With this system, an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on, meaning the better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreFinding good stocks at good prices, and discovering which companies are trading under their true value, are what value investors like to focus on. So, the Value Style Score takes into account ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and a host of other multiples to highlight the most attractive and discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreGrowth investors are more concerned with a stock's future prospects, and the overall financial health and strength of a company. Thus, the Growth Style Score analyzes characteristics like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will see sustainable growth over time.

Momentum ScoreMomentum trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.

VGM ScoreIf you want a combination of all three Style Scores, then the VGM Score will be your friend. It rates each stock on their combined weighted styles, helping you find the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum. It's also one of the best indicators to use with the Zacks Rank.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.

#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.81% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

With more than 800 top-rated stocks to choose from, it can certainly feel overwhelming to pick the ones that are right for you and your investing journey.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

To have the best chance of big returns, you'll want to always consider stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B, which will give you the highest probability of success. If you're looking at stocks with a #3 (Hold) rank, it's important they have Scores of A or B as well to ensure as much upside potential as possible.

As mentioned above, the Scores are designed to work with the Zacks Rank, so any change to a company's earnings outlook should be a deciding factor when picking which stocks to buy.

For instance, a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one that boasts Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings forecast, and a much greater likelihood its share price will decline as well.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: Select Medical (SEM - Free Report) Select Medical is a healthcare company with approximately 53,800 employees throughout the United States.  It owns long-term acute care and inpatient rehabilitation hospitals, as well as occupational health and physical therapy clinics.

SEM is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.

Momentum investors should take note of this Medical stock. SEM has a Momentum Style Score of B, and shares are up 15.6% over the past four weeks.

For fiscal 2025, three analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.04 to $1.23 per share. SEM boasts an average earnings surprise of +8.7%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, SEM should be on investors' short list.

Taking full advantage of the stock market and investing with confidence are common goals for new and old investors, and Zacks Premium offers many different ways to do both.

The popular research service can help you become a smarter, more self-assured investor, giving you access to daily updates of the Zacks Rank and Zacks Industry Rank, the Zacks #1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens.

Zacks Premium also includes the Zacks Style Scores.

What are the Zacks Style Scores? The Zacks Style Scores is a unique set of guidelines that rates stocks based on three popular investing types, and were developed as complementary indicators for the Zacks Rank. This combination helps investors choose securities with the highest chances of beating the market over the next 30 days.

Based on their value, growth, and momentum characteristics, each stock is assigned a rating of A, B, C, D, or F. The better the score, the better chance the stock will outperform; an A is better than a B, a B is better than a C, and so on.

The Style Scores are broken down into four categories:

Value ScoreValue investors love finding good stocks at good prices, especially before the broader market catches on to a stock's true value. Utilizing ratios like P/E, PEG, Price/Sales, Price/Cash Flow, and many other multiples, the Value Style Score identifies the most attractive and most discounted stocks.

Growth ScoreGrowth investors are more concerned with a stock's future prospects, and the overall financial health and strength of a company. Thus, the Growth Style Score analyzes characteristics like projected and historic earnings, sales, and cash flow to find stocks that will see sustainable growth over time.

Momentum ScoreMomentum trading is all about taking advantage of upward or downward trends in a stock's price or earnings outlook, and these investors live by the saying "the trend is your friend." The Momentum Style Score can pinpoint good times to build a position in a stock, using factors like one-week price change and the monthly percentage change in earnings estimates.

VGM ScoreIf you like to use all three kinds of investing, then the VGM Score is for you. It's a combination of all Style Scores, and is an important indicator to use with the Zacks Rank. The VGM Score rates each stock on their shared weighted styles, narrowing down the companies with the most attractive value, best growth forecast, and most promising momentum.

How Style Scores Work with the Zacks Rank The Zacks Rank, which is a proprietary stock-rating model, employs earnings estimate revisions, or changes to a company's earnings expectations, to make building a winning portfolio easier.

#1 (Strong Buy) stocks have produced an unmatched +23.81% average annual return since 1988, which is more than double the S&P 500's performance over the same time frame. However, the Zacks Rank examines a ton of stocks, and there can be more than 200 companies with a Strong Buy rank, and another 600 with a #2 (Buy) rank, on any given day.

But it can feel overwhelming to pick the right stocks for you and your investing goals with over 800 top-rated stocks to choose from.

That's where the Style Scores come in.

You want to make sure you're buying stocks with the highest likelihood of success, and to do that, you'll need to pick stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or #2 that also have Style Scores of A or B. If you like a stock that only has a #3 (Hold) rank, it should also have Scores of A or B to guarantee as much upside potential as possible.

Since the Scores were created to work together with the Zacks Rank, the direction of a stock's earnings estimate revisions should be a key factor when choosing which stocks to buy.

Here's an example: a stock with a #4 (Sell) or #5 (Strong Sell) rating, even one with Style Scores of A and B, still has a downward-trending earnings outlook, and a bigger chance its share price will decrease too.

Thus, the more stocks you own with a #1 or #2 Rank and Scores of A or B, the better.

Stock to Watch: Manulife Financial (MFC - Free Report) Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Manulife Financial Corporation was founded in 1887. Manulife is one of the three dominant life insurers within its domestic Canadian market and possesses rapidly growing operations in the U.S. and several Asian countries. Manulife reports earnings through six divisions and has five major operating divisions – Asia, Canada, U.S. Insurance and U.S. Wealth Management, and Corporate.

MFC is a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, with a VGM Score of A.

Momentum investors should take note of this Finance stock. MFC has a Momentum Style Score of A, and shares are up 6.8% over the past four weeks.

Two analysts revised their earnings estimate upwards in the last 60 days for fiscal 2025. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased $0.08 to $2.95 per share. MFC boasts an average earnings surprise of +4.9%.

With a solid Zacks Rank and top-tier Momentum and VGM Style Scores, MFC should be on investors' short list.

Key Takeaways Expeditors has surged 32.6% in the past six months, outperforming the transportation-services industry.Earnings estimates for EXPD have moved higher, signaling growing confidence in its outlook.Expeditors posts consistent earnings beats and benefits from e-commerce-driven demand.
Expeditors International of Washington, Inc. (EXPD - Free Report) has performed well in the past year and has the potential to sustain the momentum in the future. If you have not taken advantage of its share price appreciation yet, it’s time to do so.

Against this backdrop, let’s look at the factors that make this stock an attractive pick.

What Makes EXPD an Attractive Pick?An Outperformer: A glimpse at the company’s price trend reveals that the stock has had a solid run over the past six months. Shares of EXPD have gained 32.6% in the past six months, outperforming the 12% surge of the transportation-services industry it belongs to.

EXPD Six-Month YTD Price ComparisonImage Source: Zacks Investment Research

Solid Zacks Rank: EXPD presently sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Our research shows that stocks with a Zacks Rank #1 or 2 (Buy) offer the best investment opportunities. Thus, the company is a compelling investment proposition at the moment. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

Northward Estimate Revisions: The direction of estimate revisions serves as an important pointer when it comes to the price of a stock. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for fourth-quarter 2025 earnings has moved 13.18% north in the past 60 days. For the current year, the consensus mark for earnings has been revised to 6.86% upward in the same time frame. The favorable estimate revisions indicate brokers’ confidence in the stock.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Positive Earnings Surprise History: EXPD has an impressive earnings surprise history. The company’s earnings surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the last four quarters, delivering an average beat of 13.94%.

Image Source: Zacks Investment Research

Earnings Expectations: Earnings growth and stock price gains often indicate a company’s prospects. For 2025, EXPD’s earnings are expected to improve 3.88% year over year.

Growth Factors:E-commerce growth is a tailwind for Expeditors. E-commerce, which has gained in importance, leads to greater demand for intermodal services, the long-haul movement of shipping containers from ship to rail and truck.E-commerce demand strength should continue to support the growth of companies like Expeditors.

Expeditors' strong financial position supports its growth-by-acquisition strategy. The company’s efforts to reward its shareholders through dividend payments and share buybacks. Such moves instill investor confidence and positively impact the company's bottom line.

Stocks to ConsiderInvestors interested in the Transportation sector can consider LATAM Airlines Group (LTM - Free Report) and FedEx Corporation (FDX - Free Report) .

LTM carries a Zacks Rank #2 at present. You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank stocks here.

LTM has an expected earnings growth rate of 52.63% for the current year. The company has a solid earnings surprise history. Its earnings outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters, and met in the remaining one, delivering an average beat of 29.84%. The Zacks Consensus Estimate for LTM’s 2025 earnings has moved 5.34% north in the past 60 days.

FDX currently carries a Zacks Rank #2.

The company has an encouraging earnings surprise history. Its earnings topped the Zacks Consensus Estimate in three of the trailing four quarters and missed once in the remaining, delivering an average beat of 2.03%.

This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them.

If you haven’t thought about diversifying your equity portfolio internationally, perhaps the performance of non-U.S. financial markets might have you looking beyond the S&P 500 for your next big investment. Undoubtedly, the S&P has done just fine, now up over 15%, with a potential move to the 7,000 level in sight if investors can shrug off recent concerns that have made for a rather rocky ride in this fourth and final quarter of 2025.

In a prior piece, I highlighted that chasing returns in outperforming ETFs was less likely to be a winning strategy. That said, for long-term thinkers who’ve recognized a portfolio blind spot (no international diversification), it might make sense to think about adding to some ex-U.S. ETFs that might have what it takes to outrun the U.S. market indices over the next decade or so.

Whether international stocks are key to keeping the 10% or more in gains coming in as U.S. stock valuations creep higher is the big question.

Beating the market hasn’t been hard in 2025 if you were internationally diversified
Though various international markets (think the ones up more than 50% on the year) have now gotten pricier, closing the valuation gap with the U.S., I do think expanding one’s international horizons isn’t all too bad an idea, especially if you can take advantage of the individual names that still offer ample value.

Of course, not everyone’s brokerage will have access to a wide range of international markets. And that’s where ETFs come into play. Arguably, they’re the best (and cheapest) way for American investors to gain exposure to markets that might trade very differently from the S&P 500. Indeed, there’s always the risk that international markets start to underperform the U.S. markets again.

Either way, stashing them on a radar with the intent of buying on a dip might be the way to go, as various pundits, including Vanguard, look to value and non-U.S. developed markets as places to invest over the next 10 years.

Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF
The Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF (NYSEARCA:VEA) is one of the largest and most popular international ETFs out there. It gets the job done well (more than 3,800 stocks in the basket) and at a very low price (0.03% expense ratio).

Of course, the Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF is quite heavily weighted towards Europe, which accounts for more than half of the exposure. And with a developed markets focus, investors would pretty much be heeding Vanguard’s advice for the next five to 10 years when it comes to investing beyond the U.S. market.

Undoubtedly, just about everyone, it seems, is convinced that the U.S. stock market is frothy and overdue for a plunge at some point, probably once an AI bubble (if it even is one at this point) bursts. Though no international ETF is immune from getting pulled down as well, I do think a name like the Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF is better able to recover and move on should such an international financial market upset occur.

With an average 17.1 times trailing price-to-earnings (P/E) and a 2.73% yield, the Vanguard FTSE Developed Markets ETF is cheaper and more bountiful. And it’s been a faster gainer this year, with shares now up 31%, around double that of the S&P 500 (up 15.7% YTD).

iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF
If you’re looking for more of a tilt towards value in developed markets, the iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF (NYSEARCA:EFV) might be an even better bet, especially if you subscribe to the belief that value and ex-U.S. stocks will outperform in the long run.

I’m a huge fan of value factor ETFs, and the iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF is no exception. The Morningstar gold medalist-rated ETF invests across Europe, Australia, Asia, and the Far East (EAFE) and boasts a competitive 0.31% expense ratio. The trailing P/E multiple is also at an incredibly low 14.5 times, making it one of the deeper value ETFs out there, while the yield sits at close to 3.3%.

Year to date, the ETF has crushed the S&P, delivering just shy of 35% in gains. Indeed, the value aspect seems to offer a little extra in this environment. And if you’re looking for a return of value stocks, I think the iShares MSCI EAFE Value ETF is a terrific bet.

Shares of Klarna (KLAR - Free Report) have gained 8.4% over the past four weeks to close the last trading session at $30.48, but there could still be a solid upside left in the stock if short-term price targets of Wall Street analysts are any indication. Going by the price targets, the mean estimate of $46.06 indicates a potential upside of 51.1%.

The mean estimate comprises 16 short-term price targets with a standard deviation of $3.7. While the lowest estimate of $39.00 indicates a 28% increase from the current price level, the most optimistic analyst expects the stock to surge 80.5% to reach $55.00. It's very important to note the standard deviation here, as it helps understand the variability of the estimates. The smaller the standard deviation, the greater the agreement among analysts.

While the consensus price target is highly sought after by investors, the ability and unbiasedness of analysts in setting price targets have long been questionable. And investors making investment decisions solely based on this tool would arguably do themselves a disservice.

But, for KLAR, an impressive average price target is not the only indicator of a potential upside. Strong agreement among analysts about the company's ability to report better earnings than they predicted earlier strengthens this view. While a positive trend in earnings estimate revisions doesn't gauge how much a stock could gain, it has proven to be powerful in predicting an upside.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Here's What You May Not Know About Analysts' Price TargetsAccording to researchers at several universities across the globe, a price target is one of many pieces of information about a stock that misleads investors far more often than it guides. In fact, empirical research shows that price targets set by several analysts, irrespective of the extent of agreement, rarely indicate where the price of a stock could actually be heading.

While Wall Street analysts have deep knowledge of a company's fundamentals and the sensitivity of its business to economic and industry issues, many of them tend to set overly optimistic price targets. Are you wondering why?

They usually do that to drum up interest in shares of companies that their firms either have existing business relationships with or are looking to be associated with. In other words, business incentives of firms covering a stock often result in inflated price targets set by analysts.

However, a tight clustering of price targets, which is represented by a low standard deviation, indicates that analysts have a high degree of agreement about the direction and magnitude of a stock's price movement. While that doesn't necessarily mean the stock will hit the average price target, it could be a good starting point for further research aimed at identifying the potential fundamental driving forces.

That said, while investors should not entirely ignore price targets, making an investment decision solely based on them could lead to disappointing ROI. So, price targets should always be treated with a high degree of skepticism.

Here's Why There Could be Plenty of Upside Left in KLARThere has been increasing optimism among analysts lately about the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by strong agreement among them in revising EPS estimates higher. And that could be a legitimate reason to expect an upside in the stock. After all, empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for the current year has increased 4.5% over the past month, as two estimates have gone higher compared to no negative revision.

Moreover, KLAR currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), which means it is in the top 20% of more than 4,000 stocks that we rank based on four factors related to earnings estimates. Given an impressive externally-audited track record, this is a more conclusive indication of the stock's potential upside in the near term. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

Therefore, while the consensus price target may not be a reliable indicator of how much KLAR could gain, the direction of price movement it implies does appear to be a good guide.

Camden National Corporation (CAC - Free Report) reached a significant support level, and could be a good pick for investors from a technical perspective. Recently, CAC's 50-day simple moving average broke out above its 200-day moving average; this is known as a "golden cross."

A golden cross is a technical chart pattern that can signify a potential bullish breakout. It's formed from a crossover involving a security's short-term moving average breaking above a longer-term moving average, with the most common moving averages being the 50-day and the 200-day, since bigger time periods tend to form stronger breakouts.

A successful golden cross event has three stages. It first begins when a stock's price on the decline bottoms out. Then, its shorter moving average crosses above its longer moving average, triggering a positive trend reversal. The third and final phase occurs when the stock maintains its upward momentum.

This kind of chart pattern is the opposite of a death cross, which is a technical event that suggests future bearish price movement.

CAC could be on the verge of a breakout after moving 21.6% higher over the last four weeks. Plus, the company is currently a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank.

The bullish case solidifies once investors consider CAC's positive earnings outlook. For the current quarter, no earnings estimate has been cut compared to 2 revisions higher in the past 60 days. The Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased too.

Investors should think about putting CACon their watchlist given the ultra-important technical indicator and positive move in earnings estimates.

Interactive Brokers Group, Inc. (IBKR - Free Report) closed the last trading session at $62.94, gaining 2.2% over the past four weeks, but there could be plenty of upside left in the stock if short-term price targets set by Wall Street analysts are any guide. The mean price target of $80.13 indicates a 27.3% upside potential.

The average comprises eight short-term price targets ranging from a low of $72.00 to a high of $85.00, with a standard deviation of $4.58. While the lowest estimate indicates an increase of 14.4% from the current price level, the most optimistic estimate points to a 35.1% upside. More than the range, one should note the standard deviation here, as it helps understand the variability of the estimates. The smaller the standard deviation, the greater the agreement among analysts.

While the consensus price target is a much-coveted metric for investors, solely banking on this metric to make an investment decision may not be wise at all. That's because the ability and unbiasedness of analysts in setting price targets have long been questionable.

However, an impressive consensus price target is not the only factor that indicates a potential upside in IBKR. This view is strengthened by the agreement among analysts that the company will report better earnings than what they estimated earlier. Though a positive trend in earnings estimate revisions doesn't give any idea as to how much the stock could surge, it has proven effective in predicting an upside.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Here's What You Should Know About Analysts' Price TargetsAccording to researchers at several universities across the globe, a price target is one of many pieces of information about a stock that misleads investors far more often than it guides. In fact, empirical research shows that price targets set by several analysts, irrespective of the extent of agreement, rarely indicate where the price of a stock could actually be heading.

While Wall Street analysts have deep knowledge of a company's fundamentals and the sensitivity of its business to economic and industry issues, many of them tend to set overly optimistic price targets. Are you wondering why?

They usually do that to drum up interest in shares of companies that their firms either have existing business relationships with or are looking to be associated with. In other words, business incentives of firms covering a stock often result in inflated price targets set by analysts.

However, a tight clustering of price targets, which is represented by a low standard deviation, indicates that analysts have a high degree of agreement about the direction and magnitude of a stock's price movement. While that doesn't necessarily mean the stock will hit the average price target, it could be a good starting point for further research aimed at identifying the potential fundamental driving forces.

That said, while investors should not entirely ignore price targets, making an investment decision solely based on them could lead to disappointing ROI. So, price targets should always be treated with a high degree of skepticism.

Here's Why There Could be Plenty of Upside Left in IBKRThere has been increasing optimism among analysts lately about the company's earnings prospects, as indicated by strong agreement among them in revising EPS estimates higher. And that could be a legitimate reason to expect an upside in the stock. After all, empirical research shows a strong correlation between trends in earnings estimate revisions and near-term stock price movements.

For the current year, one estimate has moved higher over the last 30 days compared to no negative revision. As a result, the Zacks Consensus Estimate has increased 0.2%.

Moreover, IBKR currently has a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy), which means it is in the top 20% of more than 4,000 stocks that we rank based on four factors related to earnings estimates. Given an impressive externally-audited track record, this is a more conclusive indication of the stock's potential upside in the near term. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy) stocks here >>>> .

Therefore, while the consensus price target may not be a reliable indicator of how much IBKR could gain, the direction of price movement it implies does appear to be a good guide.

The Cooper Companies, Inc. (COO - Free Report) is looking like an interesting pick from a technical perspective, as the company reached a key level of support. Recently, COO's 50-day simple moving average crossed above its 200-day simple moving average, known as a "golden cross."

A golden cross is a technical chart pattern that can signify a potential bullish breakout. It's formed from a crossover involving a security's short-term moving average breaking above a longer-term moving average, with the most common moving averages being the 50-day and the 200-day, since bigger time periods tend to form stronger breakouts.

There are three stages to a golden cross. First, there must be a downtrend in a stock's price that eventually bottoms out. Then, the stock's shorter moving average crosses over its longer moving average, triggering a positive trend reversal. The third stage is when a stock continues the upward momentum to higher prices.

A golden cross contrasts with a death cross, another widely-followed chart pattern that suggests bearish momentum could be on the horizon.

Over the past four weeks, COO has gained 16%. The company currently sits at a #2 (Buy) on the Zacks Rank, also indicating that the stock could be poised for a breakout.

Looking at COO's earnings expectations, investors will be even more convinced of the bullish uptrend. For the current quarter, there have been 4 changes higher compared to none lower over the past 60 days, and the Zacks Consensus Estimate has moved up as well.

With a winning combination of earnings estimate revisions and hitting a key technical level, investors should keep their eye on COO for more gains in the near future.

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