📈 Chime Rockets 37% in Debut

Good morning.

⚡ The Fast Five → Defense Stocks Surge on Israel-Iran Tensions, Google Cloud Services Go Dark, Nvidia Expands European AI Operations, AMD Unveils OpenAI-Powered Servers, JetZero Builds Futuristic Aircraft

🔎 Market Trends → S&P 500 ends higher as Oracle reignites AI rally; Boeing drops; US Futures Edge Lower Ahead of PPI Report

🚨 Start Your Day with Market Movers: Opening Bell LIVE on FinTech.tv from 9-10AM EST

And now…

⏱️ Your 5-minute briefing for Friday, June 13, 2025:

MARKET BRIEF
Before the Open

Pre-Market

Fear & Greed

Markets in Review

Oracle Powers Up Wall Street as Inflation Stays Mellow

The S&P 500 rose 0.4% to a fresh high at 6,045.3, while the Nasdaq and Dow each gained 0.2%, closing at 19,662.5 and 42,967.6, respectively.

The Big Picture:

Wall Street found its footing Thursday, supported by tame inflation data and a rally in Oracle (ORCL) that bolstered sentiment across tech and cloud stocks.

Producer prices rose less than expected in May — a sign the recent wave of tariffs may not be hitting consumer costs as hard as feared. Combined with Wednesday’s cooler CPI report, this gives the Fed more breathing room to stay patient.

Still, the labor market is sending mixed signals. Jobless claims remained at their highest since late 2024, hinting at growing economic friction as companies grapple with rising costs.

Market Movers:

• Oracle (ORCL) surged 13.3% after posting strong Q4 results and raising its revenue outlook, easing margin anxiety in the cloud sector. UBS called the results "a stabilizing force for growth sentiment."

• Cardinal Health (CAH) climbed 4.6% after boosting FY25 guidance, with solid earnings momentum despite macro crosscurrents.

• Boeing (BA) fell 4.8% following a tragic crash of an Air India 787-8, casting a dark cloud over the aircraft maker’s recovery narrative.

What They’re Saying:

“This week’s reports indicate the impact of tariffs thus far remains somewhat muted, along with a hesitancy by at least some companies to pass on price increases to consumers.” — Lindsey Piegza, Chief Economist, Stifel

WHAT WE’RE WATCHING
Events

• Today: University of Michigan - Prelim UoM Consumer Sentiment - 10:00am

  Why You Should Care: Financial confidence is a leading indicator of consumer spending, which accounts for a majority of overall economic activity

• Today: University of Michigan - Prelim UoM Inflation Expectations - 10:00am

  Why You Should Care: Expectations of future inflation can manifest into real inflation, primarily because workers tend to push for higher wages when they believe prices will rise

Earnings Reports

• Today: Coca-Cola, Toro Corp., Vroom, Inc.

• Monday: Lennar Corporation, Digital Turbine, Inc.

MARKET BRIEF
Leading News

FinTech Winter Thaws as Chime Rockets 37% in Market Debut

Why it matters:

Wall Street's sudden appetite for digital banking stocks signals a potential turning point for beaten-down FinTech valuations, offering savvy investors entry points in a sector that's been trading at steep discounts since 2022.

Zoom Out:

The $12.3 billion market cap that Chime (CHYM) achieved Thursday tells only half the story. While impressive for a debut, it's still 50% below the company's peak $25 billion private valuation from 2021 — a humbling reminder that even successful IPOs must reckon with the post-pandemic reality check.

What's changed isn't just investor sentiment, but the underlying business fundamentals. Chime's 8.6 million active users (up 23% year-over-year) and focus on the underbanked represent a genuine competitive moat in an increasingly commoditized industry. The company's fee-free model, powered by interchange revenue, has proven more durable than critics expected.

The regulatory tailwinds matter too. With the CFPB pulling back on FinTech oversight, companies like Chime face fewer compliance headaches — a factor that likely contributed to the IPO's warm reception.

Key Insights:

• The Demographic Play: Chime's average user age of 36 positions it perfectly for the wealth transfer happening as millennials enter their peak earning years. With 54% of Gen Z preferring digital-first banking, this isn't a fad — it's a generational shift.

• Circle Effect: The crypto payments company's triple-digit gains last week created a powerful demonstration effect. When retail investors see FinTech IPOs soaring, they chase momentum — creating a self-reinforcing cycle that benefits the entire sector.

• Valuation Reset: Smart money recognizes that $27 IPO price represented genuine value after years of private market deflation. Companies that survived the 2022-2024 downturn emerged leaner and more profitable.

Market Pulse:

"Valuations fluctuate based on things out of our control, but since 2021 the company has grown substantially," — Chime CEO Chris Britt, displaying the kind of measured confidence that institutional investors want to hear.

Bull’s Take:

Chime's debut validates that quality FinTech companies with real user growth and sustainable business models can still command premium valuations. For investors willing to stomach volatility, the sector's recovery offers compelling risk-adjusted returns as digital banking becomes the norm, not the exception.

Headlines

• Iran launches 100 drones at Israel in response to missile attack as markets reel (link)

• RTX, Lockheed Martin and Other Defense Stocks Surge as Israel, Iran Tensions Mount. (link)

• Google Cloud was down — latest on Google outage that impacted 50+ services (link)

• Nvidia bets on European AI push with new plant, partnerships amid shrinking China revenue (link)

• AMD unveils AI server as OpenAI taps its newest chips (link)

• Disney and Universal sue AI firm Midjourney over images (link)

• Aerospace Startup JetZero to Start Building Futuristic Planes in North Carolina (link)

CRYPTO
Fear & Greed

Headlines

• Crypto Cracks Late in Day, Bitcoin Slumps Below $106K (link)

• Coinbase to Launch Bitcoin Rewards Card With Amex, While Eyeing U.S. Futures Expansion (link)

• Shopify teams up with Coinbase and Stripe in USDC stablecoin payments push (link)

DAILY SHARE
On the Socials