Axon Stock Pops After Trump Administration Moves To Deploy Body Cameras In Minneapolis

Investing.com -- Axon Enterprise (NASDAQ:AXON) stock rose 4% after Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced that federal agents will be equipped with body cameras in Minneapolis.

The maker of wearable video cameras for law enforcement saw its shares climb following Noem’s statement on social media platform X. "Effective immediately we are deploying body cameras to every officer in the field in Minneapolis," the DHS Secretary wrote.

While Noem did not specifically mention Axon in her announcement, the company is a leading manufacturer of body cameras used by law enforcement agencies across the United States. Axon’s primary products include the Axon Body camera systems and related digital evidence management solutions.

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Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Monday, as gains in the Industrials, Consumer Services and Basic Materials sectors led shares higher.

At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.05%, while the S&P 500 index climbed 0.54%, and the NASDAQ Composite index gained 0.56%.

The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT), which rose 5.10% or 33.55 points to trade at 690.91 at the close. Meanwhile, Walmart Inc (NASDAQ:WMT) added 4.14% or 4.93 points to end at 124.07 and Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) was up 4.04% or 10.48 points to 270.01 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS), which fell 7.40% or 8.35 points to trade at 104.45 at the close. NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) declined 2.89% or 5.52 points to end at 185.61 and Chevron Corp (NYSE:CVX) was down 1.61% or 2.84 points to 174.06.

The top performers on the S&P 500 were Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL) which rose 8.08% to 32.45, Western Digital Corporation (NASDAQ:WDC) which was up 7.98% to settle at 270.21 and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NYSE:NCLH) which gained 7.63% to close at 23.64.

The worst performers were Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) which was down 7.40% to 104.45 in late trade, EQT Corporation (NYSE:EQT) which lost 5.17% to settle at 54.75 and Axon Enterprise Inc (NASDAQ:AXON) which was down 4.88% to 459.99 at the close.

The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were American Rebel Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:AREB) which rose 606.78% to 1.96, DarkIris Inc (NASDAQ:DKI) which was up 192.49% to settle at 0.95 and Fusemachines Inc (NASDAQ:FUSE) which gained 70.89% to close at 2.70.

The worst performers were eLong Power Holding Ltd (NASDAQ:ELPW) which was down 90.39% to 1.34 in late trade, Phoenix Asia Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:PHOE) which lost 86.78% to settle at 17.60 and INLIF Ltd (NASDAQ:INLF) which was down 70.06% to 0.43 at the close.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1567 to 1172 and 90 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1966 rose and 1424 declined, while 193 ended unchanged.

Shares in Axon Enterprise Inc (NASDAQ:AXON) fell to 52-week lows; down 4.88% or 23.59 to 459.99. Shares in Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) rose to all time highs; gaining 5.10% or 33.55 to 690.91. Shares in Walmart Inc (NASDAQ:WMT) rose to all time highs; gaining 4.14% or 4.93 to 124.07. Shares in American Rebel Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:AREB) rose to all time lows; gaining 606.78% or 1.68 to 1.96.

The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 6.31% to 16.34.

Gold Futures for April delivery was down 0.95% or 45.01 to $4,700.09 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March fell 4.57% or 2.98 to hit $62.23 a barrel, while the April Brent oil contract fell 4.27% or 2.96 to trade at $66.36 a barrel.

EUR/USD was down 0.48% to 1.18, while USD/JPY rose 0.52% to 155.58.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.61% at 97.45.

Investing.com – U.S. stocks were mixed after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Telecoms, Oil & Gas and Basic Materials sectors led shares higher while losses in the Consumer Services, Industrials and Healthcare sectors led shares lower.

At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.02%, while the S&P 500 index lost 0.01%, and the NASDAQ Composite index added 0.17%.

The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Unitedhealth Group (NYSE:UNH), which rose 4.00% or 11.32 points to trade at 294.02 at the close. Meanwhile, NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) added 1.59% or 3.00 points to end at 191.52 and Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) was up 1.46% or 3.28 points to 227.72 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Amgen Inc (NASDAQ:AMGN), which fell 2.59% or 9.10 points to trade at 342.22 at the close. Honeywell International Inc (NASDAQ:HON) declined 1.93% or 4.27 points to end at 216.64 and Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE) was down 1.35% or 0.85 points to 62.24.

The top performers on the S&P 500 were Seagate Technology PLC (NASDAQ:STX) which rose 19.14% to 442.93, Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) which was up 10.99% to settle at 48.76 and Western Digital Corporation (NASDAQ:WDC) which gained 10.70% to close at 279.69.

The worst performers were Amphenol Corporation (NYSE:APH) which was down 12.19% to 145.99 in late trade, Axon Enterprise Inc (NASDAQ:AXON) which lost 9.89% to settle at 549.86 and Skyworks Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:SWKS) which was down 7.94% to 55.28 at the close.

The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Tian Ruixiang Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:TIRX) which rose 311.21% to 1.32, ENvue Medical Inc (NASDAQ:FEED) which was up 119.87% to settle at 2.31 and Linkers Industries Ltd (NASDAQ:LNKS) which gained 60.35% to close at 0.77.

The worst performers were CalciMedica Inc (NASDAQ:CALC) which was down 75.35% to 1.25 in late trade, Masonglory Ltd (NASDAQ:MSGY) which lost 67.25% to settle at 2.05 and FAT Brands Inc (NASDAQ:FATBB) which was down 38.61% to 0.62 at the close.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1634 to 1103 and 96 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 2287 fell and 1082 advanced, while 175 ended unchanged.

Shares in Seagate Technology PLC (NASDAQ:STX) rose to all time highs; rising 19.14% or 71.17 to 442.93. Shares in Western Digital Corporation (NASDAQ:WDC) rose to all time highs; gaining 10.70% or 27.03 to 279.69. Shares in Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) rose to all time highs; rising 1.46% or 3.28 to 227.72. Shares in CalciMedica Inc (NASDAQ:CALC) fell to all time lows; falling 75.35% or 3.82 to 1.25. Shares in FAT Brands Inc (NASDAQ:FATBB) fell to all time lows; losing 38.61% or 0.39 to 0.62.

The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was up 0.18% to 16.38.

Gold Futures for April delivery was up 5.80% or 297.20 to $5,417.80 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March rose 1.84% or 1.15 to hit $63.54 a barrel, while the April Brent oil contract rose 1.58% or 1.05 to trade at $67.64 a barrel.

EUR/USD was down 0.81% to 1.19, while USD/JPY rose 0.79% to 153.45.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.14% at 96.19.

Investing.com -- On Wednesday, Applovin Corp (NASDAQ:APP) issued a sharp rebuttal to a short-seller report alleging ties to a multibillion-dollar money-laundering network. The mobile advertising firm’s stock has declined 4.7% in late trade following a Tuesday dispatch from CapitalWatch that claimed the NASDAQ-listed entity serves as a "safe haven" for illicit funds originating from Chinese Ponzi schemes and Cambodian fraud rings.

A representative of the Palo Alto-based company responded via an emailed statement to Investing.com, characterizing the short seller’s findings as "rife with false, misleading, and nonsensical allegations." The representative emphasized AppLovin’s status as a regulated entity, noting that "we categorically reject the claims made in this report" regarding its capital structure and global operations.

CapitalWatch’s investigation centered on Hao Tang, a primary shareholder described as a "fugitive from Chinese justice" linked to the $36 billion collapse of P2P platform Tuandai.com. The report alleged that "every dollar of his equity is drenched in the blood and tears of victims of illegal fundraising," suggesting his holdings represent laundered proceeds. The representative pushed back, noting that, "As a publicly traded company... we cannot control who buys, holds, or sells our shares."

The short seller further alleged that AppLovin’s AI-driven AXON algorithm and "Silent Install" mechanisms function as "digital weapons" for criminal syndicates. According to CapitalWatch, these tools allow "black money" to be converted into legitimate revenue through fabricated advertising transactions across major app stores.

AppLovin maintains that its platform enforcement involves rigorous "Know Your Customer" (KYC) and tax verification requirements to ensure the integrity of its digital ecosystem. The representative argued that the claims are economically "implausible," stating that any attempt to launder funds would require forfeiting a substantial share of revenue while creating a highly visible auditable trail. "Accepting the report’s premise would therefore imply a systemic failure across the broader mobile advertising and app-store ecosystem, for which the report provides no evidence," the statement read.

Investors remain cautious as this latest report follows previous critiques from firms like Muddy Waters, Fuzzy Panda, and Culper Research, drawing the ire of AppLovin CEO Adam Foroughi, who previously asked investors to "dig deeper" and see through the short-seller noise. In March 2025, the company announced Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan’s Alex Spiro to "conduct an independent review and investigation into recent short report activity targeting the Company."

"Claims that AppLovin facilitated money laundering or its products are used for unauthorized downloads are patently false," the company rep stated, defending AppLovin’s compliance protocols amid the mounting scrutiny.

Investing.com -- Shares of Applovin Corp (NASDAQ:APP) fell 4.7% in premarket trading Tuesday following a scathing report by short-seller CapitalWatch, which alleges the NASDAQ-listed software firm has become a "safe haven" for illicit funds. The report claims the company’s capital structure is deeply intertwined with a Southeast Asian money-laundering syndicate, moving billions of dollars in "black money" from Chinese Ponzi schemes and Cambodian fraud rings into U.S. markets.

The investigation focuses on AppLovin’s primary shareholder, Hao Tang, whom CapitalWatch describes as a "fugitive from Chinese justice" linked to the $36 billion collapse of the P2P platform Tuandai.com. Analysts at CapitalWatch allege that "every dollar of his equity is drenched in the blood and tears of victims of illegal fundraising."

According to the report, the illicit proceeds from Chinese financial disasters and Southeast Asian "pig butchering" scams converge within AppLovin’s ecosystem to achieve "identity laundering." CapitalWatch researchers claim to have tracked a "capital conveyor belt" that utilizes the company’s advertising technology to legitimize funds through fabricated transactions.

The report identifies a functional synergy between Tang and Zhi Chen, the chairman of the Cambodia-based Prince Group, which the U.S. Department of Justice recently designated as a Transnational Criminal Organization. CapitalWatch asserts that "AppLovin serves as the ultimate exit for asset laundering/diversion by transnational criminal kingpins."

Beyond the shareholder structure, the report accuses AppLovin’s management of making fraudulent omissions to the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding its presence in mainland China. While the company has publicly denied significant Chinese operations, CapitalWatch claims to have confirmed an "operations team of over 15 people" in the country that shares U.S. user data without supervision.

To maintain this secrecy, the short-seller alleges management orchestrated a "malicious ’Option Heist’" to strip employees of equity before dismissing them. The report concludes that "management views Anti-Money Laundering (AML) laws as non-existent, accepting funds from global epicenters of telecom fraud without remorse."

The report further alleges that AppLovin’s core products, Array and the AXON algorithm, function as "digital weapons" for criminal syndicates to distribute illegal gambling and fraudulent applications. CapitalWatch claims the "Silent Install" mechanism in the software allows illicit apps to be implanted on user devices without consent, bypassing standard app store oversight.

This "Ad-Spend-as-Laundering" model allegedly allows groups like the Prince Group to pay massive advertising fees to AppLovin, effectively turning "black money" into legitimate revenue for a NASDAQ-listed entity. The report warns that this "functional symbiosis" has created a "perpetual motion machine powered by a Wall Street listed company and fueled by a Southeast Asian gang."

CapitalWatch is the latest in a series of firms to target the mobile technology company, following critical reports from Muddy Waters, Fuzzy Panda, and Culper Research. These firms have collectively raised alarms regarding AppLovin’s data-scraping practices and the sustainability of its AI-driven growth, with some calling for its exclusion from the S&P 500.

Muddy Waters previously claimed the firm "systematically" extracts user data and violates app store terms, while Fuzzy Panda described the company’s software as a "House of Cards" built on exploitation. The cumulative pressure from these investigations has stoked fears of a looming "regulatory storm" involving the Department of Justice and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

AppLovin CEO Adam Foroughi has moved to counter the narrative, initiating an independent investigation into the activities of the short-selling firms. He has consistently maintained that the allegations are "false and misleading" and "aimed at personal financial gain" for those betting against the company’s stock.

While AppLovin has yet to issue a specific rebuttal to the CapitalWatch report, and has yet to respond to Investing.com’s request for comment, the company has previously defended its compliance protocols and data security measures. For now, the market remains on edge as investors weigh the gravity of the allegations against the company’s recent performance.