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Should You Buy Roblox Stock Now? Key Levels to Watch

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Roblox Corporation (RBLX), the company behind the immersive online gaming universe, has been on a strong run since April. This isn’t the first time the stock demonstrated sustained technical strength: RBLX has maintained a StockCharts Technical Rank (SCTR) above 90, aside from a few dips, since last November.

Currently, RBLX is showing up on a few scans that may signal an opportunity for those who are bullish on the stock. It currently ranks among the SCTR Report Top 10, but also appeared on a few cautionary scans, including the Parabolic SAR Sell Signals and Overbought with a Declining RSI scans (both of which are available in the StockCharts Sample Scan Library).

So here’s the question: Is RBLX a strong stock that’s about to undergo a buyable dip?

Weekly Chart: Key Breakout and Resistance Levels

Before we explore that question, let’s take a look at a weekly chart for a broader perspective.

FIGURE 1. WEEKLY CHART OF RBLX. The stock is barely above halfway between its three-year lows and highs. If it delivers the growth investors expect, you could see another leg higher once the pullback completes.

The weekly chart shows RBLX trading in a broad range from late 2022 to late 2024, repeatedly failing to clear resistance near $47–$48. When it finally broke out in November, the stock’s technical strength was reflected in its SCTR score, which held a sustained position above the 90 line save a few declines.

Breaking above the $47–$48 resistance was a key move, as that level turned into support in December and again in April, where RBLX established a base ahead of its current rally. The subsequent move up was sharp, arguably even parabolic, peaking at $106.17 before pulling back.

If you look closely, you’ll see a swing high at around the $125 level (December 2022). This marks a technical level that happens to align with several Wall Street price targets. The blue line at $140 marks RBLX’s all-time high. Both levels can serve as potential price targets and are also likely to act as resistance.

RBLX is a technically strong stock that is fundamentally robust, despite remaining unprofitable on a GAAP basis. With strong user engagement, accelerating revenue growth, and plenty of free cash flow, it’s a favorable growth stock. However, it’s overbought. So, for those looking to get in, what are the key levels to watch out for?

Daily Chart: Fixed and Dynamic Support Levels to Watch

Let’s shift over to a daily chart.

FIGURE 2. DAILY CHART OF RBLX. Although the stock is currently overbought, there are plenty of support levels below. If you’re bullish on the stock, now’s the time to add RBLX to your ChartLists and set price alerts.

The strength of RBLX’s current surge is highlighted by the Bollinger Bands. The stock has been “walking the band” over the past two months. Now that it has pulled back, it appears to be bouncing off the middle band, suggesting that investors are still accumulating the stock.

As far as the pullback is concerned, the Money Flow Index (MFI), a volume-weighted Relative Strength Index (RSI), shows that RBLX entered overbought territory in May and began declining in late June, revealing a divergence between MFI and price—an early signal that RBLX was about to pull back. That pullback materialized on Tuesday. Whether it continues in the coming sessions is something we’ll have to see. In contrast, the Chaikin Money Flow (CMF), a measure of volume-based momentum, suggests that buying pressure is still relatively strong.

Whether RBLX continues advancing or pulls back in the near term, keep an eye on the Bollinger Bands for potential support. You may also encounter a bounce and favorable entry point at $92.50, a “local” swing low.

Another stronger support level sits near $75, aligning with the February and April swing highs. HOWEVER, that’s a huge drop; if the price falls toward this level, you’d have to reevaluate the stock’s momentum, volume, market sentiment, and the broader economic factors that may be driving such a decline.

When to Consider Entering RBLX

If you’re bullish on the stock, RBLX is something you’ll want to monitor in the days ahead. Add it to your ChartLists and observe how it acts within the context of the Bollinger Bands. If the stock declines further, you may want to set a price alert at $92.50 to see how price responds to this recent swing low. As mentioned above, further declines would warrant a re-evaluation, so keep a close eye on the price action.

Is Roblox Stock Still a Buy?

RBLX’s surge reflects growing optimism about the company’s future growth prospects. While it isn’t profitable yet by GAAP standards, its strong performance relative to analyst expectations and its strong free cash flow have made it something of a Wall Street darling. For now, the technicals are the proof in the pudding. If it is what growth investors seek, the price action should provide evidence before the fundamentals validate it in the coming earnings quarters.

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.


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Missed Disney’s Rally? Grab This Defined-Risk Put Spread for a Second Chance

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Stocks keep notching record highs. If you’re like most investors, you’re probably wondering, “Should I really chase these prices or sit tight and wait for a pullback?”

Instead of overthinking and ending up in Analysis-Paralysis land, however, it may be worth exploring other avenues — and maybe even something you’ve never thought of.

Enter bearish counter-trend options strategies. Yup, it sounds crazy, especially when the S&P 500 ($SPX) and Nasdaq Composite ($COMPQ) closed at fresh highs. But here’s the reality: a well-planned put strategy has the potential to generate some revenue while you wait for the market to slow down or pull back. I got the idea after watching a recent video that dives into these strategies (worth watching if you haven’t).

Finding an Optimal Options Strategy

If you click the OptionsPlay Strategy Center tab on your StockCharts Dashboard (OptionsPlay Add-On for StockCharts required), choose the Bearish Counter Trend or Bullish Counter Trend categories (depending on whether the market is bullish or bearish), and then select the Bear Put Spread strategy, you’ll see all the stocks that meet the criteria. Since stocks are in a bullish trajectory, I decided to look at stocks in the Bearish Counter Trend list. I also chose the 45-day timeframe, a balanced risk profile, and $2,500 max risk. I sorted the list based on IV rank. Walt Disney Co. (DIS) made it to the top of the list.

A couple of points to consider:

  • A risk/reward ratio of 0.6 to 1
  • Disney’s earnings date of August 6, which falls before the spread expires.

However, looking through the other charts on the list, DIS appeared to be the most likely to pull back in the near term.

Here’s where the beauty of options comes into play. They’re extremely flexible, and you can tweak the strategies to give you a risk/reward that’s more desirable.

With that in mind, let’s dive into Disney’s stock chart and consider how low the stock could go.

Disney’s Daily Chart

Looking at the daily chart of DIS, the stock price has pulled back a bit, and momentum, although relatively high as indicated by the relative strength index (RSI) and percentage price oscillator (PPO), is showing signs of slowing down. If momentum continues to weaken, DIS could move lower and fall to around the $120 level (dashed blue horizontal line).

FIGURE 1. DAILY CHART OF DISNEY STOCK. DIS has been rising after its early May gap up. It’s now pulling back, and Disney’s stock price closed today at $122.98.Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

The Put Spread Can Bring a Little Magic

If you click the Options tab below the chart, you’ll see three strategies you could apply. Since I have a bearish bias, I clicked the Bearish button. The three optimized strategies that came up:

  •  Sell 100 shares of DIS.
  • Buy one DIS put.
  • Buy a put vertical. The put vertical has the highest OptionsPlay score and is the one that aligns with the bearish counter-trend strategy.

Looking at the risk curve for the put spread — buying 1 Aug 15 125 put and selling 1 Aug 15 110 put (see below) — you’re risking $471 for a potential reward of $1029. This is slightly better than a 0.6 to 1 risk/reward ratio. The breakeven level is $120.29, which aligns with the support level on the price chart. At least there’s a high probability of breaking even, although you want to do better than that. DIS could fall below the $120 level. I would consider placing this trade.

FIGURE 2: RISK CURVES FOR THREE OPTIMAL STRATEGIES FOR TRADING DIS STOCK. The put vertical spread has the best score, defined-risk, and an attractive payoff.Chart source: StockCharts.com. For educational purposes.

Final Thoughts

Options are dynamic, and if you decide to put on the trade, monitor your open positions regularly. With options, it’s not just about price. Time decay and volatility can change the premiums. If these variables change significantly, consider adjusting your trade.

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional.


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Crypto Market Recap: Coinbase Acquires Liquifi, Tether to Have its Day in Court

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Here’s a quick recap of the crypto landscape for Wednesday (July 2) as of 9:00 p.m. UTC.

Get the latest insights on Bitcoin, Ethereum and altcoins, along with a round-up of key cryptocurrency market news.

Bitcoin and Ethereum price update

Bitcoin (BTC) is priced at US$109,452, up by four percent in the last 24 hours, and its highest valuation of the day. The day’s range for the cryptocurrency brought a low of US$107,542.

Bitcoin price performance, July 2, 2025.

Chart via TradingView.

Bitcoin’s price gain was driven by a calming in Middle East tensions and growing optimism after the US Federal Reserve signaled a dovish tilt; both factors boosted investor risk appetite. Additionally, continued inflows into US spot Bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and favorable regulation expectations helped sustain upward momentum.

Ethereum (ETH) is priced at US$2,584.30, up by 7.5 percent over the past 24 hours and its highest valuation of the day. Its lowest valuation on Wednesday was US$2,446.41.

Altcoin price update

  • Solana (SOL) was priced at US$152.55, up by five percent over 24 hours. Its highest valuation as of Wednesday was US$153.39, and its lowest was US$148.29.
  • XRP was trading for US$2.18, up by 4.9 percent in 24 hours. The cryptocurrency’s lowest valuation was US$2.15 and its highest was US$2.27.
  • Sui (SUI) is trading at US$2.92, showing an increaseof 9.3 percent over the past 24 hours and its highest valuation on Wednesday. Its lowest valuation was US$2.76.
  • Cardano (ADA) is priced at US$0.5932, up by 10.6 percent in the last 24 hours, and its highest valuation of the day. Its lowest valuation as of Wednesday was US$0.5605.

Today’s crypto news to know

Judge permits billion-dollar lawsuit against Tether

A US bankruptcy judge is allowing a US$40 billion lawsuit against stablecoin issuer Tether to proceed, according to court documents filed in New York on Monday (June 30). The lawsuit was launched by crypto lender Celsius, which accused Tether of improperly liquidating nearly 40,000 Bitcoin from its platform in June 2022.

Tether attempted to dismiss claims, arguing that the liquidation was to cover Celsius’s US$812 million debt when Bitcoin prices plummeted. Tether also claimed that US courts lacked authority over Tether’s non-US operations, a claim the judge disagreed with, and maintains that Celsius had directed the liquidation.

Coinbase buys Liquifi in undisclosed deal

Coinbase has acquired Liquifi, a startup that builds token management platforms for crypto projects, continuing its busy M&A streak in 2025. Liquifi, backed in its 2022 seed round by Dragonfly and investors like Balaji Srinivasan, helps projects track token vesting, manage crypto cap tables, and handle tax requirements. Coinbase declined to disclose the purchase price, but said Liquifi will help streamline token launches and distribution. This puts Coinbase closer to an “end-to-end” model, similar to Binance’s launchpad, which supports crypto creation from early stages.

Liquifi has been locked in a legal fight with competitor Toku over alleged business document theft, claims which it denies, and Coinbase said it will stand by Liquifi’s defense.

The deal follows other Coinbase acquisitions this year, including Spindl, Iron Fish’s team and the company’s record-breaking US$2.9 billion Deribit buy.

SEC considers streamlining ETF listings

The US Securities and Exchange Commission is reportedly considering a change to its listing structure that would allow ETF issuers to submit a Form S-1, the initial listing registration filing, without having to first file a Form 19b-4.

This is according to crypto journalist Eleanor Terrett, who added that she was told issuers would only need to wait 75 days before listing their tokens if they met the criteria for a general listing standard, the details of which are still unknown but could involve criteria like market capitalization, liquidity and trading volume.

Tech billionaires launch crypto-focused bank Erebor

A group of prominent tech investors, including Anduril’s Palmer Luckey, Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund and Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, are backing a new US-based crypto bank called Erebor, as per the Financial Times.

Erebor has applied for a national banking charter and plans to serve technology-driven sectors like artificial intelligence, defense and crypto, as well as individuals working in these fields.

The digital-only bank will be headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, with an additional office in New York.

Erebor intends to hold stablecoins on its balance sheet, offering a stable value backed by reserves. The bank is led by Owen Rapaport and Jacob Hirshman, a former Circle adviser.

Erebor’s mission is to address the gap left by the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank, which had been a critical channel for startups and venture investors until its 2023 failure.

AllUnity to launch Euro stablecoin

Germany’s financial watchdog, BaFin, has granted regulatory approval to Deutsche Bank and its asset management arm, DWS, for their joint venture, AllUnity. They will launch a euro stablecoin called EURAU, pegged 1:1 to the euro.

The approval allows AllUnity to launch its stablecoin in compliance with new MiCA regulations. The stablecoin aims to facilitate secure, transparent and compliant digital payments for institutions and businesses across Europe.

In other news out of Europe, the European Central Bank said it plans to test a new system using blockchain technology by late 2026 to settle payments in euros. This initiative, called Pontes, is part of a two-track approach that will connect modern blockchain platforms with the eurozone’s existing payment systems.

China considers stablecoins to reinforce cross-border payment strategy

Policy advisors in China are pressing Beijing to explore stablecoins for cross-border payments, even as the country’s broad crypto ban remains in place, Bloomberg reported.

People’s Bank of China (PBOC) Governor Pan Gongsheng noted that stablecoins could make international finance more resilient to geopolitical disruptions, a view echoed by other senior officials.

Former PBOC governor Zhou Xiaochuan suggested dollar-linked stablecoins might even accelerate dollarization, while others see a case for yuan-backed coins to support China’s long-term currency goals.

The momentum comes after the US Senate passed a stablecoin bill in June, advancing President Donald Trump’s digital currency agenda. Stablecoin supply is projected to reach US$3.7 trillion by 2030, driven by cheaper, faster settlement options compared to traditional banking.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

Securities Disclosure: I, Meagen Seatter, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Robinhood Shares Hit Record High on EU Launch of Tokenized US Stocks

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Robinhood Markets (NASDAQ:HOOD) rolled out a bold new push into tokenized equities on Monday (June 30), announcing the launch of commission-free stock tokens for EU customers.

The Menlo Park-based brokerage said the tokens will trade 24 hours a day, five days a week, via a partnership with blockchain firm Arbitrum. Robinhood also revealed plans to expand the service to “thousands” of stock tokens by the end of the year and to eventually develop its own blockchain to enable full 24/7 trading.

Robinhood surged nearly 13 percent to an all-time high of US$93.63 on Monday after the announcement.

“Tokenization is going to open the door to a massive trading revolution,” Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev said at the company’s keynote event, held in Cannes, France.

In a significant first, Robinhood also introduced tokenized shares linked to private companies — specifically Sam Altman’s OpenAI and Elon Musk’s SpaceX — which will be made available exclusively to EU customers.

To mark the launch, Robinhood is offering 5 euros worth of OpenAI and SpaceX stock tokens to every eligible EU user who joins the platform by July 7. Altogether, the company has earmarked US$1 million worth of OpenAI tokens and US$500,000 worth of SpaceX tokens for the incentive program.

Johann Kerbrat, Robinhood’s general manager and senior vice president of crypto, said the move reflects a desire to break open traditionally exclusive investment opportunities.

“We wanted to make sure we were giving access,” he said in Cannes.

“What we discussed on stage was how to address the inequality between people who have historically had access to these kinds of companies and everyone else. That’s the really exciting part: Now everyone will be able to get it.”

He added: “The goal with tokenization is to let anyone participate in this economy.”

Access to private equity has historically been limited to institutional or ultra-wealthy investors, but the EU’s more flexible regulatory environment allowed Robinhood to move quickly.

The tokenized shares will be distributed directly into users’ Robinhood custody wallets and support dividend payments, the company said, promising the same ownership and rights as traditional shares.

Robinhood’s effort reflects growing enthusiasm around so-called tokenized equities, which merge the advantages of traditional finance with blockchain-powered flexibility and low costs.

The model allows round-the-clock trading, fractional ownership, and lower barriers to entry.

Still, regulatory uncertainties cloud the future of tokenized equities, especially in the United States, where definitions around securities and investor protection rules remain unresolved.

Robinhood execs made clear that US customers should not expect to see similar private equity tokens anytime soon. The company is lobbying for more open frameworks to let retail US users participate in private equity markets.

For now, Robinhood will continue rolling out tokenized assets in the EU and expand to other jurisdictions as rules evolve.

Robinhood also announced crypto perpetual futures for its EU users, as well as the launch of crypto staking for US customers.

Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.

This post appeared first on investingnews.com

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Apple sues former Vision Pro employee for allegedly stealing ‘thousands of documents’ before joining Snap

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Apple has accused a former engineer for its Vision Pro headset computer of stealing company trade secrets before starting a new job at Snap, according to a lawsuit filed in California last week.

In the June 24 court filing, Apple accuses Di Liu, a senior design engineer, of downloading thousands of documents in his final days at the Cupertino company last year and saving them to his personal cloud accounts.

This lawsuit is the latest example of Apple publicly going after a former employee for leaking internal information. Apple is an intensely secretive company, and lawsuits like this one highlight how the iPhone maker exercises tight control over its internal information, even if it has to pursue legal action against former staff.

Apple alleges that Liu didn’t inform the company when he resigned late last year that he was headed to Snap, a competitor and maker of smart glasses. As a result, Apple did not shut off his access to accounts and allowed him a customary two-week transition period, which he used to download company files, according to the lawsuit.

“Worse still, the review of Mr. Liu’s Apple-issued work laptop also shows that while maintaining access to Apple’s Proprietary Information under false pretenses, he used his Apple credentials to exfiltrate thousands of documents containing Proprietary Information from Apple’s secure file storage systems,” the iPhone maker’s lawyers said in the filing.

Many of the files downloaded by Liu had codenames for Apple projects and described the company’s technology, product design and supply chain, according to the lawsuit. Apple says that all employees agree to keep Apple files confidential and that Liu broke confidentiality agreements he made when he joined. Liu worked for Apple between 2017 and 2024, according to the lawsuit.

Liu worked on Apple’s Vision Pro headset as a system product design engineer, per the filing. Liu did not respond to a request for comment from CNBC.

Apple lawyers wrote that Liu could use the trade secrets in his work at Snap. Apple is not suing Snap, and the social media company did not respond to a request for comment.

“The overlap between Apple’s Proprietary Information that Mr. Liu retained and Snap’s AR products (for which Mr. Liu is a ‘product design engineer’) suggests that Mr. Liu intends to use Apple’s Proprietary Information at Snap,” according to the filing.

Apple is seeking damages and for Liu to have his devices inspected by a forensic examiner to make sure all the trade secrets are deleted.

The iPhone maker has sued several former employees in recent years for taking files when they left the company.

Apple settled with former engineer Simon Lancaster in 2022 over providing information to a journalist. Apple also sued a former employee, Andrew Aude, in 2024 over leaking details to the media. That lawsuit was dismissed after Aude apologized.

The Cupertino company sued Rivos, a chip startup staffed by former Apple semiconductor employees, over its intellectual property, and settled in 2024.

Additionally at least three former Apple employees have also been arrested and accused by the government of taking company secrets and giving them to China-linked organizations. One pled guilty and was sentenced to four months in prison, and two are still in proceedings.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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Microsoft laying off about 9,000 employees in latest round of cuts

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Microsoft said Wednesday that it will lay off about 9,000 employees. The move will affect less than 4% of its global workforce across different teams, geographies and levels of experience, a person familiar with the matter told CNBC.

The announcement comes on the second day of Microsoft’s 2026 fiscal year. Executives at the Redmond, Washington-based company typically unveil reorganizations at the time of the new fiscal year.

“We continue to implement organizational changes necessary to best position the company and teams for success in a dynamic marketplace,” a Microsoft spokesperson said in an email.

Microsoft has held several rounds of layoffs already this calendar year. In January, it cut less than 1% of headcount based on performance. The 50-year-old software company slashed more than 6,000 jobs in May and then at least 300 more in June. As of June 2024 it employed 228,000 people. In 2023, it laid off 10,000.

Perhaps the largest culling of Microsoft workers came in 2014, when the company eliminated 18,000 after acquiring Nokia’s devices and services business.

As was the case with the May layoffs, Microsoft is looking to reduce the number of layers of managers that stand between individual contributors and top executives, said the person who asked not to be named while discussing internal matters.

“To position Gaming for enduring success and allow us to focus on strategic growth areas, we will end or decrease work in certain areas of the business and follow Microsoft’s lead in removing layers of management to increase agility and effectiveness,” Phil Spencer, Microsoft’s CEO of gaming, wrote in a Wednesday memo to employees in that division.

Microsoft reported nearly $26 billion in net income on $70 billion in revenue for the March quarter. The numbers were well ahead of Wall Street’s consensus, keeping Microsoft ranked as one of the most profitable companies in the S&P 500 index, according to data compiled by FactSet.

Executives called for about 14% year-over-year revenue growth in the June quarter, thanks to expected expansion in Azure cloud services and corporate productivity software subscriptions

Microsoft stock closed at a record high of $497.45 per share on June 26. At the start of Wednesday’s trading session, the shares were down about 0.6%, while the S&P 500 was roughly flat.

Autodesk, Chegg and CrowdStrike are among the other software providers that have slimmed down in 2025. Earlier on Wednesday, payroll processing company ADP said the U.S. private sector lost 33,000 jobs in June. Economists polled by Dow Jones had predicted an increase of 100,000.

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Dalai Lama vows he won’t be the last leader of Tibetan Buddhism

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The Dalai Lama has announced that he will have a successor after his death, continuing a centuries-old tradition that has become a flashpoint in the struggle with China’s Communist Party over Tibet’s future.

Tibetan Buddhism’s spiritual leader made the declaration on Wednesday in a video message to religious elders gathering in Dharamshala, India, where the Nobel Peace laureate has lived since fleeing Tibet after a failed uprising against Chinese communist rule in 1959.

“I am affirming that the institution of the Dalai Lama will continue,” the Dalai Lama said in the pre-recorded video, citing requests he received over the years from Tibetans and Tibetan Buddhists urging him to do so.

“The Gaden Phodrang Trust has sole authority to recognize the future reincarnation; no one else has any such authority to interfere in this matter,” he added, using the formal name for the office of the Dalai Lama.

The office should carry out the procedures of search and recognition of the future dalai lama “in accordance with past tradition,” he said, without revealing further details on the process.

The Dalai Lama has previously stated that when he is about 90 years old, he will consult the high lamas of Tibetan Buddhism and the Tibetan public to re-evaluate whether the institution of the dalai lama should continue.

Wednesday’s announcement – delivered days before his 90th birthday this Sunday – sets the stage for a high-stakes battle over his succession, between Tibetan leaders in exile and China’s atheist Communist Party, which insists it alone holds the authority to approve the next dalai lama.

In a memoir published in March, the Dalai Lama states that his successor will be born in the “free world” outside China, urging his followers to reject any candidate selected by Beijing.

That could lead to the emergence of two rival dalai lamas: one chosen by his predecessor, the other by the Chinese Communist Party, experts say.

“Both the Tibetan exile community and the Chinese government want to influence the future of Tibet, and they see the next Dalai Lama as the key to do so,” said Ruth Gamble, an expert in Tibetan history at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia.

Samdhong Rinpoche, a senior official at the Dalai Lama’s office, told reporters on Wednesday that any further information about the procedures or methods of the Dalai Lama’s reincarnation would not be revealed to the public until the succession takes place.

Struggle over succession

Over a lifetime in exile, the 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, has become synonymous with Tibet and its quest for genuine autonomy under Beijing’s tightening grip on the Himalayan region.

From his adopted hometown of Dharamshala, where he established a government-in-exile, the spiritual leader has unified Tibetans at home and in exile and elevated their plight onto the global stage.

That has made the Dalai Lama a persistent thorn in the side of Beijing, which denounces him as a dangerous “separatist” and a “wolf in monk’s robes.”

Since the 1970s, the Dalai Lama has maintained that he no longer seeks full independence for Tibet, but “meaningful” autonomy that would allow Tibetans to preserve their distinct culture, religion and identity. His commitment to the nonviolent “middle way” approach has earned him international support and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989.

The Dalai Lama has long been wary of Beijing’s attempt to meddle with the reincarnation system of Tibetan Buddhism.

Tibetan Buddhists believe in the circle of rebirth, and that when an enlightened spiritual master like the Dalai Lama dies, he will be able to choose the place and time of his rebirth through the force of compassion and prayer.

But the religious tradition has increasingly become a battleground for the control of Tibetan hearts and minds, especially since the contested reincarnation of the Panchen Lama, the second-highest figure in the religion.

In 1995, years after the death of the 10th Panchen Lama, Beijing installed its own panchen lama in defiance of the Dalai Lama, whose pick for the role – a six-year-old boy – has since vanished from public view.

Under Tibetan tradition, the dalai lamas and the panchen lamas have long played key roles in recognizing each other’s reincarnations. Experts believe Beijing will seek to interfere in the current Dalai Lama’s succession in a similar way.

“There’s a whole series of high-level reincarnated lamas cultivated by the Chinese government to work with it inside Tibet. (Beijing) will call on all of those to help establish the Dalai Lama that they pick inside Tibet,” Gamble said. “There’s been a long-term plan to work toward this.”

Beijing has repeatedly said that the reincarnation of all Living Buddhas – or high-ranking lamas in Tibetan Buddhism – must comply with Chinese laws and regulations, with search and identification conducted in China and approved by the central government.

A “resolution of gratitude” statement released by Tibetan Buddhist religious leaders gathering in Dharamshala on Wednesday said they “strongly condemn the People’s Republic of China’s usage of reincarnation subject for their political gain” and “will never accept it.”

For his part, the current Dalai Lama has made clear that any candidate appointed by Beijing will hold no legitimacy in the eyes of Tibetans or followers of Tibetan Buddhism.

“It is totally inappropriate for Chinese Communists, who explicitly reject religion, including the idea of past and future lives, to meddle in the system of reincarnation of lamas, let alone that of the Dalai Lama,” he writes in his latest memoir, “Voice for the Voiceless.”

This post appeared first on cnn.com

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North Korea to send as many as 30,000 troops to bolster Russia’s forces, Ukrainian officials say

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North Korea is set to triple the number of its troops fighting for Russia along the front lines with Ukraine, sending an additional 25,000 to 30,000 soldiers to assist Moscow, according to an intelligence assessment from Ukrainian officials.

The assessment also says there are signs that Russian military aircraft are being refitted to carry personnel, reflecting the vast undertaking of moving tens of thousands of foreign troops across Russian Siberia, which shares a border with North Korea in its far southwest.

North Korea initially sent 11,000 troops to Russia in the fall of 2024 in great secrecy, with Russian President Vladimir Putin only confirming the deployment in late April.

In October, North Korean soldiers were pictured being handed equipment for the frontlines at the Sergeevka military base in Primorskyi Krai.

A month later, a Ropucha-class Russian ship docked at the Dunai port near Nakhodka, 95 kilometers (59 miles) to the southwest, which could carry up to 400 troops, analysts said.

“Satellite imagery shows a Russian personnel carrier arriving at Dunai in May, and activity at Sunan airport in May and June,” said Joe Byrne, senior analyst at the Open Source Centre. “This appears to indicate the routes previously used to move DPRK troops are active, and could be used in any large-scale future transfer of personnel.”

Jenny Town, senior fellow and director of the Korean program at the Stimson Center, said the Ukrainian assessment of up to 30,000 sounded “high… but they can certainly come up with that number. They won’t be elite soldiers. Kim Jong Un has said he is all in, so it depends on what Russia has asked for.”

Town said 10,000 to 20,000 “sounds more realistic,” and that North Korea might slowly deploy the troops in stages. “There have been rumors that Russian generals have been inside North Korea training troops there already,” she said.

Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umerov said Thursday that Kyiv suspected further North Korean troops might be deployed but added that the country’s leader, Kim Jong Un, risked putting his own government in peril by exposing so many elite troops to the high casualty rates of the front line. “Russia’s use of elite North Korean troops demonstrates not only a growing reliance on totalitarian regimes but also serious problems with its mobilization reserve,” Umerov said. “Together with our partners, we are monitoring these threats and will respond accordingly.”

On Friday, Ukraine’s military chief, Oleksandr Syrskyi, said Russia was amassing 110,000 troops near the front-line hotspot town of Pokrovsk, in preparation for a possible offensive on the strategic population center.

Sergei Shoigu, a top adviser to Putin who previously served as his defense minister, visited Pyongyang on June 17 – a trip made on Putin’s orders, and his second visit in a fortnight, the Russian state-run TASS news agency reported. During the visit, Shoigu announced 1,000 North Korean sappers and 5,000 military construction workers would be sent to Russia, to clear mines and “restore infrastructure destroyed by the occupiers” in the Kursk region, according to TASS.

South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) has briefed lawmakers in Seoul that North Korea has begun selecting personnel for overseas deployment which could occur as early as July or August, according to remarks by lawmaker Lee Seong-kweun. He highlighted Russia’s public announcement of another 6,000 North Korean mine clearers and military construction workers being sent. It is unclear if the NIS shares the Ukranian intelligence assessment that the deployment could be as many as 30,000.

The six-minute video shows a Russian military instructor declaring that North Koreans aged 23 to 27 arrive “physically well-prepared.” He added, “As fighters they are not worse than ours. The enemy runs away first.”

The Russian trainer discusses with Kim a translation sheet of basic military Russian terms to Korean. It is unclear if the North Korean trainees are new arrivals or the remnants of the 11,000 sent last year. The reporter also visits a trench network where the North Koreans live with basic comfort items such as red Korean pepper, and handwritten posters declaring in Korean “Revenge for our fallen comrades” above their bunks.

Another two videos posted by TASS imply greater integration of North Korean soldiers into the Russian military than was previously seen. North Korean troops’ first exposure to the front line in Kursk was as a distinct, separate unit, owing to the language barrier with Moscow’s troops, according to assessments by Ukrainian officials.

One TASS video shows North Korean and Russian troops working to clear buildings together in close-combat training, and another shows North Koreans receiving training with shotguns, used to tackle the Ukrainian drone threat.

The manuals have emerged at the same time as increasing numbers of videos of North Korean artillery at the front line have been seen online, and as a report from 11 UN member states last month said that Pyongyang had sent at least 100 ballistic missiles and 9 million artillery shells to Russia in 2024.

The report also echoed statements from the South Korean military in March that another 3,000 North Korean troops had been sent to Russia early this year.

Town, from the Stimson Center, said Pyongyang saw a long-term benefit to Moscow being in its debt. “The more ‘blood debt’ there is between them,” she said, “the more North Korea will benefit in the long run, even if they are making sacrifices in the short term.”

This post appeared first on cnn.com

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S&P 500 Earnings for 2025 Q1 — Still Overvalued

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S&P 500 earnings are in for 2025 Q1, and here is our valuation analysis.

The following chart shows the normal value range of the S&P 500 Index, indicating where the S&P 500 would have to be in order to have an overvalued P/E of 20 (red line), a fairly valued P/E of 15 (blue line), or an undervalued P/E of 10 (green line). Annotations on the right side of the chart show where the range is projected to be, based upon earnings estimates through 2026 Q1.

Historically, price has usually remained below the top of the normal value range (red line); however, since about 1998, it has not been uncommon for price to exceed normal overvalue levels, sometimes by a lot. The market has been mostly overvalued since 1992, and it has not been undervalued since 1984. We could say that this is the “new normal,” except that it isn’t normal by GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) standards.

We use GAAP earnings as the basis for our analysis. The table below shows earnings projections through March 2026. Keep in mind that the P/E estimates are calculated based upon the S&P 500 close as of June 30, 2025. They will change daily depending on where the market goes from here. It is notable that the P/E remains outside the normal range.

The following table shows where the bands are projected be, based upon earnings estimates through 2026 Q1.

This DecisionPoint chart keeps track of S&P 500 fundamentals, P/E and yield, and it is updated daily — not that you need to watch it that closely, but it is up-to-date when you need it.

CONCLUSION: The market is still very overvalued and the P/E is still well above the normal range. Earnings have ticked up and are projected to trend higher for the next four quarters. High valuation applies negative pressure on the market, but other more positive factors can keep the market in overvalued territory.

(c) Copyright 2025 DecisionPoint.com

Technical Analysis is a windsock, not a crystal ball.

Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. The ideas and strategies should never be used without first assessing your own personal and financial situation, or without consulting a financial professional. Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author, and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity.

DecisionPoint is not a registered investment advisor. Investment and trading decisions are solely your responsibility. DecisionPoint newsletters, blogs or website materials should NOT be interpreted as a recommendation or solicitation to buy or sell any security or to take any specific action.


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Top 10 July 2025 Stock Picks You Shouldn’t Miss

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Join Grayson for a solo show as he reveals his top 10 stock charts to watch this month. From breakout strategies to moving average setups, he walks through technical analysis techniques using relative strength, momentum, and trend-following indicators. As a viewer, you’ll also gain insight into key market trends and chart patterns that could directly impact your trading strategy. Whether you’re a short-term trader or a long-term investor, this breakdown will help you stay one step ahead.

This video originally premiered on July 1, 2025. Click on the above image to watch on our dedicated Grayson Roze page on StockCharts TV.

You can view previously recorded videos from Grayson at this link.


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