The EU-US trade deal could have one unexpected winner: The UK

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As world leaders and economists across Europe digest the news of the EU-US trade agreement, some experts told CNBC that while it may be bad news for the bloc, the deal could serve as an unexpected boost to the UK.

The European Union is facing a higher 15% tariff rate on its goods imported to the US compared to the 10% levy the UK has agreed to. “In theory, the UK benefits”, Philip Shaw, chief economist at Investec, told CNBC.

“The new EU tariff of 15% means that UK exports to the US have become relatively cheaper, which could boost British trade with the US as American firms buy goods from Britain rather than the EU”, he explained.

UK goods would also be cheaper for US consumers due to the lower tariff rate, meaning they may favor British products over those manufactured in the EU, Alex Altmann, partner and head of Lubbock Fine LLP’s German desk, suggested in a note published shortly after the EU-US deal was announced. CNBC reports.

🤖 Microsoft's AI edge under scrutiny as OpenAI turns to rivals for cloud services:

Microsoft investors head into Wednesday's earnings with one big question: is the company's artificial intelligence edge at risk as partner OpenAI turns to rivals Google, Oracle and CoreWeave for cloud services?

Exclusive licensing deals and access to OpenAI's cutting-edge models have made Microsoft one of the biggest winners of the generative AI boom, fueling growth in its Azure cloud business and pushing its market value toward $4 trillion.

In the April-June quarter, the tie-up is expected to have driven a 34.8% increase in Azure revenue, in line with the company's forecast and higher than the 33% rise in the previous three months, according to data from Visible Alpha. Yahoo Finance reports.

🎧 Spotify stock slides after Q2 earnings and revenue miss, snapping back from record highs:

Spotify shares fell as much as 10% in early premarket trading Tuesday after the company missed second quarter earnings and revenue expectations.

The results follow a remarkable 120% rally over the past year, as the stock rebounded from 2022 lows on the back of price hikes, cost cuts, and investor enthusiasm for AI and advertising.

Spotify hit a record high of $738.45 earlier this month, but shares slid to around $635 immediately following the results. Yahoo Finance reports.

🧬 Sarepta can begin shipping Elevidys therapy after FDA reverses pause, stock soars:

Sarepta will begin shipping its top-selling muscular dystrophy therapy, Elevidys, after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reversed its request for a voluntary pause late Monday.

The news sent Sarepta's stock up sharply. The company extended gains Tuesday, with its stock up more than 40% in pre-market action. Sarepta had been trading down nearly 90% year-to-date after four patient deaths, and FDA probe and a European Medicines Agency panel recommending rejection of Elevidys pressured the company last week.

"We are very pleased that FDA chose to rapidly and comprehensively complete that review and to recommend that we remove our voluntary pause and resume shipment of Elevidys for ambulatory patients," said Sarepta CEO Doug Ingram, in a statement Monday. Yahoo Finance reports.

🚈 Union Pacific to buy Norfolk in $85 billion mega US railroad deal:

Union Pacific said on Tuesday it would buy smaller rival Norfolk Southern in an $85 billion deal, to create the nation's first coast-to-coast freight rail operator and reshape the movement of goods from grains to autos across the country.

If approved, the deal would combine Union Pacific's stronghold in the western two-thirds of the U.S. with Norfolk's 19,500 mile network that primarily spans 22 eastern states. Reuters reports.

💳 PayPal lifts 2025 profit forecast above estimates as turnaround picks up pace:

PayPal raised its full-year profit forecast above Wall Street estimates on Tuesday, as the digital payments giant's push to revive growth in high-margin businesses such as Venmo and U.S. checkout begins to pay off.

Under CEO Alex Chriss, PayPal has shifted its focus to profitability rather than chasing top-line growth. The company is trying to regain momentum in parts of its business that lost steam after the pandemic-era e-commerce boom faded and competition intensified.

PayPal's Venmo, a platform that has become virtually synonymous with peer-to-peer payments in the U.S., posted revenue growth of 20% for the second quarter.

The unit's total payment volume growth accelerated to its highest rate in three years. Yahoo Finance reports.

📊 P&G signals sluggish annual growth amid leadership change, tariffs:

Procter & Gamble on Tuesday forecast annual results largely below Wall Street estimates in the face of cautious consumers, a day after the Tide parent named an insider as CEO to steer it through the tariff uncertainty.

The muted expectations will likely pile pressure on Shailesh Jejurikar, who on Monday was named to the top post replacing Jon Moeller.

Meanwhile, P&G, which topped fourth-quarter revenue and profit estimates on price hikes, will raise prices on about a quarter of its products in the U.S., starting this month, to help offset the cost of new tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump. Reuters reports.

(All pricing and percent gains are based on Early Pre-Market from 4:00 AM to 7:00 AM Eastern Time)
Benzinga reports.

1) $SLRX: Salarius Pharmaceuticals

Total gain: +180.66%

2) $SGD: Safe & Green Development

Total gain: +55.68%

3) $STAI: ScanTech AI Systems

Total gain: +55.45%

4) $SRPT: Sarepta Therapeutics

Total gain: +42.27%

5) $SCNI: Scinai Immunotherapeutics

Total gain: +34.14%

The closing price of the top three market percent gainers trading near or above $3 on July 28.
Benzinga reports.

*All pricing and percent gains are based on regular market trading hours from 9:30am to 4:00pm Eastern Time

1) $VWAV: VisionWave Holdings

Total gain: +365.95%

The company announced that it has entered into a transformative funding agreement with a prominent institutional investor, securing up to $50 million in capital through a Standby Equity Purchase Agreement, along with a $5 million tranche funding commitment in the form of convertible notes. Benzinga reports.

2) $ELWS: Earlyworks

Total gain: +31.01%

The stock appeared to be moving on no notable news.

3) $RCT: RedCloud Holdings

Total gain: +29.54%

The stock appeared to be moving on no notable news.

*Estimate and Actual numbers represent Earnings Per Share in US Dollars


UPS: United Parcel Service
2Q 2025

Before Market Open
Estimate: 1.560
Actual: 1.550

SWK: Stanley Black & Decker
2Q 2025

Before Market Open
Estimate: 0.400
Actual: 1.080

CSTM: Constellium
2Q 2025

Before Market Open
Estimate: 0.270
Actual: 0.250

Time (ET) | Report | Period

8:30 am - Advanced U.S. trade balance in goods - June

8:30 am - Advanced retail inventories - June

“Don't focus on making money; focus on protecting what you have.”

- Paul Tudor Jones

Sourced in: "Market Wizards: Interviews with Top Traders”, by Jack D. Schwager, published in 1989.