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Group accused of using fake accounts to buy tickets to Taylor Swift and Springsteen shows

A ticket-reselling operation used a network of fake accounts to bypass Ticketmaster’s security protocols to grab hundreds of thousands of tickets to hugely popular tours for artists like Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen and then re-sold them for millions, federal regulators said Monday.

The Federal Trade Commission alleges the operation used illicit software that masked IP addresses, as well as repurposed credit cards and SIM phone cards, as part of the scheme. It was run through various guises, like TotalTickets.com, TotallyTix and Front Rose Tix, but was run by three key individuals, the agency said.

In total, the group is accused of buying 321,286 tickets to 3,261 live performances from June 2022 to December 2023, in bunches of 15 or more tickets to each event at a total cost of approximately $46.7 million and then reselling them for $52.4 million, netting approximately $5.7 million.

Taylor Swift.Lewis Joly / AP file

That includes $1.2 million from reselling tickets in 2023 for Taylor Swift’s record-breaking “The Eras Tour.” In one instance, the suspects used 49 different accounts to purchase 273 tickets for Swift’s March 2023 tour stop in Las Vegas, vastly exceeding Ticketmaster’s six-ticket limit, which they then sold for $120,000, the FTC alleges.

Another part of the alleged scheme involved using friends, family and paid strangers to open Ticketmaster accounts. The FTC says the defendants at one point printed up flyers in places like Baltimore claiming that participants could “make money doing verified van sign ups” in just “3 easy steps,” earning $5 for the account creation and $5 to $20 each time they received a Verified Fan presale code.

Ticketmaster came in for heavy criticism after fans complained of faulty technology and eye-watering prices for 2022 sales for Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen’s tours. The Verified Fan pre-sale for Swift’s tour crashed its site, which it blamed on “bot attacks” and bot fans who didn’t have invite codes. It was subsequently forced to postpone the sale date for the general public seeking tickets to Swift’s tour “due to demands on ticketing systems and insufficient remaining ticket inventory.”

In response, Swift alluded to broken “trust” with Ticketmaster, though she didn’t name it directly.

“It’s really difficult for me to trust an outside entity with these relationships and loyalties, and excruciating for me to just watch mistakes happen with no recourse,” she wrote in an Instagram message in 2022, adding: “I’m not going to make excuses for anyone because we asked them multiple times if they could handle this kind of demand and we were assured they could.”

Springsteen said in a statement at the time that “ticket buying has gotten very confusing, not just for the fans, but for the artists also” but that most of his tickets are “totally affordable.”

In March, President Donald Trump signed an executive order focused on curbing exploitative ticket reselling practices that raise costs for fans.

On Monday, FTC Chairman Andrew N. Ferguson said Trump’s order made clear ‘that unscrupulous middlemen who harm fans and jack up prices through anticompetitive methods will hear from us.”

“Today’s action puts brokers on notice that the Trump-Vance FTC will police operations that unlawfully circumvent ticket sellers’ purchase limits, ensuring that consumers have an opportunity to buy tickets at fair prices,” he said in a statement.

Ticketmaster itself has remained under federal scrutiny for violating a prior agreement to curb what regulators said was anti-competitive behavior. In 2024, the Justice Department and FTC under President Joe Biden opened a lawsuit against Ticketmaster’s parent company, LiveNation, that accused it of monopolizing the live events industry.

It was not immediately clear whether that suit is still active. In July, the parent company of the alleged operation charged Monday by the FTC, Key Investment Group, sued the agency to block its pending investigation into its sales practices, saying that ticket purchases on its site did not use automated software, or bots, and did not violate the 2016 Better Online Ticket Sales (BOTS) Act.

Representatives for the FTC and Justice Department did not respond to a request for comment. Ticketmaster is not accused of wrongdoing in the latest suit. It did not respond to a request for comment.

Strangely, in the latest complaint, the FTC includes a slide from an internal Ticketmaster presentation from 2018 that suggests the company was weighing the economic impact of imposing stricter purchasing caps that would curb bots but potentially hurt its finances. On a page labeled “evaluating potential actions” a data table is shown under the heading “serious negative economic impact if we move to 8 ticket limit across the board.”

It also includes an email from one of the defendants in which he “owns up” to having exceeded the ticket-purchase limit for a May 2024 Bad Bunny show in Miami and offers to have the orders canceled, to which a Ticketmaster rep simply responds that “as long as the purchases were made using different accounts and cards, it’s within the guidelines.”

Efforts to reach the three defendants — Taylor Kurth, Elan Rozmaryn and Yair Rozmaryn — named in the suit announced Monday were unsuccessful. In 2018, Kurth signed a deal, or consent decree, with regulators in the state of Washington that committed him to not use software designed to circumvent companies’ security policies.

The FTC is seeking unspecified damages and civil penalties against the defendants.

CORRECTION (Aug. 19, 2025, 11:41 a.m. ET): An earlier version of this article incorrectly named a party suing the FTC and which investigation it was suing over. Key Investment Group, the parent of the alleged operation cited in the suit filed Monday by the FTC, sued the agency in July to halt an investigation into its practices. Ticketmaster and its parent, Live Nation, are not directly involved in that investigation or Key’s suit against the agency.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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Best Buy launches third-party marketplace as it looks for sales drivers

Best Buy is launching a third-party marketplace, as it tries to bulk up the variety of merchandise it offers and reverse slower sales.

Starting on Tuesday, shoppers who go to Best Buy’s website and app will see products and brands that weren’t available there before, including more tech-related accessories like custom video game controllers and some nontech items including seasonal decor and sports collectibles.

The company’s online marketplace riffs off those of other retailers, such as Amazon and Walmart, by relying on third-party sellers to stock, sell and ship inventory and taking a cut of their sales in the form of a commission.

“Everything we do is really centered around the customer and their technology needs, and we do see customers actually doing a lot of consumer electronics transactions through marketplaces,” Chief Customer, Product and Fulfillment Officer Jason Bonfig said. “And as a result of that, we need to make adjustments to be where the customer’s at.”

He said Best Buy noticed gaps in its assortment that the new platform will help it fill. For instance, Bonfig said the company didn’t carry batteries for some older cameras or cases for older smartphones. And it didn’t offer some items that complement Best Buy purchases, such as furniture that goes around a big-screen TV or cookware to use with a new kitchen appliance.

Along with adding those items, the marketplace makes it possible for smaller vendors with innovative products to sell on Best Buy’s website when they’re not yet big enough to make or distribute the volume needed for its stores, he added.

Best Buy’s marketplace launches at a time when its business could use a boost. Its annual sales have declined over the past three years as the company contends with a sluggish housing market, selective consumer spending and a decline in device replacements after a spike in tech purchases during the Covid pandemic.

The company cut its sales outlook in May and said it expects full-year revenue to range from $41.1 billion to $41.9 billion. That would be similar to Best Buy’s annual revenue of $41.5 billion in the most recent fiscal year, but below the numbers it posted in the years leading up to and during the pandemic.

Best Buy will share its most recent earnings results and sales forecast on Aug. 28.

Tariffs have complicated the backdrop for Best Buy, too, since the higher duties have added costs for consumer electronics vendors and distracted them from other priorities like research and development that leads to new and innovative products, said Jonathan Matuszewski, a retail analyst at Jefferies. He said Best Buy tends to win sales instead of big-box or online competitors when there’s a leap forward in technology.

With the platform’s launch, Best Buy joins other retailers that have jumped on the trend of introducing or expanding third-party marketplaces. Lowe’s and Nordstrom started marketplaces last year. Ulta Beauty plans to launch its own later this year. And Target said it will expand its existing marketplace, Target Plus.

On Best Buy’s earnings call in May, CEO Corie Barry described the third-party marketplace as one of the company’s strategic priorities for the year. She said that new profit stream “is even more important in this environment” and will provide greater flexibility with the range of items and price points.

Plus, she said the marketplace supports the company’s growing advertising business. Sellers can buy ads for their products, including by paying for better placement in search results.

Marketplaces and the advertising opportunities that come with them tend drive higher profits for retailers, said Justin MacFarlane, a managing director for the global retail group of AlixPartners. Sellers buy, stock and ship products instead of the retailer, and take on both the expense of buying inventory and the risk that they may have to mark down unwanted items, he said.

Yet the business model comes with risks, too, he said. For instance, sellers may not have the same standards as a retailer and it could anger a retailer’s customers if they send products in torn boxes, with missing pieces or days later than expected. And he said retailers can flood their websites with so many different categories, brands and products that they overwhelm customers with choices that seem irrelevant to their company’s identity.

“You get addicted to the growth and more is more until it’s not,” he said.

At launch, Best Buy’s marketplace will have about 500 sellers, Bonfig said. He said the company vetted applicants and whittled them down to the ones who can provide a high-quality customer experience. The sellers must match Best Buy’s return policy, he added.

Customers can return purchases either directly to the seller or to Best Buy stores, he said.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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Business

Apple just landed a key win for the global encryption fight

Apple clinched a major win Monday after the U.S. government announced that the U.K. had agreed to drop its demand for the company to provide a “back door” granting officials access to users’ encrypted data.

The iPhone maker won’t be alone to rejoice in the outcome.

The development came after extensive talks between Britain and the U.S., which had raised national security concerns over the request.

At the root of the row was end-to-end encryption, a technology which secures communications between two devices in a way that means not even the company providing a chat service can view any messages.

The story of Apple’s U.K. privacy battle started earlier this year, when it was reported that the British government had demanded access to the company’s encrypted cloud service via a technical “back door.”

Such a back door has long been contested by Apple. In 2016, the Federal Bureau of Investigation tried to get Apple to create software that would enable it to unlock an iPhone it recovered from one of the shooters involved in the 2015 terror attack in San Bernardino, California.

Other companies have also had to fend off government attempts to undermine end-to-end encryption. For example, when Meta announced plans to encrypt all messages on its Facebook Messenger app, the move drew condemnation from the U.K. Home Office. Meta had already offered encryption on WhatsApp.

The Monday news could have broader implications for the debate around end-to-end encryption globally.

Governments and law enforcement agencies have long pushed for methods to break such encryption systems to assist with criminal investigations into terrorism and child sexual abuse.

However, tech companies have said that building an encryption back door would not only undermine user privacy, but also expose them to possible cyberattacks. Cybersecurity experts say that any back door built for a government would eventually be found and exploited by hackers.

U.S. national intelligence officials were also worried by the ramifications of Apple offering such a back door.

For Apple, the U.K.‘s concession over encryption could mean that the company can bring back its most secure service for users’ cloud data, Advanced Data Protection (ADP), which the company stopped offering to Brits in February.

It is not yet clear if Apple will reintroduce its ADP service to the U.K. market.

CNBC has reached out to Apple and the U.K. government for comment.

This post appeared first on NBC NEWS

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WWE star announces pregnancy, gives up championship

Naomi’s championship reign has been halted.

The Women’s World Champion announced on the Aug. 18 edition of Monday Night Raw she will be vacating the title as she is expecting her first child.

The announcement was made with her husband, Jimmy Uso, as a preview of “What’s Your Story?” podcast with Stephanie McMahon.

”I’m pregnant and I’m having a baby,” Naomi said.

Naomi’s announcement comes one week after she was scheduled to defend her title against Iyo Sky on Aug. 11, but the match was canceled the day of because the champion was not medically cleared.

The announcement is reminiscent of when Becky Lynch gave up her title in the same fashion. In May 2020, she told Money in the Bank winner Asuka that she didn’t win a championship opportunity, but actually won the Raw Women’s Championship because Lynch was pregnant. The reveal was a shock to Asuka and fans watching in one of the sweetest moments in recent memory.

Naomi, real name Trinity Fatu, is married to fellow WWE star Jimmy Uso. She is the stepmother to Uso’s two children and she has been vocal of wanting children with her husband over the years.

With her relinquishing the championship, Naomi’s reign ends at 35 days and pauses what has been a successful year for the veteran star. Fans had been cheering for Naomi as she adopted a dark, ruthless persona amid her feud with Jade Cargill. After losing to her at WrestleMania 41 in April, Naomi won the women’s Money in the Bank match in June. She capitalized on her championship opportunity the following month at Evolution, cashing her contract in the spectacular main event match between Sky and Rhea Ripley and winning her second WWE Championship.

Her last match came on Aug. 3 when she successfully defended her title against Sky and Ripley at SummerSlam.

It is unknown when Naomi can − or will − return to wrestling. It was not revealed how long she has been pregnant, but it could be similar to Lynch, who was away for 15 months.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

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Why are Flacco, Wilson and Rodgers still NFL QB1s? Count the reasons

  • Joe Flacco, 40, was named Cleveland’s QB1 on Monday.
  • Graybeards like Russell Wilson and Aaron Rodgers are also set start in 2025.
  • Why not opt for a youth movement behind center immediately? Let us count the ways.

Joe Flacco is once again a QB1 in the NFL. So is Russell Wilson. And Aaron Rodgers. Geno Smith, too. Heck, even Daniel Jones might be.

A kneejerk reaction of “Why?” would be understandable as it relates to these apparently faded stars and/or has-beens, yet there’s no one-size-fits-all NFL answer to that question. However old men – in terms of football years anyway – serving as Band-Aids for teams in some manner of distress actually make a lot of sense for nearly all parties involved.

It’s no secret franchise quarterbacks don’t grow on trees. There are maybe 12 teams in the league that can confidently claim they’re securely settled at the position for the foreseeable future, both in terms of performance and finances. Maybe. (And, admittedly, ‘the foreseeable future’ in the NFL has been known to shift as suddenly as the timeline of a “Terminator” movie.)

There might be another dozen or so clubs hoping they’ve got the right guy on their roster, and early returns from the likes of C.J. Stroud or Drake Maye or Bo Nix, for example, suggest that’s probably at least a solid assumption.

Then you’ve got Flacco’s Cleveland Browns. And Rodgers’ Pittsburgh Steelers. And Wilson’s New York Giants. And Smith’s Las Vegas Raiders. With the probable exception of Smith, each of these organizations will likely start 2026 with another guy behind center. So why tread water with any of these temps now given each of these teams − save Pittsburgh − seems very likely bound for a last-place finish in 2025?

Because pro football is a unique game. It requires collective buy-in and, to some degree, selflessness other team sports don’t while also featuring a position – the ever tone-setting quarterback – which typically determines the fates of so many others on and off the field. A wideout can’t just post 25 points and 10 rebounds and call it a night – and certainly won’t routinely catch nine balls for 130 yards and TD without a reliable guy throwing to him. A linebacker on a great defense can’t hit .350 for an otherwise bad team and go home under the illusion his job is secure. Head coaches and general managers can’t opt to tank in the NFL with the assurance they’ll retain their posts after a 2-15 death march … or that such a theoretical gambit would even actually bring the can’t-miss player who would undoubtedly revitalize an organization and fan base … or that the other guys on the roster would even co-sign burning one of the (maybe) four years they get in the league with the consequential poor tape that may not earn them a subsequent shot to play elsewhere.

And so you turn to retread field generals and hope for the best – whatever that might be.

In 2023, free agent Flacco, now 40, literally rose from his couch and saved Cleveland’s season with a Comeback Player of the Year performance that landed the Browns a surprising playoff berth. He was reinstalled as the starter Monday. Last season − rightly or wrongly − Wilson took the baton in Pittsburgh and got the Steelers back into postseason. Smith surprisingly managed it, too, while supplanting Wilson in Seattle in 2022. What did it mean for those squads? Galvanized locker rooms. Captivating runs for their cities. Maybe fleeting hopes of a Nick Foles-esque magic carpet ride like the Philadelphia Eagles experienced in 2017 – or even the memorable heater Flacco and the 2012 Baltimore Ravens converted into a Super Bowl 47 triumph 12 years ago.

But more than likely, you’re enjoying short-term gains in exchange for playoff disappointment and probably another ticket to the QB hamster wheel. The Browns, Steelers, Seahawks, New York Jets – four-time league MVP Rodgers, 41, wasn’t the savior they’d hoped for – and Giants have been stuck in neutral for years while playing quarterback roulette rather than meaningfully solving the position. Same goes for the Indianapolis Colts, who continue wondering if Anthony Richardson is their post-Andrew Luck solution … even as the layovers of Flacco, Jones and Gardner Minshew suggest otherwise.

Yet what’s the alternative?

All 32 teams are deadlocked with 0-0 records ahead of their 2025 regular-season openers. Now is the time to hope Flacco or Wilson can catch lightning in a bottle, unlikely as it is that they contain it for 18 or more weeks. Yet young teammates can hope the graybeards get them on the road to the promised land and provide wisdom that seeds their own careers.

If not? Then time for new prayers.

That’s when Cleveland turns to Shedeur Sanders and/or Dillon Gabriel after they’ve had an opportunity to observe the gargantuan ask ahead of them while the Browns wait to see if Tom Brady 2.0 − or even Tom Brady 0.7 − emerges from the QB chrysalis. Similar situation for Giants rookie Jaxson Dart, confident and ready as he already seems. But why deploy him if there’s an experienced alternative like Wilson to navigate the outset of what is the league’s hardest schedule based on opponents’ 2024 winning percentages?

If the vet sinks instead of swimming, then the rook gets the belated benefit of better-informed playing time while the team likely continues sailing toward a poor record that provides better options the next year anyway.

It’s rare to see a young quarterback start, struggle and later come through a potentially confidence-shattering benching intact. It would also be folly to prematurely tab a youngster who either isn’t ready or saddled with a substandard supporting cast − think Sam Darnold with the Jets − watch him flounder and then ask someone like Wilson to make lemonade with a 2-9 record. As former running back Ricky Watters once infamously said, “For who, for what?’

At least Rodgers, his teammates and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin know they’re all chips in for 2025 … even if they’re gambling that a pair of jacks will help them secure the pot no matter how bad a hand and draft bankroll that might produce six months hence.

And so these franchises forge ahead – hoping for the best, knowing worse is likelier − desperately wishing their circumstances in the NFL’s version of purgatory have miraculously changed a year from now.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

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Bengals WR has coming-out party vs. Commanders

Remember the name – Mitchell Tinsley.

The NFL preseason is all about the unknowns of the football world becoming a known, something Tinsley experienced in a big way on Monday night with the Cincinnati Bengals.

Battles for roster spots and playing time are entering the final stretch as the preseason winds down. For Tinsley, he picked the right time to shine.

On the national stage of ‘Monday Night Football,’ Tinsley capped of the first half against the Washington Commanders with a one-handed catch and two touchdowns in just 17 seconds of game action.

The stars and starters were on the sidelines, but another one might’ve been born on the field before halftime. Here’s what to know about the little-known Bengals receiver.

Who is Mitchell Tinsley?

Tinsley is a wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals.

The 25-year-old is competing for a roster spot on the team, but he has been around the league for a couple seasons now.

After attending Hutchinson Community College for two years in Hutchinson, Kansas, Tinsley transferred to Western Kentucky and eventually Penn State before entering the NFL draft.

He ended up signing with the Commanders after going undrafted and was on their practice squad in 2024 after playing 10 snaps across two games in 2023.

Mitchell Tinsley stats

Despite being in the NFL since 2023, Tinsley has yet to catch a pass in an NFL game. He played two games for the Commanders that season, but only 10 snaps – three on offense and seven on special teams.

Tinsley’s junior season, his second at Western Kentucky, was a breakout year for him. The receiver finished with 87 catches, 1,402 yards and 14 touchdowns in 14 games.

In 39 college games, Tinsley totaled 181 receptions, 2,356 yards and 23 touchdowns.

Mitchell Tinsley draft

Tinsley went undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft and opted to sign with the Washington Commanders. Tinsley played three seasons of college football, spending two at Western Kentucky and one at Penn State.

Mitchell Tinsley on the Commanders

Tinsley’s time with the Commanders was relatively uneventful. He was on the roster in 2023, playing in two games, but saw just three snaps on offense and seven on special teams.

After being released on Aug. 27, 2024, Tinsley signed with the Commanders’ practice squad the next day. On Feb. 4, 2025, the receiver signed a futures contract with the Bengals.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

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Mariners player ejected after throwing bat at pitcher in Triple-A game

The Seattle Mariners’ Victor Robles was ejected after throwing his bat at a pitcher while on a Triple-A rehab assignment with the Tacoma Rainiers.

Robles later apologized for letting ‘frustration get the best of me’ after the incident in the game on Sunday, Aug. 17.

The bat-throwing incident occurred during the third inning against the Las Vegas Aviators and in Robles’ second plate appearance of the game. Aviators pitcher Joey Estes nearly struck Robles on the first pitch of the at bat, with Robles actually fouling off the pitch that almost hit him in the hands. Tempers boiled over for Robles, who already had been hit by a pitch three times in five rehab games in Tacoma. Robles hurled his bat in the direction of the pitcher and was immediately ejected by home plate umpire Joe McCarthy.

Robles wasn’t done. After he was prevented from getting to Estes, Robles returned to the Rainiers’ dugout and tossed a bucket of snacks onto the field.

Victor Robles apologizes

After his ejection, Robles posted an apology to his Instagram stories:

‘I want to take a moment to sincerely apologize for my recent reaction on the field. I let my frustration get the best of me, and I understand how that may have affected not just the game, but the energy and respect we all work so hard to maintain.

‘Coming off a long rehab and being away from the game for most of the season has been physically and mentally challenging. Adding to that, the recent passing of my mother has been incredibly hard, and I’ve been doing my best to hold it together. That’s not an excuse, but some context I feel you deserve to understand where I’m coming from.

‘Getting hit 5 times in 15 at-bats added to that pressure, and I reacted in a way I’m not proud of. This game means the world to me, and so do the people who play it. I respect every one of you – my teammates, the opposing players, and everyone in this league.

‘I’m committed to being better, not just as a player, but as a teammate and competitor. I appreciate your understanding, and I’m grateful to be back on the field doing what I love. Thank you.’

Who is Victor Robles?

Robles has appeared in 10 games for the Mariners this season, but was on a rehab assignment after dislocating his left shoulder in April. Robles had a batting average of .273 in 44 at bats for the Mariners in 2025.

This is Robles’ ninth Major League Baseball season, having spent eight seasons with the Washington Nationals (2017-2024) before joining the Mariners in 2024. He was a member of the Nationals’ 2019 World Series-winning team and hit a home run in the Nationals’ NLCS Game 3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

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Hundreds pay tribute to fallen motocross star Aidan Zingg

TEMECULA, CA – An overflow crowd of about 500 people gathered at Calvary Chapel on Monday, Aug. 18 to pay tribute to 16-year-old motorcross phenom Aidan Zingg, who died during a mid-race crash in late June.

Many people wore T-shirts bearing Zingg’s initials, AZ, and his riding No. 39. Others wore colorful attire, with the Celebration of Life’s notice having stated, “Please join us in honoring Aidan’s vibrant spirit by wearing … bright colors, bold prints, or AZ39 Forever shirts.’’

Pastor Jeff Jetton looked out at the packed chapel and said, “This place is full because of the impact (Aidan) made.’’

Jetton and other speakers stood on stage behind a lectern just to the right of Zingg’s dirt bike, a green and black Kawasaki with plate No. 39. The speakers included his older sister, Alex, who spoke through tears.

She described Aidan as “the kindest, funniest, most happy, respectful kid.’’ But, it turns out, there was another side to her brother, Alex said.

“The kid was not one for subtlety,’ she said. “He stormed up the stairs when he wanted to make an entrance.’’

Aidan stormed onto center stage of the amateur motorcross world last year when he won his first AMA national championship. The victory took place at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tenn., site of the most prestigious event in amateur motocross.

With the performance, Aidan secured a two-year sponsorship deal with Kawasaki. At Monday’s service, Aidan’s younger brother, Bobby, wore a black and green Kawasaki shirt.

Bobby, his sister and parents, Bob and Shari, cried before the ceremony as people approached to give them hugs and share words of condolence.

Monday’s event was billed as a Celebration of Life, and there was supposed to have been a much different celebration at this time of year. Aidan had qualified again for the amateur AMA National Championship.

But he died during a mid-race crash at Mammoth Lakes, California on June 28, about four weeks before he was to compete at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee.

“I think he did some pretty amazing things in his life,’’ Alex said during the service, “and I choose to believe it went beyond him as a person.’

A slide show captured Aidan’s life on and off dirt bikes, which his parents previously said Aidan began riding at age 5.

Josh Mosiman, a professional motocross rider and one of the speakers, said Aidan indicated that by 21, he wanted to know the woman he would marry. But there were other plans, too.

‘He wanted to be a pro rider,” Mosiman said, ‘and he was well on his way.”

This post appeared first on USA TODAY

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Stocks

A Wild Ride For the History Books: 2025 Mid-Year Recap

Markets don’t usually hit record highs, risk falling into bearish territory, and spring back to new highs within six months. But that’s what happened in 2025.

In this special mid-year recap, Grayson Roze sits down with David Keller, CMT, to show how disciplined routines, price-based signals, and a calm process helped them ride the whipsaw instead of getting tossed by it. You’ll see what really happened under the surface, how investor psychology drove the swings, and the exact StockCharts tools they leaned on to stay objective. 

If you’re focused on protecting capital, generating income, and sleeping well at night while still capturing the upside, this is a must-watch. Discover which charts deserve your attention now, what to ignore, and how to prep for the back half of 2025. 

This video premiered on July 23, 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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Stocks

Is META Breaking Out or Breaking Down?

The chart of Meta Platforms, Inc. (META) has completed a roundtrip from the February high around $740 to the April low at $480 and all the way back again.  Over the last couple weeks, META has now pulled back from its retest of all-time highs, leaving investors to wonder what may come next.

Is this the beginning of a new downtrend phase for META?  Or just a brief pullback before a new uptrend phase propels META to new all-time highs?

Today we’ll look at two potential scenarios, including the double top pattern and the cup and handle pattern, and share which technical indicators and approaches could help us determine which path plays out into August.

The double top scenario basically means that the late July retest of the previous all-time high was the end of the recent uptrend phase.  The double top pattern is literally when a major resistance level is set and then retested.  The implication is that a lack of willing buyers means the uptrend is exhausted, and there is nowhere to go but down.

While the 21-day exponential moving average is currently in play for META, I would say that a break below the 50-day moving average could confirm this as the correct scenario.  If that smoothing mechanism does not hold, then the price action would imply less of a pullback and more like the beginning of a real distribution phase.

What is META pulls back but then resumes an uptrend phase, leading META to another new all-time high?  That would result in a confirmed cup and handle pattern, created by a large rounded bottoming pattern followed by a brief pullback.  The key to this pattern is the “rim” of the cup, which sits right at $740 for META.

Given the pullback META has demonstrated so far in July, I would say that a break above the $740 level would basically confirm a bullish cup and handle pattern.  That would suggest much more upside potential for META, as the stock would literally go into previously uncharted territory.

So how can we determine which scenario is more likely to play out?  This is where we need to incorporate more technical indicators into the discussion, as a way to further validate and confirm our investment thesis.

Just to review, I think a break above $740 would confirm a bullish cup and handle pattern.  I would also say that a break below the $680 level, which would represent a move below the 50-day moving average as well as the June swing lows, would basically confirm a bearish double top pattern.

We can also use the Relative Strength Index (RSI) to help determine whether META remains in a bullish trend phase.  During bull phases, the RSI rarely gets below 40, because buyers usually step in to “buy the dips” and keep the momentum fairly constructive.  So if the price would break down, and the RSI would not hold that crucial 40 level, that could mean a bearish outlook is warranted.

Finally, we can use volume-based indicators to assess whether moves in the price are supported by stronger volume readings.  Here I’ve included the Accumulation/Distribution Line, which tracks the trend in daily volume readings over time.  We can see that the high in July resulted in a divergence, as the A/D line was trending lower.  If the A/D line would break below its June and July lows, marked by a dashed red line, that would represent a bearish volume reading for META.

Technical analysis is less about predicting the future, and more about determining the most probable scenarios based on our analysis of trend, momentum, and volume.  I hope this discussion shows how the outlook for META can be easily determined and tracked using the best practices of technical analysis!

RR#6,

Dave

PS- Ready to upgrade your investment process?  Check out my free behavioral investing course!

David Keller, CMT

President and Chief Strategist

Sierra Alpha Research LLC

marketmisbehavior.com

https://www.youtube.com/c/MarketMisbehavior

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.  

The author does not have a position in mentioned securities at the time of publication.    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.

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