Elon Musk, the CEO of SpaceX, Tesla, xAI, X, and The Boring Company, has asserted that his various businesses are “suffering” as a consequence of his involvement with the Trump administration.

Musk’s claim comes amid increasing scrutiny of his relationship with the White House and the potential conflicts of interest arising from his role as both a prominent business leader and a special government employee.

In an interview with Fox News’ ‘Special Report’, Musk addressed concerns about potential conflicts of interest, stating that it has been “disadvantageous for me to be in the government, not advantageous.”

He added that his “companies are suffering because I’m in the government.”

Following President Donald Trump’s electoral victory, Musk was designated a special government employee.

While not officially the head of the White House’s DOGE office, which is leading the administration’s efforts to downsize the government, Musk has been frequently referenced as a de facto leader in this area.

Tesla’s troubles: a symbol of the strain?

Musk pointed to the recent challenges faced by Tesla as evidence of the strain caused by his government work.

The company has experienced a stock dip amid disappointing global sales figures and investor concern that the CEO is spending too much time away from his company.

In addition to those troubles, Tesla also has faced a series of protests, vandalism incidents, and attacks against its showrooms and vehicles.

Wall Street is starting to show concern about the brand as a whole. It’s unclear what the impact has been on his other companies.

Musk has previously acknowledged overseeing his companies with “great difficulty” and, during an all-hands Tesla meeting on March 20, urged stakeholders to “hang on to your stock.”

A complex relationship: government contracts and subsidies

Musk’s business empire has received significant support from government contracts and subsidies, raising questions about potential conflicts of interest.

The White House’s DOGE office, for example, has taken steps to either weaken or eliminate government agencies that were previously investigating Musk’s companies.

In a demonstration of support, Trump recently stood in front of several Tesla models on the White House’s South Lawn during a media event, praising the electric vehicles he once hesitated to endorse.

Tariffs and trade: navigating an uncertain landscape

The Trump administration’s reliance on tariffs as a tool to influence global trade and encourage domestic production has created an uncertain economic landscape.

Wall Street estimates that Trump’s recent 25% tariffs against all auto and auto part imports could cost the industry as much as $82 billion.

Musk acknowledged that his company would not be “unscathed” by the tariffs, stating in an X post that Tesla could potentially benefit from the tariffs as all of its cars are assembled in the US.

A Tesla spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment made by Business Insider.

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Nvidia Corp (NASDAQ: NVDA) is failing to deliver the kind of returns that investors have come to expect of it in recent years. Year-to-date, the AI darling is down nearly 25% at the time of writing.

But there are other large-cap names that have significantly outperformed NVDA since the start of 2025, but have further room to the upside, according to Victoria Greene.

She’s the chief investment officer at G Squared Private Wealth.

Three of such names that she likes in particular are: Walmart, Altria, and Netflix Inc. Here’s what each of these have in store for investors this year.

Walmart Inc (NYSE: WMT)

Greene is bullish on Walmart stock even though the retail behemoth issued muted guidance in February.

In fact, she sees the Bentonville headquartered firm as “a great place to hide out” from the new tariffs environment and the related economic uncertainty.

The G Squared expert agreed that WMT shares could consolidate for a while around the current levels, but said they’ll eventually claw their way back to over $100.

She’s projecting a more than 20% upside in Walmart stock from here as “if anybody is going to weather tariffs, it’s going to be WMT.”   

Plus, Walmart is a dividend stock that currently yields of 1.10% as well, which makes it all the more exciting to own in 2025.

Altria Inc (NYSE: MO)

Greene recommends loading up on Altria stock at current levels as she believes in its commitment to becoming more than a tobacco company.

“It wants to be everything to help stimulate you, calm you, relax you,” she told CNBC in an interview this week.

The chief investment officer finds MO shares attractive since the price-to-earnings multiple tied to them at writing is lower than the broader market.

Greene expects Altria stock to hit $70 by the end of this year that translates to about a 20% upside from here.

Additionally, a rather lucrative 7.0% dividend yield makes MO a must own amidst the rising economic uncertainty.

Netflix Inc (NASDAQ: NFLX)

Netflix has been a star performer amidst the broader rout in US stocks due to continued uncertainty coming out of the White House.

Still, it’s one that could rally the most in the coming months, as per Victoria Greene.

In fact, she sees NFLX as strongly positioned to weather any potential slowdown that may materialise in the back half of 2025.

Even if you’re beginning to have to reduce your budget, you’re going to keep Netflix in there because they’re so good at pricing.

Greene expects Netflix shares to eventually be worth $1,500, which indicates potential for another 50% upside from current levels.

Shares of the streaming giant do not currently pay a dividend, though.  

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South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace has become the world’s top-performing defence stock, posting a staggering 3,100% gain in just five years.

The surge reflects growing investor bets that rising geopolitical tensions, particularly under US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy shifts, will boost global demand for affordable, conventional weapons.

With a global defence spending boom underway, Hanwha Aerospace and fellow Korean defence contractor Hyundai Rotem have emerged as top performers in Asia’s equity markets.

But recent developments around governance, capital raising, and acquisitions have prompted regulatory scrutiny and investor caution.

Defence exports power Hanwha’s surge

Hanwha Aerospace, a key unit of South Korea’s seventh-largest chaebol, Hanwha Group, has rapidly expanded its defence exports, especially through its signature K9 self-propelled howitzers.

In 2023, the company secured another major contract with Poland, strengthening South Korea’s strategic arms partnerships with NATO members.

This helped Hanwha Group’s total market capitalisation nearly double to 73 trillion won ($50 billion) since the beginning of 2024.

Its rapid expansion has drawn comparisons to global peers, although Hanwha remains smaller than players like Lockheed Martin or BAE Systems.

Nonetheless, South Korea’s status as the world’s tenth-largest arms exporter, with ambitions to rise to fourth by 2027, has placed Hanwha in a strong position as global demand shifts from high-tech drones to conventional artillery.

Unlike many global firms that pivoted away from traditional warfare systems, Hanwha continued producing ground-based weapons capable of countering Soviet-era military equipment.

This strategy has found renewed relevance in light of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, where land-based warfare has highlighted the need for durable, conventional arms.

Hanwha plans $2.7 billion share sale

Last week, Hanwha Aerospace announced a 3.6 trillion won ($2.7 billion) rights offering—South Korea’s largest on record—to fund overseas investments and expand production.

The offering follows Hanwha’s recent acquisition of a 9.9% stake in Australian shipbuilder Austal Ltd., a strategic move to gain a foothold in the Pacific defence supply chain.

The funding is earmarked for building new production facilities in the US, Europe, the Middle East, and Australia.

Hanwha aims to hit 70 trillion won in annual revenue and 10 trillion won in profit by 2035.

But the announcement triggered a 16% drop in shares last Friday, driven by investor concerns over governance and capital allocation.

Korea’s Financial Supervisory Service later stated that Hanwha’s filing on the share sale lacked sufficient detail for investors.

This raised additional questions after the board approved a 1.3 trillion won acquisition of a stake in Hanwha Ocean Co.—a transaction involving affiliates linked to the Hanwha chairman’s sons.

Shipbuilding aligns with US defence goals

Hanwha’s long-term growth strategy also includes tapping into US naval programmes.

The company recently acquired Philly Shipyard in a $100 million deal, positioning itself for participation in US Navy projects valued at $1.06 trillion over the next three decades.

In November, Trump reportedly expressed interest in working with South Korea on revitalising the US shipbuilding sector during a meeting with President Yoon Suk Yeol.

If successful, Hanwha could gain access to long-term US defence contracts and strengthen its role in allied supply chains. Korean manufacturers are also known for their fast turnaround times.

Polish President Andrzej Duda highlighted this efficiency at a recent NATO event, stating that South Korean weapons could be delivered within months—a major advantage over slower-moving Western contractors.

Governance concerns follow expansion

As Hanwha’s expansion accelerates, so does regulatory oversight. The rights issue and related party transactions have drawn attention to corporate governance practices within the group.

Shareholders seeking higher returns have questioned the company’s internal decision-making, especially regarding acquisitions involving family-controlled affiliates.

While the global environment appears favourable for conventional arms producers, analysts like HSBC’s Herald van der Linde have urged caution.

He likened the defence hype to that surrounding artificial intelligence, suggesting that investor enthusiasm could eventually peak.

Still, Hanwha’s consistent output of conventional systems gives it a unique edge.

With many Western and Asian rivals shifting to advanced tech platforms, South Korea remains one of the few suppliers of traditional battlefield hardware—a niche that could be vital amid rising geopolitical instability.

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Markets are turning increasingly concerned about a recession due to uncertainty related to the new US government’s trade policies. 

While equities tend to underperform during economic slowdowns, dividend stocks often remain a great pick as they offer a significant cushion against potential losses amidst challenging times.

That said, here are the top 2 US tech stocks that are in a position to initiate dividend payments in 2025, according to Morgan Stanley strategists. 

Twilio Inc (NYSE: TWLO)

Morgan Stanley sees Twilio as incredibly positioned to start paying a dividend this year as its free cash flow yield currently sits at a solid 4.7%.

Twilio shares have lost more than 30% since mid-February amidst a tariffs driven rout in the US tech stocks.

But investors should capitalise on the sell-off as the risk-reward tied to this quality name is rather attractive at current levels, the investment firm told clients in a recent note.

Its analyst, Meta Marshall, now rates TWLO stock at “overweight”. Her recently revised price target of $160 indicates potential upside of more than 55% in shares of the cloud communications company.

Marshall sees “opportunity for both multiple expansion and estimate revision” as Twilio continues to tap on artificial intelligence to drive innovation and attract more customers.  

Additionally, she expects improved cross-selling to unlock significant further upside in TWLO shares.

Morgan Stanley dubbed the ongoing weakness in the cloud stock as “overdone” in its recent note, particularly because the company narrowed its loss and improved sales in its latest reported quarter.

Despite the sell-off this year, Twilio stock is up nearly 100% versus its 52-week low at the time of writing.

Okta Inc (NASDAQ: OKTA)

Another tech name that Morgan Stanley sees as well-positioned to initiate dividend payments this year is the San Francisco headquartered Okta Inc.

That’s because the identity and access management company currently boasts an even better free cash flow yield of about 5.4%.

The investment firm expects OKTA to announce its first-ever dividend in 2025 also because it’s doing well financially.

Earlier in March, the Nasdaq-listed firm reported market-beating results for its fourth quarter and issues guidance that surpassed expectations as well.

Morgan Stanley expects Okta to see accelerated growth ahead as “renewal headwinds abate, go to market strategy is further refined and new products continue to gain traction.”

The company’s ability to navigate the new tariffs environment and a potential recession is already evidenced in its year-to-date stock price action.

While the majority of tech stocks have had a hard time in recent weeks, Okta shares are up nearly 45% versus the start of 2025.

Note that a bunch of other Wall Street analysts agree with Morgan Stanley’s positive view, given the consensus rating on Okta Inc currently sits at “overweight”.

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Meme coins are once again in the spotlight following former US President Donald Trump’s public backing of the TRUMP token.

The endorsement briefly lifted sentiment across the meme coin sector, pushing the Fear and Greed Index from a low of 15 to 27 in just a few days.

But while attention has turned to TRUMP’s market movement, data suggests a newer entrant, PepeX, may offer stronger upside potential in the current cycle.

With features focused on fairness, transparency, and token creation infrastructure, PepeX is attracting considerable attention—particularly in Japan, where early interest has already helped raise over $1,000,000.

Trump memecoin is still down

Trump’s endorsement of his eponymous token triggered a wave of interest across crypto Twitter and Telegram groups, adding momentum to a market that had recently shown signs of risk-off sentiment.

The TRUMP token briefly surged but currently trades at $10.26, with a market capitalisation of $2.05 billion.

Despite the uptick, the token remains 86% below its all-time high of $75. Upcoming events like the April 18 token unlock are expected to test investor sentiment further.

Some speculate that insiders could delay selling to avoid negative press tied to Trump’s political ambitions, but this remains uncertain. The unlock could introduce fresh supply, potentially weighing on price.

While TRUMP has benefited from media exposure, it lacks the structural innovations that newer projects like PepeX are introducing to the meme coin sector.

PepeX adds AI and anti-sniping tools

PepeX launched in Q3 to ” make fair launches fair again.”

Its unique offering includes anti-sniping mechanisms, dev wallet transparency, and an AI-powered marketing assistant—tools designed to resolve long-standing issues around fairness and quality in token launches.

Stage 1 of the PepeX presale began at $0.021 and is designed to increase by 5% per stage across 30 stages, ending on 22 June at $0.0823.

This would represent a 311% rise from the starting price. To date, PepeX has already raised $1,031,489.

One of the core changes introduced by PepeX is a hard cap of 5% of the token supply for creators, which prevents disproportionate ownership and ensures more equitable participation.

A $500 deposit is required to launch a token on the platform, discouraging low-effort projects and adding a layer of accountability.

PepeX growth outpaces TRUMP

PepeX’s presale price growth is already outpacing TRUMP’s recovery trajectory. While TRUMP sits at $10.26—still 86% below its peak—PepeX has recorded steady, stage-based price appreciation in its presale.

The current pricing structure reflects a deliberate effort to stabilise growth while avoiding manipulation.

TRUMP token’s price is tied heavily to media cycles and the political visibility of its namesake. PepeX, on the other hand, is positioning itself as infrastructure rather than a singular token play.

Its AI suite enables token deployers to automate community building, Dexscreener listings, and content production—factors that could help it maintain relevance even as meme coin trends shift.

Japan backs PepeX launch

PepeX has found strong early traction in Japan. Well-known local influencers like @besting_crypto and @A_sama7 have engaged with the project on social media, further boosting visibility.

At its launch, the project reportedly attracted $100,000 per minute, a figure that highlights its strong momentum compared to other fair launch competitors like pump.fun.

The platform is responding directly to concerns raised by users about launchpad quality, bundling practices, and insider sniping.

Transparent bubble maps and wallet tracking features allow users to assess risks before committing capital.

While TRUMP may continue to benefit from political developments and speculation, PepeX is building foundational tools that aim to support long-term participation in the meme coin economy.

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