Investing.com– U.S. stocks were slightly lower on Thursday, though trading volumes were thin a day after the Christmas holiday.  

At of 12:58 ET (17:58 GMT), the  fell 0.10%, the was down 0.1%, while the declined 0.01% or 6 points.

Jobless claims in U.S. dip to one-month low

The weekly U.S. jobless claims data released before the market opened on Thursday and saw a one-month low dip. 

The Labor Department reported a decrease of 1,000 in initial applications for state unemployment benefits, bringing the seasonally adjusted figure to 219,000 for the week that ended on December 21. This figure is lower than the 224,000 claims that economists had predicted for the same week.

Meanwhile, the number of individuals receiving benefits after their first week of aid, which serves as an indication of hiring, increased by 46,000. This brought the seasonally adjusted total to 1.910 million for the week that ended on December 14, the highest since November 2021. Economists had previously anticipated the number of these continued claims to be 1.880 million. 

“We do not think that this week’s data will move the needle for any of them, but more prints in line with the tone of this week’s data may motivate the doves on the Committee to speak up,” Jefferies said in a recent note.

Tech stocks flat despite Apple upgrade   

The major tech giants were mostly down after the markets opened, with Apple marginally higher despite an upgrade from tech-bull Wedbush. 

Apple Inc (NASDAQ:) gained 0.2% affter Wedbush raised its price target on Apple to $325 from $300 banking on transformative AI-driven iPhone upgrade cycle poised to fuel growth into 2025. 

“We believe Apple is heading into a multi-year AI driven iPhone upgrade cycle that is still being underestimated by the Street,” Wedbush said in a recent note.

Crypto-related stocks slip as bitcoin skids, but KULR Technology surges on BTC purchase 

Crypto-related stocks including MicroStrategy Incorporated (NASDAQ:), Coinbase Global Inc (NASDAQ:), and Riot Platforms (NASDAQ:) followed bitcoin lower as the most valuable cryptocurrency fell more than 2%. 

KULR Technology jumped 30% after the space technology company bought about 217 bitcoin and detailed plans to allocate up to 90% of its excess cash to bitcoin.

XIAMEN, China – Lichen China Limited (NASDAQ:LICN), a company specializing in financial and taxation services, has announced a definitive agreement with several investors for a registered direct offering. The offering involves the sale of 20 million Class A ordinary shares, or pre-funded warrants as an alternative, at a price of $0.14 per share. This transaction is expected to yield approximately $2.8 million in gross proceeds for the company. The offering comes as the company maintains strong financial fundamentals, with InvestingPro data showing an impressive gross profit margin of 61% and a healthy current ratio of 17.55x.

The closing of the sale is anticipated on or about December 27, 2024, pending the fulfillment of customary conditions. Univest Securities, LLC is the sole placement agent for the offering, which is being conducted under an effective shelf registration statement previously filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and declared effective on March 1, 2024.

Investors can access the final prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus, detailing the offering’s terms, on the SEC’s website once filed. The offering is only valid in jurisdictions where it is lawful, and the securities cannot be sold in any jurisdiction where such an offer, solicitation, or sale would be illegal prior to registration or qualification under the applicable securities laws.

Lichen China, with over 18 years of experience, has established a reputation for providing professional and high-quality financial and taxation solutions in China. The company also offers education support services and software and maintenance services under the “Lichen” brand. Despite the stock’s significant decline of 89% year-to-date, InvestingPro analysis indicates the company is currently undervalued, with robust revenue growth of 25% in the last twelve months. Get access to 16 additional ProTips and comprehensive financial analysis with an InvestingPro subscription.

The company’s press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. While Lichen China believes the expectations reflected in these statements are reasonable, they caution that actual results may differ materially. Trading at a P/E ratio of 6.4x and with a market capitalization of $8.17 million, investors are encouraged to review factors that may affect the company’s future results in its registration statement and other SEC filings.

This news article is based on a press release statement from Lichen China Limited.

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