Every weekday, the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer releases the Homestretch — an actionable afternoon update, just in time for the last hour of trading on Wall Street. Wild week: The stock market was little changed Friday, which masked the drama we saw in this holiday-shortened week of trading. Nvidia soared to all-time highs on Tuesday and became the most valuable U.S. company — if only briefly. Back-to-back losses Thursday and Friday put Nvidia in the No. 3 position of $3 trillion-plus stocks. Club names Microsoft regained the throne followed by Apple . The Dow was poised to be the big weekly winner, a change from its recent also-ran status. The S & P 500 and Nasdaq , while off their record highs, were holding on weekly gains in Friday afternoon trading. The CME FedWatch tool indicated a high likelihood of two Federal Reserve interest rate cuts before the end of the year — one in September and the other in December. Energized : West Texas Intermediate crude , the U.S. oil benchmark, was on track for its second consecutive positive week. In Friday’s session, WTI lost nearly 1% to trade around $80.50 a barrel. Strong gasoline demand in the U.S. is one factor cited for crude’s advance. Alongside the move, energy is the top-performing sector in the S & P 500 this week, up more than 2%. However, Club name Coterra Energy has largely sat out the rally, with the stock only slightly higher week to date. Natural gas prices have cooled off recently, which could be pressuring Coterra given the producer’s significant exposure to nat gas and oil. Coterra did shift more resources to oil production earlier this year, which has so far been a good move due to the volatility in nat gas. Alexa overhaul : Amazon is planning a huge overhaul of Alexa that could include two tiers of new generative artificial intelligence features, Reuters reported on Friday. This follows a CNBC report in May that Club name Amazon could charge a monthly subscription fee for its AI-powered voice assistant services. A paid version can complete more complex tasks like “composing a brief email, sending it and ordering dinner for delivery from Uber Eats, all from a single prompt,” Reuters reported. Amazon aims to complete the project, known internally as “Banyan,” by August. An Amazon spokesperson told CNBC in a statement that the company has “already integrated generative AI into different components of Alexa, and are working hard on implementation at scale … to enable even more proactive, personal, and trusted assistance for our customers.” “Amazon’s pricing strategy for Alexa could help keep losses down, but it’s too early to know if consumers will be willing to pay for it,” said Jeff Marks, the Investing Club’s director of portfolio analysis. Amazon shares are up about 0.4% Friday, to nearly $187 each. Over the past month, the stock is up around 1.9%. Caffeinated deals : Starbucks is looking to win back price-conscious customers through discounts. According to The Wall Street Journal , the company launched a $5 value menu and ran promotions for about half of May. The coffee deals follow weak traffic that led to a sales slump last quarter, driven by higher prices and slow service. “It’s good to see Starbucks recognize it needs to provide more value to its customers to get them back in the store, but this is one small step in what will be a long turnaround,” Marks said. The sentiment around Starbucks stock has been negative, with shares down roughly 17% so far this year. Shares are still nearly $10 below where they were trading before their May 1 earnings rout. Jim Cramer has said he’s tentative about the next steps and has the stock in the penalty box. He’d prefer waiting a few more quarters to see if management can deliver on plans to improve financials. Next week : There are a handful of economic reports on the agenda, including housing data on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Also on Thursday, we get durable goods orders for May, weekly jobless claims, and the final look at first-quarter gross domestic product. The Fed’s favorite inflation gauge — the PCE price index — is released next Friday. — CNBC’s Matthew J. Belvedere and Kevin Stankiewicz contributed to this article. (See here for a full list of the stocks in Jim Cramer’s Charitable Trust.) As a subscriber to the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer, you will receive a trade alert before Jim makes a trade. Jim waits 45 minutes after sending a trade alert before buying or selling a stock in his charitable trust’s portfolio. If Jim has talked about a stock on CNBC TV, he waits 72 hours after issuing the trade alert before executing the trade. THE ABOVE INVESTING CLUB INFORMATION IS SUBJECT TO OUR TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY , TOGETHER WITH OUR DISCLAIMER . NO FIDUCIARY OBLIGATION OR DUTY EXISTS, OR IS CREATED, BY VIRTUE OF YOUR RECEIPT OF ANY INFORMATION PROVIDED IN CONNECTION WITH THE INVESTING CLUB. NO SPECIFIC OUTCOME OR PROFIT IS GUARANTEED.
Every weekday, the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer releases the Homestretch — an actionable afternoon update, just in time for the last hour of trading on Wall Street.
Ford is cutting prices on the electric pickup by up to $4,000 to offset the loss of the federal EV tax credit. The 2026 Ford F-150 Lightning now offers more driving range at a lower price.
2026 Ford F-150 Lightning prices and range by trim
After the Tesla Cybertruck took the title as America’s best-selling electric pickup last year, the Ford F-150 Lightning is back on top in 2025.
Ford sold over 10,000 Lightnings in the third quarter, nearly double the roughly 5,400 Tesla Cybertrucks sold. Through September, Ford has sold over 23,000 electric pickups. According to Cox Automotive, Tesla has only sold 16,097 Cybertrucks this year, 38% fewer than it did during the same period in 2024.
After the $7,500 federal EV tax credit expired at the end of September, many automakers, including Ford, are bracing for less demand.
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To keep the momentum going, Ford is reducing prices for the 2026 F-150 Lightning by up to $4,000. Company spokesperson Martin Günsberg confirmed with Electrek that Ford is cutting prices on the flash trim by $4,000 and the Lariat by $2,000.
The 2026 Ford F-150 Lightning STX (Source: Ford)
Ford introduced a new base STX model that replaces the XLT for 2026. The 2026 Ford F-150 Lightning STX starts at $63,345, the same as the 2025 STX, but it delivers an extra 50 miles of driving range.
A 123 kW extended range battery powers the STX, providing an EPA estimated 290 miles of range. In comparison, the XLT delivered 240 miles of range from a 98 kWh battery.
The interior of the 2026 Ford F-150 Lightning STX (Source: Ford)
Ford also raided the F-150 parts bin to add a few off-road goodies like running boards from the Tremor, new wheels, and more.
The 2026 F-150 Lightning Flash will start at $65,995, down from $69,995. Meanwhile, the 2026 Lariat and Platinum trims will be priced from $74,995 and $84,995.
Ford F-150 Lightning trim
2025 Starting Price
2026 Starting Price
Range (EPA-est miles)
XLT
$63,345
N/A
240
STX
N/A
$63,345
290
Flash
$69,995
$65,995
320
Lariat
$76,995
$74,995
320
Platinum
$84,995
$84,995
300
2025 and 2026 Ford F-150 Lightning prices and range by trim (excluding destination fee)
Although Ford decided not to move forward with plans for a program to extend the $7,500 EV tax credit, the company is still offering significant incentives to compensate for the loss of it.
The 2025 Ford F-150 Lighting STX is eligible for up to $11,500 in savings in California and other ZEV states. Ford is offering a $9,000 lease cash bonus and an additional $2,000 Ford Power Promise cash bonus. Alternatively, Ford is offering 0% APR financing for 72 months plus an extra $2,000 Power Promise bonus nationwide.
With the 2026 Lightning arriving, Ford is offering big savings on 2025 models. The 2025 F-150 Lightning XLT is currently listed for lease as low as $279 per month in California. You can use our link to find offers on the Ford F-150 Lightning near you (trusted affiliate link).
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Global EV sales passed the 2 million mark for the first time in September 2025, according to new data from EV research house Rho Motion – here’s how it breaks down.
A record-breaking September
Rho Motion’s data shows that 2.1 million EVs were sold worldwide in September, the highest monthly total ever recorded. The US, UK, South Korea, and China all hit major milestones, with tax credit deadlines, new registration cycles, and local incentives fueling the global boom.
“Global EV sales topped 2 million units in a single month for the first time, driven by record-breaking demand across major markets,” said Rho Motion’s data manager Charles Lester. “The US surged ahead as buyers raced to claim expiring tax credits, the UK hit new highs on the back of fresh registration plates and the Electric Car Grant, and South Korea set records thanks to Tesla, Hyundai, Kia, and rising BYD imports. Year to date, EV sales have reached 14.7 million – up 26%.”
EV sales by the numbers YTD (Jan–Sept 2025)
Global: 14.7 million (+26%)
China: 9.0 million (+24%)
Europe: 3.0 million (+32%)
North America: 1.5 million (+11%)
Rest of World: 1.2 million (+48%)
Europe surges on incentives
Europe had a record-breaking month with 427,000 EVs sold, up 36% year-over-year and 55% from August. The UK led the charge with record demand tied to the launch of new license plates and the government’s Electric Car Grant, introduced in July. BEV sales rose 30% year-over-year, while PHEVs jumped nearly 60%.
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Germany’s EV market is expected to get another boost in 2026 after the government approved a new €3 billion ($3.5 billion) incentive package targeting low- and middle-income households. It replaces the subsidy scheme that expired in December 2023. Italy and Spain also continue to see strong growth, with sales up two-thirds and more than double, respectively, compared to 2024.
US buyers rushed to beat tax credit deadlines
In North America, EV sales soared 66% year-over-year in September as US consumers scrambled to take advantage of federal incentives before they expired on September 30. The tax credits supported both purchases and leases.
But Rho Motion expects Q4 2025 demand to dip sharply as those credits disappear. Some automakers are already taking defensive steps: Hyundai has cut prices, while Mercedes-Benz has paused production of four EV models. GM has suspended a production shift at its Spring Hill, Tennessee, plant, and Volkswagen is stopping ID.4 production in Tennessee in October. Nissan has gone further, scrapping its plans to manufacture EVs in the US altogether.
China is the world’s EV powerhouse
China still dominates the global EV market, selling 1.3 million EVs in September, a record-breaking month powered by strong BEV demand. Pure-electric sales rose 28% year-over-year to 800,000 units, while PHEVs and range-extended EVs dipped by 2% to 470,000.
China has sold nearly 9 million EVs YTD, up 24% from 2024, cementing its position as the world’s largest and most mature EV market.
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
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On today’s hyped up hybrid episode of Quick Charge, we’ve got the first extended range electric Jeep in North America – the 500-mile new Grand Wagoneer PLUS news that Mazda is getting into the plug-in price war, and a whole lot more.
Today’s episode is brought to you by Climate XChange, a nonpartisan nonprofit working to help states pass effective, equitable climate policies. The nonprofit just kicked off its 10th annual EV raffle, where participants have multiple opportunities to win their dream model. Visit CarbonRaffle.org/Electrek to learn more.
New episodes of Quick Charge are recorded, usually, Monday through Thursday (most weeks, anyway). We’ll be posting bonus audio content from time to time as well, so be sure to follow and subscribe so you don’t miss a minute of Electrek’s high-voltage daily news.
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If you’re considering going solar, it’s always a good idea to get quotes from a few installers. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
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