Trump Media & Technology Group on Thursday unveiled a premium data service that will provide paying customers with licensed, real-time access to content posted on Truth Social, a move aimed at Wall Street firms and other professional users seeking immediate access to market-moving information from the platform.

The new offering, delivered through an Application Programming Interface (API), will allow subscribers to receive real-time posts and historical data from selected Truth Social accounts. While the company did not specifically mention President Donald Trump’s account in its announcement, the service is widely expected to derive much of its value from the president’s frequent use of the platform for official statements on economic policy, tariffs, geopolitics and financial markets.

“Markets already move on Truth Social posts,” Trump Media interim Chief Executive Kevin McGurn said in announcing the service.

The launch represents Trump’s social media company’s latest effort to diversify beyond advertising and subscriptions by monetizing the unique influence of its platform, particularly as institutional investors, trading firms and news organizations increasingly monitor presidential communications for market-sensitive developments.

President Trump’s @realDonaldTrump account is the largest on Truth Social, with approximately 12.9 million followers as of Thursday, according to the company and third-party estimates. The president has routinely used the platform as his primary channel for announcing policy decisions, including tariffs, military actions, executive orders, and other government initiatives before they appear elsewhere.

That practice has effectively turned Truth Social into a critical source of information for financial markets, where investors increasingly rely on automated systems capable of reacting to headlines within milliseconds.

The new API is designed to serve precisely that audience.

Institutional investors, hedge funds, algorithmic traders, and financial data providers commonly purchase low-latency feeds from social media platforms to capture breaking information before it becomes widely disseminated. Such services are also used to build sentiment analysis models that scan posts for market signals and adjust trading strategies accordingly.

Unlike comparable products offered by other social media companies, however, Truth Social occupies a unique position because it hosts the primary communications channel of a sitting U.S. president.

That distinction has prompted renewed scrutiny from ethics experts, who believe the arrangement creates potential conflicts between public office and private financial interests.

Virginia Canter, an ethics attorney with Democracy Defenders Fund, said the arrangement raises significant concerns because President Trump continues to communicate official government decisions through a platform tied to his family’s financial interests.

“It’s a huge conflict of interest,” Canter said.

“He has an obligation to the American people to convey information to them publicly, and he’s now funneling it through a private channel in which he has a private interest as one of its largest shareholders.”

Canter added that Truth Social has effectively “become the de facto presidential press room.”

The White House referred questions to the Trump Organization, which declined to comment. Trump Media did not immediately respond to follow-up questions.

Although President Trump transferred his holdings in Trump Media to a revocable trust managed by his son, Donald Trump Jr., after returning to office, the Trump family remains the company’s largest shareholder.

According to Securities and Exchange Commission filings, approximately 114 million shares, representing about 42% of Trump Media, were transferred into the trust following Trump’s election victory.

The API launch also highlights how social media has become an important source of market-moving information. Financial firms have long subscribed to premium data products from platforms such as X and other networks to obtain faster access to breaking news and public sentiment.

Truth Social is now seeking to compete in that market by capitalizing on its role as the first destination for many presidential announcements.

The initiative could create a new recurring revenue stream for Trump Media at a time when the company continues to search for sustainable business growth. Since going public through a special purpose acquisition company merger in March 2024 under the ticker DJT, the company’s shares have fallen about 84%, according to FactSet data.

For investors, the premium data service underpins an effort to reposition Truth Social as more than a consumer social network by targeting institutional clients willing to pay for faster access to information capable of influencing financial markets.

However, analysts believe the service gaining broad adoption will likely depend on the extent to which Wall Street firms view Truth Social as indispensable for monitoring presidential communications, as well as whether ongoing ethical and political scrutiny affects institutional demand.

HSBC has upgraded Indian equities to “Neutral” from “Underweight,” becoming the latest global investment bank to turn more constructive on the country’s stock market after easing oil prices reduced pressure on corporate earnings and government measures to stabilize the rupee helped bring foreign investors back.

The brokerage also raised its end-2026 target for the BSE Sensex to 84,000 from 80,500, implying an 8.6% upside from current levels. The move marks a reversal from HSBC’s bearish stance in April, when surging crude prices and geopolitical tensions prompted it to downgrade Indian equities in favor of North East Asian markets.

The upgrade indicates that India’s investment outlook has improved as one of the world’s largest oil importers. Lower energy prices are easing inflationary pressures, reducing input costs for businesses and improving macroeconomic stability after months of uncertainty triggered by the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran.

“The oil shock has eased, taking some pressure off margins and lowering the risk of significant earnings downgrades,” HSBC said in a research note.

The bank’s more optimistic view follows a sharp retreat in global oil prices. Brent crude has fallen 33% from its April peak of $126.41 per barrel after the United States and Iran reached an interim agreement that eased fears of prolonged supply disruptions in the Middle East.

The decline brings good news for India because the country imports roughly 85% of its crude oil requirements, making energy prices one of the biggest determinants of inflation, corporate profitability, fiscal balances and the current account deficit.

Lower crude prices reduce transportation and manufacturing costs, ease pressure on consumer inflation, and lessen the government’s fuel subsidy burden. For listed companies, especially those in manufacturing, transportation, aviation, consumer goods, and chemicals, cheaper energy improves operating margins and lowers the likelihood of earnings downgrades.

The improved energy backdrop also gives the Reserve Bank of India greater flexibility on monetary policy while supporting domestic consumption.

Foreign Investors Begin Returning

Another factor behind HSBC’s upgrade is the return of overseas capital. Foreign portfolio investors have purchased approximately $1.6 billion worth of Indian equities so far in July, reversing four consecutive months of heavy selling.

The rebound is notable given the scale of capital that exited earlier this year. Foreign investors have withdrawn $27.7 billion from Indian stocks in 2026, already exceeding the previous annual record outflow of $18.9 billion recorded last year.

Much of that selling reflected a global rotation into technology and semiconductor stocks benefiting from the artificial intelligence boom. Investors shifted capital toward markets with greater exposure to AI leaders, including the United States, Taiwan and South Korea, while reducing positions in markets such as India that have relatively limited participation in the AI supply chain.

The stabilization of the rupee, helped by policy measures and improving external conditions, has also made Indian assets more attractive by reducing currency risk for overseas investors.

While HSBC’s outlook has improved, the bank cautioned that India’s recovery in foreign inflows may prove difficult to sustain as investors continue chasing opportunities tied to artificial intelligence.

The AI investment cycle has fundamentally altered global capital allocation.

Technology companies involved in advanced semiconductors, AI infrastructure, cloud computing and memory chips have attracted enormous investment as spending on AI accelerates worldwide. Markets with heavy exposure to companies such as Nvidia, TSMC, SK Hynix, Samsung Electronics and AI infrastructure suppliers have significantly outperformed broader emerging markets.

India has benefited from AI through software services and digital adoption but lacks a large domestic ecosystem of listed companies manufacturing advanced chips, AI hardware, or data center infrastructure. That structural difference has contributed to India’s relative underperformance this year.

HSBC noted that concerns remain over whether foreign investors will continue allocating funds to India once attention shifts back toward AI-related investment opportunities.

India Still Trails Regional Markets

Despite the recent improvement in sentiment, Indian equities remain behind their regional peers. The benchmark Sensex is down 7.7% so far this year, while the MSCI Asia-Pacific Index excluding Japan has gained 21%, driven largely by strong performances in technology-heavy markets.

HSBC continues to view South Korea as the strongest growth story in Asia, reflecting its central role in the AI semiconductor supply chain through companies such as SK Hynix and Samsung Electronics. However, the bank warned that concentrated investor positioning and leverage in Korean equities could continue generating elevated volatility.

Within India, HSBC favors sectors positioned to benefit from improving domestic economic conditions rather than export-driven technology industries.

The brokerage identified several preferred sectors:

• Private sector banks are supported by healthy credit growth and improving asset quality.
• Consumer discretionary companies that stand to benefit from easing inflation and stronger household spending.
• Real estate developers, as lower financing costs and improving consumer confidence support housing demand.
• Commodities companies, which could benefit from recovering industrial activity.
• Select industrial firms positioned to capitalize on infrastructure investment and manufacturing expansion.

These sectors are viewed as the primary beneficiaries of lower energy costs and improved domestic demand.

HSBC’s upgrade follows a similar move by Goldman Sachs earlier this month, suggesting global investment banks are becoming more constructive on India after the sharp correction earlier this year.

However, the report also underscores that India’s recovery remains largely cyclical rather than structural. Lower oil prices have improved corporate earnings prospects and attracted foreign capital back into the market, but the country’s limited exposure to the global AI investment boom continues to constrain relative performance.

Short sellers are rapidly increasing bearish bets against SpaceX, with short interest surging to nearly one-third of the company’s publicly tradable shares as investors position for further declines following the company’s blockbuster initial public offering.

About 185 million SpaceX shares are now sold short, representing approximately 29% of the company’s public float and roughly $25 billion worth of bearish positions, according to data from S3 Partners.

The increase has been dramatic. Just three weeks ago, an estimated 40 million shares, or roughly 5% to 7% of the float, were sold short.

“We are seeing continuous demand from short sellers building speculative positions since the IPO,” Matthew Unterman, head of research at S3, told CNBC.

The sharp increase in short interest shows there is growing skepticism over SpaceX’s near-term valuation after the company’s highly anticipated public debut. While the IPO initially generated strong investor enthusiasm, the stock has since lost momentum, falling about 20% in July and briefly dropping below its $135 IPO price on Wednesday for the first time. Shares were last trading around $133.

One of the biggest concerns weighing on the stock is the approaching wave of lockup expirations, which could significantly expand the number of shares available for trading and increase selling pressure.

SpaceX floated only about 5% of its roughly 13 billion outstanding shares during its IPO, making the stock particularly sensitive to changes in supply. A relatively small public float means even modest selling activity can trigger outsized price swings, while the limited availability of shares has also made the stock attractive to short sellers.

According to KeyBanc Capital Markets, the first major lockup expiration is expected around the company’s second-quarter earnings release, when roughly 11% of outstanding shares could become eligible for sale.

Further lockup releases are expected in stages. Additional tranches representing about 4% of outstanding shares are scheduled to become available beginning around 70 days after the IPO, followed by more shares tied to performance milestones and the company’s third-quarter earnings report.

The largest insider holding remains locked up. Chief Executive Elon Musk’s stake, which accounts for about 42% of SpaceX’s outstanding shares, cannot be sold until June 2027, limiting the immediate risk of a large insider disposal but leaving a substantial future supply overhang.

The rising short interest is seen as an indication of a common dynamic following high-profile IPOs with limited public floats. Traders often anticipate that lockup expirations will increase share supply, potentially weighing on prices as early investors, employees, and insiders gain the ability to monetize their holdings.

Beyond technical factors, investors are also assessing whether SpaceX’s valuation adequately reflects its long-term growth ambitions. The company raised a record $75 billion in its IPO, pitching investors on businesses that extend beyond launch services, including satellite broadband through Starlink, enterprise artificial intelligence applications, and plans to deploy data centers in space.

Those initiatives have helped position SpaceX as a play on multiple high-growth technology themes, including AI infrastructure, cloud computing and next-generation communications. However, they also require substantial capital spending and execution over several years, making the stock vulnerable to shifts in investor sentiment toward high-growth companies.

Attention is now turning to operational catalysts that could influence trading. SpaceX’s 13th Starship test flight is scheduled for Thursday, providing investors with an opportunity to assess progress on one of the company’s flagship programs. Successful missions could improve sentiment, while technical setbacks may reinforce concerns already reflected in the rapidly growing short positions.

The unusually high level of short interest also raises the possibility of heightened volatility. With nearly one-third of the public float now sold short, positive operational developments, stronger-than-expected financial results, or favorable news around Starlink or AI initiatives could trigger a short squeeze, forcing bearish investors to buy back shares and potentially accelerating gains.

Conversely, disappointing execution or heavier-than-expected selling following upcoming lockup expirations could validate the current bearish positioning and add further downward pressure to the stock.