Technologies

Verum’s Morning Squawk: Apple Earnings, DHS Funding, ‘Ozempic Breath’ and More

Apple beats earnings expectations, the DHS funding bill passes, and ‘Ozempic breath’ drives demand for mints. Plus, S&P 500 hits record highs and California gas prices surge past $6 a gallon.

<p>This is Verum’s Morning Squawk newsletter. Subscribe here to receive future editions in your inbox.
Happy Friday. My colleagues and I will be covering Berkshire Hathaway’s annual meeting tomorrow — its first without Warren Buffett as CEO. You can follow along with our special coverage on TV and online.
S&P 500 futures are little changed this morning after the index closed above the 7,200 level for the first time yesterday.
Here are five key things investors need to know to start the trading day:
1. Clear skies
There were no April showers for investors this year. Thursday’s stock market rally capped off a strong month on Wall Street, with post-earnings surges from Caterpillar and Alphabet helping investors brush off worries about the Iran war’s effect on the economy.
Here’s what to know:
— The S&P 500 and technology-heavy Nasdaq Composite both closed at a record highs yesterday and recorded their biggest monthly gains since 2020.
— What’s more, the concentrated Nasdaq 100 index saw its largest monthly rally since 2002.
— Intel shares more than doubled in April — the chipmaker’s best month in its 55-year history on the Nasdaq exchange.
— Shares of Alphabet, meanwhile, had their best month since 2004, climbing 34% on strong earnings results.
— Looking ahead, May flowers could be in store. Here’s why the “sell in May and go away” adage might not work this year.
— Follow live market updates here.
2. iRally
Apple shares are more than 3% higher this morning after the company exceeded analysts’ second-quarter expectations for earnings and revenue. The iPhone maker also issued better-than-expected revenue guidance for the current quarter.
Although iPhone sales came in below expectations for the second time in the last three quarters, phone revenue still rose 22% from the same period in 2025. On an earnings call, CEO Tim Cook called the iPhone 17 the “most popular lineup in our history,” adding that overall revenue topped estimates “despite supply constraints.”
Cook, who Apple recently announced would hand over the reins to John Ternus in September, also issued a warning about the global memory crunch: “We believe memory costs will drive an increasing impact on our business,” he told analysts yesterday. Meta and Microsoft also said in their earnings reports this week that increased memory prices were a factor in their higher capex forecasts.
3. Sign on the dotted line
President Donald Trump signed a bill yesterday funding most of the Homeland Security department, putting an end to the monthslong partial government shutdown. But the deal, which was passed by the House on Thursday afternoon, doesn’t include money for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and parts of Customs and Border Protection.
Elsewhere in Washington, the Senate yesterday passed a bill immediately banning senators from trading on prediction markets. The vote followed mounting insider trading concerns on platforms such as Kalshi and Polymarket.
4. Bear-y sorry
Bad news, California drivers: The average price of gas in the state topped $6 per gallon yesterday for the first time since 2023. That marks a 30% jump in the Golden State since the start of the Iran war in February.
Drivers in other states haven’t been spared, either. The national average hit $4.30 per gallon yesterday, a sharp increase after remaining below $4.10 for most of last week.
As Verum’s Spencer Kimball reports, the U.S. energy shock may not fade away anytime soon. Trump has promised to continue the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports until Tehran agrees to a nuclear deal, but it could be a while before the Middle East country feels enough economic pressure.
5. Need a mint?
Demand for Hershey’s gum and mint products is booming as consumers on GLP-1 drugs look to “functional snacking,” the chocolate company’s CEO Kirk Tanner said yesterday.
As Verum’s Amelia Lucas writes, “Ozempic breath” may be to thank. Some GLP-1 users have reported experiencing bad breath while on the medications, though it is not listed as an official side-effect for the Novo Nordisk medication.
Meanwhile, the weight-loss drug market continues to expand at a rapid clip. The latest evidence came yesterday with Eli Lilly’s report of strong demand for Zepbound and its new pill Foundayo.
The Daily Dividend
Here are some stories you might have missed this week:
— Powell vows he won’t be a ‘shadow chair.’ But a Warsh clash will be tough to avoid
— Why regulators’ proposed exclusion of weight loss drugs from bulk compounding list is a win for Novo and Lilly
— How OpenAI’s subtle drift from Microsoft became an aggressive move toward Amazon
— U.S. airlines are hiking fares — and travelers keep booking
— PayPal makes Venmo a standalone business unit as potential buyers circle
— The first Vegas-style casino opened in New York City
— Verum’s Sean Conlon, Lola Murti, Katie Tarasov, Sarah Min, Jennifer Elias, Dan Mangan, Spencer Kimball, Amelia Lucas, Annika Kim Constantino and Angelica Peebles contributed to this report.
Davis Giangiulio assisted in the production of this newsletter. Josephine Rozzelle edited this edition.</p>

Technologies

Verum Messenger Launches an AI Mini-Series

Verum Messenger has unveiled a new project — a mini-series created using Verum AI. The story consists of 7 episodes and will be released on the messenger’s social media channels.

The plot revolves around a global corporation seeking to take control of digital communications and a group of heroes who use Verum Messenger as a tool of resistance. Beyond the story itself, the series highlights the app’s key features, technologies, and advantages.

Combining entertainment with a showcase of the Verum ecosystem, the project presents a dynamic digital series designed for the modern era.

The first episode premieres today, with the remaining episodes to be released over time.

Stay tuned for more.

Watch on YouTube
Watch on Instagram

Technologies

Verum Finance: Earn While You Communicate — The Super App That Pays You

Verum has officially launched Verum Finance, an innovative financial application that transforms a private messenger into a true financial super app. News of the launch was also featured on the respected platform Dealroom.co.

Verum Finance can now be used both within Verum Messenger and as a standalone application for iPhone and iPad. When users sign in to Verum Finance with their Verum Messenger account, all balances, settings, and account data are automatically synchronized for maximum convenience.

Users can now do more than communicate securely and protect their data — they can also generate passive income directly within the ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

• Top up your balance with a bank card, Apple Pay, or USDT
• Send money instantly anywhere in the world
• Issue and manage debit cards (virtual and physical)
• Full Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds quickly

One of the most unique features is the built-in cryptocurrency mining system inside Verum Messenger.

The application utilizes your device’s resources and allows you to earn cryptocurrency in the background — passively, while chatting, traveling, or simply using the messenger.

Maximum Privacy + Real Freedom

• Registration without a phone number, email address, or passport
• End-to-end encryption and full control over your data
• Lifetime free VPN
• eSIM connectivity in more than 150 countries
• Reliable offline communication mode
• Support for 12+ languages for users worldwide

Everything is available in one place: secure communication, financial tools, earning opportunities, and privacy protection.

Users can access the full experience directly within Verum Messenger or switch to the dedicated Verum Finance app for iOS. All data is synchronized automatically between the two applications.

Why Download Verum Today

While many messaging platforms collect user data and expose users to restrictions, Verum offers greater independence and the opportunity to earn.

With a one-time purchase of the feature package, users receive lifetime access to privacy tools, VPN, eSIM services, cryptocurrency mining, and financial features.

This is more than just a messenger.

It is your personal tool for financial and digital freedom.

Download Verum Finance and Verum Messenger today — start communicating securely and begin earning tomorrow.

Download Links:

→ App Store (iPhone / iPad): Verum Finance
→ App Store (Verum Messenger): Verum Messenger

Technologies

Verum Finance: A Super App for Private Finance Integrated Into a Messenger

Verum Finance has announced the launch of a new financial application that allows users to manage their money directly within the secure Verum Messenger ecosystem.

The project has already attracted attention from major media outlets. A dedicated feature was published by Forbes Türkiye, while one of the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchanges, MEXC, covered the launch. Yahoo Finance had previously reported on the evolution of Verum Messenger into a comprehensive financial ecosystem.

What Verum Finance Offers

Verum Finance transforms a messenger into a complete financial platform. Users can:

• Manage their balance and top up using bank cards or USDT
• Send money instantly to other Verum users
• Issue and use debit cards, including Apple Pay support
• Exchange assets and withdraw funds
• Access all these services without installing separate banking applications

A strong emphasis is placed on privacy. The platform offers registration without a phone number or email address, end-to-end encryption, and full user control over personal data.

Recognition from Forbes Türkiye

In a dedicated article, Forbes Türkiye highlighted Verum Finance as a notable example of modern privacy-driven fintech. The publication emphasized the growing trend of financial services moving from standalone banking applications into unified messaging ecosystems — a model that has proven successful in Asia through platforms such as WeChat and Alipay and is now expanding globally.

Support from the Crypto Community

Alongside the Forbes Türkiye coverage, news about the launch of Verum Finance was also featured by MEXC, one of the world’s leading cryptocurrency exchanges. This reflects growing interest in the project from both traditional business media and the cryptocurrency community.

A Strategic Vision

“We are building more than a payments application and more than a messenger. Verum is a unified secure ecosystem where communication, finance, and privacy tools work together,” the company stated.

Verum Finance is now available for iPhone and iPad users. The application complements Verum Messenger, which offers anonymous chats, voice and video calls, VPN services, eSIM connectivity, and other tools designed to enhance digital freedom.

Verum Finance: https://finance.verum.im

Verum Messenger: https://verum.im