Good Morning, Traders!…👋

Stock futures are struggling to gain momentum this Friday after a rough Thursday. Walmart’s earnings report, which competes directly with Amazon as one of the largest U.S. retailers, has dampened consumer spending expectations—the key driver of the economy.

Despite solid earnings, Walmart's outlook for the rest of the year missed Wall Street's expectations, casting a shadow over retail stocks. This, along with declines in financials, contributed to the broader market pullback.

Traders are coming off a down day, with the Dow dropping 450 points. The S&P 500 fell by 0.4%, retreating from its recent all-time highs, while the Nasdaq Composite dropped nearly 0.5%. A mix of factors, including inflation concerns and a decline in Palantir shares, fueled the market’s slide.

On a week-to-date basis, the S&P 500 is on track for a small gain of less than 0.1%, while the Nasdaq Composite is down 0.3%. The Dow is the biggest laggard, currently down 0.8% for the week.

Happening Today

✓ 09:45 AM ET – S&P Global Manufacturing PMI (Feb)

✓ 10:00 AM ET – Existing Home Sales (Jan)

✓ 10:00 AM ET – Michigan Consumer Sentiment (Feb)

✓ 03:30 PM ET – CFTC Nasdaq 100 and S&P 500 speculative net positions

PREMARKET SNAPSHOT 📈

As of February 21, 2025, U.S. stock futures are experiencing slight declines, with the S&P 500, Dow, and NASDAQ all trending downward. This movement follows a recent sell-off influenced by Walmart's weaker earnings outlook and ongoing tariff concerns.

SECTOR SNAPSHOT✨

Yesterday market had a mixed session, with Energy and Health Care showing resilience, while Real Estate and Utilities edged higher. Financials and Consumer Discretionary sectors faced notable declines, while Information Technology remained nearly flat. Communication Services and Industrials also struggled, contributing to a generally cautious sentiment.

PreMarket Unusual Volume Stocks

📈 Universe Pharmaceuticals Inc. (UPC) is making waves in the pre-market session, surging 61.61% to $0.1425. With a staggering pre-market volume of 50.38 million shares, compared to its average of 4.27 million, investor interest has skyrocketed. This level of activity suggests a strong catalyst driving the stock higher, making it a top watch for the day.

📈 Celsius Holdings, Inc. (CELH) is gaining traction early, climbing 33.25% to $25.53. Despite a pre-market volume of 475.19K shares being below its 90-day average of 8.96 million, the stock’s move indicates renewed interest, possibly due to fundamental developments or market enthusiasm around the energy drinks sector.

📈 NaaS Technology Inc. (NAAS) is seeing a substantial 48.92% increase in pre-market trading, reaching $1.39. The volume has exploded to 5.91 million shares, dwarfing its 144.05K average, indicating significant momentum. The surge suggests traders are reacting to a potential industry or company-specific development.

📈 MicroAlgo, Inc. (MLGO) is leading the pre-market gainers, soaring 193.48% to $1.15. The stock has registered 23.51 million shares in pre-market volume, far exceeding its 3.34 million average. This sharp uptick signals an extraordinary level of speculative interest, making it one of the most active stocks this morning.

📈 MicroCloud Hologram Inc. (HOLO) is posting a strong 28.57% gain in early trading, priced at $1.19. With 6.78 million shares already exchanged pre-market versus its 18.55 million average, the volume remains solid, though not extreme. The stock’s movement suggests traders are positioning for further upside.

Premarket Picks

MicroCloud Hologram Inc. (HOLO) is experiencing a pre-market surge of 31.09%, with its price rising to $1.56. The surge is attributed to the company’s new perspectives and theoretical foundations for understanding quantum systems and their transition mechanisms.

Celsius Holdings, Inc. (CELH) saw a pre-market increase of 32.39%, bringing its price to $33.80. This jump follows the company's announcement that it has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Alani Nutrition LLC for $1.8 billion, including $150 million in tax assets, resulting in a net purchase price of $1.65 billion, paid in a combination of cash and stock.

NaaS Technology Inc. (NAAS) is up by 50.71% in pre-market trading, with its stock price reaching $2.11. This boost comes after the company’s board approved a share repurchase program, effective from February 21, 2025.

China Yuchai International Limited (CYD) saw a pre-market surge of 26.45%, bringing its price to $24.00. The increase follows the announcement that Yuchai has entered a strategic cooperation agreement with Kim Long Motor Hue, a subsidiary of Vietnam's FUTA Group.

Below is a complete list of hot stocks in pre-market today:

Top Upgrades:

1. Lumen Technologies, Inc. (LUMN)

Analyst Firm: Wells Fargo
Upgraded: Underweight to Equal Weight
Price Target: $5
Yesterday's Close: $4.69

Wells Fargo analyst Eric Luebchow raised Lumen's rating from Underweight to Equal Weight, maintaining a price target of $5.

Lumen Technologies provides tech and communication services to businesses and residents worldwide. Analysts have set a stock price target range for Lumen, with a high estimate of $8.00, a median of $5.15, and a low of $4.00. The average target price stands at $5.49.

2. First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. (FR)

Analyst Firm: Goldman Sachs
Upgraded: Sell to Neutral
Price Target: $59
Yesterday's Close: $55.77

Goldman Sachs upgraded First Industrial Realty from Sell to Neutral and increased the price target to $59 from $52 after its Q4 earnings report.

First Industrial Realty Trust, Inc. specializes in owning, operating, developing, and acquiring logistics properties across the United States. The stock price target for First Industrial Realty ranges from a low of $52.00 to a high of $63.00, with a median estimate of $59.00. The average target price is $58.93.

3. Terreno Realty Corporation (TRNO)

Analyst Firm: Goldman Sachs
Upgraded: Neutral to Buy
Price Target: $77
Yesterday's Close: $66.82

Goldman Sachs analyst Caitlin Burrows boosted Terreno Realty’s rating from Neutral to Buy, raising the price target to $77 from $65.

Terreno Realty focuses on industrial real estate in six major U.S. coastal markets. The stock price target for Terreno is projected to range from $58.00 to $80.00, with a median of $71.00. The average target price is $69.29.

Happy investing,

Maeve Grace
Editor In Chief
Premium Stock Alerts

Important: This newsletter does not provide investment advice. The stocks mentioned should not be taken as recommendations. Your investments are solely your decisions.

Disclosure: I hold no positions in any companies mentioned, either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.