Good Morning, Traders!…👋

U.S. stock futures moved higher Tuesday morning as investors digested renewed momentum in U.S.-China talks and braced for a jam-packed week of earnings reports and economic data.

This comes on the heels of Monday’s market rally, which saw the S&P 500 close at a record high and the Nasdaq notch solid gains. Driving sentiment was a fresh trade deal between the U.S. and European Union—part of a last-minute push by the White House to lock in agreements ahead of the August 1 deadline for sweeping new tariffs.

Beyond trade, the spotlight is shifting to corporate earnings and the Federal Reserve. Early reports suggest Q2 earnings could come in stronger than expected, while the Fed’s interest rate decision later this week may offer critical clues on monetary policy. Investors will also be watching Thursday’s release of the PCE index—the Fed’s preferred inflation gauge—for signs of continued price pressures.

Tuesday’s economic calendar features the JOLTS report, a key measure of labor market health. Analysts expect job openings to tick down to 7.51 million from the prior 7.77 million—a potential sign of easing labor demand.

Earnings Watch

Earnings hit today from UnitedHealth $UNH, Boeing $BA, Procter & Gamble $PG, and Spotify $SPOT before open, plus Visa $V and Starbucks $SBUX after close.

Analysts expect UNH at $7.00 EPS with healthcare cost focus, BA at -$0.83 EPS amid turnaround efforts, PG at $1.42 EPS with cautious guidance, SPOT at $1.74 EPS on streaming growth, V at $2.42 EPS with payment network strength, and SBUX at $0.93 EPS as U.S. sales recovery is watched.

Happening Today

✓ 08:30 AM ET – Trade and Inventories

✓ 09:00 AM ET – S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index

✓ 10:00 AM ET – Consumer and Labor Reports

✓ 11:30 AM ET – Atlanta Fed GDPNow (Q2)

✓ 12:00 PM ET – 7-Year Note Auction

✓ 04:30 PM ET – API Weekly Crude Oil Stock

SECTOR SNAPSHOT

On the last trading day, most sectors experienced declines, indicating broad market weakness. This widespread downturn, affecting Consumer Staples, Financials, Health Care, Industrials, Materials, Real Estate, Communication Services, and Utilities, suggests investor caution due to factors like inflation or economic slowdowns. Energy and Information Technology were notable exceptions, posting gains, likely driven by commodity prices and continued tech confidence.

PreMarket Unusual Volume Stocks

Here's a quick rundown of today's pre-market high-volume stocks:

📈 Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc (ADAP) is up +13.80% at $0.1000 with significant volume, following yesterday's announcement of a definitive agreement to sell its cell therapy assets, including its FDA-approved TECELRA therapy, to US WorldMeds for up to $85 million.

📈 ScanTech AI Systems Inc. (STAI) is gaining +43.44% at $0.6690 with very high volume, driven by yesterday's news of a non-binding Letter of Intent with Visiontec Systems Ltd. to purchase additional SENTINEL Fixed Gantry CT inspection systems for a major nuclear power facility.

📈 Heritage Distilling Holding Company, Inc. (CASK) is up +11.34% at $0.4849 with notable volume. This follows recent positive news regarding its full-year 2024 financial results, including record EBITDA and first profitability, despite ongoing Nasdaq compliance concerns.

📈 Scinai Immunotherapeutics Ltd. (SCNI) is surging +52.68% to $2.05 on significant volume, likely reacting to recent strong Q1 2025 financial results showing robust CDMO revenue growth and reduced cash burn, alongside recent funding through a Standby Equity Purchase Agreement.

📈 Salarius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (SLRX) is exploding +252.18% to $0.7411 with massive volume, after being granted an additional extension by Nasdaq to regain compliance with listing requirements, including the minimum bid price and equity standards, despite a history of volatility and prior reverse stock splits.

Premarket Picks

Salarius Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (SLRX) is surging pre-market at $2.72, up an impressive 267.02%. The spike follows the company’s recent filing of an 8-K form with the SEC.

ScanTech AI Systems Inc. (STAI) is trading at $1.00, climbing 49.47% pre-market. This boost comes after ScanTech announced a non-binding Letter of Intent with Visiontec Systems Ltd. to purchase additional SENTINEL Fixed Gantry CT inspection systems.

Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc. (SRPT) shares are up 36.72% to $18.95. The FDA has indicated it may soon lift the pause on ELEVIDYS shipments for ambulatory Duchenne patients, driving the surge.

Ranger Energy Services, Inc. (RNGR) is rising 8.80% to $14.10 ahead of market open. The company revealed the development of the industry’s first Hybrid Double Electric Workover Rig.

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

Top Upgrades:

1. Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (EW)

Analyst Firm: Daiwa

Upgraded: Neutral to Outperform

Price Target: $89

Yesterday's Close: $78.49

Daiwa raised its rating on Edwards Lifesciences from Neutral to Outperform and set a price target of $89. Specializing in heart disease treatments globally, Edwards Lifesciences has received varied analyst price targets. The stock’s estimates range from a low of $72.00 to a high of $101.00, with a median target of $86.00 and an average of $87.78.

2. BlackLine, Inc. (BL)

Analyst Firm: Raymond James

Upgraded: Market Perform to Outperform

Price Target: $67

Yesterday's Close: $55.70

Raymond James upgraded BlackLine from Market Perform to Outperform, assigning a new price target of $67. BlackLine, known for its cloud-based accounting automation tools, shows stock price targets between $45.00 and $80.00. The median estimate stands at $58.00, with an average price target of $59.09.

3. Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc. (SRPT)

Analyst Firm: Oppenheimer

Upgraded: Perform to Outperform

Price Target: $37

Yesterday's Close: $13.86

Oppenheimer's Andreas Argyrides boosted his rating on Sarepta from Perform to Outperform and increased the price target from $30 to $37. Focused on genetic therapies for rare diseases, Sarepta has a wide range in analyst expectations. The stock has a high target of $185.00, a median of $14.00, and an average price target of $26.58.

Maeve Grace
Editor In Chief
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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.