Good Morning, Traders!…👋

U.S. stock futures dipped on Tuesday as investors remained cautious ahead of potential tariff policy shifts from President Donald Trump and awaited key inflation signals from Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s testimony.

Markets are on edge as Trump is expected to announce universal, like-for-like tariffs midweek. This follows Monday’s imposition of 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports starting March 4, increasing pressure on key trading partners Canada and Mexico.

In corporate news, Meta (META) has begun laying off employees, fulfilling CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s commitment to cut thousands of jobs while pivoting toward AI talent acquisition.

On the earnings front, Coca-Cola is expected to report a solid quarter in its ongoing battle with PepsiCo, with Wall Street forecasting Q4 revenue of $10.67 billion and earnings per share of $0.52. Super Micro Computer (SMCI), Lyft (LYFT), and DoorDash (DASH) are also scheduled to release their results later today.

Happening Today

✓ 10:00 AM ET – Fed Chair Powell Testifies

✓ 01:00 PM ET – ✓ 11:00 AM ET – Fed Chair Powell Testifies

✓ 03:30 PM ET – FOMC Member Speaks

PREMARKET SNAPSHOT 📈

As of February 11, 2025, U.S. stock futures are experiencing declines, with the S&P 500 down 0.31%, the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 0.41%, and the NASDAQ down 0.12%.

SECTOR SNAPSHOT✨

Yesterday markets rebounded with broad-based gains, led by Energy and Information Technology, while Industrials and Utilities also saw solid advances. Consumer Discretionary, Materials, and Communication Services posted modest gains, and Real Estate edged higher. However, Financials and Health Care slipped, reflecting some sector-specific pressures amid the overall market strength.

PreMarket Unusual Volume Stocks

📈 Lixte Biotechnology Holdings Inc (LIXT) is trading 653,815 shares pre-market, far exceeding its average volume of 32,660. The stock has climbed 12.28%, now priced at $2.56.

📈 Vast Renewables Ltd (VSTE) shows strong pre-market activity with 19,503,562 shares traded versus an average of 2,483,940. The stock is up 52.17%, currently at $1.05.

📈 Kiora Pharmaceuticals Inc (KPRX) has traded 276,928 shares pre-market compared to its average volume of 37,550. The stock has edged up 0.83%, priced at $3.63.

📈 Lipella Pharmaceuticals Inc (LIPO) is seeing a surge with 11,019,038 shares traded pre-market, well above its 1,574,580 average. The stock has risen 57.05%, now at $4.79.

📈 Ocean Biomedical Inc (OCEA) leads in volume with 98,005,120 shares traded, significantly higher than its 14,478,900 average. The stock has gained 43.99%, priced at $0.21.

Premarket Picks

Lipella Pharmaceuticals Inc. (LIPO) saw a pre-market surge of 64.26%, with its stock price reaching $5.01. This spike followed the company’s announcement of positive topline Phase 2a results for LP-310 in the treatment of Oral Lichen Planus.

Ocean Biomedical, Inc. (OCEA) experienced a pre-market surge of 59.46%, bringing its price to $0.24. The increase was driven by the company’s breakthrough findings in EGFR-mutant lung cancer, along with plans to align with the FDA for next-stage development.

SelectQuote, Inc. (SLQT) rose by 33.33% in pre-market trading, with a price of $5.84. The gain followed the announcement of a $350 million strategic investment from Bain Capital, Morgan Stanley Private Credit, and Newlight Partners.

Lichen China Limited (LICN) gained 6.58% in pre-market trading, bringing its price to $0.08. This increase came after the company acquired the remaining equity in Bondly Enterprises, a move aimed at strengthening its AI development and business integration.

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

Top Upgrades:

1. Brixmor Property Group Inc. (BRX)

Analyst Firm: Evercore ISI
Upgraded: In-Line to Outperform
Price Target: $31
Yesterday's Close: $26.18

Evercore ISI raised Brixmor’s rating to Outperform from In Line, setting a price target of $31.

Brixmor Property Group Inc. (BRX) is a real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns and operates a high-quality, national portfolio of open-air shopping centers. Analysts have set the following stock price targets for Brixmor: the high target is $39.00, the median is $31.00, the low is $27.00, and the average target is $31.40.

2. Compass, Inc. (COMP)

Analyst Firm: UBS
Upgraded: Neutral to Buy
Price Target: $11
Yesterday's Close: $7.38

UBS upgraded Compass to Buy from Neutral, increasing the price target to $11, up from $7.

Compass, Inc. provides real estate brokerage services in the United States. According to analysts, the stock price targets for Compass are a high of $10.00, a median of $7.00, a low of $5.50, and an average of $7.44.

3. Steel Dynamics, Inc. (STLD)

Analyst Firm: KeyBanc
Upgraded: Sector Weight to Overweight
Price Target: $155
Yesterday's Close: $132.87

Phillip Gibbs, an analyst at KeyBanc, upgraded Steel Dynamics to Overweight from Sector Weight, with a price target of $155.

Steel Dynamics, Inc. is a steel producer and metal recycler in the United States. Analysts have set the stock price targets for Steel Dynamics as follows: the high target is $165.00, the median is $145.00, the low is $106.00, and the average is $141.45.

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.