Good Morning, Traders!…👋

U.S. stock futures are inching higher Monday, buoyed by optimism over cooling inflation and relief after a last-minute government funding bill averted a shutdown. Congress passed the spending legislation early Saturday, just minutes after funding expired, preventing disruptions to services like law enforcement and national parks during the busy holiday travel season.

With U.S. stock markets closing early on Tuesday and shut for Christmas on Wednesday, trading volumes are expected to thin. However, the markets are entering a historically strong period. The "Santa Claus Rally," encompassing the last five trading days of the year and the first two of the next, has delivered an average S&P 500 gain of 1.3% since 1969, according to the Stock Trader's Almanac.

Meanwhile, gold prices remain steady as a softer-than-expected U.S. inflation reading renews hopes for interest rate cuts in 2025.

Happening Today

✓ 10:00 AM ET – CB Consumer Confidence (Dec)

✓ 01:00 PM ET – 2-Year Note Auction

PREMARKET SNAPSHOT 📈

Market futures are mixed, with the S&P 500 and Dow showing declines, while the NASDAQ edges slightly higher.

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SECTOR SNAPSHOT✨

Yesterday market experienced broad-based gains as most sectors posted positive results. Financials, health care, and industrials stood out with solid performances, driving momentum. Technology and materials also contributed with notable gains, reflecting renewed investor confidence. Real estate led the charge, marking the strongest sectoral growth for the day. Energy and communication services added to the positive sentiment, while utilities rounded out the session with a steady advance. Consumer staples and discretionary sectors saw modest increases, further supporting the market's upward trajectory.

PreMarket Unusual Volume Stocks

📈 Kidpik Corp (PIK) exhibited remarkable growth with its stock price increasing by 146.26%, closing at 5.59. The trading volume reached 5,000,060 shares, significantly surpassing its average volume of 31.17.

📈 Reliance Global Group Inc (RELI) recorded an extraordinary 217.50% surge in its stock price, closing at 3.81. The trading volume soared to 19,949,910 shares, far exceeding its average volume of 147.23.

📈 Traws Pharma Inc (TRAW) showed an impressive increase of 213.35%, with its stock price closing at 15.73. The trading volume stood at 552,391 shares, much higher than its average volume of 11.86.

📈 Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp (PHIO) experienced significant growth, with its stock price rising by 67.61% to close at 2.95. The trading volume hit 5,653,376 shares, exceeding the average volume of 162.16.

📈 Lytus Technologies Holdings PTV Ltd (LYT) recorded a moderate increase of 28.57%, closing at 1.35. The trading volume was 10,017,358 shares, surpassing its average volume of 968.44.

Premarket Picks

SEALSQ Corp (LAES) saw a pre-market surge of 26.18%, with its stock price rising to $3.47. The company’s impressive gain follows the announcement of the integration of its post-quantum cryptographic chips on WISeSat satellites, which generated strong investor interest.

Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. (FFIE) experienced a 17.24% increase in pre-market trading, bringing its stock price to $1.36. This surge came after the company secured approximately $30 million in cash financing commitments, helping to strengthen its financial position.

Brenmiller Energy Ltd (BNRG) saw a notable 26.50% surge in pre-market trading, with its stock price climbing to $0.95. The rise followed the company’s announcement that it had received the ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification for its Information Security Management Systems, highlighting its commitment to global standards.

American Battery Technology Company (ABAT) surged by 46.85% in pre-market trading, reaching a price of $1.63. This jump occurred after the company announced the pricing of a $5 million registered direct offering, signaling positive growth prospects.

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

Top Upgrades:

1. Weyerhaeuser Company (WY)

Analyst Firm: Raymond James
Upgrade: Market Perform to Outperform
Price Target: $32
Yesterday's Close: $27.50

Raymond James raised its rating on Weyerhaeuser to Outperform from Market Perform, setting a target price of $32.

Weyerhaeuser, founded in 1900, owns 10.5 million acres of U.S. timberland and manages an additional 14 million acres in Canada. Analysts have set the stock price target for Weyerhaeuser with a high of $40.00, a median of $36.00, and a low of $32.00, giving an average target of $36.30.

2. PotlatchDeltic Corporation (PCH)

Analyst Firm: Raymond James
Upgrade: Market Perform to Outperform
Price Target: $45
Yesterday's Close: $38.75

Raymond James also upgraded PotlatchDeltic to Outperform from Market Perform, with a target price of $45.

PotlatchDeltic is a prominent Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) owning over 2.1 million acres of timberlands across Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, and South Carolina. The stock price target for PotlatchDeltic is projected with a high of $55.00, a median of $52.00, a low of $45.00, and an average target of $50.86.

3. GCM Grosvenor Inc. (GCMG)

Analyst Firm: Piper Sandler
Upgrade: Neutral to Overweight
Price Target: $14
Yesterday's Close: $11.75

Piper Sandler increased its rating on GCM Grosvenor to Overweight from Neutral, raising the price target to $14 from $12.50.

GCM Grosvenor is a global asset management firm overseeing $80 billion in assets across private equity, infrastructure, real estate, credit, and absolute return strategies. Analysts have set the stock price target for GCM Grosvenor at a high of $20.00, a median of $13.00, a low of $12.00, and an average target of $14.30.

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.