Happy Christmas, Traders!…👋

U.S. equity futures are rising, driven by optimism in tech stocks, as Wall Street aims to rebound from the four-day slump that closed out 2024. This recovery could restore some luster to the S&P 500’s extraordinary two-year run, which saw a surge of over 50% since the start of 2023, fueled by the "Magnificent Seven" tech megacaps and enthusiasm around artificial intelligence.

Meanwhile, U.S. domestic security has returned to the spotlight following two high-profile incidents: an attack on New Year’s revelers in New Orleans and a deadly explosion involving a Tesla Cybertruck outside Donald Trump’s Las Vegas hotel. Both events are under investigation by the FBI, as Trump prepares to be sworn in as president later this month.

Investors also have fresh 2025 economic data to digest, including Thursday’s U.S. jobless claims report. Looking ahead, traders are closely watching growth prospects in Europe and China, the Federal Reserve’s policy trajectory, and Trump’s agenda for potential market impacts.

Happening Today

✓ 08:30 AM ET – Initial Jobless Claims

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

✓ 10:00 AM ET – Construction Spending (MoM) (Nov)

✓ 11:00 AM ET – Crude Oil Inventories

✓ 04:30 PM ET – Fed's Balance Sheet

PREMARKET SNAPSHOT 📈

Market futures are showing strong gains, with the S&P 500, Dow, and NASDAQ all rising notably.

SECTOR SNAPSHOT✨

Yesterday market displayed mixed performance, with energy leading gains as the standout sector, supported by modest improvements in financials, health care, and materials. Consumer staples and real estate also edged higher, reflecting cautious optimism. However, consumer discretionary and technology sectors faced notable declines, weighed down by weak sentiment, while communication services and industrials also ended in the red. Utilities remained nearly flat with a slight dip.

PreMarket Unusual Volume Stocks

📈 Alset Inc (AEI) had a stellar performance, closing the day with a price increase of 135.29%, reaching 2.40. The trading volume surged to 14,017,376 shares, significantly surpassing its average volume of 96.16.

📈 Alternus Clean Energy Inc (ALCE) gained 107.43%, closing at 1.63. The stock saw a remarkable trading volume of 18,530,984 shares compared to its average of 442.02.

📈 Know Labs Inc (KNW) experienced a moderate increase of 24.93%, ending the day at 0.22. The trading volume reached 19,704,098 shares, far above the average volume of 820.58.

📈 Creative Media & Community Trust (CMCT) recorded a gain of 26.09%, closing at 0.28. The trading volume rose to 40,268,330 shares, exceeding its average of 1,786.51.

📈 Revelation Biosciences Inc (REVB) had an exceptional day with a 182.00% increase, closing at 1.30. The trading volume hit 17,306,473 shares, surpassing the average volume of 1,226.20.

Premarket Picks

Creative Media & Community Trust Corporation (CMCT) is experiencing a significant surge in pre-market trading, with a price of $0.27 and an increase of 20.04%. The boost is attributed to the company's announcement of a reverse stock split.

HOOKIPA Pharma Inc. (HOOK) saw a pre-market price of $2.17, rising by 7.96%. This gain comes after news that HOOKIPA Pharma is in talks with Poolbeg Pharma for an all-share acquisition, aiming to form a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on innovative cancer treatments.

MicroAlgo Inc. (MLGO) is also gaining momentum, with its pre-market price at $4.18, reflecting an 11.17% surge. The increase follows the company’s announcement of the launch of FULL Adder Operation Quantum Algorithm Technology, which is based on CPU registers in quantum gate computing.

1847 Holdings LLC (EFSH) saw a pre-market rise to $0.28, marking a 9.54% increase. This surge comes after the company declared a special dividend of Series E preferred shares, which has driven positive investor sentiment.

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

Top Upgrades:

1. Douglas Emmett, Inc. (DEI)

Analyst Firm: Wedbush
Upgraded: Neutral to Outperform
Price Target: $21
Tuesday's Close: $18.56

Wedbush raised its rating on Douglas Emmett to Outperform from Neutral, increasing the price target to $21, up from $19.

Analysts have set a high price target of $21.00 for Douglas Emmett, Inc. (DEI), with a median target of $19.50. The low target stands at $12.50, and the average price target is $18.45. DEI is a self-managed REIT that owns and operates premium office and multifamily properties in prime coastal areas, including Los Angeles and Honolulu.

2. Edison International (EIX)

Analyst Firm: Barclays
Upgraded: Equal Weight to Overweight
Price Target: $84
Tuesday's Close: $79.84

Barclays upgraded Edison International to Overweight from Equal Weight, with the price target of $84.

For Edison International (EIX), analysts project a high target of $100.00, a median of $90.00, and a low of $71.00. The average stock price target is $89.27. Edison International is engaged in the generation and distribution of electric power through its subsidiaries.

3. Cloudflare, Inc. (NET)

Analyst Firm: Goldman Sachs
Upgraded: Sell to Buy
Price Target: $140
Tuesday's Close: $107.68

Goldman Sachs analyst Gabriela Borges upgraded Cloudflare twice, moving it from Sell to Buy, and raised the price target to $140, up from $77.

Cloudflare, Inc. (NET) has an analyst price target range with a high of $140.00, a median of $99.00, and a low of $57.00. The average price target is $100.96. Cloudflare operates as a leading cloud services provider offering various solutions to businesses around the world.

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.