Good Morning, Traders!…👋

U.S. stock futures edged higher on Friday as Wall Street prepared for the crucial monthly jobs report amid market uncertainty fueled by President Donald Trump’s volatile trade policy.

The stakes are high for February's job report, set to be released later on Friday, as stocks struggle amid fears of weakening economic growth. Downbeat economic data has increased bets on interest-rate cuts this year, prompting investors to look closely for signs of strain in the nonfarm payrolls report. The report is expected to show that hiring picked up while the unemployment rate held steady when it's released at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Trade-war concerns continue to weigh on the market. Trump announced a pause on tariffs for most goods from Mexico and Canada until April, but the news failed to provide relief for stocks on Thursday. Canada matched the delay in its retaliatory duties, while Mexico has yet to respond. However, Mexico has begun reviewing its China tariffs, which could provide a potential win for Trump.

Happening Today

✓ 08:30 AM ET – Average Hourly Earnings (MoM) (Feb)

✓ 08:30 AM ET – Nonfarm Payrolls (Feb)

✓ 08:30 AM ET – Unemployment Rate (Feb)

✓ 10:15 AM ET – FOMC Member Bowman Speaks

✓ 11:00 AM ET – Fed Monetary Policy Report

✓ 12:30 PM ET – Fed Chair Powell Speaks

✓ 01:30 PM ET – U.S. President Trump Speaks

✓ 03:00 PM ET – Consumer Credit (Jan)

PREMARKET SNAPSHOT 📈

​As of March 7, 2025, U.S. stock futures indicate slight gains ahead of the February jobs report and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell's remarks. The S&P 500 futures are up 0.07%, Dow Jones futures have risen 0.13%, and Nasdaq futures have increased by 0.23%.​

SECTOR SNAPSHOT✨

Yesterday markets saw a sharp selloff, with losses across most sectors. Consumer discretionary, technology, and real estate were the hardest hit, while financials and communication services also faced heavy declines. Industrials and healthcare edged lower, while materials and utilities followed suit. Energy was the only bright spot, posting modest gains amid broader weakness. 

PreMarket Unusual Volume Stocks

📈 PLUS THERAPEUTICS, Inc. $PSTV ( ▲ 5.44% ) is leading the pre-market surge, climbing 55.56% to $1.44. The stock has recorded an explosive 10.18 million shares in volume, reflecting a 32,730.02% spike. This unusual activity suggests strong investor enthusiasm, likely triggered by positive clinical developments or strategic announcements.

📈 Phoenix Motor Inc. $PEV ( ▼ 7.23% ) is up 19.85% in early trading, reaching $0.3401. With pre-market volume at 5.59 million shares—up 8,456.19%—the EV manufacturer is attracting significant interest, possibly due to sector momentum or company-specific news.

📈 Farmmi, Inc. $FAMI ( ▼ 1.02% ) is showing impressive pre-market strength, advancing 33.33% to $0.2286. Trading volume has surged to 32.99 million shares, an astonishing 5,169.32% increase. This level of activity indicates growing speculation around the stock, potentially driven by industry-related catalysts.

📈 SUNation Energy, Inc. $SUNE ( ▲ 0.97% ) is posting an 87.80% gain, now trading at $0.1771. With a massive 63.51 million shares exchanged—up 189.40%—the solar energy firm is capturing attention, likely benefiting from broader interest in renewable energy investments.

📈 Broadcom Inc. $AVGO ( ▼ 3.85% ) is moving higher, gaining 10.78% to $179.45 in pre-market action. The semiconductor giant has seen 269.94K shares traded, representing a 121.73% increase in volume. Broadcom’s momentum could be linked to optimism surrounding AI-driven chip demand and earnings expectations.

Premarket Picks

Plus Therapeutics, Inc. (PSTV) saw a pre-market surge, with its price rising by 52.08% to $2.19. The increase followed the announcement that the FDA granted Orphan Drug Designation to Rhenium Obisbemeda for the treatment of leptomeningeal metastases (LM) in lung cancer patients.

CytomX Therapeutics, Inc. (CTMX) experienced a 40.61% pre-market gain, bringing its price to $0.87. The jump followed the release of its 2024 financial results, which showed total revenue of $138.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2024, compared to $101.2 million in 2023.

GEN Restaurant Group, Inc. (GENK) saw its pre-market price rise by 28.88% to $6.56. The company’s growth was driven by its fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 financial results, which showed a 21.2% year-over-year revenue increase to $54.7 million for Q4, and a 15.1% increase to $208.4 million for the full year.

Phoenix Motor Inc. (PEV) gained 23.49% in pre-market trading, pushing its price up to $0.42. The surge followed the company’s announcement of its revenue guidance for 2024 and 2025, with projections of over $30 million in revenue and positive net income in 2024, and an expected $40 million to $50 million in revenue for 2025.

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

Top Upgrades:

1. Bank of America Corporation $BAC ( ▼ 0.4% )  

Analyst Firm: Baird
Upgraded: Neutral to Outperform
Price Target: $50
Yesterday's Close: $41.46

Baird raised its rating on Bank of America to Outperform from Neutral, setting a new price target of $50, up from the previous $45. Analysts have set the stock price target for Bank of America Corporation (BAC) with a high of $59.00, a median of $53.50, and a low of $49.00, resulting in an average target of $53.38. Bank of America is a major banking and financial services corporation with a strong presence both in the U.S. and internationally.

2. Steel Dynamics, Inc. $STLD ( ▼ 0.12% )  

Analyst Firm: Morgan Stanley
Upgraded: Equal Weight to Overweight
Price Target: $158
Yesterday's Close: $125.25

Morgan Stanley's Carlos De Alba increased his rating on Steel Dynamics to Overweight from Equal Weight, with a revised price target of $158, up from $145. For Steel Dynamics, Inc. (STLD), the stock price target ranges from a high of $165.00 to a low of $132.00, with a median of $145.00 and an average of $147.09. The company is a leading steel producer and metal recycler based in the U.S.

3. Wayfair Inc. $W ( ▼ 2.95% ) 

Analyst Firm: Jefferies
Upgraded: Hold to Buy
Price Target: $47
Yesterday's Close: $33.10

Jefferies' Jonathan Matuszewski upgraded Wayfair to Buy from Hold, raising the price target to $47, up from $45. Wayfair Inc. (W) has analysts predicting a stock price target with a high of $72.00, a median of $51.00, and a low of $38.00, giving it an average target of $53.10. Wayfair operates as a prominent e-commerce business, providing a wide variety of home goods and furniture in both the U.S. and international markets.

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.