Good Morning, Traders!…👋

U.S. stock futures pulled back on Thursday as renewed tariff threats from President Trump cast a shadow over Wall Street’s momentum, following a historic rally that pushed Nvidia to a $4 trillion valuation.

After the bell Wednesday, Trump escalated trade tensions by announcing a 50% tariff on Brazilian imports, citing political concerns tied to former President Jair Bolsonaro. The move was part of a broader campaign, with Trump sending tariff notices to 22 nations this week, all set to take effect on August 1.

Despite the rising geopolitical risks, investors are watching closely for signs of trade progress with major partners like the EU, India, and Canada. Meanwhile, earnings season begins today with Delta Airlines reporting results—an important test of how companies are navigating the uncertainty.

Earnings Watch

Earnings hit today from Delta Air Lines $DAL, ConAgra Foods $CAG, Simply Good Foods $SMPL, Byrna Technologies $BYRN, and Northern Technologies $NTIC before open, plus Levi Strauss $LEVI, WD-40 $WDFC, PriceSmart $PSMT, Vista Energy $VIST, and E2open Parent $ETWO after close.

Analysts expect DAL to post $1.95 EPS with travel demand resilience but tariff concerns, CAG to hit $0.59 EPS amid packaged goods stability, SMPL at $0.44 EPS with nutrition brand growth, BYRN at $0.02 EPS driven by non-lethal security demand, NTIC at $0.19 EPS with corrosion solutions steady, LEVI to deliver $0.11 EPS with denim retail trends, WDFC at $1.29 EPS on maintenance product sales, PSMT at $1.09 EPS with warehouse club performance, VIST at $0.92 EPS amid energy sector strength, and ETWO at $0.04 EPS with cloud software demand.

Happening Today

✓ 08:30 AM ET – Jobless Claims
✓ 01:00 PM ET – 30-Year Bond Auction (Previous: 4.844%)
✓ 01:15 PM ET – Fed Waller Speaks
✓ 02:30 PM ET – FOMC Member Daly Speaks
✓ 04:30 PM ET – Fed's Balance Sheet

SECTOR SNAPSHOT✨

On the last trading day, most sectors closed positively, highlighting broad market strength. Information Technology and Utilities led the gains, suggesting investor confidence in growth-oriented tech companies and stable income-generating utilities. Conversely, Consumer Staples, Energy, and Real Estate saw minor declines, perhaps indicating a rotation away from defensive plays or reactions to specific commodity price fluctuations.

PreMarket Unusual Volume Stocks

📈 SU Group Holdings Limited (SUGP) is up +30.33% at $1.22 with incredibly high volume, driven by the announcement of its largest contract ever, a $11.3 million hospital project in Hong Kong, and recent positive market sentiment.

📈 NuCana plc (NCNA) is gaining +21.56% at $0.0603 with massive volume. This movement follows recent news regarding Nasdaq compliance challenges and an at-the-market sales agreement, making it highly volatile.

📈 Pop Culture Group Co., Ltd (CPOP) is up +22.30% to $0.6950 with significant volume; this comes after previous Nasdaq non-compliance notifications, and the company recently announced operational improvements for its last fiscal year.

📈 POET Technologies Inc. (POET) sees a +7.54% rise to $6.10 with increased volume, as it continues to position itself to meet the burgeoning demand for AI infrastructure with its optical engines and recent strategic acquisitions.

📈 Energous Corporation (WATT) is up +5.81% at $0.3100 with notable volume, after reporting preliminary record quarterly revenue, its lowest net loss in ten years, and successfully retiring high-interest debt, signaling a potential turnaround.

Premarket Picks

Klotho Neurosciences, Inc. (KLTO) surged 47.44% pre-market to $2.02 following news that the FDA granted Orphan Drug Designation to their new gene therapy (KLTO-202) for treating ALS.

SU Group Holdings Limited (SUGP) jumped 28.69% to $1.57 in the pre-market trading today after announcing it secured the largest contract in company history, valued at HK$88.5 million (around US$11.3 million).

Nurix Therapeutics, Inc. (NRIX) rose 36.57% to $18.00 in early trading, buoyed by the release of its fiscal quarter financial results ending May 31, 2025.

NuCana plc (NCNA) gained 36.15% to $0.08 after filing a 6-K form with the SEC, sparking investor interest.

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

Top Upgrades:

1. McDonald's Corporation (MCD)

Analyst Firm: Goldman Sachs

Upgraded: Neutral to Buy

Price Target: $345

Yesterday's Close: $293.02

Goldman Sachs raised McDonald's rating from Neutral to Buy, keeping the price target steady at $345. Analysts have set McDonald’s stock price targets ranging from a low of $260 to a high of $365. The median target stands at $340, with an average of $331.44. McDonald’s operates and franchises its restaurants both in the U.S. and globally.

2. Roku, Inc. (ROKU)

Analyst Firm: KeyBanc

Upgraded: ector Weight to Overweight

Price Target: $115

Yesterday's Close: $88.63

KeyBanc increased Roku’s rating from Sector Weight to Overweight, setting a price target of $115. Roku’s stock price targets show a wide range, from $60 on the low end to $130 at the high. The median price target is $90, while the average is $91.27. Roku and its subsidiaries operate a popular TV streaming platform across the U.S. and worldwide.

3. National Health Investors, Inc. (NHI)

Analyst Firm: KeyBanc

Upgraded: Sector Weight to Overweight

Price Target: $80

Yesterday's Close: $70.28

KeyBanc also upgraded National Health Investors from Sector Weight to Overweight, with a price target of $80. Stock price targets for National Health Investors vary between $71 and $90, with a median of $80.50 and an average of $80.75. NHI specializes in investments in senior housing and medical real estate.

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.