Good Morning, Traders!…👋

U.S. stock futures climbed after President Trump toured the Federal Reserve’s $2.5 billion renovation project on Thursday—his first visit to the central bank—and investors absorbed a fresh wave of corporate earnings.

While Trump has previously criticized the renovation as excessive and hinted at dissatisfaction with Fed Chair Jerome Powell, he dialed back the rhetoric during the visit. The president dismissed speculation about firing Powell, saying, “To do that is a big move, and I just don't think it's necessary.” He reiterated his hope for lower interest rates but acknowledged confidence in Powell’s leadership.

Meanwhile, Intel topped revenue expectations in its earnings report, but investor sentiment turned cautious as CEO Lip-Bu Tan discussed layoffs and factory cancellations, sending shares lower in after-hours trading.

Looking ahead, Wall Street will turn its focus to more high-profile tech earnings next week, with Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), Meta (META), and Amazon (AMZN) all set to report.

Earnings Watch

Earnings hit today from Charter Communications $CHTR, Phillips 66 $PSX, HCA Healthcare $HCA, and Booz Allen Hamilton $BAH before open.

Analysts expect CHTR at $9.71 EPS with stable broadband demand, PSX at $1.98 EPS on refining margins, HCA at $6.27 EPS amid healthcare growth, and BAH at $1.52 EPS with consulting strength.

Happening Today

✓ 08:30 AM ET – Durable Goods Orders

✓ 11:30 AM ET – Atlanta Fed GDPNow (Q2)

✓ 01:00 PM ET – U.S. Baker Hughes Rig Count

✓ 03:30 PM ET – CFTC Speculative Net Positions

SECTOR SNAPSHOT

On the last trading day, most sectors were down, with Consumer Discretionary, Financials, Health Care, Industrials, and Materials experiencing declines. This broad weakness could stem from general market apprehension, profit-taking, or reactions to economic data. Conversely, Energy, Information Technology, and Communication Services showed gains. Energy's rise might be linked to fluctuating commodity prices or geopolitical events, while continued tech and communication strength could reflect investor confidence in those sectors' long-term growth despite broader market sentiment.

PreMarket Unusual Volume Stocks

Here's a quick rundown of today's pre-market high-volume stocks:

📈 AEye, Inc. (LIDR) is up +18.84% at $2.92 with massive volume, soaring after NVIDIA integrated its Apollo lidar into the DRIVE AGX platform, giving AEye access to top-tier automakers.

📈 Eightco Holdings Inc. (OCTO) is gaining +39.86% at $1.43 with very high volume; while no specific new catalyst is immediately evident, the company recently announced Q1 2025 financial results in May, and has been actively managing its capital structure.

📈 NextCure, Inc. (NXTC) is up +17.68% at $5.26 with significant volume, experiencing a rebound after a volatile period that included a reverse stock split in mid-July to regain Nasdaq compliance.

📈 Garden Stage Limited (GSIW) is up +34.31% to $0.1090 with exceptionally high volume, continuing to see volatility as it navigates Nasdaq compliance issues while also recently confirming regaining compliance with the minimum bid price rule.

📈 Wellchange Holdings Company Limited (WCT) is gaining +13.95% at $0.2064 with notable volume, as it recently announced receipt of a Nasdaq notification regarding minimum bid price deficiency, which often leads to volatility as the company works to regain compliance.

Premarket Picks

Shares of Linkhome Holdings Inc. (LHAI) surged 69.63% in pre-market trading to $9.55. The jump comes after the company announced the pricing of an upsized $6 million initial public offering, signaling strong investor interest in the newly public firm.

Garden Stage Limited (GSIW) climbed 34.03% pre-market to $0.15. The boost followed news of a $4.2 million registered direct offering, providing the company with fresh capital and sparking increased investor activity.

AEye, Inc. (LIDR) shares jumped 27.73% to $3.73 in pre-market trading. The rally was driven by news that its flagship Apollo lidar system has been fully integrated into NVIDIA’s DRIVE AGX platform, a key component of NVIDIA’s autonomous vehicle strategy.

Coursera, Inc. (COUR) rose 27.02% pre-market to $11.54 after releasing its Q2 2025 earnings. The company raised its full-year revenue guidance by $17 million, now expecting between $738 million and $746 million in revenue for 2025.

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

Top Upgrades:

1. Nasdaq, Inc. (NDAQ)

Analyst Firm: UBS

Upgraded: Neutral to Buy

Price Target: $115

Yesterday's Close: $93.50

UBS raised its rating on Nasdaq from Neutral to Buy and increased its price target to $115, up from $95. Analysts have set a price target range for Nasdaq, Inc. with a high of $111.00, a median of $100.00, and a low of $86.00. The average target stands at $100.71. Nasdaq operates as a global technology company, serving capital markets and a range of other industries.

2. Carvana Co. (CVNA)

Analyst Firm: Oppenheimer

Upgraded: Perform to Outperform

Price Target: $450

Yesterday's Close: $326.09

Oppenheimer boosted its rating on Carvana to Outperform from Perform, setting a new price target of $450. Carvana's stock price outlook is notably bullish, with analyst targets ranging from a low of $230.00 to a high of $450.00. The median estimate sits at $345.00, with an average of $345.30. Carvana offers an online platform for buying and selling used vehicles across the U.S.

3. Global Payments Inc. (GPN)

Analyst Firm: Mizuho

Upgraded: Neutral to Outperform

Price Target: $114

Yesterday's Close: $83.05

Mizuho upgraded Global Payments from Neutral to Outperform and lifted its price target to $114, up from $86. For Global Payments Inc., analysts project a stock price high of $130.00, a median of $86.00, and a low of $64.00. The average target is $91.50. The company specializes in providing payment and software solutions to clients worldwide.

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.