Good Morning, Traders!…👋

U.S. stock futures edged about 0.2% lower on Monday, cooling off after a strong rally to end last week. The pullback comes as investors await key earnings, with Nvidia (NVDA) in focus. The Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all saw gains Friday, fueled by hopes for Fed rate cuts as early as September.

Nvidia, the most valuable stock in the S&P 500, reports earnings Wednesday after the bell. Analysts expect $1.01 per share on $46.13 billion in revenue. The stock is up 32% this year and has nearly doubled since April, making this report a major test for both Nvidia and the broader tech sector.

More earnings from Dell and Marvell are due Thursday, while Friday brings the July PCE inflation report—closely watched by the Fed. Core PCE is expected to rise 2.9% year over year, slightly above June’s 2.8%.

Earnings Watch

Earnings hit today from PDD Holdings $PDD and NAPCO Security Technologies $NSSC before open, plus Heico $HEI and Semtech $SMTC after close.

Analysts expect PDD at $2.80 EPS with e-commerce growth, NSSC at $0.49 EPS on security solutions demand, HEI at $1.12 EPS with aerospace strength, and SMTC at $0.22 EPS amid semiconductor recovery.

Happening Today

✓ 08:00 AM ET – Building Permits

✓ 10:00 AM ET – New Home Sales

✓ 07:15 PM ET – FOMC Member Williams Speaks

SECTOR SNAPSHOT

On the last trading day, most sectors saw strong gains, with Consumer Discretionary and Energy leading the market rally. The sole exception was Consumer Staples, which posted a minor decline, indicating a broad-based positive sentiment across the market.

PreMarket Unusual Volume Stocks

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

📈 MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Inc. (MRM) is up +36.72% at $1.77 with massive volume, continuing its recent volatility after announcing its participation in a new AI-era "proof of human" protocol co-founded by ChatGPT's Sam Altman.

📈 OSR Holdings, Inc. (OSRH) is up +55.61% to $0.5150 with extremely high volume. This is likely a continuation of its recent volatility as a low-priced stock, though specific new catalysts are not immediately apparent.

📈 Asset Entities Inc. (ASST) is up +36.65% at $4.42 with significant volume; this follows recent news of a strategic private investment to fund Bitcoin accumulation and a merger with Strive Asset Management, positioning it as a publicly traded asset management Bitcoin treasury.

📈 Ondas Holdings Inc. (ONDS) is gaining +6.90% at $4.49 with notable volume. The company recently announced a series of strategic moves, including a $2.7 million order for its drone systems and a strategic acquisition of robotics innovator Apeiro Motion.

📈 Cognition Therapeutics, Inc. (CGTX) is up +6.76% at $2.81 with increased volume. The stock is reacting to recent strong Q2 2025 financial results that showed a significant increase in revenue and progress in its clinical trials for neurodegenerative diseases.

Premarket Picks

Auddia Inc. (AUUD) is seeing a pre-market boost, with shares up 10.84% to $2.76. The surge follows the company’s announcement of a restructuring of its engineering team in preparation for an upcoming business combination.

Sharps Technology, Inc. (STSS) is leading the pre-market rally, soaring 72.81% to $12.71. The spike comes after the company filed an S-8 form with the SEC, often signaling upcoming stock-based compensation or expansion plans.

MEDIROM Healthcare Technologies Inc. (MRM) shares are up 35.03% in pre-market trading, priced at $2.39. The jump follows the filing of a 6-K form with the SEC, a report typically used to disclose significant events by foreign companies.

Achieve Life Sciences, Inc. (ACHV) is up 17.47% to $3.43 pre-market. Investor interest is rising as the company approaches a key milestone in its FDA approval process for cytisinicline, which could become the first new smoking cessation treatment in nearly two decades, with a major launch anticipated in 2026.

Top Upgrades:

1. Olaplex Holdings, Inc. (OLPX)

Analyst Firm: Canaccord

Upgraded: Hold to Buy

Price Target: $2

Friday's Close: $1.40

Canaccord raised its rating on Olaplex from Hold to Buy and increased its price target from $1.50 to $2. Analysts have set price targets for Olaplex Holdings, Inc., with projections ranging from a low of $1.50 to a high of $4.00, and an average target of $1.99. Olaplex manufactures and sells haircare products both in the U.S. and internationally through its subsidiaries.

2. Venture Global, Inc. (VG)

Analyst Firm: UBS

Upgraded: Neutral to Buy

Price Target: $18

Friday's Close: $12.86

UBS analyst Manav Gupta upgraded Venture Global from Neutral to Buy, maintaining the price target at $18. Venture Global, Inc. has received analyst price targets ranging from $12.00 to $21.00, with an average target of $16.93. The company focuses on developing, constructing, and operating natural gas liquefaction and export facilities along the U.S. Gulf Coast in Louisiana.

3. Alaska Air Group, Inc. (ALK)

Analyst Firm: Raymond James

Upgraded: Market Perform to Outperform

Price Target: $70

Friday's Close: $59.50

Raymond James lifted its rating on Alaska Air from Market Perform to Outperform, setting a price target of $70. For Alaska Air Group, Inc., analyst price estimates range from $56.00 to $80.00, with an average of $65.15. The company operates multiple airlines, including Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, and various regional carriers.

Maeve Grace
Editor In Chief
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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.