Hello Part-time Trader…👋

As we close out the week, U.S. stock futures are on the rise, with investors aiming to recoup some of the ground lost during this week’s sell-off. Paramount Global saw a significant boost, climbing over 6% after surpassing earnings expectations and announcing a 15% reduction in its U.S. workforce. On the other hand, E.l.f. Beauty slipped about 9% following cautious guidance.

The market has been trying to regain momentum after Monday’s sharp global sell-off, which was triggered by disappointing U.S. payroll data, concerns about the Federal Reserve’s rate-cutting timeline, and the unwinding of the Japanese yen carry trade. Despite these challenges, it appears that investors have been buying the dip, viewing the recent pullback as a healthy correction.

Today is expected to be relatively quiet in terms of data and earnings. However, next week brings a slew of important economic updates, including inflation, producer prices, and retail sales figures, which could significantly impact market sentiment.

Bond yields remained relatively stable early this morning, with the benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury bond yield at 3.971% and the 2-year note at 4.036%.

Happening Today

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

U.S. Baker Hughes Total Rig Count

✓ 03:30 PM ET – CFTC Nasdaq 100 speculative net positions

✓ 03:30 PM ET – CFTC S&P 500 speculative net positions

PREMARKET SNAPSHOT📈

Market futures are mixed, with the S&P 500 and NASDAQ showing slight gains, while the Dow is down modestly.

SECTOR SNAPSHOT✨

The market surged with strong gains across the board. Information Technology led the rally with an impressive performance, followed closely by Industrials and Health Care, reflecting broad-based investor optimism. Consumer Discretionary and Energy also posted significant increases, while Financials and Materials contributed to the positive momentum. Even typically stable sectors like Consumer Staples and Real Estate saw solid gains. Communication Services joined the upward trend, capping off a day of widespread market enthusiasm.

PreMarket Unusual Volume Stocks

📈 FSD Pharma Inc (HUGE): FSD Pharma Inc experienced a significant increase in trading activity with a volume of 47,292,561, far exceeding its average volume of 3,246,650. This surge in activity led to a 56.29% price change, reflecting heightened market interest.

📈 Marin Software Inc (MRIN): Marin Software Inc saw an extraordinary surge in volume, trading 2,219,539 shares compared to its average of 304,800. This dramatic increase resulted in a 22.65% price change, indicating strong investor activity.

📈 Nauticus Robotics Inc (KITT): Nauticus Robotics Inc's trading volume rose to 7,704,004, significantly higher than its average of 1,090,580. The stock's price change of 49.48% mirrors this spike in trading volume.

📈 Iteris Inc. (ITI): Iteris Inc. saw its volume rise to 123,070, far surpassing its average of 100,570. This increase in trading activity resulted in a 63.08% price change.

📈 MGO Global Inc (MGOL): MGO Global Inc's volume spiked to 2,892,679, a substantial increase from its average of 2,553,900. The stock's 37.59% price change highlights the impact of the increased trading activity.

Premarket Picks

Marin Software Incorporated (MRIN) stock skyrocketed by over 28% in early trading after revealing improved partnerships with Reddit and X (formerly Twitter).

Doximity, Inc. (DOCS) shares jumped almost 30% before the market opened, following the release of their first-quarter financial results for 2025.

Nauticus Robotics, Inc. (KITT) stock climbed more than 50% in pre-market trading after announcing a collaboration with Florida Atlantic University to test their underwater vehicle, Aquanaut Mark 2.

Iteris, Inc. (ITI)  shares surged nearly 63% before market open, after agreeing to be bought by Almaviva S.p.A., an Italian tech company, in a cash deal worth around $335 million.

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

Top Upgrades:

1. PayPal Holdings, Inc. (PYPL)

Analyst Firm: Daiwa
Price target: $72
Yesterday’s market close: $64.28

Daiwa has upgraded PayPal Holdings (PYPL) from a "Neutral" to an "Outperform" rating, setting a price target of $72. This represents a potential upside of 12.01% from yesterday's closing price.

2. Synchrony Financial (SYF)

Analyst Firm: BofA
Price target: $54
Yesterday’s market close: $45.76

BofA has raised its rating on Synchrony Financial (SYF) from "Neutral" to "Buy" with a price target of $54, implying a potential 18.01% increase from Thursday's closing price.

3. Paramount Global (PARA)

Analyst Firm: Wells Fargo
Price target: $11
Yesterday’s market close: $10.21

Wells Fargo has upgraded Grupo Paramount Global (PARA) to "Equal Weight" with a price target of $11, suggesting a potential upside of 7.74% from its recent closing price.

Happy investing,

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.