Markets
Luke Kawa
1/17/25

Big Tech rebounds, propelling major indexes higher

The S&P 500 rose 1%, the Russell 2000 climbed 0.4%, and the Nasdaq 100 delivered a 1.7% advance on Friday.

The benchmark US stock index posted its first weekly gain of 2025, with the sectors that dragged the S&P 500 lower on Thursday (tech, consumer discretionary, and communications services) doing the best on the final session of the week. Real estate and healthcare were the only two S&P 500 sector ETFs in the red.

Intel was the best-performing member of the S&P 500 after a report this morning suggested a “mystery buyer” would pursue a wholesale acquisition of the chipmaker. Many chipmakers, including Qorvo, Nvidia, and Broadcom, also posted huge gains.

Crypto-adjacent stocks like MicroStrategy, Coinbase, MARA Holdings, and Riot Platforms surged of Trump’s inauguration, with the president-elect on track to make crypto a national priority.

Meanwhile, GLP-1 kingpins Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk tanked after the Department of Health and Human Services included some of their drugs on a list of meds that will be up for price negotiations.

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markets
Luke Kawa

Crocs rises on new marketing campaign for HeyDude brand starring Sydney Sweeney


Sydney Sweeney has great... feet?

Shares of Crocs are rising after the footwear company’s HeyDude brand unveiled a new marketing effort starring actress Sydney Sweeney for its Austin Lift shoe line.

Sweeney’s controversial ad campaign for American Eagle spurred a massive jump in the denim maker’s shares, caught the attention of the president, and prompted “an uptick in customer awareness, engagement, and comparable sales,” per American Eagle’s management.

Sweeney was first announced as HeyDude’s global spokesperson in August 2024, and doesn’t seem to have given the brand a major boost so far.

Max Knoblauch
9/26/25

Ford and GM reach 52-week highs as EPA seeks to repeal emissions rules

Shares of Ford and GM are each trading at 52-week highs on Friday, as investors pile into gas-powered US automakers with the looming end of the EV tax credit and the Trump administration’s potential repeal of vehicle emissions standards.

A lobby representing Ford, GM, and nearly all other major automakers has expressed support for the EPA’s proposal to repeal the long-standing endangerment finding that declared greenhouse gases a threat to human life. The finding provides the legal foundation for the EPA to regulate vehicle emissions.

Yesterday, EV giant Tesla urged the Trump administration to keep the standards in place.

Friday afternoon saw Ford shares reach their highest level since July 2024, while GM’s stock hit highs not seen since January 2022.

Citi equity analysts on the key valuation issue facing the market.

Citi’s US market analyst on the key valuation test facing the market

“It kind of comes down to, what inning do you think we are in this AI game?”

markets
Luke Kawa

GameStop surges as company offers promotions to boost launch of “Pokémon” Mega Evolution set

GameStop is jumping as the company offers promotions to boost interest for today’s North American launch of the Mega Evolution set of the “Pokémon Trading Card Game.”

Options activity is a little more tilted to the bull side than usual. Over the past month, a little less than four calls have changed hands for every put option. As of 10:22 a.m. ET, that ratio is over five to one.

It’s a big day for collectibles fans and gamers alike: beyond the “Pokémon TCG” drop, there are also new collections from “Yu-Gi-Oh! and Magic: The Gathering being released and EA SPORTS FC 26, as well.

As we’ve written, Pokémon trading cards have been skyrocketing in value, and GameStop’s collectibles business has been accelerating. These are two sides of the same coin.

Mega Gardevoir... here I come!

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