Markets
Luke Kawa

Stocks surge by most since day after US election

Well, I guess we can call it an uncorrection, for now.

The S&P 500 closed 10% below its all-time high with a rip-roaring 2.1% gain, its best day since November 6, when investors enthusiastically greeted President Trump’s election victory. The Nasdaq 100 and Russell 2000 did even better, closing up 2.5%.

However, it was still the fourth straight negative week for the benchmark US stock index, which hasn’t happened since August.

Every S&P 500 sector ETF finished higher on Friday, and most by more than 1%. Healthcare and consumer staples were the laggards, while tech was up 3% and energy, financials, and consumer discretionary were up 2% or more.

Ulta Beauty was the best performer on the S&P 500 after greatly exceeding earnings expectations.

Momentum stocks were back on the menu. Nvidia surged as Hon Hai (Foxconn) suggested that its AI server business could soon generate more revenues than its consumer electronics division. Super Micro Computer and Palantir were also among the biggest gainers.

Quantum computing stocks mooned after D-Wave Quantum reported massive bookings in the fourth quarter, a green shoot for commercialization prospects in the space.

Peloton climbed after Cannacord upgraded the stock from hold to buy, seeing sufficient upside after recent declines.

Kering, owner of Gucci (among others), slumped after tapping Demna Gvasalia as its creative director, a controversial hire that has not been well received by the market.

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Retail traders are “skipping the dip” this time

Here’s one noteworthy feature of the recent market downturn that has the S&P 500 poised for its worst week since reciprocal tariffs were announced in early April: retail traders seemingly aren’t eager to buy the weakness in single stocks the way they used to be.

JPMorgan strategist Arun Jain has flagged that retail traders instead appear to be “skipping the dip.”

“In contrast to the behavior observed during the post-Liberation Day selloff, retail investors did not seize the opportunity to buy-the-dip on Tuesday, with a few exceptions such as META,” he wrote of the day where the benchmark US stock index fell 1.2%. “In fact, they scaled back their ETF purchases and turned net sellers in single stocks.”

Then on Thursday, when the S&P 500 fell 1.1%, Jain projected that retail traders sold $261 million in single stocks. Through noon ET on Friday, his daily outflow estimate stands at $851 million.

With that intel, it’s little wonder why the carnage this week has been particularly intense in more speculative single stocks that had been favored by the retail community, including IREN, IonQ, Rigetti, Cipher Mining, Bloom Energy, and Oklo.

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Archer Aviation plunges on $650 million share sale following its third-quarter results

Air taxi maker Archer Aviation is deep in the red on Friday morning after reporting its third-quarter results after the bell Thursday. The stock is down more than 12%.

Investors don’t appear to be thrilled about the company’s $650 million direct stock offering, announced alongside its results.

The move marks at least the third major equity raise, and dilution, for Archer this year. The company raised $300 million from a new stock sale in February, and sold $850 million worth of shares in June.

On Archer’s earnings call Thursday, interim CFO Priya Gupta said the company came to the decision after “substantial inbound interest.” According to Gupta, the company has heard from government and commercial partners that liquidity is a “key driver to their decisions of who to partner with.” With its latest share sale, Archer said its total liquidity is more than $2 billion.

The move marks at least the third major equity raise, and dilution, for Archer this year. The company raised $300 million from a new stock sale in February, and sold $850 million worth of shares in June.

On Archer’s earnings call Thursday, interim CFO Priya Gupta said the company came to the decision after “substantial inbound interest.” According to Gupta, the company has heard from government and commercial partners that liquidity is a “key driver to their decisions of who to partner with.” With its latest share sale, Archer said its total liquidity is more than $2 billion.

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