The stock market is showing a positive trend at the start of a holiday-shortened week. The S&P 500 futures have increased by 30 points, translating to a 0.5% rise. Similarly, Nasdaq 100 futures have climbed 116 points, indicating a 0.5% gain, while Dow Jones Industrial Average futures are up 295 points, reflecting a 0.7% increase.
This positive momentum is driven by a decrease in market rates. The yield on the 10-year bond has dropped by six basis points to 4.35%, and the yield on the 2-year bond has decreased by three basis points to 4.34%. Investors are showing interest in bonds following the announcement of Scott Bessent as the nominated Treasury Secretary by the President-elect Trump.
There is no scheduled U.S. economic data to be released today.
Cassava Sciences (SAVA) experienced a significant stock drop of approximately 86% following the announcement that its Alzheimer's disease candidate, simufilam, did not meet the co-primary endpoints in a phase 3 trial. These endpoints included changes in cognition and function from baseline to the end of week 52, assessed by ADAS-COG12 and ADCS-ADL scales. The company also failed to meet secondary and exploratory biomarker endpoints in the ReThink-ALZ study, leading to the discontinuation of another phase 2 trial, ReFocus-ALZ. Cassava reported having $149M in cash and cash equivalents at the end of the third quarter.
Macy’s (M, Financial) delayed its third-quarter earnings release due to an issue related to delivery expenses in an accrual account. The company reported a 2.4% decrease in net sales to $4.74 billion, slightly below analyst expectations. Macy's shares fell 6.4% in premarket trading following the revelation that an employee intentionally made erroneous accounting entries to hide $132 million to $154 million of cumulative delivery expenses.
Palantir Technologies (PLTR, Financial) saw its stock rise about 3% in premarket trading after BofA reiterated its Buy rating and increased the price target to $75 from $55. The increase was attributed to Palantir's accelerated U.S. growth and its widening "competitive moat," with the company being recognized for its ability to digitize enterprises across various sectors.
Intel (INTC, Financial) and AMD (AMD, Financial) were highlighted as Bernstein assessed the PC and server markets, noting a 7% sequential growth in shipments for the third quarter. Analyst Stacy Rasgon mentioned that overall PC shipments declined by 2% year-over-year, with the CPU channel showing signs of normalization. Notebook CPU shipments were roughly 4% above PCs, while desktop CPUs undershipped, sitting 4% below parity.
Robinhood Markets (HOOD, Financial) gained 4.2% in premarket trading as Morgan Stanley upgraded the stock to Overweight, citing potential benefits from U.S. elections and deregulation. The firm expects a strong trading environment into 2025 and sees Robinhood's valuation as attractive compared to peers.
Newmont (NEM, Financial) announced the sale of its Éléonore gold operation in Quebec to Dhilmar Ltd. for $795M in cash. This transaction contributes to Newmont's goal of generating cash through portfolio optimization, exceeding its target by more than $1.5B.
Amazon Web Services (AMZN, Financial) announced the Quantum Embark Program, leading to a surge in quantum computing-related stocks. Quantum Computing (QUBT), D-Wave Quantum (QBTS), and Arqit Quantum (ARQQ) saw significant premarket gains as the program aims to prepare users for the shift toward quantum computing.
Apple (AAPL, Financial) faced scrutiny from the Indonesian government over its $100M investment offer, deemed inadequate compared to investments in other countries. The government seeks further negotiations before lifting a ban on iPhone 16 sales in Indonesia.
Kroger (KR, Financial) appointed Mary Ellen Adcock as chief merchandising and marketing officer amid its acquisition of Albertson’s (ACI). Adcock will lead Kroger's marketing strategy as the company navigates its multi-billion dollar acquisition.
Snowflake (SNOW, Financial) and Elastic (ESTC, Financial) were upgraded by Wedbush Securities, which noted the next phase of the AI revolution. Both companies saw premarket gains, with the broader software space expected to benefit from AI advancements.
EQT Corp. (EQT, Financial) announced a $3.5B deal with Blackstone (BX) for non-controlling equity interests in its natural gas pipelines. The joint venture will include EQT's interest in the Mountain Valley pipeline and other assets, helping EQT reduce debt from its recent acquisition of Equitrans Midstream.
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