Midday Alert: Biotech Rising Stars & Affordable $10 Gems

U.S. stocks slid on Thursday as markets reacted to a hotter-than-expected producer price index (PPI) reading for November. Wholesale prices rose 0.4% last month, doubling economists’ expectations of a 0.2% increase, according to Dow Jones.

As of 11:51 AM ET, the Dow was down -83.84 points, or -0.1899%, at $44064.73. The Nasdaq Composite lost -89.71 points, or -0.4122%, at $21674.2754. The S&P 500 declined -13.91 points, or -0.2286%, at $6070.27. Among the 11 major S&P 500 sectors, 6 showed negative movement, with Financials leading the way with a 0.57% decrease.

This follows November’s consumer price index (CPI) report, which aligned with forecasts and fueled expectations for another Federal Reserve rate cut at next week’s policy meeting.

In corporate news, software giant Adobe plunged over 12% after delivering a weaker-than-expected outlook for 2025, dampening investor sentiment.

Top Movers: Under $10

Trevi Therapeutics Inc (TRVI) is up 58.63% today to trade at the current level of $3.95. This comes after the company announced a positive outcome from sample size Re-estimation resulting in no change to the current sample size for the phase 2b CORAL trial in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis patients with chronic cough.

SEALSQ Corp (LAES) zoomed 45.08% in today’s trade to $1.67 after announcing that it is bringing its quantum technology to the rapidly expanding market of professional drones and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and professional drones.

In current trading, Intevac, Inc (IVAC) stock is at $3.55 following the declaration of its anticipated year-end cash position, 2025 revenue guidance, commencement of quarterly dividends, further restructuring to strengthen profitability, and a renewed focus on its pursuit of strategic options.

ZenaTech Inc (ZENA) rose 24.43% in the early hours of today's trading to move at $7.08 after announcing the launch of a Quantum Computing project for traffic optimization and weather forecasting using the company’s drones.

In the current trading session, Amplitech Group Inc (AMPG) jumped 31.09% to $2.53 over a previous close of $1.93. The company announced the pricing of a $2.2 million registered direct offering.

Ex-Dividends Stocks

Automatic Data Processing Inc (ADP) is about to trade ex-dividend tomorrow, meaning that investors who buy the stock after tomorrow will not be eligible for the next dividend payment. The company's next dividend payment will be $1.54 per share. It has fixed December 13 as the record date for the same and will pay the actual dividend on January 01. Last year, the company distributed a total of $4.20 to its shareholders. Based on the last year's worth of payments, ADP has a trailing yield of 1.40% on the current stock price of $299.95.

Shares of Dicks Sporting Goods, Inc (DKS) will be the talk of the stock market on Friday as the stock will turn ex-dividend. The company's next dividend payment will be $1.1 per share, and in the last 12 months, it paid a total of $4.30 per share. Last year's total dividend payments show that DKS has a trailing yield of 1.97% on the current share price of $218.46.

Digital Realty Trust Inc (DLR) is also set to go ex-dividend tomorrow. The next dividend payment from DLR will amount to $1.22 per share. December 13 has been designated as the record date for this dividend, with the actual payout scheduled for January 17. In the previous year, DLR distributed a total of $4.88 to its valued shareholders. Considering the cumulative dividend payments from last year, the trailing yield for DLR stands at 2.59% based on the current stock price of $188.29.

Gilead Sciences, Inc (GILD) will be paying out a dividend of $0.77 per share to shareholders holding their shares as of the close of the business hours on the record date of December 13. Over the past 12 months, GILD has paid out a total of $3.06 per share in dividends. Based on the total dividends paid out last year, GILD boasts an impressive trailing yield of 3.31% on the current share price of $92.49.

Crypto Market Highlights

• Mass, a cryptocurrency application developer, has launched a mobile decentralized finance (DeFi) trading app integrated with Synthetix’s leveraged perpetuals platform.

•  Ukraine plans to legalize cryptocurrencies in early 2025, but the legislation will not include tax breaks, according to Daniil Getmantsev, head of the tax committee of the Verkhovna Rada.

•  Cryptocurrency exchanges in Europe are preparing to delist stablecoins that are noncompliant with local regulations as the enforcement deadline for European crypto regulations approaches.

• Australia has proposed stricter Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing (AML/CTF) rules to tighten oversight of the cryptocurrency industry and combat financial crime.

• El Salvador has signed a mutual agreement with Argentina to strengthen both countries’ digital asset industries, and is in talks with over 25 other countries for similar agreements.

Most Shorted Stocks

Medical Properties Trust Inc (MPW) was one of the most shorted stocks as of latest short interest figures, with 44.49% short interest. The days to cover ratio, a measure of how long it would take for all the short positions to be covered based on average trading volume, is 19.0. This represents a change of 2340000 shares, which corresponds to a +1.03% increase in short interest. The total value of the shares held short is estimated to be around $937.12 million. The average daily volume stands at 12.18M shares, and the market capitalization of the company is $2.44B.

The HWH International Inc with the symbol HWH currently has a short interest of 5.03%. The short interest has changed by 1073700 shares. The days to cover ratio stands at 1.4. The estimated value of the shares held short is approximately $0.68 million. On an average day, 815.86K shares are traded, with the company's market capitalization totaling $16.23M.

For the stock Symbotic Inc (SYM), the current short interest is at 39.74%. This represents a significant short interest change of 3000000 shares, corresponding to a short interest percentage increase of +23.01%. The days needed to cover the short positions amount to 6.5. The approximate worth of the shares held short is $431.64 million.

With the symbol SAVA, the stock currently has a short interest of 35.67%. The short interest change is -920000 shares, compared with a short interest percentage change of -5.09%. It would take approximately 3.5 days to cover all the short positions. The shares short value is estimated to be around $45.07 million. The company boasts an average daily volume of 5.03M shares, contributing to a market capitalization of $135.19M.

The stock PHAT has a current short interest of 20.55%. The short interest percentage has experienced a decrease of -4.16% while there was a change of -610000 shares in short interest. The ratio indicating the time required to cover short positions is 10.7. The calculated worth of the shorted shares amounts to around $143.97 million. Trading activity averages at 1.33M shares per day, while the company's market capitalization stands at $573.69M.

Biotech Stocks to Watch

According to our ST Score evaluation, Biocryst Pharmaceuticals Inc (BCRX) emerges as a high-quality stock in the Biotech industry, attaining an impressive score of 67. The stock's profitability, performance, and growth are strong. Additionally, it is neutral in terms of financial strength, stock sentiment, Piotroski Score, and forecast.

Our ST Score also classifies Mannkind Corp (MNKD) as a high-quality Biotech stock today, presenting a Score of 65. The stock has strong fundamentals in terms of profitability, performance, growth, financial strength, and Piotroski Score. The stock sentiment and forecast are neutral.

Another stock in the category, Entrada Therapeutics Inc (TRDA) has the ST Score of 65, which means that the stock carries the potential for higher returns. The stock is strong in profitability and performance. Growth, financial strength, stock sentiment, Piotrowski score, and forecast suggest a neutral outlook.

Exelixis Inc (EXEL) stock has the ST Score of 62 which implies that the Biotech company has a high probability of beating the market. The stock's strengths lie in its profitability, performance, and Piotroski Score. However, it shows a neutral outlook in growth, financial strength, stock sentiment, and forecast.

Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc (AUPH) currently has the ST Score of 61, which signifies a huge upward potential. The Biotech stock's strong points are its profitability, performance, and growth. The stock's financial strength, stock sentiment, Piotroski Score, and forecast indicate a neutral outlook.

That's it for today. Thanks for reading. Good luck out there!

Best Regards,

Stocks Telegraph Team

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