Top Movers in the Midday: Big Biotech Players & Cheap Stocks

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Stocks climbed to new highs on Thursday, powered by strong earnings from Microsoft and Meta Platforms. Investors also turned their focus to an approaching trade deadline and signs of progress in U.S.-China negotiations.

As of 11:20 AM ET, the Dow was down -136.31 points, or -0.3066%, at $44324.98. The Nasdaq Composite added 16.41 points, or 0.07%, at $23361.83. The S&P 500 rose 10.86 points, or 0.17%, at $6373.76. Among the 11 major S&P 500 sectors, 6 showed positive movement, with Consumer Defensive leading the way with a 1.64% increase.

Despite the upbeat sentiment, some analysts are cautioning that the latest surge could mark a “blow-off top,” with tech valuations reaching frothy levels. Joseph Cusick of Calamos Research warned that markets may be overlooking potential headwinds as they chase new highs.

Thursday’s rally follows a mixed performance on Wednesday, where the Dow and S&P 500 closed slightly lower. The Nasdaq managed a modest gain after the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged, though the decision wasn’t unanimous among policymakers.

Top Movers: Under $10 

Soligenix Inc (SNGX) is up 134.40 today to trade at the current level of $2.93. This comes after the company announced positive results from its Phase 2a proof-of-concept study of SGX945 in Behçet’s disease, a rare and chronic inflammatory condition.

Mimedx Group Inc (MDXG) zoomed 20.55% in today’s trade to $7.86 after announcing operating and financial results for the second quarter of 2025.

In current trading, SNDL Inc (SNDL) stock is at $1.73 after reporting its financial and operational results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025.

InspireMD Inc (NSPR) rose 18.99% in the early hours of today's trading to move at $2.82. The company announced combined financings of $58 million.

In the current trading session, Plus Therapeutics Inc (PSTV) jumped 15.88% to $0.53 over a previous close of $0.46. The company provided US launch update for its CNSide Diagnostic.

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Ex-Dividend Stocks

Lifetime Brands, Inc (LCUT) 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 $0.04 per share. It has fixed August 01 as the record date for the same and will pay the actual dividend on August 15. Last year, the company distributed a total of $0.17 to its shareholders. Based on last year's worth of payments, LCUT has a trailing yield of 3.78% on the current stock price of $4.44.

Another stock that is shelling out dividends tomorrow is Park-Ohio Holdings Corp (PKOH), having a market capitalization of $232.94M. It will pay a dividend of $0.12 per share, the payment date of which is August 15. Currently, the stock is trading at a trailing dividend yield of 3.05%.

Shares of Pinnacle Financial Partners Inc (PNFP) 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 $0.24 per share, and in the last 12 months, it paid a total of $0.92 per share. Last year's total dividend payments show that PNFP has a trailing yield of 1.04% on the current share price of $88.31.

Ameriserv Financial Inc (ASRV) is also set to go ex-dividend Monday. The next dividend payment from ASRV will amount to $0.03 per share. August 04 has been designated as the record date for this dividend, with the actual payout scheduled for August 18. In the previous year, ASRV distributed a total of $0.12 to its valued shareholders. Considering the cumulative dividend payments from last year, the trailing yield for ASRV stands at 4.33% based on the current stock price of $2.77.

Sierra Bancorp (BSRR) will be paying out a dividend of $0.25 per share to shareholders holding their shares as of the close of the business hours on the record date of August 04. Over the past 12 months, BSRR has paid out a total of $0.98 per share in dividends. Based on the total dividends paid out last year, BSRR boasts an impressive trailing yield of 3.38% on the current share price of $29.02.

Crypto Market Highlights

• EURAU, a new euro-backed stablecoin venture supported by Deutsche Bank’s DWS, Flow Traders, and Galaxy Digital, has launched on the Ethereum blockchain.

• South Korea plans to issue new guidelines on cryptocurrency lending services next month to enhance investor protection and tighten regulatory oversight. 

• The Philippines government will begin notarizing documents on the Polygon blockchain, coinciding with a temporary outage of the network’s Heimdall v2 mainnet.

• Phoenix Group, a Bitcoin miner based in Abu Dhabi, has launched a $150 million crypto reserve, becoming the first ADX-listed firm to establish a digital asset treasury.

• The Ether Machine has added 15,000 ETH (worth $56.9 million) to its balance sheet, continuing its long-term ETH accumulation strategy.

  Most Shorted Stocks

American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings Inc (AXL) was one of the most shorted stocks as of the latest short interest figures, with 16.82% 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 5.8. This represents a change of 650000 shares, which corresponds to a +3.79% increase in short interest. The total value of the shares held short is estimated to be around $77.96 million. The average daily volume stands at 3.26M shares, and the market capitalization of the company is $519.74M.

The D-Wave Quantum Inc with the symbol QBTS currently has a short interest of 20.51%. The short interest has changed by -370000 shares. The days to cover ratio stands at 0.9. The estimated value of the shares held short is approximately $1.12 billion. On an average day, 70.42M shares are traded, with the company's market capitalization totaling $5.79B.

For the stock Stem Inc (STEM), the current short interest is at 20.21%. This represents a significant short interest change of -110000 shares, corresponding to a short interest percentage decrease of -6.59%. The days needed to cover the short positions amount to 5.5. The approximate worth of the shares held short is $21.89 million.

With the symbol MRNA, the stock currently has a short interest of 19.15%. The short interest change is 2030000 shares, compared with a short interest percentage change of +3.19%. It would take approximately 6.0 days to cover all the short positions. The shares' short value is estimated to be around $47.99 million. The company boasts an average daily volume of 10.83M shares, contributing to a market capitalization of $11.90B.

The stock GEVO has a current short interest of 16.79%. The short interest percentage has experienced an increase of +30.49% while there was a change of 8760000 shares in short interest. The ratio indicating the time required to cover short positions is 10.1. The calculated worth of the shorted shares amounts to around $89.2 million. Trading activity averages at 3.83M shares per day, while the company's market capitalization stands at $324.61M.

Biotech Stocks to Watch

According to our ST Score evaluation, Medicinova Inc (MNOV) emerges as a high-quality stock in the Biotech industry, attaining an impressive score of 54. The stock's profitability, and financial strength are strong. However, its performance, growth, and Piotroski Score are weak. Additionally, it is neutral in terms of stock sentiment, and forecast.

Our ST Score also classifies Context Therapeutics Inc (CNTX) as a high-quality Biotech stock today, presenting a Score of 54. The stock has strong fundamentals in terms of financial strength. However, it has weak growth and a Piotroski Score. The profitability, performance, stock sentiment, and forecast are neutral.

Another stock in the category, Fennec Pharmaceuticals Inc (FENC) has the ST Score of 55, which means that the stock carries the potential for higher returns. The stock is strong in performance, growth, and financial strength, but weak in the Piotroski Score. Profitability, stock sentiment, and the forecast suggest a neutral outlook.

Nanobiotix ADR (NBTX) stock has the ST Score of 55 which implies that the Biotech company has a high probability of beating the market. The stock's strengths lie in its performance and growth, but its weaknesses are in its financial strength, stock sentiment, and forecast. However, it shows neutral outlook in profitability, and Piotroski Score.

Bright Minds Biosciences Inc (DRUG) currently has the ST Score of 56, which signifies a huge upward potential. The Biotech stock's strong points are its profitability, performance, and financial strength, while its weak points are its growth, and Piotroski Score. The stock's sentiment 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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