Benzinga examined the prospects for many investors’ favorite stocks over the last week — here’s a look at some of our top stories.
U.S. stocks ended the week mixed as a weaker-than-expected September jobs report eased concerns about another Federal Reserve rate hike, helping technology shares rebound. The S&P 500 fell 0.3% for the week and the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1.3%, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.5%. The Nasdaq 100 reached a record high Friday after employers added just 29,000 jobs in September, far below the roughly 90,000 economists expected, while the unemployment rate rose to 4.2%.
AI and semiconductor stocks remained key sources of strength. Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) delivered results and outlook that reinforced investor enthusiasm for AI-related chip demand, with the company citing $32 billion in customer commitments under supply agreements. Nvidia (NASDAQ:NVDA) and other chip stocks rallied as Treasury yields eased Thursday and then fell following Friday’s weak employment data. Meanwhile, softer inflation data earlier in the week also supported technology shares, although the broader market remained constrained by elevated borrowing costs and volatile oil prices.
The jobs report shifted the near-term rate outlook sharply. Traders moved to price in roughly an 80% probability that the Fed would leave rates unchanged at its October meeting, compared with 74% before the report, while Treasury yields initially declined before rebounding later Friday. The 10-year yield had reached a 24-year high above 5.3% earlier in the week, reflecting concerns over inflation, government borrowing and higher energy prices.
Benzinga provides daily reports on the stocks most popular with investors. Here are a few of this past week’s most bullish and bearish posts that are worth another look.
The Bulls
Alphabet Stock Jumps as Google Releases Gemini 4 Argon, by Adam Eckert, reports that Alphabet Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) (NASDAQ:GOOGL) shares moved higher after Google introduced Gemini 4 Argon, which the company described as its most advanced AI model yet, designed for complex software engineering, enterprise knowledge and cybersecurity workloads. Google said Argon is already being used internally for data-center memory efficiency and quantum-computing optimization, while broader access will follow a phased rollout after testing and safety reviews. The company is also working on safeguards against misuse, prompt-injection attacks and other risks before making the model available to developers, enterprises and consumers.
Micron Delivers Q4 Double Beat, Sees ‘Even Stronger’ Year Ahead, by Adam Eckert, reports that Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) posted fourth-quarter fiscal 2026 revenue of $54.23 billion, beating the $50.75 billion analyst estimate, while adjusted EPS of $33.42 topped expectations of $31.45. Revenue surged about 379% year over year, while operating cash flow reached $43.97 billion and adjusted free cash flow totaled $33.20 billion. Micron ended the quarter with $73.48 billion in cash, marketable investments and restricted cash after $10.77 billion in capital expenditures. Management expects an even stronger fiscal 2027, projecting first-quarter revenue of $60 billion-$63 billion versus the $56.55 billion consensus estimate and adjusted EPS of $37.15-$39.15, above expectations of $35.07.
IonQ Stock Wins Analyst Backing Ahead of 2027 Superion Launch, by Erica Kollmann, reports that IonQ Inc. (NYSE:IONQ) gained support from BofA Securities, which initiated coverage with a Buy rating and a $60 price target, citing the company’s semiconductor-based quantum computing strategy and upcoming Superion 256 system. Superion, expected to begin customer deliveries in the second quarter of 2027, is projected to feature 256 physical qubits and 12 logical qubits, combining Oxford Ionics’ electronic qubit-control technology with fabrication and packaging from SkyWater Technology. IonQ completed its roughly $1.8 billion SkyWater acquisition in July and says the deal could cut its chip design-to-sample cycle from nine months to two.
For additional bullish calls of the past week, check out the following:
Dan Ives Names 3 Under the Radar AI Stocks: ‘Starting to Get a Renaissance of Growth’
Navitas Semiconductor Stock Surges After Hours: Here’s Why
The Bears
Nike Stock Sinks to Lowest Level Since 2013 after Q1 Earnings, by Adam Eckert, reports that Nike Inc. (NYSE:NKE) shares fell after the athleticwear giant reported fiscal first-quarter revenue of $11.21 billion, below the $11.33 billion analyst estimate, although adjusted EPS of 48 cents topped expectations of 44 cents. Revenue declined 4% year over year, with Nike Direct sales down 8% to $4.1 billion and Greater China revenue plunging 22%, while North America increased 2%. Nike also introduced its $2.5 billion Pace restructuring initiative, which includes supply-chain upgrades, a new India campus, geographic realignment and further cost cuts.
AppLovin Stock Sinks To 52-Week Low – Here’s Why, by Anusuya Lahiri, reports that AppLovin Corp. (NASDAQ:APP) shares fell to a fresh 52-week low as investors weighed concerns around its e-commerce expansion, weaker-than-expected second-quarter revenue and an ongoing legal dispute with Unity Software Inc. (NYSE:U). AppLovin reported Q2 revenue of $1.924 billion, missing estimates, while adjusted EPS of $3.76 topped expectations; JPMorgan identified e-commerce as the key "swing factor" for the company and questioned the durability of mobile gaming growth and its ability to scale consumer advertising.
Oracle Stock Slips as Google’s Mandiant Flags New PeopleSoft Breach Wave, by Erica Kollmann, reports that Oracle Corp. (NYSE:ORCL) shares fell after Google’s Mandiant cybersecurity unit said the ShinyHunters hacking group had resumed mass exploitation of a vulnerability in Oracle’s PeopleSoft software. The latest campaign targeted dozens of systems worldwide across higher education, technology, healthcare, agriculture, transportation and government, with attackers bypassing defenses at organizations that had implemented web application firewalls but had not installed Oracle’s security update. The disclosure came days after ShinyHunters claimed it had stolen FBI personnel data, although Reuters could not independently verify that claim and Oracle did not respond to requests for comment. The PeopleSoft issue added pressure to a stock already down sharply amid investor concerns about Oracle’s debt load and heavy AI infrastructure spending.
For more bearish takes, be sure to see these posts:
Carnival Cruise Stock Hits 16-Month Low: ‘Higher Fuel Prices’ Could Mean More Troublev
Defense Stocks Enter Bear Market, Hit Longest Losing Streak on Record
Why Is Corteva Stock Sinking Thursday?
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