Markets News, September 23, 2024: S&P 500, Dow Close at Record Highs, Led by Tesla, Intel Gains

Biggest S&P 500 Movers on Monday

3 hr 22 min ago

Advancers

• Tesla (TSLA) shares jumped 4.9%, the best performance of any stock in the S&P 500, following an upbeat forecast from the investment bank Barclays. Meanwhile, analysts at Goldman Sachs and BofA Securities said Tesla’s robotaxi launch event scheduled for next month could be an additional catalyst for the stock.

• Shares of Bath & Body Works (BBWI) added 3.6% on Monday after analysts at TD Cowen downplayed the impact of ocean freight issues on the retailer of fragrances and personal care products. According to the research firm, companies with exposure to ocean-based shipments could experience delays and higher costs, but Bath & Body Works appears to have its inventory for fall and winter already in place.
• Intel (INTC) shares gained 3.3% amid reports that alternative asset manager Apollo Global Management has offered to make an equity-like investment in the chipmaker worth as much as $5 billion. Apollo’s bid followed inquiries from rival chipmaker Qualcomm (QCOM) about a potential friendly takeover of Intel.

Decliners

• Shares of Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN) dropped 4.6%, the weakest performance in the S&P 500, after a judge rejected the company’s attempt to block a similar version of its blockbuster drug Eylea. Regeneron argued that the product created by competitor Amgen (AMGN) violated dozens of patents related to the medication, which is used to treat macular degeneration and other eye diseases.
• Analysts at Raymond James downgraded shares of credit rating firm Moody’s (MCO) to “underperform,” suggesting consensus expectations for revenue from the company’s rating business could be overblown. Moody’s shares fell 3.2% on Monday, receding from an all-time high posted in the previous session.
• A downgrade from an investment research firm also weighed on shares of cosmetics retailer Ulta Beauty (ULTA), which lost 2.0%. Analysts at TD Cowen said the beauty products provider faces increased competition in the medium term that will require investments in exclusive products and enhancements to the in-store experience.
• General Motors (GM) shares slipped 1.7% after investment research firm Bernstein downgraded the carmaker’s stock to “market perform” from “outperform.” Analysts said a buildup of inventory in the U.S. could pressure pricing over the coming year, while losses from GM’s autonomous vehicle division and the struggle to ramp up EV production represent additional headwinds.

–Michael Bromberg

Why Tesla Popped Nearly 5% Monday

4 hr 7 min ago

Tesla (TSLA) shares hit the accelerator Monday as analysts highlighted several potential catalysts that could provide a boost for the electric vehicle manufacturer.

In a note to clients Monday, Barclays analysts said Tesla could exceed expectations with its third-quarter vehicle deliveries. Analysts at Goldman Sachs and Bank of America also suggested Tesla could impress investors with its robotaxi event next month.

Tesla shares gained 4.9%, making them the biggest gainer in both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite. The stock has moved back into positive territory for the year.

Read the full story here.

–Michael Bromberg

Qualcomm Takeover of Intel Seen as ‘Impractical’

4 hr 30 min ago

Intel (INTC) shares have gained ground as investors reacted to a Wall Street Journal report late Friday that said Qualcomm (QCOM) had made a “takeover approach” to the beleaguered chipmaker. 

However, securities analysts are less keen on the idea, with those at Bank of America calling it “intriguing but perhaps impractical.”1

A Qualcomm takeover could offer Intel a lifeline for its struggling foundry business, which produces chips for outside customers, the firm noted in a research note released on Saturday. Intel could fill its manufacturing facilities with Qualcomm products, and Qualcomm could become a significant customer for Intel’s silicon wafers. 

That said, Intel is saddled with more than $50 billion in debt, and Qaulcomm has just $13 billion in cash on its balance sheet, making a takeover deal difficult, the BofA analysts said. In addition, the move could “create confusion given potential for headcount and roadmap disruptions,” making such a merger a potential boon for rivals such as Nvidia (NVDA) and Advanced Micro Devices (AMD). 

Shares of Intel gained 3.3% on Monday, while Qualcomm stock was down 1.8%.

–Andrew Kessel

Biohaven Jumps on Positive Drug Test Results

6 hr 41 min ago

Biohaven (BHVN) shares soared Monday after the biotech firm announced positive results from a study of its experimental treatment for a rare neurological condition.

The company reported data collected over multiple analyses of its drug, troriluzole, showed “a robust and clinically meaningful slowing of disease progression” over a three-year period in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia, or SCA.

Biohaven noted that SCA is a progressively debilitating neurodegenerative disease that affects some 15,000 people in the U.S. and 24,000 in Europe and the U.K., and there is no Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medicine for it.

Biohaven said that it plans to submit a New Drug Application to the FDA in the fourth quarter of this year, and with approval expects to have troriluzole on the market in the U.S. next year.

Biohaven shares were up 16% in afternoon trading Monday, lifting shares into positive territory for 2024.

–Bill McColl

Novo Nordisk Slips Ahead of CEO’s Senate Appearance

7 hr 45 min ago

Novo Nordisk’s (NVO) U.S.-listed shares lost ground Monday, a day before a Senate hearing on the costs of the company’s popular weight-loss drugs Wegovy and Ozempic.

CEO Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen is scheduled to testify Tuesday from the company’s home in Denmark before the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee.

The committee accused the company of charging “outrageously high prices” for its treatments. The committee said Americans with Type 2 diabetes pay $969 a month for Ozempic, compared to $155 in Canada, $122 in Denmark, and $59 in Germany. It added that Americans are charged $1,349 a month for Wegovy, more than the $186 in Denmark, $140 in Germany, and $92 in the United Kingdom.

In an interview with NBC News last month, Jorgensen defended the company’s pricing, saying that insurance coverage varies from country to country, and that most Americans with health insurance pay $25 a month for Wegovy.

Novo Nordisk shares were down about 3% in recent trading, extending losses from Friday that came after the company reported disappointing results from a study of an experimental weight-loss treatment. Still, they are up about 20% from the start of the year.

–Bill McColl

Super Micro Computer Levels to Watch as Stock Split Looms

9 hr 41 min ago

Super Micro Computer (SMCI) shares are on the rise again Monday after a big gain on Friday and ahead of a stock split that takes effect next week.

The stock is looking to build on momentum after losing around half its value over the past three months, in part due to disappointing fiscal fourth quarter results and accusations of “accounting manipulation” by short seller Hindenburg Research. The company’s shares, which undergo a 10-for-1 stock split after the closing bell on Sept. 30, are still up about 60% since the start of the year amid expectations for booming artificial intelligence (AI) server demand to house chips that power the technology. 

Looking ahead, the company also stands to benefit from being a first mover in liquid cooling rack systems, according to the analysts at Needham, prompting the investment firm to initiate coverage of the stock last week with a “buy” rating and $600 price target. Super Micro shares were up 2.4% at $468.39 in larte-morning trading Monday.

Since setting their record high in early March, Super Micro Computer shares have oscillated within a descending broadening formation, with buyers recently defending the pattern’s lower trendline. 

Investors should monitor key lower price levels on Super Micro Computer’s chart around $357 and $230, while watching important higher price levels near $700 and $975.

Read the full technical analysis piece here.

–Timothy Smith

Palantir, Dell Join S&P 500

10 hr 40 min ago

Shares of Palantir Technologies (PLTR) rose while those of Dell Technologies (DELL) fell slightly Monday morning as the stocks joined the benchmark S&P 500 Index.

That’s in contrast to Sept. 9, the first day of trading after S&P Global announced their additions to the index, along with insurer Erie Indemnity (ERIE). All three got a boost then.

Companies can see their stocks get a lift when they’re added to a major index like the S&P 500. Inclusion exposes them to a wider group of investors who could become aware of a company through an index, while the stocks can also be added to various index funds that track stocks which are added to the measures.

Palantir shares were up 1.3% in recent trading, while Dell slipped 0.4% and Erie added about 2%.

–Bill McColl

Major Indexes in Positive Territory for the Month

11 hr 34 min ago

With their gains last week, the major U.S. stock indexes are kicking off the final full week of trading in September in positive territory for the month.

After starting the month with their worst week of the year amid concerns about the economy and a downturn for technology stocks, the equities market has slowly recovered, with last week’s interest rate cut by the Federal Reserve providing the latest boost.

The S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average have posted monthly gains for four consecutive months and are both near record highs. The Nasdaq is looking to record its second straight month of gains.

Intel Levels to Watch as Stock Gains on News of Possible Deals

12 hr 47 min ago

Intel (INTC) shares were gaining in premarket trading after Bloomberg reported on Sunday that asset manager Apollo Global Management has offered to invest as much as $5 billion in the struggling chipmaker.

The weekend news came after The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday afternoon that Qualcomm (QCOM) has approached intel about a potential acquisition.

Intel Chief Executive Officer Pat Gelsinger recently outlined a comprehensive plan to turn around the troubled chipmaker and revive its slumping stock price.

Since the start of the year, Intel shares have lost more than half their value but recovered around 11% last week as investors cheered recent developments. The stock was up 1.1% at $22.08 in recent premarket trading.

Since gapping sharply lower in early August, Intel shares appear to be carving out a double bottom, a classic chart pattern that signals a potential trend reversal.

Friday’s rally occurred on the highest trading volume since an early August gap, suggesting healthy buying conviction behind the move.

Investors should monitor key overhead price levels on Intel’s chart at $22, $25, $30, and $35.

Read the full technical analysis piece here.

–Timothy Smith

Futures Point to Slightly Higher Open for Major Indexes

12 hr 47 min ago

Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average were up 0.1%.

S&P 500 futures were also up about 0.1%.

Nasdaq 100 futures were up 0.2%.