S&P 500 Extends Winning Streak as Major Stock Indexes Post Big Gains for the Week; UnitedHealth Surges After Sell-Off

Biggest S&P 500 Movers on Friday

May 16, 2025 06:43 PM EDT

Advancers

UnitedHealth Group (UNH) shares soared 6.4%, logging the top daily performance in the S&P 500. The stock clawed back some of the heavy losses posted in the prior session amid reports that UnitedHealth’s Medicare Advantage business was the subject of a criminal probe. News of the investigation came on the heels of the insurance giant withdrawing its full-year guidance and announcing the departure of its CEO. Analysts suggested the company could face a costly legal settlement and may need to adjust its Medicare Advantage strategy.

Moderna (MRNA) announced that it has administered the first dose in a Phase 1 trial of an experimental cancer therapy, signaling a step forward for the biotech firm’s oncology portfolio. Moderna shares added 5.1%.
Shares of financial technology firm Fiserv (FI) also staged a partial recovery on Friday, bouncing 4.7% after sinking on Thursday. The volatility came after Fiserv’s chief financial officer offered lackluster growth projections for Clover, the company’s point-of-sale platform.

Decliners

Semiconductor equipment manufacturer Applied Materials (AMAT) reported lower-than-expected revenue for its fiscal second quarter, pressured by declining sales in China, which fell year-over-year for a third straight quarter. Although net income for the period topped estimates, Applied Materials shares tumbled 5.3%, losing the most of any S&P 500 stock on Friday.
First Solar (FSLR) shares fell 4.2%, reversing a portion of the gains posted by the stock this week as a Congressional proposal included an extension of certain solar tax credits. Before the selloff to close out the week, First Solar stock got a boost from analysts at Wolfe Research, who upgraded the stock to “outperform,” citing the brighter outlook on tax credits.
Shares of chocolate and confectionery giant Hershey (HSY) slipped 2.4% after Piper Sandler reaffirmed its “underweight” rating on the stock. Analysts pointed to elevated prices for cocoa futures, noting that growing price sensitivity among consumers could affect Hershey’s sales. According to Piper Sandler, the chocolatier could adopt a variety of cost-cutting or pricing measures as it seeks to address higher input costs.

-Michael Bromberg

Moody’s Downgrades US Government Credit Rating

May 16, 2025 06:16 PM EDT

Moody’s ratings agency downgraded its previously top-notch rating of the U.S. government’s creditworthiness on Friday, citing “persistent, large fiscal deficits” that show no signs of slowing.

The downgrade, which places the U.S. government one notch below Moody’s top Aaa status, comes as lawmakers weigh a budget that would extend significant tax cuts and boost spending for years.

Though Republicans are at an impasse, Moody’s said in a press release that it does not believe current discussions will yield “material multi-year reductions in mandatory spending and deficits.”

It projected U.S. debt will swell to 134% of the country’s GDP by 2035, up from 98% last year.

“Successive U.S. administrations and Congress have failed to agree on measures to reverse the trend of large annual fiscal deficits and growing interest costs,” the ratings agency said, adding that “persistent, large fiscal deficits will drive the government’s debt and interest burden higher.”

The rating mirrors past actions from Moody’s two largest competitors in the ratings business: S&P Global and Fitch. The three firms rate the ability of governments and corporations to repay debt to investors, and how well they fare helps determine how high of an interest payment investors require for those debts.

-Pola Rocha

Major Indexes Have Posed Big Gains in 3 of Last 4 Weeks

May 16, 2025 06:09 PM EDT

Major U.S. indexes had another big week of gains as concerns about tariffs and the economy have subsided, at least temporarily.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite each turned in their best weekly performance since the week of April 7. The major indexes rebounded from modest losses the week before and have now posted significant gains in three of the past four weeks.

The Dow added 3.4% this week, while the S&P 500 and tech-heavy Nasdaq jumped 5.3% and 7.2%, respectively.

With their gains this week, the S&P 500 and Dow have nudged back into positive territory for 2025, while the Nasdaq is down slightly

Tesla Stock Rises for Fourth Week in a Row

May 16, 2025 05:16 PM EDT

Tesla (TSLA) shares rallied this week alongside the broader market, with the electric vehicle maker’s stock posting gains for the fourth consecutive week.

Shares added 2% to close at just under $350 Friday, bringing the week’s gains up to 17%. Still, the stock has lost about 13% since the start of the year.

Positive macro news like last week’s trade deal with the United Kingdom and this week’s temporary tariff reduction between the U.S. and China has outweighed recent downbeat news for Tesla, like declining sales and registrations in China and several countries across Europe.

Tesla’s brand has been battered in recent months as protests have targeted the automaker over Musk’s involvement in the Trump administration. Analysts called for Musk to step away from the government work leading up to last month’s earnings call, with some saying Tesla had sustained “unprecedented brand damage.”

Many investors are looking forward to updates on Tesla’s plans for a more affordable model, and when the EV maker will start offering paid rides in autonomous Tesla vehicles in Austin, Texas. CEO Elon Musk said in last month’s earnings call that both would likely take place on schedule by the end of June, and he also committed to spending more time at the company starting this month.

-Aaron McDade

Watch These UnitedHealth Levels After Friday’s Rebound

May 16, 2025 05:06 PM EDT

UnitedHealth Group (UNH) shares surged Friday after tumbling to a pandemic-era low yesterday following reports that the company is being investigated by the Department of Justice for possible Medicare fraud.

It’s been a difficult several weeks for the health care giant. Last month, the shares plummeted plummeted 22% in a day when the company lowered its full-year profit forecast, while on Tuesday this week the stock dropped 18% on news that CEO Andrew Witty was stepping down.

UnitedHealth shares rose more than 6% on Friday to close just below $292. Even with today’s gains, the stock has lost about half its value over the past month as a surge in medical costs compounds other challenges facing the company, including a broader public backlash against the health insurance industry.

After staging a decisive close below the 50- and 200-day moving averages in mid-April, UnitedHealth shares have traded sharply lower in a move that has thrust the relative strength index (RSI) into oversold territory.

Moreover, the stock’s significant drop this week has occurred on the highest weekly trading volume since April 1998, signaling selling conviction by larger market participants, such as institutional investors and pension funds.

Investors should watch major support levels on UnitedHealth’s chart around $249 and $212, while also tracking crucial overhead areas near $325 and $365.

Read the full technical analysis piece here.

-Timothy Smith

Small Caps Notch Longest Winning Streak Since 2023

May 16, 2025 04:37 PM EDT

Small-cap stocks on Friday notched their longest stretch of positive weeks since 2023 as markets continued to rally on optimism about a cooling of the global trade tensions that had roiled financial markets.

The benchmark Russell 2000 closed out its sixth consecutive week of gains on Friday, its longest streak since December 2023 when slowing inflation pushed Treasury yields lower and boosted optimism the Federal Reserve would cut interest rates the following year. 

Stocks were buoyed this week after the U.S. and China agreed to slash tariffs on each other’s imports for 90 days as officials negotiate a more comprehensive trade deal. The Russell 2000 jumped after that agreement was announced Monday, erasing all of its post-“Liberation Day” losses. 

Small-cap stocks have been hit particularly hard by President Trump’s economic policies. The Russell 2000 lost nearly a quarter of its value between Trump’s inauguration and the day he paused most tariffs for 90 days. Meanwhile, the Russell 1000, which represents the top 1,000 companies by market cap in the U.S., slid about 18% over the same period.

Smaller companies are expected to have a harder time adapting to tariffs than their larger competitors, whose scale gives them leverage to negotiate prices along the supply chain. Larger companies also often have easier access to capital, which can be essential for weathering disruptions.

Despite their recent rally, small caps still lag their large-cap peers. The Russell 2000 is down 5% year-to-date, while the Russell 1000 has inched up 1%. The small-cap index has also trailed the performance of the benchmark S&P 500 index and the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which are both in positive territory for 2025.

-Colin Laidley

Nvidia CEO Huang Set to Speak at Computex on Sunday

May 16, 2025 03:18 PM EDT

Nvidia (NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang is set to take the stage this Sunday at Computex, an annual technology trade show, with this year’s theme—“AI Next”—focused squarely on the emerging technology that has lately powered growth in the company’s business.

Huang’s keynote, which will be livestreamed from Taipei’s Music Center at 11 p.m. ET Sunday, is expected to highlight Nvidia’s latest advances, and may bring announcements of new partnerships. (You can watch the event here.)

Shares of the AI chipmaker’s stock were little changed Friday. They’ve added roughly 15% this week as a Saudi Arabian partnership announced Tuesday during President Donald Trump’s trip to the Middle East raised hopes for future deals. The recent gains have helped Nvidia shares edge back into positive territory for the year. The potential for new announcements at Computex could present another catalyst for the stock, along with the company’s first-quarter earnings report due May 28.3

 At last year’s Computex, Nvidia had announced the successor to its Blackwell AI chip, known as Rubin, sending shares higher. Huang in March said Rubin is still set to launch in 2026.

“We would expect relatively positive news on the AI front out of Computex next week,” Wedbush analysts told clients in a note Friday.

Other chipmakers are also scheduled to present later in the week, with Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) set to showcase its latest developments on Tuesday. Like Nvidia, AMD’s stock got a boost from Saudi deals announced earlier in the week, with its shares up about 14% for the week.

Qualcomm (QCOM) will also be among the companies presenting. Intel (INTC) CEO Lip-Bu Tan is not among the event’s speakers, but Reuters reported he’s set to attend and host private dinners with partners.

 Computex will run through May 23.

-Kara Greenberg

Take-Two Interactive Slips as Outlook Comes Up Short

May 16, 2025 02:08 PM EDT

Take-Two Interactive (TTWO) reported fiscal fourth-quarter revenue that topped analysts’ expectations, but the gaming company’s net loss and forecast disappointed, sending shares lower.

The parent of popular video-game studios Rockstar Games and 2K late Thursday reported revenue of $1.58 billion, up 13% year-over-year and above the analyst consensus from Visible Alpha. Net bookings climbed 17% to $1.58 billion, which also topped estimates.

Take-Two told investors to expect full-year revenue of $5.95 billion to $6.05 billion, along with a net loss of $439 million to $499 million. Wall Street was looking for revenue of $7.72 billion and earnings of $165 million, according to Visible Alpha.

The news comes two weeks after Take-Two announced Rockstar’s hotly anticipated Grand Theft Auto VI game would be delayed until May 2026. That initially sent shares lower, although the release of a trailer for the game on May 6 helped renew investor optimism. 

CEO Strauss Zelnick said the company’s upcoming lineup of games, including Grand Theft Auto VI, will “establish a new baseline for our business and set us on a path of enhanced profitability.”

Take-Two’s net loss was $3.73 billion, or $21.08 per share, wider than the $2.9 billion, or $17.02 per share, it reported in the year-ago quarter. Take-Two said the loss was due in part of a $3.55 billion goodwill impairment charge.

Take-Two share were down 2% in mid-afternoon trading Friday. The stock is up 24% so far this year,

-Andrew Kessel

Applied Materials Price Levels to Watch as Stock Tumbles

May 16, 2025 01:11 PM EDT

Applied Materials (AMAT) shares fell Friday after the chip equipment manufacturer posted quarterly revenue below Wall Street expectations amid a slump in China sales.

AMAT shares plunged nearly 40% between late January and early April amid concerns that the Trump administration’s trade policies, including new AI chip licensing export requirements to China, could affect the company’s sales. However, even with today’s decline, the stock is up more than 30% from last month’s low following the recent trade war truce with China.

Since hitting a record high last July, Applied Materials shares have trended lower within a descending channel.

More recently, the stock nudged above the pattern’s upper trendline but has failed to decisively close above the nearby 200-day moving average. It’s also worth noting that the pre-earnings rally coincided with the relative strength index moving into overbought territory, setting the stage for profit-taking.

Investors should watch key support levels on the Applied Materials chart around $158 and $145, while also monitoring overhead areas near $190 and $213.

The stock was down 6% at around $164 in recent trading.

Read the full technical analysis piece here.

-Timothy Smith

Quantum Computing Stock Soars on Strong Earnings

May 16, 2025 11:32 AM EDT

Quantum Computing (QUBT) surged Friday, a day after the provider of photonic and quantum optics technology swung to a profit on benefits from an earlier acquisition and growing demand for its thin film lithium niobate photonic chips.

The company posted first-quarter earnings of $17 million or $0.11 per share, compared with a loss of $6.4 million or $0.08 per share a year ago. Revenue rose to $39,000 from $27,000. 

Quantum Computing noted that the gain in net income was primarily because of “a $23.6 million non-cash gain on the mark-to-market valuation of the Company’s warrant liability as a result of our merger with QPhoton in June 2022.”

Interim CEO Dr. Yuping Huang said that during the period the firm finished construction of its Quantum Photonic Chip Foundry in Tempe, Ariz., and that it’s “encouraged by our early traction, which is the first step in what we believe is a significant, multi-year opportunity to serve the expanding markets in datacom, telecom, and quantum-enabled applications.”

Huang added that Quantum Computing deepened its engagement with both government and commercial partners, “reinforcing the growing interest in our quantum and photonic machines and positioning QCi to capitalize on emerging opportunities ahead.”

The news was in contrast with another quantum computing firm, Rigetti Computing (RGTI), which reported earlier this week that quarterly sales plunged.

Quantum Computing shares were up 35% in recent trading. Despite the huge gain today, the stock is still down 25% since the start of 2025.

-Bill McColl

Cava Stock Drops Despite Topping Earnings Estimates

May 16, 2025 10:37 AM EDT

Cava Group (CAVA) shares fell Friday, a day after the Mediterranean fast-casual chain’s outlook offset better-than-expected results.

The company didn’t change its estimates for full-year same-restaurant sales growth (6.0% to 8.0%) and restaurant-level profit margin (24.8% to 25.2%) from the guidance it gave in February. It also raised its prediction for pre-opening costs to $14.5 million to $15.5 million from $14.0 million to $15.0 million.

However, it did increase its outlooks for net new Cava restaurant openings to a range of 64 to 68 from 62 to 66, and adjusted EBITDA to $152.0 million to $159.0 million from $150.0 million to $157.0 million.

In the first quarter, Cava reported earnings per share of $0.22 on revenue that surged 28% year-over-year to $331.8 million. Both were above Visible Alpha forecasts. Same-restaurant sales grew 10.8%, also above estimates, and traffic rose 7.5%.

Co-founder and CEO Brett Schulman said the performance showed the continuing strength of the company’s category-defining brand, “in spite of economic uncertainty and challenging weather.”

In a note to clients, JPMorgan analysts remained bullish on Cava, affirming their recent re-upgrade of the stock with a “buy now and own for the long term” opinion. They added the company was “comping well in a difficult environment.”

Cava shares were down 4% recently. The stock has lost about 16% of its value since the start of the year.

-Bill McColl

Novo Nordisk Stock Slides as CEO Departs

May 16, 2025 10:04 AM EDT

U.S.-listed shares of Novo Nordisk (NVO) declined in early trading Friday on the surprise news that CEO Lars Fruergaard Jørgensen is stepping down from the Danish drugmaker.

The maker of blockbuster weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy said Friday that Jørgensen’s departure is a “mutual agreement,” and that he will stay on as CEO while a successor is found. The company said a search is “ongoing, and an announcement will be made in due course.”

Novo Nordisk cited “recent market challenges Novo Nordisk has been facing, and the development of the company’s share price since mid-2024” as reasons that the board is looking to move on from Jørgensen, who has been CEO since January 2017.

“Novo Nordisk’s strategy remains unchanged, and the Board is confident in the company’s current business plans and its ability to execute on the plans,” board chair Helge Lund said.

The drugmaker’s stock surged to record highs in the first half of last year as sales of its popular weight-loss drugs sent revenue soaring. However, shares entered Friday down just over 50% in the last 12 months as sales growth started to slow and studies showed that the active ingredient in rival Eli Lilly’s (LLY) Mounjaro and Zepbound caused greater weight loss than that of Ozempic and Wegovy.

Novo Nordisk shares were down 4% recently.

-Aaron McDade

AMD Levels to Watch After Winning Streak Snapped

May 16, 2025 09:31 AM EDT

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) shares rose in premarket trading after falling Thursday for the first time in seven sessions.

The chip designer’s stock rallied to it highest level since early February on Wednesday after the company approved an additional $6 billion to its share repurchase plan, upping its buyback program to $10 billion. The buyback news came on the heels of the chipmaker and AI favorite Nvidia (NVDA) announcing Tuesday they would supply semiconductors to Saudi Arabian AI startup Humain as part of initiatives announced as President Donald Trump kicked off a four-day trip to the Middle East. 

Through Thursday’s close, the stock was up 50% from its early-April low and had gained 17% since May 6, when the company posted better-than-expected earnings and an upbeat outlook driven by AI momentum. AMD shares were up 2.5% at around $118 before the opening bell Friday.

Since a bear trap marked the bottom in AMD shares last month, the price has broken out above the 50-day moving average and a descending channel, with gains accelerating in recent trading sessions.

However, while the relative strength index (RSI) confirms bullish price momentum with a reading above the 70 threshold, it also flashes  overbought conditions, potentially leading to a period of-near-term consolidation.

Investors should watch crucial support levels on AMD’s chart around $110 and $96, while also monitoring important resistance levels near $132 and $150.

Read the full technical analysis piece here.

-Timothy Smith

Major Index Futures Slightly Higher

May 16, 2025 08:55 AM EDT

Futures tied to the major U.S. stock indexes were each up 0.3% recently.

Dow Jones Industrial Average

S&P 500

Nasdaq 100