One name just rewrote its own guidance, another is sprinting at a fresh high, and a boring operator quietly delivered. The trade is not to chase the fireworks. It’s to stalk the pullback and only pay up if the market proves it.
Infrastructure Under Siege (Sponsored)
On Behalf of Integrated Quantum Technologies Inc.
State hackers just breached 37 governments in the biggest espionage campaign since SolarWinds. Meanwhile, AI pipelines are creating new exposure points every day.
A small public company claims it can make sensitive data mathematically useless to attackers, before it ever enters an AI model.
Futures at a Glance📈
Futures are bouncing around after the Dow notched another fresh record, with tech still trying to keep the comeback party going. Last week’s software-led scare didn’t break the chart, but traders are treating this like a selective, choppy climb, not a straight-shot rally.
Want to make sure you never miss a pre-market alert?
Elite Trade Club now offers text alerts — so you get trending stocks and market-moving news sent straight to your phone before the bell.
Email’s great. Texts are faster.
You’ll be first in line when the market starts moving.
What to Watch
Earnings (Premarket):
• AstraZeneca PLC [AZN]
• Coca-Cola Company (The) [KO]
• S&P Global Inc. [SPGI]
• BP p.l.c. [BP]
• CVS Health Corporation [CVS]
• Duke Energy Corporation [DUK]
• Marriott International [MAR]
• Spotify Technology S.A. [SPOT]
Earnings (Aftermarket):
• Gilead Sciences, Inc. [GILD]
• Welltower Inc. [WELL]
Economic Reports:
• NFIB optimism index (Jan): 6:00 am
• Employment cost index (Q4): 8:30 am
• Import price index (Dec, delayed): 8:30 am
• Import price index minus fuel (Dec): 8:30 am
• U.S. retail sales (Dec, delayed): 8:30 am
• Retail sales minus autos (Dec): 8:30 am
• Business inventories (Nov, delayed): 10:00 am
• Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack speaks: 12:00 pm
• Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan speaks: 1:00 pm
Semiconductors
Credo Technology Turns The Guidance Dial To 11
Credo Technology Group Holding Ltd (NASDAQ: CRDO) basically walked back on stage mid-song and said, hey… the crowd is bigger than we told you. Management lifted its Q3 revenue expectation above the prior range, and the stock reacted like it just found a hidden bonus level.
This is a behind-the-scenes AI plumbing name, and when the big data-center spend stays loud, the connectors and cables crowd tends to get invited to the party too. A surprise revenue lift is the market’s favorite kind of math because it forces people to re-price the story fast.
But the stock has already had a big run, and when a name jumps this hard, it can do the classic sugar-rush wobble after the first cheers fade. Your job is not to high-five the chart. Your job is to get a clean entry.
My Take For You: If you do not own it, wait for a pullback or a calm open and start small. If you own it, trim a little into strength and keep a tight line in the sand.
My Verdict: Momentum is real, but don’t chase. Starter position only, add on dips, not dopamine.
Semiconductor Equipment
Ultra Clean Hits A Fresh High And The Hype Alarm Beeps
Ultra Clean Holdings Inc (NASDAQ: UCTT) just tagged a new 52-week high, and analysts started tossing around bigger targets like it’s a group project where everyone suddenly cares. The stock is acting confident, but confidence at new highs can also be a dare.
Ultra Clean is one of those picks that tends to move with the chip equipment mood. When the market thinks fabs are building, suppliers like this get love. When the market gets nervous, they get ghosted. So a breakout is fun, but it is also where late buyers show up with their shoes untied.
The main risk is simple: if the market turns risk-off again, smaller cyclical names can drop fast even if nothing “broke.” That is why entries matter more than opinions here.
My Take For You: If you are not in, do not chase the breakout candle. Wait for a dip toward support and then nibble. If you are in, consider taking a small win and let the rest ride with a stop.
My Verdict: Trade it, don’t marry it. Good setup if it pulls back nicely.
Why Execution Beats Headlines (Sponsored)
On Behalf of Optimi Health Corp.
In every new medical category, demand comes first. Supply decides who wins.
Licenses, GMP manufacturing, inspections, and export approvals are the real bottlenecks.
One microcap supplier already cleared them and is shipping into live markets, while the stock still reflects an early chapter.
See why this matters now
Infrastructure & Engineering
AECOM Drops The Blueprint And The Stock Stops Sulking
AECOM (NYSE: ACM) showed up with a clean earnings beat and revenue ahead of expectations, then tossed in better full-year EPS guidance like an extra side of fries. The stock perked up because Wall Street loves two things: surprise and confidence.
AECOM is not a hype machine. It is the hard-hat, clipboard, get-it-done business. When results beat and guidance rises, it signals the project pipeline is holding up and the machine is humming. That can matter a lot when investors are rotating between flashy tech and steady earners.
Still, the stock has been choppy lately, which means the market has been in a mood. Even good news can get sold if traders are de-risking or taking profits. So treat this like a solid meal, not a sprint snack.
My Take For You: If you do not own it, look for a calm dip after the initial pop and start small. If you own it, hold but tighten your risk line and do not ignore a sudden market-wide wobble.
My Verdict: Steady story, decent signal. Worth a starter position on weakness, not on the first spike.
Poll: Which price increase hurt you emotionally the most?
Movers and Shakers
Astera Labs Inc [ALAB]: Premarket Move: +4%
ALAB just popped on news it’s opening an R&D hub in Israel, and traders are treating it like a pre-earnings appetizer. Connectivity chips for AI data centers is already a spicy theme, so anything positive gets the crowd leaning in.
Just remember, this is still a run-up. When the party is happening before the report, the hangover can show up fast if the numbers don’t bring snacks.
My Take: If you’re not in, don’t chase the first rip. Let earnings do the talking, then buy the dip if it behaves. If you’re in, trim a little into strength and keep the rest on a short leash.
Shopify Inc [SHOP]: Premarket Move: +3%
SHOP is bouncing as the beat-and-raise crowd starts doing warm-up stretches ahead of earnings. Upgrades are flying, sentiment is improving, and everyone’s staring at the same scoreboard: GMV, merchants, and guidance.
The risk is that expectations are already dressed up for a nice dinner. If the company shows up in sweatpants, the stock can sulk.
My Take: Treat this like an earnings coin flip with better odds if you wait. Starter size only on any post-print wobble, add if the call sounds confident, step aside if guidance feels cagey.
Snap Inc [SNAP]: Premarket Move: +3%
SNAP is trying to bounce off the floor after a string of downgrades, upgrades, and general ad-market mood swings. Some analysts are calling it “cheap,” others are calling it “still messy,” and the stock is basically shrugging and asking for a redo.
This is a laggard rally setup. It can jump quick, but it can also slip back if ad demand or user trends don’t cooperate.
My Take: Small nibble only if you like turnaround stories. If it pops, take quick profits. If it fades early, don’t argue with it.
Annuities (Sponsored)
Market swings, rising costs, and unpredictable returns can leave many people unsure how stable their future income may be.
Annuities could help reduce that uncertainty by offering options designed to create steadier long-term protection.
Fixed annuities may provide dependable interest, indexed annuities could offer growth tied to market performance with built-in limits, and MYGAs can lock in multi-year rates that may help shield you from volatility.
Our updated guide breaks down how each type works and how they could help protect your financial future.
Reviewing the choices now may help you avoid gaps later when steady income matters most.
Click here to explore your options.
Everything Else
Alphabet is basically telling bond investors the AI boom comes with some brand-new risks as it lines up more borrowing.
SoftBank popped after its telecom unit lifted its outlook, and the market immediately started daydreaming about ARM’s bigger role in the AI-chip push.
MrBeast just swan-dived into fintech, with Beast Industries buying a youth money app so the next viral challenge can be financial literacy, apparently.
Amazon is reportedly floating an idea to publishers for an AI content marketplace, which sounds like a new digital shelf for AI-made inventory.
Waymo is going fully autonomous in Nashville, turning the city into a live demo of robotaxi confidence on real streets.
That’s all for today. Thank you for reading. If you have any feedback, please reply to this email.
Best Regards,
— Adam Garcia
Elite Trade Club
Click here to get our daily newsletter straight to your cell for free.
P.S. Just like this newsletter, it's 100% free*, and you can stop at any time by replying STOP.
