Wall Street Live — Monday, October 19

5:03 PM — CCK fell ~5% after hours. Q3 profit beat estimates and can volumes rose 6%, but the company guided weaker Q4 earnings than expected as higher material costs still pressure profits.

4:53 PM — STLD fell ~7% after hours. Q3 profit of $5.26/share missed estimates near $5.40 and its own $5.34–5.38 guide. Steel was strong with record shipments, but temporary aluminum production issues disappointed high expectations.

4:30 PM — Torrid’s (CURV) CFO Paula Dempsey is resigning for another job and will stay through mid-November. Will Langley, a former Belk CFO with 20 years there, becomes interim CFO on Oct. 28.

4:05 PM — S&P 500 and Nasdaq advance on a tech rally, while the Dow falls as Treasury yields climb.

3:58 PM — Nscale and Anthropic are in talks for another $45 billion deal to supply AI computing power at a West Virginia data center. This adds to Anthropic’s existing roughly $45 billion contracts with Nscale for the servers its AI models need.

3:22 PM — Knox and Palantir (PLTR) partner to speed secure software delivery to the U.S. government and military via Knox’s large federal cloud. It helps companies get FedRAMP approval in about 90 days for critical missions.

2:59 PM — AnaptysBio (ANAB) shares rose ~6% after the FDA approved GSK’s Jemperli as the first immunotherapy for MSI-H/dMMR locally advanced rectal cancer.

1:21 PM — Oracle’s (ORCL) Project Jupiter data center in New Mexico is building fast. They’re cutting emissions 35%, seeking 2 GW of renewables for carbon-free power by 2031, using very little non-drinking water, and boosting the local economy. Bloom Energy (BE) shares rose 3%. 

1:19 PM — DXC Technology (DXC) is in advanced talks to sell its insurance software division to Eldridge for about $2.4 billion. Deal not confirmed.

12:21 PM — Apple (AAPL) is holding an event on Oct 28, 2026, for its first touch-screen MacBook Pros (with OLED screens and lighter designs). Also expected: new M6 Macs and an OLED iPad mini.

11:33 AM — Evercore ISI upgraded Match Group (MTCH) to Outperform and raised its price target to $53 from $39. Analysts see Tinder’s user recovery speeding up ahead of plan, with the strongest trends since 2021-22, which could drive higher estimates and stock gains.

11:22 AM — Unilever (UL) is selling its Welly brand (colorful, fun bandages) to private equity firm Forward Consumer Partners. This fits Unilever’s plan to sell smaller brands and focus on core businesses.

10:39 AM — SCWorx (WORX) signed a new deal with a community-owned healthcare system serving New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah. It will help the system clean and improve its supply chain product data for better accuracy and operations, adding another customer and supporting recurring revenue.

10:35 AM — Jefferies analyst Faisal Khurshid cut EyePoint (EYPT) from Buy to Hold and slashed its price target from $8 to $1 after its Phase 3 LUCIA trial of Duravyu for wet AMD failed its main goal. He says the drug’s future in wet AMD looks unlikely.

09:58 AM — TTM Technologies (TTMI) is buying MKS’s (MKSI) Ophir Optics business for $650M cash. Ophir makes high-precision infrared and laser optics for defense, security, and industry (based in Israel and Romania). Deal should close in Q2 2027 and immediately boost TTM’s profit margins and earnings.

09:55 AM — H.B. Fuller (FUL) board rejects Ancora’s second $1.2-1.4B cash offer for its Building Adhesive Solutions unit, saying the bump still undervalues its growth, strategic role, and Quantum Leap upside. Company will instead explore selling less-core segments by end-2026 to cut debt.

09:46 AM — Cleveland Research downgrades PayPal (PYPL) to Underperform as Branded and Braintree volumes weaken amid share loss and softer demand.

09:32 AM — The S&P 500 and Nasdaq opened higher as investors geared up for a crucial week of tech earnings, while the Dow slipped and Treasury yields edged higher.

09:27 AM — AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) moves closer to direct-to-phone satellite service in Europe after major operators agreed to explore a joint spectrum bid.

09:14 AM — Mattel (MAT) named Peter Griffith as new CFO starting Oct. 20, 2026. He replaces Paul Ruh, joins the board, and reports to CEO Roger Lynch. The former Amgen CFO brings finance, deals, and growth experience to boost performance.

09:11 AM — Chardan analyst started coverage of MannKind (MNKD) with a Buy and $10 target. Sales are moving away from Tyvaso DPI. The analyst sees three growth drivers: Furoscix, Afrezza for kids, and inhaled nintedanib.

09:08 AM — Archer’s (ACHR) electric air taxi Midnight flew piloted trips over the San Francisco Bay from Oakland. It handled busy airspace near major airports and turned hour-long car rides into 10-20 minute flights. Part of a Northern California tour; next stop is Los Angeles.

09:06 AM — Scotiabank upgraded VALE to Outperform (from Sector Perform) with a $16 target. They see copper staying strong from industry setbacks and Vale shares cheap after a drop, setting up a rebound. Cheaper shipping to China and better iron ore prices could help next.

09:03 AM — Silgan (SLGN) is partnering with private equity firm AIP to buy Trivium Packaging. Together they form a $7.3B global metal packaging company for food and drinks. Silgan gets about $2.3B cash, keeps 60% ownership, and expects a 15% earnings boost from synergies. Deal aims to close mid-2027.

08:57 AM — Centrus Energy (LEU) bought Westerman, a key supplier of nuclear centrifuge parts, for $116 million. This brings manufacturing in-house to support uranium enrichment growth and adds non-nuclear business like oil and gas. Westerman stays under its own name.

08:54 AM — Valor Energy (VAI) agreed to buy an 18MW computing center in Youngstown, Ohio for $3.6M. The site already has power and is operational. They plan to turn it into an AI data center, pending due diligence and approvals.

08:42 AM — Merck acquires Silence Therapeutics (SLN) in $1.3B deal to add gene-silencing platform and advance Divesiran for polycythemia vera into later-stage development.

08:28 AM — Goldman Sachs upgrades CoreWeave (CRWV) to Buy after a 43% drop, citing better-than-expected AI computing economics and limited financing cost increases.

08:15 AM — Susquehanna analyst Joseph Stauff upgraded Boyd Gaming (BYD) to Positive from Neutral and lowered the price target to $83 from $87.

08:13 AM — Xanadu (XNDU) got up to $10M more from DARPA for a one-year extension to speed their photonic quantum computer R&D. These systems run at room temperature and aim for useful, large-scale quantum computing.

08:08 AM — EyePoint (EYPT) plans to reduce its staff by roughly 53% and prioritize Duravyu for diabetic macular edema after the drug failed to meet the main goal in a second late-stage wet AMD trial.

07:53 AM — After an earlier FDA setback, Disc Medicine (IRON) reported strong Phase 3 data for its EPP drug, lifting shares more than 50% premarket. 

07:27 AM — Hong Kong biotech Metis TechBio signs a deal with Eli Lilly (LLY) worth up to $1.1 billion. Metis uses AI to create better ways to deliver drugs to specific body parts using tiny fat particles. They get some money now, more later if successful, and a cut of sales.

07:25 AM — Quantinuum (QNT) reports record error correction of 99.9995%, advancing its plan for fully fault-tolerant quantum computers by 2029.

06:59 AM — BTIG’s Mark Massaro cut MDxHealth (MDXH) to Neutral from Buy (no target) after a weak Q3 revenue/volume miss and suspension of 2026 guidance. Management blamed unexpected sales-rep turnover after ending the Resolve UTI test. Analyst says confidence in growth may take time to return.

06:55 AM — BofA analyst Craig Siegenthaler cut Ameriprise (AMP) to Underperform from Buy, slashing the target to $445 from $570. AMP lost several large teams (three to Schwab); he sees this as a lasting issue due to attractive RIA ownership economics. EPS forecasts for 2026-28 were cut on weaker growth and higher wealth costs.

06:54 AM — VEON is buying Uzbekistan mobile operator Perfectum for ~$207 million (including $93M debt). This boosts Beeline’s spectrum by about 50%, helping expand 4G, 5G, and broadband in a market of nearly 40 million people. Deal closes by end of October.

06:51 AM — Foxconn is buying half of Mitsubishi Electric’s car-parts unit (which makes EV components) for about $727 million. They plan to combine Mitsubishi’s tech with Foxconn’s manufacturing scale to grow the business past $6.5 billion in sales, targeting a 50-50 joint venture by late 2027.

06:39 AM — Canaccord starts coverage of Maze Therapeutics (MAZE) with Buy rating and $75 target. Lead drug MZE829 is an oral pill that blocks APOL1 for a large, underserved kidney disease market. It may work better than Vertex’s (VRTX) rival by stopping both pore formation and function. Early Phase 2 data look encouraging.

06:39 AM — Canaccord starts coverage of Quoin Pharma (QNRX) with Buy rating and $18 target. Rare skin diseases offer big opportunities with high need and little competition. Lead drug QRX003 targets Netherton syndrome (rare genetic skin disease with no treatments), expected to launch in 2028.

06:35 AM — Cleveland-Cliffs (CLF) delivered its strongest quarter in three years with $612M adjusted EBITDA and guided for more than $4B in 2027, lifting the stock.

06:18 AM — U.S. drone firm Red Cat (RCAT) proposes €39 per share for Steyr Motors. Deal backed by major shareholder, targets Blue Ops maritime growth.

05:55 AM — Morgan Stanley upgraded Global-e (GLBE) to Overweight from Equal Weight, PT $50 (from $46). Underestimated durable same-store sales growth. Key enabler for cross-border e-comm, cuts friction, boosts brands. 12%+ SSS growth to drive 30%+ volume. Stock fundamentally mispriced.

05:52 AM — Bernstein upgraded Datadog (DDOG) to Outperform from Market Perform, raising the target to $350 from $237. Data shows enterprise AI token use grew at least 50% last quarter among top AI labs. AI growth is a big boost. The “Mythos moment” could help its cyber features. Up 3.7% in premarket trading.

05:50 AM — UBS upgraded JetBlue (JBLU) to Neutral from Sell, target $3.50 (was $4). After selloff, risk/reward balanced. No near-term cash problems despite higher fuel straining cash flow—enough liquidity for "different scenarios."

05:48 AM — JPMorgan raises Intel (INTC) rating to Neutral, keeps $85 target. Shares down 36% from peak; better manufacturing and data-center execution cited.

04:28 AM — Blue Owl (OWL) bosses told staff they’d bounce back stronger from private credit problems, but the stock is still down ~67% and hasn’t moved. Bankers are now suggesting selling part or all of the company.

04:20 AM — Apple (AAPL) says iPhone Duo demand is “extraordinary.” Pre-orders sold out in minutes; delivery slipped from Oct 23 to early 2027. No 2026 units left. Starts at $1,999 amid supply shortages.

04:15 AM — Oil prices fell Monday after the US waived new Russia sanctions, easing some supply fears. But Middle East ship attacks and Ukraine strikes on Russian oil still worry traders. Brent crude is near $107 a barrel.

04:10 AM — Nvidia-backed AI data center firm Nscale seeks ~$30B IPO valuation, but some investors push for $16-19B amid AI market caution and setbacks like a canceled Microsoft (MSFT) UK project.

04:09 AM — Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq poised to rebound ahead of a pivotal week of tech earnings.