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5 Stocks That Dominated Retail Investor Attention: Nike, Omeros, Micron, Intel, and Dynavax

MarketDash Editorial Team
1 day ago
Wall Street closed out the pre-Christmas session with modest gains as the S&P 500 hit fresh record highs. Meanwhile, retail traders zeroed in on five stocks making major moves—from Apple's CEO buying Nike shares to a biotech acquisition that sent one stock soaring nearly 40%.

Wall Street wrapped up a shortened trading week with a quiet but steady climb. The S&P 500 notched another record close, edging up 0.32% to finish at 6,932.05—a nice bow on a year that's delivered 17% gains so far. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.6% to 48,731.16, while the Nasdaq added 0.22% to close at 23,613.30.

But while the broader market was catching its breath before the holiday, retail traders were laser-focused on a handful of individual stocks making serious moves. Here's what caught investors' attention on Tuesday.

Nike Gets a Vote of Confidence From Tim Cook

Nike Inc. (NKE) shares jumped 4.64% to close at $60, riding a wave of enthusiasm after Apple CEO Tim Cook made his first open-market purchase of the company's stock. Cook bought 50,000 shares at an average price of $58.97, investing nearly $3 million and roughly doubling his Nike stake to about $6 million.

The insider buying came on the heels of another board member, Robert Swan, also purchasing shares—signals that insiders see value even after Nike's recent struggles. The athletic giant beat second-quarter estimates with $12.43 billion in revenue and 53 cents in earnings per share, but the outlook was less rosy. Management warned that third-quarter revenue could decline in the low single digits, citing a $1.5 billion annualized tariff headwind and persistent weakness in the crucial Chinese market.

Still, when one of the world's most respected CEOs personally bets millions on your stock, people notice. Nike traded between $58.88 and $60.58 during the session, well off its 52-week high of $82.44 but comfortably above the $52.28 low hit earlier this year.

Omeros Soars on Rare FDA Approval

Omeros Corporation (OMER) delivered the day's most spectacular performance, rocketing 75.54% to close at $15.36. The biotech company's shares touched an intraday high of $17.65—now its 52-week high—a remarkable climb from its $2.95 low earlier this year.

The catalyst was FDA approval of Yartemlea, a treatment for transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy in adults and children aged two and older. This marks the first approved lectin pathway inhibitor for this rare but serious condition that can occur after organ transplants.

The approval was backed by compelling clinical data showing complete response rates of approximately 61% to 68%, with 100-day survival rates of roughly 73% to 74%. Perhaps most importantly, the data suggested significantly lower mortality compared to historical controls—the kind of meaningful improvement that gets regulators' attention. Omeros is planning a U.S. commercial launch in January 2026, giving the company time to prepare for what could be a transformative product.

Micron Rides the AI Wave to New Heights

Micron Technology Inc. (MU) climbed 3.77% to close at $286.68, pushing the memory chip maker to an intraday high of $289.30—a fresh all-time record. The stock's 52-week range now spans from $61.54 to $289.30, illustrating the extraordinary run Micron has enjoyed.

The rally extended gains following the company's blockbuster first-quarter results from last week. Micron reported revenue of $13.64 billion and adjusted earnings of $4.78 per share, both crushing analyst expectations. But what really got investors excited was the company's positioning in artificial intelligence infrastructure, particularly its high-bandwidth memory business.

Management laid out an ambitious growth trajectory, projecting that this segment could explode from approximately $35 billion in 2025 to $100 billion by 2028. CEO Sanjay Mehrotra guided for record revenue and margins in fiscal 2026, including $18.7 billion in second-quarter revenue. When you're selling the picks and shovels for the AI gold rush, apparently business is very good.

Intel Takes a Hit on Nvidia News

Not every stock had a great day. Intel Corporation (INTC) dipped 0.52% to close at $36.16, trading between $34.95 and $36.17 during the session. The stock's 52-week range sits between $17.67 and $44.01.

The modest decline followed reports that Nvidia had paused testing of Intel's 18A manufacturing process for its advanced AI chips. That's a significant setback for Intel's ambitious plan to become a major contract chipmaker and challenge Taiwan Semiconductor's dominance in cutting-edge manufacturing.

Intel insisted that its next-generation manufacturing roadmap remains on track, and the company pointed out that Nvidia's previously announced $5 billion investment and broader partnership was always framed as collaborative rather than manufacturing-focused. Still, when you're trying to convince the world you can compete with the best chip manufacturers on the planet, having a marquee customer pause their evaluation isn't exactly the headline you want.

Dynavax Gets Acquired at a Premium

Dynavax Technologies Corporation (DVAX) surged 38.19% to close at $15.38, with shares reaching an intraday high of $15.49—now the stock's 52-week high. The dramatic move came after French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi announced it would acquire Dynavax in an all-cash deal valued at approximately $2.2 billion.

Sanofi agreed to pay $15.50 per share, representing roughly a 39% premium to Dynavax's prior closing price. The acquisition strengthens Sanofi's presence in adult vaccines, adding Dynavax's marketed hepatitis B vaccine HEPLISAV-B and an early-stage shingles candidate to its portfolio.

The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and shareholder tender conditions. Sanofi said it would fund the acquisition with available cash—no debt needed when you're one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies. For Dynavax shareholders who bought anywhere near the $9.20 52-week low, this represented a nice holiday bonus.

These five stocks illustrate the range of catalysts that can move markets: insider confidence, regulatory approvals, technological leadership, competitive setbacks, and good old-fashioned acquisition premiums. While the broader market cruised into the holiday on autopilot, these individual stories gave traders plenty to think about.

Back to Stock Market News

5 Stocks That Dominated Retail Investor Attention: Nike, Omeros, Micron, Intel, and Dynavax

MarketDash Editorial Team
1 day ago
Wall Street closed out the pre-Christmas session with modest gains as the S&P 500 hit fresh record highs. Meanwhile, retail traders zeroed in on five stocks making major moves—from Apple's CEO buying Nike shares to a biotech acquisition that sent one stock soaring nearly 40%.

Wall Street wrapped up a shortened trading week with a quiet but steady climb. The S&P 500 notched another record close, edging up 0.32% to finish at 6,932.05—a nice bow on a year that's delivered 17% gains so far. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.6% to 48,731.16, while the Nasdaq added 0.22% to close at 23,613.30.

But while the broader market was catching its breath before the holiday, retail traders were laser-focused on a handful of individual stocks making serious moves. Here's what caught investors' attention on Tuesday.

Nike Gets a Vote of Confidence From Tim Cook

Nike Inc. (NKE) shares jumped 4.64% to close at $60, riding a wave of enthusiasm after Apple CEO Tim Cook made his first open-market purchase of the company's stock. Cook bought 50,000 shares at an average price of $58.97, investing nearly $3 million and roughly doubling his Nike stake to about $6 million.

The insider buying came on the heels of another board member, Robert Swan, also purchasing shares—signals that insiders see value even after Nike's recent struggles. The athletic giant beat second-quarter estimates with $12.43 billion in revenue and 53 cents in earnings per share, but the outlook was less rosy. Management warned that third-quarter revenue could decline in the low single digits, citing a $1.5 billion annualized tariff headwind and persistent weakness in the crucial Chinese market.

Still, when one of the world's most respected CEOs personally bets millions on your stock, people notice. Nike traded between $58.88 and $60.58 during the session, well off its 52-week high of $82.44 but comfortably above the $52.28 low hit earlier this year.

Omeros Soars on Rare FDA Approval

Omeros Corporation (OMER) delivered the day's most spectacular performance, rocketing 75.54% to close at $15.36. The biotech company's shares touched an intraday high of $17.65—now its 52-week high—a remarkable climb from its $2.95 low earlier this year.

The catalyst was FDA approval of Yartemlea, a treatment for transplant-associated thrombotic microangiopathy in adults and children aged two and older. This marks the first approved lectin pathway inhibitor for this rare but serious condition that can occur after organ transplants.

The approval was backed by compelling clinical data showing complete response rates of approximately 61% to 68%, with 100-day survival rates of roughly 73% to 74%. Perhaps most importantly, the data suggested significantly lower mortality compared to historical controls—the kind of meaningful improvement that gets regulators' attention. Omeros is planning a U.S. commercial launch in January 2026, giving the company time to prepare for what could be a transformative product.

Micron Rides the AI Wave to New Heights

Micron Technology Inc. (MU) climbed 3.77% to close at $286.68, pushing the memory chip maker to an intraday high of $289.30—a fresh all-time record. The stock's 52-week range now spans from $61.54 to $289.30, illustrating the extraordinary run Micron has enjoyed.

The rally extended gains following the company's blockbuster first-quarter results from last week. Micron reported revenue of $13.64 billion and adjusted earnings of $4.78 per share, both crushing analyst expectations. But what really got investors excited was the company's positioning in artificial intelligence infrastructure, particularly its high-bandwidth memory business.

Management laid out an ambitious growth trajectory, projecting that this segment could explode from approximately $35 billion in 2025 to $100 billion by 2028. CEO Sanjay Mehrotra guided for record revenue and margins in fiscal 2026, including $18.7 billion in second-quarter revenue. When you're selling the picks and shovels for the AI gold rush, apparently business is very good.

Intel Takes a Hit on Nvidia News

Not every stock had a great day. Intel Corporation (INTC) dipped 0.52% to close at $36.16, trading between $34.95 and $36.17 during the session. The stock's 52-week range sits between $17.67 and $44.01.

The modest decline followed reports that Nvidia had paused testing of Intel's 18A manufacturing process for its advanced AI chips. That's a significant setback for Intel's ambitious plan to become a major contract chipmaker and challenge Taiwan Semiconductor's dominance in cutting-edge manufacturing.

Intel insisted that its next-generation manufacturing roadmap remains on track, and the company pointed out that Nvidia's previously announced $5 billion investment and broader partnership was always framed as collaborative rather than manufacturing-focused. Still, when you're trying to convince the world you can compete with the best chip manufacturers on the planet, having a marquee customer pause their evaluation isn't exactly the headline you want.

Dynavax Gets Acquired at a Premium

Dynavax Technologies Corporation (DVAX) surged 38.19% to close at $15.38, with shares reaching an intraday high of $15.49—now the stock's 52-week high. The dramatic move came after French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi announced it would acquire Dynavax in an all-cash deal valued at approximately $2.2 billion.

Sanofi agreed to pay $15.50 per share, representing roughly a 39% premium to Dynavax's prior closing price. The acquisition strengthens Sanofi's presence in adult vaccines, adding Dynavax's marketed hepatitis B vaccine HEPLISAV-B and an early-stage shingles candidate to its portfolio.

The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter of 2026, subject to regulatory approvals and shareholder tender conditions. Sanofi said it would fund the acquisition with available cash—no debt needed when you're one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies. For Dynavax shareholders who bought anywhere near the $9.20 52-week low, this represented a nice holiday bonus.

These five stocks illustrate the range of catalysts that can move markets: insider confidence, regulatory approvals, technological leadership, competitive setbacks, and good old-fashioned acquisition premiums. While the broader market cruised into the holiday on autopilot, these individual stories gave traders plenty to think about.