Trevor Srednick/iStock via Getty Images J.P. Morgan downgraded Lucky Strike Entertainment ( LUCK ) to Underweight from Neutral as analyst Matthew Boss anticipates traffic to the company's bowling centers to worsen due to macroeconomic uncertainties and a “challenging pricing backdrop” after a recent price hike. Boss expects consumer behavior shifting to “more cautious” as a result of higher gas pr...
Trevor Srednick/iStock via Getty Images J.P. Morgan downgraded Lucky Strike Entertainment ( LUCK ) to Underweight from Neutral as analyst Matthew Boss anticipates traffic to the company's bowling centers to worsen due to macroeconomic uncertainties and a “challenging pricing backdrop” after a recent price hike. Boss expects consumer behavior shifting to “more cautious” as a result of higher gas prices since the onset of the Middle East conflict, a dynamic that will ultimately impact traffic to Lucky Strike Entertainment’s ( LUCK ) bowling centers. Citing Placer.ai data, traffic is shown moderating from 2% growth during the current quarter to a 4% decline by the third quarter. By the fourth quarter, Boss estimates same-center-sales growth to contract by 2%, more than 500 basis points below the street estimates. At the same time, initiatives to drive traffic “have resulted in adjusted EBITDA erosion, representing a bottom-line headwind,” Boss said in his note to clients. Based on his revised calendar year 2027 estimated EBITDA of $390M, Boss adjusts his price target for Lucky Strike Entertainment ( LUCK ) by -25% to $6. More on Lucky Strike Entertainment Lucky Strike: Confirmation Of The Volatility And Downside Lucky Strike Entertainment Corporation (LUCK) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript Lucky Strike Entertainment Corporation 2026 Q2 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation Lucky Strike outlines EBITDA lift and brand consolidation while targeting 200 Lucky Strike locations by end of 2026 Lucky Strike Entertainment reports Q2 results
Chalabala/iStock via Getty Images Over the last few months now, things have been going exceptionally well for shareholders of IDEX Corporation ( IEX ). Since I called the company a ‘hold’ back in November of last year, the stock has risen 21.4%. That is significantly better than the 2.6% increase that the S&P 500 saw over the same window of time. This was driven by revenue, profits, and cash flows...
Chalabala/iStock via Getty Images Over the last few months now, things have been going exceptionally well for shareholders of IDEX Corporation ( IEX ). Since I called the company a ‘hold’ back in November of last year, the stock has risen 21.4%. That is significantly better than the 2.6% increase that the S&P 500 saw over the same window of time. This was driven by revenue, profits, and cash flows, all rising. Even the most recent quarter saw expansion for the business. For this year, management does expect a slight increase in sales. More importantly, profitability is expected to rise also. Even after the share price increase, the stock is trading at a discount compared to some other similar enterprises. But on an absolute basis, the firm looks pretty much fairly valued to me. In light of that, I believe that maintaining it as a ‘hold’ makes sense. Of course, I am not afraid to change my mind if new data justifies it. Hopefully, that will happen soon. After all, management is expected to announce financial results for the first quarter of the company's 2026 fiscal year on April 29. And as we approach that date, analysts believe that revenue and profits for the business will rise on a year-over-year basis. Adjusted net income might dip slightly. So that should definitely be watched. However, even if the company comes in above expectations, an upgrade is unlikely. Checking Out IDEX Corporation Again At its core, IDEX Corporation is an intriguing business. Management describes the company as a global applied solutions provider that caters to a wide array of industries. It does this by producing and selling mission-critical components, with examples being scientific fluidics and optics products, pneumatic technologies, valves, dispensing technologies, its signature BAND-IT product line, agricultural products such as pumps, controllers, fittings, etc., and more. In 2025, the largest chunk of revenue for the company came from the industrial and life sciences and markets....
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals ( REGN ) announced on Thursday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval for its gene therapy Otarmeni as a treatment for a type of hearing loss caused by a gene mutation. According to the FDA's labeling information, the one-time therapy will be available in the U.S. for adults and children with sensorineural hearing loss associated wit...
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals ( REGN ) announced on Thursday that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted accelerated approval for its gene therapy Otarmeni as a treatment for a type of hearing loss caused by a gene mutation. According to the FDA's labeling information, the one-time therapy will be available in the U.S. for adults and children with sensorineural hearing loss associated with molecularly confirmed biallelic variants in the OTOF gene. Patients with severe-to-profound and profound sensorineural hearing loss and preserved outer hair cell function will be eligible for the therapy if they have had no prior cochlear implantation in the same ear. The FDA has approved Otarmeni under the Commissioner’s National Priority Voucher program, which seeks to expedite the review of products developed by companies aligned with national priorities. The approval is supported by data from the company’s CHORD trial. The Phase 1/2 trial reached the primary endpoint as 16 out of 20 trial subjects surpassed a predetermined hearing level over 24 weeks after receiving Otarmeni. The continued approval of the drug depends on positive results from the confirmatory portion of the trial, which is currently enrolling patients in countries including the U.S. and the U.K. More on Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (REGN) C5 Complement Development Program Focusing on Cemdisiran and Pozelimab for Complement-Mediated Diseases - Slide Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (REGN) Discusses C5 Complement Development Program Focusing on Cemdisiran and Pozelimab for Complement-Mediated Diseases Transcript Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (REGN) Presents at Leerink Global Healthcare Conference 2026 Transcript Regeneron is said to have reached a drug pricing deal with U.S. Sanofi and Regeneron’s Dupixent becomes first biologic for kids under 12 with CSU
Johnson & Johnson ( JNJ ) shares set to snap six straight sessions of losses on Thursday, as the stock rose 1.9% to $230.42 in afternoon trading. The New Brunswick, New Jersey-based pharma giant lost about 5% in the preceding six sessions. Overall, the stock has risen nearly 10% so far this year, compared to the 4% rise in the broader S&P 500 Index. JNJ is down nearly 2% over the past one month. T...
Johnson & Johnson ( JNJ ) shares set to snap six straight sessions of losses on Thursday, as the stock rose 1.9% to $230.42 in afternoon trading. The New Brunswick, New Jersey-based pharma giant lost about 5% in the preceding six sessions. Overall, the stock has risen nearly 10% so far this year, compared to the 4% rise in the broader S&P 500 Index. JNJ is down nearly 2% over the past one month. The stock closed marginally higher on Wednesday. April has not been a favourable month for the company so far, with 12 sessions in red and two sessions in green. Looking at Seeking Alpha's Quant Rating, JNJ has a Hold rating with a score of 3.43 out of 5. The company received an A+ in the prospect of profitability, while it got a D- in the growth factor. Turning to the Wall Street community, 14 analysts gave JNJ a Buy and above, 10 analysts have given the stock a Hold recommendation, and one recommended Sell. Seeking Alpha analysts are also bullish and see the stock as a Buy. Earlier this month, Johnson & Johnson lifted its full-year guidance after reporting better-than-expected financials for Q1, largely thanks to its cancer drugs, while sales from its Crohn's disease therapy continued to drop. “Johnson & Johnson is not necessarily known for mega-money M&A deals, but in recent years, the company has been busy growing its business inorganically as well as organically,” said Seeking Alpha analyst Edmund Ingham. “JNJ's diversified portfolio—driven by double-digit growth in Innovative Medicines and strong growth in MedTech—positions it as “the cleanest growth story in healthcare,” added Ingham. More on Johnson & Johnson Johnson & Johnson: Why I See Downside Ahead Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript Johnson & Johnson Q1 Earnings Review: Why You Should Be Buying The Stock Today J&J's Imaavy demonstrates long-term disease control in myasthenia gravis Earnings Scoreboard: 85% of S&P 500 early reporters beat EPS estimates as Y/Y growth hits 25 firms
RYO Alexandre/iStock via Getty Images By Elior Manier USD/JPY ( USD:JPY ) is often playing tricks on FX traders, and this time it is completely avoiding volatility after gigantic up-and-down moves. The currency pair is known for its erratic price action, highly affected by movements in rates, global trade, and inflation, as well as regional and geopolitical developments - all of which have been se...
RYO Alexandre/iStock via Getty Images By Elior Manier USD/JPY ( USD:JPY ) is often playing tricks on FX traders, and this time it is completely avoiding volatility after gigantic up-and-down moves. The currency pair is known for its erratic price action, highly affected by movements in rates, global trade, and inflation, as well as regional and geopolitical developments - all of which have been severely affected since the beginning of the US-Iran conflict. Seen as a major safe haven currency since the early 2000s, profiting from lower yields in times of panic, JPY could not find any appeal during this conflict. Even as stock markets initially sold off, risk-off assets and currencies failed to gain traction, with the US dollar and WTI crude drawing all the attention. Believing the conflict would stay focused on the Middle East, a wider flight to safety was avoided. But the economic damage to Europe, and in the case of today's USD/JPY outlook, Japan and Asia, is still heavy, and that led to massive rallies in the US dollar against currencies from these regions. You can see the strong correlation between USD/JPY and oil movements in our recent analysis of the pair. Add to this narrative a striking stall in inflation in Japan, which was the only path to justify a return to less accommodative policy, and traders really found a natural terrain to race back to Japan shorts. Recent Japanese CPI data (Courtesy of Trading Economics) The Japanese CPI, releasing tonight at 19:30 ( ET ), is expected to rebound, as supply-side inflationary pressures could once again slowly push Japanese consumer prices higher. The Bank of Japan mentioned conflict-led inflation a few times but reportedly still leans toward a pause at the upcoming meeting , while hinting at a higher chance of a 25 bps hike in June to allow for further analysis of the war's impact. So, unless CPI beats expectations by a lot, this pricing shouldn't change much. With the second round of talks, delayed for almost a wee...
Key PointsThe penalty for a missed RMD dropped from 50% to 25% under SECURE 2.0, and can fall to just 10% -- or even zero -- if you correct the mistake and submit the proper paperwork.
Key PointsThe penalty for a missed RMD dropped from 50% to 25% under SECURE 2.0, and can fall to just 10% -- or even zero -- if you correct the mistake and submit the proper paperwork.
The US Military Is Running A Bitcoin Node, Admiral Paparo Reveals Authored by Micah Zimmerman via Bitcoin Magazine, The United States military has an active node on the Bitcoin network, according to Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM). The disclosure, made at a House Services committee hearing, marks the first known confirmation that a U.S. military combatant ...
The US Military Is Running A Bitcoin Node, Admiral Paparo Reveals Authored by Micah Zimmerman via Bitcoin Magazine, The United States military has an active node on the Bitcoin network, according to Admiral Samuel Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM). The disclosure, made at a House Services committee hearing, marks the first known confirmation that a U.S. military combatant command is directly participating in the Bitcoin peer-to-peer network. “We have a node on the Bitcoin network,” Paparo wrote. “We’re doing a number of operational tests to secure and protect networks using the Bitcoin protocol.” The statement landed one day after Paparo made waves in Congress with testimony that framed Bitcoin as a tool of American power. JUST IN: 🇺🇸 Four-star military officer Admiral Samuel Paparo confirms the USA is running a Bitcoin node. "We have a node on the Bitcoin network right now. We're doing a number of operational tests to secure and protect networks using the Bitcoin protocol." pic.twitter.com/4JIOIMtlTW — Bitcoin Magazine (@BitcoinMagazine) April 22, 2026 What Paparo said yesterday On April 21, Paparo testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee during a FY2027 defense authorization hearing. Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) asked Paparo whether U.S. leadership in Bitcoin could give the country an edge against China in the Indo-Pacific theater. Paparo did not deflect. He told the committee that INDOPACOM’s research centers on Bitcoin as a computer science tool — not as a financial asset. “Our research into Bitcoin is as a computer science tool,” Paparo said. “It’s the combination of cryptography, a blockchain, and a proof of work. And Bitcoin shows incredible potential as a computer science tool that through the proof-of-work protocols , actually imposes more cost than just the algorithmic securing of networks and our ability to operate.” He described Bitcoin as “a peer-to-peer, zero-trust transfer of value” and said that “anything that sup...
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has had a busy week. Sharma held an internal town hall with Xbox employees today, just days after announcing an Xbox Game Pass price cut , commenting on the status of the Xbox mobile store , and teasing a mysterious Xbox and Discord partnership . One of the items on the agenda for the employee all-hands was scrapping Microsoft Gaming. Sources familiar with the meeting tell me ...
Xbox CEO Asha Sharma has had a busy week. Sharma held an internal town hall with Xbox employees today, just days after announcing an Xbox Game Pass price cut , commenting on the status of the Xbox mobile store , and teasing a mysterious Xbox and Discord partnership . One of the items on the agenda for the employee all-hands was scrapping Microsoft Gaming. Sources familiar with the meeting tell me that Sharma announced that Microsoft is returning to using Xbox for its gaming division, instead of Microsoft Gaming. "Xbox needs to be our identity," said Sharma, noting that Microsoft Gaming was a departure from that. Microsoft originally switched … Read the full story at The Verge.
FabrikaCr/iStock via Getty Images Despite ongoing geopolitical risks and commodity volatility, market sentiment among investors remains “still high historically,” according to Raymond James CEO Paul Shoukry. In an interview with CNBC, Shoukry noted that while sentiment has dipped slightly quarter over quarter due to rising gas prices ( XB1:COM ) and global uncertainty, investors are maintaining th...
FabrikaCr/iStock via Getty Images Despite ongoing geopolitical risks and commodity volatility, market sentiment among investors remains “still high historically,” according to Raymond James CEO Paul Shoukry. In an interview with CNBC, Shoukry noted that while sentiment has dipped slightly quarter over quarter due to rising gas prices ( XB1:COM ) and global uncertainty, investors are maintaining their long-term market positions. “If nothing else, they’ve learned over the last five to seven years that emotional knee-jerk reactions to headlines and social media posts usually end up being an overreaction and a bad decision,” Shoukry said. Client allocations to equities, fixed income, and other products have remained remarkably consistent, according to Shoukry. Rather than pulling out during market dips, investors are rebalancing and purchasing into the market, staying aligned with their long-term financial objectives. Raymond James is investing over $1B annually in technology, with AI representing the fastest-growing component of that spending. Shoukry emphasized that AI is enhancing cybersecurity capabilities and enabling more “bespoke and tailored financial advice” to a larger number of clients, though he stressed that human relationships remain irreplaceable. “In this world of AI and technology, what people need more than ever is a deeply personal relationship,” he said. On the capital markets front, Shoukry expressed optimism about investment banking pipelines. With 65% of the business driven by financial sponsors on both the buy and sell sides, he noted significant pent-up demand from buyers with dry powder and sellers with investments that have exceeded their original tenure. More on the markets Confidence In 'Rules Of The Game' S&P 500 Is Hitting The Upper Circuit: Here's What Happens Next Oil Up, S&P 500 Up Stocks still have a lot of upside despite current downturn – Deutsche Bank’s Chadha U.S. stocks pull back as conflict in the Strait of Hormuz intensifies
The White House is reviewing new US Securities and Exchange Commission rules that would make it easier for companies to go public or raise capital by easing disclosures for new offerings and speeding up the registration process. According to the SEC, one proposal would overhaul offering rules to “modernize the shelf registration process,” which could allow more companies to issue securities faster...
The White House is reviewing new US Securities and Exchange Commission rules that would make it easier for companies to go public or raise capital by easing disclosures for new offerings and speeding up the registration process. According to the SEC, one proposal would overhaul offering rules to “modernize the shelf registration process,” which could allow more companies to issue securities faster in order to take advantage of favorable market conditions. Another proposal would expand the availability of simplified filing requirements currently only permitted for emerging growth companies — new issuers with total gross revenue under $1.235 billion. Those companies are allowed to make fewer investor disclosures and provide audited financial statements for just two years, rather than three. The proposed rule changes, which were previewed by SEC Chairman Paul Atkins in a speech earlier this week, were received by the White House on Wednesday, according to a post on the Office of Management and Budget website. “A critical part of Chairman Atkins’ agenda is his plan to Make IPOs Great Again, which he’s indicated will include rulemakings to allow more companies to benefit from reduced regulatory burdens and easier access to our public capital markets,” the SEC said in a statement. “As with any rulemaking, the public will have the opportunity to comment on the proposals and make their feedback heard.” Among the changes Atkins plans to propose is allowing publicly-traded companies to make financial disclosures only twice a year, rather than quarterly. The commission, currently down to three Republican members, would have to vote on the proposal after the White House sends it back to the agency with any edits, before it will be made public. The agency then takes public feedback and incorporates it into a final rule, which will also have to be voted on before it could take effect. The whole process typically takes between 18 to 24 months.
Advanced Micro Devices unveils Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 with dual 3D V-Cache, boosting high-end gaming and margins while navigating fierce competition and shifting revenue trends.
Advanced Micro Devices unveils Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 with dual 3D V-Cache, boosting high-end gaming and margins while navigating fierce competition and shifting revenue trends.
Sarah Mason/DigitalVision via Getty Images It’s been a while since I’ve updated my thoughts on leading elevator manufacturer Otis Worldwide ( OTIS ). Since late 2022, the company has struggled to make sustained progress in two of its key drivers—service attach rates and overall margins—and the result has been a rather lackluster share price performance. Since that last article , Otis shares are up...
Sarah Mason/DigitalVision via Getty Images It’s been a while since I’ve updated my thoughts on leading elevator manufacturer Otis Worldwide ( OTIS ). Since late 2022, the company has struggled to make sustained progress in two of its key drivers—service attach rates and overall margins—and the result has been a rather lackluster share price performance. Since that last article , Otis shares are up less than 10%, trailing the broader industrial sector by a wide margin, not to mention direct rivals like KONE ( KNYJY ) and Schindler ( SHNDY ) and peers with broadly similar end-market exposures and drivers (service attach, renovation/modernization, et al.) like Allegion ( ALLE ) and Johnson Controls ( JCI ). At this point I’m not really any more bullish on Otis. The potential to do better is certainly there, but potential only gets you so far. Installations should continue to recover in 2026/2027, and I’m still bullish on the opportunity in services, but I need to see better sustained execution to get substantially more bullish on what has historically been a more defensive late-cycle name. A First Quarter Miss-And-Cut, But Not A Major Miss It’s still early in the reporting cycle, but I think it’s more likely than not that Otis’s first-quarter results will have them on the wrong side of average for industrials this quarter. As a company that has historically been a late-cycle defensive industrial, that’s not a huge surprise. Organic revenue growth was only 1%, order growth has slowed, and margins contracted at both the segment and corporate levels, and management nudged earnings guidance a bit lower for the remainder of the year, but with embedded expected improvements in 2H’26 that could be tough to achieve. Revenue rose 1% this quarter, with new equipment sales down 5% in organic terms and service revenue up 5%. Within new equipment, the EMEA region was the only one to show growth (up low single-digits), with the Americas down low single-digits, China down more than 2...
Karsten Leineke/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Siemens Energy ( SMEGF ) ( SMERY ) raised guidance for FY 2026 after posting preliminary figures for FQ2 showing big gains in net profit. The German maker of energy equipment said Thursday it now expects comparable revenue growth of 14%-16% for the fiscal year ending September 30, up from previous guidance of 11%-13% growth, and sees free cash flow...
Karsten Leineke/iStock Editorial via Getty Images Siemens Energy ( SMEGF ) ( SMERY ) raised guidance for FY 2026 after posting preliminary figures for FQ2 showing big gains in net profit. The German maker of energy equipment said Thursday it now expects comparable revenue growth of 14%-16% for the fiscal year ending September 30, up from previous guidance of 11%-13% growth, and sees free cash flow before tax rising to ~€8B ($9.4B), up from as much as €5B under prior guidance. FY 2026 net income should come in at ~€4B, up from a previous expectation of €3B-€4B, with profit margin before special items in the 10%-12% range, compared to a prior estimate of 9%-11%. The changes are largely driven by higher expectations for the grid sector, where Siemens Energy ( SMEGF ) ( SMERY ) forecasts comparable revenue growth of 25%-27%, and the wind unit is also showing early positive signs, with expected growth of as much as 5% in 2026. The upgraded guidance comes after Siemens Energy ( SMEGF ) ( SMERY ) posted preliminary figures for FQ2, including net profit of €1.11B, up from €615M in the year-earlier quarter. FQ2 revenues rose to €10.29B from €9.96B a year ago, but was below a FactSet consensus estimate of €10.8B. More on Siemens Energy Siemens Energy Discusses Middle East Operational Impacts, Market Trends and Q2 Pre-Close Updates Prepared Remarks Transcript Siemens Energy: Charged Up, But Valuation Shocks - Sell Siemens Energy Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
Alexander Sikov Intel ( INTC ) shares had perked up 4% by early afternoon trading on Thursday as the market awaits the first-quarter 2026 results of the Lip-Bu Tan-led company. The semiconductor sector as a whole was mostly in the green, evidenced by the nearly 3% jump in the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index ( SOX ). The software sector was having an opposite reaction following earnings results fr...
Alexander Sikov Intel ( INTC ) shares had perked up 4% by early afternoon trading on Thursday as the market awaits the first-quarter 2026 results of the Lip-Bu Tan-led company. The semiconductor sector as a whole was mostly in the green, evidenced by the nearly 3% jump in the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index ( SOX ). The software sector was having an opposite reaction following earnings results from stalwarts such as ServiceNow ( NOW ) and IBM ( IBM ). Texas Instruments ( TXN ) was leading the semiconductor charge as it had rocketed by nearly 20% after posting impressive first-quarter results and outlook. STMicroelectronics ( STM ) had surged 14% after reporting its first-quarter financial results . Infineon ( IFNNY ) shares had jumped 7% on its results as well. The seemingly ever-rising demand related to data center infrastructure has helped elevate the semiconductor industry. Other analog semiconductor stocks were climbing as well. Analog Devices ( ADI ) had increased 6%, and Microchip Technology ( MCHP ) had surged 10%. Onsemi ( ON ) had made an 11% gain after the investment firm B. Riley upgraded the semiconductor company to Buy from Neutral and upped its price target. Marvell ( MRVL ) also continued its rally, climbing by 5%. The stock has now catapulted more than 80% over the past month. On Wednesday, the company said it had acquired Polariton Technologies , a developer of plasmonics-based silicon photonics devices, to enhance its optical technology portfolio. AMD ( AMD ) had inched up 1%, while Nvidia ( NVDA ) had inched down by 1%. More on Intel and Texas Instruments Intel: We Were Wrong - Upgrading Into The Q1 Print Texas Instruments Q1 Review: Strong Start To The Year Intel: Overstretched Rally, Corrective Decline Looms Below 72.54/75.76 Within Major Uptrend (Technical Analysis) STMicroelectronics surge puts spotlight on ETFs with biggest exposure to the stock STMicroelectronics surges after Q1 revenue soars, Q2 sales outlook beats estimates
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) at the opening bell in New York, on April 20, 2026. Timothy A. Clary | AFP | Getty Images Retail traders are diving back into some of the market's most speculative corners, with a regulatory shift removing barriers to rapid-fire trading and helping revive the kind of meme-stock frenzy that has historically delivered sharp gains, and e...
Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) at the opening bell in New York, on April 20, 2026. Timothy A. Clary | AFP | Getty Images Retail traders are diving back into some of the market's most speculative corners, with a regulatory shift removing barriers to rapid-fire trading and helping revive the kind of meme-stock frenzy that has historically delivered sharp gains, and even sharper reversals. April's rally in risk assets, fueled in part by an Iran ceasefire, has emboldened individual investors to pile back into volatile trades. In one of the more striking examples, retail traders stampeded into Allbirds after the troubled shoemaker slapped an artificial intelligence label on its business. Shares surged to as high as $24 from roughly $2.50 after the company outlined plans to rebrand as NewBird AI and pivot toward compute infrastructure. Much of that advance has already unraveled, with the stock recently changing hands near $8 — a sharp reversal that underscores the volatility of such trades. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Allbirds year to date A similarly dramatic move led by smaller traders played out in Avis Budget Group . Shares of the company, ticker "CAR," soared from under $100 last month to a record high near $850 in early trading Wednesday, before staging a sharp intraday U-turn lower, serving as another reminder of how quickly momentum-driven rallies can unwind. Stock Chart Icon Stock chart icon Avis year to date Analysts at JPMorgan said crowding in so-called meme stocks has surged, approaching levels just shy of the extremes seen during the post-Liberation Day risk chase. The Wall Street firm noted that a key catalyst may be a recent rule change by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Earlier this month, the regulator approved a proposal by FINRA to eliminate the so-called pattern day trader rule. Under the rule, traders who executed four or more day trades within five business days had to maintain a minimum equity of ...