Ten stocks kicked off the shortened trading week with strong double-digit gains, mirroring a rally in the broader market buoyed by the US and Iran’s decision to end hostilities. Of the 10 stocks, four companies notably surged to record highs.

Meanwhile, Wall Street’s three major indices all finished in the green, led by the Nasdaq jumping 2.07 percent, followed by the S&P 500, climbing 1.18 percent, and the Dow Jones, up 0.59 percent.

Indices aside, we focus on the 10 top-performing stocks on Monday and break down the reasons behind their gains.

To come up with the list, we considered the stocks with a market capitalization of $2 billion and 5 million shares in trading volume.

10. Corning Inc. (NYSE:GLW)

Corning saw its share prices jump by 15.64 percent on Monday to end at $255.63 apiece, as investors gobbled up shares ahead of a dividend payment and what appears to be an early quarterly window-dressing.

Last week, Corning Inc. (NYSE:GLW) announced that it is set to distribute $0.28 in dividends per share to all investors on record as of August 31, 2026. Payments will be made on September 29.

Dividends aside, the rally can also be attributed to a second-quarter window-dressing, a practice common among institutional investors, where they tweak portfolios before the reporting periods by loading up on well-performing stocks and trimming those that underperform to present a stronger portfolio to clients.

Month-to-date, Corning Inc. (NYSE:GLW) has already seen its stock price surge by 41.11 percent. Year-to-date, it was up by 191.95 percent, and by 393.3 percent in the last 52 weeks.

The overall investor optimism can be attributed to the company’s ambitious targets of hitting $20 billion in annualized sales run rate by the end of the year, marking a 15 percent compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) from the fourth quarter of 2023 to the same period this year.

It also expects to further grow its CAGR by 19 percent beginning next year until 2030.

9. Rocket Lab Corp. (NASDAQ:RKLB)

Rocket Lab saw its share prices jump by 15.93 percent on Monday to close at $98.01 apiece, as investors gobbled up shares following news that it is expanding into satellite communications for $8 billion.

This followed announcements during the day that it officially signed a definitive agreement with Iridium Communications Inc. to acquire all its issued and outstanding shares in a combination of stock and cash.

The shares will be acquired at a price of $54 apiece, or a 24 percent premium over Iridium’s $43.52 closing price on Friday, prior to the announcement.

Rocket Lab Corp. (NASDAQ:RKLB) said that the acquisition was in line with plans to create a competitive, vertically integrated space company that designs, builds, launches, and operates its own constellations.

Upon closing, Rocket Lab Corp. (NASDAQ:RKLB) will effectively gain a foothold in the space-based applications market.

“By marrying Iridium’s deep heritage, trusted infrastructure, and highly sought-after spectrum with Rocket Lab’s extensive and proven launch and manufacturing capabilities, we have the capability to unlock entirely new markets. We will go far beyond maintaining a legacy; we are going to build upon it to pioneer next-generation space applications and deliver sought-after capabilities to existing and new customers,” Rocket Lab Corp. (NASDAQ:RKLB) CEO Peter Beck said.

The transaction is targeted for completion in the middle of 2027, subject to closing conditions, including approval of the shareholders.

8. Astera Labs Inc. (NASDAQ:ALAB)

Astera Labs surged to a new all-time high on Monday, thanks to an early quarterly window-dressing, while investors loaded portfolios amid improvements in the macroeconomic front.

In intra-day trading, Astera Labs Inc. (NASDAQ:ALAB) surged to its highest price of $456.76 before paring gains to finish the session up by 16.39 percent at $455.96 apiece.

Investor optimism was primarily bolstered by the easing of tensions between the US and Iran following announcements that ships can now “move freely” in the Strait of Hormuz, days after the exchange of missile strikes over the weekend.

The rally was supported by a second-quarter window-dressing—a practice common among institutional investors where they tweak their assets by loading up on well-performing stocks and trimming the underperforming ones to present a stronger portfolio to clients before every reporting period.

Thanks to the artificial intelligence boom, Astera Labs Inc. (NASDAQ:ALAB) has already seen its stock price climb by 32.99 percent this month, by 174.08 percent year-to-date, and by 400.94 percent in just the past year.

Astera Labs Inc. (NASDAQ:ALAB) is a semiconductor company providing rack-scale solutions to support the AI sector.

For the second quarter of the year, the company is targeting to grow its revenues by 85 to 90 percent to a range of $355 million to $365 million, from $191.9 million posted in the same period last year.

GAAP diluted earnings per share are also pegged at $0.44 to $0.46, or an implied growth of 51.7 percent to 58.6 percent from the $0.29 year-on-year.

7. Cerebras Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CBRS)

Cerebras Systems rallied for a second day on Monday, jumping 19.04 percent to close at $216.16 apiece, as investors resorted to bargain-hunting supported by its strong earnings performance in the first quarter of the year.

Cerebras Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CBRS) on Friday fell to its lowest price of $160.81 since debuting on the stock market in May, which investors took as an opportunity to hunt for bargains.

Investor optimism can be primarily attributed to its strong earnings performance in the first quarter of the year, with the company slashing its net loss by 41 percent to $14 million from $23.87 million in the same period last year.

Total revenues, on the other hand, increased by 94.4 percent to $193.4 million from $99.5 million year-on-year.

Cerebras Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:CBRS) attributed the strong performance to the growing importance of the artificial intelligence sector, which further bolstered its growth outlook for the second quarter and full-year 2026.

For the second quarter alone, the company is targeting to grow its revenues by 88 percent to $194 million, while for the full-year period, revenues are projected to increase by 69 percent year-on-year to a range of $855 million to $865 million.

6. Sky Quarry Inc. (NASDAQ:SKYQ)

Sky Quarry extended its winning streak to a 4th consecutive day on Monday, surging 20.83 percent to end at $3.48 apiece, as investors resumed buying positions amid the rosy growth prospects for its Foreland Refinery in Nevada.

This followed the completion of a series of operational upgrades at the site, including major boiler system upgrades, vacuum unit condenser replacements, critical process piping replacements, tank system repairs, and restoration of the water and oil separation system, which are critical to the enhancement of its reliability, uptime, and operational readiness.

The Foreland Refinery operates as the only permitted refinery in the state of Nevada and a critical supplier of critical fuel, including precious metals mining and lithium production. It is capable of delivering 5,000 barrels of critical fuel per day.

Following the completion of the upgrades, Sky Quarry Inc. (NASDAQ:SKYQ) said that it is now positioned to capture outsized value from tightening regional fuel markets, expand operating leverage, and convert a scarce refining asset into meaningful, durable cash-flow potential for shareholders.

“As the only active refinery in Nevada, the work completed at Foreland strengthens the asset to support regional demand when market conditions require it,” Sky Quarry Inc. (NASDAQ:SKYQ) CEO Marcus Laun said.

“With shifting supply dynamics across California, Nevada, and Utah, including the Benicia refinery in California scheduled to come offline in April 2026, current market indicators point to high demand this summer season. We believe Foreland is well positioned to respond,” he said.

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