Ten stocks capped off the second-to-last trading day of the year standing firmer despite a broader market pessimism, on the back of strong investor confidence.
Meanwhile, Wall Street’s major indices all finished in the red, with the Nasdaq leading the drop by 0.24 percent, followed by the Dow Jones, down 0.20 percent, and the S&P 500, dipping 0.14 percent.
Indices aside, we spotlight the 10 top-performing stocks on Tuesday and explore the reasons behind their gains.
To come up with the list, we focused on the stocks with more than $2 billion in market capitalization and 5 million shares in trading volume.
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels
10. Lumen Technologies Inc. (NYSE:LUMN)
Lumen Technologies rebounded by 3.44 percent on Tuesday to close at $7.81 apiece as investors resorted to bargain-hunting following a three-day drop.
Month-to-date, the stock was down by 3.7 percent.
In recent news, Lumen Technologies Inc. (NYSE:LUMN) announced the early redemption of its entire note series due 2029, 2030, and 2031, removing its earlier cap to redeem only $1.5 billion worth of notes.
While the offer stands to benefit holders of the said notes, the initiative sparked caution among shareholders over the possibility of Lumen Technologies, Inc. (NYSE:LUMN) burning more cash and tapping new debt facilities to implement such an initiative.
The announcement followed Lumen Technologies, Inc.’s (NYSE:LUMN) plan earlier this month to raise $1.25 billion in fresh funds from the issuance of senior notes due 2036.
The new notes were higher by $500 million than the initial plan and carry a yield rate of 8.5 percent, proceeds of which will be used to fund the buyback of the 2029, 2030, and 2031 notes.
The 2036 notes were priced to investors at 100 percent of their aggregate principal amount and will mature on Jan. 15, 2036. Upon issuance, the notes will be fully and unconditionally guaranteed, jointly and severally, on an unsubordinated and unsecured basis by Level 3 Parent, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the company.
9. Rocket Companies, Inc. (NYSE:RKT)
Rocket Companies bounced back by 3.56 percent on Tuesday to close at $20.06 apiece as investor sentiment was boosted by announcements that the Federal Reserve would likely keep interest rates unchanged for some time before making any adjustments anew.
This followed a 25-basis-point rate cut in this year’s last Federal Open Market Committee meeting, highly benefiting the interest rate-sensitive real estate and financing market.
Firms such as Rocket Companies, Inc. (NYSE:RKT) tend to benefit from the lower rates, as lower benchmark rates could translate into more affordable mortgage costs and support higher demand for home purchases and refinancing.
As a result, investors have placed bets that stable rates could help bolster home sales volumes and improve revenue prospects for property firms such as Rocket Companies, Inc. (NYSE:RKT).
The listed firm is a Detroit-based fintech platform that owns mortgage, real estate, and personal finance businesses, namely Rocket Mortgage, Redfin, Mr. Cooper, Rocket Homes, Rocket Close, Rocket Money, and Rocket Loans.
In the fourth quarter of the year, it was expected to rake in adjusted revenues between $2.1 billion and $2.3 billion.
8. XPeng Inc. (NYSE:XPEV)
XPeng bounced back by 3.80 percent on Tuesday to finish at $21.28 apiece as investors loaded portfolios ahead of the results of its vehicle delivery report for December and the fourth quarter of 2025.
Based on its historical reporting dates, XPeng Inc. (NYSE:XPEV) would announce the vehicle delivery report on Thursday, January 1.
Earlier this year, XPeng Inc. (NYSE:XPEV) Chairman and CEO He Xiaopeng said that the company was looking to record vehicle deliveries between 125,000 and 132,000 units for the fourth quarter of 2025, reflecting a year-on-year growth of 36.6 percent to 44.3 percent.
Fourth quarter revenues alone are targeted at 21.5 billion yuan to 23 billion yuan, or an implied growth of 33.5 percent to 42.8 percent from the same period last year.
In other developments, Chinese news outlets reported that XPeng Inc. (NYSE:XPEV) was set to launch its extended-range electric vehicle (EREV) variant of the G7 series in the first quarter of 2026.
The new variant would boast a combined range of 1,704 kilometers, making it the world’s longest-range SUV. Of the total, some 430 km can be powered by purely electric.
XPeng Inc. (NYSE:XPEV) added that the G7 EREV would be able to recharge 314 km of range in just 12 minutes, having been equipped with an 800V platform and a 5C fast-charging battery.
7. Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIDU)
Baidu extended its winning streak to a third straight day on Tuesday, adding 4.39 percent to finish at $132.38 apiece, as investor sentiment was bolstered by an upbeat outlook about the Chinese market’s run to its best year since 2017.
Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIDU) mirrored its Chinese counterparts after the MSCI China Index surged by 28 percent this year, set to outperform by a wide margin the S&P 500, which jumped by only 17.25 percent year-to-date.
Goldman Sachs, for its part, said that it expects the bull run for Chinese stocks to continue, albeit at a slower pace.
“This is reminiscent of an equity cycle transition from hope to growth, where both earnings realization and moderate [valuation] expansion typically supersede strong but volatile re-rating gains to drive returns,” the investment said in its updated market report.
Last month, Capital Economics said that Chinese equities may continue to outperform their US counterparts, having shown resilience to the AI nerves, even as the recent US sell-off created a domino effect in Asian markets.
For its part, Baidu, Inc. (NASDAQ:BIDU) has posted strong growth year-to-date, jumping by as much as 57.70 percent, amid strong investor confidence for its business and the overall artificial intelligence industry.
6. AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS)
AST SpaceMobile rebounded by 4.49 percent on Tuesday to close at $74.68 apiece as investors resorted to bargain-hunting following a three-day losing streak.
Despite the company’s absence of fresh catalysts, the rally reflected strong investor confidence supported by the recent successful launch of its next-generation satellite into low Earth orbit.
Called the BlueBird 6, AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS) said that the satellite took off at 10:25 PM EST on December 23 from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India, and successfully deployed in low Earth orbit, making it the largest commercial communications array ever deployed in the said area.
As compared with the BlueBirds 1 to 5, the 6th generation spans nearly 2,400 sq. ft., three times larger than the previous ones, and is engineered to deliver commercial and government applications, including high-speed 4G and 5G space-based cellular broadband directly to standard, unmodified smartphones, alongside government applications.
“BlueBird 6 is a breakthrough moment for AST SpaceMobile,” said AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS) Chairman and CEO Abel Avellan.
“This launch validates years of US innovation and American manufacturing, executed by our team, and marks the transition to scaled deployment. With BlueBird 6 now in orbit, we are firmly on the path to delivering true space-based cellular broadband directly to everyday smartphones, at a global scale,” he added.
5. Americold Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:COLD)
Americold grew its share prices by 4.78 percent on Tuesday to close at $13.36 apiece as investors took path from reports that it has received $1.5 billion worth of acquisition offers for its European operations.
A report by Semafor said on the same day that Americold Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:COLD) received acquisition interest from EQT-backed Constellation Cold and I Squared-backed CubeCold for its European operations. One of the named companies also expressed interest in acquiring its Asia Pacific business.
The report followed announcements earlier that Americold Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:COLD) has been working with financial advisors to deal with activist investor, Ancora, which had been pushing the company to sell its international operations to focus on North America.
In other news, Americold Realty Trust, Inc. (NYSE:COLD) expanded into convenience store distribution with its official partnership with Australia-based On the Run (OTR).
Under the agreement, the listed firm would provide storage and distribution services to support OTR’s supply chain in Adelaide as well as its national expansion.
“Our team in Asia-Pacific has done an outstanding job of developing a strong leadership position in the QSR space, serving an impressive roster of some of the world’s most recognized brands,” said CEO Rob Chambers.
“With the addition of On the Run, we are now expanding this expertise into the convenience store market with another well-known industry leader. Expanding into new sectors is one of our key growth priorities for 2026, and we look forward to capturing additional opportunities in the new year.”
4. Ondas Holdings Inc. (NYSE:ONDS)
Ondas Holdings jumped by 6.26 percent on Tuesday to close at $8.99 apiece on strong investor optimism heading into the new year, supported by the company’s highly optimistic outlook.
Earlier, Ondas Holdings Inc. (NYSE:ONDS) said that it was expecting 2026 revenues to climb to $110 million, marking an implied growth of 205 percent from an expected $36 million revenue for 2025.
The new target reflected the continued strong performance of its Ondas Autonomous Systems (OAS) business, the addition of its newly acquired subsidiary in the second quarter of 2025, as well as $23.3 million worth of backlogs.
In other developments, Ondas Holdings Inc. (NYSE:ONDS) recently created a Chief Operating Officer role, assumed by retired Brigadier General Patrick Huston.
Huston joined the OAS advisory board in September 2025 and now leads operational execution through driving disciplined programs, integrating acquisitions, and scaling operations across the company’s subsidiaries.
Additionally, he would oversee legal, regulatory, compliance, and corporate governance functions, supporting Ondas Holdings Inc.’s (NASDAQ:ONDS) expanding engagement with the US and allied government customers, as well as ensuring rigorous alignment with defense procurement, contracting, and regulatory requirements.
3. Fermi Inc. (NASDAQ:FRMI)
Fermi bounced back by 7.58 percent on Tuesday to close at $8.09 apiece as investors resorted to bargain-hunting following a four-day losing streak.
The rally was supported by continued investor confidence for the artificial intelligence industry and the strong data center demand, despite taking a beating earlier this month for losing one of its major tenants.
It can be recalled that a major tenant, which it did not identify, decided to pull out of a $150 million agreement earlier. It did not divulge the reason for the termination.
However, Fermi Inc. (NASDAQ:FRMI) assured its investors that it remains in discussions with other companies for potential leasing agreements.
In support of the campus development, Fermi Inc. (NASDAQ:FRMI) earlier this month inked a power supply agreement with Southwestern Public Service Company (SPS), a subsidiary of Xcel Energy, for the delivery of up to 200 MW of power capacity to the data center.
Fermi Inc. (NASDAQ:FRMI), also known as Fermi America, is a company engaged in the development of next-generation private electric grids to deliver highly redundant power to support AI.
2. Under Armour Inc. (NYSE:UA)
Under Armour extended its winning streak to a fourth straight session on Tuesday, jumping 8.59 percent to close at $4.93 apiece as investors took heart from Fairfax Financial Holdings’ acquisition of an additional 15.68 million common shares in the company.
In a regulatory filing, Under Armour Inc. (NYSE:UA) said that Fairfax Financial, which already owns a significant stake in the former, raised its Class A common shares to 30.45 million and Class C shares to 7.78 million with a series of buying activities between December 22 and 29, 2025.
The Class A shares bore an average price of $4.6133 while the Class C shares had an average price of $4.4055.
Under Armour Inc. (NYSE:UA) is one of the leading makers and distributors of athletic performance apparel, footwear, and accessories.
In the second quarter of fiscal year 2026, ending September 2025, Under Armour Inc. (NYSE:UA) swung to a net loss of $18.8 million from a $170.38 million net income in the same period last year.
Revenues dropped by 5 percent to $1.33 billion from $1.40 billion year-on-year, dragged by lower revenues from the North American business, wholesale, and apparel.
Operating income fell by 90 percent to $17.05 million from $173.08 million in the same comparable period.
1. Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ:RARE)
Ultragenyx rebounded by 15.52 percent on Tuesday to close at $22.78 apiece as investors resorted to bargain-hunting following the previous day’s steep 46 percent fall, dragged by disappointing clinical trial results for its brittle bone disease treatment.
In a statement on Monday, Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ:RARE) said that two of its phase 3 clinical trials to test the efficacy of setrusumab failed to achieve statistical significance in reducing annual clinical fracture rate as compared to placebo and bisphosphonates.
Both studies, however, achieved the secondary endpoints of improvements in bone mineral density (BMD) against comparators.
“We are surprised and disappointed by these results, given the promising data from our Phase 2 study and the lack of approved treatment options available to patients with OI (Osteogenesis Imperfecta) who live with significant pain, disability, and disease burden,” said Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical Inc. (NASDAQ:RARE) President and CEO Emil Kakkis.
“We continue to explore the data to gain a deeper understanding of the findings,” he added.
The company would conduct additional analyses on the data across both studies, including on other bone health and clinical endpoints beyond fractures, to assess next steps for the program.
“While we are disappointed by these results, we continue to build our commercial revenue from four approved products and prepare for a transformational year ahead with potentially two near-term gene therapy launches and a pivotal Phase 3 readout in Angelman syndrome,” Kakkis said.
While we acknowledge the potential of RARE to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that some AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and have limited downside risk. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than RARE and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.
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