Ten stocks stood stronger in last week’s shortened trading, amid a combination of Christmas rush and macroeconomic catalysts that bolstered buying appetite.

Of the 10 stocks, four were notably mining firms, thanks to the rush in prices of silver and gold, which hit new record highs.

In this article, we identify the names that led last week’s performance and detail the reasons behind their gains.

To come up with the list, we focused on the stocks with more than $300 million in market capitalization and 5 million shares in trading volume.

The stocks were based on the percentage change in their prices between December 19 and 26, 2025.

10. Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:MU)

Micron managed to eke out a 7.1 percent gain week-on-week despite dipping in the red on Friday, amid a combination of Christmas rush and strong investor confidence, supported by its strong earnings performance and highly optimistic outlook for the fiscal year 2026.

In an updated report the week prior, Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) said that it more-than-doubled its net income during the quarter to $5.24 billion from $1.87 billion in the same period last year. Revenues climbed by 56 percent to $13.6 billion from $8.7 billion year-on-year, beating its earlier midpoint guidance of $12.5 billion. The cloud memory and mobile and client business units contributed the bulk of the revenues.

Following the results, Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) said that it is now targeting revenues in the second quarter to climb even higher, at $18.7 billion at the midpoint.

Diluted earnings per share are also pegged at $8.19 at the midpoint.

“Our Q2 outlook reflects substantial records across revenue, gross margin, EPS and free cash flow, and we anticipate our business performance to continue strengthening through fiscal 2026. Micron’s technology leadership, differentiated product portfolio, and strong operational execution position us as an essential AI enabler, and we are investing to support our customers’ growing need for memory and storage,” said Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) Chairman, President, and CEO Sanjay Mehrotra.

9. Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX)

Freeport-McMoran jumped by 7.9 percent week-on-week, as investors gobbled up shares in copper producers after the metal cracked past a new record high of $12,000 during the week.

On Friday alone, Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX) registered a nine-day winning streak, mirroring the benchmark three-month copper prices on the London Metal Exchange after surging to $12,282 per ton.

The rally was primarily triggered by tight global supply, coupled with strong demand from various industries, as well as the ongoing tariff uncertainties in the US.

Further buoying sentiment was Wells Fargo’s price target upgrade for Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX) to $55 from $47 previously, while maintaining its “overweight” rating for its stock.

Wells Fargo said that the coverage was based on expectations that copper inventories would remain tight amid lingering concerns that the US would slap another round of tariffs on refined copper products, further pushing industries to stock up on supply.

Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE:FCX) is one of the leading copper producers globally. It operates various mines in North and South America, as well as the Grasberg site in Indonesia—one of the largest copper mines in the world.

In the third quarter of the year, the company grew its net income attributable to shareholders by 28 percent to $674 million from $526 million in the same period last year. Revenues inched up by 2.68 percent to $6.97 billion from $6.79 billion year-on-year.

8. Clearwater Analytics Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CWAN)

Clearwater Analytics jumped by 8.4 percent week-on-week, as investors gobbled up shares after confirming that it was set to be taken private for $8.4 billion.

In a statement earlier in the week, Clearwater Analytics Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CWAN) said that it officially entered into an agreement with Permira and Warburg Pincus, with participation from Temasek, for the acquisition of its shares at a price of $24.55 apiece. The figure represented a 47 percent premium over the last closing price on November 10, prior to media reports regarding the deal.

Clearwater Analytics Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CWAN) said that the transaction is expected to close in the first half of 2026, subject to shareholder and other regulatory approvals.

“This deal represents a great outcome for Clearwater Analytics and our stockholders. It also positions us well for our next chapter of growth,” said Clearwater Analytics Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:CWAN) CEO Sandeep Sahai.

“Operating as a private company will empower us to invest boldly as we integrate the platforms to deliver a next-generation front-to-back solution that natively addresses alternative assets, provides industry-leading risk analytics, and delivers on agentic solutions powered by our unique and proprietary database,” he added.

7. Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO)

Novo Nordisk grew its share prices by 8.96 percent week-on-week as investors cheered the approval of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the pill version of its blockbuster weight loss treatment, Wegovy.

In a statement last week, Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) said that the FDA has approved the Wegovy pill, a once-daily oral treatment, to reduce excess body weight. The drug is the first oral GLP-1 receptor agonist therapy approved for weight management.

The approval was based on the results of the Oasis and Select clinical trials, where it saw a 16.6 percent mean weight loss in obese patients with one or more comorbidities.

The weight loss was said to be as effective as the injectable type of Wegovy.

“The pill is here. With today’s approval of the Wegovy pill, patients will have a convenient, once-daily pill that can help them lose as much weight as the original Wegovy injection,” said Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) President and CEO Mike Doustdar.

“As the first oral GLP-1 treatment for people living with overweight or obesity, the Wegovy pill provides patients with a new, convenient treatment option that can help patients start or continue their weight loss journey. No other current oral GLP-1 treatment can match the weight loss delivered by the Wegovy pill, and we are very excited for what this will mean for patients in the US,” he noted.

Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE:NVO) is targeting to launch the pill version in the US early next month. It has also sought the approval of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and other regulatory authorities for the said therapy to sell and market the product in Europe.

6. Venture Global, Inc. (NYSE:VG)

Venture Global jumped by 9.4 percent week-on-week as investors took path from higher natural gas prices amid the growing demand for energy during the winter season, coupled with colder forecasts heading into January.

On Friday, Bloomberg data showed that natural gas prices jumped by 2.92 percent to $4.37/MMBtu, as forecasts for until January 4 turned colder-than-usual.

Venture Global, Inc. (NYSE:VG), an LNG producer, however, stands to benefit from the jump as higher gas prices typically support stronger profit margins, particularly during the peak season.

In other developments, common shareholders of Venture Global, Inc. (NYSE:VG) owning Class A and B stocks as of December 15 record is set to receive cash dividends amounting to $0.017 per share on December 31.

The dividends followed a stellar earnings performance in the third quarter of the year, during which Venture Global, Inc. (NYSE:VG) swung to a net income attributable to shareholders of $429 million from a $347 million net loss in the same period last year.

Revenues soared by 259 percent to $3.329 billion from $926 million year-on-year.

5. Sibanye Stillwater Limited (NYSE:SBSW)

Sibanye Stillwater jumped by 9.6 percent week-on-week, as investors loaded portfolios in mining firms after gold prices soared to a new record high.

On Friday, December 26, the spot prices of gold surged by 1.20 percent to $4,533.21, as funds shifted to safer assets to mitigate risks from macroeconomic uncertainties, while digesting President Donald Trump’s comments that the next central bank chairman should lower interest rates if markets are doing well.

Typically, precious metals benefit from lower rates as they tend to weaken the US dollar, making it cheaper for foreign investors to buy silver and gold.

This year alone, the Federal Reserve has already trimmed benchmark rates three times, and traders are expecting two more cuts in the next open market committee meetings.

In other news, Sibanye Stillwater Limited (NYSE:SBSW) earlier this month said that it has successfully reached a new wage deal with employees at its mining site in South Africa following three years of negotiations.

Effective for three years from July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2028, Category 4 to 8 employees, as well as miners, artisans, and officials, will receive an increase of 4.5 percent in year 1; 4.8 percent in year 2; and 5 percent in year 3 of the agreement.

“We would like to acknowledge organized labor for the constructive dialogue and are pleased to have finalized a multi-year wage agreement that is fair for our employees while also providing stability and sustainability at the SA gold operations, aligning all stakeholders’ interests,” said Sibanye Stillwater Limited (NYSE:SBSW) CEO Richard Stewart.

4. Vizsla Silver Corp. (NYSEAmerican:VZLA)

Vizsla soared by 10.24 percent week-on-week as investors loaded portfolios in mining firms following silver’s surge to a new record high.

On Friday alone, spot prices of silver were up by 10.30 percent to hit a fresh high of $79.27, as investor funds shifted to safer assets, supported by President Donald Trump’s announcement that the next central bank chairman should cut interest rates when markets are doing well.

This year alone, the Federal Reserve has already lowered interest rates thrice and traders are expecting two more cuts in the next open market committee meetings.

Vizsla Silver Corp. (NYSEAmerican:VZLA), alongside its mining peers, stands to benefit from lower rates as they tend to weaken the US dollar, making it much cheaper for foreign investors to buy silver and gold.

In other news, Vizsla Silver Corp. (NYSEAmerican:VZLA) said that it is set to acquire a 2,378-hectare land with mineralization potential from Minera Fresnillo SA de CV, a subsidiary of Fresnillo PLC.

The land sits on the Panuco-San Dimas corridor, with 1,734 hectares of the area believed to cover prospective areas or extensions to veins with known mineralization.

Vizsla Silver Corp. (NYSEAmerican:VZLA) said that the acquisition will be funded through a combination of $2 million in cash and the issuance of $4 million worth of shares.

3. Lionsgate Studios Corp. (NYSE:LION)

Lionsgate jumped by 12.03 percent week-on-week to hit a new 52-week high amid the Christmas rush despite the lack of fresh catalysts to spark buying appetite.

In other recent news, Lionsgate Studios Corp. (NYSE:LION) said that it tapped FreeWheel to facilitate all advertisements on its FAST channels in the US, allowing businesses to easily place ads.

Through the partnership, Lionsgate Studios Corp.’s (NYSE:LION) premium inventory is now available to buyers through the FreeWheel SSP—a platform for premium video publishers to manage and sell their ad inventory—either directly or programmatically via 1:1 or curated packages.

“It was an easy decision to choose FreeWheel, a leader in the space, as our exclusive technology partner across our ad-supported FAST business,” said Lionsgate Studios Corp. (NYSE:LION) Head of Global Channels Chase Brisbin.

“We believe in the power of a targeted premium offering, and this deeper integration makes our channels even more accessible to advertisers seeking high-quality, culturally relevant content to pair with their brands.”

Programmatic buyers can now seamlessly access Lionsgate Studios Corp. (NYSE:LION) inventory—including the 50 Cent Action Channel—through the FreeWheel SSP.

2. Zeta Global Holdings Corp. (NYSE:ZETA)

Zeta Global jumped by 15.06 percent week-on-week, with the rally primarily driven by a combination of the Christmas rush, while investors repositioned ahead of expected business updates next month.

In a statement earlier, Zeta Global Holdings Corp. (NYSE:ZETA) said that its chairman, David Steinberg, would participate in the CES 2026 on Tuesday, January 6, to discuss the future of Athena and AI-powered marketing.

Athena is a “superintelligent agent,” an AI-powered conversational interface that acts as an intelligent operating system for marketers, personalizing their digital workspace and transforming complex data into instant answers to optimize campaigns, predict outcomes, and drive profitable growth.

Zeta Global Holdings Corp. (NYSE:ZETA) said that the discussion will cover the trends shaping the next era of marketing technology as well as how Athena’s conversational intelligence is removing friction between humans and AI and redefining the marketer’s relationship with technology, resulting in a higher return on investment.

“The pace of AI innovation is accelerating faster than anything we’ve seen in the marketing industry, and we strongly believe that Athena sits at the center of that transformation,” said Steinberg, adding that he was looking forward to discussing the future of the industry.

1. Hycroft Mining Holding Corporation (NASDAQ:HYMC)

Hycroft Mining soared by 52.31 percent week-on-week, as investors took heart from a combination of gold and silver rally, as well as news that it had found the best grades of silver at its mining site in Nevada.

In an updated report, Hycroft Mining Holding Corp. (NASDAQ:HYMC) said that the highest grades of silver were identified in the Vortex Silver System, and that results show continuity of resources.

Additionally, the mineralized area is still open in all directions, suggesting that there is a strong chance that more resources can still be found with further drilling.

“With these results and many more expected to come, we are at the very beginning of a pivotal growth phase. While we don’t typically issue results on single drill holes, these recent two holes in Vortex, when viewed together, represent something extremely significant occurring,” said Hycroft Mining Holding Corp. (NASDAQ:HYMC) President and CEO Diane Garrett.

The rally was further supported by gold and silver’s record high during the week, supported by President Donald Trump’s announcement that the next central bank should lower interest rates when markets are doing well.

Precious metals typically benefit from interest rate cuts, as they tend to weaken the US dollar, thus making it cheaper for foreign investors to buy gold and silver.

While we acknowledge the potential of HYMC 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 HYMC and that has 100x upside potential, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and 30 Best Stocks to Buy Now According to Billionaires.

Disclosure: None. Insider Monkey focuses on uncovering the best investment ideas of hedge funds and insiders. Please subscribe to our free daily e-newsletter to get the latest investment ideas from hedge fund investor letters by entering your email below.