Ten stocks soared higher on Tuesday in line with the broader market rally, as investor funds returned amid the easing geopolitical tensions between Israel and Iran.
Meanwhile, the tech-heavy Nasdaq rallied by 1.43 percent, followed by the Dow Jones with 1.19 percent, and the S&P 500 by 1.11 percent.
In this list, we highlight Tuesday’s 10 top performers and explore the reasons behind their gains. The stocks were dominated by companies riding the booming Artificial Intelligence.
To come up with the list, we considered only the stocks with at least $2 billion in market capitalization and over 5 million in trading volume.
10. Upstart Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:UPST)
Upstart Holdings grew for a second day on Tuesday, jumping 9.78 percent to close at $64.85 apiece following an analyst’s bullish rating on its stock.
In a market note, Piper Sandler gave Upstart Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:UPST) an “overweight” rating and a price target of $75, marking an upside of 15.65 percent from its latest closing price.
The coverage was based on growth optimism for Upstart Holdings, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:UPST) near-term earnings, supported by the improvement of its artificial intelligence model, which enables more accurately priced loans.
Additionally, Piper Sandler was optimistic about its long-term prospects, saying that traditional lending practices “are primed for technological disruption,” and that Upstart Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:UPST) was positioned well to penetrate a large total addressable market.
Upstart Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:UPST) is an AI-powered lending marketplace for personal loans, automotive retail and refinance loans, home equity lines of credit, and small-dollar “relief” loans. It connects millions of consumers to more than 100 banks and credit unions that leverage its AI models and cloud applications.
9. Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO)
Oklo Inc. snapped a four-day losing streak on Tuesday, jumping 10.16 percent to close at $60.71 apiece as investor sentiment was spurred by a broader market optimism, coupled with news that New York is setting its sights back to nuclear.
On Tuesday, the Wall Street Journal reported that New York intends to develop a large nuclear power facility—the first in more than 15 years, in line with President Donald Trump’s aggressive nuclear adoption plan.
It can be recalled that Trump issued two executive orders last month, aiming to ramp up the expansion of the nuclear power industry in the US.
Optimism spilled over to nuclear stocks, such as Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO), on expectations that more nuclear projects will bolster future growth.
In recent news, Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO) bagged a deal from the US Air Force to deploy its advanced Aurora powerhouse to its military base in Alaska.
In a statement, Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO) said the project serves as the Department of the Air Force’s (DAF) microreactor pilot to enhance energy resilience and reliability for critical national security infrastructure.
Under the agreement, Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO) will design, construct, own, and operate the power plant at the Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska.
8. PagSeguro Digital Ltd. (NYSE:PAGS)
PagSeguro Digital rallied for a second day on Tuesday, adding 10.18 percent to close at $9.96 apiece as investor sentiment was likely buoyed by the Brazil central bank’s announcement that it would now pause from interest rate hikes after pulling the trigger for the 7th straight increase last week.
Last Wednesday, the central bank raised its benchmark rates by 15 percent or 0.25 basis points in an effort to curb inflation.
The rate, known as the Selic, is one of the highest in the world and is at its highest level since 2006.
The announcement to pause hikes next Monetary Board meeting bolstered sentiment for PagSeguro Digital Ltd. (NYSE:PAGS) on optimism that it would further buoy borrowing demand.
In recent news, PagSeguro Digital Ltd. (NYSE:PAGS) announced cash dividends worth $0.12 to shareholders as of record date June 16, 2025. The dividends are payable on August 15, 2025.
7. Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENPH)
Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ:ENPH) ended two days of losses on Tuesday, jumping 11.05 percent to close at $38.38 apiece as investors sentiment was buoyed by the proposed review of the residential solar energy incentive of the One Big, Beautiful Bill Act.
On Tuesday, Senator Kevin Cramer said that senators included discussions about rooftop solar in a bid to improve rules for future clean energy tax credits.
Following Cramer’s comments, Enphase Energy, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:ENPH) stock prices jumped alongside its solar peers.
Both House and Senate versions of the bill sought to eliminate 30 percent tax credits for homeowners with rooftop panels, as well as a separate subsidy for companies that lease residential systems. Since then, the share prices of solar companies have been heavily battered.
The draft bill also seeks to secure historic tax cuts, deficit reduction, and border security, among others. However, it would also result in millions of Americans stripped of existing benefits, including healthcare and solar tax credits, impacting investor sentiment in solar companies.
6. NextDecade Corp. (NASDAQ:NEXT)
NextDecade rallied by 11.79 percent on Tuesday to close at $9.20 apiece as investor sentiment was bolstered by an investment firm’s “buy” recommendation on its stock.
In a market note on Tuesday, TD Cowen raised its recommendation for NextDecade Corp.’s (NASDAQ:NEXT) stock to “buy” from “hold” previously, while increasing its price target to $11 from $9. The new price target represents a 19.56 percent upside from its latest closing price.
According to TD Cowen, the upgrade was based on optimism for the development of trains 4 and 5 at its Rio Grande LNG facility, which could bolster growth prospects faster than previously expected.
However, TD Cowen noted that NextDecade Corp. (NASDAQ:NEXT) should provide additional financial transparency in relation to its final investment decision, which should boost investor confidence in its execution capabilities.
NextDecade Corp. (NASDAQ:NEXT) is an LNG developer focusing on exporting LNG projects.
5. Coinbase Global, Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN)
Coinbase Global grew its share prices by 12.10 percent on Tuesday to close at $344.82 apiece, on continued investor confidence amid a flurry of positive developments including the passage of the Stablecoin bill and plans to incorporate stock trading into its operations.
Last week, Coinbase Global, Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN) sought the approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission to allow stock trading through its blockchain technology. If approved, it would directly compete with Robinhood Markets Inc. (NASDAQ:HOOD) and Charles Schwab Corp. (NYSE:SCHW) in offering stock trading services.
According to Coinbase Global, Inc. (NASDAQ:COIN), the new initiative will be “a huge priority,” enabling it to diversify beyond cryptocurrencies.
Tokenizing equities is a process in which shares of a company are converted into a digital token, similar to how cryptocurrencies are traded. Instead of holding the securities directly, investors hold tokens that represent ownership of the securities.
Meanwhile, senators have officially approved the GENIUS Act bill, which seeks to establish a regulatory framework for the use of Stablecoin. If passed into law, the bill would push the wider use of cryptocurrency in the markets and would directly compete with traditional payment providers.
4. CleanSpark, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLSK)
CleanSpark grew its share prices by 13.45 percent on Tuesday to close at $10.04 apiece following news that it achieved its mid-year target of 50 exahashes per second (EH/s) of operational hashrate, sparking optimism for higher Bitcoin production in the future.
In a statement, CleanSpark, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLSK) President and CEO Zach Bradford said that the achievement “reflects years of focused strategy, disciplined execution, and a relentless commitment to doing things the right way.”
“This growth didn’t happen by chance. It’s the result of building and operating our own infrastructure, often from the ground up, which has given us the control, resilience, and scalability needed to lead in this industry,” he added.
CleanSpark, Inc.’s (NASDAQ:CLSK) infrastructure portfolio spans more than 30 locations across Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Wyoming, with vertically integrated control over energy procurement, development, and operations.
As of this writing, CleanSpark, Inc. (NASDAQ:CLSK) said that it has more than 12,500 Bitcoin holdings in its treasury.
3. Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:HTZ)
Hertz Global jumped by 14.33 percent to close at $7.34 apiece as investors cheered stabilizing oil prices and expectations of continued travel demand thanks to the ceasefire between Israel and Iran.
As of this writing, Brent crude prices are down by 6.07 percent at $67.14/bbl, while WTI crude oil eked out a 1.10-percent gain at $65.08/bbl.
Oil prices immediately dropped earlier this week after President Donald Trump intervened and announced a total ceasefire between the two Middle Eastern countries.
The decline, coupled with expectations of continued travel demand, benefited Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:HTZ), with the weeks of conflict significantly weighing down on air travel.
Hertz Global Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:HTZ) is an American car rental company based in Florida, which owns brands, namely Dollar Rent A Car, Firefly Car Rental, and Thrifty Car Rental.
2. Pony AI Inc. (NASDAQ:PONY)
Pony AI jumped by 16.73 percent on Tuesday to end at $13.26 apiece as investor sentiment was buoyed by comments from its co-founder, suggesting that he was not threatened by Tesla’s robotaxi operations.
Pony AI Inc. (NASDAQ:PONY), an autonomous driving company based in China, is similarly expanding robotaxi operations into international markets. Last month, it partnered with Uber Technologies Inc. (NYSE:UBER) for the expansion of its robotaxis in key markets in the Middle East, as well as other countries.
Pony AI Inc. (NASDAQ:PONY) co-founder Lou Tiancheng was quoted as saying in a report by Car News China that Tesla “hasn’t yet taken a seat at the L4 poker table,” which classifies vehicles with both driverless operations and large-scale deployment of autonomous vehicles.
In recent news, Pony AI Inc. (NASDAQ:PONY) last week unveiled its seventh-generation Robotaxi at the 2025 International Automotive & Supply Chain Expo in Hong Kong.
The Gen 7 robotaxi utilizes 100% automotive-grade components and boasts a 70% cost reduction in its autonomous driving kits. It is also designed for adaptability and supports integration across various vehicles.
1. NuScale Power Corporation (NYSE:SMR)
NuScale Power soared by 18.47 percent on Tuesday to close at $43.24 apiece following news that it joined forces with Paragon Energy Solutions to support the expansion of the nuclear industry.
Under the signed strategic agreement, Paragon Energy will supply NuScale Power Corporation (NYSE:SMR) with its CoreVision Neutron Monitoring System technology and its Highly Integrated Protection System (HIPS), which will then be incorporated into ENTRA1 Energy PlantsTM utilizing NuScale SMR technology.
The new agreement deepened their earlier collaboration signed in 2021, which included Paragon in the project development and execution of SMR and advanced reactor markets.
“At NuScale, we are focused on delivering power that is not only clean and reliable, but most importantly, that is safe, and our partner Paragon is aligned with that mission. Paragon will provide key monitoring and protection capabilities for ENTRA1 Energy PlantsTM utilizing NuScale SMR technology as we prepare for near-term deployment and for bringing safe, always-on energy to users around the world,” said NuScale Power Corporation (NYSE:SMR) President and CEO John Hopkins.
While we acknowledge the potential of SMR 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 SMR 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 funds’ investor letters by entering your email below.
