Nasdaq, S&P 500 Futures Tick Up After Correction Week: Why MU, META, MP, RCAT, ANNA Are Keeping Traders Engaged Today

• Geopolitics, Fed speak, and jobs data set up a high-stakes week for markets.
• Futures rise cautiously despite escalating tensions in the Middle East and crude’s historic surge.
• The cautious green start follows a rough week that dragged the Dow and Nasdaq into correction territory.

U.S. stock futures trended higher early Monday as investors geared up for a holiday-shortened trading week amid escalating conflict signals in the Middle East and a sharp surge in oil prices this month. Reports indicate potential U.S. ground operations in Iran, with discussions around seizing key oil infrastructure like Kharg Island. 

As of 4:00 a.m. ET on Monday, Dow futures rose 0.1%, and S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Russell 2000 futures rose 0.2%. The modest uptick comes after a bruising stretch last week that pushed both the Nasdaq and Dow into correction territory.

Despite the green start, retail sentiment toward the SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY), an exchange-traded fund that tracks the S&P 500 Index, and the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) ETF, which tracks the Nasdaq-100 Index, has been languishing at ‘extremely bearish’ amid high trading volume. 

Trending Stocks To Watch

Intel (INTC) and Meta Inc (META): Tech analyst Dan Niles has flagged Intel as a contrarian play, citing the traction that agentic AI (boosted by the OpenClaw project) has gained. For Meta, he believes the 11% decline last week has it down 34% from its 52-week high, making that an attractive entry point. 

Micron (MU): Ray Dalio has reportedly increased his position in the stock by over 52,000 shares, signaling that AI-driven memory demand remains undervalued. 

Tesla (TSLA): All eyes are on the April 2 delivery report this week. 

Watch out for rare earth stocks in trade today (MP, UAMY, CRML): The WSJ reports President Trump is weighing a high-risk military operation to extract 1,000 lbs of uranium from Iran.

Traders are also piling into defense-tech names like Red Cat (RCAT) as ‘physical AI’ and drone stocks garner attention amid tensions in the Middle East.

Palantir (PLTR) expanded its partnership with Stellantis. 

Eli Lilly (LLY) struck a $2.75 billion AI drug discovery deal with Insilico Medicine. 

MoonLake (MLTX): Stock rose 4% in early pre-market trading after Phase 3 results showed 62% of patients with inflammatory skin disease saw major symptom improvement with zero new safety concerns.

Nexstar's (NXST) deal with Tegna was blocked by a U.S. judge, triggering retail buzz 

Other tickers trending on Stocktwits at the time of writing included AleAnna Inc (ANNA), Ocular Therapeutics (OCUL), Intuitive Machines (LUNR), One Stop Systems (OSS), and Fundrise Innovation Fund (VCX). 

Other Catalysts To Watch

On the economic front, no major data release is expected today. However, Fed Chair Jerome Powell will be delivering a speech at Harvard University at 10:30 am ET today.

Meanwhile, the Senate Banking Committee is reportedly scheduling the confirmation hearing for Fed Chair-nominee Kevin Warsh for the week of April 13. 

On earnings radar, watch out for quarterly reports from Energy Technology Inc (CBAK), Core AI Holdings, Inc. (CHAI), Sunshine Biopharma Inc (SBFM), Terrestrial Energy Inc.(IMSR), Traws Pharma Inc. (TRAW), AIM ImmunoTech (AIM), and Dare Bioscience Inc (DARE), among others, today. 

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