US equity markets witnessed sharp stock-specific volatility on December 29, with several micro- and small-cap stocks posting outsized gains and losses, while broader indices and popular ETFs closed marginally in the red.
Among the top gainers, Republic Power Group (RPGL) surged over 157%, leading the advance. Brand Engagement Network stocks also dominated the gainers’ list, with BNAIW jumping nearly 136% and BNAI rising more than 108%. BT Brands (BTBDW) climbed over 91%, while Blue Water Acquisition (BLUWW) added close to 69%, reflecting heightened speculative interest in select low-float counters.
| Symbol | Company Name | % Change |
|---|---|---|
| RPGL | Republic Power Group | +157.46% |
| BNAIW | Brand Engagement Network (Warrants) | +135.99% |
| BNAI | Brand Engagement Network | +108.75% |
| BTBDW | BT Brands, Inc. (Warrants) | +91.33% |
| BLUWW | Blue Water Acquisition (Warrants) | +68.75% |
On the decliners’ side, Mereo BioPharma Group (MREO) saw a steep 87% sell-off, marking the sharpest fall of the session. Murano Global Investments (MRNOW) dropped nearly 69%, followed by New Era Energy & Digital (NUAIW), Triller Group (ILLRW), and HeartSciences (HSCSW), all of which declined between 53% and 60%.
Trending stocks showed a cautious bias. Tesla shares fell 3.27% to close at $459.64, while AMC Entertainment declined 3.55%. Amazon and Microsoft ended marginally lower, while Apple managed a modest gain of 0.13%, bucking the broader trend.
| Symbol | Company Name | Price ($) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| TSLA | Tesla Inc. | 459.64 | -3.27% |
| AAPL | Apple Inc. | 273.76 | +0.13% |
| AMC | AMC Entertainment Holdings | 1.63 | -3.55% |
| AMZN | Amazon.com Inc. | 232.07 | -0.19% |
| MSFT | Microsoft Corporation | 487.10 | -0.13% |
In the ETF space, major funds ended slightly lower. The Invesco QQQ Trust slipped 0.48%, SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY) fell 0.36%, and Vanguard S&P 500 ETF (VOO) declined 0.35%. Pimco’s short-duration MINT ETF was the lone gainer, ending marginally higher.
Key indices also closed lower, with the Nasdaq Composite falling 0.50%, the Nasdaq-100 down 0.46%, and the Nasdaq US 500 Large Cap Index slipping 0.37%, reflecting continued pressure on growth and technology stocks.
Overall, the session highlighted a divergence between speculative pockets of the market and broader indices, with investors remaining selective amid ongoing volatility.
