Benzinga examined the prospects for many investors' favorite stocks over the last week — here's a look at some of our top stories.

U.S. markets finished a choppy trading week with modest gains as investors digested a mix of economic data, geopolitical developments and looming corporate earnings ahead. Major indexes rallied late in the week after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down former President Donald Trump's broad tariff regime, triggering a relief bounce that helped the S&P 500, Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq end higher despite earlier pressure from soft GDP and sticky inflation readings. Traders nonetheless entered the final session cautious, with Treasury yields ticking up and the Russell 2000 underperforming large caps as rotation out of risk assets persisted.

Tariff uncertainty dominated sentiment as the Court's 6-3 ruling invalidated sweeping duties imposed under emergency powers — a move that eased some cost pressures for importers and lifted stocks tied to consumer and industrial demand. However, President Trump immediately signaled he would pursue a new 10% global tariff under alternative trade laws, leaving markets still grappling with trade policy risk even after the initial rally. The tariff decision, combined with disappointing 1.4% GDP growth and elevated core inflation figures, created a backdrop of mixed macro signals that kept sentiment cautious as traders positioned for the week ahead.

Looking forward to next week, investors are preparing for a fresh slate of catalysts that could influence direction, including key tech earnings amid broader AI-related sector scrutiny, and further economic indicators that could shape the Federal Reserve's policy outlook.

Benzinga provides daily reports on the stocks most popular with investors. Here are a few of this past week's most bullish and bearish posts that are worth another look.

The Bulls

"Defense Stocks Surge As Iran Tensions Spike," by Piero Cingari, reports that major U.S. defense stocks rallied as escalating tensions between the United States and Iran sent investors toward sector plays, with benchmarks like the SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF (NYSE:XAR) and the Global X Defense Tech ETF (NYSE:SHLD) rising alongside individual movers such as Intuitive Machines Inc. (NASDAQ:LUNR), Red Cat Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:RCAT), Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ:KTOS), Rocket Lab USA, Inc. (NASDAQ:RKLB), Redwire Corp. (NYSE:RDW) and Mercury Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:MRCY) after reports that the Trump administration may be nearing potential military action against Tehran, repricing geopolitical risk and sending sector stocks higher.

"eBay Tops Q4 Earnings, Agrees To Acquire Depop; Shares Spring Higher," by Adam Eckert, reports that eBay Inc. (NASDAQ:EBAY) shares climbed after the e-commerce company delivered fourth-quarter revenue and earnings that topped expectations, and announced an agreement to acquire social-commerce platform Depop in a strategic move aimed at expanding its marketplace footprint and attracting younger shoppers, as management highlighted synergies and long-term growth potential that buoyed investor sentiment.

"Occidental Petroleum Beats Q4 Earnings Estimates By 67%," by Adam Eckert, reports that Occidental Petroleum Corp. (NYSE:OXY) delivered a commanding fourth-quarter earnings beat, posting adjusted EPS and revenue well above Wall Street estimates as higher oil and gas realizations and disciplined capital allocation drove robust cash flow, lifting the stock as investors cheered the stronger-than-expected results and optimistic commentary around 2026 production growth and shareholder returns.

For additional bullish calls of the past week, check out the following:

Jim Cramer Says Microsoft Will ‘Blow Us Away' As Stock Sits 25% Below Peak

Rackspace Surges 217% From Lows As Stock Tests Key Long-Term Trend Barrier

Small Caps Are Finally Waking Up — And It's Sending A Big Macro Signal

The Bears

"Carvana Stock Collapses After Q4 Earnings Fail To Impress," by Adam Eckert, reports that Carvana Co. (NYSE:CVNA) shares plunged after the online used-car retailer posted fourth-quarter results that missed expectations on revenue and earnings, as ongoing structural challenges in its business, widening losses and weaker used-vehicle pricing pressured margins, fueling steep selling pressure and prompting analysts to cut forecasts amid questions about sustainability of its turnaround efforts.

"Northern Dynasty Stock Melts Down — Here's Why," by Vandana Singh, reports that Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd. (NYSE:DNY) shares tumbled after a U.S. federal judge denied a motion to dismiss a lawsuit alleging environmental violations tied to the proposed Pebble Mine project in Alaska, raising regulatory and legal uncertainties that pressured sentiment and amplified concerns about the long-term viability of the controversial mining proposal.

"Devon Energy Stock Slips Despite Q4 Earnings Beat," by Adam Eckert, reports that Devon Energy Corp. (NYSE:DVN) shares edged lower even after the oil and gas producer posted a fourth-quarter earnings and revenue beat — driven by higher realized prices and solid operational execution — as investors weighed tempered guidance and concerns about capital allocation amid volatile energy markets, leading traders to pare positions despite the stronger-than-expected results.

For more bearish takes, be sure to see these posts:

Copart Stock Drops After Q2 Earnings: Here's Why

Magnificent 7 Wealth Wipeout: Here's How Much The 10 Richest People Lost In 2026

Why Is Palo Alto Networks Stock Falling Today?

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