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. stocks surged to fresh record highs this week as easing geopolitical tensions triggered a powerful rally across global markets. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite all advanced sharply after Iran reopened the Strait of Hormuz during a ceasefire, alleviating fears of prolonged energy disruptions. The move marked a dramatic reversal from weeks of volatility tied to the conflict, with investors rushing back into equities as confidence improved.

Energy markets drove much of the shift in sentiment, with crude prices plunging more than 10% after the reopening of the key shipping route eased supply concerns. The sharp decline in oil — following a surge above $100 per barrel during the height of the crisis — reduced inflation pressures and boosted expectations for a more supportive Federal Reserve stance. As a result, sectors previously hit by high fuel costs, including airlines and travel stocks, rebounded strongly while energy names lagged.

The rally also highlighted a broader rotation back into growth assets, with technology stocks extending gains and the Nasdaq posting one of its longest winning streaks in decades. Investor sentiment improved as volatility declined and markets began pricing in a more stable macro backdrop, even as analysts cautioned that the ceasefire remains fragile. Overall, the week's action underscores how quickly markets can shift when geopolitical risks ease, setting the stage for continued momentum if stability holds.

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

"Oracle Stock Explodes 25% On AI Build-Out, Bloom Energy Deal," by Erica Kollmann, reports that Oracle Corp. (NYSE:ORCL) shares surged roughly 25% in just two sessions as investor sentiment flipped sharply on its aggressive AI infrastructure strategy, supported by the appointment of a new CFO, a massive $553 billion remaining performance obligations backlog signaling strong contracted demand, and a key partnership with Bloom Energy Corp. (NYSE:BE) to secure scalable, cleaner fuel-cell power for data centers, reinforcing the narrative that Oracle is evolving into a utility-like provider of AI compute and cloud capacity.

"Oklo, NuScale Stocks Rally On US Space Nuclear Power Initiative," by Erica Kollmann, reports that Oklo Inc. (NYSE:OKLO) and NuScale Power Corp. (NYSE:SMR) shares surged after the U.S. government unveiled a sweeping space nuclear power initiative aimed at deploying reactors in orbit and on the moon, driving renewed investor interest in advanced reactor and microreactor technologies amid expectations of increased federal support and long-term demand for space-based energy systems.

"Webull, Robinhood Stocks Pop As SEC Ends PDT Rule, Prediction Market Hopes Soar," by Erica Kollmann, reports that Webull Corp. (NASDAQ:BULL) and Robinhood Markets Inc. (NASDAQ:HOOD) shares rallied over two sessions as investors reacted to two major catalysts: the SEC's decision to eliminate the long-standing pattern day trader rule and rising optimism around the growth of prediction markets, with firms like Interactive Brokers Group Inc. (NASDAQ:IBKR) and Charles Schwab Corp. (NYSE:SCHW) also seen as beneficiaries of a more permissive regulatory environment and expanding retail trading opportunities.

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

Bloom Energy Stock Surges On Expanded Oracle Partnership

GitLab Stock Jumps On Expanded AI Collaboration With Google Cloud

The Trade Desk Stock Bounces From Multi-Year Lows: What's Driving The Movement?

The Bears

"Gevo Pulls DOE Loan Bid, Stock Slides As Company Seeks New Funding," by Erica Kollmann, reports that Gevo Inc. (NASDAQ:GEVO) shares declined after the renewable fuels company withdrew its bid tied to a massive U.S. Department of Energy loan guarantee — previously estimated at around $1.4 billion to $1.6 billion for its sustainable aviation fuel projects — opting instead to pursue alternative financing strategies, a move that raised investor concerns about project timelines, capital requirements and execution risk despite the company's broader push into low-carbon fuel production.

"Planet Fitness: The Easy Gains May Be Over—What Comes Next?," by Surbhi Jain, reports that Planet Fitness Inc. (NYSE:PLNT) may be entering a slower growth phase as key expansion levers begin to fade, with analysts noting that much of its past success was driven by aggressive new club openings rather than increased utilization, while rising competition, limited pricing power and pressure on franchisees from higher royalty rates could constrain future growth, shifting the investment narrative from easy, momentum-driven gains to one that depends more heavily on disciplined execution.

"Why Is Micron Technology Stock Sinking Thursday?," by Anusuya Lahiri, reports that Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:MU) shares fell despite broader market strength as weakness across the semiconductor sector followed ASML Holding NV (NASDAQ:ASML)'s earnings, where softer-than-expected guidance and ongoing uncertainty around export controls to China weighed on sentiment, while traders also appeared to be booking profits after Micron's recent run to record highs, pushing the stock lower in Thursday trading.

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

Micron's Hot Streak In Danger? Cramer Says One ‘Nugget' Changes The Game

TeraWulf Stock Slips After The Bell: Here's Why

Why Is NuScale Power Stock Sliding Thursday?

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Image created using artificial intelligence via Midjourney.