10 Hot Stocks to Watch — Monday, June 22, 2026

Intel rallied sharply today following President Trump's confirmation of a landmark chip-design and manufacturing partnership with Apple, marking a pivotal moment in the chipmaker's turnaround under CEO Lip-Bu Tan. The stock now trades near its 52-week high of $135.48 on renewed confidence in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing and AI-driven demand. Options markets are signaling aggressive optimism, with heavy call-buying concentrated at $140 and $150 strikes through mid-2026, suggesting traders expect further upside. Watch $140 as the near-term resistance level.

Super Micro Computer rocketed 10.37% to $30.66 after securing a $7 billion financing package to tackle a reported $39 billion AI server order backlog. The capital raise—combining equity and convertible preferred stock—addresses balance sheet concerns that have weighed on the stock despite explosive demand. Options markets are voting with their feet: call-to-put ratio sits at a lofty 4.86, with heavy clustering around $31–$33.50 strikes through late June, signaling traders expect the rally to hold and potentially extend into early July.

Micron Technology vaulted 8.7% to $1,134 on the heels of landmark semiconductor infrastructure wins and AI memory tailwinds. The company tapped Bechtel for a historic New York chip campus—the state's largest private investment—while competitors like SK Hynix dominate high-bandwidth memory markets. Yet options traders are hedging aggressively: a 0.20 call-put ratio reveals heavy put buying across $650–$1,000 strikes through mid-2026, signaling conviction that downside risk persists despite today's euphoria. Watch Q3 earnings this week and the $1,149 resistance level.

Schlumberger shares fell 4.45% today, extending a 15% monthly slide despite endorsements from Jim Cramer and inclusion in best oil-stock lists. The pullback, however, hasn't deterred options traders: call-to-put ratio surged to 8.36x, with heavy positioning in $57.50 and $60.00 July calls—roughly 12–25% above current levels. The catalyst remains SLB's digital marketplace launch and deepening NVIDIA partnership to deploy AI agents across oilfield operations, positioning the stock for a potential rebound toward $57–$60 by mid-July if sentiment shifts.

Lucid surged 4.28% today after announcing a partnership with Uber and Nuro to launch autonomous robo-taxis in Houston by mid-2027, signaling newfound revenue catalysts for the cash-strapped EV maker. The options market is pricing optimism: call-to-put ratio sits at 4.78, with heavy June 2026 call buying concentrated at the $6.0 and $5.5 strikes, suggesting traders see near-term upside from current $5.36 levels. Bears remain positioned at $5.0–$5.5 puts, indicating support near recent lows. Watch for $6.0 resistance ahead of the June expiry.

Lockheed Martin fell 4.01% to $510.95 on news that the UK is developing long-range weapons for Ukraine without U.S. components, signaling Europe's push to reduce American defense-industrial dependence. Options markets remain constructively positioned, however, with a 2.25 call-put ratio and heavy July call buying at the $540–$695 strikes, suggesting traders see the dip as tactical. Watch the $505 support level through late June; a hold there could trigger a retest toward $540 ahead of mid-July expiration.

RTX Corporation dropped 3.62% to $185.60 today, underperforming a resilient market despite a flurry of bullish defense-sector catalysts. U.S. military officials are publicly flagging ammunition shortfalls and accelerating procurement timelines—a structural tailwind for munitions-heavy contractors. Yet options traders are hedging: heavy call buying ($190–$200 strikes through July) signals conviction on upside, but a substantial $180 put position suggests wariness near current levels. Watch $190 as the near-term pivot; a sustained break above it would validate the bullish call thesis.

Moderna climbed 3.5% to $63.96 Thursday after an FDA advisory committee unanimously backed mRNA-1010 for influenza prevention in adults 50 and older, with a final agency decision due Aug. 5. Historically, FDA rulings align with advisory recommendations 84% of the time, signaling a likely approval. Options flow remains mixed with heavy put positioning at $55 strike through mid-2026, suggesting investors are hedging against pullback risk, though call volume at $70 reflects conviction above current levels.

VXX tumbled 3.14% to $22.80 as the CBOE Volatility Index collapsed from above 30 to the mid-teens, signaling market complacency despite lingering geopolitical risks. Options flow reveals defensive positioning: a mammoth 10,337-contract put block at $23.0 (June 2026) trades deep in-the-money, while call activity clusters around $24–$25 strikes with minimal open interest. The call-to-put ratio of 1.42 masks underlying bearish sentiment—traders are buying downside protection ahead of potential volatility resurgence. Watch the $23 support level; a break below could accelerate further decay in this contango-prone ETN.

Caterpillar surged 3.13% to $985.82 on above-average volume, extending a 148% year-over-year gain as investors position the heavy-equipment maker as an unlikely beneficiary of AI infrastructure buildout. However, options markets are flashing caution: a 0.22 call-to-put ratio reveals heavy put buying, with notable concentration in $740 and $710 puts expiring mid-2026, suggesting institutional hedging against a pullback to the 25% level. Valuation concerns persist—Simply Wall St. flags potential 309% overvaluation despite momentum. Watch $955 support; breach threatens a retest of the $740 region.