10 Hot Stocks to Watch — Wednesday, July 22, 2026

Micron rallied 12.17% to $970.82 on renewed confidence that memory chip oversupply concerns have peaked, with SanDisk and Western Digital joining the advance. Options markets show mixed conviction: heavy call volume at $1,000 strikes (27,562 contracts) suggests bullish positioning ahead of earnings, but put activity at $660–$690 levels indicates persistent hedging anxiety. The $1,000 call expiring tomorrow signals traders expect momentum to hold through near-term resistance.

Coinbase Global jumped 9.61% today as Senate-White House agreement on the CLARITY Act's ethics package fueled optimism around digital-asset regulation. The crypto exchange is also expanding aggressively into Canada while CEO Armstrong frames Bitcoin as an inflation hedge. Options markets reflect conviction: call-to-put ratio of 3.38 with heavy vol concentration in $190–$205 strike calls expiring late July, suggesting traders are positioning for a break above current levels over the next five trading days.

Intel rallied 8.64% to $105.45 on restructuring optimism, with heavy call buying signaling investor conviction in a recovery play. The options market is aggressively long, with a 3.62 call-to-put ratio and over 19,000 contracts trading in the $85–$105 strike range through July 2026. Traders are positioning for a sustained push higher, though geopolitical headwinds and ongoing industry dislocation—evidenced by SK Hynix denying Ohio fab acquisition reports—inject near-term volatility. Watch $110 resistance and July earnings catalysts.

Advanced Micro Devices jumped 8.11% to $544.43 after announcing an expanded partnership with Microsoft to power Azure's AI inference, marking the chipmaker's third consecutive day of gains as the broader semiconductor sector rebounds. Options traders are aggressively buying calls, with a 4.19 call-to-put ratio and 10,780 contracts flooding the $550 strike ahead of tomorrow's expiration, signaling conviction the stock can push higher. Watch the $550 technical level as the next resistance; a close above would validate the bullish options positioning and extend the rally fueled by strengthening AI demand.

Robinhood Markets jumped 7.13% today following Needham's target hike to $123—implying 15% upside—as the broker-crypto hybrid extends its rally on strength across trading volumes and blockchain adoption. The Robinhood Chain has locked $450M TVL in just three weeks, while crypto legislation tailwinds and institutional inflows support the narrative. Options markets are decisively bullish: call-to-put ratio of 3.67 with heavy concentration in $110–$120 strike calls (July 2026), signaling conviction for a breakout beyond current levels.

Super Micro Computer rocketed 7% today as preliminary Q4 results revealed a record $60 billion backlog and gross margin guidance of 15%-17%, crushing prior guidance of 8.2%-8.4%. The margin beat rippled across server peers Dell and HPE, signaling robust AI infrastructure demand despite geopolitical headwinds tempering broader tech sentiment. Options markets are pricing outsized conviction: a 10.75 call-to-put ratio with 35,000+ contracts stacked in $28–$29 calls expiring July 24, suggesting traders are positioning for a push toward $28–$29 within days.

Oracle surged 4.67% today, riding tailwinds from NVIDIA's strategic investment in AI cloud infrastructure peers—a signal that enterprise software giants are capturing AI capex momentum. Options flow screams conviction: a 5.50 call-to-put ratio with 21,402 contracts flooding the $130 strike (July 24 expiry) suggests traders see near-term upside. Watch the $135 level as the next flashpoint; a close above it could trigger gamma acceleration into Friday's expiration.

CrowdStrike slipped 3.7% to $191.15 today, underperforming a rising market even as Morgan Stanley raised its price target to $227 from $172, maintaining an Overweight rating. The disconnect reflects sector-wide caution ahead of earnings, with the broader cybersecurity space facing valuation scrutiny despite tailwinds from AI-driven enterprise spending. Options markets show mixed conviction: call volume clusters around $202.50 and $210 strikes expiring July 2026, while put interest at $185 suggests modest downside hedging, signaling trader uncertainty near support levels.

VXX fell 3.39% today despite a spike in hedging demand tied to Middle East tensions and AI-driven market rotation, signaling contrarian positioning. Heavy call buying—highlighted by a 15.65 call-to-put ratio—suggests traders are betting on mean reversion higher, with the $22 strike for July 2026 expiry drawing 8,542 contracts. The options market is pricing in volatility consolidation in the near term, but substantial open interest clustering around $22–$26 strikes over the next two months indicates conviction for a bounce above current levels.

Caterpillar climbed 3.29% to $892.72 Tuesday, outpacing a tepid Dow rally where only half the index gained ground. Analyst price targets lifted to $970.37 from $913.29, reflecting strong tailwinds across construction, energy, and data-center infrastructure—a secular growth driver increasingly overlooked. Yet options markets flashed caution: put-call ratio collapsed to 0.66 with heavy put accumulation in the $515 strike (July expiry), suggesting institutional hedging ahead. Watch $1,050 resistance; a break above signals retest of 52-week highs near $1,073.