10 Hot Stocks to Watch — Monday, August 3, 2026

Amazon rocketed 15.32% today following CEO Andy Jassy's bullish $1 trillion AWS revenue outlook, signaling confidence in the cloud unit's expansion beyond initial projections. Options traders are heavily buying calls, with a 2.62 call-to-put ratio and exceptional volume in $270–$280 strikes expiring early August, suggesting conviction above current levels. The Street rewarded Amazon's AI spending discipline alongside concrete AWS growth catalysts. Watch $278.56, the 52-week high, as the next technical resistance.

Coinbase shares cratered today amid a historically extended negative Bitcoin premium streak—nearly double the previous record—signaling capital flight from the exchange. Yet options traders are betting otherwise: heavy call buying has pushed the put/call ratio to 3.03, with nearly 35,000 contracts flooding the $155–$160 August 2026 strikes. CEO Brian Armstrong's dovish stance on the stalled CLARITY Act and record global trading volume capture offer some fundamental support, though regulatory uncertainty persists. Watch $155 as the near-term technical floor.

SoundHound AI (SOUN) fell 8.65% to $5.70 today, extending losses from its $22.17 peak despite fresh catalysts in healthcare AI. The company expanded its Emily agent for MUSC Health, signaling enterprise traction in the $47.5B voice AI market. Yet options traders are positioning for upside: call-to-put ratio of 1.87 shows heavy buying in $6.50 and $7.00 calls expiring August 2026, with combined volume exceeding 2,900 contracts. Watch the $6.50 level as key resistance; a break above unlocks the $7.00 strike.

Apple shares tumbled 7.35% today despite topping earnings and revenue expectations, as Morgan Stanley warned the company faces emerging AI race headwinds and supply constraints ahead of the September quarter. The selloff masks a bullish options signal: call-to-put ratio stands at 2.32 with heavy buying in $310 and $320 calls expiring next week, suggesting institutional accumulation near support. Watch the $305 level—currently in-the-money—as a pivot point for continuation or bounce.

Alphabet climbed 6.73% to $356.13 today, extending gains from last week's earnings-driven $1.5 trillion tech rally. Berkshire Hathaway's $29 billion position—now exceeding $30 billion—signals institutional conviction in GOOGL's AI leadership, even as Wall Street debates whether platform economics or infrastructure plays win the cycle. Options markets show aggressive bullish positioning, with call-to-put ratio at 3.08 and heavy volume in August 2026 $355–$360 calls, suggesting traders are betting on a break toward $365+ by late summer.

Micron tumbled today as investors reassess the durability of AI-driven memory demand, with the stock now down 39% from its $1,255 high. The semiconductor sector faces headwinds from SK Hynix and Samsung's $1.3 trillion capex plans, pressuring U.S. chipmakers' margins. Options flow shows heavy put positioning at $500–$620 strikes (Aug expiry), signaling near-term defensive hedging, while call volume at $900 suggests scattered optimism. Watch the $780 support level for technical confirmation of weakness or a capitulation reversal.

Moderna shares fell 5.35% despite topping Q2 revenue guidance at $145M, as its Phase 3 norovirus vaccine candidate missed early success criteria. The stock's struggle reflects investor skepticism about the company's ability to diversify beyond pandemic revenues. Yet options traders are betting otherwise: call volume has surged with a 15.92 call/put ratio, with heavy concentration in $59–$64 strikes expiring August 7, signaling conviction in a near-term recovery toward $60.

MARA Holdings tumbled 4.23% to $11.32 after Morgan Stanley cut its price target to $6, deepening bearish sentiment in the crypto-infrastructure space. Yet options markets are flashing a contrarian signal: heavy call buying with a 3.11 call-to-put ratio, particularly in August 2026 $12 and $13 strikes showing exceptional volume. The positioning suggests traders are positioning for a rebound as the company pivots toward energy infrastructure—a narrative that may not yet be reflected in Morgan Stanley's downgrade. Watch $12 as the critical resistance level.

General Motors rallied 3.69% to $90.25, buoyed by strong Corvette sales (up 24% in Q2) and the Grand Sport X hybrid launch as global EV adoption accelerates. Yet the options market tells a different story: a deeply bearish 0.49 call-to-put ratio reveals heavy put buying, with $87 and $78 strike puts commanding 328 and 299 vol respectively through late August. Valuation remains contentious—DCF models suggest upside while traditional multiples and broader checks lean cautious. Watch the $87 support level into the Aug. 21 options expiry.

Boeing shares climbed 3.46% to $218.82 on Friday, supported by heavy call buying that signals trader conviction in near-term strength. The options market shows a 1.68 call-to-put ratio with 2,115 contracts flowing into August $220 calls, indicating positioning for a move above current levels within two weeks. However, a concurrent Government Accountability Office report warning of cost overruns on Boeing's $21 billion B-52 modernization program clouds the narrative, suggesting near-term momentum may face headwinds as execution risks resurface.