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Best Penny Stocks To Buy Now? 4 To Watch As APDN Stock Jumps 230%+

Penny stocks to watch with unusual options activity today.
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What Are The Best Penny Stocks To Buy Right Now?

It is another wild session in the stock market today, with penny stocks ruling the headlines. Some of the most extensive short squeezes and bullish breakouts have happened over the last few weeks. While HKD and AMTD stock have been surging to the tune of thousands of percentage points. Here are a few articles to check out if you’ve missed the memo:

Then you had more trends stemming from these breakouts, focusing on short squeeze penny stocks, low float penny stocks, and Chinese/Hong Kong tech stocks. Tuesday’s session is no different, and stocks under $5 are still in a very bright spotlight. Applied DNA Sciences (NASDAQ: APDN), for example, skyrocketed early on a major update.

Why APDN Stock Is Up Today

Applied DNA announced that it began analytical validation of a PCR-based monkeypox virus test specific to monkeypox. If the company validates the test, a package will be submitted to the New York State Department of Health for approval.

“Based on our experience with the COVID-19 pandemic, we are keenly aware of the crucial role PCR-based diagnostic tools can play in responding and helping to control public health outbreaks. With a proven workflow and testing services born of COVID-19, upon test approval, ADCL stands ready to apply its testing capacity in service of New Yorkers’ health,” stated Dr. James A. Hayward, president and CEO of Applied DNA Sciences.

Penny Stocks To Watch

Not only is APDN stock running from news catalysts, but it’s also one of the low float penny stocks already on the radar after the last few sessions of bullishness for the micro-niche. Other than perking up interest in APDN stock, it has continued boosting appeal for traders looking for the next round of multibagger penny stocks to buy. Today we look at a few more gaining momentum thanks to a small- and micro-cap stock bull rally this quarter.

  1. Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings (NYSE: DNA)
  2. Bluebird Bio Inc. (NASDAQ: BLUE)
  3. Transocean Limited (NYSE: RIG)
  4. Ironnet Inc. (NASDAQ: IRNT)

Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings (NYSE: DNA)

One of the Cathie Wood penny stocks to watch this year has been Ginkgo Bioworks. One of Wood’s funds, Ark Innovation (NYSEARCA: ARKK), has a position in DNA stock worth about $200 million as of this article. It has also been a company we’ve followed closely since the stock slipped into penny stock territory this year.

Several developments have come to light, prompting a more bullish stand on the penny stock. Whether it was the continued support of the Operation Expanded Testing program with the U.S. CDC or the latest deal to acquire Zymergen Inc. (NASDAQ: ZY), there’s no shortage of recent updates.

What might have traders focused on DNA stock today is some unusual activity in the options market. Yes, some penny stocks have options, and just like higher-priced stocks, irregular activity can spark speculative and sentiment-based trading. As far as the DNA stock options chain goes, it isn’t today’s volume as much as it is the string of open interest that has turned a few heads.

The August Calls alone have more than 25,000 total open contracts compared to far less than that on the puts side of the chain. This trend continues through almost every expiration date through January 2024. Whether or not this is truly a bullish sign is to be seen. For now, however, it has prompted some optimism in the stock market today for DNA stock.

Bluebird Bio Inc. (NASDAQ: BLUE)

Like DNA stock, Bluebird Bio also has some interesting options statistics to consider. Its options chain favors Call open interest compared to puts at or greater than 2:1 at most expiration dates. This week, analysts at Raymond James also gave the biotech company an upgrade to Outperform. The firm announced an $8 target to pair with the new rating. Considering that’s roughly 100% higher than current levels, Raymond James appears bullish on the company.

Bluebird Bio made headlines earlier this summer after the FDA’s Advisory Committee unanimously backed its gene therapy for a rare blood disorder. If approved, the treatment (beti-cel) will become the first potentially curative gene therapy for beta-thalassemia. The same committee endorsed approval of Bluebird’s other gene therapy, elivaldogene autotemcel (eli-cel) a day prior. The treatment is for a rare neurological disease and came into focus despite concerns that the treatment may cause cancer.

[Read More] Penny Stocks To Buy Now? 3 To Watch After LTRPB Stock Jumped Over 372%

This month could be an important one for BLUE stock. That’s because a PDUFA goal date is set for August 19th. The question is, will options traders’ bets be right about the penny stock?

best penny stocks to buy APDN stock Bluebird Bio BLUE stock

Transocean Limited (NYSE: RIG)

You will notice this unusual options activity trend throughout the article, and Transocean is part of it. From the most near-term expiration date, August 5th, to November 18th, Call activity is heightened. Both Open Interest and today’s trading volumes are building steam.

Energy stocks are red hot this quarter, and Transocean is gaining momentum. This week the company announced its latest development. The company’s Deepwater Conqueror drillship was awarded a two-year contract valued at $321 million. This was in addition to announcing a $915 million agreement for its ultra-deepwater Petrobras 10000, which received a 5.8-year contract for offshore work in Brazil.

Given the more than $1 billion in new contracts in addition to a strong energy market & bullish options activity, RIG stock could be one on the watch list right now.

best penny stocks to buy APDN stock Transocean Limited RIG stock

Ironnet Inc. (NASDAQ: IRNT)

While most of the names on this list of penny stocks have unusual options activity for near and longer-term timeframes, Ironnet’s is very much near-term. The August 5th (Friday) $2.50 strike Calls are the ones in question today. More than 5,500 contracts were traded compared to just 841 Open Interest contracts.

The cyber defense technology company recently inked a deal with Brookdale Community College to protect it against cyberattacks. “The education sector is now a primary target for cyber attacks, putting our next generation at risk. We need leaders across school districts, colleges, and universities to work together to protect this critical sector from further attacks,” said General (Ret.) Keith Alexander, co-CEO and founder of IronNet. “As a top community college in the U.S., Brookdale is taking a proactive stance against bad actors by partnering with IronNet to not only defend its networks against real-time attacks but also strengthen the security posture of the entire education community.”

Cybersecurity stocks have come back into focus in light of the latest cyberattack on Taiwan’s presidential office ahead of Nancy Pelosi’s visit. Whether or not the bullish options activity is tied to this sentiment is a guess at this point. But, for now, it may be something to keep in mind if IRNT stock is on your watch list.

best penny stocks to buy APDN stock Ironnet Inc. IRNT stock

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The post Best Penny Stocks To Buy Now? 4 To Watch As APDN Stock Jumps 230%+ appeared first on Penny Stocks to Buy, Picks, News and Information | PennyStocks.com.

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Low Iron Levels In Blood Could Trigger Long COVID: Study

Low Iron Levels In Blood Could Trigger Long COVID: Study

Authored by Amie Dahnke via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

People with inadequate…

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Low Iron Levels In Blood Could Trigger Long COVID: Study

Authored by Amie Dahnke via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

People with inadequate iron levels in their blood due to a COVID-19 infection could be at greater risk of long COVID.

(Shutterstock)

A new study indicates that problems with iron levels in the bloodstream likely trigger chronic inflammation and other conditions associated with the post-COVID phenomenon. The findings, published on March 1 in Nature Immunology, could offer new ways to treat or prevent the condition.

Long COVID Patients Have Low Iron Levels

Researchers at the University of Cambridge pinpointed low iron as a potential link to long-COVID symptoms thanks to a study they initiated shortly after the start of the pandemic. They recruited people who tested positive for the virus to provide blood samples for analysis over a year, which allowed the researchers to look for post-infection changes in the blood. The researchers looked at 214 samples and found that 45 percent of patients reported symptoms of long COVID that lasted between three and 10 months.

In analyzing the blood samples, the research team noticed that people experiencing long COVID had low iron levels, contributing to anemia and low red blood cell production, just two weeks after they were diagnosed with COVID-19. This was true for patients regardless of age, sex, or the initial severity of their infection.

According to one of the study co-authors, the removal of iron from the bloodstream is a natural process and defense mechanism of the body.

But it can jeopardize a person’s recovery.

When the body has an infection, it responds by removing iron from the bloodstream. This protects us from potentially lethal bacteria that capture the iron in the bloodstream and grow rapidly. It’s an evolutionary response that redistributes iron in the body, and the blood plasma becomes an iron desert,” University of Oxford professor Hal Drakesmith said in a press release. “However, if this goes on for a long time, there is less iron for red blood cells, so oxygen is transported less efficiently affecting metabolism and energy production, and for white blood cells, which need iron to work properly. The protective mechanism ends up becoming a problem.”

The research team believes that consistently low iron levels could explain why individuals with long COVID continue to experience fatigue and difficulty exercising. As such, the researchers suggested iron supplementation to help regulate and prevent the often debilitating symptoms associated with long COVID.

It isn’t necessarily the case that individuals don’t have enough iron in their body, it’s just that it’s trapped in the wrong place,” Aimee Hanson, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge who worked on the study, said in the press release. “What we need is a way to remobilize the iron and pull it back into the bloodstream, where it becomes more useful to the red blood cells.”

The research team pointed out that iron supplementation isn’t always straightforward. Achieving the right level of iron varies from person to person. Too much iron can cause stomach issues, ranging from constipation, nausea, and abdominal pain to gastritis and gastric lesions.

1 in 5 Still Affected by Long COVID

COVID-19 has affected nearly 40 percent of Americans, with one in five of those still suffering from symptoms of long COVID, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Long COVID is marked by health issues that continue at least four weeks after an individual was initially diagnosed with COVID-19. Symptoms can last for days, weeks, months, or years and may include fatigue, cough or chest pain, headache, brain fog, depression or anxiety, digestive issues, and joint or muscle pain.

Tyler Durden Sat, 03/09/2024 - 12:50

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Walmart joins Costco in sharing key pricing news

The massive retailers have both shared information that some retailers keep very close to the vest.

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As we head toward a presidential election, the presumed candidates for both parties will look for issues that rally undecided voters. 

The economy will be a key issue, with Democrats pointing to job creation and lowering prices while Republicans will cite the layoffs at Big Tech companies, high housing prices, and of course, sticky inflation.

The covid pandemic created a perfect storm for inflation and higher prices. It became harder to get many items because people getting sick slowed down, or even stopped, production at some factories.

Related: Popular mall retailer shuts down abruptly after bankruptcy filing

It was also a period where demand increased while shipping, trucking and delivery systems were all strained or thrown out of whack. The combination led to product shortages and higher prices.

You might have gone to the grocery store and not been able to buy your favorite paper towel brand or find toilet paper at all. That happened partly because of the supply chain and partly due to increased demand, but at the end of the day, it led to higher prices, which some consumers blamed on President Joe Biden's administration.

Biden, of course, was blamed for the price increases, but as inflation has dropped and grocery prices have fallen, few companies have been up front about it. That's probably not a political choice in most cases. Instead, some companies have chosen to lower prices more slowly than they raised them.

However, two major retailers, Walmart (WMT) and Costco, have been very honest about inflation. Walmart Chief Executive Doug McMillon's most recent comments validate what Biden's administration has been saying about the state of the economy. And they contrast with the economic picture being painted by Republicans who support their presumptive nominee, Donald Trump.

Walmart has seen inflation drop in many key areas.

Image source: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Walmart sees lower prices

McMillon does not talk about lower prices to make a political statement. He's communicating with customers and potential customers through the analysts who cover the company's quarterly-earnings calls.

During Walmart's fiscal-fourth-quarter-earnings call, McMillon was clear that prices are going down.

"I'm excited about the omnichannel net promoter score trends the team is driving. Across countries, we continue to see a customer that's resilient but looking for value. As always, we're working hard to deliver that for them, including through our rollbacks on food pricing in Walmart U.S. Those were up significantly in Q4 versus last year, following a big increase in Q3," he said.

He was specific about where the chain has seen prices go down.

"Our general merchandise prices are lower than a year ago and even two years ago in some categories, which means our customers are finding value in areas like apparel and hard lines," he said. "In food, prices are lower than a year ago in places like eggs, apples, and deli snacks, but higher in other places like asparagus and blackberries."

McMillon said that in other areas prices were still up but have been falling.

"Dry grocery and consumables categories like paper goods and cleaning supplies are up mid-single digits versus last year and high teens versus two years ago. Private-brand penetration is up in many of the countries where we operate, including the United States," he said.

Costco sees almost no inflation impact

McMillon avoided the word inflation in his comments. Costco  (COST)  Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti, who steps down on March 15, has been very transparent on the topic.

The CFO commented on inflation during his company's fiscal-first-quarter-earnings call.

"Most recently, in the last fourth-quarter discussion, we had estimated that year-over-year inflation was in the 1% to 2% range. Our estimate for the quarter just ended, that inflation was in the 0% to 1% range," he said.

Galanti made clear that inflation (and even deflation) varied by category.

"A bigger deflation in some big and bulky items like furniture sets due to lower freight costs year over year, as well as on things like domestics, bulky lower-priced items, again, where the freight cost is significant. Some deflationary items were as much as 20% to 30% and, again, mostly freight-related," he added.

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Walmart has really good news for shoppers (and Joe Biden)

The giant retailer joins Costco in making a statement that has political overtones, even if that’s not the intent.

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As we head toward a presidential election, the presumed candidates for both parties will look for issues that rally undecided voters. 

The economy will be a key issue, with Democrats pointing to job creation and lowering prices while Republicans will cite the layoffs at Big Tech companies, high housing prices, and of course, sticky inflation.

The covid pandemic created a perfect storm for inflation and higher prices. It became harder to get many items because people getting sick slowed down, or even stopped, production at some factories.

Related: Popular mall retailer shuts down abruptly after bankruptcy filing

It was also a period where demand increased while shipping, trucking and delivery systems were all strained or thrown out of whack. The combination led to product shortages and higher prices.

You might have gone to the grocery store and not been able to buy your favorite paper towel brand or find toilet paper at all. That happened partly because of the supply chain and partly due to increased demand, but at the end of the day, it led to higher prices, which some consumers blamed on President Joe Biden's administration.

Biden, of course, was blamed for the price increases, but as inflation has dropped and grocery prices have fallen, few companies have been up front about it. That's probably not a political choice in most cases. Instead, some companies have chosen to lower prices more slowly than they raised them.

However, two major retailers, Walmart (WMT) and Costco, have been very honest about inflation. Walmart Chief Executive Doug McMillon's most recent comments validate what Biden's administration has been saying about the state of the economy. And they contrast with the economic picture being painted by Republicans who support their presumptive nominee, Donald Trump.

Walmart has seen inflation drop in many key areas.

Image source: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Walmart sees lower prices

McMillon does not talk about lower prices to make a political statement. He's communicating with customers and potential customers through the analysts who cover the company's quarterly-earnings calls.

During Walmart's fiscal-fourth-quarter-earnings call, McMillon was clear that prices are going down.

"I'm excited about the omnichannel net promoter score trends the team is driving. Across countries, we continue to see a customer that's resilient but looking for value. As always, we're working hard to deliver that for them, including through our rollbacks on food pricing in Walmart U.S. Those were up significantly in Q4 versus last year, following a big increase in Q3," he said.

He was specific about where the chain has seen prices go down.

"Our general merchandise prices are lower than a year ago and even two years ago in some categories, which means our customers are finding value in areas like apparel and hard lines," he said. "In food, prices are lower than a year ago in places like eggs, apples, and deli snacks, but higher in other places like asparagus and blackberries."

McMillon said that in other areas prices were still up but have been falling.

"Dry grocery and consumables categories like paper goods and cleaning supplies are up mid-single digits versus last year and high teens versus two years ago. Private-brand penetration is up in many of the countries where we operate, including the United States," he said.

Costco sees almost no inflation impact

McMillon avoided the word inflation in his comments. Costco  (COST)  Chief Financial Officer Richard Galanti, who steps down on March 15, has been very transparent on the topic.

The CFO commented on inflation during his company's fiscal-first-quarter-earnings call.

"Most recently, in the last fourth-quarter discussion, we had estimated that year-over-year inflation was in the 1% to 2% range. Our estimate for the quarter just ended, that inflation was in the 0% to 1% range," he said.

Galanti made clear that inflation (and even deflation) varied by category.

"A bigger deflation in some big and bulky items like furniture sets due to lower freight costs year over year, as well as on things like domestics, bulky lower-priced items, again, where the freight cost is significant. Some deflationary items were as much as 20% to 30% and, again, mostly freight-related," he added.

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