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Wall Street Just Revealed Monday’s Top Stock Picks—See the 9 Names Inside
Market Roundup: Stocks, Bonds, Oil, Gold, Crypto & Analyst Calls (Easy Explained)
Quick Read
Think of this like a friendly weather report — but for money stuff like stocks and coins instead of rain and sun.
Pre-Market Stock Futures
Futures are like "pre-orders" for where the stock market might open. Right now, they are trading lower (meaning expected to go down a bit). This is happening as we get ready for second-quarter earnings (company report cards) this week, after a good winning week on Wall Street.
Things making shares wobble on Monday:
- New strikes against Iran (fighting far away that worries investors)
- A chip (computer brain) sell-off (prices dropping)
What happened on Friday:
- All big market trackers (called indices) closed higher — except the small-cap Russell 2000, which finished down 0.43% at 2,979.
- S&P 500 (tracks 500 big companies): closed at 7,575, up 0.42%
- Nasdaq (tech-heavy): at 26,281, up 0.29%
- Dow Jones Industrials (old famous companies): at 52,637, up 0.29%
Big debut: Friday was the first trading day for Korean chip giant SK hynix (NASDAQ: SKYH). They make memory parts that AI needs a lot of. Shares jumped 12.76% to $168.01. They raised almost $26.5 billion in the U.S. — the biggest ever by a foreign company, beating Alibaba’s (NYSE: BABA) $25 billion from 2014.
Important: "Futures lower" means investors expect a softer start to the week, but it is not a guarantee.
Treasury Bonds
Treasury bonds are like loans you give to the U.S. government; the "yield" is the interest you earn. Sellers came back, so yields rose across the board. Why?
- The Iran situation
- Worries the government is spending more than it gets (federal deficit soared)
Big debt sales mean investors want higher returns to buy all those bonds.
- 30-year bond: 4.56% benchmark 10-year note → 30-year closed at 5.06%
- 10-year note: last seen at 4.56%
Important: When bond yields go up, it usually means borrowing money gets more expensive for everyone.
Oil and Gas
Oil prices jumped after new air strikes on Iran, then dipped on Friday. The President said the ceasefire is paused but peace talks continue. Many Middle Eastern countries are looking for alternate shipping routes to avoid the Strait of Hormuz (a narrow, important water path).
Friday closing prices:
- Brent Crude: $76, down 0.39%
- West Texas Intermediate (US oil): $71.56, down 0.72%
- Natural gas: $2.94, down 2.46% (bigger supply added than expected)
Gold
Gold and silver had a calm Friday after a bumpy week.
- Q2 2026 was gold’s worst quarter since 2013 (down 13%)
- Many think a "rest period" was normal after big gains
- Some see it as a chance to start buying
For simple gold exposure, the article suggests SPDR Gold Shares ETF (NYSE: GLD).
- Gold: $4,119, down 0.08%
- Silver: $59.76, down 0.12%
Crypto
Cryptocurrency is digital money. On Friday:
- Bitcoin passed $64,500, recovering weekly losses
- Whole crypto market: +1.4%
- Ethereum near $1,800; XRP and Solana also up
- Reason: less worry about Middle East fighting
Crypto stocks rallied too:
- Circle Internet Group (NYSE: CRCL) jumped ~15% after getting approval to open a national trust bank
- At 8 AM EDT: Bitcoin $62,900, Ethereum $1,781
Wall Street Analyst Notes (Monday, July 13, 2026)
24/7 Wall St. reads daily analyst reports to find ideas. These include buy/sell/avoid advice and new coverage.
Important: Never buy or sell a stock based on just one report. Use them as one clue, not the whole map.
Upgrades (rating got better)
- BeOne Medicines (NASDAQ: ONC) → Buy from Hold at Jefferies; target $380 (was $333)
- Biogen (NASDAQ: BIIB) → Buy from Hold at Truist; target $235
- Capital One (NYSE: COF) → Buy from Hold at HSBC; target $229
- Deckers Outdoor (NYSE: DECK) → Buy from Hold at Jefferies; target $130 (was $110)
- Shopify (NASDAQ: SHOP) → Buy from Hold at Jefferies; target $160 (was $140)
Downgrades (rating got worse)
- Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) → Hold from Buy at Loop; target $82
- Kymera Therapeutics (NASDAQ: KYMR) → Sector Perform from Outperform at RBC; target $115 (was $106)
- Resmed (NYSE: RMD) → Neutral from Buy at Citigroup; target $235 (was $270)
- Papa John’s (NASDAQ: PZZA) → Underperform from Neutral at BofA; target $34 (was $42)
- Sezzle (NASDAQ: SEZL) → Market Perform from Outperform at KBW; target $190 (was $115)
Initiations (new ratings)
- Atmos Energy (NYSE: ATO) → Overweight at Wells Fargo; target $200
- BelFuse (NASDAQ: BELFA) → Buy at Citigroup; target $325
- Costco (NASDAQ: COST) → Sector Perform at RBC; target $1,000
- Fastenal (NASDAQ: FAST) → Buy at Rothschild; target $55
- Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS) → Buy at Benchmark; target $115
Summary
This week started with stock futures pointing lower due to Iran news and chip drops, after a strong Friday. SK hynix had a record U.S. debut. Bond yields rose on deficit fears. Oil eased, gold rested, and crypto surged on calmer news. Analysts upgraded names like Shopify and Capital One, downgraded Best Buy and Resmed, and started coverage on Disney and Costco. Always research before investing.
FAQ
What does "futures trading lower" mean in kid terms?
It means the early bet is that the market will open a bit down, like predicting a cloudy morning before school starts.
Why do higher bond yields matter to normal people?
They can make mortgages, car loans, and credit cards more expensive because the government pays more to borrow, and banks follow.
What is an ETF like GLD?
An ETF is a basket you can buy like a stock. GLD is a basket that tries to follow gold’s price, so you own gold-like exposure without a safe at home.
Are analyst upgrades a sure thing?
No. They are opinions. The article reminds us not to use just one report to decide.
Why did crypto go up Friday?
Because peace-talk hopes lowered fear, and when fear drops, risky things like crypto often bounce back.
