A $450 Million Pentagon Bet, a Biotech Cash Infusion, and a Three-Day Speculative Rocket — The Top Gaining Stocks Today

Major indexes drifted lower Monday — the S&P 500 slipped 0.24%, the Nasdaq 100 fell 0.38%, and the Dow eased 0.14% — but a fresh batch of small-cap names ripped higher on genuine, headline-driven catalysts. A critical-minerals supplier landed a $450 million Pentagon investment, a struggling apparel brand’s Drake-branded streetwear bet kept paying off, and a penny stock that’s been making headlines all week extended its rally for a third straight session. Skipping the usual mega-cap names entirely, here are the top gaining stocks today.

1. The Elmet Group (ELMT) | Closed at $21.41, Up 32.24% on a $450 Million Pentagon Deal

America’s Tungsten Supply Chain Just Got a Government Backer

The Elmet Group delivered the single biggest fundamental catalyst of the day: a landmark government investment that instantly repositions the company as a cornerstone of U.S. critical-minerals strategy.

Full Data & Snapshot:

Catalyst & News: The U.S. Department of War announced a $450 million committed investment in The Elmet Group to secure America’s tungsten supply chain, with more than $165 million earmarked for modernizing existing U.S. facilities in Maine, Michigan, and Ohio and roughly $150 million directed toward developing the Springer Tungsten Complex in Nevada alongside partners Blue Moon Metals and EQ Resources. In exchange, the Department of War receives redeemable preferred equity in Elmet plus warrants for up to 19.9% of common stock, along with the right to appoint a board observer. Separately, Elmet Technologies also landed an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract from the Defense Logistics Agency worth up to $2 billion, including a $150 million guaranteed funded commitment.

Technicals: Shares gapped up roughly 30% in pre-market trading before extending gains through the session on volume many multiples above the norm, pushing the stock to within a dollar of its 52-week high of $22.51. Watch $22.51 as the immediate level to reclaim for fresh all-time strength, with the stock’s Q2 backlog of $131.5 million providing fundamental support beneath the current valuation.

Bull Case: Being designated the only fully U.S.-owned, vertically integrated manufacturer of tungsten and molybdenum components makes Elmet strategically irreplaceable for U.S. defense supply chains, and government-backed capital of this scale — paired with a $2 billion IDIQ ceiling contract — provides multi-year revenue visibility rare for a company this size.

Bear Case: The government’s warrant position for up to 19.9% of common stock represents real future dilution, and a company this reliant on a single strategic government relationship carries concentration risk if defense priorities or budgets shift.

Forecast: With Canaccord having already raised its price target to $21 before today’s news, expect a wave of analyst target increases this week — the real test will be whether Elmet can execute on the Springer Tungsten Complex buildout within its new timeline.

2. Future FinTech Group (FTFT) | Closed at $6.89, Up 139.24% in a Three-Day Speculative Surge

The Reverse-Split Stock That Refuses to Stop Running

Future FinTech Group delivered its third consecutive day of explosive gains, transforming from a sub-$1 stock into one of the most talked-about momentum trades on Wall Street in less than a week.

Full Data & Snapshot:

Catalyst & News: FTFT has run from roughly $0.55 to nearly $7 in a matter of days, with traders and analysts alike attributing the move primarily to speculative momentum trading rather than a single fresh operating announcement. The rally follows FTFT’s late-August 1-for-4 reverse stock split, executed to meet Nasdaq’s minimum bid price requirement — the company’s latest in a string of reverse splits throughout 2026. Financial analysis shows the company carries low debt and strong liquidity, but continues to post recurring net losses on thin revenue, reinforcing the view that this is a low-float momentum trade rather than a fundamentals-driven re-rating.

Technicals: Volume of over 94 million shares against a company with a tiny post-split float has produced extraordinarily wide intraday ranges, with the stock swinging between $2.50 and levels near $7 within the same trading week. Watch for a close above $7 as confirmation the momentum has further room to run, though the stock’s own technical commentary flags this as classic “low-float momentum action” prone to sharp reversals.

Bull Case: A stock that’s more than tripled in under a week has demonstrated real trading liquidity and low leverage on its balance sheet, giving it room to maneuver even amid ongoing losses, and momentum names like this can extend further than fundamentals would suggest once they attract broader retail attention.

Bear Case: With analysts explicitly noting “no substantive recent news” behind the move, this remains one of the purest examples of speculative, event-free momentum trading in the market right now — a pattern that has historically ended in sharp, fast reversals once buying interest dries up.

Forecast: This is a trade, not an investment — watch for the first sign of stalling volume as the likely signal that the three-day run is exhausting itself.

3. Intercont (Cayman) Limited (NCT) | Closed at $0.492, Up 64.26% on a Board-Approved Insider Deal

A Shipping Microcap’s Governance Drama Takes a New Turn

Intercont, a Hong Kong-based global shipping company, surged after its board approved a fresh share transaction tied to its own CEO’s company — a development that arrives amid a turbulent stretch for the stock.

Full Data & Snapshot:

Catalyst & News: Intercont’s board approved a new share deal involving CEO and Chairman Zhu Muchun’s own company, according to a Form 6-K filed September 11 — just days after the company issued a statement to shareholders reinforcing its “long-term commitment, compliance and transparency” following a volatility-driven trading halt on September 2. The stock has been under intense scrutiny in recent weeks, with the company explicitly declining to comment on short-term market volatility in a September 10 filing.

Technicals: Volume of nearly 189 million shares against a market cap under $1 million represents almost unfathomable share turnover relative to company size — a hallmark of extreme speculative trading in a name that’s lost over 99% of its value in the past year. Any close that holds above $0.45 would be a modest sign of stabilization after weeks of relentless declines.

Bull Case: A $200 million shelf registration filed last month suggests management retains ambitions for growth capital, and a stock down 99% over the trailing year has very little room left to fall, making even modest positive developments capable of producing large percentage moves.

Bear Case: Related-party share deals involving the CEO’s own company are a governance red flag that sophisticated investors typically avoid, and a company that has to issue statements defending its “compliance and transparency” is signaling that market confidence has eroded significantly.

Forecast: This remains an extremely high-risk, governance-challenged microcap — any sustained rally would need to be backed by concrete operational disclosure rather than further insider-linked transactions.

4. PDS Biotechnology (PDSB) | Closed at $0.438, Up 48.52% on a $22.55 Million Financing Deal

A Cancer-Drug Developer’s Colorectal Push Gets a Major Capital Infusion

PDS Biotechnology continued its powerful rebound after securing a substantial financing package tied directly to advancing its lead cancer therapy into late-stage trials.

Full Data & Snapshot:

Catalyst & News: PDS Biotechnology secured a private investment in public equity (PIPE) transaction of up to $22.55 million, led by Nant Capital with participation from existing investors, earmarked to advance PDS0301 into late-stage clinical trials for metastatic colorectal cancer. The initial closing of roughly $11.55 million was expected around September 11, with an additional $11 million contingent on FDA Phase 3 protocol submission. As part of the deal, Nant Capital secured the right to designate two board members, including renowned biotech investor Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, so long as it holds at least 15% of outstanding shares — a level of institutional validation that has helped sustain buying interest into this week.

Technicals: Shares have more than quadrupled off their recent lows near $0.22, with today’s volume of over 47 million shares confirming sustained institutional and retail interest well beyond the initial announcement-day pop. Watch the $0.50 level as the next psychological resistance zone.

Bull Case: Backing from a marquee biotech investor like Nant Capital and Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong provides both capital and credibility, and successfully funding a Phase 3 trial removes one of the biggest overhangs facing any clinical-stage biotech.

Bear Case: The company terminated a separate Phase 3 head-and-neck cancer trial earlier this month and has already restructured its workforce and leadership team this year, reflecting a business still working through significant pipeline and organizational upheaval.

Forecast: The next major catalyst will be confirmation of FDA Phase 3 protocol submission, which would unlock the second $11 million tranche of financing and likely provide another leg up for the stock.

5. Vince Holding Corp. (VNCE) | Closed at $7.43, Up 41.79% as the OVO Deal Keeps Paying Off

From a 17% Post-Earnings Drop to a Multi-Day Rally

Vince Holding extended a dramatic reversal, with investors increasingly convinced that its Drake-branded streetwear acquisition is a bigger opportunity than the market initially priced in.

Full Data & Snapshot:

Catalyst & News: Vince Holding shares continued their post-earnings surge as investors increasingly factor in the potential of the OVO acquisition, the Drake-affiliated streetwear label the company acquired alongside a 10-year licensing arrangement. The move builds on last Thursday’s earnings beat, where Vince topped both revenue and EPS estimates and raised full-year guidance — a report that initially sent shares down 17% before buyers stepped back in as the strategic rationale for the OVO deal sank in. Analysts have continued lifting price targets in the days since, citing modestly higher revenue growth assumptions tied to the streetwear expansion.

Technicals: Shares have now roughly quadrupled from last week’s lows near $1.95, approaching the stock’s 52-week high of $8.20 on sustained volume well above the daily average. Watch $8.20 as the key level that would confirm a fresh 52-week high and validate the market’s growing conviction in the OVO thesis.

Bull Case: A profitable core Vince brand growing sales double digits, combined with genuine exposure to the fast-growing global streetwear category through OVO, gives the company two distinct growth engines rather than one, and continued analyst price-target increases suggest Wall Street’s initial skepticism is fading.

Bear Case: Integrating an entirely new brand and category still carries real execution risk, and a stock that’s quadrupled in roughly a week has moved well ahead of any near-term fundamental proof point that the OVO integration is working as hoped.

Forecast: A confirmed break above $8.20 would put this stock in uncharted territory for the year — watch upcoming investor commentary on OVO integration progress for the next real catalyst.

6. Scinai Immunotherapeutics (SCNI) | Closed at $2.35, Up 41.57% on Its CDMO Pivot

An Israeli Biotech’s Manufacturing Business Turns the Corner

Scinai Immunotherapeutics surged as its contract development and manufacturing business continues gaining traction following a corporate turnaround effort.

Full Data & Snapshot:

Catalyst & News: Scinai has been executing a notable business transformation, highlighted by a June announcement that its CDMO (contract development and manufacturing organization) platform — bolstered by a Recipharm Israel partnership — helped the company turn profitable in Q1 2026, a significant milestone for a company historically focused purely on clinical-stage biopharmaceutical development. The company also implemented a 1-for-10 ADS ratio change in August to support continued Nasdaq listing compliance, and shareholders separately approved an expanded equity plan and executive compensation awards in June.

Technicals: Volume of nearly 39 million shares against a sub-$2 million market cap reflects intense speculative interest following the ADS ratio adjustment. Watch for stabilization above $2.00 as a sign this move has staying power beyond a single-session pop.

Bull Case: Turning profitable via the CDMO business — even briefly — gives Scinai a fundamentally different investment case than a typical pre-revenue clinical biotech, diversifying revenue away from binary trial outcomes for its IL-17 NanoAb and PC111 pipeline candidates.

Bear Case: The company has needed a reverse split-equivalent ADS ratio change just weeks ago to maintain listing compliance, and a market cap in the low single-digit millions suggests the market remains deeply skeptical of the turnaround’s durability.

Forecast: Continued CDMO revenue growth, rather than clinical pipeline headlines, is likely to be the more reliable catalyst to watch for this name going forward.

7. AIxCrypto Holdings (AIXC) | Closed at $1.16, Up 29.38% Amid a Broader Crypto-Adjacent Rally

A Former Biotech Company’s AI-Blockchain Pivot Gains Renewed Attention

AIxCrypto Holdings — a company that changed its name from Qualigen Therapeutics less than a year ago — rallied sharply as investor interest in AI-and-blockchain hybrid stories picked back up.

Full Data & Snapshot:

Catalyst & News: AIxCrypto Holdings, which describes itself as building an ecosystem integrating artificial intelligence and blockchain to bridge Web2 and Web3, has a strategic collaboration framework with Chutes AI to explore infrastructure and technical integration for its BesTrade DeAI Agent platform. No single company-specific announcement was clearly identified behind today’s specific move, suggesting the rally likely reflects broader rotation into small-cap AI-and-crypto-themed names rather than fresh, isolated news — a pattern that tends to produce fast reversals once sector-wide enthusiasm cools.

Technicals: Shares remain dramatically below their 52-week high of $8.81, and today’s gain, while substantial in percentage terms, occurred on relatively modest volume compared to some of the other names on this list. Watch $1.50–$2.00 as the next resistance zone from recent trading history.

Bull Case: The pivot into AI-agent and DeAI infrastructure positions the company within one of 2026’s hottest thematic categories, and any concrete product traction from the Chutes AI collaboration could provide a more durable catalyst than today’s sector-wide bounce.

Bear Case: A company that rebranded from a legacy biotech name into a crypto-AI story in under a year, without a clear specific catalyst behind today’s move, fits the profile of a name riding thematic sentiment rather than demonstrated business fundamentals.

Forecast: Absent concrete product or revenue updates, expect this stock to remain highly correlated with broader small-cap crypto and AI sentiment rather than trading on its own idiosyncratic news.

8. Rapid7 (RPD) | Closed at $12.60, Up 22.21% Extending Its Post-Earnings Turnaround

A Cybersecurity Turnaround Story Keeps Building Momentum

Rapid7 continued a powerful rally that traces back to last month’s earnings report, with no single fresh catalyst identified today beyond sustained buying interest in the stock’s ongoing turnaround narrative.

Full Data & Snapshot:

Catalyst & News: Rapid7’s rally builds on its August 10 second-quarter report, which featured a significant earnings beat and raised full-year adjusted EPS guidance to $1.81 at the midpoint, even as annual recurring revenue slipped 2% year-over-year and the company announced a 12% workforce reduction under newly appointed CEO Wael Mohamed. Management has emphasized a pivot toward AI-driven security tools, including the integration of advanced language models into its detection and response workflows, positioning the turnaround around profitability and AI differentiation rather than top-line growth. Today’s specific 22% jump lacks a single identified news trigger, suggesting continued short covering and momentum buying in a stock still down significantly from its 52-week high.

Technicals: Even after today’s surge, shares remain 50%+ below their 52-week high of $25.59, reflecting how far the stock had fallen before this turnaround narrative took hold. Watch $15.00 as the next meaningful resistance level from earlier this year.

Bull Case: A 15%+ free cash flow margin, raised full-year guidance, and a leaner cost structure following the workforce reduction suggest the turnaround has real financial substance behind it, not just sentiment.

Bear Case: Annual recurring revenue and billings are both still declining, meaning the profitability improvement is coming from cost cuts rather than growth — a dynamic that eventually needs to reverse for the stock to sustainably re-rate higher.

Forecast: Watch Q3 results for confirmation that ARR decline is stabilizing — that, more than today’s momentum, will determine whether this turnaround has staying power.

9. Basel Medical Group (BMGL) | Closed at $7.27, Up 58.73% on a Governance Reset

A Singapore Healthcare Provider’s Comeback Attempt Gains Steam

Basel Medical Group surged as investors responded to the company’s recent board overhaul, even as it continues navigating an active securities class action.

Full Data & Snapshot:

Catalyst & News: Basel Medical Group revamped its board of directors on September 2 to “support the next phase of growth,” a move that follows the company regaining Nasdaq minimum bid price compliance in July after a trading halt and resumption earlier in the summer. The stock remains subject to a New York securities class action filed in July 2026, and recent news coverage has noted the company’s pivot toward broader themes including stock splits, cryptocurrency, and AI initiatives alongside its core Singapore-based orthopedic and surgical services business.

Technicals: Volume of over 30 million shares against an $11.38 million market cap represents extraordinary turnover, consistent with a stock in the midst of a dramatic sentiment shift following its governance changes. Watch for follow-through above $8.00 as confirmation this move has legs beyond a single session.

Bull Case: A refreshed board signals management is taking seriously the need to rebuild investor trust, and the underlying orthopedic and surgical services business generates real revenue, unlike many of the purely speculative names on today’s list.

Bear Case: An active securities class action and a net loss nearly equal to the company’s entire annual revenue point to serious ongoing financial and legal challenges that a board reshuffle alone doesn’t resolve.

Forecast: Watch for updates on the securities litigation and any concrete guidance from the new board — sustained gains will likely require more than governance changes alone.

10. EverCommerce (EVCM) | Closed at $7.54, Up 19.49% on a Buyback Boost and Analyst Upgrade

A SaaS Company for Small Businesses Rebounds From Last Week’s Selloff

EverCommerce climbed sharply as an expanded share buyback program and a fresh analyst upgrade combined to reverse last week’s post-earnings decline.

Full Data & Snapshot:

Catalyst & News: EverCommerce’s board approved a $25 million increase to its share repurchase program, raising total authorization to $325 million through December 2027, announced September 11. The move comes days after Wall Street Zen upgraded the stock to “Strong Buy” from “Buy” on September 5, and helps reverse an 18% share-price decline the stock suffered the prior week following a mixed Q2 report that missed EPS estimates ($0.05 versus $0.15 expected) despite revenue roughly in line with forecasts. New CEO Alex Goor, appointed in early August, is now steering the company through this stabilization period.

Technicals: Shares bounced sharply off last week’s lows near $6.21, near the bottom of the stock’s 52-week range, on volume well above the recent daily average. Watch $8.50–$9.00 as the next resistance zone from pre-selloff trading levels.

Bull Case: An enlarged buyback program signals management’s confidence that shares are undervalued after last week’s drop, and analyst sentiment has turned more constructive even as some firms like Barclays maintain more cautious “underweight” ratings with lower price targets.

Bear Case: Recent insider selling activity — flagged across multiple reports over the past month — combined with decelerating growth to low single digits raises questions about whether today’s bounce reflects a genuine turnaround or simply a reflexive rebound from oversold levels.

Forecast: A sustained move back above $9.00 would suggest the market has fully shaken off last week’s earnings disappointment; failure to hold recent gains would point to lingering concerns about growth deceleration.

At a Glance: Today’s Top Gaining Stocks

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Disclaimer: This publication is entirely for informational and journalistic purposes and does not constitute formal financial, investment, or legal advice. All market investments carry inherent risks of capital loss, and small-cap, high-volatility stocks like those featured above carry elevated risk. Stock prices, percentage moves, and market data cited reflect figures available at the time of publication and are subject to change as trading continues. Analyst price targets and ratings are third-party estimates and do not guarantee actual results. Always complete independent due diligence prior to executing equity trades.

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Kasia Davis

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