Morning Movers: AST SpaceMobile jumps after direct-to-cellular pact with Verizon

Stock futures have ticked modestly higher as markets look set to open with a bit of cautious optimism. The key driver of the session may be the release of the September Fed minutes, which traders expect will shed light on how aggressive the Fed might be in cutting rates going forward. With the U.S. government shutdown still in effect, investors are paying extra attention to any monetary clues that can break through the data blackout.

Gold is stealing headlines as it has surged past $4,000 per ounce for the first time ever, fueled by safe-haven demand in the midst of policy uncertainty, geopolitical risks, and a weakening dollar. That kind of move suggests that many market participants are not completely convinced that a soft landing is assured.

Oil is also on the move. OPEC+ agreed to a modest output hike for November, which assuaged fears of oversupply. That decision, combined with rising geopolitical risk premiums, has pushed crude higher.

In pre-market trading, S&P 500 futures rose 0.02%, Nasdaq futures rose 0.09% and Dow futures rose 0.05%.

Check out this morning’s top movers from around Wall Street, compiled by The Fly.

HIGHER –

• AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) up 15% after signing of a definitive commercial agreement with Verizon (VZ) to provide direct-to-cellular AST SpaceMobile service when needed for Verizon customers starting in 2026
• Marex Group (MRX) up 3% after providing its Q3 outlook

UP AFTER EARNINGS –

• Triple Flag (TFPM) up 3% after

LOWER –

• Karyopharm (KPTI) down 18% after announcing $100M financing plan and guiding Q3 revenue
• Nano Nuclear Energy (NNE) down 8% after announcing a $400M private placement of common stock
• FedEx (FDX) down 1% after JPMorgan downgraded the stock to Neutral with a price target of $274, down from $284
• Esperion (ESPR) down 19% after a 30M share spot secondary priced at $2.50
• Joby Aviation (JOBY) down 11% after a $500M a spot secondary priced at $16.85