Big Stock Stories to Watch Heading Into Friday’s Session

​Markets at Fresh Highs
The Dow, S&P 500, and Nasdaq all closed at record levels Thursday, even as the U.S. government shutdown stretched into its second day. Nvidia extended its winning streak to six straight sessions, the longest since June, while health care stocks logged their best week in over three years.

Oil and Energy Under Pressure
Crude prices sank to a four-month low, dragging the Energy Select Sector SPDR Fund (XLE) toward its worst week since June. Occidental Petroleum took a hard hit, falling 7% after Berkshire Hathaway announced a $9.7 billion deal to acquire its petrochemical unit.

Coinbase Breaks Out
Coinbase surged more than 7%, marking its strongest day since late June. The rally capped a five-day winning streak — its longest since late 2024 — and lifted shares 21% in that span. The jump coincided with bitcoin topping $120,000 for the first time since August.

Private Equity Pain
Major private equity names — KKR, Apollo, Blackstone, TPG, and Blue Owl Capital — have each lost more than 10% over the past two weeks. Rising default fears are spooking investors, though Carlyle remains the lone bright spot, still positive for the year.

Lyft in the Spotlight
Wedbush analyst Dan Ives suggested Lyft could be an acquisition target within the next six to nine months as Big Tech circles ridesharing firms amid the coming shift to autonomous vehicles. Lyft has surged 90% since April, far outpacing Uber’s 33% climb.

Quantum Computing Buzz
Rigetti Computing soared after news that Novo Nordisk’s owners and the Danish government are backing what will become the world’s largest quantum venture fund. The move signals Europe’s determination to carve out leadership in advanced tech.

The Bottom Line
​From oil’s slump and Coinbase’s breakout to Lyft’s takeover chatter and quantum computing’s leap, Friday’s session is shaping up to be packed with catalysts. Traders will be watching energy, crypto, and AI-adjacent plays closely as the week winds down.