The chips are in a global selloff even after TSMC posted record earnings, UnitedHealth popped on a beat and raise, and AST SpaceMobile got hit on a big note offering. Here is your day trading watch list for July 16.
Here is your premarket gapper watch list for Thursday, July 16, 2026, built for day trading. This market news roundup covers the overall direction of today's session and why the biggest premarket movers are gapping, from the semiconductor selloff in TSMC (TSM) and Micron (MU) to the UnitedHealth (UNH) earnings pop and the AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) offering. Every mover below comes straight from this morning's scan with volume, float, and daily ATR so you can see what is running before the open.
Market Direction and News, July 16, 2026
The tape has a split personality this morning. A global semiconductor selloff is dragging tech, while money rotates into defensives and healthcare. Stock index futures show the Nasdaq lower by about half a percent and the S&P slightly red, but the Dow is green, up a few tenths, on strength in UnitedHealth. The chip rout is worldwide. SK Hynix dropped 11 percent in Seoul, South Korea's Kospi fell 7 percent, and even TSMC is lower after a record quarter. On the data side, June retail sales are out this morning, and Netflix reports after the close. Net read is risk off in chips and semis with a clear rotation into healthcare and defensives, so respect the sector split and do not fight the chip weakness.
Why Are Chip Stocks Down Today?
This is a broad, global semiconductor selloff. TSMC (TSM) reported record second quarter results, with net profit up about 77 percent and revenue up 36 percent, and AI chips now make up roughly 61 percent of its business. Even so, the stock is lower on concerns about margins and heavy capital spending, a classic sell the news after a strong run. The bigger driver is overseas, where SK Hynix fell 11 percent and dragged the whole memory group. Micron (MU), Marvell (MRVL), AMD, Intel (INTC), SanDisk (SNDK), and UMC are all red as the AI chip trade takes a breather.
Why Is UnitedHealth (UNH) Stock Up?
UnitedHealth (UNH) gapped up about 6 percent premarket after reporting second quarter profit well ahead of estimates and raising full year guidance to 19.50 to 20 dollars in adjusted earnings, up from a prior view above 18.25 dollars. The key medical care ratio came in better than feared at about 88.6 percent, easing the elevated medical cost worry that had weighed on the stock. Morgan Stanley lifted its price target to 468 dollars. UNH is the standout mega cap this morning and is helping hold the Dow green.
Why Is AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) Stock Down?
AST SpaceMobile (ASTS) dropped about 12 percent premarket after announcing a 1 billion dollar convertible note offering, which revived dilution worries and knocked the stock lower in after hours trading. The company also pushed its BlueBird satellite launch campaign to early 2027, later than the prior timeline, which adds to investor impatience on the path to revenue. Other space names like Rocket Lab (RKLB) and Redwire (RDW) are lower in sympathy.
Premarket Gappers Up, July 16, 2026
Symbol | Change | Volume | Price | Daily ATR(14) | Float | Why It Is Moving |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
VEEE | 26.77% | 1.11M | 33.55 | 6.54 | 1.80M | Low float momentum |
VRAX | 10.86% | 8.58M | 3.98 | 1.39 | 7.02M | Low float momentum |
EHGO | 6.91% | 2.68M | 1.88 | 0.73 | 1.21M | Low float momentum |
JTAI | 6.73% | 2.55M | 3.33 | 0.86 | 116.48M | Low float momentum |
UNH | 5.96% | 400,371 | 443.51 | 10.22 | 847.75M | Earnings beat and raised guidance |
NXTC | 3.20% | 2.02M | 6.79 | 0.94 | 2.51M | Bounce after yesterday's fade |
Premarket Gappers Down, July 16, 2026
Symbol | Change | Volume | Price | Daily ATR(14) | Float | Why It Is Moving |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
RAM | -12.82% | 2.22M | 12.72 | 3.50 | 2.30M | Low float fade |
ASTS | -12.04% | 1.89M | 58.25 | 6.94 | 240.88M | 1 billion convertible offering, launch delay |
UMC | -8.61% | 835,449 | 22.76 | 1.67 | 2.33B | Chip selloff |
SNDK | -7.80% | 815,004 | 1,489.00 | 240.57 | 139.87M | Memory chip selloff |
SKHY | -7.78% | 2.42M | 162.85 | 26.45 | 525.55M | Reversal after a recent run |
NOK | -5.25% | 3.83M | 10.65 | 0.79 | 5.70B | Telecom, chip sympathy |
MU | -5.22% | 1.86M | 855.84 | 90.58 | 1.07B | Memory selloff, SK Hynix rout |
TSM | -5.16% | 1.85M | 398.01 | 20.36 | 4.73B | Down despite record earnings, margin and capex worry |
MRVL | -4.31% | 827,955 | 197.30 | 21.90 | 872.29M | Chip selloff |
AMD | -3.69% | 421,753 | 509.81 | 40.01 | 1.62B | Chip selloff |
RKLB | -3.36% | 473,747 | 73.65 | 7.43 | 537.42M | Space name weakness |
INTC | -3.34% | 3.23M | 99.54 | 9.71 | 3.95B | Chip selloff |
RDW | -2.99% | 401,427 | 9.09 | 0.85 | 135.13M | Space name weakness |
IREN | -2.84% | 618,996 | 37.17 | 4.03 | 339.44M | Bitcoin miner pullback |
ONDS | -2.69% | 548,804 | 6.87 | 0.57 | 462.79M | Low float fade |
Unusual Options Activity
Options are active around the chip reaction and tonight's Netflix report.
Ticker | Context | Options Read |
|---|---|---|
NFLX | Earnings after close | Options are pricing a large move into tonight's report. |
TSM and SMH | Earnings reaction | Heavy activity as the chip complex reprices after the record report and the SK Hynix rout. |
UNH | Earnings beat | Active on the beat and raise, with a fresh higher price target. |
Options flow shows positioning for educational review only. It is not a recommendation to buy or sell. Past flow does not guarantee future direction.
Economic Calendar, Week of July 16, 2026
June retail sales are out at 8:30am ET this morning, along with weekly jobless claims, giving a fresh read on the consumer. Netflix reports earnings after the close, the marquee tech print of the week. Fed Chair Kevin Warsh may continue his congressional appearances. The inflation data for the week, CPI and PPI, is already behind us and both came in soft.
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