YOUR GUIDE TO STAYING INFORMED IN THE MARKETS

Subscribe for FREE Email Updates & Access To EXCLUSIVE Research!

Wall Street Sets Record New Highs Amid Tech Surge, Tariff tensions, & Summer Earnings Momentum – ( $ASTS $GOVX $NVDA $PLTR $TSLA Rise!)

By John F. Heerdink, Jr.
LinkedIn Twitter Disclaimer
Equity markets have managed to shrug off trade anxieties and tighter valuations for now, finding strength in robust earnings, softer-than-feared inflation, and persistent U.S. consumer resiliency this summer. Investors, however, remain attuned to imminent tariff deadlines and a delicate Federal Reserve balancing act, which together promise to keep the summer’s calm punctuated by bouts of volatility. However, at the end of the week, the U.S. equity markets entered the mid-summer stretch with a mixture of resilience and caution. The S&P 500 edged higher by 0.6% for the week, notching yet another closing record at 6,297.36 before retreating slightly on Friday. The Nasdaq Composite surged an impressive 1.5%, closing at a fresh record of 20,938.49, largely buoyed by continued outperformance and strength in NVIDIA, Tesla and other large cap technology shares. Conversely, the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped modestly, finishing down 0.1% as traditional industrials faced profit-taking and trade headwinds. The Russell 2000, a barometer of small-cap equities, registered a muted gain of 0.2% for the week, lagging its large-cap peers.

Key Macroeconomic Developments

Inflation: June’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) climbed 0.3% month-over-month and 2.7% year-over-year, quickening from 2.4% in May. Core CPI (excluding food & energy) advanced at 2.9% yearly. Shelter, energy, and food provided much of the upward pressure, while producer prices were flat on a monthly basis but maintained a 2.3% annual increase.
Employment: The U.S. labor market remained sturdy. Initial jobless claims fell to 221,000, and the four-week average trended lower, reinforcing impressions of continued labor market resilience.
Retail Sales: Retail sales rebounded with a 0.6% gain for June, outpacing expectations and demonstrating solid consumer appetite in the face of measured inflation and tariff uncertainties.
Housing Starts: New housing starts increased by 4.6% in June, reflecting a tentative recovery in construction even as lingering costs and rate pressures persisted.

Earnings & Corporate Highlights

NVIDIA (NVDA, $172.41): Nvidia extended its rally, advancing toward its eighth consecutive weekly gain rising 4.54% over the last 5-days and reclaiming the top spot as the world’s most valuable publicly traded company with a market cap above $4.2 trillion. The stock received a lift from U.S. government approval to resume specific AI chip sales to China and surging AI investment commitments across large tech. Despite the momentum, some analysts cited rising valuations as a reason for caution.
Tesla (TSLA, $329.65): Tesla shares climbed 5.15% for the week, with Friday’s session particularly strong after the U.S. imposed new tariffs totaling up to 160% on Chinese graphite—a key electric vehicle input. Analysts suggested the overall cost impact would be limited, while the headline’s focus on U.S.-China supply chains kept the stock a focal point for traders.
Meta Platforms (META, $704.28): Meta’s CEO reiterated plans for “hundreds of billions” in data center investments, further cementing its deep partnership with Nvidia.
McDonald’s (MCD, $297.07), Rio Tinto Group (RIO, $60.54), Palantir Technologies (PLTR, $153.52, +8.04% over the last 5-days): No significant single-stock news developments emerged for McDonald’s, Rio Tinto, or Palantir this week in U.S. market reports. All three stocks moved generally with sector peers as markets consolidated record levels.
AST SpaceMobile, Inc. (ASTS) closed at $57.98, +30.73% over the last 5-days and is now up +174.79% YTD.

Notable M&A

Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern reportedly entered merger discussions to form North America’s largest rail network. This deal, if realized, would invite regulatory scrutiny given its industry implications.

Trade Policy and Tariffs

Tariffs remained front and center as President Trump was reported to be seeking tariffs of at least 15%–20% on European imports, with the threat of a flat 30% tariff if no agreement is reached by August 1. Meanwhile, a 160% effective tariff was slapped on specific Chinese graphite inputs, further complicating global supply chains. Companies continued to indicate that, while tariffs had increased operating complexity, the net impact on consumer demand has so far remained limited as supply chains adjust.

Yield Curve, Interest Rates, & Fed Policy

The 10-year note yield rose 6bps closing at 4.49% closed at 3.88%.
The Federal Reserve did not hold an FOMC meeting this week; the next rate decision remains scheduled for August following the Federal Beige Book’s cautious economic assessment.

Commodities & Cryptocurrencies

Gold and Silver: Both precious metals rallied closing at $3,355.50/oz & $38.425/oz respectively, with silver notably reaching its highest price since mid-2011 on industrial demand and trade uncertainty.
Crude Oil: The price of oil closed at $67.30/bbl rising .48% over the last 5-days.
Bitcoin and Crypto Stocks: Bitcoin traded in a volatile but positive range reaching a new high of $120,925 before backing off to the $117k range at the end of the week, buoyed by risk-on sentiment from tech stocks. Crypto-related equities continued to mirror moves in both technology benchmarks and spot currency prices, generally ending the week higher as investor appetite for growth assets persisted.

Vista Partners Watchlist Highlights & Updates

Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals (EPRX, $5.29%) is clinical-stage biotechnology firm headquartered in Victoria, Canada, has quietly become one of the more intriguing stories on both sides of the border in 2025. The company’s shares now trade under the ticker EPRX on both the Nasdaq and the Toronto Stock Exchange, following its U.S. market debut in April 2024. This dual listing has broadened its investor base at a time when the company’s clinical and financial narrative is gaining momentum. All covering analysts currently rate the stock as a “Buy” or better, with not a single “Hold” or “Sell” recommendation in sight. In a sector defined by binary outcomes and frequent disappointment, such unanimity is striking. Overall, analysts cite Eupraxia’s strong clinical pipeline and revenue growth potential as key drivers behind their bullish outlook.

  • HC Wainwright: Initiated Covrage on EPRX with a “Strong Buy” on June 26, 2025.

  • Canaccord Genuity: Initiated coverage with a “Speculative Buy” rating in June 2025.

  • Raymond James Ltd.: Maintains a “Strong Buy” rating as of June 2025, with a history of upgrades from “Outperform” to “Strong Buy” over the past year.

  • Research Capital Corporation: Maintains a “Buy” rating, consistently reaffirming its positive stance throughout 2024 and 2025.

Eupraxia announced on July 8 that the first patient dosed in their Phase 2b randomized, placebo-controlled portion of the RESOLVE clinical trial evaluating EP-104GI, an investigational treatment for eosinophilic esophagitis (“EoE”). EP-104GI is injected directly into the affected tissues of the esophagus to reduce inflammation with stable, localized, and long-duration drug delivery, while minimizing unwanted systemic adverse events and side effects often associated with steroid-based therapies. The Phase 2b portion of the RESOLVE study will enroll a minimum of 60 participants randomized in a 1:1:1 ratio to receive one of two doses of EP-104GI or placebo. After six months, eligible patients initially dosed with placebo may elect to receive EP-104GI. The primary objective is to assess the efficacy of EP-104GI in improving tissue health, as measured by the Eosinophilic Esophagitis Histology Scoring System (“EoEHSS”). Secondary and exploratory objectives include evaluating symptomatic improvement through patient-reported outcomes — Straumann Dysphagia Index score (SDI) and Dysphagia Symptom Questionnaire (DSQ), endoscopic and histologic changes (including Peak Eosinophil Count, “PEC”), pharmacokinetics, safety, and tolerability of the selected dose regimens. Up to 25 sites globally are expected to participate in the trial.The Phase 2b portion of the study employs an innovative adaptive design to select the doses of EP-104GI that are administered to patients. The first active dose selection was based on available data from cohorts 1 to 8 of the Phase 2a portion of the study. Based on the previously reported safety, pharmacokinetic, and efficacy data from cohorts 1 to 6, and additional one month data from cohorts 7 and 8, the 120 mg dose (20 injections of 6 mg per site) from cohort 8 was selected for the first treatment arm in the dose optimization phase. A second dose will be selected for evaluation after enrollment in the first arm is complete, based on additional long-term data from the Phase 2a portion of the study. James Helliwell, CEO of Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals stated, “Entering into the Phase 2b stage of the RESOLVE trial is a significant event for Eupraxia. This is an important step for us before proceeding towards the pivotal trials necessary for submitting an application for regulatory approval. We are optimistic that EP-104GI has the potential to significantly advance the standard of care and offer a meaningful new treatment paradigm for patients living with EoE.”

Tribe Public hosted a CEO Presentation and Q&A Webinar Event on Wednesday, May 14th with James A. Helliwell, Director and CEO of Eupraxia Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: EPRX). The event is titled “Hard To Swallow: An Underdiagnosed Condition Rising To Surface (EOE).”  You may view it now at https://youtu.be/tCtY_27EJG4?si=0PJIp-oyGDEpzxzR

Summit Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: SMMT, $26.20, +4.80% over the last 5-days) is a biopharmaceutical oncology company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of patient-, physician-, caregiver- and societal-friendly medicinal therapies intended to improve quality of life, increase potential duration of life, and resolve serious unmet medical needs. Summit announced (May 30) topline results from the Phase III clinical trial, HARMONi, the first global Phase III study evaluating ivonescimab, successfully met the progression-free survival (PFS) primary endpoint and showed a positive trend in the other primary endpoint, overall survival (OS). HARMONi is a multiregional, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, Phase III study sponsored by Summit evaluating ivonescimab plus platinum-doublet chemotherapy compared to placebo plus platinum-doublet chemotherapy in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mutated, locally advanced or metastatic non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who have progressed after treatment with a 3rd generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). This is a clinical setting with a patient population where PD-1 monoclonal antibodies have previously been unsuccessful in Phase III global clinical trials in showing either a PFS or OS benefit.
Modular Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ: MODD, $.6903), an insulin delivery system technology company preparing to launch a market expansion product with a more accessible, easier to prescribe, and easier to pay for and live with technology. Using its patented technologies, the company seeks to eliminate the tradeoff between complexity and efficacy, thereby making top quality insulin delivery both affordable and simple to learn. Their mission is to improve access to the highest standard of glycemic control for people with diabetes taking it beyond “superusers” and providing “diabetes care for the rest of us.” Modular Medical was founded by Paul DiPerna, a seasoned medical device professional and microfluidics engineer. Prior to founding Modular Medical, Mr. DiPerna was the founder (in 2005) of Tandem Diabetes and invented and designed its t:slim insulin pump. More information is available at https://modular-medical.com.  On June 16, Modular Medical announced its participation in the American Diabetes Association (“ADA”) 85th Scientific Sessions, taking place June 20-23, 2025, at the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois. The Company will feature a poster, number 783-P, titled “Elucidating the potential benefit of pump-delivered subcutaneous GLP-1R agonist: an exploratory study in the diet-induced obese mouse,” to be presented by David Maggs, MD, FRCP during the General Poster Session on Sunday, June 22, 2025, from 12:30pm to 1:30pm in the Poster Hall. The presentation will highlight data from an exploratory study evaluating the effects of pump-delivery of a short-acting GLP-1RA on weight, food intake, and glucose tolerance in a diet-induced obese (“DIO”) mouse.”We are excited to share our findings from this novel study in the DIO mouse comparing the pump delivery of exenatide to intermittent dosing of semaglutide,” said Jeb Besser, CEO of Modular Medical. “Given the high rate of gastrointestinal tolerability challenges and resultant discontinuation that is characteristic of GLP-1 therapy, we believe that a personalized approach to GLP-1 titration and dosing, including a mealtime bolus option, would give patients an opportunity to reach their treatment goals, while experiencing easier therapy initiation and a more tolerable maintenance regimen.” After the close May 28, Modular Medical announced the appointment of Jeff Goldberg to its Board of Directors. Mr. Goldberg brings decades of experience in health care, life sciences, and medical device leadership, including development of generic insulin. Mr. Goldberg began his work in medical technology alongside pioneering medical entrepreneur, and founder of MiniMed, Alfred E. Mann. Mr. Goldberg currently serves as Chairman of Lannett Company, Inc., a generic pharmaceutical manufacturer where he has helped execute a post-restructuring turnaround. During his tenure, Lannett has made significant strides in launching a generic insulin product – progress that aligns closely with Modular Medical’s commitment to innovation and affordability in diabetes care. In addition to his work at Lannett, Mr. Goldberg previously served as President and CEO within Alfred E. Mann’s incubator, IncuMed, where he oversaw multiple portfolio companies focused on drug-device combination products, including an insulin patch-pump program. His tenure with Mr. Mann’s enterprises included pivotal roles in regulatory strategy, operations turnaround, and successful exits, underscoring his ability to guide early-stage technologies to commercial viability. Mr. Goldberg also serves on the boards of several health-care and consumer-focused companies, including ATI Physical Therapy, Cano Health, and Eating Recovery Centers. He holds a JD from UCLA School of Law and an AB from Harvard College. Mr. Goldberg stated,  “Modular Medical is advancing a truly disruptive approach to insulin delivery. I’m excited to join the board and contribute to the Company’s journey toward simplifying treatment for people living with diabetes, particularly as the industry shifts toward more accessible and patient-friendly solutions.” Jeb Besser, CEO of Modular Medical, presented on May 29 at Tribe Public’s Webinar Presentation and Q&A Event titled“Making Diabetes Management Simpler: The New Era of Insulin Therapy.”You may view the event video now at the Tribe Public YouTube Channel.

Shares of ADT Inc. (ADT, $8.45) is a leading provider of monitored security and automation solutions for residential and small business customers in the United States and Canada.

ADT released Q1, 2025 results on Thursday, April 24 and highlighted the following: Continued strong financial results with record recurring monthly revenue and customer retention, GAAP operating cash flows up 28%, Adjusted Free Cash Flow including interest rate swaps up 105%, Returned $445 million to shareholders through share repurchases and dividends, and that they are on track to achieve full year 2025 guidance metrics.

On April 30, ADT in collaboration with Yale and the Z-Wave Alliance, announced the launch of the ​Yale Assure Lock 2 Touch with Z-Wave ​​​​for ADT+​. The Z-Wave 800 Series smart lock is the only one on the market with fingerprint control​ ​and ​the first smart lock to leverage the newly introduced Z-Wave User Credential Command Class. This industry-first innovation allows users to unlock and disarm their ADT+ security system using just their fingerprint.

On Jan. 22, ADT announced the appointment of Thomas Gartland to the Company’s Board of Directors as an additional independent director. In conjunction with his appointment, Gartland will join the Board’s Audit Committee. Gartland is chairman and chief executive officer of Montway Auto Transport, a privately held auto transport company, and has held this position since 2023. Prior to Montway, Gartland served as executive chairman of Scan Global Logistics and as president, North America, for Avis Budget Group. Gartland serves on the boards of Xenia Hotels & Resorts, Inc. and ABM.

GeoVax Labs, Inc. (Nasdaq: GOVX, $.7650, +13.17% over the last 5-days) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing immunotherapies and vaccines against cancers and infectious diseases. On July 16, GeoVax issued a statement underscoring the increasing urgency of expanding global Mpox vaccine access, as recent data from the Airfinity July 2025 Mpox Report highlight significant new outbreaks and rising global transmission of Clade I and Clade II Mpox. On July 3, GeoVax emphasized the urgent need for innovation in COVID-19 vaccination as the NB.1.8.1 variant – commonly known as “Nimbus” – spreads rapidly across the globe. Nimbus, a highly transmissible Omicron subvariant classified by the World Health Organization as a “Variant Under Monitoring,” is now dominant in multiple U.S. states and surging across Europe and Asia. Though not more severe, its rapid spread and potential for immune escape reflect an increasingly clear reality: COVID-19 is not going away, and it will continue to evolve. On July 2, GeoVax emphasized the growing global public health importance of its GEO-MVA Mpox/smallpox vaccine in response to rising public health threats and a rapidly evolving regulatory environment. With favorable regulatory input from the European Medicines Agency (EMA), GEO-MVA is on an expedited path toward market access, accelerating GeoVax’s focus toward regulatory approval and commercialization. “GeoVax is entering a value inflection phase,” said David Dodd, Chairman and CEO. “The EMA’s expedited development path brings us closer to regulatory registration and commercial readiness, providing the opportunity to address urgent public health needs, expanding the critically needed supply option of MVA-vaccine, addressing both expanding outbreak needs and stockpile opportunities.” On July 1, GeoVax Labs announced that it has entered into definitive securities purchase agreements with several institutional and individual investors for the purchase and sale of approximately 9.2 million units, each comprised of one share of the Company’s common stock and warrants, as described below, to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock, at a price of $0.65 per unit in a public offering. The Company will issue warrants to purchase up to approximately 18.5 million shares of common stock. The warrants will have an exercise price of $0.65 per share, will be exercisable immediately following the date of issuance and will have a term of five years following the date of issuance. Roth Capital Partners is acting as the exclusive placement agent for the offering. The gross proceeds to the Company from this offering are expected to be approximately $6 million, before deducting the placement agent’s fees and other offering expenses payable by the Company. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering for working capital and general corporate purposes. The closing of the offering is expected to occur on or about July 2, 2025, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions.
Indaptus Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: INDP, $11.60) is a company with the ability to harness both the body’s innate and adaptive immune responses, believes that they are uniquely positioned to revolutionize the treatment of cancer and certain infectious diseases. On July 1, Indaptus announced the additional sale of approximately $3.4 million in aggregate principal amount of convertible promissory notes and accompanying warrants. Together with a prior sale of $2.3 million of convertible promissory notes and accompanying warrants, the Company raised an aggregate of $5.7 million in gross proceeds in this offering. On June 2, Indaptus announced that the first patient has been dosed in the expansion arm of its Phase 1b/2 clinical trial evaluating Decoy20 in combination with BeOne’s (formerly known as Beigene) PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor, tislelizumab. This newly activated arm of the trial will assess safety, dose optimization, and early signs of anti-tumor activity in patients with advanced solid tumors, previously treated with a checkpoint inhibitor or with tumors typically unresponsive to a checkpoint inhibitor. Jeffrey Meckler, Indaptus’ CEO commented, “This is an important milestone in our clinical development. We have long believed the Decoy platform has the potential to be a game-changing approach to treating solid tumors. Preclinical data consistently demonstrated that Decoy20 works synergistically with a checkpoint inhibitor. Now, for the first time, we are testing this combination in patients. Checkpoint inhibitors, like tislelizumab, have been one of the biggest breakthroughs in cancer therapy and have significantly improved outcomes in a variety of cancers. However, most patients still do not benefit. We believe the combination of Decoy20 plus a PD-1 inhibitor, such as tislelizumab, could enhance immune responses, potentially helping patients who have not responded or have tumors that classically do not respond to checkpoint inhibitor therapy.”
Teladoc Health (TDOC, $8.05) is the world leader in virtual care. Teladoc Health uses proprietary health signals and personalized interactions to drive better health outcomes across the full continuum of care, at every stage in a person’s health journey. Teladoc Health leverages more than two decades of expertise and data-driven insights to meet the growing virtual care needs of consumers and healthcare professionals. For more information, please visit www.teladochealth.com. Teladoc will release second quarter 2025 results on Tuesday, July 29, 2025, after the market closes.
Serina Therapeutics, Inc. (NYSE American: SER, $5.36), a clinical-stage biotechnology company, today announced that its Board of Directors has established November 7, 2025, as the date of its 2025 annual meeting of stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”). The time and location of the Annual Meeting will be set forth in the Serina’s definitive proxy statement for the Annual Meeting to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Because the date of the Annual Meeting represents a change of more than 30 days from the anniversary of Serina’s 2024 annual meeting of stockholders, the deadline for stockholder proposals to be submitted pursuant to Rule 14a-8 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“Exchange Act”), for inclusion in Serina’ proxy materials for the Annual Meeting will be 5:00 p.m. (Central Time) on Friday, August 15, 2025, which Serina’s Board of Directors has determined to be a reasonable period of time before Serina expects to begin to print and send its proxy materials for the Annual Meeting. Stockholder proposals submitted in accordance with Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act must also comply with the remaining requirements of Rule 14a-8 in order to be included in the proxy materials for the Annual Meeting. Serina is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing a pipeline of wholly owned drug product candidates to treat neurological diseases and other indications. Serina’s POZ PlatformTM provides the potential to improve the integrated efficacy and safety profile of multiple modalities including small molecules, RNA-based therapeutics and antibody-based drug conjugates (ADCs). Serina is headquartered in Huntsville, Alabama on the campus of the HudsonAlpha Institute of Biotechnology. For more information, please visit https://serinatherapeutics.com.

Quote of the Day

“Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion.” – Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
Sources
[1] How major US stock indexes fared Friday, 7/18/2025 – Times Union https://www.timesunion.com/business/article/how-major-us-stock-indexes-fared-friday-7-18-2025-20776014.php
[3] Stock Market News for Jul 18, 2025 – FINVIZ.com https://finviz.com/news/107947/stock-market-news-for-jul-18-2025
[5] Dow closes more than 100 points lower after report says Trump seeks at least 15% tariff on EU imports: Live updates https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/17/stock-market-today-live-updates.html
[8] Week Ahead: Economic Indicators (14th July – 18th July) – US https://features.financialjuice.com/2025/07/11/week-ahead-economic-indicators-14th-july-18th-july-us/
[9] As Gains Blow Past 80%, NVIDIA’s Rally Shows Signs of Overheating https://www.tradealgo.com/news/as-gains-blow-past-80-nvidias-rally-shows-signs-of-overheating
[11] Magnificent Seven earnings kick off next week with stocks near all-time highs https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/18/stock-market-next-week-updates-for-july-21-25-2025.html
[12] Stock market today: Nasdaq hits record, S&P 500 posts weekly gain, Dow slips as Wall Street shrugs off tariff tensions https://finance.yahoo.com/news/live/stock-market-today-nasdaq-hits-record-sp-500-posts-weekly-gain-dow-slips-as-wall-street-shrugs-off-tariff-tensions-200036322.html
[13] Weekly Market Recap — Manulife John Hancock Investments https://www.jhinvestments.com/weekly-market-recap
[15] Perplexity Finance – Quotes, Forecasts, News, Charts, and More https://www.perplexity.ai/finance
[16] Stock Market Today: Dow ends down; S&P 500 closes flat, Nasdaq books fresh record high as investors weigh tariff developments https://www.marketwatch.com/livecoverage/stock-market-today-s-p-500-and-nasdaq-poised-for-more-records-as-data-earnings-reassure-investors
[17] Equities edge down, US dollar dips with tariffs; earnings, economic data in focus https://www.reuters.com/world/china/global-markets-wrapup-6-pix-2025-07-18/
[18] Top $NVDA Levels To Watch for July 18th, 2025 – YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UO3sGZ0TsA
[19] Top $TSLA Levels To Watch for July 18th, 2025 – YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B80KwRiyLZ8
[21] Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) Historical Data – Yahoo Finance https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/%5EDJI/history/

Investing & Inspiration

“We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibers connect us with our fellow men.” –  Herman Melville



Post View Count : 501

Stay Informed. Stay Competitive.

Vista Partners offers an exclusive newsletter and content with daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly investing ideas, strategies, and marketing insights.

We value your privacy and will never share your information.

Recent Posts

VP Watchlist

Trending Posts