Friday, May 29, 2026 is shaping up as a positive session for US equities, with day traders and short-term momentum players zeroing in on a handful of standout names.

The major indices are edging higher: the S&P 500 (SPY) gained 0.55% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq (QQQ) is up 0.84%. The Technology sector (XLK) leads with a 1.31% advance, alongside Healthcare (XLV) climbing 1.4%, while Utilities (XLU) slipped 1.13% — signaling a rotation out of defensive plays and into growth.

PLTR — The Star of the Session

Palantir Technologies (PLTR) soared 8.17% to trade around $143.34 on massive volume of roughly 50 million shares. It's one of the most heavily traded names among day traders today, driven by continued interest in its AI and government-contract exposure. The sharp move is drawing increased attention from momentum traders.

LUNR and RKLB — Space Stocks Diverge

Intuitive Machines (LUNR) surged 13.29% to $45.70 on high volume of 23 million shares — bucking the negative sentiment from news of a Blue Origin rocket explosion that weighed on space-sector sentiment. Rocket Lab (RKLB), by contrast, fell 1.46%, suggesting investors are discriminating between space players rather than treating the sector as a monolith.

SMCI and AMD — Semiconductor Momentum

Super Micro Computer (SMCI) jumped 8.14% to $41.30 with nearly 70 million shares traded — the highest volume across the day-trader watchlist. AMD gained 4.55% to $518.09, joining the semiconductor rally. Microsoft (MSFT) also rose 3.47% following AI partnership announcements.

COIN and Crypto Plays

Coinbase (COIN) climbed 4.87% to $182.25 on renewed interest in digital assets. Meanwhile, Bitcoin-exposed names MARA and MSTR slipped 1.8% and 1.66% respectively, diverging from COIN's trajectory.

The Big Picture

Markets are in a moderately bullish posture with technology leading the charge. The space sector is showing elevated volatility following the Blue Origin incident, and day traders are clustering around high-momentum names with strong sentiment tailwinds.

The Bottom Line

A constructive trading session driven by tech leadership and sector-specific catalysts. PLTR, LUNR, and SMCI are the day's hottest names, with traders monitoring space-sector developments closely for second-half session impact.