U.S. equity markets are closed Friday, July 3, in observance of Independence Day (July 4 falls on a Saturday this year). Trading resumes Monday, July 6. Despite the holiday, the IPO calendar delivered a busy week, and the early Q2 earnings season kicks off next week.

Three SPACs, $636 Million

The SPAC resurgence continued this week with three blank-check IPOs pricing and launching on the NYSE and Nasdaq:

  • Osprey Acquisition Corp III (OSPRU) closed a $300.15 million IPO, including full exercise of the over-allotment option. The SPAC targets energy infrastructure, utility-scale battery storage, and AI-enabled energy optimization. Units started trading on Nasdaq on July 1, and the offering closed July 2.

  • Viking Acquisition Corp II (VII.U) raised $200 million in a general-purpose blank-check offering (20 million units at $10). Units began trading on the NYSE on July 2. The deal is expected to close around July 6.

  • Meridian3 Industrials Acquisition Corp (MIACU) raised $175 million, targeting industrial technology. Units started trading on Nasdaq on July 2. Closing also expected around July 6.

More than 100 SPAC IPOs have priced year-to-date in 2026, according to industry data, as Wall Street's blank-check revival continues following a two-year slowdown.

Fresh S-1 Filings

Thursday saw three new SPAC S-1 filings submitted to the SEC:

  • B&R Technology Merger, $325 million, AI-focused
  • Laris Growth Acquisition, $200 million, quantum computing target
  • Gold Mountain Acquisition, $75 million, Asia-focused businesses

These join a robust pipeline of SPAC registration statements that continue to flow through SEC review.

SpaceX (SPCX): Post-IPO Volatility

SpaceX's landmark IPO (June 12, the largest in history at $75 billion raised, $135/share) saw the stock trade around $161–162 this week, about 20% above the offering price but well off the post-IPO peak of $225.64 reached on June 16. The stock hit a low of $147.11 around June 23 before recovering. Analysts remain divided on fair value for the company, which includes Starlink operations.

Anthropic Files Confidential S-1

AI lab Anthropic (Claude) confidentially submitted a draft S-1 to the SEC on June 1, 2026, as a preliminary step toward a potential IPO later this year. The company, last valued at roughly $965 billion in its most recent funding round, has not set a ticker, share count, or exchange. The official statement emphasizes that the decision depends on market conditions and SEC review.

Next Week: Q2 Earnings Season Ramps Up

Monday's market reopen coincides with the first meaningful wave of Q2 2026 earnings reports. Three notable companies are on the calendar:

  • Wednesday, July 8: Levi Strauss (LEVI), consensus EPS of ~$0.24
  • Thursday, July 9: PepsiCo (PEP), the week's marquee report. Consensus EPS of ~$2.20–$2.21 on roughly $24 billion in revenue, tracking ~5–6% revenue growth and ~4% EPS growth YoY
  • Friday, July 10: Delta Air Lines (DAL), reporting before the open

The big bank earnings wave (JPMorgan, Bank of America) arrives the week of July 14. Until then, PepsiCo and Delta will provide early reads on consumer health and travel demand in the current macroeconomic environment.

Looking Ahead

In the last sessions before the holiday, markets showed moderate volatility. With earnings season accelerating and the IPO market maintaining momentum, the coming weeks should offer investors clearer directional signals. Friday's quiet close leaves all eyes on Monday's open.