Shares of Rapt Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:RAPT) witnessed a dramatic surge in pre-market trading following the announcement that pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline plc (NYSE:GSK) agreed to acquire the company for $58 per share. This transaction values Rapt Therapeutics at an estimated aggregate equity value of around $2.2 billion. Prior to the market open, shares of Rapt rose sharply by 63.4%, reaching $57.36.
The market's reaction to Rapt Therapeutics' acquisition highlighted the broader pattern of notable stock movements observed during the early trading hours, encompassing gains and losses across various industries.
Stocks Experiencing Significant Gains in Pre-Market Trading
Several companies showed remarkable increases in their stock prices before the regular session began, with some rebounding following recent declines.
- INVO Fertility Inc (NASDAQ:IVF) led the gainers, climbing 418.2% to $4.21. This spike was driven by circulating unconfirmed rumors related to fertility treatment pricing policies possibly influenced by former President Trump, aiming to promote higher birth rates in the United States.
- Icon Energy Corp (NASDAQ:ICON) rebounded 124.7% to $4.36 after having dropped nearly 20% on the previous Friday.
- AlphaTON Capital Corp (NASDAQ:ATON) rose 42.6% to $1.07, following the company’s announcement of a definitive agreement to launch privacy-focused artificial intelligence agents tailored for Telegram’s nearly one billion users.
- Signing Day Sports Inc (NYSE:SGN) increased by 34.8% to $0.18, recovering from a 25% loss recorded on Friday.
- Polar Power Inc (NASDAQ:POLA) added 26.2% to reach $2.12, after posting a 17% gain in the previous session.
- NetClass Technology Inc (NASDAQ:NTCL) climbed 25.4% to $0.45, bouncing back from a 9% fall on Friday.
- Additional notable gainers included CCH Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:CCHH), rising 21.1% to $0.54; United Microelectronics Corp (NYSE:UMC), up 14% to $10.60; and Korea Electric Power Corp (NYSE:KEP), registering a 13.5% increase to $21.28.
Stocks Experiencing Notable Declines in Pre-Market Trading
Conversely, a number of stocks faced considerable downward pressure in the pre-market session.
- Venus Concept Inc (NASDAQ:VERO) declined 39.7% to $4.75 after surging 452% on Friday. This movement followed the disclosure by Madryn Asset Management of a 91% ownership stake in the medical aesthetic technology company.
- Jaguar Health Inc (NASDAQ:JAGX) fell 30.8% to $0.99 after the prior day’s 87% increase driven by a licensing agreement for its subsidiary with Woodward Specialty.
- Interactive Strength Inc (NASDAQ:TRNR) decreased 30.4% to $0.65, reversing a modest 10% gain from Friday.
- Saverone 2014 Ltd – ADR (NASDAQ:SVRE) dropped 24% to $1.27 after a 16% rise on Friday.
- Baiya International Group Inc (NASDAQ:BIYA) declined 22.7% to $5.45, following a rise of 56% in the previous session.
- Moolec Science SA (NASDAQ:MLEC) fell 22.1% to $3.92 after a notable 34% decrease on Friday.
- PRF Technologies Ltd (NASDAQ:PRFX) slipped 21.2% to $0.89 following a 38% advance in the prior session amid a company announcement regarding a name change connected to its expansion into diversified healthcare and AI-driven energy platforms.
- Other stocks with significant declines included Skycorp Solar Group Ltd (NASDAQ:PN), Rezolve AI PLC (NASDAQ:RZLV), and POET Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:POET), which fell 20.8%, 15%, and 11.2% respectively.
Other Market Highlights and Corporate Updates
The pre-market session also featured several companies with steady or modest movements amid broader sector dynamics.
AlphaTON Capital’s strategic move to develop privacy-focused AI agents for the Telegram platform seeks to leverage an extensive user base nearing one billion globally, positioning it for potential growth in AI technologies applied to social communication.
Meanwhile, insider disclosures such as the substantial ownership stake by Madryn Asset Management in Venus Concept have led to marked share price volatility, underscoring the influence of ownership changes on investor sentiment and market performance.
Within the semiconductor sector, United Microelectronics Corp and Korea Electric Power Corp posted moderate gains, reflecting ongoing investor interest in technology and energy infrastructure companies.
Summary and Market Outlook
The acquisition of Rapt Therapeutics by GlaxoSmithKline has been the primary catalyst for the significant pre-market share price acceleration observed in RAPT stock, indicating strong market confidence in the deal valuation and the strategic rationale behind the transaction.
Other companies have experienced varied pre-market activity, influenced by discrete company-specific news, rumors, regulatory filings, and broader market sentiment. Investors should continue to monitor such developments closely while assessing underlying fundamentals.