New York | March 16, 2026
US markets witnessed sharp stock-specific movements on Monday, with micro-cap stocks dominating the list of top gainers and losers, while large-cap technology names led trading activity by volume and value.
Among the top performers, Urgent.ly Inc. (ULY) surged 164.53%, emerging as the biggest gainer of the session. It was followed by HCW Biologics Inc. (HCWB), which rallied 79.03%, and Ernexa Therapeutics Inc. (ERNAW), up 74.31%. Other notable gainers included Envoy Medical Inc. and IB Acquisition Corp., reflecting heightened speculative interest in smaller counters.
On the downside, Hub Cyber Security Ltd. (HUBCZ) plunged 79.71%, making it the biggest loser of the day. Paranovus Entertainment Technology Ltd. (PAVS) dropped 70.74%, while Lyra Therapeutics Inc. declined 62.5%. Additional laggards included TCW Strategic Income Fund and Nasus Pharma Ltd..
Heavy Trading Activity
In terms of trading volumes, HCW Biologics Inc. led the charts with over 456 million shares traded, followed by NVIDIA Corporation, which saw volumes exceeding 214 million shares. Leveraged ETF T-Rex 2X Long BABA Daily Target ETF and Meiwu Technology Company Limited also featured among the most actively traded stocks.
On the value front, NVIDIA Corporation remained a key focus, closing at $183.18 with a gain of 1.62%. EV major Tesla Inc. advanced 1.11% to $395.56, while ETF major Invesco QQQ Trust gained 1.12%.
The benchmark ETF SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (SPY) rose 1.00%, reflecting broader market stability despite volatility in smaller stocks. Meanwhile, Micron Technology Inc. stood out with a strong gain of 3.67%, indicating continued momentum in semiconductor stocks.
Market Context
The session highlighted a divergence in market behavior, where speculative activity in micro-cap stocks led to extreme price swings, while institutional flows remained concentrated in large-cap technology and index-linked ETFs.
