Tuesday brought further gains for the stock market, with investors continuing to downplay the potential impact of nationwide demonstrations. The focus appears to be on the reopening economy, and early signs of optimism have proven popular among market participants. As of 3 p.m. EDT, the Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC +0.08%) was higher by about a quarter of a percent, and the Nasdaq 100 Index of top Nasdaq stocks saw slightly smaller gains.
NetEase (NTES 2.02%) and Align Technology (ALGN +3.27%) were two of the most noteworthy Nasdaq stocks on Tuesday. Both posted solid gains, and both appear to have good prospects for further growth even after impressive runs recently.
Easing fears
Shares of NetEase climbed 4%, rising to another all-time record high. Even amid some fears of whether investors would continue to have access to the video game giant's stock, NetEase has taken steps to assure its shareholders that it will have the capital it needs to keep moving forward.
Image source: NetEase.
NetEase launched an initial public offering of shares on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The IPO started at 9 a.m. Tuesday Hong Kong time, and will close at noon on Friday, June 5. Pricing for the offering will depend on how the company's Nasdaq-listed shares trade. The company hopes to raise about $3 billion from the IPO.
The move comes after U.S. officials threatened to delist Chinese companies from the NYSE and Nasdaq exchanges. Many see the IPO as a way for NetEase to ensure continued access to capital markets and to demonstrate its attractiveness as a company that U.S. stock exchanges should want listed here.
IPO stocks have been in vogue lately, and even though NetEase isn't new to the U.S., the Hong Kong IPO is drawing attention to the high-flying video game company. That could be a big win for NetEase both now and in the future.
Align gets straightened out
Shares of Align Technology posted a 5% gain. The clear orthodontic appliance maker has gone through some tough times during the coronavirus pandemic, but most investors believe it will emerge stronger than ever.
Align lost half its value during the bear market in March, as shareholders got nervous about the high valuation the stock had received prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. With nonessential medical and dental procedures coming to a standstill, Align faced the potential loss of a significant amount of business at least temporarily, and there was considerable uncertainty about whether virus-related fears would lead to longer-term concerns.
However, since then, some positive signs have suggested that Align can bounce back. Although its first-quarter results were ugly, Align still has several directions for future growth. It has international markets that it hasn't tapped into at all yet, and it also is developing applications for treating a wider array of dental and mouth-related medical conditions that could expand its addressable market.
Economic headwinds could pose a threat to Align's short-term prospects, but investors are impressed with the quality of its technology. With the stock having recovered to close to its pre-coronavirus levels, Align has straightened itself out and is picking up momentum for a prosperous future.
