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Retail investors talked up five hot stocks during the week (Oct. 5 to Oct. 9) on X and Reddit’s r/WallStreetBets, driven by retail hype, earnings, AI infrastructure momentum, and corporate news flow.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ:SPCX), Micron Technology Inc. (NASDAQ:MU), Applied Digital Corp. (NASDAQ:APLD), Advanced Micro Devices Inc. (NASDAQ:AMD), and AST SpaceMobile Inc. (NASDAQ:ASTS), spanning the aerospace/space technology, semiconductor memory, digital infrastructure/AI data centers, high-performance computing/semiconductors, and satellite telecommunications sectors, reflected strong retail interest.

Space Exploration Technologies

• SPCX was in focus this week after the FCC approved SpaceX’s next-generation non-geostationary mobile-satellite system for direct-to-device services on Oct. 6, strengthening its push into satellite connectivity. On Oct. 8, Grain Management agreed to sell SpaceX a nationwide 800 MHz spectrum portfolio, with terms undisclosed. The company also targeted an Oct. 15 Falcon 9 launch for the USSF-481 mission, while a SpaceX crew capsule returned from the ISS. Separately, Susquehanna maintained a Neutral rating and raised its price target to $173 on Oct. 7.

• Some retail traders said that SPCX’s purchase of Grain Management’s low-band spectrum portfolio puts it in direct competition with AST SpaceMobile.

• The stock has traded in the range of $104.83 to $225.64 since listing, trading around $159 to $167 per share, as of the publication of this article. It advanced by 7.05% since June 2026 and 4.63% over the last month.

• Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings showed that SPCX had a strong price trend in the short, long, and medium terms.

Micron Technology

• MU stayed focused this week on bullish AI-memory forecasts, legal developments, and sector volatility. On Oct. 6, JPMorgan said Micron’s AI-memory boom could generate a $100 billion cash windfall, while Micron and Netlist agreed to resolve pending litigation, with Micron set to pay $30 million per quarter from the fourth quarter of 2026 through the third quarter of 2031. On Oct. 7, DA Davidson maintained a Buy rating and raised its price target to $3,000, even as Micron fell amid a broader chip-sector pullback and a Taiwan union strike-authorization vote. On Oct. 8, Bank of America said memory-chip sales could top $2 trillion by 2030, while MU later joined SK Hynix and SanDisk in a memory-stock selloff. On Oct. 9, commentary remained bullish, with analysts arguing Wall Street still undervalues Micron and Ross Gerber predicting heavy share buybacks once restrictions expire in December.

• Retail investors were very bullish on MU stock.

-The stock has traded in a 52-week range of $179.61 to $1,255.00, trading around $1034 to $1054 per share, as of the publication of this article. It advanced by 427.04% over the last year and 154.68% over the last six months. The stock was up 262.93% year-to-date.

• According to Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings, MU was maintaining a strong price trend over the short, medium, and long term, with a good quality score.

Applied Digital

• APLD was in focus this week after announcing its first development opportunity outside the U.S., with access to up to 1 GW of potential power capacity in Finland on Oct. 6. The company then reported fiscal first-quarter results on Oct. 7, with an EPS loss of 1 cent versus a 29-cent loss estimate, prompting several analyst updates. On Oct. 8, Wells Fargo maintained Overweight and raised its price target to $55, Freedom Capital kept a Buy and $48 target, while Needham maintained Buy but cut its target to $70. Later that day, APLD and other AI-cloud names came under pressure after reports that OpenAI’s annualized revenue was about $20 billion below previously indicated levels, raising concerns about demand for outsourced AI compute capacity.

• Some retail investors recommended APLD as a short-squeeze candidate that can make money.

• The stock had a 52-week range of $19.00 to $50.72, trading around $22 to $25 per share, as of the publication of this article. It fell by 14.64% over the year and 14.81% in the last six months. The stock was down 2.73% YTD.

• APLD maintains a weak price trend over the long, medium, and short terms, as per Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings.

Advanced Micro Devices

• AMD was in focus this week amid bullish analyst actions, broader AI-spending debate, and sector volatility. On Oct. 5, Stifel maintained a Buy rating and raised its price target to $700. On Oct. 6, Citigroup kept a Buy rating and lifted its target to $800, while Mizuho maintained Outperform and raised its target to $705. AMD also featured in discussions around the durability of heavy AI infrastructure spending, as investors weighed whether long-lived debt is being used to fund rapidly depreciating AI hardware. By Oct. 8-9, sentiment turned more cautious across AI-linked stocks after reports that OpenAI’s annualized revenue was about $20 billion below earlier indications, while ARK Invest was reported to have sold AMD shares alongside other major tech holdings.

• Most retail investors were bullish on AMD.

• The stock had a 52-week range of $188.22 to $658.52, trading around $619 to $632 per share, as of the publication of this article. It rose by 163.49% over the year, rose 167.74% over the last six months, and is higher by 189.82% YTD.

• According to Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings, AMD was maintaining a strong price trend over the short, long, and medium terms, with a poor value score.

AST SpaceMobile

• ASTS was in focus this week on network-testing progress, a major Japan opportunity, and intensifying competition from SpaceX. On Oct. 5, AST SpaceMobile and TELUS completed their first test connecting their wireless networks, advancing direct-to-device satellite connectivity in Canada. On Oct. 6, shares surged as investors focused on a potential $1 billion Japan catalyst. Sentiment reversed on Oct. 7-8 after the FCC approved SpaceX’s next-generation direct-to-device satellite system, increasing competitive pressure and contributing to ASTS weakness. Benzinga also highlighted broader aerospace-sector pressure tied to reports that SpaceX could raise $40 billion in debt for Nvidia-powered data-center expansion.

• Some retail investors were mocking ASTS’s price performance.

• The stock has traded in the 52-week range of $49.31 to $133.86, trading around $53 to $57 per share, as of the publication of this article. It fell by 29.89% over the year, 40.98% over the last six months, and is down 21.62% YTD.

• According to Benzinga’s Edge Stock Rankings, ASTS was maintaining a weak price trend over the long, short, and medium terms.

Retail focus comprised AI infrastructure momentum, earnings, and corporate news-driven narratives, with broader market action during the week.

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