PayPal Deal Sparks M&A Frenzy at Earnings Kickoff

The Big Story: PayPal's $53B Buyout Bid

PYPL jumped nearly 15% in premarket trading today. Stripe and Advent International reportedly proposed a joint $53 billion acquisition. Short interest sits at just 6.2% of free float. Bears caught on the wrong side face a painful unwind. The options market reacted instantly — calls surged as puts bled out.

Earnings Season Hits Full Stride

NFLX reports Q2 results after the bell tomorrow. Subscriber growth and ad-tier momentum are in focus. Short interest is a slim 2.5% of free float. Options traders are the primary vehicle for positioning. UNH holds its Q2 earnings call Thursday morning. The managed care giant has faced intense scrutiny in 2026. ISRG also reports Thursday after the close. Procedure volumes will drive the reaction.

In Europe, NDA FI Nordea Bank releases H1 numbers Thursday. Net interest income is the key figure as rate expectations continue to shift.

Short Sellers Make Bold Moves

SPCX saw one of the week's sharpest short interest jumps — up 22 points to 26% of free float. TNGX is even more heavily shorted at 68.4%. UAA added another 5 points to reach 31.6%.

Tech Disruption and Analyst Moves

OpenAI's reported first consumer product — a screen-free smart speaker — drew attention away from AAPL. Mark Gurman noted Apple has nothing comparable yet. Analysts lifted targets on WDC and GS today. They cut targets on homebuilder LEN, where 10% of the free float remains short — a sign bears aren't done with housing.