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Here Are Thursday’s Best Wall Street Analyst Research Calls: Albemarle, American Express, CME Group, Constellation Energy, Fact Set Research, Intuit, SpaceX, Targa Resources, and More

Pre-Market Stock Futures: Futures are trading higher this morning after we finally heard what we expected from Kevin Warsh, the new Chairman of the Federal Reserve: they may have to raise rates later this year if inflation continues to flare…

By Lee Jackson
Published June 18, 2026, 8:02am ET · 4 min read

A low-angle view showing the brown 'WALL ST' and black 'BROAD ST' street signs against a backdrop of several tall, imposing skyscrapers under a bright, clear blue sky. The 'WALL ST' sign includes '11-21' with an arrow, and the 'BROAD ST' sign includes '1-26' with an arrow. The buildings feature a mix of classic architectural styles with many windows and some modern glass facades.
The iconic street signs of Wall Street and Broad Street frame the towering skyscrapers of New York's financial district, symbolizing the bustling world of banking. This intersection represents the core of financial activity where major institutions like BNY Mellon, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo operate. © mezzotint / Shutterstock.com

Pre-Market Stock Futures:

Futures are trading higher this morning after we finally heard what we expected from Kevin Warsh, the new Chairman of the Federal Reserve: they may have to raise rates later this year if inflation continues to flare up. That was all it took for all stocks to rollover and face-plant. By the close, all of the major indices finished the day lower, with the Nasdaq taking the biggest hit, closing down 1.35% at 26,021, while the S&P 500 finished the session down 1.21% at 7,420. The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 0.98% at 51,487, while the small-cap Russell 2000 fared the best on the day, down 0.74% at 2,917.

Treasury Bonds:

Needless to say, the bond market didn’t respond well to the potential for higher rates, as yields were up across the entire curve. When the dust settled by the close, surprisingly, the 30-year bond essentially closed unchanged at 4.93%, while the benchmark 10-year note took a big drubbing, closing the day at 4.50%. Despite concerns about what may happen later this year, the Fed left the fed-fund rate unchanged at 3.5%-3.75%. 

Oil and Gas:

After some serious selling this week, on news of a potential peace agreement with Iran, some light buying entered the energy complex on Wednesday. Brent Crude closed the day modestly higher at $78.99, up 0.04%, while West Texas Intermediate closed the day at $76.10, up 0.07%.

Gold:

After a solid start to the week, Gold took a big step backward on Wednesday, rolling off the table as the Fed warned about the potential for a rate increase at about 1 P.M. EDT. When the smoke cleared, the final print was reported at $4,254, down 1.75%, while Silver was last seen at $67.60, down 3.34%. 

Crypto:

Cryptocurrency markets traded cautiously on Wednesday, with Bitcoin consolidating in a narrow band just above $65,000 before slipping as investors digested the Federal Reserve’s interest-rate decision. Major assets posted modest intraday losses, in line with a broader pullback in global risk assets. Spot Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs recorded minor-to-moderate inflows earlier in the week, but analysts highlighted emerging institutional selling pressure and hedging activity from large players. At 8 AM EDT, Bitcoin is trading at $63,800. Ethereum was quoted at $1,745.

24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of analyst research reports every day to identify fresh investment ideas for investors and traders alike. These daily analyst notes include recommendations on stocks to buy, sell, or avoid, as well as new coverage initiations. Important reminder: No single analyst report should ever be the sole basis for buying or selling a stock.

Here are some of the best Wall Street analyst upgrades, downgrades, and initiations seen on Thursday, June 18, 2026.

 

Upgrades:

  • Albemarle (NYSE: ALB | ALB Price Prediction) was graded to Buy from Neutral at Citigroup, with an unchanged target price of $225.
  • American Express Company (NYSE: AXP) was upgraded to Buy from Hold at DZ Bank, which has a $375 target price.
  • CME Group (NYSE: CME) was upgraded to Outperform from Market Perform at Keefe Bruyette & Woods, which has set a $305 target price.
  • Enphase Energy (NASDAQ: ENPH) was upgraded to Equal Weight from Underweight, without a price target.
  • Verisk Analytics (NASDAQ: VRSK) was raised to Neutral from Sell at Rothchild & Co Redburn, with a $185 target price.

Downgrades:

  • FactSet Research Systems (NYSE: FDS) was cut to Sell from Neutral at Rothschild & Co Redburn, which has a $215 target price for the shares.
  • Intuit (NASDAQ: INTU) was downgraded to Hold from Buy at Stifel, which slashed the target price for the shares to $275 from $375.
  • Jefferies Financial Group (NYSE: JEF) was downgraded to Neutral from Buy at UBS, which raised the target price for the company to $67 from $59.
  • Payoneer Global (NASDAQ: PAYO) was cut to Hold from Buy at Benchmark. Nuvei is buying the company for $7.40 per share.
  • Prologis (NYSE: PLD) was downgraded to Sector Perform from Outperform at Scotiabank, which trimmed the target price for the stock to $146 from $154.

Initiations:

  • Constellation Energy Corporation(NYSE: CEG) was initiated with a Buy rating at Goldman Sachs, with a $499 target price.
  • Copa Holdings (NYSE: CPA) was started with a Buy rating at Jefferies, which has a $185 target price for the stock.
  • Space Exploration Technologies (NASDAQ: SPCX) was initiated with a Buy rating at Arete, with a Wall Street high $401 target price.
  • STAG Industrial (NYSE: STAG) was resumed with an Outperform rating at Raymond James with a $44 target price.
  • Targa Resources (NYSE: TRGP) was initiated with a Buy rating at Jefferies, with a $314 target price objective.

Contact [email protected] for any questions or corrections.

Lee Jackson

Lee Jackson has covered Wall Street analysts' equity and debt research and equity strategy daily for 24/7 Wall St. since 2012. His broad, diverse career, including a stint as creative services director at an NBC affiliate in Austin, Texas, gives him unique insight into the financial industry.

Lee Jackson's journey in the financial industry spans more than 30 years, including nearly two decades as an institutional equity salesperson at Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers, and Morgan Stanley. His career spanned pivotal sell-side Wall Street events, from the dot-com rise and bubble to the Long-Term Capital Management debacle, 9/11, and the Great Recession of 2008. This reflects his resilience and adaptability amid market volatility.

Lee Jackson’s practical financial industry experience, gained through a career at some of the biggest banks and brokerage firms, is complemented by a lifetime of writing across various platforms. This unique combination allows him to shed light on the intricacies of Wall Street in a way only someone with deep insider experience and knowledge can. Moreover, his extensive network across Wall Street continues to provide direct access for him and 24/7 Wall St., a privilege few firms enjoy.

Since 2012, Jackson’s work for 24/7 Wall St. has been featured in Barron’s, Yahoo Finance, MarketWatch, Business Insider, TradingView, Real Money, The Street, Seeking Alpha, Benzinga, and other media outlets. He attended the prestigious Cranbrook Schools in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and has a degree in broadcasting from the Specs Howard School of Media Arts.

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