On January 9, 2026, major developments on Wall Street, along with a spike in options trading, are influencing the narrative around nuclear power expansion.
Today’s changes
(4.17%) $0.82
current price
$20.49
Key data points
Market capitalization
$5.8 billion
daily range
$20.33 – $22.29
52 week range
$11.08 – $57.42
volume
2.1M
average volume
26M
gross profit
64.95%
NuScale Power (SMR +4.17%) The firm, known for its small modular reactor (SMR) technology aimed at carbon-free energy, saw its shares rise by 4.3% to close at $20.52 on Friday. After going public in 2022, NuScale’s stock has surged 104%. Trading volume hit 49.3 million, significantly surpassing the three-month average of 26.3 million shares.
Investors were reacting to the latest evaluations: Bank of America (BAC 0.59%) upgraded NuScale’s valuation while analyzing trends in nuclear power necessity for AI data centers.
Today’s market movements
The S&P 500 (^GSPC +0.65%) rose by 0.64%, reaching 6,966. The Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC +0.81%) increased by 0.81% to close at 23,671. Other nuclear sector players like GE Aerospace (G.E. +2.31%) and BWX Technologies (BWXT +4.43%) also saw gains, which indicates a renewed optimism in the potential growth of small modular reactors.
What this means for investors
Analysts have noted the increasing demand for electricity, particularly from expanding data centers for AI functionality. NuScale aims to take a leading role in providing SMR solutions. Today, Bank of America analysts nudged their recommendation for the firm, establishing a price target of $28 per share.
This points to a potential increase of about 36.5% from today’s closing price. While nuclear solutions for data center demands are becoming more pressing, it’s important to remember that NuScale’s reactors are not designed for quick deployment.
NuScale is definitely a nuclear stock worth tracking. Still, the uptick in options trading might have also played a role in the heightened trading volume today. So, while no big news was shared by the company, it’s essential for investors to recognize that options trading can influence stock prices positively or negatively.
Bank of America is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Howard Smith has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends BWX Technologies and GE Aerospace. The Motley Fool recommends NuScale Power. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
