Wall Street’s Top Gainers on May 21, 2025: 18 Stocks That Outpaced a Tumbling Market
Even as the broader U.S. stock market plunged on May 21—dragged down by fears of a worsening fiscal outlook and rising Treasury yields—a select group of stocks delivered impressive gains, defying macroeconomic pressures and reaffirming their sector-specific momentum. The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 1.9%, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq posted declines of 1.5% and 1.4% respectively. Despite this widespread market weakness, 18 stocks stood out as top gainers, led by electric vehicle firms, gold miners, AI and data center tech players, and select biotech names.
Why Did WeRide Inc. (WRD) Surge Over 21%?
Autonomous driving tech company WeRide Inc. (NASDAQ: WRD) led the day’s gainers, jumping 21.42% to $10.26 on unusually high trading volume of 71.4 million shares—over 8x its 3-month average. The rally was fueled by speculative retail momentum and renewed interest in AI mobility startups following recent positive commentary from Chinese regulatory officials about loosening commercial pilot restrictions for robo-taxis.
Despite being down over 38% from its 52-week high, WeRide’s short interest remains elevated, making it a frequent candidate for short squeezes. Investors also noted the company’s rising strategic value amid growing U.S.-China bifurcation in AI-based transportation tech.
Dycom Industries (DY) Surges on Infra Spending Hopes
Infrastructure engineering firm Dycom Industries Inc. (NYSE: DY) rose 15.76% to close at $224.13 following a robust earnings beat and upbeat FY25 guidance. The stock surged as institutional investors responded positively to the company’s contract backlog growth tied to broadband deployment projects under federal infrastructure packages.
With a P/E of 28.4 and a market cap of $6.45 billion, Dycom has gained 26% YTD. Analysts noted that fears of fiscal tightening did not significantly dent optimism around long-cycle federal infrastructure themes, which remain resilient to near-term rate spikes.
XPeng Inc. (XPEV): EV Momentum Reignites
Chinese EV manufacturer XPeng Inc. (NYSE: XPEV) saw its shares rise 13% to $22.25, with volumes nearly tripling their 3-month average. The surge followed the company’s announcement of record April deliveries and new strategic EV software partnerships with Huawei.
XPEV is now up a stunning 175% year-over-year, despite regulatory volatility surrounding Chinese tech listings in U.S. markets. The rally also came amid renewed investor enthusiasm for AI-powered driving features, helping XPeng outperform U.S. peers in the session.
Arcellx Inc. (ACLX): Biotech Catalyst Lifts Sentiment
Clinical-stage biotech firm Arcellx Inc. (NASDAQ: ACLX) rose 8.26% to $65.54. The spike followed a favorable data release from its lead CAR-T therapy candidate targeting multiple myeloma. With over 2.3 million shares traded, nearly triple its average, the movement suggests speculative buying by retail and biotech-focused hedge funds.
Arcellx remains a high-risk/high-reward play, but analysts view it as one of the more promising immunotherapy developers in the mid-cap biotech segment.
GDS Holdings (GDS): Cloud Expansion Drives Rally
Shanghai-based data center operator GDS Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: GDS) climbed 7.51% to $29.65. The rally followed a stronger-than-expected Q1 earnings print, supported by enterprise cloud adoption and growth in AI training workloads.
GDS is now up 280% year-over-year, driven by structural demand for high-performance computing infrastructure in China. Its massive P/E ratio of 296.5 reflects future growth expectations, though volatility remains high.
Hesai Group (HSAI): LiDAR Tech Rebounds
LiDAR developer Hesai Group (NASDAQ: HSAI) gained 7.46% to $21.03, as speculative EV and robotics plays found support. Hesai’s sensors are being adopted in pilot autonomous vehicle programs globally, and the company remains one of the most valuable pure-play LiDAR stocks, with a market cap near $2.8 billion.
Orla Mining (ORLA): Gold Bullion Boost
Gold miner Orla Mining Ltd. (NYSE: ORLA) rose 7.02% to $10.22, riding the wave of rising bullion prices amid safe-haven demand. Gold topped $2,420/oz in intraday trade, making Orla—already up 153% over the past year—one of the best-performing junior gold producers on the market.
The move also reflects increased institutional rotation into metals as Treasury yields spike and equity volatility rises.
CleanSpark Inc. (CLSK): Bitcoin-Linked Microgrid Player Climbs
Microgrid and Bitcoin mining company CleanSpark Inc. (NASDAQ: CLSK) climbed 4.23% to $10.11 amid fresh retail interest. CLSK has remained volatile with crypto price swings but has increasingly emphasized its grid power business, which is gaining traction amid U.S. energy reliability concerns.
Though down ~40% YTD, the company’s long-term prospects hinge on scaling hybrid power systems and opportunistic crypto cycles.
Other Key Gainers and Why They Rose
Weibo Corp. (WB) gained 4.28% to $8.78, supported by a bounce in Chinese tech stocks.
Summit Therapeutics (SMMT) added 4.18% to close at $25.41, driven by clinical pipeline progress.
Alvotech (ALVO) rose 3.89% to $10.16 on regulatory approval news.
Belite Bio (BLTE) gained 3.83% to $67.29 after promising ophthalmology trial results.
Sandstorm Gold (SAND) climbed 3.80% to $8.74 alongside peer gold stocks.
ZEEKR (ZK) advanced 3.79% to $29.61 amid record EV deliveries.
Mirion Technologies (MIR) added 3.44% to $18.04 on nuclear diagnostics demand.
Sibanye Stillwater (SBSW) rose 3.25% to $5.72 on metal price momentum.
Mizuho Financial (MFG) gained 3.21% to $5.47 on strong banking results.
Li Auto (LI) closed up 3.08% at $29.12 following a bullish note from Morgan Stanley.
Broader Market Context: Why the Rally Stands Out
The gains in these stocks came despite broader macro pressure. The White House’s proposed $5 trillion tax cut, facing internal party resistance, has sparked fears about fiscal sustainability, spooking bond markets and sending long-term yields to multi-month highs. This has traditionally pressured growth and tech stocks, yet names like WeRide, XPeng, and GDS bucked the trend.
Gold and energy-related equities rallied on safe-haven flows and inflation hedging, while biotech names benefited from event-driven catalysts and trial readouts.
Institutional Flows and Sentiment
FII flows remained net sellers across broad indices, but options volumes suggest hedging activity rather than wholesale exits. Select growth names saw inflows from thematic ETFs, particularly AI, EV, and gold sectors. CLSA and BMO reportedly added to positions in EV Chinese ADRs, including XPeng and Li Auto.
Outlook for the Week Ahead
Investors will continue to monitor fiscal policy negotiations, Treasury auctions, and upcoming inflation data. Any signs of compromise on the Trump administration’s tax agenda or yield stabilization could support a rebound in risk assets.
However, the outperformance of these 18 names reinforces the importance of bottom-up stock selection amid macro-driven volatility. Analysts advise caution but note that sector-specific momentum, especially in AI, EVs, and biopharma, remains structurally intact.
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