Tariff chaos looms, but these 25 stocks soared—PVH, CleanSpark, Hesai defy market nerves

Despite a tense economic backdrop shaped by looming tariff hikes, slowing factory output, and investor wariness, April 1, 2025, brought a surprising rebound across several corners of the U.S. equities market. While broad indices moved cautiously, with the Dow slipping and the Nasdaq showing modest gains, a group of breakout performers across sectors drew attention with single-day surges ranging from 5% to over 18%.

From fashion conglomerates to LiDAR innovators, clean energy players to blockchain hosts, these top gainers demonstrated not just momentary trading activity but investor conviction in specific secular trends. As markets prepare for the disruptive impact of President Donald Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff plan—set to activate April 2—select names are drawing capital as strategic bets amid global uncertainty.

Why did PVH Corp. lead the gains with an 18% surge?

PVH Corp., the parent company of global fashion staples Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger, posted the strongest gain of the day, closing up 18.24% at $76.43. The apparel giant’s rally followed the release of better-than-expected quarterly earnings, driven by solid international growth and operational cost discipline. With a market cap nearing $4.3 billion, the company is aiming to rebound from a more than 27% year-on-year decline.

Analysts noted that PVH’s licensing strength and consumer brand resilience offer an edge as discretionary spending faces tariff-related inflation. The global nature of its brand recognition may also help it weather forthcoming pricing volatility on raw materials and shipping.

How are tech firms like Hesai and monday.com navigating volatile markets?

Hesai Group, a China-based provider of LiDAR sensors for autonomous vehicles, surged 17.77% to close at $17.43. The stock was buoyed by news of a new strategic deal with a major automotive OEM, fueling hopes that Hesai will continue gaining market share as global carmakers double down on autonomous and electric platforms. Despite a complex geopolitical environment and the overhang of U.S.-China trade dynamics, investors appear bullish on Hesai’s core IP and integration footprint.

Another standout, monday.com, gained 7.82% to reach $262.18, building on momentum as one of the most consistently expanding players in cloud-based productivity software. Enterprise adoption trends and expanded AI-driven features have placed it in favorable comparison with competitors, giving investors confidence in its ability to sustain high growth multiples despite elevated valuations.

Progress Software also stood out with a 12.13% gain, reflecting the market’s renewed appetite for legacy software providers modernizing through acquisitions and digital infrastructure upgrades.

Are clean energy stocks gaining renewed momentum in early Q2?

CleanSpark, a leading developer of microgrid and energy storage solutions, saw its shares rally 12.50% to $7.56. The company recently closed a strategic acquisition that expands its reach into grid-resilient solutions for both commercial and residential users. The gain follows a broader pickup in investor interest in decentralized power solutions, particularly those that can offer alternatives to utility-scale grid dependencies in a time of energy transition.

Similarly, Bloom Energy Corporation jumped 8.04% to finish at $21.24, lifted by continued institutional buying and optimism around solid oxide fuel cell adoption. With hydrogen strategies gaining visibility as a bipartisan policy priority, Bloom’s scalable architecture has attracted interest from utility partners and industrial users alike.

What explains the surge in blockchain infrastructure and crypto-related equities?

Bitcoin-linked names like Core Scientific climbed 10.50% to $8.00, riding the wave of both higher crypto prices and greater institutional acceptance of digital infrastructure. Core Scientific, one of the largest blockchain data center operators in North America, has focused heavily on AI-model hosting and high-density compute environments, providing diversified revenue streams beyond crypto mining.

Galaxy Digital Holdings also saw notable gains, up 8.06% to $11.39. The firm benefits from rising digital asset trading volumes and increasing demand for structured crypto financial products, especially as traditional banks cautiously reenter the digital asset ecosystem following improved regulatory clarity.

Are automotive and EV stocks showing signs of investor optimism?

Electric vehicle maker Rivian Automotive posted a 6.67% gain to $13.28 as traders responded to signs of improved production stability. Rivian’s continued investment in proprietary battery technology and in-house supply chain operations has helped insulate it from some of the disruptions that previously plagued the EV sector. As the company prepares for next-generation vehicle launches, investor sentiment appears to be stabilizing.

BRP Inc., a Canadian firm known for recreational vehicles, gained 5.74% to $35.75. Although not directly part of the EV narrative, BRP is benefiting from consumer appetite for premium outdoor gear, especially in North America. Analysts note that BRP could see tariff relief given its regional manufacturing base and Canadian origin.

What’s behind the strength in software-as-a-service and productivity names like Asana and AppLovin?

Shares of AppLovin rose 6.69% to $282.70, continuing an impressive 2025 trajectory tied to superior monetization of mobile ad inventory and algorithmic ad placements. As more app developers consolidate ad spending around proven platforms, AppLovin’s analytics and machine learning capabilities remain a differentiator.

Work management platform Asana climbed 5.08% to $15.31. While still operating in a competitive space, its integration-first approach and flexible team offerings are resonating with remote-first and hybrid businesses. The company’s year-to-date recovery has largely mirrored the broader rebound in SaaS names following Q1 earnings resets.

Why are global pharma and financial names among today’s gainers?

Japanese drugmaker Daiichi Sankyo rose 5.47% to $25.08. The company recently reported positive late-stage trial data for its antibody-drug conjugate pipeline, renewing investor interest in its oncology franchise. Similarly, HUTCHMED, focused on China-driven cancer drug development, gained 6.78% to $16.06, extending modest recent gains after months of weakness tied to regulatory risk.

European bank Commerzbank saw shares climb 5.66% to $24.09 as German and EU financial stocks benefited from easing inflation data and expectations of rate stability. In the U.S., Freddie Mac advanced 6.73% to $5.71, riding a wave of stronger-than-expected housing data and optimism around the refinancing environment.

How are cloud infrastructure and AI hosting stocks reacting to increased enterprise demand?

OneStream, Nebius Group, and Strategy Incorporated all gained more than 5% on the day, with investors citing secular tailwinds from enterprise cloud adoption and generative AI deployment. Nebius rose 7.48% to $22.69, benefitting from its positioning as a sovereign cloud provider. OneStream added 6.28% to $22.68 on the back of renewed interest in integrated business planning software. Strategy Incorporated advanced 6.16% to $306.02, reflecting general bullishness in AI-aligned digital transformation stocks.

How is investor sentiment evolving amid tariff concerns and economic headwinds?

While April opened with a surprisingly strong roster of individual stock gainers, underlying volatility remains elevated. Treasury yields declined after manufacturing data showed a contraction in activity, and market participants are bracing for ripple effects from Trump’s proposed tariff regime, which targets sectors ranging from autos to semiconductors.

Institutional investors appear to be selectively rotating into names with high margin flexibility, proprietary technology, and operational resilience. While tariffs introduce new pricing and geopolitical risks, they are also prompting a renewed focus on reshoring, infrastructure investment, and digital innovation—trends many of these outperforming stocks are positioned to benefit from.