Stocks moving big midday: MU, PXD, SQ, AMC

Check out the companies making headlines in midday trading Monday.

Block — Shares of the payments stock lost 3% following a downgrade to market perform from outperform by KBW. The firm cited pressures from “‘small risks starting to add up,” including potential regulatory scrutiny of its Cash App business.

Tesla — Shares of Elon Musk’s electric vehicle company fell more than 1.5% after the firm announced another price cut in the U.S., its fifth since the start of the year. The move came as tougher U.S. standards are set to reduce the $7,500 tax credit available for Tesla’s Model 3. The EV maker also said Sunday it will open a new Megafactory in Shanghai that is capable of producing 10,000 Megapacks — large batteries —a year.

Pioneer Natural Resources – Shares of the fracking giant popped nearly 6% after The Wall Street Journal reported that Exxon Mobil has held informal talks to acquire Pioneer. Exxon shares fell 0.6%.

Micron Technology — Micron Technology’s shares gained 8% after its rival Samsung Electronics announced that it plans to cut memory chip production in the near term. Many Wall Street analysts said the move could accelerate a return to supply-demand balance and potential rebound in the chipmaking sector. Chip giant Western Digital also added about 8%.

Excelerate Energy, EQT and other gas stocks — Shares of Excelerate Energy, EQT and other gas stocks ticked higher as natural gas futures climbed. Excelerate added more than 1%, while EQT jumped 3.7% and Matador Resources gained 2.9%. Excelerate also got a boost from a new Deutsche Bank report, wherein the firm initiated coverage of the stock, rated it a buy and said it was trading below its industry peers.

Apple, Google, Microsoft — Shares of major technology companies were in the red during Monday’s trading session. Apple’s stock price lost 2%, Google-parent Alphabet shed 2.8% and Microsoft lost 1.4%.

Taiwan Semiconductor — Shares of the chip giant dropped 2.2% in midday trading after the company saw a decline in monthly revenue for the first time in four years. The stock is still up roughly 17% from the start of the year. Last month, Bank of America upgraded its price target on the company, believing it stands to benefit from investor interest in generative artificial intelligence.

New Fortress Energy — The stock gained 4% after Deutsche Bank initiated New Fortress as a buy. The bank said the company is well positioned in the liquified natural gas sector, which it believes has “potential to create outsized investment opportunities.”

Nikola — Shares fell 3% after Evercore ISI reiterated its in line rating. The firm also cut its price target in half to $1, saying the company has too many headwinds.

Five Below — Shares of the discount retailer gained 3.9% after Roth MKM said that Five Below might be helped by the success of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” which reported stronger-than-anticipated box office results.

AMC Entertainment, IMAX, Cinemark Holdings — Shares of major theater chains were in the green on Monday after the box office success of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” which was made by Universal Pictures. The film grossed more than $200 million in the U.S., according to Box Office Mojo. AMC’s stock price popped 6.7%, IMAX soared by 2% and Cinemark gained 5.7%. 

— CNBC’s Jesse Pound, Hakyung Kim, Samantha Subin, Yun Li, Alex Harring and Brian Evans contributed reporting

Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC. NBCUniversal is the distributor of “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.”