What to Trade Today: Metals and Mortgage REITs in Focus as Commodity Prices Retreat

The premarket tone is cautiously bearish as major U.S. indices and commodities continue their downward drift. S&P 500, Nasdaq, and Dow Jones futures are all in the red, reflecting a risk-off sentiment across the board. The retreat in WTI crude oil—down 0.56% to $56.81—along with a 0.8% drop in gold and a 2.5% fall in silver, hints at a broader flight from risk assets. The market seems to be reacting to a mix of macroeconomic concerns, geopolitical tensions, and shifting policy expectations. With oil and precious metals under pressure, energy and metals equities could be particularly sensitive to today’s price action. Investors are also keeping a close eye on trade policy developments, especially after Trump’s announcement on new steel and aluminum tariffs, which could ripple through the industrial sector. In this environment, short-term traders are looking for actionable setups in stocks showing strong fundamentals but mixed technical and fund flow signals.

1. Materion (MTRN), Short Term Trading Opportunity: Strong Buy

Materion’s technical outlook is neutral with a score of 5.00, meaning there's no clear direction but enough volatility to attract short-term traders. While there haven’t been many recent signals, the balance between long and short triggers keeps the door open for either side. Fundamentally, the company is in strong shape with an 8.3 score—its operating cycle and equity multiplier look healthy. Fund flows are trending slightly negative, with a 7.95 score, but the overall interest is still good. Analysts are optimistic, giving it a 4.02 score with one strong buy and a modest 4.80% price uptick. The key news is the U.S. doubling tariffs on steel and aluminum, which could give Materion a leg up as a domestic metals player. This makes it a solid short-term play, though long-term traders might want to wait for clearer trends to emerge.

2. Annaly Capital (NLY), Short Term Trading Opportunity: Buy

Annaly Capital is a mixed bag. Its technical score is 4.00—neutral with a slightly bearish lean, as two indicators are down and only two are bullish. It’s a volatile setup that needs close watching. Fundamentally, it’s a strong 9.47, with solid PE and ROE metrics. Fund flows are trending slightly negative with a 7.76 score, but the inflows from small to large investors are positive. Analysts are divided with a 4.00 score: one strong buy, one buy, and one neutral.

The price is down 0.13%, but the market is hopeful that rate cuts could stabilize book values and boost loan originations. Recent news points to a brighter outlook for commercial mREITs, which is a positive for Annaly. This stock is a good short-term bet, but long-term traders should be cautious with the mixed signals and fund flow trends.

3. Adeia (ADEA), Short Term Trading Opportunity: Strong Buy

Adeia is a high-risk, high-reward play. Its technical score is just 2 out of 10—clearly bearish with overbought RSI and two strong downward signals. But fundamentals are decent at 5.3, and fund flows are positive with a 7.79 score, showing that investors are still coming in. Analysts are bullish with an 8 out of 10 score, giving it all “Strong Buy” ratings. The key news is the projected $1.07 trillion semiconductor market by 2035 and the ongoing U.S.-China tech tensions. This is a short-term trade with upside potential, but the bearish technicals mean you need to watch the RSI and support levels closely. If the stock breaks below key levels, it could trend lower quickly.

4. Sunoco (SUN), Short Term Trading Opportunity: Strong Buy

Sunoco is another volatile short-term candidate. Its technical score is just 2 out of 10—bearish with two strong downward signals. But fundamentals are strong at 8.3, and fund flows are trending positively with a 7.66 score, especially from medium and large investors. Analysts are mixed with a 5.0 score—just one strong buy, but the stock is down 0.06% overall. Recent news includes President Tinubu’s executive order to lower costs in Nigeria’s oil sector and OPEC+ discussing output increases. This creates some uncertainty but also potential upside if prices stabilize. Sunoco is a classic short-term trade—volatility is your friend here, but long-term traders should avoid unless the technicals flip.

5. Gatx (GATX), Short Term Trading Opportunity: Strong Buy

Gatx is a neutral but potentially strong short-term play with a technical score of 5.00. The market is waiting for a clearer direction, but the fundamentals are excellent at 9.84—especially its PB and CFOA metrics. Fund flows are trending well with a 7.86 score and strong block trades coming in. Analysts are bullish with a “Strong Buy” rating, though there’s some variance in their ratings. Recent news includes changes in vaccine policy under Secretary Kennedy and developments in the uranium mining sector. These regulatory shifts could impact sectors related to Gatx. This is a good short-term trade, especially for those looking to ride a positive flow into the session. But again, long-term traders should watch for mixed signals and volatility.

The market is in a holding pattern, waiting for the next macroeconomic or geopolitical catalyst. But for active traders, the key setups are in industrial and energy plays, especially those with strong fundamentals and solid fund flow inflows. As the bell approaches, watch how Materion and Gatx set the tone for today’s session.