Space stocks jumped Monday, led by Firefly Aerospace, Intuitive Machines, and Rocket Lab

Space stocks jumped again Monday as traders moved fast on expectations that SpaceX will open the door to a trillion-dollar public debut in 2026, according to CNBC.

Investors pushed the entire sector higher for a second straight week last week, thanks to a friendlier White House, new leadership at NASA, and a long list of market signals that point to more demand ahead.

The biggest gain came from Firefly Aerospace, which went public in August and closed the day 13% higher on Monday. Intuitive Machines also rallied by 7% as traders continued, and Rocket Lab extended its run with a 10% surge after rising 18% on Friday, thanks to the company’s $816 million satellite contract with the U.S. Space Development Agency, which confirmed its approval last week.

Trump’s executive order drives lunar base plan

President Donald Trump signed a “space superiority” order on Friday that mapped out plans for a permanent U.S. base on the moon, which the administration sees as a long-term national goal.

At the same time, Cryptopolitan reported that the Senate confirmed Elon Musk’s close friend Jared Isaacman last week after more than a year of delays.

Trump had pulled Isaacman’s nomination earlier this year during a public clash, then sent it back in November, reopening the process. That nomination cleared the Senate days later, removing a major unknown inside the agency.

During the back-and-forth, Sean Duffy stepped in as the temporary head of NASA after Trump tapped him for the job.

Meanwhile, UBS told clients that it believes the strong U.S. stock performance in 2025 still has room to extend into 2026, driven by better earnings, easier policy, and a clearer outlook. Analysts at the bank said corporate profits have kept rising and pointed out that price-to-earnings levels remain only slightly above where they were at the start of the year.

UBS expects S&P 500 earnings to grow 10% in 2026, which it said could put the index near 7,700 by year-end. The bank wrote, “While some may worry investor reticence signals deeper trouble, we see multiple catalysts ahead that should help reignite equity market momentum into early 2026.”

UBS also said it expects more rate cuts after the Federal Reserve delivered a third cut in December, and it warned that the Fed chair change coming in January could shape policy even further. Candidates under review include Kevin Hassett and Christopher Waller, both of whom have called for more easing.

A Supreme Court ruling on Trump’s tariff authority is expected early next year. UBS said any relief from lower tariffs might be brief but still enough to settle investor worries and influence trading conditions at the start of 2026.

UBS kept its “attractive” call on U.S. equities and told clients that even if the next few weeks slow down, the setup remains strong. The bank wrote, “So regardless of whether a December rally materializes, we believe investors should position for further advances in equity markets.”

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