After-Hours Movers Oct 23, 2026: Why SPRC, MACI, RENT Jumped

SPRC — SciSparc Ltd. (+74.3%)

SciSparc jumped 74.3% after the bell, trading up to $1.90 on 5,697,379 after-hours shares. That is about three times its 20-day average of 1,813,400, though after-hours volume is normally far lighter than the regular session. Market cap is only about $4.9 million.

No single announcement is confirmed as the trigger. Recent headlines point to Tourette syndrome trial news from its subsidiary NeuroThera Labs: a GlobeNewswire release on Oct. 22 reported positive progress in an FDA-approved Phase IIb trial, and a Stock Titan item on Oct. 23 said three sites, including Yale, await trial supplies. The company also said on Oct. 19 that it is shifting focus to agentic AI for cybersecurity and finance. Treat the link between these items and the move as likely, not proven.

The technical picture is weak. RSI is 15, the moving-average stack is bearish, the stock sits 97.3% below its 52-wk high, and its relative strength rating is 1. Conviction is 36/100 (grade D), and the squeeze score is just 11/100 with 0.3 days to cover. A short-sale restriction (SSR) is active, which limits some short selling.

This is a micro-cap with a very large percentage move on thin liquidity. It can reverse quickly at the next open.

MACI — Melar Acquisition Corp. I/Cayman (+31.9%)

Melar, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), rose 31.9% after hours to $14.25 on 445,528 shares. Its 20-day average is just 12,750, so this is a big jump in activity from a tiny base.

The likely backdrop is the merger. On Oct. 22, Melar announced shareholder approval of its business combination with Everli Global Inc., an Italian e-grocery firm. Filings in October include a DEFM14A merger proxy and several 425 and 8-K filings. No separate news item explains tonight's move, so the link is probable but unconfirmed.

Technically, RSI is 40, ADX 46, and the stock is 5.0% below its 52-wk high. Conviction is 64/100 (grade D) and the trend-template score is 4. The squeeze score is 38/100 with 13,385 shares short and 4.5 days to cover. The largest disclosed stake is 8.3%.

Merger-linked names can swing hard when volume is this thin, and the move may fade or extend at the open.

RENT — Rent the Runway, Inc. (+27.9%)

Rent the Runway climbed 27.9% after hours to $2.93 on 6,580,013 shares, versus a 20-day average of 141,766. Market cap is about $77.3 million.

The likely driver is insider buying. On Oct. 23, MarketBeat reported a director bought 632,922 shares and a major shareholder acquired $1,626,769.75 of stock. Another report cited a major shareholder buying 458,245 shares. Insider purchases can draw attention, but they don't guarantee a lasting move.

The chart is still damaged: the stock is 75.6% below its 52-wk high, the MA stack is bearish, and relative strength is 16. RSI is 59 and conviction is 36/100 (grade D). Short interest is 1,363,462 shares, or 38.3 days to cover, with a 46/100 squeeze score. Days to cover is how long shorts would need to exit at average volume, and a high number can amplify moves. The largest disclosed stake is 62.0%.

Thin after-hours trading can exaggerate squeezes, and they often unwind.

ALEC — Alector, Inc. (+12.1%)

Alector rose 12.1% after hours to $2.04 on 1,991,976 shares, below its 7,023,697 20-day average.

No news from today explains the move. The most recent headlines are from Oct. 16: a priced underwritten offering that Yahoo Finance said sent the stock up about 13% on premium pricing, and commentary on a Genentech deal. A 424B5 follow-on filing was tagged bearish, since offerings can dilute shareholders. Any link to tonight's move is unclear, so it looks momentum-driven.

Technically, RSI is 43, ADX 22 and the MA stack is mixed. The stock is 33.1% below its 52-wk high, with an RS rating of 89 and conviction of 49/100 (grade D). The squeeze score is 47/100, with 6,165,227 shares short (4.6 days to cover). The smart-money score is 26/100, and it has a single Reddit mention on r/pennystocks.

TANH — TANTECH HOLDINGS LTD (+10.0%)

Tantech gained 10.0% after hours to $19.00 on 612,927 shares, about three times its 20-day average of 183,220. Market cap is about $6.9 million. It also appeared in an RTTNews list of big movers earlier on Oct. 23, and it was in our Oct. 22 after-hours recap.

No news, filing or announcement explains the move; the latest filings are routine 6-Ks from early October. It looks momentum-driven. The regular session included a -27.6% gap, a gap being a jump or drop between one close and the next open.

The chart is weak: RSI 52, bearish MA stack, 82.7% below its 52-wk high, and RS rating 6. Conviction is 45/100 (grade D). Squeeze score is 49/100, free float is 94.7%, and short interest is 802,659 shares (1.4 days to cover). A short-sale restriction is active.

The bottom line

After-hours moves happen on thin liquidity and can extend or reverse at the next open. Most of tonight's names are small-cap, low-float or news-driven, and big gainers often give back much of the move. Patterns and squeezes fail, so manage risk and do your own research. For a framework, see where to place a stop loss. This is educational content, not financial advice.

StockSetups scans the full US universe after every close and every premarket morning. Compare tonight's names with the regular-session movers.